Graziano came with an orange bowl of clean nails or chiodini…..I improvised a risotto: A cup and a half of arborio rice. Fry a red onion chopped finely with a carrot and a clove of garlic, add some Lugana white wine, stir in the rice and some pancetta and then ladle in the broth. I added the chiodini half way through cooking and some freshly chopped parsley form Graziano’s orto- (kitchen garden) what else?!

So who is Graziano?! He is my dearest friend and next door neighbour of 89 who has the energy of a titan. He leaves the house at 8.30am everyday to be back by 12. His frugal lunch is quickly over and he’s out again tending the garden he looks after until 6pm.