Restaurant Review: La Taverna del West

So yesterday, I wrote about the beauty of eating regional Italian food. This, of course, was promptly after I ate at a non Italian restaurant with a friend of mine.
Three nights ago, after a long day of work, Endira and I decided to get the easiest, most convenient food available right by my train stop.  We decided to try La Taverna del West   Another friend had mentioned it had Mexican food and at the time, it seemed like a good idea. It is literally right under the train station near Basilica San Paolo (so not in center).

Cutte and yet, I just had to laugh...

Teepees in a restaurant... Yes, I wanted to sit there lol

The exterior and interior were decorated in a way that can only be descrived as stereotypically Old
Western, Texas, at the peak of cowboy and indian films.  I really enjoyed the decoration, certainly not for its accuracy, but because of the sense of fun. I really wanted to sit under one of the teepees.  We didn't simply because those were the tables for 4 or more.

The menu was an interesting compilation of traditional American food i.e. hamburgers, potato skins, onion rings etc, plus pizza, pasta and quite randomly Mexican.  Maybe because Texas and Mexico are close to one another?  I think they were trying to appeal to a diverse group of people, traditionalists and younger people alike.

Endira and I probably should have ordered hamburgers like all of the Italians but we weren't quite in the mood. Instead, we ordered a liter of beer (Carlsberg), potato skins and 2 burritos del sol.  The beer was quite refreshing and the first I've ordered since being back in Italy.  I usually drink wine so it was a nice change of pace.
The potato skins I rather enjoyed. They were served with sour cream (which is usually hard to find

in Italy) and guacamole which was quite good but strange to see served with potato skins. I think that the guacamole was probably not fresh avocado but a frozen or a premade mix. The cheese was delicious and melted perfectly while the potato was cooked well.  However, out of the 4 halves of potato only one had bacon on it. It had a lot of bacon on it, which was quite tasty... The rest of the potato would have benefitted from the moisture and flavor it provided.
The burritos were pretty good but nothing like a traditional burrito.

It didn't quite look like a burrito...

They were covered in melted cheese which reminded me more of enchiladas but I liked it with the cheese. It added to the overall flavor which was on the bland, heavy side.  The inside of the burrito on the menu was listed as chicken and an herbed tomato sauce.  I saw no traces of tomato on the inside but did find bits of unidentifiable vegetable that Endira thought was pepper and I thought might be zucchini... If it was pepper, it was severely overcooked. If it was zucchini, it was still slightly overcooked and I would wonder what it was doing in a burrito.  The chicken itself was juicy, and based on the consistency of the filling, I would guess also fried. There were also beans inside the burrito, not refried or black but some kind of red bean that I rather liked. It was served with a great salsa, guacamole, sour cream and plain lettuce. I covered my burrito with the extras and ate it all up. For a "Mexican burrito" it was rather bland, I would've preferred some kick of spice but I was hungry. The only thing I didn't eat was the yellow rice. It was undercooked and bland. It had a whiff of some random spice that I couldn't identify, but completely lacked salt.
I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon. The food was okay but not great, and Endira did wind up with a stomach ache afterwards.  The food wasn't super authentic but maybe the hamburgers would be better.
However, it was guick and close to the train with a very friendly and helpful staff.  I will say, I was hungry and the food arrived quickly.
If you've been living abroad for more than a few months I would say give it a shot, because in a pinch it will cover a strong craving.
If you're just visiting for a short time as a tourist there are far better options. Definitely go for some of the Roman specialties.
In this post you'll find some suggestions of foods to look for on Roman menus.  If you're in center I highly suggest trying Cul de Sac and also keep an eye out as I write other reviews of restaurants here in Rome.

Foreign Food and Roman Specialties

Normally when I'm in Italy I don't eat much food that isn't Italian. I go out with my girls and we have Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Mexican food in the days before I leave so I can minimize the cravings once I'm here.  In the US, on a regular basis I eat foods from around the world. One of the nice things about NJ is that I've grown up with such a fantastic exposure to foods from different cultures.
I love food and I love trying all sorts of flavor combinations.
When in Italy, however, I generally stick to Italian food. There are a couple of distinct reasons for this. The first reason is simple. There are a majority of Italian restaurants. The kind of variety that exists in the North East specifically NYC and my area of North Bergen, does not exist around the globe. I hazard that it doesn't exist all over the United States either. Certain areas have a larger influx of immigrants and therefore have a larger availability of different cultural cuisine. Italy is no different in that sense.  Certain cities in Italy do have more availability of different types of food. For example Rome and even Florence have more Chinese, Japanese and Mexican available than in other parts of the country. They have larger populations of immigrants and tourists passing through and therefore have more availability of different foods. Rome is surprisingly filled with a lot of options for foreign food. That being said, there is still a majority of Italian restaurants even here.  Italians, I have found, tend to eat more Italian food. It is a deep part of their culture, unlike when you talk about food in the USA, which has less tradition and therefore more variety.  
Another reason that I don't often eat foreign foods while in Italy is because what does exist here does not taste like what we find in the US. It has been Italianized, just as most food in the states has been Americanized.  Because I grew up in New Jersey I like most of the Americanized versions better. Also, because many of my friends are of different nationalities I was fortunate enough to be able to try homemade Korean, Chinese, Japanese and various other cuisines.  Homemade is very different than what you find in any restaurant.
The other reason that I don't often eat foreign food in Italy is simply because I love trying new kinds of Italian food. there are countless regional specialties that we as Americans have never tried. We don't even know that they exist.
Most of the Italian food in the states has been Americanized and also comes from certain southern regions. We know some specific dishes from Naples, Sicily and Rome, but they are versions of those original dishes.  However, those are only 3 of 20 regions. each region has it's own speciaties and the majority have not made it stateside.
For example, Lazio, the region where Rome is located, has a ton of specialties that I didn't even know existed. All I had heard about was Spaghetti alla Carbona.  Who could forget the creamy egg based sauce rich with bacon? In Rome, they don't use bacon (bacon as we know it does not quite exist in Italy) but pancetta (pig's belly) or guanciale (pig's cheek).  Both are similar to bacon but are perhaps a little leaner.  However, there are lots of plates we rarely, if ever, see in the states

• Spaghetti al "Cacio e Pepe" - one of the most simple yet delicious dishes made with Pecorino "cacio", pepper and either olive oil or lard
• Bucatini alla Matriciana - this spaghetti like pasta has a hole through the middle and is served with a red sauce made with lard, bacon, onions, tomatoes, wine and Pecorino cheese 
• Tonnarelli alla Gricia - tonnarelli are a thicker kind of spaghetti and really compliment the hardiness of some of the Italian sauces, alla gricia is like the matriciana except it has no tomato base 
• Gnocchi alla Romana - these gnocchi are much larger than what we are used to in the states and are baked with butter, cheese and nutmeg
• Carciofi alla Giudia - fried artichokes, soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, you can eat the entire thing and you should!!
• Carciofi alla Romana - baked with mint and garlic
• Suppli - are fried and breaded balls of rice in Bolognese sauce filled with mozzarella cheese (they have a Sicilian counterpart called arancini)
• Fiori di Zucca - deep fried Zucchini flower filled with mozzarella and anchovies, they are literally bursting with flavor
• Cicoria - 
• Porchetta - suckling pig roasted with laurel herb, garlic and black pepper, delicious on sandwiches and often found in markets
• Veal Saltimbocca (veal scallopine with ham and sage) - saltimbocca literally means "jump in your mouth" which is what should happen if it's prepared well, it is thinly sliced veal topped with ham and sage cooked in whit wine, butter and seasonings.
• Coda alla Vaccinara (Roman Oxtail Stew) - oxtail stew is one of the traditional preparations of sweetmeats in Rome, the offals are slowly cooked with vegetables, red wine, garlic and spices

I haven't tried all of it yet, but I'm certainly going to.  I have lots of time here in Rome, so I'm going to make the most of it, and my stomach will love me for it. Then, when I get a bit homesick or long for exotic flavors I'll try some of the foreign cuisine available to me here, or I'll just wait till I'm back stateside for Christmas.  

Recipe: Pesto Chicken and Potatoes with a light String Bean Salad

Since being in Italy I have cooked a few times.  Soon I will start cooking more. Before I was just trying to settle in and get used to my new life.
That being said, the few things I have managed to cook have come out really well.
My first week here I tested out a new recipe on Endira because she's awesome and will eat my experimentations (it generally works out for both of us because we split the groceries, I get company and she gets yummy home cooked food).
On my first weekend when I was still crashing at her place I made Pesto Chicken and potatoes with a light string bean salad. It was quite delicious and everything very tender. I will complain a bit about the string beans, but only because they were a particular Italian type and had a slightly different and tougher texture. Still they were good and fresh.

The finished product or "why Endira let's me cook" :) 

Ingredients:
4 or 5 chicken legs (fresh or fully defrosted)
4 medium sized potatoes
1/2 a large onion
1 lb string beans (enough for 3 medium servings
salt and pepper to taste
Pesto sauce (normally I would make my own but this time I cheated and got a ready made at the store)
oregano
Oil and vinegar
Red pepper flakes
1-2 cups water

Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into a round baking tin.  Cut your potatoes into small chunks and toss into the olive oil. Dice your onion and mix into the potatoes.  Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.  Don't overdo it on the salt, because the pesto from the chicken should have enough salt already.
Slather each chicken leg with 1 to 2 teaspoons of pesto. Make sure each drumstick is covered completely and lay on top of the potatoes.  Sprinkle with a little more red pepper flakes if you want some extra kick.
Cover the potatoes entirely with water and place in oven uncovered.  They should bake like this for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Check on the chicken every twenty minutes or so.  I didn't turn the chicken so one side got very crispy (without burning) and the inside retained a lot of moisture.
As for the string beans, bring a pot of water with a little salt to boil after cleaning the green beans. Boil for about 10 minutes but keep an eye on them, because they're start to loose their vibrant green if they cook for too long. Drain and immediately put into the fridge or into a cold bath of water so they stop cooking.  In a bowl dress with olive oil, a small amount of vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.  I like to serve the string beans cool, but they're good warm as well.
Serve all together on the plate when the potatoes are fork tender!

In other productive news... goodbye vamps

Since I have so much energy I decided to run over to the local market and bought myself towels, sheets, and blankets for my apartment.  Very economical and time efficient since I've been in the area since before 9am. This market is great because it has a bit of everything, food, clothes, household supplies and technology. It's only here in Acilia on the main street on Tuesdays and Fridays so I may have to go visit every week for the bargains.
There's something about an open air market that just makes me smile. It's the colors, the influx of people, the fresh air.

I love the fresh fruit and colors.

Just look at those reds!!

Look at that bread... yumm...

after I ate a ton of grapes :D

I also bought a kilo of grapes, a bunch of onions and the largest fresh mass of garlic I've ever seen (the lovely vendor was a small Italian woman who insisted that I would use the whole thing... I'm going to be gifting garlic to those of my friends with vampire issues lol). I spent more than I had anticipated... mostly because of the mass of garlic.  I spent €7 on everything and the lady gifted me some hot peppers so I can make "Aglio e Olio con pepperoncino" a pasta with olive oil, garlic and red pepper. I wouldn't have spend as much except for that garlic. But I'm curious because it's red garlic not the traditional white. I'll let you know if it tastes different.

My booty ahahahaha

Seriously... I have a ridiculous quantity of garlic now lol 

Goodbye vamps

What happens when I wake up too early....

Soo today there is a strike in Rome, and in a good portion of the rest of Italy too.  What does this mean, you might ask... Well, it means that public transportions will be down for most of the day.  It happens once every few months or so and is utterly efficient.

Cracked out on lack of sleep with my clementines

What it means is that I woke up at 7:15 to run and get the train by 8 (the last one should be at 8:30 but I know my luck, and I'd miss it). It means that I ran out of my house like a looney bin without my jacket even though it's kind of chilly out.  It means that I'm in Acilia where I work 3 hours before I actually have to be here.
Last night, I made myself lunch so on the bright side, I have lunch with me.
On the other hand, I forgot breakfast...
I don't generally eat breakfast, but with my hour commute, a cookie would have been very welcome.  Instead, I'm eating my clementines that I had left at work!  Thank goodness for clementines!
And as soon as the others get here I will go in search of a much needed capuccino and a cornetto... or something equally yummy... Although I should probably skip the coffee until my natural hyperness wears off... Speed walking with my ipod to the station means that I'm still really hyper.  If you keep moving you don't get tired or hungry...
Although, I only ate 2 of the clementines so far, I'm thinking the other 2 are necessary!

And now, I'll walk over to the market and see what's going on there!

Apple Picking Fun

Okay, so I wanted to post this before I left for Rome...
However, things got hectic with packing and hanging out with friends and saying goodbyes... I started writing and never had a chance to finish writing.  So I'm writing this post from Rome, but it's about Jersey Apple Picking and fall.

I am always excited for fall.
Autumn is my favorite season because it means crisp air, leaves that change color, sweet apples, pumpkins and freshly baked pies, their sweet odor floating on the breeze...
It's the season where you can break out the cardigans and boots but that for the most part is still warm enough for short sleeves or shorts. It's light layers not bundling up.

Hello Apples!!

Most importantly it's a time for apple picking at apple orchards.

If you've never been apple picking you have not lived! Every year I try to go at least once because it's generally a nice relaxing outing meant to happen with family and friends.

I was so excited that some of my best friends humored my whims and went apple picking with me the week before I left. It was quite an adventure and just an amazing day overall.

Every apple picking adventure starts with picking a farm. If you want to pick your own, rather than buying apples at a market, I recommend either asking for recommendations from friends or going online.  None of my friends or family regularly go apple picking anymore so I usually use my internet.  I found Pick Your Own to research my farms in the tri state area (although I think you may be able you use it regionally as well). The site is also great because it has wonderful information about the farms and different varieties of apples available and what the apples are best used for. It is also wonderful because it tells you all of the other fruits and vegetables that can be picked at various farms.

I found a couple of great options on that site. My top choices were Alstede Farms, Riamede Farm, Stony Hill Gardens and Sun High Orchard. I really wanted a large farm that would have lots of apples still on their trees. And if some of the trees were large enough to be climbed, even better. ;)  I thought Alstede looked like a very child friendly place and it often has special events to pull you in and to discount the price. There is an entry fee unless they're having special events.  Both Riamede and Stony Hill also looked great but we ultimately decided to go to Sun High Orchard after calling the farms to find out pricing.  Riamede, Stony Hill and Sun High were all free entry and I believe had the option of hay rides but only Sun High had apples that were only $1.79 lb ($0.20 less a lb).  I think pricing changes pretty often, so it's never a bad idea to call and check.

Sorting our apples and making trades

We spent all day picking apples and running goofing off.  Sadly, there was no tree climbing, unfortunately none of the trees were big enough and it was prohibited. We had fun anyway picking each other up to reach the tallest branches with the best apples.
The Sun High Orchard had so many different kinds of apples that it was almost impossible to decide which to pick for ourselves.  They had baking apples and eating apples, ones that were sweeter, some more tart, others crisp. Oh my goodness, we had so much fun going from section to section choosing apples. Then we sat and sorted and traded until we finally chose about a bag of apples each. The apples were great, but it may be getting late in the season so go!!! And while you're at it get a pumpkin!  And then make pies and cakes and other awesome goodies.

My apples that made it home... I ate some on the way :D 

Next time I go to Sun High I'm definitely going to get a pumpkin too and maybe one of their honeys since almost everything in the small store is locally grown.  I would also suggest trying their apple cider donuts and their apple cider because both were delicious.  Oh, and their pastries look delicious too. I tried a bite of the apple crumble and it was crisp and sweet with just enough crumble to apple ratio.  

Next time pumpkins!

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!!

First Night out and Restaurant Review: Cul de Sac

Since getting to Rome Monday morning, I've been running around like a crazy person. I've been teaching and lesson planning and generally trying to get to know my surroundings. I was so tired and jetlagged that that's all I could manage.
So Wednesday night was my first official night out in Rome. I walked past the Colisseum and wandered to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. My friend has been living in Rome and suggested that we go to Cul de Sac, an awesome little restaurant behind Piazza Navona.  I'd actually been there once before with her about 2 years ago and I definitely had good memories of it.
I was very excited to go there again, to eat the food, but also because I get to blog about it too!

We got there on the late side so we had no trouble getting a seat. However, if you're going between 7 and 9 I'd recommend making a reservation since it's pretty popular and regularly crowded.  I love this restaurant for its convenient location (it's near some wonderful Roman piazzas) and because the prices are pretty reasonable.  The inside of the restaurant is relatively rustic with a nice casual feel that in part comes from the exposed pipes and ceiling pipes. The rest of the atmosphere I think comes from the sheer quantity of wine bottles on the wall. You cannot be unhappy with so much wine present. Also, the waitstaff is very helpful and very informative.

Their wine list is extensive and ranges in prices. The cheapest (and yet still fantastic bottle) is around €10 while the most expensive is quite up there. We decided to go with a €15 cabernet recommended by our server. It was light and a little sweet but quite delicious.

Oh, and let's not forget about the food!!

The food is non traditional Italian with lots of wonderful flavors that you won't necessarily find elsewhere.  In the past I've tried their pasta and so has my friend, and we both loved them. This
time however, Endira was in the mood for meatballs in a white wine sauce with mashed potatoes. I know, it sounds like an odd combination. However, these meatballs are some of the best I've ever eaten and they're presented quite simply on the plate. The meatballs are light and moist and baked while the wine sauce has a hint of sweetness from the wine but is not overpowering and adds a lovely balance to the dish since it really unites the meatballs with the mashed potatoes. Now, I know, Italy is not known for mashed potatoes in any way, shape or form. Italy is known for pasta and pizza, but these mashed potatoes are divine. In Italy, it is rare to find a mashed potato that is not too "pureed" down. Often they are too starchy or too liquid... But these mashed potatoes, mmm so good. They're reminiscent of home without being too "American." The flavoring and spicing with the white wine sauce very much say "Italian."
Ok, so, I really enjoyed that dish, even though it wasn't what I actually chose to order.
I decided to go for something a little strange as an entree. I didn't order a first (pasta) or a second (some kind of meat). I decided to get an appetizer and I'm quite glad I did. However, many of you will find this odd.  I had patè as an entree.
Yes, patè, liver...

Their unique patè list in English

Ok, most of you, at this point are thinking bleh, liver! But chicken liver is a specialty in Florence and I tried it there for the first time. I used to think, "Gross, who would eat that?" until out of politeness I finally tried it. It's actually quite delicious. Crostini toscani (bread with chicken patè) is served warm and creamy with a hint of sweetness that complements the saltless Tuscan bread.

3 kinds of patè

I haven't had patè in over a year since I was last in Florence and I had honestly never even stopped to consider that there would be other kinds of patè.  That is, until I saw this amazing menu. It has 8 kinds of different and unique patès. I loved the idea of these different flavors and decided to try a combo of patè; 3 patès for €10.80. I wanted to get this as a starter to share but Endira doesn't love patè and I figured I'd eat most of it alone, so why not just get 3 to try a few. I decided to try the more traditional liver patè with cognac, the pheasant patè with truffle and the venison patè with black peppercorn. The patè came served with toasted slices of Italian style bread, but it was a little too crunchy for me, so I ate my patè with the regular bread brought to the table at the beginning of the meal.
My favorite of the three was the pheasant probably because it was the most reminiscent of the Florentine. Pheasant is a small wild bird that is slightly more gamey than chicken. Prepared this way, it was light and not too dense with just a hint of truffle. I actually would have loved to taste more truffle in it, but I think this was a great balance so none of the flavors were too overwhelming. My next favorite was the liver patè with the cognac. It had a lovely sweet flavor that made me really happy. However, as I ate more the sweet flavor began to be all I could taste. I think it's best in small doses. My least favorite was the venison pate. It had a definite gamey feel that I didn't overtly mind but it was definitely denser than the other two. My only other issue with it was the peppercorn. It was only on one edge of the patè fortunately, but twice I bit into one. If you've bever bitten into a peppercorn, I don't know that I recommend it.  Pepercorns lend lots of flavor to a dish, but if you bite into them unexpectedly they pack quite a punch. One that I was frankly unprepared for. It was still tasty, but definitely not for someone who doesn't appreciate some kick.  I would try some of the other patès next time, but I think I'd like to go in a larger group to share a combo platter. The servings of patè were quite large and would make a great starter for a party of 4 that enjoys patè.
As for me, next time I may get the meatballs again since they were mouthwateringly good. Otherwise the duck ravioli seemed to sing my name too.

Afterwards, although we were both full, I couldn't resist ordering a dessert. For some reason, even though Endira and I both speak Italian very well, they kept giving us English menus. Now the savory portion of the menu was translated relatively well, the dessert was not even close. Here is what I recommend asking your server to explain the dessets. Some of them honestly sounded fascinating once our waiter told us what they were. Try the "coppetta incredibile" the English translation is something like "the house sundae". The menu does not offer a

La copetta incredibile

translation but after speaking to our waiter I decided that it would be worth trying for their homemade whipped cream alone.
As it turns out, this incredible cup has a layer of sweet cream, followed by a layer of freshly cut strawberries drizzled with some kind of beautiful sweet liquor. It is then topped with "marshmallow" puffs and home made whipped cream. On top of the whipped cream was a sprinkling of freshly ground pistachio. Oh my goodness, I think I just about died. This thing was light and airy and didn't weigh on the already full stomach but it was packed with flavor.  The cream itself was mild and the strawberries super fresh and dripping with flavor. The marshmallow puffs were not like the marshmallows that we roast over campfires or those that we put in hot chocolate. There are somewhat reminiscent of the marshmallows in Lucky Charms. However, they have a more grown up flavor that I don't quite know how to describe. Next time, I eat at Cul de Sac I'm going to ask exactly what they're called in Italian so I can find out what they are in English too. And their whipped cream was delicious and actually fresh. It was especially beautiful with that little added crunch of the pistachios.
Needless to say I really enjoyed that dessert. Also needless to say, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. So I must bid you adieu and goodnight. I have another long day of teaching ahead of me tomorrow!!

Clementines!! and Supermarkets!!

Oh, the simple pleasures in life!  Yesterday I had some time between classes and I got to go to the supermarket for the first time since being back in Italy.  I forgot how much I love supermarkets here.
I know, it sounds silly.  Why would someone love supermarkets?? There are so many reasons that at some point I'm going to have to have a whole post dedicated to the Italian supermarket with pictures too. Let me tell you, I'm going to get some super strange looks when I walk around the market with my plastic basket and camera... I look forward to it.  :D
In any case, the basic reason I love Italian supermarkets is because they are generally a little smaller and the prices are wonderful.  
Yesterday, when shopping, I didn't really need anything in particular. I went to see the prices and to remind myself what is being sold this season.

Fresh Clementines!

I was very, very excited to see clementines! I love clementines. Small, sweet nibbles of orangy goodness.  I could not resist especially for the price.  The clementines were €.59 for a kilo. In other words, just around $1.00 USD for 2.5 lbs of clementines.
A lot of clementines for not a lot of money.  These celementines are fresh and delivered from Valencia, Spain. They were sweet and delicious, and I keep eating them on my work breaks.
There are worse things I could be eating, so I'm fully okay with this.

A Brand New Adventure: Rome Part I

So a little less than a month ago I decided to move back to Italy.  I decided to move to Rome, a city where I've never lived before. It should be an incredible journey and I'm going to try to document some of it for you through the food I eat and try along the way.
Forgive me for the next few weeks because I'm also going to be trying to finish updating about the food I experienced in Canada plus I still have a couple of posts to get up about food in the states.
That being said, I'm really looking forward to blogging about my experiences here in Rome.

So far so good! I've been here just about a day!! :D

I had a pretty epic time travelling, and there was some good and some bad food along the way.  I

flew out of JFK and decided to sit down for the hour before my flight and get a drink and a snack before leaving US territory. A farewell of sorts to the food in the US.
I was flying AirBerlin (exit 8) so had terminal 24. I automatically spotted this little retaurant with its bright colors and appealing name "Drink" (obviously my goal was the drink more than the food, as travelling can be stressful lol).  I decided to try their Crème Brulée Cheesecake and their mixed drink "Raspberry Dream" which was made with prosecco, pineapple juice, and Chambord black raspberry liquor except that I asked for pear juice instead of pineapple (I

wasn't in the mood for the sweetness of pineapple).  I have to say that I really loved my drink. It was just sweet enough with a lovely tang of raspberry. Plus the prosecco bubbles were a lot of fun, and very fitting considering it's an Italian alcohol.  It was on the expensive side for a cocktail... but I was in an airport and didn't really expect anything different.  The dessert on the other hand was quite reasonably priced. It wasn't my favorite cheesecake but it was pretty damn good.  The sugar on top was crisp with a nice smoky bite and the cream cheese center was creamy and delicious and it was drizzled with a soft caramel sauce.  The only thing I didn't love was the crust. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't the way I like my crust.  It may have needed more butter or it needed a different base. I'm not sure what kind of cookie or graham cracker they use, but something was just a tad off for me.  In any case, I ate it all, so it was pretty good. :) The wait stuff was nice and friendly. Plus it was a nice quiet getaway from the hectic atmosphere of the boarding gates.  It was just what I needed to help me relax before boarding my plane!

When I boarded, I promptly fell asleep and missed take off. I think my dessert and cocktail put me in the perfect mode to do that! I was a happy camper and then got out my headphones to start watching movies on board.  I really liked their film selection and by the time I was halfway through Freedom Writers (AMAZING AMAZING MOVIE) they were serving dinner and drinks.
I didn't take any pictures of my dinner because it really wasn't all that photogenic.  It was decent airplane food but I've had better. I chose to get the chicken dish because it was either chicken or pasta. Since I was going to the land of pasta on a German flight I figured chicken would be the better option.  The chicken was served over rice that was highly overcooked.  The chicken itself was good and I ate it with my bread and cheese rather than with the rice. It was also served with a potato salad  but I don't love potato salad with mayo so I only nibbled at that.  Next time I think I'll try the pasta (and then I'll let you know how that goes!). I did get two glasses of white wine with dinner. So I was quite pleased. Then I also had a wonderful berry crumble coffee cake to go with my coffee. That was actually quite delicious.  The coffee was good, not too strong and the cake was just sweet enough to make me happy (meaning it wasn't super sweet). The cake was also perfectly baked and therefore, much appreciated.
For breakfast they served bread with cheese, salami and ham. There was butter and jam, too.  They also had fresh strawberry yogurt which was quite tasty. It wasn't much but it was a nice snack and good way to bring my flight to a close so I wasn't hungry in the Dusseldorf airport.
On my connecting flight they offered a pretzel like bread that was utterly delicious. It was a quick and easy snack and broke up the monotony of my sleeping.

When I finally got to Rome I was hungry but not hungry. I was too tired and jetlagged to be actually hungry.  I had a espresso at the caffe below work and a new candy that I've never tried before. It was cherry and yum but I've forgotten what it's called proving that I was utterly out of it yesterday. After my awesome coffee Endira shared her homemade salad with me too. So yummy with chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, spring mix, cheese, and sauteed pork with mushrooms.  It was a really nice combo and great of her to share.  And the tomatoes were so fresh and delicious. I forgot how much I love Italian tomatoes because they have bursts of amazing flavor.

After teaching a few hours, we traveled to Rome proper (work is a little out of the city) and got

The sausage, mushroom and mozzarella pizza

amazing pizza right by Endira's house.  I didn't catch the name of the place but it's right in the San Lorenzo area of the city. We got two pizzas to share. Both were white pizzas so no tomato sauce. One had sausage, mushrooms and mozzarella while the other had fior di zucca or zucchini flowers on it.  We got the pizza to go and it was utterly delicious. I think one night I may sit down and eat there, so I can do a whole blog about it too!  The crust was thin but not too, too crunchy. The toppings were fresh  and very flavorful. Everything was well balanced, so nothing was too salty and they definitely weren't too greasy either.

Pizza with zucchini flowers

Recipe: Creamy Spinach and Kielbasa pasta

I love wheat pasta, but it can be hard to get people to eat because healthy can be scary. Which is why I like to make delicious sauces that are mostly healthy but have lots of flavor.

Ingredients: 
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup lite or heavy cream
Olive oil
1 kielbasa sliced into 1/2 in pieces
1 lb whole wheat pasta
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch of paprika
1-2 tbs flour

Begin boiling water in a large pot. Add salt so it comes to a boil faster. Prepare your wheat pasta
according to the box.

In a pan, brown the kielbasa in a small amount of olive oil. Remove from the heat and save for later. Add the spinach to the heat and cook down on a low heat. Season with salt and pepper. When the spinach is almost entirely wilted add in the heavy cream. Let simmer (do not let it come to a boil) and add in paprika.  Stir in the flour slowly, it will act as a thickening agent.  Toss in the kielbasa and cover.
When the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, remove from the heat and toss in the pasta until coated evenly.
Serve while still hot. Sprinkle with parmigian cheese.

A delicious and easy Wheat Pasta

Recipe: Apple Cupcakes with Maple Butter and Fresh Whipped Cream

I went apple picking last Saturday! It was a lot of fun but at first I wasn't sure what to do with the sheer quantity of apples I picked.
I finally decided on what to make with my apples. I settled on apple cupcakes because I've never made them before and I always enjoy a challenge and trying new things.  Frosting wise I decided to use the maple butter that I bought in Canada this summer and then I'll top that with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (yes, I know I'm obsessed with it... in fact I should probably have a blog that talks just about whipped cream).

mini cupcakes with maple butter and fresh whipped cream

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (or ginger)
8 tbs unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 medium baking apples (I used a selection of apples from when I went apple picking this weekend)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. I made a tray of regular sized muffins and a tray of mini muffins. I had extra batter, so I also made 3 additional regular sized muffins.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Mix together to break up any lumps and put to the side.
In another bowl, mix the butter with a electric mixer on a medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.

apple batter!!

Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is smooth.  Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix until well blended for about a minute.
Line the muffin tins and then fill until about 3/4 full.  Tap the tin to make sure there are no air bubbles.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean or until the top is nicely golden. Rotate the pans about halfway through the baking time. My oven needed about a half hour for the cupcakes to be fully cooked.
Remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

Oh my goodness... Just delicious!

10 Things to Do with Apples

It's that time again. Fall. Autumn. Apple season!!

Red, Orange, Gold, Yellow, Green. Leaves of every color. Apples on the trees too.  

So the only question is, what do you do with all of the apples you pick? Well, here are ten fun suggestions. 

1. Eat them straight up, fresh and delicious. My favorites to bite into are Gala, Honey Crisp, Fuji and Granny Smith (yes I know they're better for baking, I love to eat them anyway). 
2. Traditional Apple Pies. I would suggest Granny Smiths or Shizukis or Cortlands. You want a flavorful apple but nothing too sweet as the apples will get sweeter as they bake. The natural sugars come out.  
3. Apples with Pork.  The sweetness of apples cooked down with onions and a hint of salt really pair well with pork. 
4. Apple Cupcakes. I've never actually tried to make cupcakes with apples but why not? I'm going to make some shortly and I'll let you know how they come out and post a recipe. 
5. Caramel Apples.  Fall would not be complete without caramel apples. For a twist, try inside out caramel apples. Rather than coating the exterior of the apple with caramel, cut your apple in half and hollow it slightly by removing the seeds.  Fill with caramel and eat.  
6. An Apple Crisp or Streudel.  Yummy deliciousness right now.  You can use granola to make the apple crisp a little healthier. 
7. Stuff a chicken or turkey with an apple and also make some apple stuffing. The apple will keep your bird and stuffing moist and delicious. 
8. For a healthy twist, try making a salad with slices of crisp apple. For example, the ever classic Waldorf Salad. Apple is a nice refreshing addition to any salad. 
9. Make Apple Cider! Warning: It takes a lot of apples but it's totally worth it for the sweet, deliciousness that is my all time favorite drink.  
10. Last but not least, try apple fritters. Oh my goodness. So unhealthy but so delicious in all of it's fried glory. 

Restaurant Review: The Bicycle Club

Last Thursday was my birthday and last Thursday I got to enjoy a wonderful meal with Mom and my friends at the Bicycle Club in Englewood Cliffs. It was a great birthday celebration with some really lovely food and drink.
I hadn't been to the Bicycle Club in years but it's next to one of my favorite Karaoke bars so I thought it would be a great chance to get back there, to try their food again after a long hiatus. We were seated in the front room and the atmosphere was very low key and calm. I will say that the music was a little loud for me but we were sitting relatively close to the bar. There is a whole other back section in the restaurant that is quieter. However, without reservations there was a bit of a wait for the 6 of us so we decided that the bar would do just fine. Afterall, we were starving after a long day of work.
Our waiter was very friendly and helpful and overall the restaurant had a very fun feel to it. I especially loved the wooden decor and the wall art. There was a map of the United States made entirely of license plates. Each state was made of part of its license plate.
I decided to order French Onion Soup and the Spinach Salad and I got a drink called Obsession.
My other friends tried a variety of dishes, from calamari to crab cakes to hamburger to the baby argula salad. I must say that everything looked fantastic and everything I tried was quite delicious. The only thing I didn't quite love was the crab cake. I'm not always the biggest "cooked" seafood fan. I love raw fish, but cooked fish and shellfish can be a challenge for me. This was just a little too crab tasting for me. However, for everyone else that actually loves crab cakes to begin with, they were pretty good.
My French Onion Soup was utterly delicious and filling. It was traditional with very few surprises but it had a wonderful taste. It was cheesy and had lots of caramellized onion. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was so hungry that I completely forgot. It was, however, presented fairly traditionally in an eartherware bowl. I was already pleasantly full after eating it so it was truly good and I ate every last bite.

Such a beautiful salad

This did not stop me from enjoying my Spinach Salad. It was a small salad with roasted beets, goat cheese, and toasted walnuts tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette. Blatantly I have an obsession with both goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. I admit it. But they're both so good.  I love the creaminess of goat cheese and the slight tartness of the raspberry.  I also happen to love the crisp leaves of spinach and the simple sweetness of the beets so this salad was a big success for me.
I also absolutely loved my drink. It was bourbon, St. Germain and apple juice. It was very strong and tasted strongly of bourbon but it was delicious with the sweetness of the apple and st. germain. The girls also liked thier drinks. Each was pretty strong but mine was the strongest, so if you don't like bourbon, it's not the drink for you.

The restaurant was on the costly side and the menu limited, but everything was really high quality and prepared well with beautiful presentations.

A Quick and Healthy Lunch

Ok, so I'm on a blogging roll. We shall see how long I can keep this up!
Honestly, let's face it, I'm avoiding packing. The mess in my room, ok, the explosion that was formerly my room is making me nervous, so I need a break. And goodness knows I needed to eat, so why not blog about it??

I had a really quick and healthy lunch and am quite proud of myself. I could have had leftover chinese, or the frozen burritos, or the mac and cheese in the cupboard... Instead I made myself a healthy sandwich.

It wasn't just any sandwich, but actually healthy. So no mayo or heavy sauces, nothing fried and a light wheat bread.

Hummus, Pepperjack, La Bomba and Lettuce

My sandwich was delicious with hummus, pepperjack cheese, la bomba (a spicy Italian vegetable spread), and lots and lots of lettuce.  I would have loved to add some turkey to the mix, but sadly we finished it all so I just doubled the amount of hummus I used for some additional protein. Twice the hummus also means that the sandwich stayed moist so I didn't need to add mayo. La bomba made a nice addition for some heat and since it's made of vegetables is still relatively good for you. I also added a lot of lettuce to the mix for the crunch. It doesn't have a lot of flavor but added a lot of crispness and substance to my sandwich. It hurts nothing that I burned more calories chewing the lettuce than the calories that actually exist in lettuce.
So good.  So healthy.

So much lettuce!

And now back to packing... and maybe some baking. There are apple cupcakes to be made! I'll be updating again soon.