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!

Porchetta - How Italians enjoy pig!

Porchetta - How the Italians perform magic on pigs.

Disclaimer-If you are a Vegan, Vegetarian, or would much rather see a pig as a pet, rather than on your plate, you may want to skip this blog.............Ok, I warned you, this delicious blog will discuss what Italians do with a Suckling Pig.

The description will not be pretty, but the end result is delicious and believe me, before your life ends, you will want to put this on your list of things that you must stuff in your face.  Porchetta is a savory, fatty, and moist boneless Italian pork roast.  In Umbria, traditionally the pig is stuffed with Garlic, Wild herbs, fennel, intestines, and tripe.  In Treviso, a pig, typically one year of age, is stuffed with salt, pepper, wild fennel, garlic, and white wine, after being deboned and gutted. And in some places in the US, it is served on bread and topped with Broccoli Rabe or Spinach.  

The meat is tender and juicy and so full of flavor, you’ll want to punch someone.  However, the truly magical part, which if you have a great sandwich maker will come as a crunchy surprise.  Sometimes, the sandwich maker will top that Porchetta sandwich with the crispy, crunchy, flavor filled skin!  That is where the magic happens.  In fact, if I could have one sandwich with just meat and another with only the crunchy skin, I would be content to go to the afterlife because I’m not sure what could possibly be better than that experience.

So, imagine my surprise when I went to Rome and was wandering the streets, when I come across a little Enoteca(wikipedia that term because in upcoming blogs about Italy, you will see different descriptions of restaurants), with a sign in the window reading, porchetta panino, Euro 4!!!!!  I wanted 20 of them, right then and there!  There was no waiting here, I made a B line for the counter, “Ciao! Buon Giorno!!”, “Parlo un po’di Italiano”, “Sto studiando”, “Vorrei uno porchetta panino, per favore.”, “Grazie, Ciao!”  And the next thing you hear is my unwrapping the brown butcher paper that was surrounding this sandwich.

As I unwrapped my glorious gift, I caught a whiff of the fresh baked bread, which you know, fresh baked bread has a distinctive smell.  And the crust had a fresh warm crust with a soft white interior.  This beautifully fresh baked bread held inside perfectly roasted porcine delights.  The meat was glistening, which sadly does not show at all in the photos, but it was.  Maybe the glistening were actually tears of the angels that were singing as I unveiled this amazing sandwich.  In fact, I’m sure that’s what it was!  I did manage to snatch a few photos, but I didn’t care about that, no, I wanted to eat this and eat it immediately! 

The flavor, it was porky.  There was seasoning, but it didn’t cover the flavor of the roasted pig.  You could tell there was garlic and fennel involved, but with the next bite I caught a little bit of skin, and it was all over.  I knew, at that time, this was the best sandwich I will have had the pleasure of eating.  The skin was crisp, salty(but not too salty), garlicky(but just enough), and roasted almost giving it a bacony flavor.  After that second bite, the rest of the sandwich had an equal amount of meat, bread, and skin and all was right with the world!  I can honestly say that panino had more flavor with no fuss, no toppings, just meat and skin, than the most decorated sandwich I’ve had.  I was reduced to tears.  I would go back to Rome just for that porchetta again!  Thank you da LUCA, Via Urbana 15, Roma for this experience and thanks to the Hotel Raffaello, Via Urbana 3/5, Roma, for being located just stone’s throw from da LUCA.

You can find porchetta here in the US, you just have to look for it.  If I were you, I’d do just that.  Make it a point to find this product, try this product, and enjoy it.  I promise you will not be disappointed and you will love me forever!

Buona Notte!  

Whoa!!!!! I think I have it.

Of course, leave it to me to be slap happy, exhausted, and having to work tomorrow to finally figure out how to insert photos and resize them!  I feel like I've reached a milestone!!  I hope this makes things more interesting for people.

And by the way, I would like to thank everyone for reading!!  And please, feel free to subscribe.  I'm really interested in knowing where people are from and what your area has to offer in the area of food.  Is there anything that stands out?  Something that your town, county, state, country, etc is known for in the culinary realm?  If there is, then I need to put it in my face and write about it!!

Ok all, I'm off to bed, so I can properly perform my duties tomorrow.  Of course that's after a nice big cup off coffee to jumpstart the day.

Thanks again, and my next blog will come shortly!!!

Uninspired writing, Inspiring food!

I've take a bit of a sabbatical from writing to catch up, well, on me.  Every Summer, I go, go, go and miss out on things happening around here.  This year, I had decided to spend a bit more time here in Chicago to see what the hubbub was all about.  I've discovered many things happening, I've met people, I've seen things that I haven't seen in 7 years of living here, etc.  And let's be honest, I rack up a ton of miles on my vehicle, visiting everyone, but I've also realized that the road goes both ways.  I love my friends and family, but this guy needs to experience the city before I leave.  That issue will be a separate blog altogether though, for future discussion.

Now, about the new blog.  This year, I turned 40 and I decided that this year, I would change things and I have, well, except for the being single thing, but I think that might just be something that I have to live with.  But, on a positive note, I did some travel, for me, with me, for my birthday.  This is a trip that I needed and a trip that I wanted.  I totally stepped outside of my comfort zone on this trip and have tried my best to continue to live like I did while I was abroad.

On my travels, I visited Germany and Italy, with a brief stop in Austria.  With my writings here, I won't be discussing every detail of this trip.  No, instead, I will be discussing the food, because, well this is a food blog, right?  I will tell you though, hostels are awesome!  Just wanted to add that little note.  I do apologize though, this writing seems and feels to me a bit uninspired, but I needed to get this out, so I could work on my next one.  So please, read, enjoy and if it inspires you to travel, go!  And I invite and encourage you to please check out the websites of any of the places that I mention.  Now, on to Germany.

I had one night in Munich, which is not nearly enough time to truly experience all of the culinary delights that Munich has to offer.  I was still a bit nervous about this solo international travel, it actually kind of curbed my appetite.  But I was still on a mission for sausage and beer, and I could smell it in the air, it was there, within reach.  So, I left the hostel, in search for my first experience and it was a disappointment.  But I have no one to blame but myself.  I was impatient and nervous and I just wanted sausage, dumplings, and beer!

I found myself lost, in a residential area as the time grew later.  I didn’t feel unsafe, but I knew it wasn’t where I was supposed to be.  It was taking me away from the sounds and the smells of the area around the hostel.  So, I turned around and headed back to the area that I was staying.  I walked the sidewalk, looking at the restaurants along the way, and nothing appealed to me.  I didn’t want pizza or sushi in Munich.  No, I wanted Sausage!  I looked across the street where, and that is where everything was happening.  What was it?  Why were there people there, laughing, talking, skating, and just hanging out?  I crossed the street, only to realize that it was the train station that I had left earlier.  But it was more than the train station, it was the hub of activity in the immediate area.  And why was that the case?  Because this was your one stop shop for food and drink.  They had a large food court, much like food courts we have here in the US, without the chain nonsense.  With the large selection you’d think it would be easy to find sausage and beer.  Nope, not as easy as that, but I finally did.  There was a small kiosk, that was run by a Korean woman, and she had what I was looking for.  Well, part anyway.  She had Currywurst and that made me happy.  Currywurst is pork sausage, sliced and seasoned with warm curry ketchup,  It doesn’t sound like much and might not even sound appealing, but it was a damn good sausage!  Not like what I’ve had here in the states.  Here, you go to a shady hot dog stand and get sub par product, there, I could taste the pig actually playing in the pen, before being prepped to be turned into delicious, fragrant sausage.  I’ve smelled that smell before, during Chriskindlemarket, so it was very reminiscent for me, and I liked it.  And a great way to finish off this grand dinner, was to wash it down with a few Augustiner’s at the bar in the Euro Youth Hostel, Munich.  Oh, and I can’t forget the ice cold shot of Jagermeister, which I don’t typically drink anymore, however this was a must have to finish off the night. 

I left Munich, unsatisfied.  I know that I must return and spend a little more time there, to get the experience that I was looking for.  But, on to my next destination, Marktschellenberg and the Hotel Lampllehen.  From what Max, my cousin’s husband had described, the hotel was amazing and the food, even better.  This is why I took three days from Italy, to spend in Germany instead, and he knew that, so he was under pressure.  But I was not disappointed in making my decision.

The Hotel Lampllehen was such an amazing experience.  The surroundings were incredible, the hotel was clean and comfortable, but you are here to read about food, and it was amazing!  I checked in with Lubomir Rehak, the owner of this fantastic place and he informed me that dinner would be served after 5, so I had plenty of time to relax, take in the view and freshen up before having my first, real German dining experience.  And that’s exactly what I did, took in the view from my little deck, and listened, to nothing but peace and quiet. 

Dinner time came quick and I was ready!  I went to the dining area, Lubomir sat me outside, and gave me the rundown of what was being served that night.  I opted to go with the dinner package when I reserved my room because I assumed that would be the way to get the most authentic experience.  The first dinner was Braised Steak au Poivre in Red Wine, Spatzle, and some pear slices with a berry compote.  The Braised Steak au Poivre was amazing.  I am not a person that enjoys a piece of beef cooked well done.  In fact I think it’s a sin, however this piece of steak was tender and full of flavor!  Braising uses a combination of both moist and dry heat.  After a quick sear, you finish the cooking in a covered pot with variable amounts of liquid.  This process breaks down touch connective tissue in meat, miraculously changing a tough cut of meat, to a tender, palatable and flavorful treat that you will never forget.  The sauce was a great balance of peppery flavor, enhanced by the aroma of cooked red wine, thickened perfectly to cover this steak but not weigh it down.  And the spatzle, what can I say?  I’ve never had it before, and Lubomir explained it is German gnocchi.  How could I say no?  On the plate it had the appearance of Mac and Cheese, but the flavor?  I can’t describe it because I’ve never had it before.  It takes on a flavor of it’s own.  This was served in a traditional German cheese sauce.  Once again, not the weighty cheese you get from Kraft, but a light coating, using Emmentaler cheese.  Of course I could’ve made a meal just from the spatzle, but I had to try everything that was offered to me.  The pears, were simple, fresh, not gritty, with a fresh berry compote.  It made for a great palate cleanser.

I did forget to mention the soup.  The soup was a traditional Bohemian Czech Potato soup called Bramboracka.  This soup was not your typical cream based potato soup.  No, it was a clean and light potato soup.  There were wild mushrooms swimming around in the broth that complimented the flavor of the broth.  There was an essence of bacon, however no pieces of swine were to be found and I was ok with that because there was enough potato and mushroom, I didn’t need any other texture to add to the mix.  And in the blink of an eye, my soup bowl ran dry.  This was a sad moment in my life.  I inhaled it, because I had not yet learned a very important lesson that the majority of Europeans are taught very early in their lives.   But, you will have to read the next blog to learn that lesson.  Right now, I have to tell you about dessert.  Simple and amazing is all I can say about dessert.  It was a Koblihy, which is similar to a Polish paczki(pronounced poonchkey, easiest way to spell it out).  This tasty piece of fried dough was filled with a fresh made plum jam and topped with whipped cream and fresh rasberries, then sprinkled with powdered sugar.  How I did not gain 10 pounds that first day there is beyond me.

Day 2 began with a simple continental breakfast and then a 4 hour hike to a mountain top church and bar.  Of course the descent only took 45 minutes, but by the time it was all said and done, I needed a shower and good hearty food!  So as I arrived back at the Hotel, I went straight for my balcony to take in the peace and serenity of my surroundings.  And suddenly, that peace and quiet was interrupted by the sounds of hammering.  It was coming from directly below my room, so the thought of a quick power nap was out of the question, so I had to investigate to find out what this noise was.  I hopped out of the shower to find Lubomir, to find out what the racket was all about.  Lubomir welcomed me, once again to the dining area, and promptly seated me outside, where he informed me that on the menu tonight would be spicy sausage and potato soup and schnitzel and boiled potatoes.  

I’ve been unable to find the origin of the spicy sausage and potato soup, and frankly, I don’t care, it was that good.  The broth, had a slight creaminess to it, with a hearty, meaty flavor and a little spice.  The sausage, while I’m not sure what kind of sausage it was, it was great!  With as warm as the temps were, I thought I’d be finished after having this soup, but it was pleasantly refreshing.  And there was some fresh baked bread to help get rid of the left over broth that I refused to slurp from the bowl.

Up next was the schntizel, the source of the pounding noise that I kept hearing.  As I was eating my soup, I heard it again, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.  I knew that the chef was working on my schnitzel and I knew it would be good.  It was brought out, simple presentation, on a white plate with a slice of lemon on top and boiled potatoes next to it.  This was nothing fancy, but so delicious.  I sliced into the pork schnitzel, revealing a thick slice of pork, still juicy with a crisp breading.  No sauce needed here because it had an incredible amount of flavor.  I bit into my first bite and immediately began singing  lines from “My Favorite Things”.  But there were no noodles with this schnitzel, just potatoes.  The potatoes, also, not fancy, just boiled with salt, pepper, and a little butter.  This was not a heavy meal, but it was hearty, comfortably filling, and traditional.  After dinner, everything seemed perfect.  I vaguely remember dessert and drinks that followed, but it wasn’t because it was bad, it was because I was in a zone.  A great zone that I didn’t want to leave.  A zone that made me want to throw all of my friends and family on a plane and have them there with me, right at that moment, so they also could have this experience that I was having.  To be able to meet Lubomir and his family and stay at his hotel, filling the rooms and the hallways with laughter and good vibes.  This is Germany, and I want more!

Euro Youth Hostel - www.euro-youth-hotel.de/

Hotel Lampllehen - www.lampllehen.de/