Food Lover's Odyssey

A Wedding in Puglia - Matrimonio Italianissimo

 

Although I wasn't officially invited, the very kind family of Masseria La Greca allowed me to crash their daughter Beatrice's wedding in Salento. Part Sardinian on the bride's side, and part Salentino on the groom's, this wedding not only brought together two families from different regions of Italy but also two wedding tradtions. With explanations and translations both from my friend Ylenia and Rosalba (the bride's aunt who came from Sardinia and was clearly in charge of keeping traditions in tact), I got an inside look at a wedding in Puglia.  Big, boisterous, food-focussed and one that carried on centuries-old traditions, this wedding was molto Italiano, or should I say, Italianissimo!

 

Pre wedding preparations and photos ~ with the bridesmaids looking on

 

 

We arrived at the house of the bride's parents.  The white stone home was decorated inside and out with red ribbons & roses and white tulle, which also flowed from doorways and banisters.  The house was abuzz with women bustling from one room to another, and hairdressers, photographers, and videographers doting on the bride. In one room the scent of roses dominated the senses; in another it was hairspray. The main room of the house looked somewhat like a photography studio with bright lights and photographers capturing every movement of the bride.  The bride, Beatrice, was radiant and covered from head to toe in white and red, with roses and baby's breath pinned in her hair and encircling her updo.

 

 

On a large table in the center of the main room, red and white decorated baskets filled with Salentine and Sardinian foods filled the table.  The bounty included cheese from the family's masseria, Pugliese wine, salami, Sardinian cookies, a basket overflowing with seasonal fruits. Ylenia explained that these were part of the offering to the church.  The wedding procession would carry these into the church.  After the ceremony, they would leave them at the altar.  (In my opinon, this food offering would increase the blessing the couple received from the church, even more than the fee would.)

 

Beatrice's mother and father, Maria & Alberto with the "flower children" ~ Aunt Rosalba with the pagetti

 

The wedding party also kept with Italian tradition.  What we in the U.S. would call bridesmaids, are known as le damigelle.  They're traditionally the bride's female cousins.  There was no "made-of-honor" either.  Instead all three equally helped the bride during her day and stood alongside her at the ceremony.  Then there were the children of the wedding party, i pagetti.  These "flower children" are ALL the nieces and nephews of the bride.  As adorable as they were, it was almost impossible getting the three little pagetti to pose for a single photo.  Imagine if you were the youngest of a huge Italian family and your wedding had pagetti numbering in double digits? Just thinking of corralling these kids into all of a wedding's formalities made me laugh.  And, oh the drama if the nieces and nephews were brats and/or didn't like each other!  Luckily these three were very loving towards each other.  Besides a few photo mishaps, everything went smoothly.  Ylenia told me she has seen weddings where there have been 10 or more pagetti!

 

 

The only drama in this wedding came when everyone was being a little too loud.  Beatrice's Aunt Rosalba settled that. "Silenzio!" She declared, and everyone - parents, children, and even the photographers - became silent. Zia Rosalba organized everyone into a line and the wedding procession began, yes, at the house.  First to leave were everyone not in the wedding party.  Then the flower children followed; then the bride's maids.  Finally, before the parents left, they gave their daughter a blessing and exited.  The bride exited alone, one last time as a single woman.  Once Beatrice was outside, Aunt Rosalba broke a plate, and we threw its contents in the bride's direction, and off she went to the church.

 

 

 

Il grano per portare l’abbondanza
Il sale per portare la sapienza
I petali per portare la tenerezza
le caramelle per portare la dolcezza
I soldi per portare la ricchezza

 

Breaking the Plate ~ Rosalba explained the symbolism of the Sardinian tradition of breaking the plate.  In Italian it sounded even more poetic, so I've rewritten it above in the way I heard her explain it. 

The plate is full of five items: grains (symbolizing abundance), salt (symbolizing wisdom), rose petals (symbolizing tenderness), candy (symbolizing sweetness), and money (symbolizing richness).  Sardinian tradition says you break the plate and throw its contents onto the bride and groom.  By emptying the plate and throwing its contents, you symbolically pass these same qualities (abundance, wisdom, tenderness, sweetness and richness) onto the bride and groom and their life as a married couple.

The ritual of breaking the plate occurs three times during the day.  The first happens right before the bride leaves for the church.  The second, as the newly married couple exit the church; and the third, when the couple arrive at the wedding reception.

 

The newly married couple, Beatrice & Leonardo, receiving their final plate-breaking good wishes

 

The reception was held at the Masseria San Lorenzo just a few kilometers from Lecce's city center.  This masseria, dating back from the 16th century, now hosts events, receptions and parties.  The lush grounds are filled with olive, palm and pomegranate trees, and the building has been restored with Leccese Stone from the masseria's own quarry.

 

 

Before everyone sat down to a formal four-course, fish-filled Salentine meal, we munched on fresh shellfish, bombette (grilled meat rolls ~ so popular I could only get one quick photo before they were snatched up), fried fish, and plates of finger foods.

 

 

I'm certainly grateful I was able to be a wedding crasher at this wedding.  A huge grazie di cuore to Beatrice and Leonardo, Beatrice's parents - Maria and Alberto, for letting me join in the celebration, to Rosalba for taking time out to explain the Sardinian wedding traditions, and to the entire wedding party for making me feel so welcome! 

Even if you don't live in Puglia but would like to get married there, Ylenia provides wedding planning services for weddings in Puglia.  She might even supply the plates.

 

Join me and cook in Puglia in 2012! - Food and Wine Lover's Journey in Puglia

 

 

Masseria La Greca (Part of Campagna Amica - bringing local producers and consumers together)
S.P. 298 Lecce - San Cataldo
Localita’ San Cataldo
71300 Lecce
Phone: +39 0832 315 802

 

Masseria San Lorenzo
Via Francesco Flora, 1
73100 Lecce
Phone: +39 333 333 6045

 

 

Related Posts:

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

Tour of L'Astore Masseria and its Frantoio Ipogeo (Ancient Underground Olive Mill)

Photo Tour of Lecce: The Baroque Beauty of Puglia

Classic Salentino Cuisine Reinvented at Bar Sette di Sette in Lecce

Art of Making Pasta by Hand: Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

Cheese of Puglia: Making and Eating Fresh Cheese in Salento

The Dish From Puglia: Ricci di Mare (sea urchins) from Porto Badisco

 

 

Corte Visconti and Risotto with a Count in Lombardy

 

Once upon a time....In a remote area of Italy's Lombardy region, there lives a count, Edoardo Visconti di Modrone, whose family's noble history dates back to the 1300s. His ancestor Gian Galeazzo Visconti was the first Duke of Milan.  After living in London and then Milan, Edoardo decided to return to the family's countryside home in a quiet village outside of Pavia.  The villa was once the family's vacation and hunting lodge.  It was also used as a retreat by his great uncle, the screenwriter and director, Luchino Visconti.  Luchino is most known for his films Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) and Death in Venice.

 

Count Edoardo in the Rice Fields (photo courtesy of Krista Bjorn of Rambling Tart)

 

Inside the villa at Corte Visconti - Remains from the hunt and books of Luchino Visconti

 

Along with running the villa, Edoardo manages the rice farm, which has been in the family since the 1800s.  Edoardo's passions for family, history and the local village called him back to the tiny undiscovered Lomellina Valley, situated just outside Pavia.  On the estate, Edoardo has opened a restaurant and also a bar where locals have espresso, breakfast and snacks. 

Of all the additions he's made to the estate, the thing which might make him most proud is the bar.  His engaging smile grew even bigger as he explained how the locals come regularly to take their morning espresso and cornetto and linger throughout the morning reading the paper, playing cards, and chatting with each other.

His other "baby," Ristorante Corte Visconti, specializes in delicacies of the Lomellina area. The star attraction is the risotto, made with the carnaroli rice from the Visconti farm.  The restaurant and estate offer their facilities for events and wedding receptions.  Next to the event area, the church and its ivy-covered abbey add to the tranquil atmosphere.  Edoardo hopes to turn the rooms of the abbey into suites for visitors and travelers who want to experience an unspoiled part of Italy. 

 

Reception and Event Area with the Church and Abbey in the background

 

Through an acquaintance, Edoardo invited me and my travel companions, Krista and Margo, to visit the estate and sample some of the regional fare at his restaurant.  Although the fine china and pewter chargers, all engraved with the family crest, exuded nobilty, the timber ceiling and cozy plaid chairs gave the restaurant a comfy country charm. The balance of refinement and warmth that was displayed in the restaurant matched Edoardo's personality.

 

The food included traditional regional dishes, many are particular only to the area. Of course I had my favorites - the salami, the lard, the soufflé, every risotto dish - but all the dishes made by Chef Massimo Tacconi were a treat.

 

Antipasti -

 

Salame di Varzi and a Bonarda wine:  Both come from the Oltrepò Pavese, an area encompassing 15 villages in the Pavia Province. This "noble" salami from Varzi, one of those 15 villages, was much cherished by the Marchesi di Varzi in the 12th century, the bright red salami is infused with filtered red wine and garlic.   

 

Salumi d'Oca e Finocchio (Goose Salami and Fennel): Also a product very typical of the area, and yes, you read correctly - goose.  It seems in and around the nearby city of Mortara there was a big Jewish community.  Because geese are plentiful in the area and Jewish tradition forbids the eating of pork, they started curing goose meat. The tradition continues today. It's quite good, too.  I would say it's drier, and has a less fatty feel than pork salami.

Lard with honey and rosemary: This wasn't the first time I've had lard, but it was the first time I've had it drizzled with honey.  The honey elevated the lard, already quite high on my list, to heavenly status. 

 

Porcini Mushroom soufflé in a Parmigiano Cup:  A light and eggy soufflé filled with the woodsy flavor of porcini.  We devoured it all, even the parmigiano cup.

 

 

Primi Piatti (First Courses):

 

Risotto with Frog (risotto alle rane): Another specialty of the region.  Because the land is marshy, making it a great rice growing area, there are a lot of frogs.  Hence the use of frogs in the risotto. Again, not the first time I've eaten frog, but it was the first time I've had it in a risotto.  It's flavor is really a lot like chicken, and it takes on the other flavors in the dish.

 

Risotto with Radicchio and Taleggio: I'm not a fan of radicchio nor Taleggio, so when I heard Edoardo order this dish, I thought I would try only a little.  Well, to my surprise it was absolutely delicious.  I know I had seconds, and maybe even thirds.  The strength of the cheese diminishes the bitterness of the radicchio and brings the entire dish into a creamy harmonious  balance.  (I'm working on replicating this dish.)

 

Saffron Risotto with Sausage:  Sausage was a yummy addition to the famous dish of Milan and the region, Risotto alla Milanese.

Note:  Now I'm sure the first Duke of Milan, Edoardo's ancestor, Gian Galeazzo Visconti accomplished many things.  He's credited for being the founding patron of the Certosa di Pavia, completing the Visconti Castle in Pavia and for continuing to fund the building of the Duomo in Milan.  Although unsuccessful, he also attempted to become the first "king" of a united Northern Italy.  Might I just add my gratitude to him for, in my opinion, an equally great accomplishment: being one of the first, if not the first, to import saffron from Asia and mix it into risotto.

 

Ravioli with Donkey Ragu: The dish couldn't compare to the creamy risotto dishes, but the sauce wasn't bad.  Stewed donkey meat was used in place of beef to make a rich ragu.

 

Secondo Piatto (Second/Protein Course):

Duck in a Balsamic Vinegar Sauce:  We were all pretty stuffed from the fabulous first courses, but Edoardo wanted us to try another regional specialty.  As the area was, and is, quite a popular hunting region, duck, pheasant and guinea fowl make up much of the protein courses, especially in the fall.  Duck legs were cooked in balsamic vinegar, and the reduction added a sweet coating to tame any gamey flavor from the duck.

 

 

The Desserts:

 

Chef Massimo brought out a mille foglie (Napolean), a cuore caldo cioccolato (molten chocolate cake) and a panna cotta with caramel sauce.  The three of us found our spoons fighting in the panna cotta dish for the last bites.

 

What a day we had, dining with a charming count, seeing his estate and learning about his fascinating family history.  Add to that being able to sample so many delicious local dishes, and you can be sure it was a fairy tale of a day.

 

Ristorante Corte Visconti
Via Suardi, 4
27030 Castellaro de’ Giorgi
Phone: +39 0384 80 55 78
Email: info@cortevisconticastellaro.it
Instructions for Getting to Corte Visconti

 

This post is part of Wanderfood Wednesdays - A group of travelers and food lovers who blog.

 

Related Posts:

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

The Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

A Day at the Verrazzano Castle and Winery in Tuscany

Dining Around Naples with Napoli Unplugged

Tasting Venice: A Food Tour with Venetian Monica Cesarato

Eggplant Caponata and Sicilian Market Etiquette

The Italian Teacher, the Friend and a Magical Chocolate Kahlua Budino

Tour of Masseria L'Astore and a Frantoio Ipogeo in Salento

 

 

My Best Souvenir - Launching the Travel Memories in My Mind

 

Souvenirs, those things we bring back from our travels.  The word is French and though it can mean a travel memento, it's most commonly used in French to mean a memory, or to remember (when used as a verb).   Souvenirs are this month's topic for The Travel Belles "Across the Cafe Table"  chat, more specifically, your favorite souvenir.

 

I've been known to buy a trinket or three while traveling.  I have a collection of Venetian masks that grows with each visit to the floating city.  I'm not immune to the cheesy souvenir either; I collect snow globes.  I imagine one day when I'm old and my memory is failing I'll shake each globe, of this hopefully massive collection, and the little white flecks cascading onto famous monuments will help remind me of all I've seen, ate and the people I've met in those cities. Whether cheesy or extravagant, my prerequisite for a great souvenir is one that unlocks the door to your best travel memories.

 

Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories.  Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.  ~ Thomas Fuller

 

The best souvenirs aren't really the ones that I've purchased.  Some are recipes that take me back to a meal or dessert from "the road." Others are CDs/downloads of Italian music we played during our giro in Sicilia and on the beach in Liguria. Sometimes it's only a word.  Just mention "Spritz" and my mind launches the highlight reel of a month's worth of Spritz drinking and summer evenings in Venice. 

My very favorite souvenirs are my travel stories/memories and the collage of photos that go with them.  The photos instantly transport me back to a specific place, a walk, a vista, a meal shared, a funny mishap, or any of those goosebump moments you get while traveling.  Looking at the photo sends my mind into a blissful reverie and my face alights with a faraway glow.

Most of the time the photos that spark the best memories aren't necessarily the most picturesque or photographic and have a completely different story behind them then the photo might suggest. And, they might not always bring back the best travel moments, but instead the funniest.

Some of these travel stories I've shared with you, others I should share with you in the future.  Here, I give you a glimpse at some of those stories, aided by my favorite souvenir, my photos:

 

 

Night walks in Rome and drinking wine sotto le stelle (under the stars) with friends. One of the best times I've had in Rome was last summer. Two friends and I roamed the moonlit streets, sat in piazze, and sometimes under the shadow of Rome's monuments, sipping wine.

 

 

 

 

New friends in Salento - My culinary journey in Salento felt a lot like a girlfriends' getaway, full of many goofing-around moments. Both the food and the people of Puglia stole my heart.

 

 

 

Certainly not the most photographic, this photo always makes me smile and think of the bus drivers who helped us in Napoli. The sign says "Don't talk to the bus driver." I'm so glad we did!

 

 

 

My first bite of Neapolitan pizza.

 

 

 

While I showed photos of Carnival in Venice that looked like the one above,

 

This behind-the-scene look is the one I love and that really tells the story of my mornings during Carnevale.

 

 

 

 

Summers in Sicily - I've spent many summers near the Castellamare del Golfo area in Sicily visiting my cousins. We'd spend days at the beach or on the boat, which ended in evening dinners on their terrace.   Any photo of the coast near Catellamare replays those summer scenes and makes me long for days at the beach and big family dinners on the terrace in Sicily.

 

 

 

Traveling with Dr. Doolittle Dad - The first photo epitomizes my travels with him. Yes, he talks to animals, one of his many qualities I find irritating amusing. Once he passed up a chance to visit the Galleria Borghese in Rome to instead get some carrots and feed the horses parked near the Spanish Steps.  As he invites me to dad-sit travel with him yearly, I should really start a "Travels with Dad" series. His quips and antics would rival those "Sh** My Dad Says" stories. 

In the second photo, you might see a peaceful night shot of the Cathedral in Cologne.  For me it brings on flashbacks of our Rhine River trip and the looooong walk I needed to get away for a bit and restore my sanity.

 

 

Shopping for anything but rabbit on Rue de Buci in Paris

Traveling with my BFF Shannon - Although she doesn't talk to animals, travels with her are more fun and just as amusing.  One of my best friends, and travel buddies, we share nearly a lifetime of travel stories and have countless photos to match each one.  This photo is from her visit while I was living in Paris, where she refused to eat the Lapin au Moutarde (rabbit in a mustard sauce) that I painstakingly prepared for her with a little skewer of innards as an accoutrement.  Instead she ate a hot dog from one of the stands near Place St. Michel. (I will NEVER let her forget this story.)

Besides walking the streets of Paris with me, we saw a few other sights in France.  We tried to remember parts of the Star Spangled Banner while walking the ramparts in St. Malo, got lost among the fountains of Versailles, and were less than reverent in the cloister of Mont St. Michel.

 

Mont St. Michel - France

 

This very holy door will forever more be tied to a story of cleavage

 

She and I have also binged on chocolate and beer in Belgium & Munich, visited castles in Bavaria, chased windmills and wooden clogs in Holland, were pickpocketed in Prague, sang songs from The Sound of Music in Salzburg, and got lost trying to find Siena when we were already in Siena. There was also the time we were almost banned from crossing through the open-only-once-every-25-years Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica due to supposedly showing too much cleavage. (For me, it was completely a case of guilt by association.) The Holy Door of St. Peter's will now forever be tied to admonishments against cleavage.

 

 

Finally, any photo or mention of Spritz immediately takes me to a summer in Venice and some of my most cherished travel memories.

 

 

This is the third installment in the "Across the Café Table" series organized by Margo of The Travel Belles. Once a month, Margo asks a travel-related question. We who participate share our answers “across the virtual café table,” on our own blogs, and link to The Travel Belles' post. Everyone is welcome to participate.  As Margo says, "Grab a beverage and pull up a chair – there’s always plenty of room!" Why don't you head on over there now, and check out what others' favorite souvenirs are from around the world.

 

***************

Now, it's your turn: What is your favorite souvenir?  What launches the playback reel of travel memories for you?

**************

 

Related Posts:

Foreign Cookbook Obsession and Other Travel Indulgences

Beach Bag Essentials for My Favorite Italian Beaches

Favorite Scenes from Carnival in Venice

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

A Drive along the Amalfi Coast

The Italian Teacher, the Friend and a Magical Chocolate Kahlua Budino

Twist on a Venetian Spritz and Embracing Italian Culture

Villa d'Este - A Day Trip from Rome

Market Day in Sarlat - Featuring Food of the Dordogne Region

Munich Day Trip to Neuschwantein Castle  (Post for Travel Belles)

We'll Take the Cologne (Germany) the Chocolate, and the Beer Bike in Cologne (Post for Travel Belles)

 

 

Foreign Cookbook Obsession - And Other Travel Indulgences

 
 

 

Travel itself is an indulgence, and I know I'm very lucky to be able to travel as frequently as I do. When I'm home, however, my life is tightly budgeted to keep myself in plane tickets and hotel rooms.  Forget about designer wear and handbags.  Do you know how many days in Italy or France one Louis Vutton bag or pair of Prada shoes would cost me?  Instead, most of the time I walk around looking like a candidate for "What Not To Wear," while planning my next journey. (One of my former students actually nominated me so many times for the show that they sent her a cease and desist email!)

During my travels, I do have a few indulgences I give into. Being the food lover that I am, these involve food.  I'm happy to stay in a less expensive hotel, so I can spend more on food. These indulgences include dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant, finding underground supper clubs, planning a trip around a chocolate festival, and taking cooking classes.  I also almost always make a detour to Paris especially to eat pastries buy pastry supplies.  Said trip to Paris not only includes copious amounts of pastries, but also stops to Mora, E. Dehillerin and Detou for pastry supplies and ingredients that are hard to get at home.  My real obsession indulgence, however, actually comes in the form of cookbooks. Yes, I buy at least one cookbook in every city I visit.

Cookbooks aren't the lightest of things, either. Schlepping them around isn't easy, especially when you buy as many as I do.  I mail them home as I go.  Whatever money I've saved on airfare quickly goes out the proverbial window at La Poste. But, when those books arrive at my home, I'm traveling all over again.  I rip through the packages like a child at Christmas, quickly getting to the good stuff.  On each page is a memory of something I've tasted, a place I've visited, and/or someone with whom I've shared a meal. 

 

 
Cookbooks from various regions in France

 

During my recent travels, my cookbook purchases included a Neapolitan/Amalfi Coast pastry cookbook, a chocolate pastry cookbook from Librarie Gourmande in Paris (that place is a crack house for the cookbook addict), and an old Venetian cookbook, in Venetian dialect (as if reading Italian wasn't hard enough).  Monica suggested the Venetian cookbook and promised to help me with the translation.  (Uhm, I know I'll be taking her up on that promise.) In Salento, Antonella, the owner of the trattoria Locanda Rivoli, gave me a small Salento cookbook.  As I looked through the book, instinctively I did a little happy dance to the amusement of those around me.  None of them knew of my obsession with foreign cookbooks, so my joy from the gift surprised them.  Now, the secret is out.  Yes, my name is Kathy and I'm a chocoholic and a foreign cookbook addict.....and happy to declare both!

 

 
My most recent Neapolitan pastry cookbook: "Dolci del Sole" by Salvatore de Riso

 

 
Inside my most treasured cookbook: "ph10" by Pierre Herme

  

This is the first in a series of blog carnivals, “Across the Café Table" with the Travel Belles. Once a month, Margo from The Travel Belles, will ask a travel-related question. We who participate will then share our answers “across the virtual café table,” on our own blogs, adding a link to the Travel Belles post and also link to our post at the end of Margo's post on the Travel Belles' site.  Everyone is welcome to participate.  As Margo says, "Grab a beverage and pull up a chair – there’s always plenty of room!" Why don't you head on over there now, and check out what others' travel indulgences are.

 

 

 

***************

How do you indulge when you travel?

***************

 

Related Posts:

The Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

French Pastries and 10 Top Patisseries in Paris

Market Day in Sarlat

Cheese of Puglia: Making Fresh Cheese in Salento

Dining Around Napoli with Napoli Unplugged

Scenes from CioccolaTo - Turin's Chocolate Festival

Mini Macarons and Ice Cream from LaDuree

Easter Chocolates in Paris Windows

A Night at L'Atelier Joel Robuchon

Dining at the Hidden Kitchen in Paris

 

Pugliese Pasta and the Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Lesson with Nonna Vata

 

When I was a little girl, I remember sitting on a stool in the corner of my nonna's kitchen watching her teach my mom how to roll out pasta by hand.  In minutes, my grandmother could roll dough around a rolling pin and spin out a thin sheet of pasta; one that almost covered her 8-person table.  She never taught me.  Her goal was to teach my mom first, and my mom could teach me.  My mom never really learned before my nonna passed away.  One of my dreams has always been to have an Italian nonna teach me to roll out pasta dough by hand.

This trip to Puglia, I got the chance.  Debora, a friend of Ylenia's, brought me to her Nonna Vata's house to make pasta.  Nonna Vata is a petite lady, who barely reached my shoulders.  Don't be fooled by her small stature.  Her feistiness and energy surpassed all four of ours. 

When it came to making pasta, though, she was all business.  I had my camera out ready to take photos.  She asked, "Are you going to make pasta or take photos?"  Head bowed in shame, I handed my camera to Ylenia, who took photos for me.  "Before you do anything, wash your hands."  "Si, nonna," I replied recalling all the "oui, chefs" I've uttered in the same submissive manner.

There was no written recipe, and she measured nothing.  She said she used "around 800 grams" of durham wheat flour, the traditional flour used for pasta in Puglia.  She added as much water as the flour needed (the most popular measurement amount in Italian, called quanto basta or q.b.).  She knew when to stop adding water and when to stop kneading solely by the feel of the dough.  She's been making pasta for over 70 years.  Her hands and eyes are far better than scales and temperature gauges.

 

 

 
 

How to make pasta dough according to Nonna Vata:

Sift the durham wheat flour through a tamis.  Make a well in the center of the flour.  Before you add the warm water, make the sign of the cross over the flour.  As Nonna explained, while shooting her hand skyward,"Without the hand of God, you can't do anything!"

Add warm water, "not cold and not hot," little by little to the flour.  She worked it in with her hands until the dough was the right consistency.  She let me help so I could also feel the dough as we added the water.  Once the mixture was combined together, she started kneading. 

She kneaded the dough for less than five minutes until it was the right consistency. The dough was soft, not damp, and you could easily make an impression in it with your fingers.  Notice how she pressed her thumbs into the dough as she kneaded it, rolling it away from her on the board.  She formed a ball, made another sign of the cross on the dough, and wrapped it in a towel to rest for 30 minutes.  She covered the dough in a big blanket, calling this its penance.

 

 
Pasta dough resting under blankets

 

When the dough was ready, she took it out, made another sign of the cross on top of the pasta dough, and she began rolling it out into a perfect circle.  Now, I know that you must turn the dough 1/4 turn after each roll to keep a perfect circle, but her hands moved so quickly, I never saw her do it.  Once the dough was thin enough, she rolled it around the rolling pin and continued rolling to get the thin sheet of pasta. (This is the part I could never figure out on my own.  The dough would always stick together.) 

 

 

 

What I learned from Nonna Vata was first to sprinkle a little flour on the dough each time you roll the dough around the pin.  Place your hands on the rolling pin along the edges of the dough, not on the dough itself.  And, only make 2 or 3 pushes of the rolling pin at a time, then unroll the dough, turn it a 1/4 turn, sprinkle flour over it again, and roll it back up around the pin. Repeat until the dough is paper thin. With Nonna Vata's help, and also her doing most of the rolling, the dough became a thin sheet in less than 10 minutes!

 

 

 

With this sheet we made two pasta shapes:

Sagne ncannulate is a Pugliese pasta.  This shape along with orecchiette and minchiareddhri are the main pasta shapes you'll find in stores in the region.  The name is in Pugliese dialect, and as Claudia told me, there is no Italian translation.  They are long strands of twirled pasta.  They resemble curled ribbons on a wrapped Christmas or birthday present.

 

 
 Nonna Vata making sagne ncannulate

 

We made them by cutting pasta into thin strips, about 1/4-inch in width.  Then, holding one end of the strand in the air, and rolling the other end of the strand with your hand, you curled the pasta up.  You placed the bottom part of your palm on a pinched end of the dough, and bringing your hand towards you on the board, rolled the pasta between the board and your hand. 

 

 

 Learning to shape the sagne ncannulate

 

Nonna Vata whipped out a few of these tightly twirled pasta strands and then let me try.  After screwing up several, I finally made one!  Woohoo!  I made a few more, and did get better with each try, but believe me, they're not easy to make.  None of mine were as tightly twisted as Nonna Vata's were.  She emphasized it takes practice.  She also said that you can make bigger sagne ncannulate, cutting pasta strips about 1/2-inch in width. The bigger size is what I saw at all the pasta shops and food markets in Lecce and Salento.

 

 

 

We also made massa (also called lasagne in the region), which I had seen the previous day during our visit to The Tables of San Giussepe (my day visiting these tables will be another post).  This pasta shape was much easier to make.  Nonna cut half the sheet of pasta, rolled the sheet up into a log, and cut thin (about 1/8-inch) slices.  Then she opened up the small strands of massa by fluttering her hands through it.

 

 
 Making the massa pasta shape

No recipe, cookbook, nor even a video, can ever teach you what an 85 year-old woman, who's been making pasta her whole life, can teach you in one day.  She helped me get a feel for the dough, noticed and corrected me when I did something wrong, and placed her hands over mine to help me understand how to move my hands to roll out and shape the pasta. 

 

 

 
Claudia modeling the apron sent to Nonna Vata by other grateful American students

 

I know nowadays we all have pasta machines, but I believe this is an important art in the tradition of pasta making and in Italian food.  If for no other reason than to appreciate the amount of work nonne, like Nonna Vata, did before machines, you should see how it's done. 

If you haven't yet had a lesson from an Italian nonna, I hope you seek one out and take the opportunity to learn.  In the meantime, besides the "tricks" I noted above, here are a few more I learned for rolling pasta out by hand: 

 

1. Know when to stop adding water to the pasta (this varies due to humidity and room temperature) so the pasta is the right consistency. 

 

2. You need a rolling pin that's thin in diameter (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches). Nonna Vata gave me one as a gift, but she said you could also cut the end of a wooden broom stick.

 

3. You need an extra large wood board, larger than what the rolled out sheet of pasta will be.

4. Most importantly of all - you need to practice. 

 

Grazie tantissimo Nonna Vata!  Thank you also Ylenia for taking these photos while I learned to make pasta!

 

 

Since my lesson with Nonna Vata, I've been doing a little practicing with the rolling pin she gave me.  Come back tomorrow when I'll have a recipe for the schiattariciati sauce that Pina made to go along with sagne ncannulate pasta.

 

*Join me in 2012 - Cook with Italian nonnas and make Pugliese pasta and so much more on this Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Tour in Puglia.

 

Related Posts:

Orecchiette and Salentine Breads - Cooking with Mamma Giulia in Salento

A Tour of Lecce - The Baroque Beauty of Puglia

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

Cheese of Puglia: Making and Eating Fresh Cheese in Salento 

Tour of Masseria L'Astore and a Frantoio Ipogeo in Salento

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

Classic Salentino Cuisine Reinvented at Sette di Sette in Lecce

Sagne Ncannulate con Sugo Schiattariciati ("Squished" tomato sauce)

The Dish from Puglia: Ricci di Mare (sea urchins) from Porto Badisco

The Dish from Puglia: Friselle with Tomatoes

The Dish from Lecce: Rustico Leccese

The Dish from Rome: Coda alla Vaccinara

Cassatelle alla Siciliana - (fried sweet ricotta cream filled ravioli)

Slow-Cooked Meat Ragu to Honor Mom

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

I knew little about the Salento region of Puglia when I planned my trip last winter. I knew it was at the bottom tip of Italy's heel. I had heard it's known as the "California of Italy" and that the sea, surrounding three sides of Salento, was rumored to be one the most beautiful in Italy.

During my five-day visit, I learned so much more, thanks to the people I met while there. Laura from Ciao Laura's Culinary Vacations put me in contact with the ladies who run culinary tours for her in Lecce and Puglia. Thinking they would meet me for a drink and give me a few pointers on where to to and eat, I was shocked and delighted over how they took me in and showed me around, filling my head with a wealth of information about the food, culture, history and more. Not only that, but they also welcomed me into their homes and kitchens, so much so, I felt like family. The last day of my visit I looked over my notes and couldn't believe all that I had seen, done, learned, and eaten in such a short time.

Leccese stone, menhir, dolmen, muretti a secco, masseria, frantoio ipogeo, friselle, sagne ncannulate, i maritati, pasticciotto, Albanegra, giuncata, cacioricotta, rustico, The Tables of San Giuseppe, Grecia Salentina, Otranto, Gallipoli. Only a month ago, most of these words meant nothing to me.

These words were only letters strung together on a page. Some having unclear textbook definitions; others not a bit of meaning. Now the words have meanings and images attached to them, of specific places and events and with people I will never forget. The words are as clear in meaning as the first words I ever spoke. They are a part of me, and I am a part of them. I hope to bring these and more Salentino words to life for you as I recount my adventures and introduce you to the people I met during my time with Ylenia and Claudia.

Pina Cooking and Claudia Explaining (photo courtesy of Ylenia)

Pina, personal chef and culinary instructor, cooked for us a Salentino lunch at Cantine Menhir. I had met her two days earlier, and we bonded over food, of course. She told me much about the Salento cuisine, which leans heavily on vegetables, cheese, and seafood. A cuisine born of farmers and peasants, it's light on meat. We exchanged cooking ideas and methods. I shared an American recipe with her, and Claudia, my cheesecake recipe. One evening we popped into Pina's mother's home to warm up with some tea. Mamma sent me back to my B&B with a shopping bag filled with pasta, two bottles of tomato sauce, two types of bread and jam. ALL of it homemade!

The day at the cantina, Pina cooked five dishes. Vegetables were the shining star in each dish. I joined her in the kitchen. I would like to say that I helped, but that wasn't the case. Pina and Claudia cooked. Ylenia took many of the photos. I listened. Hopefully I listened well as Pina explained, in sometimes rapid-fire Italian, how to prepare each dish. Whenever a lost look of panic appeared on my face, Ylenia and Claudia translated.

Here's what Pina cooked:

 

Frittura Salentina - A sort of tempura, Salento style. The batter was flour and sparkling water. Pina tossed vegetables, broccoli rape and fennel to name two, along with apples into the batter. She flavored the frying oil with lemon and orange zest and bay leaves. Crunchy outside and soft inside, these fried treats were devoured almost faster than I could snap a photo.

 

Lampascioni - Pronounced (lam-pah-show-nee) - On the way home from lunch, they laughed because I kept talking about the lampascioni, verifying and reverifying the recipe. This dish is agrodolce (sweet & sour) sauce at its best. Lampascioni are hyancith bulbs that grow wild in the region. They resemble small onions, but are pinkish in color and have a much stronger and bitter taste.  The sweet sauce balances out the bitterness.  In a little olive oil, lampascioni and scallions are cooked, with garlic and bay leaves, until they are soft. A few cherry tomatoes and vincotto are added and cooked down until it's the right consistency and flavor. Vincotto is cooked grape must. The must is slowly reduced to produce a dense, more sweet but also sour, syrup-like liquid. The dish was To. Die. For. (Dopo l'ho mangiato, potrei morire.)

Verdure al forno - Pina boiled greens, chicory, broccoli rape, sliced artichokes, to start. She said you could use any vegetables you'd like or have in the house. Once they were cooked, she drained them and then sauteed them, the traditional way, in only a little olive oil. Nowadays people will saute a little pancetta with the vegetables. It tastes better, but is not necessary. Then the vegetables get layered into a casserole dish. In between the vegetable layers are a layer of grated grano padano cheese. To the top layer she also added bread crumbs, and baked it until the top was golden brown.

 

Pasta schiattariciati - Pasta with a sauce of squished (schiattariciati) cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes are "squished" while exploding in a covered pan of hot olive oil, and then basil leaves are added. After dressing the pasta with the squished tomato sauce, add finely grated cacioricotta (cheese and ricotta combined). The cacioricotta melts and gives each strand of pasta a creamy coating.

 

We finished with a colorful salad of roasted beets, blood oranges, tomatoes, and fennel that was tossed in a lemon and olive oil dressing. Clearly, I was busy eating at this point, as I have no photo of it.

 

Wine-tasting break (photo courtesy of Ylenia)

 

Cantine Menhir provided their dining area, the food and their wines. The cantina, surrounded by an infinite stretch of olive groves, symbolic of the Salento area, has the appearance of a cozy stone cottage. Behind the dining area, is a lounge area open during the evenings with live entertainment.

Gaetano, the owner of Cantine Menhir, is pouring wines in the photo above. (Menhir is the name of the prehistoric structures found in the area, but that's for another post.) All of us worked casually in the kitchen, taking a few wine tasting breaks along the way. Our tasting started with a white wine, Pass-o Fiano Minutolo. Someone made mention of a Chardonnay while we were drinking it, but I think mainly to give a nod to my home region. For me the wine was fruitier than a Chardonnay, I tasted peaches, and was perfect before a meal. From there we moved on to the reds of Puglia, Primitivo and Negroamaro. With lunch we had another red, Albanegra. It was a blend of Aleatico, Primitivo e Malvasia grapes. It was lighter than the Primitivo and went well with our lunch. I adored it almost as much as the lampascioni.

Lingering at the table - sure sign of a much enjoyed meal (photo courtesy of Ylenia)

Claudia, Pina and I still chatting about the meal

An idealic afternoon in the kitchen and a delicious and leisurely meal. Grazie ancora Pina, Gaetano, and of course, Ylenia and Claudia!

 

*Join me in 2012 on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

 

 

The photo at the top of this post and some of the other photos used (they are noted), are from Ylenia at YLTours Congressi and used with her permission. All other photos in the piece are mine, All Rights Reserved.

Related Posts:

Pugliese Pasta and The Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Lesson with Nonna Vata

A Tour of Lecce - The Baroque Beauty of Puglia

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

Cheese of Puglia: Making and Eating Fresh Cheese in Salento

Tour of Masseria L'Astore and a Frantoio Ipogeo in Salento

Classic Salentino Cuisine Reinvented at Sette di Sette in Lecce

Sagne Ncannulate con Sugo Schiattariciati ("Squished tomato sauce)

The Dish from Puglia: Ricci di Mare (sea urchins) from Porto Badisco

The Dish from Puglia: Friselle with Tomatoes

The Dish from Lecce: Rustico Leccese

Eggplant Caponata and Sicilian Market Etiquette

Dining Around Naples with Napoli Unplugged

Pasta con le Sarde and Cooking in Palermo

Cozze alla Marinara (Neapolitan-Style Mussels)

The Itaian Teacher, the Friend and a Magical Chocolate Kahlua Budino

Bella Napoli - Neapolitans Warm My Heart Like Their Food Warms My Stomach

Dining Around Naples with Napoli Unplugged

 

 

More tales of food for you from Napoli.  About now, you're probably saying, "All she did there was eat!"  Well, you're almost right. Between bites, I actually did walk around much of the city (so much so I still have a blister on the ball of my foot) and saw some of Napoli's churches, museums and castles. 

Many of my evenings in Napoli, and a few afternoons, were spent with, Bonnie and Steve, the couple behind Napoli Unplugged.  They write about all things Neapolitan on their site, and share beautiful photos of the city on their photoblog.  Their site and writing shows their love for Naples, which they have called home for about 5 years.  During my visit to Naples last summer, I had the pleasure of meeting them.  We met for dinner, and then Bonnie took me on her stroll of the Centro Storico.  This trip we spent more time together, a lot of it eating (and drinking Campania wines) at some of their favorite places in their neighborhood, the swanky Chiaia district of Naples.

After many of my walks in and around the Chiaia district, I would meet up with Bonnie and Steve.  During our meals, they would share tidbits and stories from their life in Naples.  Steve, who has a dry and sarcastic wit, also shared many of his views on some of the food rules in Italy (sometimes he even created his own).  Their stories and Steve's rules had me laughing through all of my meals.

 

 
Naples Coastline along Via Partenope

 

 
Fountain at Piazza Trento e Trieste

 

 

 

 

This post is mainly about the Neapolitan cuisine I ate with Steve and Bonnie, but I've added little snippets from what I'm calling, Steve's Food Rules for Italy: 

 

The restaurant: Umberto Ristorante and Pizzeria.  It has a casual feel instead of a more formal one that the term ristorante implies.  You see the pizzaioli and the big pizza oven as soon as you walk in the door. The large seating area and red tablecloths , however, do set a more formal tone. 

Antipasti included melanzane alla parmigiana and typical fried treats of, mozzarella in carozze (fried mozzarella sandwiches, arancini (fried rice balls), and crocche (fried mashed potatoes). The mozzarella was sinfully spectacular with cheese oozing out of its crispy bread "carriage."  The crocche potatoes included ham and parsley, also good.  I had their pizza Margherita and tried some of the lasagna Napoletana (Lasagne made with Neapolitan ragu and little meatballs added to the layers of cheese).  For dessert, Bonnie and Steve opted for Sicilian Torta Setteveli, and I for the Neapolitan Ricotta e Pera (sweetened ricotta, whipped cream and poached pears sandwiched between two slices of pan di spagna cake).  I don't remember a meal in Naples that didn't end with a digestivo, almost always limoncello.

Onto our first of Steve's Food Rules for Italy #1: "Real men don't drink limoncello!"

Yes, Steve insists that limoncello is only for the ladies and "real men drink grappa," or in his case aged grappa.  It's so strong that after a sniff of it, I'm sure my blood alcohol level shot way past .10!  I don't know about this rule, as I've seen plenty of men sipping on a shot glass of limoncello.  However, when the waiter tried to confirm that we wanted 3 limoncelli for the table, Steve quickly corrected him. The waiter and Steve shared some conspiratory laugh in a way that added a only little plausibility to Steve's rule.

 

 
Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmigiana)

 

 
Neapolitan Lasagne

 

 
Pizza Margherita

 
Ricotta e Pera

 

Osteria Don Maccarone: The next night, I dined alone at the osteria recommended by Bonnie and Steve.   It was a rainy Sunday evening and the Napoli soccer team was playing against Parma.  I was practically the only person outside that night, and I was the only person in the small 8 table osteria. 

At first, I thought maybe I should have stayed at the hotel and watched the soccer match. As I was soon to find out, it was completely unnecessary.  Everytime Napoli scored, one of the cooks would run out into the street and yell, "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL" so loud and so many times that I think they heard him in Parma.  While he was yelling, others in the neighborhood were doing the same, and also blaring horns and other various noisemakers from their windows. Napoli won that night 3-1.

I had zucchini alla parmigiana and spaghetti con le vongole. I loved the zucchini so much, I'm making it tonight.  It's simply fried zucchini slices layered with trace amounts of fior di latte (cow's milk mozzarella) and parmigiano cheese. It is baked until the cheese melts and the top becomes golden and crunchy.  The spaghetti con le vongole was also good, and I liked the addition of cherry tomatoes, which added color, acidity & a little sweetness to the dish.

As I was the only one in the restaurant, I quickly made friends with the waiter, Pippo, who is also one of the owners.  He invited me back on Tuesday for pasta e fagioli con le cozze (pasta and beans with mussels) and promised to have a pastiera (Neapolitan Easter dessert) without the candied citrus (I had mentioned that I don't like candied citrus). 

Bonnie and I went back for lunch.  I really liked the soupiness of the pasta e fagioli with cozze, and especially loved the mussels.  Bonnie is more of purist in this area, and likes the fagioli to outweigh the pasta, creating a less soupy dish and a denser sauce that has been thickened from the starch in the beans.

Steve's Food Rules in Italy #2, "Men can't drink cappucino after 10:00am." Well, since we were women, we could still end our meal with a cappucino, right?  I actually thought that rule applied to all genders, but, hey, it's Steve's rule.  In any case, we ended with Pippo's house specialty digestivo of 7 herbs.  A family secret, he wouldn't tell me which herbs were in it, but it was almost as potent as the grappa. 

Although the prices for this place are definitely in a range for "osterie" (our lunch bill was a little over 20 euros for two), the food is more sophisticated and creative than typical osteria fare.  And, Pippo is the quintessential Italian waiter - jovial, jokester, showman.  He invited us back another day to sample lasagna Napoletana. Bonnie also said that the pasta alla genovese is good, but I ran out of time in Naples......next trip.

 

 
Zucchini alla Parmigiana

 

 
Spaghetti con le Vongole (spaghetti and clams)

 

 
Pasta e Fagioli con le Cozze (pasta and beans with mussels)

 

 

Antica Latteria: My last meal with Bonnie and Steve was at the Antica Latteria, around the corner from where they live.  It's right across the street from Umberto's.  It's a small trattoria with only a few more tables than Don Maccarone.  We started off with a creamy ball of buffalo milk mozzarella and fried treats.  The mozzarella and all of the fried treats were exceptional; there were crocche (these fried potatoes were filled with cheese, my favorites of all I had tasted), arancini, fried broccoli, and little fried meatballs.  I had spaghetti con le cozze (mussels) and liked the spicy kick from the addition of peperoncino to the sauce.  I ended with a slice of pastiera and limoncello.

Steve's Food Rules in Italy #3: "You are allowed to order a dish in Naples, even if it's not Neapolitan."

I think I was driving Steve crazy with my quick dismissal of non-Neapolitan dishes at each restaurant and pasticceria. Even though I do agree with this rule, my dismissal wasn't because I thought they wouldn't be good. It was because I wanted to sample as many Neapolitan dishes as I could during my short stay in Naples, especially those I hadn't already tried. If I lived there, I wouldn't be as determined to eat Neapolitan every night. When one is there for only a short time, though, I believe you should try the regional/local cuisine over, say a carbonara. 

 

 
Fritti Napoletani

 

 
Spaghetti con le Cozze (Spaghetti with Mussels)

 

 
Bonnie's Mixed Grilled Fish

 

 
Pastiera (Neapolitan Easter Dessert)

 

As you can see, sample I did.  Thanks again to Napoli Unplugged for sharing their favorite neighborhood eateries with me!

 

 

Restaurant Information:

Umberto Ristorante & Pizzeria - Via Alabardieri 30/31

Osteria Don Maccarone - Via Gradoni Di Chiaia 12

Antica Latteria - Vico Alabardieri 30 

 

 

Related Posts:

Journey through the Pastries of Napoli

Pizza Lover's Odyssey in Naples Italy

Pasta alla Genovese and Other Classic Neapolitan Sauces at Citta del Gusto

Taste of Napoli - 15 Favorite Dishes for the Food Lover in Naples

Torta Caprese - Flourless Chocolate Cake from Capri

Cozze alla Marinara - Neapolitan-Style Mussels

Photo Tour of Spaccanapoli and Napoli's Historic Center

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (my guest post for Napoli Unplugged)

A Drive Along the Amalfi Coast

Bella Napoli - Neapolitans Warm My Heart Like Their Food Warms My Belly

 

Tasting Venice - A Food Tour with Monica Cesarato

 

Another absolutely gorgeous day in Venice, and I had the great pleasure of spending the afternoon with Monica Cesarato, a Venetian and Venetian food afficianado. Monica writes a blog about Venice and owns and runs the Faronhof bed and breakfast, outside of Venice. She also is one of the two people who run Cook in Venice, where they offer Venetian cooking courses and food tours in Venice. Our plan for the afternoon was to eat a lot of cicheti. The day was so warm and sunny, we veered off course a little, walking along Zattere and stopping for a gelato (yes, it was that warm). Instead of just cicheti, I learned a lot more about the food in Venice.

 

 

 

Venetian Carnival Treats

Since it is Carnival time, we did a lot of talking about the fried foods treats of Carnival. I have seen the round "doughnuts"(frittelle) in five different variations. The three most typical are alla Veneziana (with rum soaked sultanas and pine nuts), filled with pastry cream, and filled with Zabajon (zabaglione). I've also seen them filled with cream chantilly (sweetened whipped cream). On our walk, we also found some filled with Nutella. There were also sliced apple rings dipped in frittelle batter and fried that I found at Tonolo Pasticceria. Lastly, there are Kraffen. These come from Austria and stayed in Venice after the Austrians left.

Fritelle with Zabaglione, Venetian Style, and with Pastry Cream

 

Fritelle with Nutella

 

Kraffen - (came with the Austrians) filled with pastry cream

 

Fried Apples Dipped in the Frittelle batter before frying

 

 

Venetian Sweets

On our walk, Monica also gave me a lesson on some of the other sweets that fill the pastry windows in Venice. One thing I noticed was that the same cookie were called different names in different pasticcerie windows. The Venetian dialect is still very strong in the city, and that's the reason for the two types of spelling for the same foods.

Zaletti (also Zaeti) Cookies

These cookies that are between are a sort of crunchy cake are made with corn flour, which gives them their yellow color. The name comes from Venetian dialect for yellow.

 

Bussola (also Bussolai) Cookies from Burano

Bussole are ring shaped shortbread cookies, with a little lemon zest added, and come from the island of Burano. I also saw these cookies with little chocolate chips in them. Monica told me she was a purist when it came to recipes, so I think she might not approve of the chocolate chip filled cookies, but they looked good this chocolate-chip cookie loving girl.

Pinza (also Pincia) - A kind of Bread Pudding

Monica explained Pinza as a kind of a bread pudding, made with corn flour, where you put whatever you have leftover into the mixture. This pinza had sultanas. She also suggested I buy a Venetian cookbook, A Toea coi Nostri Veci. It's traditional Venetian food. The only problem is that the book is written in Venetian dialect. (Monica, I'll be emailing you frequently for help ;-) I bought the book and plan to make and share several recipes from it.

 

Tiramisu

Of course, there is Tiramisu. We had a nice discussion about this dish, which is actually from Treviso (not Venice, but nearby). Monica, being the purist, said you cannot call it Tiramisu unless the eggs are raw. I knew I took liberties with my recipe, making a French bombe and cooking the eggs by whipping in cooked sugar, but she also didn't like my idea of adding melted chocolate to the espresso. Oh well, I might have to change the name of my recipe and make a new "original" version of tiramisu here.

 

Cicheti (cicchetti) and Ombra

Cicheti and Ombra are all the rage now, but at one time the person who went out for an ombra was considered a wino. Ombra means shadow. Legend has it that the little tumblers of wine that go with the finger food, known as cicheti, gets its name from the old wine sellers. They would move their barrels/carts to be under the shade, keeping the wine cool. Ombra can also be the "shade" or small bit of wine you get in those small tumblers.

Cicheti is another word that I've seen spelled two different ways. Monica let me know that cicheti (pronounced chee-keh-tee) is the Venetian spelling and cicchetti is the Italian spelling. Both are correct, and both are used throughout the city. We had cicheti at La Cantina Carbonera Vecia. Monica also gave me a list of other cicchetterie that she likes. I'll have more for you soon on all the cicheti I've been tasting.

 

Chocolate and Hazelnut Gelato from Nico

 

Carnival

During our walk, we also talked about Carnival in Venice. Monica reminisced that when she was younger everyone would be in costume. It's dress up for people of all ages. There were less of the extravagent costumes - those are furnished by many of the costume and mask stores in the city who pay the wearers to "pose" around St. Mark's Square. Not everyone was dressed up, but all ages were definitely participating.

One of the more extravagent costumes riding in a gondola

 

Adults in Costume on a Bridge in Venice

 

 

The youngsters posing and celebrating Carnival with confetti

 

Monica's personality is quite the opposite of the devil Carnival costume she had

 

Thanks again Monica for a wonderful afternoon and for all the information on Venetian food and Carnival in Venice!

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Frittelle, Hot Chocolate and Costumes - Welcome to Carnival in Venice

Snow one Day, Sun the Next - Carnival 2011 in Venice

Martedi Grasso- Fat Tuesday in Venice

Favorite Scene's and Costumes from Venice's Carnevale 2011in Photos

Italian Hot Chocolate

Italy in Chocolate at Turin's CioccolaTo Festival

Eurochocolate Perugia - Italy's Biggest Chocolate Festival

Cicheti and Ombra - Little Tastes of Venice

Best Ways to Savor Venice

A Lesson in Venetian Mask Making

Sfogi in Saor - Venetian Style Sole in Agrodolce

Tiramisu

A Drive Along the Amalfi Coast

 

 

The first time I took this drive, I was looking for the fastest way to get from Sorrento to Amalfi.  I had slept in after too many limoncello the night before.  With the extra sleep and a clearer head, I wanted to meet back up with my friends, who had taken an earlier ferry to Amalfi. The pensione owner, who patted my hand in a grandfatherly way each time I asked for help, went over the bus schedule with me and told me where to catch the bus.  As I headed out, he handed me a napkin full of biscotti and blurted something quickly in Italian. All I heard was "mal di stomaco" (upset stomach). I said, "grazie" and blushed, thinking he must have known I drank too much the night before.    

As it was my first time in Sorrento, and Italy, family and friends gave me a laundry list of "must dos and sees" for each city. The list was so long that I would have had to spend all my time seeing other people's favorites instead of creating my own.  After maybe one day of trying to do that, I decided to ignore the list and find my own favorites.  My notes on the list next to the Amalfi Drive read, "Take the bus from Sorrento to Amalfi - nice view."

Nice view doesn't quite describe the bus ride. It started out a little slow and bumpy as we ambled across the peninsula.  (Sorrento is on the northern side of the Sorrentine peninsula.  At the tip of this peninsula, the gulf of Naples ends and the Amalfi Coast begins.)  I saw lemon groves, houses, and hotels tucked away among more lemon groves as we crossed the peninsula.  Once we arrived at the coastline, things changed dramatically. 

 

 

The ride went from bumpy to winding.  After the first few curves, I understood why the pensione owner had said, "mal di stomaco" and given me the cookies.  The two-way highway is a narrow winding road, barely wide enough for two buses to fit next to each other when coming from different directions.  (More than once, one bus had to back out of a turn because both buses wouldn't fit.) On one side of the highway is a steep wall of rock climbing farther up and back.  The other side, the coastal side, is an even steeper drop, hundreds of feet, down into the blue sea.  A small railing winds with the highway road. It's the only barrier between the road and the drop. 

The bus hugged the railing as we wound our way along the coast. At every curve the bus driver tooted the horn to announce its entrance into the even narrower turn. The bus driver's gray hair and beard gave me comfort.  At the time I thought this showed his experience and success with driving this road.  Looking back, I think the stress from this drive several times every day might have caused him to gray prematurely.

My coast-side window view drew my attention away from the barf bag-inducing push and pull of the road.  That view, throughout the entire ride, made my mouth drop deep like the cliffs from which we drove. The sapphire blue sea. Stark white or pastel colored villas, topped one upon another, clung to the hillside. Bougainvillea climbed walls and terraced patios in full fuschia-colored bloom. There were more lemon groves and also small secluded beach coves nestled in the curves of the rocky coastline.

 

 Looking Down on the Coastline's Cliffs

 

 
View of the Amalfi Coastline

 
Villa Clinging to the Cliff

 
Bougainvilla Covered Building Along the Drive

 
Secluded Beach

 
Looking Down on Positano from the Positano Bus Stop

 

 
Positano

 

 

That first trip was years ago. Each time I return, I take this bus ride.  Each ride is like my first, awestruck I gawk out the window.  Yes, I could rent a car and drive myself, being able to stop whenever I choose.  I'd rather let someone else, who is more experienced with the road and Italian drivers, drive while I look.  You can rent a private driver, but the bus is a great deal for such a view.  Last summer the roundtrip fare from Sorrento to Amalfi was 7.50 euros. Luckily, I almost never get carsick, but I still pack a few cookies and a water with me each time, just in case.  These photos are from my most recent trip in the summer.

Yes, the drive is a "nice view," indeed. This is one piece of "must see" advice I'm glad I took, although accidentally.  And, limoncello continues to play an important part in some of my most memorable travel experiences. 

 

Information on using the buses:

The SITA bus website gives you information  on bus routes and schedules.  There are buses that run from Sorrento to Amalfi, stopping along the way at Positano. 

From the main bus stop in Amalfi, you can pick up another bus to ride along the rest of the coastline to Salerno.

Bus schedules change throughout the year, but you can easily pick up a current schedule wherever you're staying, the tourist office in Sorrento Positano or Amalfi, and at the bus ticket offices in each city. Many tabacco shops (Tabacchi) and cafes along the coast also sell bus tickets. 

 

 

 

***************

What "must see" travel advice are you glad you took?  Is there one "must see" you wish you hadn't?

***************

 

Related Posts:  

Pizza Lover's Odyssey in Naples Italy

Pasta Genovese and Other Neapolitan Sauces at Citta del Gusto

Photo Tour of Spaccanapoli and Napoli's Historic Center

Taste of Napoli - 15 Favorite Dishes for the Food Lover in Naples

Dining Around Naples with Napoli Unplugged

Journey Through the Pastries of Naples

Torta Caprese - Flourless Chocolate Cake from Capri

The Dish from Naples: Pizza Margherita from Two Pizzerie in Napoli

Bella Napoli - Neapolitans Warm My Heart Like Their Food Warms My Belly

Gnocchi all Sorrentina - A Taste of Sorrento (my post for Napoli Unplugged)

Mustaccioli - Christmas Cookies from Naples ( my post for Napoli Unplugged)

Best Food and Travel Memories of 2010

 

The year 2010 was filled with so many fabulous memories of food, travel and friends.  Through writing this blog, I've made many new friends, who have also become regular readers of the blog.  Whenever I see a comment or get an email from a reader who has made a recipe or visited a restaurant or place I wrote about, I'm ecstatic.  I love them!  Please keep the emails and comments coming.  I truly love to hear how your dishes and travels turn out. 

Below are my best memories of the year. Many of them are also some of the most popular posts on Food Lover's Odyssey, so it looks like they're your favorites, too. Thank you for traveling, and eating, along with me.  I wish all of you a very Happy New Year and a 2011 full of great food, friends and happy travels!

 

Pasta and Friends in Rome 

Usually I've planned my meals before I step foot off the plane or train in Rome.  Pasta Dishes in Rome are some of the best in Italy. It looks like you agree as the post, Roman Pasta Dishes and 10 Places in Rome to Eat Them, was the most popular of all others in 2010.  Although I love all of them, my favorite is L'Amatriciana. The readers' favorite was Cacio e Pepe in a Parmesan Bowl inspired by the trattoria Roma Sparita. This year I got to eat these dishes again at some of my favorite trattorie and was able to recreate those two along with Potato Gnocchi for Gnocchi Giovedi and the fall specialty Fettuccine ai Funghi. 

 

Not only were my Rome memories filled with pasta, but they were also filled with friends.  I met up with Daniel - my "big brother from another mother" - yes, the Daniel from my stories in Venice.  We became fast friends last year.  Although it had been a year since we'd seen each other, it felt as if no time had passed when we met up again in Rome. After days filled with sights and pasta, we would walk off our meals under the city in lights.  Paris may be called the City of Lights, but Rome at night is just as enchanting.  

 

As the Italian saying goes, "Rome, una vita non basta." (Rome, one life is not enough.)  Because it is so true, I'm already planning meals for my return in March. I can promise you more pasta posts from Rome and recreations of those dishes in 2011.

 

Fish Ravioli in a Seafood Sauce (Ravioli di Pesce ai Frutti di Mare)

After pasta in Rome, this was my favorite dish of 2010.  Though it has been almost 6 months since I've tasted that sauce of the sea, so simple and so intense, it still lingers in my memories, if not on my tongue.  I remember every last drop that I sopped up with the thick country bread. 

 

La Coda alla Vaccinara - Roman Braised Oxtail

I love this post and this dish for so many reasons - how I obtained the recipe, the history of the dish, how good it is, and that it helped me win a contest!  I was lucky to have the chef  at Capo di Ferro in Rome give me his recipe for this dish.  It, along with the other offal dishes of Rome, is rooted in Rome's culinary history and La Cucina Povera.  By recreating this dish and writing about it, I was the winner of the September GranTourismo Travel Blogging Contest.  My prize is a stay in a HomeAway apartment, which I will be using in Venice in March 2011.

 

Seeing Napoli with Napoli Unplugged

I first met the Napoli Unplugged duo, Bonnie and Steve, via Twitter.  While I was in Napoli this year, we met face-to-face.  The American expats have adopted the city as their own. Their love for Napoli and their gracious and welcoming spirits are equal to any of the Neapolitans I've met.  

They took me to a feast of several Neapolitan food courses at Ristorante Buon Gustaio on via Posillipo.   Afterwards, they gave me a night tour of their neighborhood in Posillipo. We had a Cafe del Nonno (creamy dreamy dessert-like coffee with ice and a little chocolate) from Antonio.  Over the cafe, I met some of the local characters in the neigborhood. Bonnie, Steve and their son had me cracking up over their stories of the city and wanting to return for a New Year's Eve in Napoli.  Another day, Bonnie gave me a personal tour of her classic stroll through the Centro Storico.   Grazie Tanto Bonnie and Steve!

 

Eating Pizza in Napoli

Although there is so much more to the food of Naples than just pizza, pizza in Napoli is always a highlight for me.  This year, I ate pizza in Napoli, and I made it. It was a pizza class in Sorrento through Ciao Laura.  We actually made three courses in total, but the highlight was the pizza, cooked in a wood-burning oven.   The class, geared towards cooks of all levels, was so much fun but also very educational.  The group ranged from teenagers who may never have stepped in a kitchen before to a guy from Canada that had been making pizza professionally for 10-plus years.  We each made the type of pizza we wanted, then shared it with the group.  I made the classic pizza margherita, which was exceptional.  After this class, I'm inspired to make more pizza. That is, once I build my own wood-burning oven. 

 

 

Foie Gras for Breakfast in the Dordogne

I spent a month in the Dordogne in France. It was work-related, but I was also able to venture out and see some of the villages, towns and cities in the area.  Although I haven't shared all my travels with you yet, here are a two: Market Day in Sarlat and Duck Dishes of Dordogne.  In that month, I'm sure I ate more duck than I had in my entire life, even having foie gras for breakfast at a market one morning.  In the next month or two I will share the rest of my travels in Dordogne, and maybe a duck dish, with you.

 

  

Pesto and Other Dishes in Liguria

Liguria was not in my plans for 2010, but the July heat and humidity in Italy had me making some minor travel adjustments.  Instead of a visit inland to Tuscany, I spent a week mostly lounging on the beach in the Cinque Terre.  I did get off my lettino (sun bed) to visit Camogli and a few other coastal towns.  Along with the beach and my lettino, fish and seafood were highlights of my visit.  Besides the fish ravioli I mentioned above, other highlights included Pesto, Seafood Risotto, Spaghetti allo Scoglio. 

 

 

A Sicilian Holiday Dinner

Sadly, I didn't get to Sicily in 2010.  I was able to transport myself and others to Sicily with a few dishes for a December birthday dinner party.  Involtini di Melanzane (Stuffed Eggplant rolls), Spaghetti Siracusana, Braciola di Maiale (Braised Pork Roll), Lemon Granita and the Torta Setteveli (included in my best sweet memories of 2010).  When I cook for others, I'm giving and sharing part of myself with them.  It was such a pleasure to share the island I love so much with Paula (who's also Sicilian-American), her family and her friends.

 

 

Le Fete du Vin in Bordeaux -- Especially the Spectacular Light Show Finale

Many travel to the Bordeaux region and visit only the wine regions located outside the city.  My first trip to the region, I did just that.  This trip I went mainly to check out Le Fete du Vin, but found a truly vibrant city with so much history.  I can't wait to go back.  The wine festival was more about sipping and socializing, than actual wine education, but it was fun.  And, where else but in France would there be foie gras as festival street fare and free samples of Jambon de Bayonne? 

The highlight of the event was the Light Show Finale, which told the history of Bordeaux through light images and an audio retelling. The buildings on Place de la Bourse were used as screens for the light show.  I thought it also appropriate to end this post with a slideshow of the photos I took during the show. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***************

What was your best food and/or travel memory of 2010?

***************

 

Related Posts:

Rome with a View - Five Favorite Spots for Photo Ops in Rome

Best Picnic Spots and Picnic Fare in Rome

Foods Not To Miss in Sicily

Neapolitan Style Mussels - Cozze alla Marinara

Favorite Regional Italian Pasta Dishes

Totano Festival and a Weekend in the Aeolian Islands

Good Eats and Good Views in Taormina