Adventures in the South of Italy Part I

Last weekend, Endira and I had a whirlwind trip down South.  We stopped in Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi during the course of Saturday and Sunday. It was crazy and lots of fun too.
On Saturday we took the slow train (3 hours) at 8:14am. If you ever take one of these cheap but long trains in Rome (or from any of the capo linea, the journey starting point) get on the train EARLY or else you run the risk of standing the majority of the journey.  We planted ourselves in the corridor by the steps and had to keep getting up and down whenever the exit was on our side for the various local stops. It was a long trip but we read our books and had a lot of laughs.
However, when we got to Naples, at around 11am I was just a little out of it (that's what happens
when you stay out late the night before an early morning trip) and I thought it was already noon and therefore time for pizza.  This also just proves that I can't do math.  3 hours on a strain starting at 8, what time do you arrive? Alissa's stomach says noon.

I was insistent on getting this pizza.
Best pizza, but remember it's closed on
Sundays!

And I was quite gung ho about getting my Neapolitan pizza fix so we took a walk and figured out that Da Michele, the best pizza EVER was closed until noon.  So one random conversation with a Neapolitan later (note: they'll try speaking to you even if you don't know Neapolitan. A lot of Neapolitans are wonderful, hilarious people, some are crooks trying to con you into something... soo proceed with caution) we decided to go for a walk and see the churches in the area and get a coffee.  I needed an energy upper and Naples is known for its coffee.

beautiful shakerato

It's known for 2 things Pizza and Espresso.  Their espresso is strong and sweet and pretty amazing (other Italians will say their coffee is better but I'm partial to Neapolitan espresso).  We stopped at a cute coffee shop on the corner and sat outside in the warm sun.  We each decided to get a Shakerato which is a type of ice coffee. In Florence it was quite thin and smooth, basically regular espresso, milk and liquid sugar, shaken with ice (hence the name) and served cold.  In Naples at this caffe it was like melted ice cream made tiwh the best espresso in the world. It was delicious and creamy, but incredibly strong.  Stir it periodically!  Otherwise at the end you're going to get a mouthful of super strong espresso that you weren't expecting.  It was refreshing and quite energizing but a little messy.  I would definitely get it again.
Then we stopped into the Duomo for a beautiful peek and after we kept walking for a while.  We found a photo exhibit and a man raising money for a library so that the kids in the neighborhood would ahve a place to study.  He was lovely and the project was a beautiful idea, especially since he's doing it in honor of his 14 year old daughter who was killed by the Gamorah (Neapolitan mafia) a few years ago.  The school down the block is named after her. He's doing a wonderful job keeping her memory alive and positive.  He was a lovely man with a positive message and spirit.  He's also collecting books for the library in any language, so if you want, you can send books for the beautiful cause (I'll add in the address tomorrow).
He also gave us a nearby restaurant recommendation that I'll have to look into next time because I was utterly fixated on getting pizza from Da Michele again, so we went there next.
We got there at noon and there was already a line at the door so I cut to the front to see what was going on.  I wanted to get our pizzas to go so I figured that there was no hurt in trying and well, it cutting the line definitely paid off for us with quick pizzas but more on that in a minute.
Apparently, Da Michele's had been robbed the night before!!The crooks had broken in from below and ruined the bathroom in the process which is why the restaurant still wasn't seating anyone.  I really hope that the crooks get caught and that they didn't get any money.  The sweet, amazing people working that way didn't seem too concerned right then, which makes me think that it probably isn't the first break in that they've faced.

In any case, they couldn't seat anyone who wanted to sit and eat but since we wanted to take ours as takeaway we were in luck.  I asked the man at the counter and he was very sweet and told the guys by the kiln to make us some pizzas. And we got to watch them making our pizza which was excellent.  The older men were amazingly quick and then the pizza was ready very quickly as well.

We got traditional margarita pizzas. Da Michele's only serves 3 kinds Marinara (no cheese), Margarita (the traditional Neapolitan pie) and Doppio Margarita (with double the mozzarella).
Our pizzas were amazing, especially since they were the very first made that day!
They were delicious with the perfect crust and a wonderful balance of sauce and cheese, with just the right amount of basil.

If you ever have a chance to pass through Naples, I highly recomment Da Michele.  I also recommend you explore the rest of the city because although it's quite nitty gritty and the city is highly underrated, in reality it's a gorgeous city with lots to see (the coast, castel d'uovo, spaccanapoli, the archaeological museum just to name a few) but do be aware of your belongings because there are some shady characters roaming amongst the friendly.
After eating our pizza in the piazza by the train station, we got onto the circovesuviano for 1 hour and 15 minutes of hot stuffy train to Sorrento....
That being said it was TOTALLY worth it.

Want to read more about my adventures down south?
Part II here
Part III here

The Italian Coffee Bar

an espresso just for me

OK, I never liked coffee.  

Actually, I down right detested it until I moved back to Italy in 2009/2010 and even then I really only drank it about once a month for the caffeine. I was on a masters program and super active.  I needed the pick me up.  

I started to appreciate the strength and depth of flavor very slowly. I'm not sure when I started ordering espresso and cappuccino less for the caffeine and more for the taste, but I now drink coffee (ok, not as much American coffee but Italian coffee) with pleasure.  

But more than the espresso itself, more than the macchiato or cappuccino, I find that in Italy I love the entire process of getting a coffee.  

In the United States we have Starbucks and quick places where you run in and run out.  You have quick drip coffees, to go cups and people impatiently tapping their toes on line.  Italy is not like that.  

a macchiato and Italian doughnut like thing

Italian coffee bars are an entirely different experience.  Expect slow movement and expect to enjoy it.  

When you walk into an Italian coffee bar there is the promise of time to enjoy your coffee.  There is no need for a to go cup, in fact most often they've not even heard of them.  There is no need to run, to rush.  You can stand at the bar and socialize or you can sit at a table and sip your espresso.  Grab a cornetto or some other wonderful pastry, because your servers making the coffee will not make it any faster.  You can make idle conversation with friends or if by yourself it is completely acceptable to talk to random strangers at the bar.  

It is normal to discuss the weather, or about soccer, or politics (although I would avoid the politic talk simply because Italian politics are fairly incomprehensible and usually result in loud discussions about the idiot known as Berlusconi).  It's okay to ask the person next to you how their day is going. Eavesdropping is a normal sport and you're entitled to an opinion.  It's okay to pry (and kind of fun too).  

A coffee bar is a great place to flirt or simply people watch.  

Either circumstance is acceptable. 

What I love is that no one rushes you. No one expects you to vacate your space quickly. No one expects you to down your espresso in one scalding hot gulp.  

An espresso, for as small as it is, is expected to be sipped and enjoyed. You can take pleasure in consumption. 

In the USA it always feels like there's a giant dragon at your back, breathing down your shoulders encouraging, no prodding you into moving faster.  Get away from the counter, drink as you move. Drink your coffee as you drive, as you work.  It's not about the flavor but about the energy you receive from the caffeine dose.  

In Italy, it's the flavor not the caffeine that must be savored. It's the richness of the bold, dark coffee and the creaminess of the rich, steamed foam.  It's the perfect blend of bitter espresso with the sweetness of sugar. And more than that, it's the atmosphere of camaraderie. Anyone can speak to anyone else.  You can take a moment to breathe and savor your day.  

a cappuccino and sweet treat in Testaccio

Starting and Finishing the day right

Well, yesterday I started my morning right. I woke up early. I cleaned my room. I did laundry. Then I left for work early.

All on an empty stomach because I really can’t eat in the morning. Yes. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but when I try to eat first thing I get nauseous. I can’t eat breakfast for at least an hour after waking up.  Then I usually have a snack or something breakfast like to pick at so my energy levels don’t drop.

I wound up having a yogurt drink at that point yesterday. It was delicious and good for me too, full of protein and all sorts of good bacteria.  And since it was in drink form I could have it on the run on the way to work.

Then at work, I was pretty bad. Since I had a lot of lesson planning to do, I went downstairs and got myself a small macchiato coffee (similar to a cappuccino but espresso sized) and a bombolona which is the equivalent of an Italian donut. And it’s cream filled. Cream filled and rolled in sugar and therefore utterly delicious. I was so excited about it.

I was not wrong to be excited about it.  I ate it while fiddling with my creative projects for the children. The sugar and the caffeine helped me through exam making too. It was great. Definitely not good for me, but well worth it as far as I’m concerned.

I figure, I walk at least 45 minutes a day and I’m on my feet, up and down, running around after children so a cream filled fried pastry is absolutely allowed once or twice a week as a treat. 

Then I forgot to eat lunch, so I accidently made up for it.  I got so side tracked with work and was so full from the donut like creation that I neglected to eat lunch until my work day was pretty much over.  DO NOT DO THIS. Goodness knows I’m going to try not to do it (in fairness, it will probably happen again simply because I get scattered during the day sometimes when I have a lot to do).  If you haven’t eaten much in the morning, you should absolutely eat a hearty lunch. I was supposed to eat a fresh salad with lettuce, tomato, chick peas and three meatballs on the side. 

I would have made it through my baby class a lot saner if I had eaten it.

As it is, I’ll eat it tomorrow for lunch.  By the time I was done, it was after 6pm, so I snacked on a meatball (only 2 for lunch tomorrow) and went home.  I stopped in the grocery store which I probably shouldn’t have done while I was so hungry. Hunger shopping means you always come out of the grocery store with far more food than you absolutely needed.

Last night was no exception. But that’s okay because I got the makings for sandwiches, fried polenta and tortellini. 

I won’t have to go to the grocery store for a while which works out well since I won’t have time to go until Sunday (maybe). 

Sandwich with ham, tomatoes, cheese, spinach and cranberries

 I built myself the most beautiful sandwich. I’m not kidding. It was GORGEOUS. I’m going to have to post up exactly what’s in it, because it was quite delicious and not just because I was hungry. 

After finishing up every last morsel of my sandwich, I had a clementine while chatting with my roommates.

So I started and finished my day strong in terms of food.  The middle was a little wonky, but I was really efficient at work which is good.  

Mornings, Espresso and Happy Hippos

Every morning since being in Rome I've woken up relatively early to get to work. From Endira's apartment, it takes a little under an hour of public transportation and commute time to get to Acilia, where our school is. The time on the train is nice for me to phase out and ignore the world around me, or to catch up on my reading, so I don't mind it all that much.
When I find my own apartment, my commute will probably be less, but we'll see. Knowing me I'll be running around like a crazy person trying not to miss trains in the AM.
That being said, I'm very glad that there is a bar (a coffee bar, not an alcoholic beverage shop) right outside the train station in Acilia.  The espresso and macchiatos are under a Euro and they have all sorts of other goodies to munch on.  So far I usually get a macchiato and maybe a small chocolate filled cornetto (croissant like pastry).
However, a couple of mornings ago I found my favorite snack by Kinder sitting by the register and I could not resist.  I found Happy Hippos!  I love Happy Hippos.  They are a crispy cookie like cookie shaped like a hippo filled with nutella (or a creamy hazelnut instead). The outside ages are lined with sprinkles which look like a mouth and it has eyes too.
I love the taste thanks to the delicious nutella. I also really like the contrast of the crunchy exterior to smooth and creamy interior.
I obviously had to get one. I saved it for a snack between some of my classes (right between my 4 year olds and my 10 year olds). I was in quite the happy place... so I took pictures!  ahahahaha Don't judge. The kids added to my already hyper, silly state. I ate it in three bites!

The cutest hippo ever!!

Goodbye My Hippo!!

Recipe: White Russian Cupcakes with Espresso Whipped Cream

Game Day Cupcakes number 2!

I had Bailey's coffee creamer in my fridge so the first thing that came to mind was a White Russian. A White Russian is generally made with Bailey's, vodka and cream.. so I guess I really made a Black Russian since Black Russians involve coffee.

I found a recipe online and then proceeded to tweek it based on what I had in the house. I have to say, they came out really good!

White Russian Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz Vodka (preferably Vanilla Vodka)
1/4 cup espresso
1/2 cup bailey's coffee creamer

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a cupcake pan. The recipe should make about 15 cupcakes.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl use a hand mixer to beat together the sugar (excluding 1 tsp) and butter until combined. Beat in the egg white and then add the Vanilla, Vodka and coffee.
Add the flour mixture in three additions and alternate with the bailey's cream. Begin with the flour and end with the flour.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with a tsp of sugar until they form soft peaks. Gently fold into the rest of the batter.
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If desired, while the cupcakes are still warm, brush them with a small amount of espresso. Cool completely before icing.

Espresso Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbs espresso

Whip all of the dry ingredients together until you reach the soft peak stage. Fold in the vanilla extract  and espresso carefully.

Here are all the cupcakes! The ones in the center have the Espresso cream. It's sooo delicious!

Apparently there is a way to stabilize your whipped cream! I haven't tried it yet, but it would be really helpful.
 For 1 cup of cream, use 1/2 tsp of plain gelatin soaked in 1 tbs water. Dissolve thoroughly over heat and then add the melted gelatin while whipping the cream. Stop when you get soft peaks.

-Raspberry Truffle