Pink Pink Pink Day today for Breast Cancer prevention! And a very special recipe…

A heavy family history of Breast Cancer in my home makes this a cause close to my heart.


 


October has seen the Pink Ribbon Campaign against Breast Cancer come into full swing remembering those who have died, those who are suffering but also the survivors of this insidious disease.





Prevention is perhaps too optimistic a word but there are healthy changes that you can make to make your body stronger to fight the disease should it rear its ugly head.

Eat food containing antioxidants, exercise




and of course get your breasts checked regularly at any age.


 
Sculpture by Juanita Aiello-Pansini


A full list of risk factors can be found on the Breast Cancer Campaign Organization site.
Please click here to fund free mammograms for underprivileged woman. It will cost you nothing but mean so much to another.
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My mother, an exceptional cook, died of Breast Cancer just under two and a half years ago.
I would like to share her very special recipe for Brandied Lemon Ricotta Cheese cake with you in her honour.


Brandied Lemon Ricotta Cheese Cake:
 
Ingredients:
Sponge layer or Savoiardi biscuits
500gms Ricotta cheese (a fresh Italian soft cheese similar in consistency to Cottage Cheese)
125gms of castor sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons of gelatin
1/2 cup of water
1 1/4 cups of cream
2 tablespoons of brandy
Method:
Line a 23cm spring form pan with paper and cut sponge or biscuits to fit in single layer.
Beat eggs and sugar till thickened. In a separate bowl, beat ricotta cheese, lemon rind & juice, vanilla & brandy together. Dissolve gelatin in the 1/2 cup of water over a very gentle heat. Beat it into the ricotta mix a little at a time.
Whip cream until semi-whipped. Fold cream, egg mixture & ricotta mixture together. Mix well. Pour over the sponge/biscuit layer. Refrigerate several hours until set. Decorate with fruit of choice just before serving.

TORTA DI RICOTTA AL BRANDY E LIMONE (per le amiche Italiane)
  
Ingredienti:
Savoiardi oppure Pan di Spagna
500gm di Ricotta
125gm di zucchero semolato
2 uova
2 cucchiaini di vaniglia
2 cucchiaini di buccia di limone grattugiato
2 cucchiai di succo di limone
1 1/2 cucchai di gelatina
1/2 bicchere d’acqua
1 1/4 bicchiere di panna
2 cucchiai di Brandy
Ricoprite la base di una teglia per torte di 23cm (con il lato apribile) con i Savoiardi oppure con un sottile stratto di pan di Spagna
Montate le uova con lo zucchero. Sbattete insieme la ricotta, la scorza di limone, il succo, la vaniglia e il Brandy. Sciogliete la gelatina nell’acqua al fuoco basso e poi agguingetela un po` alla volta alla ricotta sbattendola bene.
Montate la panna finche` non si sia addensata a meta`.
Mescolate insieme alla ricotta, la panna e le uova in modo che ogni elemento si  amalgami perfettamente.
Versate il composto nella teglia e mettetela al frigo per un paio di ore.
Ricopritela con frutta al momento di servirla.

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Today we have come together with other Italian bloggers in the Blogosphere to bring the Anti-Breast Cancer campaign our solidarity by painting the internet pink:
Linda - News From Italy
Anne - Anne from Oxfordshire
Laura - Ciao Amalfi
Cherrye - My Bella Vita
Lucy - On my way 2 work and Other Stuff
Donna - Maremma Guide
Lauren - Mamaquest
Veronika - Modenus Blog
Eleonora - Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
JoAnne - Frutto della Passione and contest!
Michelle-Bleeding Espresso
Pat - Sicily Scene
a full list of almost 300 participating bloggers can be found here at Mamma Felice.
Grazie! Do go visit the others!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Think Pink!

It’s been Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and these lovely ladies have joined in with me to promote the campaign by posting pink pictures and information on their blogs.

I’m offering a virtual flower from my garden to each one ♥

Laura from Ciao Amalfi gave us a whirlwind tour of the towns of the Amalfi Coast and amongst the rainbow of colours, she found pink in the most unexpected places! She stresses the importance of early detection with facts from The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Sue from The Pownall Chronicles had a great line up of women photographs from her travels and facts from The Pink Ribbon Foundation.

Anne in Oxfordshire shows us her feminine side with pretty pink objects from her dresser. Many of her friends took part in Breast Cancer walks in Paris too.

It was cyclamen season with Pat from Sicily. In Sicily Scene, she stressed the importance of not ignoring lumps however tiny and that men are also subject to Breast Cancer. Thank you for putting up the link to LILT, the Italian Tumor Foundation too.

Darling Fifi from Fifi Flowers Design Decor has used her talents to help the campaign, by donating 10 percent of sales of her zany French pink painting collection to Breast Cancer research.

Michelle from Bleeding Espresso supported the campaign with jewelry and pink coffee machines. She had links to important information from the Breast Cancer.Org and simply suggested that we don’t forget about being vigilant but have Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer in our minds all year long!

I think that that’s a very good point to end on!

Thank you so much girls!

Think Pink!

The tags on blogs have been tinged with colour lately.  Laura from Ciao Amalfi saw red, and Anne from Oxfordshire, and Rowena from Rubber Slippers, to name a few, have both posted with blue objects from their houses .

That gave me an idea. Many of you will be aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought I might see things through Rose Coloured glasses with hope for a cure and post some pink things from my life in Positano.

 

I don’t want to rock anyone’s boat, but Breast Cancer affects us all.

I’m certain that everyone knows a person who has been touched by the illness.

 

Show your solidarity for these people.

Go on walks, post Pink, wear pink, give to research or simply hug a survivor.

Check, check check your breasts every month after your period.  It is treatable if you get it early. Get any change, however small, checked by your doctor.

Have a mammography or ultrasound every 2 years.

Post your Rose Coloured Photos this month and let me know. I will do a post on October 30th linking you all together in solidarity for the victims, the sufferers and the survivors. 

Think Pink! And remember that the 15th of October is Breast Health Day.