Sounds of the countryside.

The wind, blowing through the vineyards, the hum of traffic driving the A1, the dull roar of the Frecciarossa speeding up and down the tracks, and the frequent sound of shotguns being fired at cinghiale(wild boar).  For some, this would drive them crazy, but for me, this was therapy.

Of course the smells of the countryside were also something that some people desired.  During the Fall/Winter, after the harvesting of the grapes, it was the aroma of burning vines that have been trimmed for the following seasons growing period.  And when the air wasn't carrying the smell of past grape vines, it was clean and clear, especially on chilly nights, when the sky was crystal clear.  What I mean by clean and clear is that you could smell the cool temps.  I can't explain it any more, it's just something you need to experience yourself.

I'm starting to wind down writing about my experience in Orvieto with Chef Polegri, Chef Brookmire, and Chef Alessandro.  But there are still stories to write about the experience as a whole. I'm thinking it means I need to return soon, so I have more to write about this trio of people that have a true appreciation and passion for food and want nothing more than to help others learn to appreciate what they have at their finger tips.

I've traded the sounds of the countryside for the constant sounds of sirens, snow plows, and traffic.  These sounds are almost deafening, because I had become used to the tranquility of the countryside.  I mean the most noise that I had to deal with, even in Orvieto was the occasional rowdy group of people heading to or leaving the local bar.  The new noise, it can be kind of unsettling, however what the future holds dulls the discomfort.

Until the future comes to fruition, I will continue to keep the traditions and love that I learned for product, in my heart and let my friends and family get a taste of what I learned from my friends in Orvieto.  And I will plan my return to Orvieto to revisit, cook, and cleanse my soul.  In the meantime, you can check out the Chef's activities via many outlets -

https://www.facebook.com/ZeppelinOrvieto?fref=ts

http://www.ristorantezeppelin.it/index_eng.html

http://www.casasegreta.com/#!

Maybe this will inspire you to take a trip, visit the countryside yourself, whether it be for a week, a few weeks, or a few months.  Don't hesitate for too long, just take a leap and try something new.  And if you absolutely have no opportunity, you have this, the Chef's cookbook.  Although it's not on the US market, if there is enough interest, I may be able to arrange something.

The recipes are simple, the stories are fascinating, and the book is enticing, maybe even inspiring enough to make those who feel like they have no access to travel abroad, find a way to make a dream come true.

More writing to come.  A bit more of adventures around Umbria, as well as Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna.

The chocolate box and the gelato drawer-Dolce in the countryside

I've been back in the US for a little more than a week, back at work, and almost back into the swing of things.  I had a mind clearing, soul cleansing, life changing experience.  An experience that although not everyone can have, I encourage you to try, at least for a week or a few weeks.

Attempting to get back to whatever some consider reality or a normal lifestyle, it's something I hope to avoid, but I did have to go back to work to start bringing pay checks back into the picture.  Still, I find myself wanting to write more, because there is so much more to write about.  It was three months of cooking, traveling, experiencing, loving, living, eating, drinking, and flushing out the bad to make room for all of the new and good.  I am now filled with a new zest for life, a new perspective on the future, and a heart void of anger.  I will do everything I can to not let that reenter my life because it makes things toxic and ugly.

That being said, let's talk about something that I learned about on my first night in Orvieto and the first BBQ in the countryside - the Gelato drawer and the Chocolate box.

Now, the story behind the gelato drawer, I don't remember word for word and it's not a deep story, but it's become tradition, and one of the many things that visitors experience and should savour on their visit to the countryside.

It's a simple story of overbuying gelato.  This is not your typical gelato though.  It is what we here in the US would consider ice cream bars - from ice cream sandwiches to white, dark, and milk chocolate ice cream bars on a stick, and drumsticks.  There is a difference in flavor between what we have here and what they have there.  Mostly because of the regulations in what ingredients they are allowed to put in their treats, compared to ours.

One evening, I believe it was a year or so prior to our groups arrival, Chef Polegri and Chef Brookmire were hosting an internship group to a BBQ at the home in the countryside.  There was some shopping prior to venturing out to the house.  Unknowingly by Chef Brookmire, some of the students had picked up some gelato to have after dinner, however she(Chef Brookmire) had also purchased boxes of gelato.  After a few laughs from discovery of the gelato avalanche, room was made in Chef Polegri's freezer, and at that time the gelato drawer was born.   Besides gelato and an occasional Zuppe Inglese, nothing else occupies the freezer.  I don't think that's such a bad thing.

The drawer overfloweth with gelati!

In addition to the gelato offered in the countryside, we were introduced to the chocolate box.  I can't remember how the chocolate box came to be, but I'm certainly not unhappy that it exists, and neither is anyone that has had the opportunity to reach in and sample the delicious chocolates that it holds.

What I can tell you about the box is that it is a ceramic box, originally made to hold biscotti, however because of a slight flaw during I assume was the baking process, the lid did not fit properly.  Chef Polegri and Chef Brookmire loved this beautiful piece of ceramic artistry, which may I add is typical of Orvieto and the region of Umbria.  This piece was made in Deruta, Italy which is located in Umbria.http://derutaitaly.com  All of their pieces are hand painted and sold throughout the world.  The piece that the Chef's purchased, since it had a flaw, was discounted(what luck!), so they purchased it and designated it as the chocolate box.  All who enter Casa Segreta are required(unless you have some unfortunate allergy or sensitivity to chocolate or nuts) to reach in and "have a chocolate!!"

Mama mia!

These are just two of the examples of the hospitality that the Chef's offer on anyone's experience in Orvieto.  And this is something that I brought back with me, but sadly, I was unable to bring back a ceramic box, so, until I am able to have a piece from Deruta, this will have to do.

Ours is more of just a box, however it holds the same chocolatey goodness as the chef's.

It's time for the food!!

After a little break, some travel inside and outside of Italy, I'm back.  I'd like to focus on the food that we've been working with here in Orvieto.

I've been working this over in my mind for days, and people could write chapters about Italian food.  I mean, think, there are 20 regions in Italy, and each region has at least 1 specialty, most have far more than that.  I was also trying to figure out how to word this without sounding like a jerk, and I think I have it.  I won't criticize those that speak of authentic Italian food, in the US, because I'm certainly no expert.  Cooking in Italy, just finishing culinary school, does not make one an expert by any means.  I just have a small inside look at it.  So, I will chat a bit about some of the great food I've made while cooking here in Orvieto.

We can start with Cinghiale or wild boar.  Wild boar here, is like deer in the US.  It's bountiful, although I'm not sure how because of the number of hunters and number of gunshots heard throughout the day.  My only explanation is maybe they reproduce like bunnies during the off season.

There are multiple uses for boar, like almost any meat.  Cure it, grind it, steaks, chops, roasts, you get it.  One of the ways we use it at Ristorante Zeppelin is in a Cinghiale stew.  It's a simple preparation, can't reveal the ingredients, but I can tell you that it uses great local olive oil, juniper berries, and chef's Matile Merlot.  It's thick and hearty, and perfect for the weather that I hear the Midwest is experiencing right now.

Cinghiale stew with sauteed red bell peppers and salata mixta.

You also have Umbrichelli with cinghiale ragout.  Umbrichelli is native to the region of Umbria, and it's a pasta made with no egg.  It is thicker than spaghetti and has chew.  It pairs perfectly with a ragout made with wild boar.  The umbrichelli hugs the thick, warm ragout tight, so with every bite, you experience the full flavor and labor of everything that was put into this recipe.

This was one of our staff meals.  This is the Umbrichelli served simply with olive oil, black truffles, and parmigiana reggiano.  

One of chef's favorite things to make, which he does with vigor and confidence is his tagliatelle.  Pairing that with a guanciale carbonara finishes this dish.  Guanciale is cured pork cheek, rubbed with salt, pepper, sugar, and other curing spices.  It's delicate, however it has a more aggressive flavor, than say your typical bacon.  But in a carbonara, the flavors just marry together.  For those that do not know, carbonara is a creamy, cheesy, eggy, porky sauce that, for me is like a bowl of your Mothers chicken noodle soup.  It's been a life changing dish, and something I will never look at the same again.  And the tagliatelle, which is native to Emilia Romagna or Marche, is an egg pasta, similar to fettuccine.  The difference comes in the width.  Although it may seem minor, even the slightest difference in width makes a difference.  Chef Lorenzo Polegri, is accurate, but not overly accurate(wouldn't want it to look like factory made pasta), and quick with his hand cut pasta.  His passion shows in the flavor or this dish.

You must be thinking, it's all pasta, pasta, pasta.  Most of the time, yes, it's pasta, pasta, pasta.  In the home, it's simple, quick, and filling.  But the restaurant offers a second and one of the most requested is the Maiale(pork chop) al vino rosso e saltati radicchio.  The pork chop with red wine and sautéed raddichio.  In the below photo it is plated with a savory chick pea flan.  

Maiale al vino rosso e saltati radicchio(Pork Chop with red wine and sautéed radicchio and chick pea flan)

Red wine and pork?  Yes, because it works.  Most food served at the restaurant is typical of Orvieto/Umbria/Etruscan cuisine, but sometimes you have to think beyond.  I mean, who makes the rules?  If you are a sommelier, you may question the above dish because white meat(Chicken, Pork, Fish)=white wine.  Because white wine is delicate and can cleanse your mouth of the fat, etc.  But here, Chef's Matile Merlot is used to essentially do a quick braise like method, after the chop is pan fried.  It penetrates the fibers of the chop, giving flavor from the center to the exterior.  Then as the merlot cooks away holding the chop, it begins to reduce.  When you add just a touch of balsamic reduction, the richness of the reduced merlot triples, lending a tender, rich, unbelievably flavored chop.  Finish this and you just want to sleep.  But, you can't because you can not leave with out dessert, those are the rules.

Desserts here, are constantly changing.  Sometimes traditional, more often than not, something off the cuff.  But even the off the cuff desserts begin with a traditional base, but then complimented with whatever sauce the chef decides, sometimes he gives us a bit of a license to be creative.  Below are examples.

Zuppe Inglese with a myriad of sauces.

Another version of zuppe inglese with chocolate/espresso sauce and a biscotti.

Ricotta/Alkermes pie.

Ricotta mousse, topped with shaved chocolate.  On the side candied almonds and biscotti.  Around the plate, various sweet sauces.

Chocolate mousse, topped with a sweetened ricotta, alkermes sauce, and biscotti.

Unconventional biscotti.

And let's not forget about bread.  Bread come with every meal, but don't be caught eating bread with your pasta.  Bread comes before the meal, traditionally with the antipasti, but if you order pasta, you use the bread to clean your plate.  That is also a compliment to the chef to show that you enjoyed the sauce so much, that you don't want a drop to go to waste.  So, to clarify, eat your bread with your antipasti and soup.  Then eat it again after you finish your pasta, to clean your plate, Scarpini(little shoes).

Various breads and focaccia dough.

Simple rosemary focaccia.

Lumachelle(Snail bread-no, no snails in the bread).

Focaccia with zucchini, pecorino, and pachino tomato.

We had many large groups that passed through the restaurant.  This is one of the things that Chef offers to the public.  He will demo making tagliatelle and then serve a multi course meal to the group.  He also offers small cooking classes to people passing through Orvieto and have heard of him, Ristorante Zeppelin, and his reputation.  Sometimes it was one on one, sometimes two, three, or four people.  These are the times we do things off the menu.

There is so much more I could write about, so many more photos I could share, but most of you reading this are my Facebook friends, and can refer back to my page to check the photos out.  If you are not a Facebook friend or following my Facebook group-FORK OFF https://www.facebook.com/groups/409586672531205/?fref=ts, then please feel free to send me a request.

Remember, you can have these experiences, the choice is yours to make.  And I will write more on the experience, Chef Lorenzo and Kim, Chef Carlo Alessandro, Casa Segreta, and about a few of the people I've met while here.

And if you can't swing a trip to Orvieto, there are always cookbooks, which Chef happens to have, which also has stories, recipes, and anecdotes.  If you catch me before Jan. 25, let me know and I can grab copies.  Thanks to my friends I already have 6 copies coming back with me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading, following, and offering words of encouragement.  More writings to come!

I leave you with one of my favorite and true to life scenes from the movie-The Big Night.

Quiet moments.

Yes, it's been quiet the last few weeks.  As the seasons transition and we hop what seems like from Summer to Winter, I'm letting my body adjust to the change of seasons, temps, weather, etc.  I have a trip to NYC coming soon, and had to juggle my work schedule to help some guys do things with family and side jobs, which benefitted me.  So, I will be back into the swing of things shortly, and I will be focusing on some great Chicago eats.  I've also been hitting my kitchen a little more which is therapy to me and the fact that I can feed others, that makes me happy.  Digging through cook books and recipes that have been burning holes through my fingers has been a good thing.  Although I have a small galley kitchen, it works, for now, until I can afford to move somewhere with a larger kitchen.

So, now I ask of my readers a challenge.  Send me some recipes to try, something new, something different.  Because as the temps drop, the best way to warm my apartment is to heat up the kitchen.  So, send in your recipes and I will try them, and photo document them and post them here and on Facebook.

Looking forward to the challenge.

Ciao, ciao!

Roma

This is it!  The final stop on my 40th birthday celebration.  Now I’ve been to Rome before and it was a nightmare, everything from my travel companion to lost luggage for a week.  It was not a happy time for me, but I made one promise to myself and that was to return to Rome.  I mean after all, I did toss three coins into the Fontana Di Trevi, which meant I would return to Roma, find my love, and marry her.  Did it all come true?  Well, that I think is how we’ll end the story because no one wants to hear about icky love and stuff like that, you want to know about food!!!

My goal in Rome was to find the best Cacio e Pepe, translated means Cheese and Pepper, and is one of Rome’s traditional pasta dishes.  According to Anthony Bourdain, the restaurant Cacio e Pepe has the best in the city, as it should being named after the dish.  I however did not go here because I was there for only two days and was not interested in discovering new neighborhoods.  I was winding down from my great adventures, so I chose to look in the area, and I did discover exactly what I was looking for, and then some.  

I spent my day wandering the streets of Rome.  I even had the opportunity to meet up with Daniela from Cup of Local Sugar.  She was teaching in Rome and after work, we met up to see some sights and just hang out. I revisited some past sights and saw some new.  I was much happier this time, I think mostly because I knew that I had luggage back at my hotel.  It seemed people were happier, friendlier, and I know I was much more comfortable and relaxed.  

Daniela and I parting ways.

For some reason, during my two days in Rome, I wasn’t overly hungry during the day.  Could’ve been the caffe’ and cornetti for breakfast or I was just so preoccupied that I didn’t pay much attention to my hunger.  But I can tell you that throughout the day I worked up quite an appetite.  On my first day, I had dinner just down from my hotel at a little place called Hosteria La Vacca.  I was unable to get any photos of my meal due to the lighting, however, I can tell you that I did have the Cacio e Pepe and it was, ok.  I could definitely do a much better job, but right now, I was starving and this would have to do, plus it was close to the hotel and I wanted sleep!  Tomorrow promised to be a better day, I was sure of it.

You know, I could totally spend my mornings, waking with a cappuccino and cornetti and have no regrets whatsoever.  So, why change things on my second day in Roma.  Except this time, I added a little Arancia Rossa and as always, it was delicious.  You can never go wrong with blood orange juice.  And that started my day of walking, and walking and walking, with no where in particular to go, I just went.  I wanted to be a Roman, for a day.  Do what Romans do, when Romans do and I think I succeeded.  It’s really nice to travel without an agenda.  Really, no stress, you are never pressed for time, not constantly watching the clock.  And traveling solo has it’s benefits, with not worrying about the other person having fun or being bored.  All I cared about that day, was that I was going to have a great dinner, and I was going to revisit the Fontana Di Trevi, because tonight was the night!

Dinner time came and I found myself close to the Fontana Di Trevi at a nice little place called, Baccano.  It was perfect, dining Al fresco, close to the fountain, and in a very active area.  The people watching was great, with a combination of tourists and locals and not a soul bothering me while I enjoyed my glasses of prosecco while I waited on my food.  To begin the meal, I had Carciofi alla Romana, which is essentially poached artichokes, with olive oil, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper.  I love artichokes and couldn’t find the Carciofi all Giudia, so this would have to do.  No regrets with this, clean flavor of artichokes, even with the dressing and it was so tender, you could cut it with a fork.  Next up was of course, Cacio e Pepe, and another glass of prosecco please.  This plate of Cacio e Pepe was incredible!  You can always tell when you are eating home made pasta as opposed to dry and this was definitely house made.  The color is a good sign that it’s house made.  The pasta had a yellow tinge to it and the pasta itself had body when you bit into it.  The cheese was full of flavor and added just enough salt.  When it was first brought to me, the cheese still sat, attached to each strand of pasta and the pepper, was fragrant and deliciously pungent.  It was almost like it wanted to jump from the pasta into my mouth, but the cheese held onto it, thankfully.  This is a pasta dish that was a peasant dish and very simple to make at home, however it’s also very easy to mess up.  If you don’t use the right cheese, if you don’t use fresh ground pepper, if you don’t use a cup of pasta water, or if you use too much pasta water, it could be disastrous.  This however, was perfect!  I took advantage of my surroundings, ate slowly, drank slowly, I was an Italian, a real home grown Italian for that night and I felt magnifico!   I took care of my check and made my way towards the Fontana di Trevi to sit for a while and enjoy my last night, plus I had to see if anything was going to come to fruition.  So I sat, and I sat, and I sat, and got really comfortable and didn’t really want to go back to the hotel, so I sat, for a few hours, people watching, listening to conversations, and waiting.  It was different this time, there was something in the air.  People were happier, the fountain looked cleaner, and the surrounding area was buzzing with energy.  None the less, I was flying out tomorrow and wanted to get to the airport early, so it was off to bed for me.  I made my way back to my hotel, not feeling bad about anything, no feeling of defeat, because I had accomplished quite a bit on this trip.  

Carciofi alla Romana

Cacio e Pepe

This was a life changing time for me, I learned how to live, how to eat, how to wander and discover.  I learned that strangers are only strange if you don’t learn about them, talk to them, make new friends in foreign lands, learn new languages, learn new traditions or make new traditions.  Live, live a good life, experience as much as you can because life is short and you don’t want your life to end with having regrets.  Thanks again to Cup of Local Sugar and Daniela for your assistance on this trip.  Your services were invaluable.  https://www.cupoflocalsugar.com

By the way, sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't.  This time although it didn't happen, the Fontana didn't disappoint me, it was well worth the return visit.

Ciao, ciao!!

Naples - Grab a coffee, it's a long one.

Over the years, I’ve learned to appreciate the hard work and dedication that most chef’s put into their dishes.  The complexity of the dishes and the many layers of flavor is a complete trip for your taste buds, your mind, and for some, their soul.  But, on my trip to Italy, I discovered those same layers, that same mind blowing complexity in the simplest of dishes.  Minimal ingredients with maximum flavor, this was the food of Napoli.

When I left Milan for Naples, I was speaking with the people working at the hotel and they warned me, over and over to watch out for the gypsies.  They guaranteed that I would surely have my pockets picked or possibly even be mugged, because Naples is shady and dangerous.  On my train ride, I prepared myself, ready to do battle with all of the evils of the streets.  When I stepped off of the train, I knew that I was to meet Daniela.  She was a local that I had arranged a meeting with with a great company called Cup of Local Sugar(They have representatives in various countries/cities, that will meet with travelers, and inform them of the local flavors of that particular city.  It was very helpful for a solo traveler whose knowledge of Italian bled out of my ear as soon as I arrived in Milan).  I wandered towards the end of the tracks where Daniela said she would meet me.  When I got to my location, I saw no one that I thought resembled Daniela.  You know what else I didn’t see?  I didn’t see any gypsies, panhandling, shining shoes, or picking pockets.  I didn’t feel like I was going to be mugged, murdered, or kidnapped.  In fact I felt the exact opposite, I felt like I belonged there, like I was at home.  Then I saw someone sitting there, and I approached her and sure enough, it was Daniela.  We made our way to the street, hopped a cab, and drove up into the hills of Naples, away from Downtown.  During that drive we spoke, but I was so focused on what was around me, I kind of lost track of our conversation.  Naples was a combination of filth and beauty, but even the filth was incredible.  Naples is a city, so you expect to see some spray paint and some garbage, to see the real beauty of what Naples is.  Naples is history, some shady, but mostly biblical.  

We arrived at the hotel and the area was bustling.  It was a residential area that was conveniently located next to the subway and close to all public transportation.  There was a bar across the street and a post office next door.  My hotel appeared to be in an old mid rise, that had a combination of business and residential condos/apartments.  It was an old building, with an old elevator, but once I got upstairs to the hotel, it was a completely different story.  Beautiful, modern, trendy, and well hidden.  The view from my room was breathtaking.  I had a great view of the Gulf of Naples, Pompeii, and Mt. Vesuvius.  Daniela waited in the lobby while I dropped my bags and splashed a bit of water on my face.  Then we hit the ground running!

                                             

Now my food loving friends, when I say Naples, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  If you didn’t say pizza, then we will have to reacquaint ourselves, and yes, it was definitely you, not me.  Of course, the first night there, I did have pizza, but I took no photos of it, because a photo just wouldn’t do it justice.  I can tell you and promise you this, until you have pizza in Naples, you will not have had pizza.  We had pizza at Pizzeria Sorbillo http://www.sorbillo.eu.  This pizzeria has been in business since 1935, it has a small menu, but simple to navigate.  It has beer and coca cola on offer as well.  And really, what more do you need?  You all have read my earlier blog on Neapolitan style pizza, and if you haven’t, then shame on you, stop reading this, and go read that so you’ll better understand why this pizza style, to me, is the best.  Sorbillo has gotten some negative press in the past.  Some people don’t understand that when you use quality ingredients, things react differently when cooked.  Take the cheese for example.  When you use regular mozz compared to Bufala, they react differently.  Bufala has a tendency to release it’s liquid when cooked, leaving the center of the pizza a bit liquidy, meaning you must eat the inside with a knife and fork.  Gasp in shock, I know, but it’s ok, it is an accepted practice in Naples to eat the inside with a knife and fork.  The crust remained crispy and delicious.  Don’t get me wrong, the inside was amazing and I’ll go ahead and say that it truly was the most incredible pizza I’ve had in my life.  The cheese was fresh, in fact I swear I heard a moo everytime I took a bite.  The basil was unbelievably full of flavor.  And we were at Sorbillo’s for three hours because the conversation just kept flowing and flowing and flowing, and not once were we even nagged to get out..  Because eating in Italy is about more than the food, it’s about the experience, it’s about socializing, it’s about stories and sharing.  I ordered a simple Margherita pizza, it is my favorite after all.  And as soon as I took my first bite, everything around me became quiet.  At that moment, there was no conversation happening, there was nothing else going on, except me eating that pizza.  This beautiful work of art was the size of a regular steering wheel and totaled 4 euro.  I couldn’t believe the cost, I was in tears.  So please, I encourage you to search for neapolitan pizza, and don’t be fooled by fakers, because they are out there, I know because I was affected by one of those “fakers”. 

Prior to going for pizza, we stopped by a friend of Daniela’s storefront grill.  Friggatoria Verace which translates to True Barbecue Stall.  Vincenzo, a happy fella, describes himself as a free spirit, a hippy.  He travels between Naples and Florida, opening restaurants and closing them as he gets bored.    But with Friggatoria Verace, he has a hit, and I don’t think the masses will let him get bored.  He has fried foods en masse and if the other things are half as good as what I had, he will definitely never go broke.  I had a polpette(meatballs),  but they weren’t meat.  The polpette I had was a special that Vincenzo was playing with.  If you look at the menu that I photographed, this was the ball of fried heaven that I munched on and it was amazing.  I can’t even begin to describe the flavor, but it was incredible.  All of these ingredients, together in a fried ball of goodness.  The other thing that Vincenzo is known for, is his nightly fish fry.  Vincenzo wakes up early in the morning and goes to the fish market, so he can get a pick of the best.  He heads to the restaurants, cleans and preps the fish, and at 9PM every night, the sidewalk and alleyway in front of his business is packed with people and laughter and music.  And yes, I did say alley, because that is where it happens in Naples, in alley’s, don’t knock it until you experience the alley culture in Naples. It’s such a party like atmosphere, it feels more like a restaurant or a bar.  Vincenzo is known around Naples for his fish fry, and it truly is an event.  We however, after the pizza, were thoroughly full, and just wanted to sleep!

The counter at Friggatoria Verace and the smiling blur is Vincenzo.

The menu at Friggatoria Verace.

The Polpette at Friggatoria Verace.

                                                   

After a fantastic nights sleep. overlooking the moonlit Gulf of Naples, I woke to the sounds of, nothing.  I went downstairs, and met up with Daniella outside in the promenade, by the hotel and we began la nostra lunga passeggiata.  The best part of this entire journey, I had no agenda, except to eat great things!  And that’s exactly what I did.  We wandered to the beautiful Basilica Santa Chiara, Real Teatro, many an alleyway, markets, finally making our way to the Castel dell’Ovo.  By then we had worked up a great hunger.  So we worked our way back, just a bit, through a sketchy little market, which for the most part was closed for the day.  We ended up in the back of the market, to a non descript little hole in the wall.  Above the door, in big letters, CIBI COTTI.    I had no idea what lie ahead, and I was pretty excited about that. Cibi Cotti, translated means  Cooked Foods.  The kitchen is directed by Mrs. Anna, whom when we walked in was relaxing at a table directly next to the kitchen area, which is not hidden from public view.  Mrs. Anna is over 80 years old and still makes the rules.  The pizza from Sorbillo was an unforgettable pizza, but Cibi Cotti was an unforgettable experience.  The restaurants was filled to the brim with locals, eating, drinking, and laughing, all the things that Italians do best!  Sadly, there was no room at the inn for us, so we missed out on that atmosphere, but we did not leave empty handed.  Instead, we had our food packed for take away.  Before we left, Mrs. Anna made sure that we had utensils and enough napkins, and that sold me on Cibi Cotti.  

We made ourselves comfortable at a spot, next to the gulf and dove right in.  Panini all Napoletana, was what we broke into first.  You could smell the bread, you know that good fresh baked smell.  Tearing it apart you could see the hard boiled egg, salami, and cheese, and you could actually get a bite of all three on the first bite.  Then we had Spaghetti Napolitan-Fresh spaghetti, tomatoes, black olives, and capers.  This was a salty dish, with the capers, but the flavor was unlike anything I’ve ever had.  Fresh, hand made pasta, cooked al dente brought tears to my eyes.  You can always tell when you have a fresh made pasta, because when it’s al dente, it has a bite that is unlike any other.  Next, Risotto dell’oliva vino rosso-Risotto with red wine and fresh green olives.  I’ve never been a fan of olives, and I’ve always been told that fresh olives are so much better than canned, blah, blah, blah.  Low and behold, these were not lies, it is true, fresh olives are amazing!  And red wine risotto, I mean who does this?  Mrs. Anna does this, and it’s unreal!  Here, we get used to risotto cooked in the traditional manner, cream and cheese, but Mrs. Anna said, meh, and turned up the heat on traditional risotto.  There was a perfect balance of cream, cheese, and red wine.  The addition of the fresh green olives was a great salty compliment and yes, the olives were full of flavor that you lose when you can an olive for an indefinite amount of time.  When you do that, you lose flavor, character, and identification of what that object initially was when you canned it.  Ok, enough, time to move on to the next course, Teglia di Calamari con Patate-Squid with Potato.  I’m going to assume, that since you read my blog, you can appreciate food like this.  When Daniela told me what this was, I was a bit taken back.  Squid with potato?  Not a typical combination in my book, but this isn’t my book to write, this is Mrs. Anna’s book, Mrs. Anna’s restaurant, Mrs. Anna’s rules, and Mrs. Anna rocked it!  I am all about presentation, color, arrangement, etc, etc, unless you can knock me out with flavor.  This was a complete success!  Sure, you have potatoes(white), squid(white), and a light tomato sauce(red), so there isn’t much to appeal to the senses when it comes to presentation.  When I took that first bite, I was floored.  You could taste the ocean and the earth with each bite, you could taste the hard work and sweat that went into this dish.  I did not want to stop eating this.  I wanted to run back and give Mrs. Anna a big kiss and pledge my allegiance to her kitchen, but I restrained myself, because we had one more item to try, the Chicken meatloaf.  Yes, I said chicken meatloaf.  That’s not the official name, but essentially that’s what it was.  Every cuisine needs a comfort food and I imagine that this is part of that family of Italian comfort food.  It was light and tasty and a good way to finish the meal.  Of course dessert would be better, so let’s go find some Semifreddo.

Teglia di Calamari con patate and some sort of chicken meatloaf from Cibi Cotti.

Spaghetti Napolitan and Risotto dell'oliva del vino rosso from Cibi Cotti.

I do wish I could remember the name of the establishment we had our semifreddo in.  It was a fun little cafe, lots of colors, music, etc.  It would remind you of a Baskin Robbins or some other sort of ice cream shop.  But, Daniela guaranteed that this was the king of kings when it came to semifreddo in Naples.  A little back ground on semifreddo, yes?  This semifreddo, looks to be a fluffy whipped cream, moussey type thing.  Translated, it means semi cold, however it is cold, just not fully frozen like gelato is.  It can be the consistency of mousse, but colder.  I’ve only had semifreddo in formal restaurants here in Chicago, however you can find this in a gelateria in Italy.  Now, this being a new experience, I played it safe and ordered the stracciatella(strah cha tel lah), and I have to say, sometimes playing it safe, pays off.  The flavor, stracciatella can be described as fior di latte(fyor dee lahtay),literally translated means “flower of milk”.  It has a fubtle sweet creamy flavor, but it’s the base for the majority of gelato’s and semifreddo, even chocolate.  Then you drizzle chocolate over it, let it harden and you have stracciatella.  You could say, chocolate chip, but stracciatella is what I prefer.  And after all of this food and walking, I’d say it’s time for a bit of a nap, before the evenings events.  

After a brief, but refreshing nap we ventured out.  Not too far from my hotel was this little hole in the wall.  But, not the hole in the wall that we are used to.  This literally was a hole in the wall.  I mean there was a door and a very small placard with the name of the restaurant and there was a light.  If you didn’t know this restaurant was here, you wouldn’t even notice and the Chef likes it that way.  Vienm a Truva is truly a hidden gem, that is run by Chef Sergio Giannetti is doing well.  When you walk in, you are a friend and treated like royalty.  We were seated right above the kitchen, in a lofty style area where we had a direct view of the cooking area and could watch the action.  Now, we were the first seated, because by Italian standards, we were there just towards the end of apertivo time and dinner time, but that’s ok, because it gave me a chance to interact with Chef and we could watch our food being prepared without any other distraction.  First up, Carciofi Fritti - Fried Artichoke and Pasta crescuita - Fried bruschetta.  What can I say?  Fresh artichokes, breaded and fried, more please.  And Pasta crescuita, a spin on traditional bruschetta.  It had all of the flavor, yet seemed lighter than your typical bruschetta.  Next up, Polpette melanzana - Fried Eggplant balls and Chef’s version of Spiedini alla Romana.  His version was a small piece of bread, fried with mozzarella and anchovy and it was amazing!  Before you turn your nose up, there is a tremendous difference in fresh anchovies and what we have available to us here in the US.  What we have has sat in a brine for who knows how long and is salty as the devil.  Fresh anchovies taste like any other fish, except a bit smaller.  Now, when we started this meal, I was still full from our lunch, but I was not going to let a night pass here without enjoying some local cuisine and let me tell you, the final course was worth the discomfort of having pants on.  When the Chef brought out the plate, I was less than amazed.  It looked to be a simple ground beef patty with some roasted potatoes.  Nothing stellar I thought to myself, so why is this guy such a heralded chef?  When I cut into the beef patty, I was worried because recently, here in the US, when I would order a hamburger, I would order it medium rare and it would absolutely destroy my stomach.  So, when I saw an almost blood red inside, my stomach said NO!!!  But my brain and my taste buds said “What the hell.”  I was absolutely floored by the flavor.  I immediately forgot about the cramps that were sure to follow this meal because I had never tasted anything like this.  This patty was from a Grass fed Chianina cattle, which is one of the oldest breed of cattle in the world, and it is from Florence.  There was no marinade in this beef, just a simple Salt, Pepper, and Olive oil, but the flavor was amazing!  And on the side, roasted potatoes with rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  We ended the evening with a nice spot of limoncello and I was sacked!  I needed sleep and lots of it because the following day, I was boarding a train and heading to Formia for a visit to Daniella’s home.

The kitchen at Vienm a Truva.  Very small, so each plate is given extra special care.

Carciofi fritti and pasta crescuita from Vienm a truva.

Polpette melanzana and Spiedini all romana from Vienm a truva.

Chianina beef with roasted potatoes with rosemary.

On my final day in Naples, I rush through my coffee and croissant, grab a quick shower, and head to the train staion.  I have a bit of a ride to Formia to experience what this area is known for, the Mozzarella di Bufala.  The train station was quiet, the train ride was quiet, and I was quiet as I stared out over the Italian countryside.  When I reached Formia, it was quiet as well.  I met Daniella and we began our adventure.  Her friend chauffeured us around, and received a fantastic tour of Formia.  It was a modestly sized town, but there was a lot of hustle and bustle for a Sunday.  We stopped into a Salumeria where Daniela ordered some Bufala and Salumi Tartufo.  The women behind the counter let me sample both and let me tell you, it was absolutely amazing!  The flavor of fresh Bufala is similar to how mozzarella tastes after it’s been baking in the oven, on a pizza.  But this was fresh, uncooked Bufala and it had that same flavor and a milky, soft texture.  And the salami, Mama Mia, if you have never had the pleasure of having a black truffle, try it, somehow, someway, try it.  I can’t begin to describe the flavor, kind of earthy and pungent, but it enhances almost anything it touches, sweet or savory.  This was a quick stop, because we had a mountain to conquer.  The final stop on this whirlwind visit to Formia was at the Castellonorato di Formia and the Borgo Antico Ristorante.  I believe, even on the dreariest of days, this had the best view so far.  This Castle was mountainside and built to protect the town of Formia.  It gave the people a place to escape, if necessary, from any invasions.  Now it is the home to a very nice, white table cloth restaurant, that from what I witnessed that day, is enjoyed by many families for special occasions.  The menu, seafood heavy, which is quite appropriate considering the location being right on the water.  Believe it or not, I was still stuffed from dinner that night before, so I wanted to light, so I stuck with a simple grilled prawns and scampi, fresh out of the water.  And let me remind those of you not aware of this, but Scampi, it’s an actual fish, not a style of cooking.  The fish tasted clean, not one ounce of fishy taste to them and they were fat and cooked perfectly.  And what better to wash it down with than a glass of prosecco.   After we ate, we strolled around the castle just a bit more, before I parted way with Daniela and returned to Naples.  It was a bittersweet departure because I felt there was so much more to Formia, but I had the next leg of my journey tomorrow, I was ritorno a Roma.  So, with my cheese and salami in hand, I hopped on the train, made my way back to Naples, and got comfy in the hotel room.  Oh, by the way, I was educated on the proper method of storing fresh mozzarella.  What I had, came in a clear plastic bag, which you leave it in, in the juices that it’s kept at the salumeria.  You then place the bag, in room temperature water and let it sit.  Of course, you’ll want to change the water over the course of three days and that’s the maximum amount of time you want to keep it.  It will remain fresh and flavorful for three days.  When you refrigerate fresh mozzarella, you seize the flavor and it sadly goes away and that is Non va bene.  And since that is the case, I will enjoy the moonlight over the gulf, with my cheese, salami, and fresh baked bread.

Fresh grilled prawns and scampi from Antico Borgo at Castellonorato di Formia.

Until Roma, Ciao!

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!