«December, it freezes you in front and he offends you from behind"  

It is a month in which the work to be done is limited and does not require great effort. A fundamental action is to protect the plants from the cold, to ensure that they have a peaceful winter. The more delicate plants that suffer from the cold, when possible, must be transferred inside the house.

Among the cold-resistant garden plants you can choose perennials that can survive. Among the most popular and easiest to find: the primrose, the anemone, the ajuga, the cineraria. There are plants that bloom even in the coldest months, filling the garden with color and joy, among these we find: cyclamen, Christmas cactus, Christmas rose, pansy, holly, amaryllis.

In winter, the vegetable garden also deserves special care, for example choosing those crops that are resistant to the cold. 

First of all, protect the less resistant vegetables by moving them to more sheltered areas, and then proceed with fertilizing the soil, so that there is enough nourishment to grow even with low temperatures. Once you have taken these small precautions, your vegetable garden is ready to offer you the typical flavors of the cold season.

Among the most well-known winter vegetables we find cabbage, cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli.

Legume soup

Food is not only a vital element, but has always been an opportunity for conviviality for those who eat and an act of love for those who prepare. In this autumn season we offer a legume soup called "a great man's little soup". It was the food that the mother of Saint Gregory the Great prepared for her son.

Ingredients: 100 grams of cowpeas; 100 g. of dried chickpeas, 100 g. of dried cannellini green beans; 200 grams of lentils. 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 onion, one carrot; 1 stick of celery; 4 sage leaves, 1 sprig of rosemary; olive oil; salt and pepper.

Soak the dried legumes according to the instructions on the package. Coarsely chopped carrot, onion and celery are fried in oil. Add the beans, chickpeas, sage and rosemary to the lightly browned sauce and leave to flavor for a few minutes. Cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 30 minutes. Add the tomato and lentils. Adjust the salt and complete cooking for 20 minutes. Serve the soup hot with slices of toasted bread, a drizzle of raw oil and ground pepper.