Last night abroad

We have finally reached the last night of our journey, settling in at the Sheraton Malpensa Hotel, which is connected to the airport. The place is the nicest hotel we’ve stayed in this trip, and it offers us a room close to our terminal, and a restaurant that even made homemade tagliatelle pasta.

We woke up this morning early, and I walked Erik to the train station in Florence. He made his train, and when he left I decided to stop in to see what McDonalds had for breakfast fully expecting to find just filled cornetti (croissants). To my happy surprise, they had actual breakfast sandwiches. Bacon and egg McMuffin and sausage and egg McMuffin were similar to home, but they had another that had sausage, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a mayonnaise based sauce that was delicious even though it had no egg. It might sound crazy, but after nearly 6 weeks of the same thing for breakfast, our meal hit the spot.

 

We then set off for Milan in the driving rain. It was almost blinding at some points, making it very dangerous to drive in. About halfway to Milan, the rain stopped and we made up some time. After we got here, Mom needed a nap, and I headed out on the town to see the Expo 2015, the world’s fair.

Expo was something I wasn’t prepared for. I figured it’d be like a super-sized flower show, but it ended up being a roided-out version of Disney’s EPCOT. I can’t even think of a country that wasn’t represented (though I did not see North Korea), and each one had food and drink of the culture, as well as cultural exhibits. The theme of the Expo is food, and how we make it sustainable for the world to prevent hunger. About 80 percent of the bigger presenting nations had some sort of special exhibit. Sadly, the wait was more than an hour for each of them, and sometimes more than 2 hours. I was pressed for time, but if anyone is in the Milan area before it ends in October, make a point to give it a full day or two.

Tomorrow, we head home to America in the morning, so I’ll see everyone back home.

Foodtopia Moments

Our last cena (dinner) in Italy this summer was hat Il Canetto, the restaurant in the Sheraton Hotel at Malpensa airport. This was not a last minute thing, as we planned it before we even arrived on Italian soil. And it did not disappoint. The tagliatelle Bolognese was prepared with fresh past that had been made on site and the vitello Milanese (fried veal cutlet) was also delicious and big enough for Mom and I to split. We also split a piece of tiramisu for the last time in 2015.

Foodtopia Moments

When in Italy, dining can be an attraction, and the past two nights have been no exception. Last night, we ate at Trattoria 13 Gobi. It is a true Florentine steakhouse. Thick steaks cooked rare along with pasta dishes and veggies. The food was delicious, and I ate a one pound T-bone and a bowl of rigatoni with buffalo mozzarella and tomato sauce. I also had the best carpaccio of my life. The meat was thin and tender.

Tonight I had another steak, but it was the pasta that stood out. I had ravioli stuffed with potato and a wild boar sauce. It was delicious.

Two nights we dine in Firenze

I’m back in my favorite Italian city, Firenze, or Florence to those who prefer English. For the first time in weeks, I am not needed to be a translator as most of the workers here speak at least a little bit of English. Florence is filled with so many beautiful buildings and the art is fantastic. In the past couple of days, we’ve walked more than 30,000 steps and visited multiple museums and churches.

Yesterday Erik and I walked the town seeing the sites from the outside. This morning Mom joined us for some deeper exploration of the city. We went to the Academia and saw Michelangelo’s David, then headed into the Duomo for a closer look at Brunelleschi’s dome. We then walked past the leather market and Piazza della Republica on our way to the Ponte Vecchio. After crossing the bridge, we headed into the Boboli Gardens for some great views of the city, as well as the Grotto di Buontalenti.

Tonight we headed out for a last dinner with Erik. He heads home tomorrow morning, and we head to Milan. We had a great dinner, and then went to Florence’s top rated gelateria according to Google reviews. It has been a lot of fun with him here.

Foodtopia Moments

As usually, it’s been a culinary couple of days. Last night in Termoli, Erik and I had our last mean at Anima e Core, followed by some gelato at Yo-Go, the best gelateria I’ve ever been to. My pizza at Anima had a ragu, which is a gravy cooked with meat. It also had salsiccia piccante (hot sausage) and melanzane (eggplant). The combination was delicious, and I’m convinced that pizza is better when made with meat sauce. The gelato was once again divine, a combination of smooth texture, solid sustained taste, and chunks of quality ingredients made my cone one to remember. The new thing is to have them line the inside of the cone with either milk or dark chocolate, then fill it with delicious gelato. I had pistachiosa (pistachio with pistachio mutter and chopped nuts running through it), stratciatella (a white cream with hard chocolate running all through it), and Kinder (a flavor of vanilla with different types of chocolate and hazelnut mixed in).

For lunch today, we made uove (eggs) alla fridge. Essentially, I added all the veggies we had to a pan, and added eggs. Zucchini, eggplant, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and garlic came together just right with the eggs.

Tonight at Netti, we finished our meal with the house made tiramisu. I had to preorder three servings this afternoon, and when you taste it, you understand why a preorder is needed. They were going fast, but the manager assured me ours were put aside. It was creamy and delicious. 

Goodbye Adriatic

The last day al mare (at the beach) is always a bittersweet one. It usually sounds the end of summer, and means a lot of work has to be done at the condo. Mom, Erik and I have had a pretty fun couple of weeks, and today was no different. We packed a lot into the day.

The morning was spent at the traveling Friday flea market. Then we headed to the beach for our last dip in the Adriatic Sea for 2015. It was windy and the water was rough (for Italians), but we got in a nice dip. We went home for lunch and packing, then went back to the beach and played volleyball with the locals. It was a lot of fun, and if you ever want to see me move slower than normal, watch me try to run in sand.

Mom, Erik and I decided to make our last meal in town at Ristorante Netti. We all had pizza, and finished up with their fatto in casa (made in house) tiramisu, which rivals any I’ve ever had. After dropping of my mother, we did some more house cleaning and closing prep, and then Erik and I went out to see the fireworks along the lungomare. Several beach clubs were having a festival of the lidi (beaches).

Tomorrow we have an early wake up, and then a drive to Florence for two nights.

Foodtopia Moments

The food at Ristobar Q8 was delicious and fresh. The spaghetti allo scoglio, with its mix of shell fish and calamari, and the mussels were cooked to perfection, not chewy at all. A trucker favorite, the restaurant was a total find, and I’ll definitely be back.

For pranzo (lunch) today I cooked up some pasta with tonno and pisselli (tuna and peas), and we had come filetto di tachino (turkey cutlets). The pasta was delicious, with most of the sauce provided by the cans of tuna mixed with peas. If you happen to fine the Rio Mare tune with peas in America, try it.

Seemingly endless sun and fun

I chose to use the word seemingly in the title, because like every good time, there is an expiration date looming. Our last day at the beach here in Lido di Campomarino is tomorrow, as we leave for Florence on Saturday morning. Besides the sun, sea, and delicious food that we’ll be sure to eat, we also have to close up the place and get our clothes ready to pack.

 

Last night, after plenty of time at the beach and a delicious lunch, we went out to dinner with some good family friends. Zia was unable to make it, but her longtime friend and colleague Janette, her nepote (niece) Monia, along with Monia’s marito (husband) Omar, and her figlio (son) Manuele went out with Mom, Erik and I to Ristobar Q8, which was really a treasure of a restaurant. Nestled next to a gas station, the restaurant is usually packed and attracts a lot of camioniste (truck drivers). Once inside, the place had a wonderful aroma, and looking at peoples plates as we walked to the table I could clearly tell that the place was doing some serious cooking. The seafood was fresh and delicious, prepared just right. The place is a treasure to find, and some locals I spoke to knew about the place already. Pasta plate, fish plate, veggies, wine, bottled water, sorbet dessert, and limoncello for less than $25 per person. Plus the company was great. We dined and talked for nearly three and a half hours, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Tonight, Erik and I are heading into Termoli one last time for some pizza and gelato. I’ve had a lot of gelato, pizza and pasta here, but surprisingly, I lost another belt size.

Foodtopia Moments

For my birthday dinner last night, Mom, Zia, Erik and I headed into Termoli’s antique section to Ristorante Federico II, an open air establishment that specializes in pesce (fish). We had an array of seafood, including soglia locale (local sole), calamari, polipo (octopus), paranza (prawn), scampi (shrimp), gamberi (crawfish), cozze (mussels), and vongole (clams). Some was with pasta, including Erik’s Rigatoni Federico II which came in a hot clay dish and was served by the waiter. For dessert at the restaurant, we split an order of crema catalana, which is like crem brulee but they also heat the outside of the dish leaving a mix of cold and warm custard inside. To top it off we stopped off for some delicious gelato on the way back to the car.

Celebration

The past couple of days have been filled with plenty of sunshine, and a lot of activity. On Monday, a close family friend Antonio and his wife Anna and their daughter Doris came by for some pizza, and a nice passiagiatta (evening walk). It was a great night for a walk, as Campomarino was busy, to the delight of Doris, and the weather was perfect in the mid 70s with a slight breeze and no humidity.

For my birthday, we spent part of the day on the beach, part of the day in the kitchen, and part of the day in Termoli’s antique section where Mom, Zia, Erik and I had dinner sotto le stele (under the stars) in the paizzetta (little square). It was a fantastic seafood meal at Ristorante Federico II, and the town was buzzing. We finished the night with a gelato that we had to wait in line 15 minutes to get. It was totally worth it.

As we are winding down our time here, preparations are being made for our departure. I’ve begun taking a stock of the items that I have plenty of and won’t need to bring (like deodorant), and I’ve devised a way to make the place more secure after this past winter’s break in. Very soon, I’ll have to pack my bags and clear the patio. I’ll also need to do some last minute gardening which will include harvesting our one bunch of grapes from the vine that are ready.

Foodtopia Moments

Today I made a full Sunday gravy with polpette di carne (meatballs), brasciola, and salsiccia (sausage). I hand chopped pomodorini (little tomatoes), basilica (basil), cipolla (onion), and carote (carrots), then I cooked low and slow for about 40 minutes before passing the ragu (gravy), taking out the seeds and skins. After passing, I re-added the meat and cooked for another hour and a half on low stirring occasionally. The meat was exceptionally tender, and the meatballs exploded with flavor. 

Mom made a great salad today to go with the gravy. It was a simple salad of pomodorini (little tomatoes), trocadero lettuga (butter lettuce), and caciacovallo (a sharp provolone cheese). It was a great representation of the Italian flag; red, white and green.

Holiday has come and gone

Well the weather outside is frightful, a fitting end to the holiday weekend here, which essentially signifies the end of the Italian summer vacation. Even though the little ones don’t head back to school until after September arrives, their parents head back to the grind this week. Many people I’ve spoken with have Monday off in observance of the holiday known as Ferragosto, but head back to work on Tuesday. (Ferragosto is an Italian and Sammarinese public holiday celebrated on August 15, coinciding with the major Catholic feast of the Assumption of Mary. It is also the summer vacation period around mid-August, which may be a long weekend (ponte di ferragosto) or most of August.- Sourced from Wikipedia)

Yesterday we celebrated by feasting with Zia. She cooked at her place and we provided the meat and fruit. Erik and I spent most of the day on the beach, culminating in Erik joining the locals for some beach volleyball games.

Today I decided that I was going to make a proper ragu (gravy). I set out early this morning in search of tomatoes, bread, meat, and pastries all before 9 in the morning, then I came home and began preparing. First I prepped the brasciola, then the polpette di carne (meatballs). Then I chopped a big batch of tomatoes, seasoned them and made the gravy. It was delicious.

 

After the gravy, I wanted to hit the beach. It was overcast, but not raining. That wouldn’t last long. By the time I had gotten back to the house and finished lunch, the heavens had opened. Erik and I went back to the beach to check it out after the rain, but it the sand and water were desolate, with the people who had hit the Lido spending their time by the clubhouse patio. For people celebrating their last day here, it must have stunk not being able to enjoy the water. Tomorrow looks like a better weather day, so that is a plus.

Foodtopia Moments

The past couple of days have been busy crossing cultures between Italian and American. On Wednesday, I opened some dry rub that I brought from the States, added some bron sugar (brown sugar), and made ribs that I had purchased from two different butchers. One rack was spare ribs and the other was baby back. I dry rubbed the meat and placed them on a bed of garlic, onion, and sliced apples that were sitting in apple juice and sprinkled with the rub mix. Then I topped each pan with foil and baked three and a half hours on low heat. The meat was falling off the bone.

Then on Thursday, after we found out that the boat to Tremiti was full, Erik and I stopped for breakfast pizza and ate them inside the castle town walls in Termoli overlooking the beach clubs. My slice had mozzarella, achiugi (anchovies), escarole, and sliced pomodorini (little tomatoes). It was delicious with a great view.

Last night, while in Termoli at Anema & Core Ristorante, I had my first ever calzone in Italy. The ricotta was amazingly smooth without being runny, and even though there nearly no sauce it was full of flavor from the cheese, proscuito cotto (cooked ham) and funghi (mushrooms).

Tonight Mom, Erik and I went to BiGo, a new restaurant in Termoli that specializes in wine and small plates. Wanting a break from the monotony of mono-cultural food, we decided to go with the BiGo burger. It was a delicious mix of local beef, special sauce, local tomatoes, and lettuce. 

Tremiti by jet

Due to an internet outage, or should I say an oversight on my part as to when my “month” of internet would stop working, it has been a couple of days since I posted.

My friend Erik and I decided to head to Isole Tremiti, a set of Italian islands in the middle of the Adriatic Sea, on Thursday. We got up early, found parking near the port and got in line for the tickets just like the lady at the travel agency told me to. Before we moved up three people, the boat was sold out and the next one was for reservations only. So We reversed course, and bought tickets for Friday instead. Our boat was the Tremiti Jet and it took less than an hour.

Tremiti, as some people who’ve read my blogs before know, is a set of beautiful islands with an ancient castle and church to explore, and a beautiful, postage stamp sized beach to enjoy. The water is clear blue and you can see the fish swimming right around you. We took a boat tour of the islands’ grottas, and then explored on foot before returning to the beach umbrella we rented for the day though hardly used.

For people who are looking for a destination that is beautiful, and devoid of foreign tourists, seek out the Tremiti Islands. They are beautiful. But also brush up on your Italian, as Rome and the other big cities are hours away from this paradise. 

Not a great day for the beach

We made a vow the other day to get on the Italian schedule. We would head to the beach early, come back to eat, then head back to the beach. Somehow, we can’t seem to get on the schedule. Something I’ll rarely say in the summer here in Lido di Campomarino is that it is not a good day for the beach. Starting yesterday afternoon, it has not been a good day for the beach. The weather turned cloudy and rainy, and little break in the clouds is expected before 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Zia and I went for a little trip today to the township office and to the water company. The hours at the water company are definitely not conducive to making money. They are open from 9-12:30 Monday to Friday, no afternoons. We also went to the fruit and veggie markets and to the macelleria (butcher). There, I asked for costine di maiale (pork spare ribs), and watched as the guy carved my ribs off of a slab of meat. I’m looking forward to cooking those tomorrow. They’ll be the freshest ribs I’ve ever cooked. Tonight, as long as the rain holds off, it looks like we’ll be heading into Termoli.

Foodtopia Moments

When God gives you tomatoes and basil, you make a sauce. Today I picked up some beautiful pomodorini (small tomatoes) at the farmers market, along with some free basil. I quartered the pomodorini, added cipolla (onion), olio extravergine di olive (extra virgin olive oil), sale marino (sea salt), and the basilica (basil), then cooked them into a delicious rustic sauce. I used a pasta dell’uovo (egg pasta) with the sauce and topped with some Grana Padano cheese. We also had fete di tachino (turkey cutlets). I seared them, then put them in the oven with olive oil, rosamarina (rosemary), vino bianco (white wine), and limone (lemon). The pranzo (lunch) was easy and delicious.

Beach bumming it

Since we returned to Campomarino Lido yesterday, Erik and I have already been to the beach twice. The water has been calm like a lake, and warm like a gulf. You can stay in for hours before feeling the need to get out. Being a Sunday, the beach was packed with day trippers to the point that we couldn’t even get a second chaise lounge. They were all rented out. Tomorrow, though, the beach town will return to tranquility.

Tonight my cousin Renato, his wife Dorette, his son Mario and his fiancé Cassandra all got together with us and Zia for dinner at Ristorante Netti. Patience is a virtue, as dinner took more than an hour to arrive at the table due to the amount of people being served. Luckily it was a beautiful night to eat outside.

Foodtopia Moments

Rome is filled with tourist restaurants, so my friend Phil and I looked for some places off the tourist paths and discovered some delicious food. I had eggplant and fusili near the Coloseo, and spaghetti carbonara from a Roman kitchen filled with locals. We also went to Bar I Tre Scalini in Piazza Navona and had their tartuffo, which is significant because it is the birthplace of the sweet treat.