Dardi's Profile

The reason for the warm broth is very simple: every time that you pour something cold on the cooking rice you stop briefly the cooking process (that's happen not just for rice, eggs too).
Now, when you cook risotto you pour broth on the rice every few minutes, so if the broth is cold, you stop the cooking every few minutes too. The cooking process starts again short afterwards when the temperature in the pan rises again. This continuous changing in temperature stresses the surface of the grain and breaks it. The grain absorb more water and, more importantly, loses consistence.
If you are used to eat overcooked pasta and rice or if you use rice that is not crystalline (not high quality) you won't probably notice the difference but maybe your guests would.

"Florals are usually associated with being feminine, and yet I see many men wearing florals and decorating with them. "

They are surely gay and clearly they are not real men. Every one knows that real men use only leather, dark colours and squared forms. Real women obviously use lots of frills, flowers and bright colours, preferably pinks. No matter that until the 50ies pink was considered by many a colour for boys. They were surly subversive ante litteram PC-minded people!

Stereotypes are for boring people with a limited mind. Please AT, do not support stereotypes!

Maude T was faster....
Lille is definitely in France, not in Belgium.

In Venice is all expensive, so be prepared....
but if you have the money masks, the artisan made ones (not the cheap bought on the streets and made in China) they are gorgeous!

But you were asking about food....
I start with the Donts:

Don't buy pasta in funny shapes and colours: they are just for tourists and not of good quality
Don't buy food in tourists shops. They are handy so near monuments and so on, but the quality is mostly not very good.

and now the Dos:

Do buy coffee from small "torrefazione", small coffee shops where the coffee is roasted on the premises. You can drink the coffee(s) and than decide which one you like best. In Venice and even more in Trieste, is a very old tradition and the quality is definitely above average.

Do visit a "panetteria", a bakery

Do visit some "pasticceria" and buy at least one of these: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Shop_Windows_IMG_3911.JPG
There you can buy funny things like candied violets (in the same image above, bottom), mint and mimosa too and bignè and a lot of other treats.

If you find it, do visit a street market! And enjoy the food:
In this season try fresh tomatoes (the ones that have all different shapes and dimensions are the "real ones")
soft kakis
figs (if you still find them)

Cooking tools:
A part from the already mentioned ravioli cutter and gnocchi board, there is not much you can buy. The marble rolling pin is maybe nice to look at but not much to make pasta or anything else. The real one is some 4-5cm across and 60-100cm long and made of wood.

Food magazines:
Sale e Pepe http://www.giornalilocali.it/riviste-casa-e-cucina/sale-pepe.htm
La Cucina Italiana http://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/default.aspx?idPage=824

PS
Line brakes, at least in preview do not work!

@ sunspot42

Well New York is not much oversee, and still seems to have problems...
"If You Use The Subway A Lot DO NOT Upgrade To Apple's New iPhone Software!"
http://www.businessinsider.com/ios6-maps-2012-9

From Sweden to South Africa, a debacle:
http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/

A storm in a glass....

First, no one suggested to throw away the sponges/ice-packs after the first use. Please read the linked article before reacting. Carole writes: "As they melt, they will reabsorb the water so just toss them back in the freezer after school!!! "

Second from what I can see in the photo, the sponges shown are actually cellulose sponge. If they are not, you can use them for your own ice-packs and be eco-friendly.

In case no one know the difference, here some explanation:
http://www.cellulosesponge.com/
http://www.torayfinechemicals.com/english/products/kino/kin_003a.html

...and some places where to buy them:
http://www.nextag.com/cellulose-sponge/stores-html
http://www.amazon.com/S-M-Arnold-CELLULOSE-SPONGE/dp/B0002NUO9W

I used to get them for free, pressed down and dried in sticks, from Stanhome but where I live now and in US they don't operate.
Here from another company what they look like, so even the transport is going to be eco-friendly.
http://images.bizrice.com/upload/20120309/Compressed_Cellulose_Sponge.jpg

@ Carrotsticks
The reasons to not like Apple product philosophy or its adepts is definitely not "irrational" or "strange".
I found much more irrational (and sad) these scenes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIi-zpSuqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAtunzpaydM

or the guy that styled his room on an Apple Store look.

The marble used is "carrara" from the town of Carrara. Not "carrera". "Carrera" means "race" in Spanish and is the name of a famous Porsche model.

Hey, the seventies are back!
(though I'd never wear that colours, I do like the lines)
and my absolute favourite couch is back in an AT article! :0)

When we get an article on macramé?

My forecast were than not sooo wrong..;0)

I think no Italian would ever call coffee made with a moka "espresso".