Eat-alian for Beginners

This is my first post on the food that I experience on my travels. The page has been under construction for quite a while and I'm so happy and excited to finally fill it out! I hope to share some of my insights on foreign cuisine and the entries will also serve as an excellent travel blog for me to reminisce upon. Let's face it, for people who love to eat, we remember our vacations on a meal-by-meal basis as much as we recall the tourist attractions.

Here's a little background on our trip -- it's the first full-on vacation with my wonderful/handsome boyfriend, Orin, and I. We stayed in four cities -- Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre and Venice. We also made day trips to Siena and Ghizzano, a little town in the Tuscan countryside. My overall impression of the food is that the Italians certainly follow the "eat seasonal, eat local" motto. It's not a "movement", it's a way of life. Even lettuce tasted more, well, lettuce-y. We visited several markets, and let me tell you, the abundance and variety of produce and deli goods would make any American yuppie green with envy. My only complaint is that, on many occasions, the restaurants can be very heavy handed with salt. Portions are noticeably smaller, but that's probably a good thing. 

Rome	Florence
Cinque Terre	Venice

We tried as much as we could to eat outside of the tourist areas to get a feel of "authentic Italian food". We definitely developed a case of the self-hating-tourist-itis. We would prowl for restaurants that weren't dominated by English speakers. I believe we were fairly successful in our quest to sample the foods that the natives enjoy. Make sure to do your homework ahead of time. Orin almost wore out his thumb flipping through our Lonely Planet and Rick Steve travel guides in search of the best places to eat (thank you, wonderful/handsome boyfriend!). We had our misses, but undoubtedly hit a few gems during the trip. Well, I'm going to stop the jabbering and start talking about the food!! A warning, if you're not hungry now, you will be by the end of the entry.

The place-setting at this little restaurant in Tuscany

Choco-Banana Bread Pudding

Aside from lava cake, my go-to dessert recipe of choice is bread pudding. It's such a versatile dessert and even after a few days in the fridge, still delicious, even cold. In fact, I'm going to get me a ladleful right now! Pair it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or go over and top with a whiskey sauce, it'll be a great way to finish any dinner. Pass the Tums!!

Recipe
1 loaf of egg bread (Challah or brioche work best)
2 cups half and half
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 ounces good semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 very ripe bananas
pinch salt

Mac-n-Cheese for the 1%

Let them eat cake!! This mac-n-cheese is made with truffle butter and enough fancy cheeses to make a cow cry. No Aunt Marie's Velveeta blend here, just decadence, and the non-apologetic kind, too. If you're going to consume an inordinate amount of calories, at least make it worth it, I say! And to top off the creamy and rich cheeses, a layer of crunchy panko flavored with parsley and garlic adds extra texture so the 99% can hear you chow down. This dish will be a winner at any holiday table.

Looks like a cheeseboard

Recipe
1 pound pasta of your choice
1/3 pound speck or pancetta (optional)
3 oz truffle butter (6 tablespoons)
1/2 cup flour
1 quart half and half (4 cups)
6 oz young Mahon
7 oz emmentaler
6 oz aged gruyere
8 oz sharp cheddar
3 tablespoons marsala wine
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1/4 bunch parsley
1 1/2 cup panko
EVOO for drizzling

Winter Winter Go Away Hearty Beef Stew

What's better during a cold Sunday than a big pot of hearty beef stew? Especially when it's braised with beer!! A steaming bowl of the stew and a few slices of good bread just say heaven to me. The outside world can sleet, pour and snow, but I'll be nice and toasty with my big spoon in one hand and a bowl of stew in the other.

Recipe
3 bottles of dark beer (such as Guinness)
2 pounds beef for stewing
1 medium onion
3 medium carrots
4 stalks of celery
5 medium waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 bay leaves
10 sprigs thyme
4 oz can of tomato paste
14 oz bag of pearl onions
1 bunch parsley
8 oz mushrooms
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
oil for pan browning the meat

Lasagna, Two Ways

A great way to feed lots of people without having your guests stand around and watch you sweat bullets in the kitchen is lasagna. It's a highly versatile dish that you can assemble ahead of time. The possibilities are limitless -- you can raid the fridge/pantry to create unique combinations and still have time to gussy up for the dinner party.


Recipe
Pesto Lasagna
1 16oz container of ricotta
1/2 cup of pesto
1 rotisserie chicken
3 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1 jar pasta sauce
12 sheets of no-cook pasta sheets


Acorn Squash Lasagna
1 16oz container of ricotta
3 eggs
1 large acorn squash
1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1 jar pasta sauce
12 sheets of no-cook pasta sheets 
salt and pepper to taste

Family Jewels

Sorry blog, I've neglected you. Well, have no fear, the piglet is back with a sure-win recipe! I really adore this dish because I can make it ahead of time so I don't smell like the great hope saving the planet from total vampire domination when I mingle with my dinner party guests (garlic joke, get it?). It's also versatile -- you can serve it over pasta for a main dish, put it in a sandwich/slider (great for leftovers), or serve it straight up with a toothpick as an appetizer. 


Recipe
Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 lemon
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons paprika
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan (divided)
3 cups bread crumbs (divided)
salt and pepper to taste


Sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 bottle dry red wine
1 medium onion
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste