11 NOVEMBER 11TH, 2025
This is Mai – with me – on the Ponte Santa Trinita in Florence. On the back the Ponte Vecchio is visible.
It was two days ago, Sunday, November 9th, 2025.
The last time I saw Mai was in 2015, when she came to visit me at Gigliocooking school. The photo above was shooted then.
TEN YEARS AGO!
This time, as well as ten years ago, as well as eleven years ago, we burst into tears.
But i’s better start from the beginning.
October 2013: three pretty girls came to attend the Monthly course. One of them is from Japan, one from Korea, one from the U.S.A. Interested and participating, they attended every single class with joy, enthusiasm and, most important, with a deep sense of sharing that led them to a friendship.
Mai, Renee, Marie
Ogni lezione portava con sé una sorpresa, un “suggerimento” di filosofia, un motivo per ridere, una nuova idea di iHere they are, with the shine of their smiles.
Every class brought a surprise, a “tip” of phylosophy”, a reason for a laugh, a new idea of plating. Not always I found the time to post an article on my blog: i should have…. Below there is an example of the way we cooked together:
http://gigliocooking.blogspot.com/2013/10/99-and-66.html
After one year I was called by the Vancouver Island University for a series of demontrations, lectures and for planning the menu for an international event at the university:
http://gigliocooking.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-italian-banquet.html
Mai had already moved from Japan to Canada and had started to work in Vancouver. She read about the event and decided to come visit.
The meeting was a giant, emotional hug between us, of course with tears flowing out.
Mai appreciates my thought about “the respectful treating” of the food as a solution.
http://gigliocooking.blogspot.com/2014/11/we-have-treasure.html
http://gigliocooking.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-message-of-hope.html
Thus, I met Mai in October 2013; I saw her again in Canada in November 2014; she came to visit in Florence in June 2015.
Last Friday, November 7th, while I was teaching class, the bell rang. It was Mai, coming in through the courtyard with a smile mixed with tears.
How could I not find time to spend with her?
Here we are on the Ponte Santa Trinita in Florence: a selfie with Ponte Vecchio in the back.
We went to an organic bakery for a breakfast with Maritozzo and Caffelatte; then we went to the Fierucola, the farmer market.
Then we stopped in an Osteria for the typical “Florentine” dishes: crostini with chicken liver, Ribollita soup, Frittata.
The we went to Historical coffe and pastry, the birth place of the cocktail “Negroni”: “Rivoire” for espresso and chocolate.
Thank you Mai: thank you for emotion, youo smile, your phylosophy of “peaceful food”, for the time to come visit. I really hope than no ten year would pass before we will see again.
Marcella Ansaldo © 2026