Restaurant Review Germany: Zur Dicken Emma

On my first night in Germany my half sister and her family took me to a German restaurant in Ramstein and I really enjoyed it.  It’s called The Big

1 liter of soda

Emma or Zur Dicken Emma. Ok, let me just say, portions in this restaurant are huge! Everyone always says that portion size in the USA is large but, this restaurant wins by far. I would love to go back to Germany and try some other German restaurants to see if this is true of all German restaurants.  The smallest portion is called a ¼ size which was 8.8 oz, the ½ size was 17 oz and the full size somehow even more ridiculously large at 35 oz. The sodas came in liter containers and the largest beer available was 3 liters! I wish I had gotten a picture of that glass! It was insane, I have no idea how the men ordering them were able to drink them. They looked heavy to say the least. They also have a food challenge in the restaurant. If you finish a full portion platter and 3 litres of beer you get a free meal.  I don’t think I could ever succeed. I would literally have to be starving to finish even half of their full size portion.

Jägerschnitzel

schnitzel with french fries

I wound up ordering a ½ size of Schnitzel (I was really hungry since I hadn’t eaten anything since 11 that morning). Schnitzel is fried, crispy pork. There was plain schnitzel and then 9 other kinds with different sauces so I ordered Jägerschnitzel which had a sauce made with jager, mushrooms and bacon. It was delicious! The outside was a bit crunchy, while the inside moist and juicy.  It was huge and I finished every bite. It took a while to finish but I didn’t get French fries or soda so that didn’t fill me up. I got a small side salad and some wine to drink which worked out really well.  My sister and her son

both got ¼ size portions of plain Schnitzle with French fries on the side.  It was served with lemon slices on top which really complimented the saltiness of the fried surface.  The portion was still really large but considerably smaller than the piece of meat I ordered.  It was also quite delicious but I’m glad I got mine with a sauce. I don’t think I could have eaten the pork all by itself without the creaminess of the sauce to help.

My sister's husband ordered a half portion burger and it was gigantic as well. 8.27 inches! Crazy. It looked good but impossible to finish. In fact he only ate half and took the rest home. 

the giant 1/2 sized portion

A lot of people were eating the largest portions and I was incredibly impressed that they were able to finish because I would have never been able to eat that much, even as hungry as I was. They were also drinking the largest beers I've ever seen in my life. 3 liters!! Giant, giant glasses that could probably be quite difficult to lift for some people. They even had a challenge: 1 kg of schnitzel, steak or burger and 3 liters of beer. If you can eat and drink all of that, you win a "Yes, I did it certificate" which I found utterly hilarious.

I liked the atmosphere as well and our waitress was really friendly and helpful even though I don't speak a lick of German. 

I really enjoyed the restaurant and would very much like to go back if I get back to Germany. It was really good food and I had a lot of fun with my family. 

Restaurant Review Ostia: Ristorante Cipriani

Last week we had our Christmas for lunch and it was fantastic. Even though the trains were striking, we made our way to Ostia Antica (which I need to absolutely explore more thoroughly). The restaurant, Ristorante Cipriani was about 5 to 10 minutes from the station. It's a hidden gem, recommended by one of the students at our school. It's near a castle and ancient ruins down a small, quaint alleyway that wouldn't normally get a second glance.
I really enjoyed it because it was reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. I couldn't believe it! There was a fixed menu including a pasta first, a meat second, water and coffee all for €10.

 It had limited options but everything we ordered was fantastic.
The first dish options were cavatelli con sugo di spuntature, pasta e lenticchie, e tonnarelli cozze e pachino.  Cavatelli is a type of pasta while sugo di spuntature is a tomato based sauce made with ribs. Paste e lenticchie is pasta with lentils and it is almost like a thicker soup. Tonnarelli is a traditional Roman noodle that is similar to spaghetti but

considerably thicker and it was served with muscles and small tomatoes.  I had the cavatelli and it was rich but not heavy. The sauce had a lot of flavor and it was just the right portion size so I was able to eat my next course. I did cover it in cheese, but that's really only because I love cheese. It's cold out right now, so I would love to have some more. Laure and Ashley ordered the Tonnarelli and they really enjoyed the seafood because it was super fresh and had a lot of flavor. I didn't try it because I don't always love seafood. Sian tried the pasta with lentils which had a nice wintery feel to it. It was quite warm outside but I think it would be the perfect cold weather meal.
A little after, our seconds arrived promptly. There were also three choices and we tried them all.  I tried the

salsiccia e fagioli which is sausage and beans. It was utterly delicious, the sausage was a flattened patty and full of a ton of flavor while the beans brought me back to childhood. Grams prepared them so similarly. I really enjoyed the dish. I even used bread to sop up the extra sauce. So much good flavor.  Tanya, Laure, Ashley and Sian all tried the filetto di Orata which is a fillet of sea bream. It was served with a mini salad that Ashley was thrilled to have (she had a long weekend sadly lacking in vegetables). I didn't try it (I wish I liked seafood more) but everyone had good things to say about
it.  The only complaint I heard was about the small bones, but I find that fairly typical of dishes in Italy.  Endira on the other hand tried the Spezzatino. We had been expected a sliced cut of meat but it turned out to be chunks of meat cooked in a stew. Lots of flavor and warmth. It was quite good even if not quite what expected.
I really had a good time at our Christmas list. Good food, good company and good service as well. It was really quite lovely.
And then we ran off to work (literally for me... gotta love those mad dash sprints)!

Christmas Dinner

So mom made us a wonderful Christmas dinner.  I'd like to say I really contributed, but honestly I was just too tired to be of much assistance.
It was dinner for 2 plus visitors.  Mom and I ate around 5 but then I had some friends come over a little later on and we fed them a little bit.
In any case, we had a wonderful dinner thanks to the Mamma Bear

The Menu:
Baked Ham with Apples
Green Bean Salad
Spinach and Zucchini Pie
Sweet Potatoes with Butter and Brown Sugar
Apple Berry Crumble

We kept it simple and healthy but delicious and I'm glad.
However, I will say that I kind of missed the havoc that is usually our house during the holidays. Normally my house is jam packed with friends who are family. We usually serve a feast that lasts for hours with hilarious comings and goings.
This year, Mom and I decided to just keep it quiet since I was only arriving a day before the holidays. It was odd just having a few of my friends drop by, instead of having a ton of people popping in and out.
But all in all it was a good day and we definitely had a merry Christmas!

Restaurant Review Rome: Ristorante Bar Del Fico

On Friday night, I got to try a vry tasty restaurant in Rome. It's very popular in historic center and is usually very crowded. In the first weeks I was in Rome a lot of people suggest I try Ristorante Bar del Fico which literally means the "Cool Bar Restaurant". I wonder who had the audacity to name it such, did they name it before it was cool, hoping that it would be? or did they name it after it became popular?
Either way, it has a great atmosphere with wonderful lighting. I really liked the overall vibe and thought that finally got seated we started talking to the guys sitting next to us and we wound up hanging out with them for a good portion of the evening.
the seating was great fun. Large tables are divided between multiple parties so you can converse with your group or make friends with those next to or across from you. In fact, when we
The food was also fabulous. I ordered the special ravioli dish, Ravioli al Pecorino di Fossa con salsa di pere. I almost went with something

traditionally Roman but decided that I wanted to try something more unique and it was utterly delicious. The ravioli itself was cooked perfectly. The cheese just salty enough complemented by the sweetness of fresh pear slices and the delicous pear sauce. It was also drizzled with a beautiful balsamic reduction which really went well with the combination of flavors. I really liked it even though it was a small portion (and slightly expensive at €14). My friends ordered some of the more traditional fare and I got to try a bite of each of their plates and it was quite delicious. Laure ordered the Cacio e Pepe in all its cheesy goodness while her roomie got La Matriciana which was absolutely amazing. The matriciana was amazing, probably my favorite that I've tried so far in Rome. Everything we ate was fresh and delicious and arrived pretty quickly.
We also ordered profitteroles for dessert and they were quite delicious, just the right portion to share

between the two of us sharing.  It was rich and creamy without being overbearing.
However, I do have one lament. The service Friday night was horrible. We waited for almost an hour, which by itself is not actually a problem. The actual problem was that the host told us that the wait would be about 20 minutes and then preceded to ignore us entirely, not giving us any updates whatsoever. It was okay for the most part because we got some drinks and chilled in the bar area but it was rather annoying because we had no idea what was going on.  Unfortunately, the bad service didn't end there. Once we ordered and our food arrived, our waitress disappeared entirely. So when we wanted our check, we couldn't get it. I asked the various members of the waitstaff 4 different times for the bill and still it did not come. After at least a half hour, we finallystood up and put on our jackets. We decided to go ask out front. Lo and behold, our waitress came running over. And finally, asked if we wanted our check. -.-
We were not pleased.
However, I am willing to try the restaurant again to see if the poor service was just a one time problem. The food was great and our company stellar so I'd like to try at least one more time before passing full judgement.

Home For Christmas

I'm home for Christmas!!
I've only been gone for a couple of months but it's nice to be back home for Christmas. It's so nice to see my mom's face and all of my friends faces too.
It is a weird Christmas for me because my brain is still half in Italy. I'm tired, a bit jetlagged and accclimating to changes. So is Mom and I think I'm happier for it.  We exchanged a gift each this morning and now we're just hanging around the house cooking and talking.
Over the last few years Christmas has become a very commercialized holiday. It's about presents and spending and beautiful things piled up under the tree, pretty packages and bows. Expensive gifts, because over the last few years people have been spending on presents like wii and playstations.
Because of this Christmas is not one of my favorite holidays and it hasn't been for a while. I like the idea of exchanging gifts as a mutual sign of affection but recently it's become excessive and we've lost the meaning. We exchange gifts because we have to, because it's an expected practice. We buy things that don't mean anything.
For Christmas this year, I am happy to spend quiet time with my mom and whatever friends pass by. I am happy that we had a simple exchange and that we'll spend the day cooking Christmas dinner and dessert together. We're not going crazy. We're just making ham, sweet potatoes and green beans and then in a bit I'll probably make some kind of delicious dessert.
The whole while I will be thinking of all the good experiences I've had this year. I've met some amazing people and had some wonderful times. I got to meet my half siblings and their families. I've moved abroad again. I'm a teacher. I have the most amazing mother in the world. I have an adventurous baby brother who is living out his dreams and for Christmas I'm home in Jersey with my loved ones and it's fantastic.

I hope everyone else is having an equally splendid Christmas. Enjoy your families and friends. Remember the good in life today and eat some wonderful food!

Recipe: Pomegranate Blueberry Sauce

I love cranberry sauce. Last year, I bought an absurd amount of cranberry sauce for thanksgiving so this year when faced with the impossibility of having any I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself. Generally speaking, that's exactly when I become my most creative.
I was in a vegetable market looking around when I suddenly spotted pomegranates. I thought that they would add a nice sweetness but still have enough tang to not be cloyingly sweet.
My main concern was figuring out how to get the liquid out of the pomegranate. There are wayyyy too many seeds so I wasn't sure where to start. Luckily for me, google exists and eventually after a lot of trial and error I found a Rachel Ray recipe that explained how to get the juice out of a pomegranate without going completely mad. Then from there, the rest of the recipe was easy and fun to concoct.
So here it is (complete with how to free the juice from your pomegranate... be warned it was a little messy).

Ingredients:
2 medium pomegranates
500 grams of blueberries (about 2 small containers)
4 tbs sugar
Fruit juice (I found a berry juice at the Italian supermarket that worked perfectly but you could also use a blueberry pomegranite juice from v8 or pom)

Roll your pomegranates on a hard surface. Apply a little pressure but not enough to crack them open.  I rolled my large pomegranate for about 5 minutes and I only cracked the seeds closest to the surface. Keep rolling even longer than you think necessary!  Then over a bowl or a dish, cut into your pomegranate carefull but BE CAREFUL! The juice squirts out and can make a mess (yes, I made a mess). Cut a couple of holes into the pomegranate to make sure you get as much juice out. Then cut into your pomegranate and wonder at how much you missed. :D I wanted to utilize every last drop of pomegranate, so I scraped the seeds into my trusty new blender and blended for a couple of pulses. I then strained the mixture to remove the seeds.
It's a lot of work but definitely worth the effort.
Stir in about a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt. Start cooking down.  As the juice starts to boil add in red pepper flakes and one container of blueberries washed and whole. Add in about a cup of juice.  Bring back to a boil. Stir periodically and taste as the mixture starts to thicken. Add in another tablespoon of sugar and a little more salt. When the blueberries have broken down almost entirely, add a little more juice and salt to the mixture. Bring back to a low boil and add in the other blueberries.
Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes stirring periodically.  Keep a close eye on the sauce so it doesn't burn or reduce down to much. At this point you should taste and add more pepper flakes and salt to balance out the sweetness.  Cook down to desired consistency.
It shouldn't be too thick, otherwise when it cools it will form a kind of caramel.  But it should easily coat the back of your spoon.

This sauce is utterly delcious with a hint of spice and a nice rich tanginess that complements turkey, chicken or pork (and probably lots of other things as well).

Welcome December!!

Oh my goodness, I am ridiculously full right now!! I just ate a very large plate of Thanksgiving leftovers and it was delicious!  Except I'm superbly full and dying just a little bit of fullness.
We had an amazing and successful Thanksgiving dinner last night. Although we had a Saturday Thanksgiving, it was a lot of fun filled with food and friends.
My menu changed a little with availability of food items and also for sheer timing issues (I was running around like a chicken without a head).
Here's what we actually served (I made everything with Endira's help unless otherwise noted):
Spicy Pumpkin and Carrot soup
Stuffed Mushrooms
Grandma's Stuffed Artichokes
Mashed Potatoes (By Laure and Sian)
Mashed Potatoes (By Ashley)
Stuffing (By Ashley)
Stuffing
Gravy
Pomegranite Blueberry sauce
Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables
Roasted Turkey
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Crumble
Italian Pastries (provided by the Italians)

We were supposed to have string beans as well but we never got around to making them. Seriously, it was that hectic. I'm going to have to post recipes because everything was so delicious.
I was so glad to be surrounded by so many friends. I think everyone had a great time and enjoyed the food. It was such a pleasure to cook for so many people and so much fun seeing the reactions of the Brits and Italians as dish after dish came out.

A lot of pounds of turkey

The eyes seriously widened at the site of our 15 lb turkey (sans wings and legs because I had to cut them off
to fit in the oven lol).  It was bit on the ridiculous side since I was at a work conference on teaching all Saturday, except I came home for a hour in the middle of the day to throw the turkey in the oven. So in total I walked about 2 hours back and forth, I subwayed for an hour. I listened to about 5 hours of lectures and cooked for the rest of the day. All this after about 4 hours of sleep since I had stayed up till around 4am cooking and prepping, stuffed mushrooms, and the pies. But somehow I made a beautiful turkey that everyone loved. And with the drippings, apple and onion I made a great gravy, thick and creamy after reducing on the heat.
It went really well with the mashed potatoes and stuffing that Laure, Sian and Ashley brought with them. So many levels of delicious. So much stuffing and so much mashed potatoes. Ashley's mashed potatoes were amazingly creamy and delicious while Laure and Sian's reminded me of the mashed potatoes from back home, rich and a little thicker.

The Spicy Pumpkin and Carrot soup was utterly delicious but maybe a tad too spicy. Everyone seemed to like it anyway so I'm content. Then we had Grandma's artichokes. Artichokes are very popular in Rome but I decided to make them the way my grandmother always made them stuffed with

Grandma's Artichokes

parsley and garlic and then steamed. They were pretty popular with the Americans and Brits who typically eat the leaves the same way. The Romans I think were a little confused because the way they are prepared in Rome, you can eat the entire artichoke and not just the leaves. I also decided to make my mom's stuffed mushrooms. Since my family couldn't be in Rome with me, I decided to bring them to Rome in the dishes I cooked.  In fact, I made the turkey the same way mom always makes turkey, with an apple and an onion inside and roasted with carrots, onion and celery.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Mamma Bear Style

My whole plate filled with an incredible quantity of food

They major difference to our Thanksgiving was that I forgot the string beans and that I had no way to get a hold of cranberry sauce.  Cranberries don't really exist in Italy unless you go to specialty stores and I just didn't have time so I decided to improvise. I saw pomegranites at the fruit store and thought that they might over the same kind of sweet yet slightly acidic kick offered by cranberry sauce.  I looked up some recipes, unsure of how exactly to "juice" a pomegranite thanks to all the little seeds and found a recipe involving some spice and blueberries as well and I decided to adapt the recipe accordingly. I pomegranite, fresh blueberries, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt to make the perfect complementary sauce for our turkey mean.  It wound up being utterly delicious.  I was surprised at how big a success my substitution was. The pomegranite blueberry sauce was a big hit with just the right combination of sweet and sour, with a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes.  I was very flattered because Endira's Italian lady asked me how I had made it! When an Italian woman asks you for a recipe, the dish must be good. So I was very happy and will definitely be making it again.

My Pumpkin Pie looked pretty good

Then came the desserts. Everything look and tasted delightful but I have to say that I forgot the eggs in my pumpkin pie. I worked from memory and I really should have doublechecked my recipe. As it is, it tasted delicious... It just didn't set correctly.  It's so silly because I even took the time to make letters with the dough and I somehow forgot the eggs like a big dummy. My apple crumble on the other hand was perfect both in appearance and in taste. It was a bit hit, and there was no alcohol in it this time. Normally, I bake with a bit of rum or brandy but this year no time for a liquor store run so I just made everything traditionally.  It came out really well and got devoured.  No more Apple Crumble left.  We have a couple of pastries left but those were utterly delicious as well and I need to find out who brought them from where because I'd like to get more pastries from there!

Delicious Italian Pastries

Everyone really enjoyed the food and company and the wine so I'm very happy that we decided to throw our Thanksgiving feast. It was absolutely worth the effort and cooking time. And we have so many leftovers! We're going to be eating turkey and stuffing for at least a week. I can't wait!

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
It's that time of year again, to give thanks for the people and the things in our lives.  I am so thankful for my Mother because she has supported me in all my endeavors even though it means that I'm not with her again this Thanksgiving.  I'm thankful for my baby bro and his adventurous spirit. I hope he's having a good hot meal today and making friends somewhere in South America. I am thankful for the siblings who found me one year ago. It's so amazing to have older siblings in my life all of a sudden, and nieces and nephews!  It's crazy! And I'm thankful for my Uncle, Aunt and cousins. We don't talk much but I'm glad to have them in my life.
I am grateful for my friends stateside, especially my Jersey girls because they're always there for me even though they know I'm a little crazy. I'm so happy that you guys are there for me even though I'm not physically present in the Jersey and I hope you know that if you need me for anything, I'm an email, a skype call or a phone call away. I miss you all immensely!!
I'm so thankful I have Endira here in Rome because I have someone to talk to and show me around the city and just because she's awesome in general. And I'm very thankful for this teaching position and my fellow teachers because they are fantastic and hilarious. We make quite the team. What would I do without the suggestions and reminders to bundle up? What would I do without the camraderie? Probably go nuttier than I already am. :D
This year, I'm finally back in Italy and I'm so happy to be here. I'm so thankful to have been offered this opportunity. Teaching is difficult. It's a challenge. It makes me tired. But it's so rewarding and fun even if I don't have a lot of free time.
Actually, my lack of free time also means that I won't be celebrating Thanksgiving with all the fixings tonight.  I'm working till 8:30 and won't have time to cook so I'm having a delayed celebration on Saturday night. I'm cooking with Endira as my sous chef for about 10 or 11 of our friends. We're introducing Thanksgiving to some Brits and to some Italians and it's going to be an amazing.   We're having a pretty traditional feast and I'm really looking forward to cooking a couple of dishes that I've never made before.
For the most part I'm cooking and Endira is going to help. But a couple of friends will be bringing side dishes too. I love that sharing and coming together is part of this fantastic holiday. Honestly, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday all year long.

So this years menu is mostly traditional with a couple of twists mostly because I don't like following recipes and because I can't find everything I would like to prepare here... Italy does not celebrate Thanksgiving so it can be hard to find things like Turkey and cranberries.

Appetizers:
Butternut Squash Soup
Stuffed Mushrooms
Salad

Main Course: 
Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy and Roasted Potatoes 
String bean salad
Berry Relish (sadly I haven't found cranberries)
Garlic Mashed Potatoes (made by friends
2 kinds of Stuffing (made by friends)
Grandma's Artichokes

Dessert: 
Apple Pie with a cookie crust 
Pumpkin Pie
Tiramisu (made by a friend)

I'm so excited by all of this food and so thankful to have people to share it with. I'll keep you all updated about recipes and post some pictures after the actual meal too!!

I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, food and laughter!!

 

 

Recipe: Rigatoni alle melenzane, Eggplant Rigatoni

I really wanted to make eggplant parmesan the other day. Eggplant, mozzarella, sauce and parmesan cheese all baked together to the perfect consistency. You really can't go wrong.
I had the fresh eggplant from the market, pamesan cheese and a tomato base but I was missing mozzarella, egg and bread crumbs to make the perfect "parmigiana".  I wanted to go to the store right after work, but sadly by the time I got back to my area, it was already after 8 and sadly the supermarkets in my area (and in a lot of residential areas in Italy) close at 8pm on the dot. So with no supermarkets open I decided to improvise. I decided to make a dish similar to the sicilian "rigatoni alle melanzane" or eggplant rigatoni. I tried it once, a long time ago in Sicily and I really enjoyed it so I decided to finally try my hand... without looking up a recipe. I decided to work from memory and intuition and everything worked out really well actually.

Now, doesn't that look good?

Ingredients:
1 long thin eggplant
1/2 lb pasta (or enough for whoever you're serving... there were 2 of us)
1 jar of tomato puree (I believe the jar is about 500 grams)
1/2 onion
salt and pepper
1 dried red pepper
oregano and rosemary to taste

Thinly slice your onions and put to the side. Thinly slice your eggplant into rounds. Sprinkle each with a little salt and let sit for a few minutes. The salt should bring some of the water out of the eggplant making it easier to cook.
Put some oil into a pan and heat over a low heat. Sweat the onions and then add your eggplant. The eggplant will absorb a lot of oil so you may have to add some more. Let the eggplant cook slowly until just tender. Add your tomato puree and mix well. Put about a half a cup of water into the jar and swish to get remaining sauce of the sides of the jar. Pour into the sauce pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add in about a half a teaspoon of both oregano and rosemaryand 1 dried red pepper sliced into very thin slivers. If you like a lot of heat don't remove the seeds.  Let simmer for about a half an hour, until the sauce has reduced down a bit and the eggplant is cooked through.  I would recommend covering your pan to avoid some of the mess from splatter.
When you've put your sauce to the side to reduce, boil water and prepare your pasta according to the packaging.
When everything is ready you can serve the pasta with a heaping portion of sauce and some parmesan cheese. You can also serve it all mixed together depending on your preference.  It tasted delicous.

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: Pesto Chicken fingers with Cauliflower Salad and Potatoes

Last week at the supermarket I found breadcrumbs and chicken breast and therefore the most logical thing to make was chicken fingers. Except, I am not remotely capable of making anything simply so I decided to make pesto chicken fingers with a side of cauliflower and potatoes. I probably should have made a salad, but the potatoes were so tempting.

Finished deliciousness!

Ingredients:

1 whole Chicken breast

½ - 1 cup breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

3 tbs pesto (or to taste)

Salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes to taste

Oil

At the store I bought an entire deboned chicken breast and then sliced it into cutlets. It was more cost efficient and I got to decide how thick to cut the chicken. That being said, you can absolutely purchase sliced chicken.

Once the chicken is sliced, coat with a thick layer of pesto sauce (at some point, I promise I’ll make some from scratch). Spend some time massaging the pesto into the chicken so then it really absorbs the flavors.

In a separate plate, mix the breadcrumbs with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and then dredge the chicken in the mixture. Make sure to coat each piece well.

Pour oil into a large flat pan and heat over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, start carefully placing your chicken into the pan. Cook on each side until golden brown.  They should be cooking for a minimum of 2 minutes on each side if the pieces aren’t too thick. When you remove the chicken from the oil, set aside on a paper towel so the excess oil is absorbed.

Serve warm with a drizzle of pesto on top.

 

Beautiful with a drizzle of pesto on top!

We also ate our chicken with a potato salad made simply with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper

I wish there had been more color in our sides!

flakes. Then I also had cauliflower for the first time in ages. We boiled it lightly after cutting it into uneven pieces and then tossed it with olive oil, red garlic chunks (slightly different than normal garlic, so I’m going to have to post about it soon), salt and pepper.  It was light and delicious.

Both sides really went well with the pesto chicken fingers because they have such mild, yet delicious flavors.  

Adventures in Canada

All right, this is long, long overdue...

I went to Canada in August on a weekend road trip this year. It was a great trip filled with food and fun in Montreal and Ottawa. It was a really fantastic trip with my friend Endira.

We drove up to Montreal on a Friday morning and just ate lots of homemade treats and McDonald's for quick, cheap road trip food.  We made sandwiches with chicken, tomatoes, and this wonderful jalapeno cheese spread and then we got fries and ice cream from McDonald's for a snack. Yes, we are super healthy. :)

Once we got to Montreal, we were able to try lots of good food.
We settled into the hotel, took a quick nap (I was pooped after the long drive) and then went to downtown Montreal to begin our explorations.
It was gorgeous, somehow a mix of old world Europe and of new world New York City all at once. I really loved the general atmosphere but I think if I were there for more than a few days I would be completely lost since the main language spoken is French. I don't speak any French, although after my brief stint in Montreal, I was sorely tempted to learn. Maybe one day.
That first night we wandered around and saw numerous restaurants full of people. We chose at random and I don't even remember the name of the restaurant but it was quite good and very close to the contemporary art museum.  The fixed menu was simple but quite tasty with a refreshingly light salad with lettuce, walnuts and a hint of lemon and that was followed by a perfectly medium rare steak in a mustardy gravy with a healthy portion of french fries. We shared a small bottle of wine and had a really tasty meal. It was on the expensive side so we decided to skip dessert. Next time in Montreal, I'll try to find it again so I can say what it was called. It was really good, but I almost wish we had spent a little more time exploring before settling on a restaurant.
Afterwards, as we were wandering around we realized that there were literally hundreds of cool looking restaurants in the area.
Initially we thought that we would search for dessert but we were too full since the portions had been so large so instead we just walked through the city and saw some absolutely gorgeous sites and some of the night life in action. There was a street fair and concert blocking off an entire street and other streets were dedicated to bars and clubs. We didn't go inside any other locale but it was still a lot of fun wandering through the people. The city had such a high energy and I really enjoyed it.

The next morning we got up early and started our adventuring after some muffins from home. We
parked down by the water and then walked around. I literally wanted to try everything I saw but we decided to have poutine for lunch, a Canadian specialty. We did a little bit of research and found one restaurant that is famous in Montreal for its extensive list of Poutines.

What is Poutine? I had never heard of poutine until the first time I went to Canada last year but I didn't get to try it that trip. Poutine is fresh, crispy french fries served covered in gravy and cheese curds (yes, those miraculous bits of cheese that I talked about in my Wisconsin Blog). To me Poutine sounds a bit like NJ disco fries except with squeeky cheese curd bits. The restaurant we found had 30 kinds of Poutine. I would never have guessed that there were so many varieties!
So that's where we went once we rented our bikes.  The restaurant is called La Banquise and it was
by the big park in Montreal (I should really know the name of it, but I can't remember right now).
From the pier, it took us about an hour or so to bike there.  I'm really glad we decided to rent the bikes because it let us cover a lot more ground and see so much more of the city. Plus we had a blast peddling through the city.
We got to the restaurant a little before noon which

turned out to be a really good thing because by the time we were done eating there was a line out the door. When we got there, there was no wait and we got to sit outside in their couryard are. It was a great little area with natural light, fresh air and shade from the hot sun.
We decided to order one traditional poutine La Classique and then to also try one of their unique poutine dishes. We decided to try La Danse becaus it had chicken, onions and bacon plus the original components of a poutine. I will say it was a little challenging for us to decipher the menu since it was all in French but we managed, and our waitresses were really helpful as well.  I think next time, I would definitely try one of the spicy poutines that involved jalapenos.

There were two sizes of the Poutine dishes, regular and large. I am quite pleased that we decided to order the regular size since they turned out to be pretty large on their own. There was more than enough for the two of us to share. If we had gotten main courses (hot dogs, hamburgers) we probably could have shared one large helping or even a regular sized portion.
So how was poutine?
The traditional, classic here was delicious. The fries were crisp and perfectly cooked while the gravy was rich with a hint of sweetness that really balanced the salt of the fries and cheese.  I also really enjoyed the cheese curds which added some great flavor as well as a nice textural component. Crisp fries, some gravy soaked fries filled with delicious flavor and the chewiness of the cheese curds.  I really enjoyed the combination.
La Danse was also great. I loved the slightly different gravy because it was more like Thanksgiving gravy thanks to the chicken and onions. The chicken itself wasa great addition

because it felt more like a complete meal with a feeling protein. I also really loved the flavor the bacon added... I mean, you can't ever go wrong with bacon... I liked the onion as well but at a certain point I started picking them out because the flavor was becoming overwhelming.
I also decided to try both of the poutinges with tobasco because I absolutely love my spice. It added just enough kick. Next time jalapenos are on the menu for me.  If I ever get back to Montreal I'm going to La Banquise again, especially since it's open 24 hrs.

Here I am enjoying my poutine and tobasco too!

Afterwards, we took a nice long walk through the park nearby and we relaxed in the sun digesting our yummy lunch.
Eventually we continued on our bicycle adventure (I highly recommend renting the bikes because, it's a cheap way to see the entire city) until we happened upon a street decorated with hundreds of pink balloons. I think we had just missed a walk/run for breast cancer.
We discovered that the area was kind of the Grenwich village of Montreal. It was a really fun area with lots of fun shops and bars.
Eventually we sat down and relaxed with a delicious pitcher of Sangria. It was a wonderful refreshing red sangria filled with fruits and berries. It was really light and crisp and honestly Endira and I just enjoed sitting at the outdoor patio starring at our waiter who happened to be pretty gorgeous (probably gay) and very friendly.
After that we slowly made our way back to my car on bike and stopped for some more sites but sadly no more food.  That poutine kept us fill till around 8 something when we were already in the car on the way to Ottawa.
I had so much fun in Montreal and I would love to go back again for more exploration with more French knowledge and also with more general knowledge of the city.  Before going to Montreal, I literally knew nothing about the city except that French is one of its main languages.

That evening we headed over to Ottawa where we stayed with my brother's girlfriend's family. They were so wonderful and I was so excited to get to see them again.  They are absolutely amazing and when we arrived at around 11pm Rebekah's father made us wonderful wraps with all sorts of healthy ingredients like fresh tomatoes from the garden. Then after munching on our snack it was time for bed so we could prepare for another day of adventure.

The next morning after a light breakfast we drove off to downtown Ottawa for a walking marathon. We saw all the main attractions and then finally sat down for lunch at a cute Mexican place on the main food and bar drag. We probably should have chosen a more typical Canadian food, but we were in the mood for something spicy so we got the special. We each got small steak burritos (which weren't that small and baby coronitas for £10 each. Although the burritos were “small” they were still pretty large. The steak was cooked well and the other ingredients, rice, sour cream, guacamole, beans and cheese were balanced very nicely. Also the restaurant had a nice, quiet atmosphere at lunch and our waitress was really nice and friendly.

Then we took another walk and watched some street performers before heading off to find another Canadian specialty: Beaver Tails.

No, they are not actually BEAVER.

Beaver tails are a Canadian dessert made of batter fried into a long column that is reminiscent of a beaver’s tail. It is tried and then sprinkled with a layer of sugar and served with a fresh wedge of lemon. That is the traditional kind but there are lots of different variations that have chocolate, nutella and maple butter as toppings.

I tried the classic because I wanted something a little “lighter”.  It’s fried dough so, it’s never going to be super light, however, it was utterly delicious. It was crisp with a nice amount of sweetness. It wasn’t cloyingly sweet and I loved that little bit of lemon juice because it really added a wonderful tang and sense of light, freshness.

Endira ordered a beaver tail with maple butter and it came drizzled with chocolate sauce as well. I tried a bite and it was amazing. The maple butter was rich and creamy. It was so amazing that I then had to go and buy a jar of maple butter from a nearby open air artisan market. I also loved the combination of maple butter with that hint of chocolate. The flavors really melded together well and still somehow managed to avoid being overtly sweet.

Maple butter and Maple syrup at a local market

Afterwards we went back to the house for a relaxing dinner with amazing company. I really enjoyed the homemade cooking . It was so healthy and fresh with lots of different options.  Sadly, I didn’t think to take any pictures so I can’t remember exactly what I ate after all this time has passed. But I know that it was superb.

Sadly, the next morning called an end to our adventures and we had to head back to the tri-state area. I can't wait to explore more of Canada. It would be amazing to try more specialties and fun restaurants! 

Endira and I in Ottawa :D

Shopping at the Open Air Market

I seriously love going to the open air market in Acilia by work. It really does have the most fantastic collection of fresh fruits and vegetables at the best prices.
I got all of that fruit and vegetables for €4.00! It's crazy.
I bought 5 tomatoes on a vine, 5 plums, 2 bananas, 1 gigantic eggplant and a very large bushel of chicory (which I still need to write a separate post about).
For lunch, I had some of the tomatoes and they were really delicious. I cooked the eggplant in a red sauce and it was filled with flavor as well. I also prepared some of the chicory last night and that was delicious too.
Nothing is bland here!
Now, as I run to my next lesson, I'm going to eat one of the bananas and I'm sure it's going to be delicious as well!!

Such beautiful colors!!

My Lunch and a productive morning...

This morning I woke up early thinking that I had a lesson but right as I was getting ready to leave it got cancelled.  My next lesson won't be until 3 this afternoon, so what to do? I guess I could have just gone back to sleep but that seemed like a waste of time since I had already spent time trying to be awake.
So instead, I went into the kitchen and started making my lunch and what will also most likely become my dinner.
At the supermarket a couple of days ago I had bought chicken thighs, so I got busy deboning them and let the creative juices flow.  I decided to make Truffled chicken with a creamy truffle sauce that I'd also bought at the store. It was really simple to make and quick as well. In fact I think I'll have to post up the recipe at some point.  All I needed was chicken thighs, flour, spices, oil for frying and this creamy truffle sauce.
When it was all done, I put a piece into my plastic container with my leftover roasted red peppers, a creamy soft cheese and a couple of pieces of prosciutto for a nice, well-rounded lunch time meal.

I was very pleased with my lunch. The chicken was tender and full of flavor and worked really well with everything else too.  The only thing I forgot was my kiwi, but I guess I'll have that after dinner tonight as dessert!!
Overall, I'm really glad that I stayed up this morning. I got to cook and relax in the kitchen and as a result I had a very appealing lunch. I'll also have dinner already ready for me when I get home at 9:30 or so. Which means, I'll be a very happy camper indeed. Food will be ready and I will be able to dig in right away. No waiting necessary.
I got to work early this morning feeling calm after cooking and I got to take my time and not rush for once. Normally I run around like a crazy person in the morning so this was definitely a nice change of pace!
Yay for productive mornings!

Food Pictures...

Alright, so just in case you haven't noticed I have a couple of obsessions.  I'm obviously obsessed with food, hence why I write this blog, but I also have an obsession with photos.  I love taking pictures of everything; people, places, things, and obviously food.
There's something relaxing about the creative process, of choosing your subject and angles. You try different angles, different lighting, different subject matter. I really enjoy it and picture taking, for me, also serves as a kind of memory service. What will I remember of this moment in the future?  By taking a picture I am often refining a memory. I am ingraining it on my mind. I don't remember small details easily. In fact if you ask anyone, I'm scatterbrained. I forget things quickly. Unless we're talking events. I can remember events and taking pictures, taking the time to focus and choose really helps me hone in on the details.
Honestly, that's why I have so many pictures of food. Otherwise I wouldn't remember all of the great restaurants and dishes that I've tried.
Recently I've even started using my phone to compile montages of pictures. So I'll be sharing those on my blog now too I think.

Ristorante Antico Carlone: where I went a couple of Saturday's ago with Endira and her father

Cul De Sac: My first restaurant review in Rome