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!