Milan-The final days.

When I say Panzerotti, what do you think of?  Maybe that over stuffed bit of pastry that Pizza Hut used to sell, which were actually more calzones.  Or maybe you’ve never had panzerotti, if you haven’t that’s very unfortunate.  During my final days in Milan, it was my mission to have an authentic panzerotti.  That brought me to Luini, near the Duomo.  Before I talk about Luini, I’ll tell you, for those interested, panzerotti was brought to Milan by way of Central and Southern Italy,  expecially Apulia.  The region of Apulia forms the heel of the boot, and includes the Province of Bari and Lecce.  But enough of geography, let’s get back to the food.  Guiseppina Luini brought panzerotti to Milan in 1940 to the same location it’s located in today!  Panificio Figli Luini offers both Sweet and Savory, fried or baked panzerotti.  These pedestrian friendly pies are traditionally filled with tomato and mozzarella, but fried onions, anchovies, and capers are also a common filling.  I went for the more traditional tomato and mozzarella and was not disappointed at all.  I had the baked panzarotti, with a nice crust on the outside and the inside was a perfectly baked, chewy dough with a flavorful filling of tomato and mozzarella.  Here’s the thing, the cheese in this treat had an incredible flavor, unlike any mozzarella that I’ve ever had, and I had to know why.  My discovery, well that will be revealed in an upcoming blog when I discuss my visit to Napoli.  But for now, enjoy a photo of my panzerotti.  http://www.luini.it

                                                           

Across the street from Luini, was an artisanal gelaterie.  Cioccolatitaliani is the name of the game and serious gelato is the prize.  On this trip to Italy I learned one very important thing about gelato, specifically artisanal gelato.  When you walk into a place that sells gelato and you see a heaping pile of gelato, this is gelato that is mass produced typically and stored.  What will happen is the seller, will heap this gelato in a pan and then refreeze what hasn’t sold, and continue to pile gelato over that to give it a new look.  I would hate to be the person that buys the gelato deeper into the pan.  Artisanal gelato is made fresh, everyday and does not rise above the lip of the gelato pan.  It is also displayed on an angle so the customer can see the gelato.  Cioccolatitaliani is truly the exception, where you do not see the gelato in it’s holding cell, but instead, you can smell it in the air.  Although the atmosphere is fast paced and you may feel rushed, the servers take great care in making sure you have the best gelato experience possible.  Unfortunately, no cameras allowed, but you can look at their website to see the incredible delights that await you when you visit.  But I can tell you, when I discovered that they pour thick, warm chocolate into your cone before you order your flavor of gelato, I was sold.  I mean, just give me the cone with the chocolate poured into it and I’d be fine with that.  Of course you know that this was my gelato stop for my days in Milan.  And not to sound boring,but I did mostly stick with flavors I was familiar with, although I had a few scoops of the different.  My reason for sticking with the common, was that if the normal was good, then the unusual was going to be incredible, and it was!  So Variegato Nutella, Pistacchio Reale Puro, and Crema Bologna were the normal and so incredibly smooth!  The Caffe Bourbon, Crema Del Sultano, and Biscotto Di Meliga, were no less amazing!!!  And by the way, Italians know ice cream sandwiches, but not in the same way we know them.  They slice a brioche bun in half and put a few scoops of your favorite flavor of gelato right in there and boom, you have magic and you need nothing else!  http://www.cioccolatitaliani.it

Now, I will be honest, after that experience, the rest of my visit to Milan was kind of underwhelming, although I still had a great dinner there for my final evening.  This brings me to Ristorante Nabucco, where I spent my final evening in Milan.  I really wanted to keep things simple, not eat too heavy, not drink too much, because I wanted to be up and at em for my morning train to Naples.  I started my meal with another complimentary glass of prosecco, which I would certainly not argue about.  Italian restaurant owners are very hospitable, for the most part.  Of course, if you are in a very touristy area, where all they care about is feeding you and getting you out so they can make room for the next patron, you will probably not get that warm, fuzzy feeling in your belly, unless it’s from heart burn.  While enjoying my drink, I came across something that I just had to have, I nostri golosi fiori di zucca scottati in padella con ricotta fresca e pesto leggero(zucchini flowers blanched in pan with fresh ricotta and light crushed basil.  This was an incredibly refreshing and light appetizer.  The flavors were clean, the zucchini flowers were fresh and the texture was firm.  The ricotta was obviously fresh and carried the true flavor of the basil with it and the two complimented each other in flavor.  This night, I did not do the proper courses, instead I just dove head first into the pasta!  I decided on the Tagliatelle con i carciofi(Tagliatelle with artichoke).  It was a simple presentation with simple ingredients and unforgettable flavor.  Buttery tagliatelle, with roasted artichokes, shaved onto my bed of pasta, topped with Olive Oil.  So simple, so sweet, so amazing, I thought to myself, why are things like this not being served back home?  I know that artichokes can be intimidating, but with us now being able to connect to Google or youtube, you can see, first hand how to prepare an artichoke and it then becomes less intimidating.  You see artichokes are an under rated, under appreciated vegetable with great health benefits!  Use them America!!  Go out, but one now and remember the famous statement made by Stymie of the Little Rascals, as he is tackling an artichoke, peeling it away, down to the heart, he says, “You may choke Artie, but you won’t choke me!”  Don’t give up on artichokes!!!  http://www.nabucco.it/pres_i.html

                                                 

I can't believe I forgot to mention the Tiramisu!!

                                        

Before I wrap up Milan, I would like to discuss a traditional Italian meal.  Traditionally, the big meal of the day, is lunch(Pranzo).  However, in the larger cities, dinner(Cena) is the large meal.  Of course, you begin this event around 5pm, with a Spreetz, either Campari or Aperol, both citrus liquors.  Campari is a bitter liquor and Aperol is a bit sweeter and they are combined with prosecco.  Both Campari and Aperol are digestifs, so they help open your stomach to make you more hungry.  Typically with your spreetz, you are given some salty snacks to hold you over until 8ish when your dinner begins.  Before I start on the course orders, this is what I found happening in Milan and Rome, so this does not necessarily hold true for the rest of the country.  Now, you open the meal with an Apertivo, of course you can have a Campari or Aperol, but typically you will start with a glass of wine, prosecco, champagne, or spumante.  Next you have an Antipasto, which includes Affettati(sliced meats), cheeses, bruschette(which if I hear another person mispronounce this ever again, I will come unglued), and vegetables.  Then you have the Primo(first course), risotto, pasta, soup, polenta, crepes, casseroles, or lasagnas.  Secondo comes after which is the heaviest of the courses, this is your meat or fish course.  Followed by Contorno or Contorni(plural), and these are served alongside your Secondo.  These are vegetables, raw or cooked, hot or cold and never, ever served on the same plate as your Secondo!  Just as your primo is never to touch your  secondo!  Never, ever serve meat on your pasta, unless you make a bolognese.  You have a plate of pasta and you have a plate with a meatball, that is the Italian way.  Your final courses, Insalata(salad), Formaggi e Frutta(Cheese and seasonal fresh fruit), Dolce(Dessert), Caffe(Coffee or espresso, but never a milky coffee, latte, etc), and Digestivo, which is also called ammazzacaffe is served after coffee.  And that consists of Grappa, Amaro, or Limoncello to help ease your digestion.  And please, don’t expect this all to be complete in an hour.  No, Italians love their food and they love the people that they are enjoying their food with.  There is talk and laughter and stories, and expect to be there for at least a few hours.  And that was something that I got used to and learned to love.

Aperol Spreetz

My gypsy, Di and her daughter.

Until Napoli, Ciao, ciao!

Something about BBQ

I promise to finish Milan, but I had to get this little blog typed up.

I love the South!  I really, really love the South.  I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells of the South.  I love the genuine quality of the people, their warm and welcoming nature, their hospitality, their traditions, their stories, and their food!  Maybe I'm biased having been born in the South and being raised with Southern values and mannerisms.  I could go on and on about the South, but as I say in most of my writings, this is about the food.

One thing that Southerners know, is BBQ.  I've had my share in the various places I've visited, and most of my experiences have been great!  I've even found a few places here in Illinois that have been able to pull off a good BBQ.  My first foray into Illinois BBQ was when I left for college in Champaign.  There I was introduced to Li'l Porgy's, and as I type this I can smell it.  Hickory smoked BBQ was their game.  This was a place that had no white table clothes and silver ware.  Nope, this was BBQ, serious BBQ.  The rib tips were fall apart tender, with half and half sauce, and served over a bed of french fries!  This did not suck at all!  And the staff were fall down friendly and always had jokes.  I know, what does Champaign, IL have to do with Southerners?  I'm getting there, be patient!  Here in Chicago, with the influx of Southerners coming north, and chefs experimenting with BBQ, we have our share of great places here as well.  Of course, some are a little more "upscale" than others, but that does nothing to the taste, most are all on the level and fantastic.  And the one thing you notice about people that own BBQ restaurants, they are all happy.  I think that's the Southern influence.  So, here in Chicago, my first experience was at Fat Willy's Rib Shack.  Now, sadly, I don't remember what I had, because it's been a few years and it was prior to my photographing everything that I eat, everything that I want to remember anyway.  I do remember it being a great experience and always wanting to go back, but not having the chance.  The other memorable experience with Chicago BBQ was recently, in Bucktown at a new place called Lillie's Q.  The smells that came into the dining area were mild and pleasant, not an overpowering smokey smell, which is nice.  You don't walk out of Lillie's smelling like you were the one in the smoker.  Chef Charlie McKenna is a BBQ award winning chef, that was taught proper Southern cooking at his Grandmother's home in Greenville, South Carolina.  With that little tidbit of info, I will just leave you with a few photos and my advice.  You come to Chicago, you go to Lillie's Q!  Hop on the Blue line to Bucktown, take a cab to Bucktown, and if need be walk, run, or crawl to Bucktown because the combination of BBQ, their great selection of craft beer, and their mason jar cocktails will make you want to stay all day and well into the night!  Now, enjoy some photos of house made hushpuppies, Virginia style pulled pork sandwich, and banana pudding.

My next stop for BBQ is Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  First off, I have to tell you I love Alabama!  The people that I've met from Tuscaloosa, Eoline, and Centreville have been incredible!!!  Working with Rebuild Tuscaloosa and the founders has been a soul soothing experience.  And it was one person from Rebuild that introduced me to Dreamland BBQ!  I had photos and I can't find them and that makes me sad.  The spread we had was overwhelming.  I think we had almost everything from the menu, down to the banana pudding.  Do you see a trend with banana pudding here?  The service, hospitality, and the food here will make you weep.  In fact, you will weep BBQ sauce!  The Sweet Tea, for the love of everything holy will make you run outside, stop traffic, pull people out of their cars, and drag them inside.  John "Big Daddy" Bishop knew what he was doing, and his chair still holds his spirit and that flows through the restaurant and you can feel it when you walk in.  I do wish I had photos, but all I have are memories and I can still taste that BBQ!  Thank you Linda!!

My final stop on this quick BBQ adventure, Nashville!  I've been to a few places in Nashville that have good BBQ, all with their own style.  Hog Heaven and their White BBQ sauce and outdoor seating and Zapps chips.  Judge Bean's with their everything smoked menu.  And I mean everything.  Their food had a unique smokey flavor.  Everything from their Brisket, down to their Hamburger, Guacamole, and Salsa!  I've never been disappointed walking into Judge Beans.  And my most recent BBQ stop in Nashville was Edley's BBQ!  Once again, walking into Edley's, you are not smoked out by that intense interior smoker.  It's a pleasant and warm atmosphere, friendly staff, and great food.  The great thing, they are also using seasonal ingredients in the mix.  Fortunately, when we went, Peaches, being in season were also being used in various forms, and that did not suck!  We started out with spicy Bloody Mary's, after all, it was brunch time.  The bartender, I wish I could remember her name was imaginative and chatty and that makes for a great bartender!  She whipped up a couple of spicy bloodies and had made her own spice mix to rim the glass with.  Perfect!  And for the table we ordered the BBQ Nachos, one with Brisket and the other with chicken, first two photos.  Awesome!!!  Served on house made chips, with tomato, cilantro, sour cream, and what tasted like a peach based BBQ sauce.  Those were meals in themselves!  Then I ordered the Georgia Sweet Brown, final photo.  A smoked, pulled pork sandwich, topped with sliced fresh peaches.  The peaches were fresh and so, so sweet!  One thing did make me wonder though.  If the peaches had a touch of the grill on them, how much would that flavor profile change?  It was a good sandwich, but, I would consider the grilling process for the peaches, just to concentrate the sugars and keep the sandwich hot.  But, keep that thinking up, using seasonal ingredients in the mix, because that really keeps a place like Edley's on the map!!!

Now go, find your own BBQ haven and tell me about it!  Please, then visit one of or all of the places I've suggested, you'll never want to leave!

Ciao Ciao!!

Cup of Local Sugar - For the Culturally Curious Traveler

Cup of Local Sugar - For the Culturally Curious Traveler

This is a link for a great company!  Something solo travelers or a small group of travelers should look into if you are looking for all of the best of what's local in a location you may be traveling to.

Ciao!

Milano!!!

When I mention Italian food or an Italian restaurant here in the US, what comes to mind?  Maybe spaghetti and meatballs, fettucini alfredo, ravioli, tiramisu, a basket full of bread, and a shaker of powdered cheese?  If that is the first thing that you think of, then do your heart, soul, and taste buds a favor and immediately book a vacation to Italy!  Don't think about it, just do it and do it ASAP!!

After exactly two years of procrastinating, I booked my birthday trip to Italy and it was the best thing I could've done for myself.  It was a soul cleansing, eye opening, and heart warming experience.  The people I met, the sights that I saw, and the food that I consumed was life changing.

I arrived in Milan after taking the fast train from Salzburg.  By the time I arrived in Milan, I just wanted to unload my things at the hotel and walk.  So, when I exited the train and went to the street, I grabbed the first cab I could find.  Unfortunately, it was a gypsy cab and he took me, took me to my hotel and took me for a lot more than I should've been charged, but you live and you learn.  My hotel, at first I was a little concerned because it was on a side street, dimly lit, unmarked, but once you were at the door, it was very distinguishable.  The Palazzo Segreti is an amazing little boutique hotel with an incredibly helpful staff, spotless and modern rooms, and a fantastic morning cappuccino!  Once I got into my room, I didn't want to leave, of course that was after I figured out how to turn the lights on.  I dropped my things and wandered down to Duomo Square.  It was a beautiful sight, unfortunately surrounded by quite a bit of construction, but none the less, it was still breath taking.  I could go on about the sights, but you are here to read about food, so let's get on with that part!

                                                                   The Duomo

The day following my arrival was my 40th birthday.  As much as I wanted to, I didn't think I would be spending my 40th in Italy!  After my light breakfast of cappuccino and cornetti, I ventured out onto the streets of Milan, to wander aimlessly and see whatever I happened to come across.  I had no plans set in stone, I just wanted to wander, and wander I did.  And I just so happened to come across a food truck, not too far from the hotel.  The truck, Il Padrino was a pastry truck, which carried both sweet and savory pastries.  Of course, I couldn't pass this by without stoping and giving it a taste.  My first choice was the Arancini.  Now, arancini is saffron rice formed into a ball.  Before you form the ball, in the center of the rice, you put a little ragout of beef, which has been cooked in a tomato sauce, peas, and cheese.  You then form the ball, roll it in a bit of breading and fry it up and what you have next is a magical, tasty, pedestrian friendly treat.  I didn't bite into it, instead I chose to break it apart to reveal what was in the center and also to try to get the best photo I could.  The photo isn't the best, but you get the idea.  The rice was moist, the ragout was rich, and the cheese was, well, cheesy!  In fact, in order to get the best photo, I could've eaten a dozen or so, only for the sake of the photo though of course, but I refrained.  Now, to wash down this little treat, I also had to have something sweet, because it just wouldn't be proper to avoid dessert.  After studying the layout of the pastries, I went the safe route and went for the cannoli.  I was not disappointed in my decision.  The cream was not too light and not too dense, it was just right.  With the candied citrus on the ends, well, of course that validated the argument that this was actually a healthy dessert.

Arancini from Il Padrino

Cannoli from Il Padrino

After walking miles and miles, in really comfortable dress shoes, I was ready to head back to my room, clean up, and head for my birthday dinner.  By the way, a shameless plug for the guys out there, Kenneth Cole makes the most comfortable, walking friendly dress shoes in the world!  Now, I bring you dinner!  Now being surrounded by many restaurants, all of them packed, I wasn't sure where to go.  I didn't want touristy, I wanted homey.  I wanted to see Nonna sitting in the dining area, making sure everyone was well fed and had plenty to drink.  Although, I didn't find that, I did find, with the help of the staff at my hotel, a place that was warm and welcoming, with great food!  I bring you L'Osteria di Brera.  The hotel staff made reservations for me, so when I arrived, I was immediately seated and felt like I was home.  And I was welcomed with a complimentary glass of Prosecco and who wouldn't like that?  After glancing over the menu and still not having my appetite back 100%, I decided that I wouldn't do the full course Italian meal, but I would keep it light.  So for my first course, I had Riso Carnaroli con crostacere molluschi.  Essentially carnaroli rice(the style of rice) with shrimp, clams, and calamari.  This was not risotto and it wasn't soup, it was somewhere in between and it was great!  The fish was in bite size pieces, large enough to see and taste, but small enough to sit on your fork, with the rice, so you could get an adequate amount with each bite.  You could taste the freshness of the fish, no fishy flavor at all.  And the sauce had that fresh, bright tomato flavor which was complimented by a little fresh cracked black pepper.  And to follow that, I ordered the Branzino with grilled fresh vegetables.  Branzino is also known as Mediterranean Sea Bass, Spigola, or Ragno in Italy.  It's a mild, meaty white fish and is perfect for those who are not fish eaters.  This was a simple preparation, broiled with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  The grilled vegetables, well, meh, they were just grilled vegetables.  I was getting comfortable now, so I was thinking ahead to dessert, and of course, I knew what that was going to be, Gelato!  So I cleaned my plate, like a good Southerner always does and just told my server that I was interested in their gelato.  I knew I was in for a treat when she told me that the chef had been playing around with the gelato and asked if I would be interested in trying his experiment.  Of course I would!!!!  So, she brought out a modest little cup with two scoops of gelato, a cannela creme and balsamic vinegar.  Cannella has a mild cinnamon flavor to it which complimented the bite that balsamic vinegar has.  But if you are a fan of balsamic vinegar, then you would flip over this gelato!  Of course, I could put balsamic vinegar or crema on anything or take it by the spoonful and be happy.  I felt honored to have this treat offered to me.  To finish off the meal, my server brought several glass containers of candy, which she serves all of her guests, and my digestif or limoncello, and that my friends was how I ended my birthday in Milan!

Riso Carnaroli con Crostacere Molluschi from L'Osteria di Brera

Branzino with grilled vegetables from L'Osteria di Brera

Cannella and Balsamic Crema Gelato from L'Osteria di Brera

More to come!!  Stay tuned.

Ciao!

                                                                       

I'm back!

I'm back, did you miss me?  I didn't because I knew exactly where I was.

I'm going to buckle down so I can finish my Italy blog.  I'm even going to multitask and blog simultaneously about my bbq adventure in Nashville.  But, I'm at work now, so I only have time to check back in, but I will leave you with a photo of the Sweet Georgia Brown.  And you want to know what this is, you do, trust me.

By the way, I have been given the opportunity to tell people about the great things about this city, things that are not your typical tourist destination.  Thanks to Cup of Local Sugar, I am now the Chicago local!!  Check them out, I highly recommend them for travelers, if they have a local to offer.  You will be exposed to the things that you really want to see, but you may not be aware that these things exist!

https://www.cupoflocalsugar.com

Ciao!

Nashville bound

Ok folks, since I've just had a fire lit under my ass to keep this a steady blog as not to lose readers, I want to give you a heads up that I will be heading to Nashville for the weekend.  While I'm there, I will eat good food, drink great beer, and take photos.  Of course, when I return I owe a few blogs about my eating adventures in Italy, so that comes first.

So, I will see you all in a few days and maybe I'll be able to work on my blog while I'm on my trip.

Ciao!