Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Butter Tarts

Today was my last day at work for four weeks. I soon suspected by the way people's faces were glazing over when I said this that my countdown had gone on far too long. What can I say . . . I am an excited guy!

I thought that I would make a treat for my colleagues on my last day so I whipped up a batch of butter tarts. For the uninformed butter tarts are a unique Canadian treat - a wee bit like the Canadian version of pecan pie (without pecans or Karo syrup). There are theories about whether they were adapted from southern pecan pie, old-fashioned sugar pies, or maple syrup, backwoods or vinegar pies. Squabbles arise whether or not the tarts should be runny or not, and just how runny. Opinions differ about the use of syrup or sugar only, eggs beaten or not, currants or raisins, and how the tart pans should be filled.

Butter tarts are serious business for we Canadians.

I had told my friend Nancy that I made great butter tarts. She argued that her mom's would be better.

This is what she wrote after she tried one of these tarts:

The tart is AMAZING!!!! I need the recipe. I do believe it may even surpass my mom’s and my sister’s – and I don’t say that lightly!

Ha!

She then went on to eat three tarts.

This recipe is unique because it uses maple syrup. It is from an old cookbook of mine - The Mennonite Relief Sale Cookbook - originally published in 1973 (making this cookbook older than Paul!)

I do NOT make my own pastry - I find it far easier to buy prepared tart shells in the frozen food aisle.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen tarts.

Butter Tarts

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup REAL maple syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange lined tart shells on a baking sheet (or in tart tins if you are making your own pastry)

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Beat until the thickness of cream.

Fill each shell 2/3 full.

Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling bubbling - about 30 minutes.

Note - nuts or raisins may be added. I HAVE to have raisins in my butter tarts but some twisted folk prefer them without. I made about 10 tarts without raisins and then added about 2/3 cup raisins to the remaining filling and filled the rest.

Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with a Ragu of Tiny Meatballs

This is a sophisticated version of spaghetti and meatballs - that 'Italian classic' that no mama in Italy would ever make. For some reason it has caught on here in North American. I bet if you asked 100 folk to name their favourite pasta dish more than a third would select this!

While this recipe looks complicated it isn't. You can make the meatballs in advance and then just toss them together with the sauce as the water for the pasta boils.

Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with a Ragu of Tiny Meatballs

1 x basic pasta dough or use 1 lb good-quality dried pappardelle
A knob of butter
Parmesan cheese

Meatballs
1 Pound ground beef  -Jamie makes a point in the book to say have the butcher grind this in front of you and be sure to get hormone and antibiotic free meat
1-2 Dried chillies
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 Nutmeg, grated
3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Large egg   -  He also points out this should be free range organic
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Zest of 1 lemon - I personally think you should use less, maybe a half?
Salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce
Olive oil
2-3 Cloves of garlic, finely chopped
A Bunch of basil, leaves picked and stalks chopped
1 Fresh red chili, pierced with the tip of a knife - I used a dried for this
2 x 400g Tins of plum tomatoes
Swig of red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

If you’re making fresh pappardelle to this first and lay it out on a floured pan while you get on with the meatballs and tomato sauce.

To make your meatballs, mix and 'scrunch' (a Jamieism) together all the meatball ingredients in your hands and shape into marble-sized balls. When rolling the meatballs, run your hands under cold water every now and then – it will help to make the meatballs dense and hold their shape better. Place them in a pan and put in the fridge while you make your tomato sauce.

Get a pan on the heat and add a glug of olive oil to it. Gently fry the garlic, basil stalks and the whole chili, then add the tomatoes and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper then gently simmer for half an hour.

Heat up a little olive oil in a frying pan and throw in your meatballs. Cook until they’ve got a really good color on them, and then add them to your tomato sauce. Remove the chili from the sauce and check for seasoning. Continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, if you’re using dried pasta, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook according to the package instructions. Otherwise, when your meatballs are almost done, cook your fresh pasta for 2 to 3 minutes until al dente.

Drain the pappardelle in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, then toss it in the meatball sauce. Add the knob of butter, the Parmesan and tear over half the basil leaves. Now, toss around to coat the pasta. Add a little bit of cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.

When it’s superb, serve on a big platter or divide up between individual plates, scatter with the rest of the basil leaves, grate over some Parmesan and serve as soon as possible.

Packing

Six days to go. I need to think about packing . . .

Palma has already packed her bags and weighed them to see if they will be accepted on a plane without penalty.

Me? I am making lists . . .

One of the great on going debates  discussion on the slowtravel community message board generally revolves around packing. There are those who swear by their ability to pack enough clothing for an entire three week European adventure in a carry on bag. We are not in that camp. No, not evening close.

I see nothing to be gained by rinsing out my jockey shorts each evening with shampoo and hanging them to dry in the window.

Someone posted this a few weeks back:

We just returned from one week in Paris, and it (a BACKPACK) performed very well. I was able to pack a pair of jeans, a pair of chinos, two polos, two long sleeve button down shirts, one sweater, one pair of shoes, six pairs of socks, six pairs of boxers, one heavy jacket, three under shirts, one long sleeve tee, one short sleeve, tee, a pair of mesh shorts, two books, four magazines, shaving kit, notebook, maps, and other smaller items. It was comfortable to carry through airports, the Paris metro, and while walking down the street. If you regularly can use a 22" roller for one week trips, then you can use this too. It was perfect.

Nothing about this, other than a week in Paris, sounds perfect to me. Hell, I need a backpack just for my camera, iPod, video camera, cell phone, assorted chargers, international plug, etc.

Frankly I do NOT pack lightly at all. Why, you ask?

1. Read the jockeys in the bathroom sink drying in the window for  # 1.
2. I don't care to wear the same outfit five days in a row. I suppose no one would know. The problem is I would and I wouldn't be able to live with ME!
3. Yes, I know that the people I see don't know me and I will likely never run into them again. However, I just do NOT like the thought of wandering about with my clothing looking like Phyllis Diller's ankles because I have rolled it up in a tube to fit it all in a carry-on.
4. I am addicted to guidebooks. Guidebooks take up room in the suitcase. Hell, just printing out hotel reservations, plane reservations, directions to the villa, car rental agreements, etc has filled a file folder.
5. I am not a nudist (and the world gives thanks for that). I like clothing.
6. Apparently I have shoe issues. I bring different pairs with me. I bring walking shoes, sandals, running shoes, dress shoes. Sometimes I bring river shoes or hiking boots. Have you ever tried to put a pair of hiking boots in a backpack?
7. Some folk enjoy wearing nothing but black for weeks on end. I am neither a monk nor a goth. I enjoy some colour in my life. Having a clothing palette involves a variety of colours. This takes luggage room to mix and match appropriately.
8. I like to bring wine home with me. Thanks to those pinheads who tried to down an airliner with the contents of a coke can I can no longer bring my wine home as carry-on. Now I have a wine suitcase, carefully fitted with styrofoam, to safely bring that liquid gold home with me.
9. I have been known to purchase a thing or two. Actually I have been known to purchase so many things that I was forced to mail boxes of dirty clothing home in order to make room for my purchases in my suitcase. I could fill a carry-on in 5 seconds in Florence.

So you see, I just don't get it. To those who like to pack lightly, I say - good for you. I shall have my two bags, changes of clothing, clean jockey shorts, shoes, wine, and purchases.

This You-tube has some helpful advice for those of you who wish to pack lightly. At first I thought it was helpful, having watched it a few times I now think it is mocking light packers. I like it more now. :-)

Grilled Carrots with Thyme and Onions

I don't know where I first found this recipe but it is probably one I have done on the grill more than any other. It is easy - a real no fuss production that results in a great addition to a meal. I've made this with carrot slices, baby carrots, julienned carrots, and so on - it is forgiving and flexible - my kind of recipe!

Grilled Carrots with Thyme and Onions

1 lb peeled carrots, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tsp butter
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
freshly ground pepper

Divide carrots between two pieces of foil large enough to fold into packets. Sprinkle evenly with onion, butter and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely wrap foil over vegetables, sealing tightly. Place on grill over medium-high heat; cook, turning once, for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender-crisp (note: smaller pieces of carrot will require less grilling time). Makes 4 servings.

Whistlestop Cafe Marinade

This is Sandi and her husband Bill.

Bill's family used to own the famous Whistlestop Cafe. You may recall this spot from a little movie called Fried Green Tomatoes.

The family has sold the cafe but still sells some wonderful whistlestop products. When I first met Sandi last fall she gave me a bottle of Whistlestop Marinade.

It sat in the cupboard until last week. I thawed two pork tenderloins and placed them in a zip lock bag with half of the marinade.

I then threw the pork tenderloins on the BBQ, grilling them until they were done.

The marinade is a versatile liquid that added a wallop of flavor to the pork tenderloin. According to the bottle it is made with Kikkoman soy sauce as the base, a blend of spices, vinegar and a dash of real lemon juice. It enhances flavors… without using MSG.

This was a quick and delicious dinner, thanks Sandi and Bill!

For those of you interested in getting some of this delicious marinade yourself, it can be ordered here.

Sunday Slow Bakers - Week 4 Grappa-soaked Mini Sponge Cakes

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Each participant selects a recipe from the cookbook and we all work our way through it. Today is the fourth entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (who also happens to be a member of the slowtravel community).

This week's selection, Grappa-Soaked Mini Sponge Cakes (pan di spagna con grappa), was selected by Palma. It presented folks with a few challenges - many of us didn't have mini bundt cake pans. Some used a large bundt pan, others muffin tins. Me? I had an mini easter egg bundt tin which I have used once. I was far too concerned about saving money for our upcoming trip to Italy to buy a new pan. I made easter egg grappa soaked mini sponge cakes.

The other challenge was in finding the grappa. Sandi searched in vain but discovered that the Piggly Wiggly in Alabama just did not carry the stuff. I had no trouble finding grappa but it was only available in huge bottles. Funny that I had no trouble shelling out $ 50 bucks for grappa but would not buy new cake pans 10 days prior to leaving for Italy . . . I ended up buying a Mazzetti Grappa di nebbiolo in honour of our upcoming trip to Piemonte. Others used brandy, amaretto, or lemoncello.

I only needed 4 tablespoons of the grappa for the cakes, I am sure that Paul will drink the rest of the stuff. . . .

This is Paul knocking back a third glass of Casa Emma grappa during our tour of the winery back in /06. It was thoughtful of his to drink mine because I was driving, his own because he just can't waste a good drink, and mom's because she was already 'overserved'. I'm not sure that he has recovered from his grappa induced coma though.

Grappa-soaked Mini Sponge Cakes

For the grappa syrup:

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grappa
1/4 cup water

For the sponge cakes:

2 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
8 large eggs, separated (mine were extra-large so I only used 7)
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grappa
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour 2 mini bundt pans (or one large bundt pan).

Stir together the ingredients for the grappa syrup in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks, sugar, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed until they are very light, pale yellow, and doubled in volume (about 3 minutes). Beat in the grappa and vanilla, followed by the melted butter. Transfer this mixture into a large mixing bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients quickly and lightly, using a large rubber spatula, stopping just before they are fully mixed together.

Clean the mixer bowl and whisk attachment and carefully dry. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl and beat on medium-high speed until foamy and light. Add the cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter quickly and lightly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Smooth the tops. Bake the cakes for 20 - 25 minutes (note, the time will be longer if you are making one large cake), or until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans. Allow the cakes to cool for about five minutes in the pans. Carefully remove them to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Gently brush the cakes with grappa syrup, being sure to cover the entire surface of the warm cakes with the syrup. Use all of the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool completely before serving.

Gina suggests serving the cakes with whipped cream (to which you could add a small quantity of the syrup), creme fraiche, or gelato. They could also be garnished with fresh fruit or simply dusted with icing sugar.

We enjoyed our cakes with a bit of gelato. They were amazing! The grappa syrup was delicious, although the grappa flavour isn’t very strong as most of the alcohol does burn off while the syrup is cooking. The little cakes are pretty and make for an attractive presentation. I will definately be making this recipe again (hmmm - I guess I should have sprung for those new pans! *smile*)

You can see how the other slow bakers met this challenge on their blogs . . .

Destination Anywhere
Cooking at the Whistlestop Cafe
Happy Trails for Us; My Reluctant Blog
In and Out of the Garden
Keep Your Feet in the Street
My Place in the Sun 
Palmabella's Passions
Postcards From the Trail 
What I Really Think

We Visit Bombay's Chutney

Last weekend was a busy one for me. I was working a conference in Kingston on Friday and Saturday. I raced home Saturday because we had plans to go out with a friend for dinner. Paul wanted to try a new Indian restaurant in Burlington that had been opened for a few months - we had driven by but not popped in. It was time to correct this.

Elise arrived at about 5 bearing gifts. She had brought a wonderful early anniversary gift for us which was such a nice treat. In her words: 'the 10th is a big one so gifts it is!'

Who were we to refuse?

We sipped a Tahitian Sunrise while we opened gifts, chatted, and laughed.

Then it was off to the restaurant.

Bombay's Chutney, featuring high ceilings and big windows, makes the transition from the busy decorating in many Indian food establishments to understated without a drop in quality of the fare. It's located  in the Longo's plaza at Walker's Line and Dundas Street and features a mix of muted colours and stylish lighting. The Indian touches show up in the profile of a room divider and art under glass on table tops.

The menu is quite extensive and we had a difficult time deciding what to order.

We decided to start off with an appetizer platter which featured a generous assortment of Vegetable Samosas, Aloo Tiki and Onion Bhaji. This was served with a tangy tamarind chutney and curred chickpeas.

We decided to order a number of different dishes and share, that way we could try many different things. The first one to arrive was Lamb Tikka. We enjoyed the juicy chunks of lamb which had been marinaded, cooked in a tandoor and finished with cinnamon. It was served with mint chutney and salad.

The next dish in our feast was vegetable biryani. This was an aromatic blend of ling grained rice cooked with saffron, vegetables and spices. It came topped with crisp onions and sliced almonds. I really enjoyed the layers of flavours and textures in this dish.

One of our all-time favourite things to order at Indian restaurants is butter chicken. I laugh at folks who think that the dish is actually made with butter; instead what we received was moist pieces of chicken cooked to perfection in a rich sauce of tomato, cream and spices. The sauce was accented nicely with dried fenugreek.

Elise selected a vegetarian dish I had never heard of, let alone tried, for her dish. It was called mutter paneer. For those of you who, like me, don't have a clue about this it is cubes of cottage cheese that are simmered in a rich tomato sauce with cream, onions, and green peas. I was so glad that she had ordered this, I doubt that I ever would have, yet it was wonderful! Thank you Elise for expanding our horizons.

Now, before anyone says anything, of course we ordered naan bread. I can not eat Indian food without copious quantities of hot naan bread to sop it all up. The waitress tried to tell us that we had ordered too much naan - clearly she hadn't met us before. We went with what our gut told us and were happy that we had. This was wonderful naan - light and crispy on the edges.

Of course we were not able to eat all of this food so Paul had leftovers during the week - a good thing as I was away for four days running another conference. The portions were generous, the flavour incredible - there wasn't one bad dish amongst those we ordered. I can't believe that we have driven by this spot for seven months and not stopped in! We will definitely return.

The dishes shown above, with steamed basmati rice, beers, and water came to $ 95 with the tip. 

The City of Fallen Angels

The City of Falling Angels opens on the evening of January 29, 1996, when a dramatic fire destroys the historic Fenice opera house. The loss of the Fenice, where five of Verdi's operas premiered, is a catastrophe for Venetians. Arriving in Venice three days after the fire, John Berendt - famous for his book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - becomes a kind of detective-inquiring into the nature of life in this remarkable museum-city-while gradually revealing the truth about the fire.

In the course of his investigations, Berendt introduces us to a rich cast of characters: a prominent Venetian poet whose shocking "suicide" prompts his skeptical friends to pursue a murder suspect on their own; the first family of American expatriates that loses possession of the family palace after four generations of ownership; an organization of high-society, partygoing Americans who raise money to preserve the art and architecture of Venice, while quarreling in public among themselves, questioning one another's motives and drawing startled Venetians into the fray; a contemporary Venetian surrealist painter and outrageous provocateur; the master glassblower of Venice; and numerous others-stool pigeons, scapegoats, hustlers, sleepwalkers, believers in Martians, the Plant Man, the Rat Man, and Henry James.

by far the most important character int he book is the city herself. Venice, a city steeped in a thousand years of history, art and architecture, teeters in precarious balance between endurance and decay. Its architectural treasures crumble — foundations shift, marble ornaments fall — even as efforts to preserve them are underway. Venice is a city of masks and riddles, where narrow streets and passageways form a giant maze that confounds the uninitiated and deepens the sense of mystery

A few facts from this book about Venice that you may or may not know:

Venice has the cleanest air of any city because there are no cars and methane gas which burns cleanly is used for heating.

It is also the quietest city with a sound level of 32 decibels, while for the average city it is 45 decibels, again because of the absence of traffic.

There are 443 bridges in the city of Venice, although I have seen other figures bandied about, including 500.

During his occupation of Venice, Napoleon razed to the ground 176 religious buildings, 80 palaces along with their decorations and art treasures and his agents confiscated 12,000 paintings and sent them Paris where they now reside in the Louvre.

The Venetian Mafia control the water taxi business in Venice, along with the money lending operation in front of the Municipal Casino, which incidentally residents of Venice are not allowed to enter due to a very old statute still on the books.

The permanent population of Venice has now shrunk to 70,000 although an estimated 7 million tourists visit the city each year.

Well why don't you read the book for yourself? I do recommend it highly although the tone might be considered a trifle gossipy, however I found it fascinating.

You may also be interested in the list of the ten books that John Berendt thinks are essential reading on Venice and I found this fascinating site which has a fairly exhaustive list of books on Venice, both fiction and non fiction.

I found this book to be a witty and urbane tour through the private (as opposed to the tourist) Venice. It also had a godssipy tone. Along with Berendt we encounter an extraordinary roster of Venetians and expatriates--the people who actually live in Venice. And what a collection of eccentrics and oddballs! I was hooked from the very beginning in which Berendt describes the spectacular fire that destroyed the Fenice opera house, as seen through the eyes of the people who were on the scene, including the 87-year-old master glassbower of Venice, who watched from his bedroom window a mere 30 feet away from the blaze and then went to his glassmaking factory and started work on a series of bowls and vases representing the awful fire.  Couldn't put it down. Didn't want it to end. I'm sure that this has nothing to do with the fact that I love Venice!

Cats and Dogs

My friend Catherine sent this to me last week.

DOG DIARY

8:00 AM - Dog food! My favorite thing!

12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

CAT DIARY

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Idiots!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of allergies. I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around   his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded!

This YouTube video examines this difference even further . . .

New Camera

I've done it. After thinking about a new camera for some time, comparing them on-line and talking to folks about the merits of one versus the other, I have finally made the purchase.

My new toy (well, one the them anyway, more on that later) is shown above.

After all the research I bought a Nikon D60.

The Nikon D60 is a compact 10.2 megapixel digital SLR camera with great technical specifications and wide range of accessories. Brilliant image quality, amazing performance and outstanding design are just three of the many benefits of this perfect digital device.

Nikon D60 Digital SLR Highlights . . .

Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System Dust in front of your camera sensor can mean distracting spots on your pictures. That’s why Nikon does everything to ensure clear pictures, including minimizing the build-up and appearance of dust. Nikon’s exclusive Airflow Control System is one of the two main protections against dust. It leads air within the mirror box towards small ducts near the base, preventing internal dust from settling in front of the image sensor. The D60’s second form of defense is the Imaging Sensor Cleaning function, which was originally built for the D300. Every time you turn the camera on or off, this function uses vibrations to steer dust away from the optical low-pass filter in front of the sensor (deactivation and manual activation are also possible). Nikon engineers have also dealt with dust and other tiny particles in many other ways to prevent such image degrading material from attaching to the filter or being seen by the sensor when you are taking pictures. With all these measures in place, you can concentrate on getting the shot while exploring the wide array of Nikkor interchangeable lenses that a Nikon digital SLR opens up to you.

Rich, Smooth Detail with Active D-Lighting Sometimes, even a perfectly exposed scene will not render an ideal photograph. With difficult lighting conditions, important details can be lost in the highlights and shadows. But with Nikon’s Active D-Lighting, the D60 can correct these exposure issues instantly and automatically, while you shoot. Simply set Active D-Lighting before you start shooting. Active D-Lighting is available when "Matrix" is selected for metering.

Eye Sensor The Eye Sensor activates every time you look through the viewfinder, turning off the information display on the LCD for comfortable shooting.

Compact, Light and Comfortable The D60 is compact, light and ready to go wherever life takes you. The D60’s size is not the only factor to consider; its shape is ergonomically designed to fit in your hand naturally and comfortably. Nikon’s experienced engineers know that operating a camera shouldn’t distract you. That’s why each button and texture on the camera’s exterior has been carefully considered for the most efficient and fluid operation possible.

The D60’s bright, clear optical viewfinder is also designed with the user in mind, its helpful indicators and intuitive icons helping you achieve ideal composition with the optimal settings.

Nikon’s Intelligent Built-in Flash -- Simply Brilliant Proper flash lighting used to require skill, time and patience. With the D60, however, flash photography is simple, instant and accurate. Thanks to Nikon’s cutting-edge i-TTL flash technology, all the complicated calculations happen automatically, giving you balanced flash illumination under almost any conditions, even difficult lighting situations such as backlit subjects. With Auto mode, you just point, shoot and let the camera do the rest. It’s that simple.

Display Format Options The information display in the 2.5-inch LCD monitor lets you check essential camera information quickly and easily. Choose whatever display format fits your taste best: each of the Graphic and Classic formats have three color variations to suit your preferences, while Wallpaper uses one of your own pictures as the background. Graphic format uses visual displays to show shutter speed and aperture, as well as the mode dial every time you turn it to a new setting. The D60 even recognizes whether you are holding the camera horizontally or vertically, and then automatically displays camera information on the LCD monitor accordingly.

Intuitive Menu Navigation The D60 lets you alter settings and functions in many ways. For all the choices it offers, the menu is still amazingly simple and intuitive, with navigation made easy thanks to a carefully considered design. If you are ever unsure about a specific feature or function, simply press the O button for detailed information. It’s like having an onboard instructor to answer your questions. The D60’s convenient assist images help you select appropriate camera settings. These useful reference images help explain the effect that each function has on your photos -- very helpful for exploring new features and making the most of the camera.

Creative shooting is just a quick turn away With the D60, you will always be prepared to shoot a wide variety of subject matter. Just turn the mode dial to fit your shooting situation and beautiful results are yours instantly.

Quick responses, captured moments Amazing moments can pass by quickly, but the D60’s fast 0.19-second startup, split-second shooting time lag and fast, accurate autofocus capture more of these moments with precision. The camera’s high-speed continuous shooting also helps capture fast-moving action at up to 3 pictures per second for as many as 100 (JPEG) pictures.

Lord - that is a lot of features. now I have to figure out how to use them before we get to Italy!