Porto, Portugal

I really wish I had been in Porto longer.  I had a 22 hour layover and it was a great way to get a taste of a city. Now I would absolutely love to go back.
Everyone was so incredibly friendly. I got to the arrivals wing and there was a sort of welcome committee. There was food to try and I was even given a knick knack. Someone gave me a small rooster figurine. I've seen them all over Portugal but I have no idea what they mean in the culture. I have some research to do.
Everyone was incredibly friendly on my journey through Portugal.
I got to my Hostel: Tattva Design Hostel and it was traditional yet modern feeling with great, clean amenities. The room was great with individual lockers activated by passkey and there were curtains around every bed. I got there around 4, an hour or so after my flight landed. It was a bit uphill but a great location in general.

Right near the hostel behind the church

they offer a typical Portughese meal at a great price but I decided to go explore and I wasn't sure if I'd make it back in time. I wanted to use all of my available daylight. I walked to the big cathedral across the way and stumbled into a tourist information center. The lady was lovely and sent me in the right direction for wine tastings and sites to see.
The church was gorgeous outside and in. From there I wandered down to the river. There were lots of steps and winding roads. The views were incredible. The city has such a unique feel to it. It's colorful and lively but

broken down in places too. It's quite vivid and it definitely caught my imagination.
Along the river were restaurants and vendors selling handicrafts. Some of the craft work was absolutely stunning. I had to restrain myself from buying things because I had nowhere to put anything this trip. My bags are packed to the brim. In the meantime, I kept an eye out for a place that did tapas and port

tastings.
I crossed the bridge and saw some capoiera in action. It was a lot of fun to watch as it's a beautiful cross between martial arts and dance. I loved when the kids got involved because they were utterly adorable.

Casta Winehouse

Then I walked back across the bridge to a little restaurant bar that I'd spotted before I hit the river the first time. It was a mall hole in the wall called Casta Winehouse. It was practically empty but I liked the atmosphere and the idea of tapas paired with a Port tasting.
The waitress was friendly if not overly attentive (my guess is that she was bored because it was very quiet when I sat down). That being said, I didn't mind at all. I was there to relax so I didn't require much attention and I definitely didn't want to be rushed.
I decided to order a trio of Port to taste and the vegetarian tapa since I

wasn't in the mood for anything heavy. I'd never tried Port before so I was quite excited to try this trio for €5. It was amazing. I tried Fine White, Fine Ruby and a Tawny Port.  My favorite was the Fine Ruby and the white was a close second.  I liked that both were smoky but not too strong. The Ruby had a slightly fruity taste that I really enjoyed. The Tawny was a little too smoky for my taste.

They all went really well with my vegetarian tapa.  It was 2 types of traditional Portuguese cheese and a cherry tomato salad served with fresh bread. The cherry tomato salad was absolutely fresh and delicious. It was dressed with oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and chives. The menu did not list the types of cheese on the platter, but the waitress was nice enough to write them down for me. I had the piece of paper until yesterday and now I can't find it. -.- It's definitely in my room, I just don't know where. When I find I'll update with names.
One of the cheeses was a soft, sticky cheese that was absolutely delicious. It was creamy and easy to spread. The second was a slightly harder cheese. It was still on the creamy side but sliced nicely and wasn't spreadable. It had a stronger flavor and more of an aftertaste. I liked it but I definitely preferred the softer cheese. As soon as I find the paper, I'm going to update and tell you the names and then see if I can get a hold of the yummy cheese here in New Jersey.

Portuguese cheese and tomato salad

Then I got dessert. I ordered a brigadeiro. On the menu it's just described as chocolate but it's soooo

amazing.  I believe they are traditionally Brazilian and I had them when I was a child because my best friend's mother used to make them for birthdays when we were growing up. A brigadeiro is similar to a bonbon or chocolate truffle. It's a smooth chocolate fudge and it's delicious. It is rich and creamy and melts in your mouth. It's made with chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter and if I can find a recipe I'm definitely going to try and make it.
Then I went back to my hostel and made myself tea. I was suffering through a cold so I gave myself an early bedtime and then went to bed.
I would love to go back to Portugal, it was a great time.

Tomino Cheese; a most wonderful cheese

Tomino does not really exist in the states but it is an absolutely wonderful Italian cheese that everyone should try.  It comes from the Piemonte region.  

It is a mixed goat cheese made with a combination of goat and cow's milk, rennet (an enzyme) and salt. It has a thin outer shell and a creamy delicious interior. If the tomino is fresh, the rind is barely there and chalk white, while if it is a seasoned tomino then the rind is thin and hard with a reddish color.  A fresh tomino has a delicate and slightly lactic taste and the aged forms are more intense in their goat cheese flavor.  

What I like about tomino is that you don't eat it cold. Because of the outer shell, it can (and should be heated through so the interior is warm and creamy when you eat it.  It practically melts in your mouth and the flavor explodes as its warmth hits your tongue.  The contrast between the outer rind and the creamy interior is amazing.  

I had Tomino a couple of weeks ago with some prosciutto crudo on the side. It was amazing.  It's definitely becoming one of my favorite cheeses even though it's not as typical in Rome. My friend Endira introduced me to it a couple of years ago because she is obsessed with it.  And I can't blame her.  It is yummy.  

Makeshifting my lunch

Everyday I try to bring lunch with me, that way I save some money (it definitely costs more to get pizza or a premade sandwich) and eat a little healthier.
On some days I make myself salad and on others I try fun variations of sandwiches.

Last week I brought a colorful and tasty salad with me. It had cherry tomatoes, some pesto chicken, lettuce, raddichio and roasted red peppers in it. The flavors were a good blend with a lot of different textures. I also made a little balsamic, olive oil and oregano mixture to drizzle over it. I went very very light though since the peppers and chicken already had a lot of flavor.

This week was a week of sandwiches for some reason. I made a couple of different varieties though so it was a lot of fun.

Pancetta, turkey, cheese, and cherry jam

I came to work on Monday with no lunch so I took a quick spin to the grocery store and found a
long baguette for €0.59 so I knew sandwiches for the week were going to happen. I found pancetta which is similar to bacon, except sliced super finely so it can be eaten raw. I also found turkey and a sliced cheese (similar to American cheese except white and more creamy). I decided to put it all together with a bit of cherry jam. It added moisture and a great flavor contrast to the salty pancetta.

Delicious lunch #2

Tuesday's lunch was vaguely similar with another pancetta and turkey sandwich. Except I used
fresh tomatoes for moisture instead of cherry jam and served it with pasta in my homemade tomato sauce. I had leftover sauce that I wanted to use before it went to waste. It had started out with eggplants but I ate them all, so this was just a spicy sauce to go with my pasta and grated cheese. It was absolutely delicious.
I had another similar sandwich yesterday but I didn't take a picture of it because it looked very much the same, but I ate it with a helping of chick peas which were nice and light.

Mozzarella, prosiutto and honey

Today I went back to the store and had to refresh my supply of bread and cold cuts. I got ciabatta which is a wider bread that's not as long. I also got prosciutto crudo and mozzarella.  Then I added a little drizzle of honey for a nice touch of sweetness.
I know, I'm a little strange, but I really enjoy the combination of salty and sweet. It doesn't work for everyone, so I recommend experimenting a bit with flavors until you find the right combinations for you.

So far this week, I've had some really good sandwiches and we'll just have to see what I cook up for tomorrow!

Recipe: La Parmigiana #1

Eggplant Parmigiana is slowly becoming one of my favorite things to eat, and one of my favorite things to make, even though it takes forever to make. I have a couple of amazing variations on this recipe. The first is the one I traditionally use.

1 large eggplant or 2 medium eggplants
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs or flour
Pot of tomato sauce (homemade is best :) obviously )
Grated mozzarella
250 grams of ricotta
parmigian cheese
oregano
salt
pepper
fresh basil (to put in the layers)

Everyone says Parmigiana is complicated... but I think it's pretty simple if a little time consuming...
Preheat the oven to 350*-400*.
Slice the eggplant into thin slices and salt lightly.  Beat the eggs with the various spices. Dip each piece of eggplant into the egg batter and then coat evenly with the breadcrumbs.
In a pan heat some olive oil and fry each piece of eggplant. When the eggplant comes out of the oil, drain the excess oil on sheets of paper towel.
In an oven proof casserole dish, ladle a thin layer of sauce into the casserole. Lay down a layer of eggplant, cover with a layer of mozzarella, ricotta and a fresh grating of parmigian cheese. Season with salt and pepper and then cover with another layer of tomato sauce.  Repeat the layering until you run out of all ingredients.
Finish by coating the top layer  of eggplant with sauce and extra parmigian cheese.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until there is a lightly golden crust.
Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut and serve!

~Raspberry Truffle