Monthly Archives: May 2013

Family Stories, Food, Humor, Quotes, Sipping Espresso

Sipping Espresso Got An Award!!

Our first award!  I’m excited, honored and flattered.  I would like to thank all the little people… namely Julia because she’s pretty little.

The Liebster Award was given to us by our good friend and fellow blogger, Michel.  You’ll notice that his blog, Our House in Provence is one that I follow.  I imagine if you spend just a few minutes reading some of his posts, you’ll be an avid reader as well.  His attention to detail and plethora of knowledge about his subjects puts my posts to shame.  Michel and his wife Shirley live in a beautiful home in wine country, California.  Michel’s passions include food (he owns a restaurant near his hometown, Bistro des Copains), wine (he is an expert in French and California wine), his family (he has two beautiful daughters and four bright grandchildren) and of course France; the subject of his blog (he owns a beautiful stone village house in Provence).

Michel and Shirley

Michel received his Liebster Award from another blogger I follow, Sara in Le Petit Village.  Sara is very plugged into the blogging community and has transformed her life in France into a successful digital collection of written word.  Her blog is one I admire very much.

The Liebster Award [in a nutshell] is one that is given among peers within the blogging community.  I found a blogger that spent hours researching the history of the award.  She had done all the heavy lifting and all it took me was scrolling half-way down page one of my google search.  My kind of effort.  If you’re interested in the origin of the award, click HERE.  The award comes with very specific rules and criteria, which I got from Michel’s post after he had completed all his hard work researching (I told you he was thorough).  So, I did not need to spend much time looking around for information about the award since I luck-boxed my way into everything I need to know.

Here are the rules, as explained by Michel and copied from his website (permission to do so was herein implied when nominated for the award.  Any questions about the validity of this claim can be forwarded to my attorney).

THE RULES
1. Thank and link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.  CHECK – Meech, youdaman!
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.  SEE BELOW.
3. Answer the 11 questions you were asked. KEEP SCROLLING LOWER STILL.
4. Present/nomiate a Liebster blog award to 3-5 other bloggers. EVEN LOWER.
5. Write 11 questions for your nominees.  YOU GUESSED IT… KEEP GOING.

11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

1) This is not my first blog.  My first blog attempt was an unsuccessful one.  I believe I still have the domain name – foodpaparazzi (now my twitter handle).  I had a fortunate culinary upbringing and was exposed to many different types of food very early on (when asked in 3rd grade what my favorite foods were, I answered “caviar, lobster and McDonalds”).  When I moved to DC in 2008 I was exposed to a whole new world of dining and embarked on an entirely new culinary voyage.  At the time, I fancied the idea of blogging about it – but my plan lacked implementation.  I got as far as laying out about 20% of the blog and taking pictures of 2 meals.  Then I gave up.
2) I have been to five of the seven continents in the world (North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia).  For those keeping track, that leaves a gap in Africa and Antarctica.  I know with 100% certainty that I will make it to Africa someday.  My father-in-law was born in Ethiopia and I would love to go back to his hometown with him.  There are also many other parts of Africa I would like to see.  I don’t have many regrets in life, but one glaring experience sticks out.  When Jennifer and I were on our honeymoon, we sailed around Cape Horn – the southernmost point in South America.  We had the opportunity to take a short flight to Antarctica for the day – a decision I wrestled with for quite some time.  It was prohibitively expensive and so we didn’t do it, but I will always regret not throwing caution (and fiscal responsibility) to the wind.

The moment we sailed around Cape Horn
Our honeymoon – dinner with a view
3) I married my first love, my first girlfriend and my best friend.  Many people can get one or two of those – but I nailed the hat trick.  Jen and I met in middle school and I love to tell people [truthfully] that she had a major crush on yours truly that lasted nearly a decade.  We progressed through middle, high school and the same college together.  It wasn’t until a couple years after college that I finally woke up and smelled the roses.  I was lucky she was still on the market!

On my 30th birthday

4) I fashion myself to be better than I really am.  What does that mean?  Well, I am very practical.  I know my limits.  I know that I am a decent skier, have a little knowledge about food and wine and enjoy writing.  But in my mind, I envision being able to heli-ski the Alps, differentiate between a Rosso di Montalcino and a Rosso di Monetlpuciano solely on taste and publish a book after reaching new heights in the blogoshpere.  In reality – I’m far too out of shape for heli-sking, my palate will never be advanced enough to be a sommelier and my grammatical errors and awful metaphors will stifle my writing career like Yoko Ono suffocated the Beatles.  It’s good to dream… but even better to be practical.  It keeps me working hard at things I love, but without any disappointment.

Ski trip from ’05 – I honestly miss that sweet yellow jacket

5) I am proud to say that I’m a “Harley-Man”.  I know, I know… more the “suburban-poser, weekend rider” than the “hardcore, grizzly Hell’s Angel” type… but I’m comfortable with who I am.  I do absolutely love being on my bike – a Harley Davidson, VRSC Nightrod Special.  I bought the bike because I was working for a side business that brought me to motorcycle rallies across the country.  I leveraged that part-time vocation into a convincing sales pitch to Jen that I needed a bike.  I need to believe in what I’m selling!  I don’t know too many pregnant wives that are cool enough to let their husbands buy their first motorcycle a few months before expecting – but I got one of the good ones.  She didn’t exactly say “yes” but she didn’t say “no” either – and going for the assumtive close has worked for me more often than not.  She has yet to ride on the back with me – but I envision a cross-country trip after kid number II is in grade school.

My third love
This kids a Harley baby!
She loves the feel of the wind in her hair like daddy!

6) I love Ethiopian food – it’s one of my absolute favorites.  Jen’s father was born in Ethiopia and spent his formative years eating the unique cuisine – he introduced me to this delectable ethnic fare years ago.  The DC metro area has one of the largest Ethiopian populations in the States and so we are fortunate enough to have access to great, authentic cooking.  My favorite dishes include tibs in a spicy awaze sauce and kitfo (raw beef, much like steak tar-tar).  I once saw an Anthony Bourdain special where he visited an Ethiopian restaurant in Northern Virginia, which was unique for serving cubed chunks of raw beef (not like the minced and treated kitfo).  Dom (Jen’s father) and I made a special trip to pop cubes of raw meat in our mouth.  I cannot say that I loved it.

Traditional Ethiopian dish with kitfo in the center

7) I got a $100 parking ticket on my wedding day.  We were married at the St. Regis in Washington DC in front of our family and friends.  The presenter of my Liebster Aweard, Michel was the one who married us.  He did an incredible job and set the stage for one of the best days of my life.  I received the ticket when I pulled up and parked my car out front of the hotel for a few minutes (to drop some things off) well before the ceremony started.  I am happy to report that I went to traffic court and the officer didn’t show up – so I got off!

I’m grinning because I know I’m going to beat that ticket!

8) I have eaten pig brains (delicious), calf brains (not delicious), liver of just about every animal, beef tongue (one of my grandmother’s favorites), lamb and calf glands (sweetbreads – delicious), pig and chicken feet (good in a dim-sum restaurant), frog legs, pig ears and crab poop (just a bit of the yellow mustard is great – Maryland people you know what I’m talking about) .  I stop at the heart, eyes and stomach of just about any animal – Andrew Zimmern, your job is safe.  I have also eaten shark, snake, alligator, crickets, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, horse, elk, deer, boar, bison, rabbit, duck, pheasant, squab, quail and snails.  I have not tried bear or camel and I draw the line at dog and cat.  (*after this originial posting, I can add pigeon to the list).  This may all sound like a tall tale, but I assure you that it is 100% accurate.

9) My standard meal at McDonalds is a super-sized filet of fish meal (includes a large fries and large Sprite), two double-cheesburgers, a McChicken sandwich, a four piece chicken nugget and an Oreo McFlurry.  My standard meal at Five Guys is two regular cheeseburgers (fried onions, fried mushrooms, lettuce, mayonnaise, A-1 and hot peppers), a large fry (“hey buddy, please fill that bag up with fries”), a grilled cheese sandwich (which I eat in the car as an appetizer) and a root beer.  My standard Chipotle meal is a steak burrito (usually so stuffed they have to wrap it with two tortillas), two orders of chips/guacamole and a sweet tea.  Once, I ate two steak burritos and chips/guacamole in one sitting.  In college I regularly ate two 12″ sub sandwiches with chips – I do not recommend attempting either of those two meals.  The other meals are fine to try at home.

10) I passed a Professional Sales course in college with an “A” and never took the final exam.  Each semester, the professor would allow one student from each of his 3 different classes (roughly 300 students in total) to skip the exam if they could “close” him in a private sales presentation.  We each met him in his office and extended him the opportunity to “buy” whatever it was we were selling.  He announced the 3 winners on the day of the exam, so we were still supposed to study.  I had a really good feeling I nailed the sale so I didn’t study too hard.  It paid off.

“Always…be…closing!”

11) Until I moved to Italy, I have consistently held a job since I was 14.  My first job was caddying, I did a few freelance valet gigs, worked in a bagel shop most of high school and then worked in the student center at Virginia Tech.  After graduation I moved on to Ryan Homes then NVHomes (new home sales and then sales management), M-Brace (medical manufacturing sales and management) and then briefly sold new homes again before this trip.  The five months I have lived here have been the most peculiar five months of my life, with my only job keeping my wife happy and baby entertained.  While I have loved every minute, I am anxious to start working again.

11 Questions Asked of Me

1. If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, alive or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
I’ll give you a hint… long orange pony tail.  Bright orange crocks.  Big, boisterous personality.  Have you guessed yet?  Mario Batali would be my first choice.  The choice seems fairly obvious to me.  I believe that many of the more popular choices (and many of the people I admire) would be nice to get to know… but a bit stuffy.  I can imagine Mario coming over, with an armful of food and wine and helping me and Jen in the kitchen.  He’d entertain us with tall tales of happenings I could only imagine.  He’d be the center of attention, but yet kind enough to gracefully share the spotlight.  And then of course, we’d become fast friends and I would be the recipient of a brick oven pizza one day, just like another of his friends, Michael Symon (who was also be allowed to attend the dinner if he wished).

How much fun does he look like he’d bring?!

2. Describe the circumstances under which you met your spouse or the significant person in your life?

In 1992, I glanced through a sea of pimply-faced tweens, flanked on each side by lime green lockers in Ridgeview Middle School.  I had an eye out for new ladies, having already dated all those immature Darnestown Elementary School girls.  And then I saw her.  Big, feathered bangs.  Hot pink body suit beneath her rockin jean jacket.  Who was this ravashing beauty?  I smoothed my purple silk shirt and set down my Sony Diskman, pausing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.  I strolled over and dropped a casual, “hey – did you see last night’s episode of 90210?”  The rest is history.

Lucky for me Brandon wasn’t available

3. Name your very favorite restaurant, in what city/town/village is it located and what kind of food do they serve? I am always looking for recommendations for restaurants to try.

Jeez, Meech.  Could you make this one any harder?  OK – when I am faced with a task seemingly too monumental to finish, I break it down.  How do you eat an elephant… one bite at a time (and medium rare).  I’ll list a few places where we regularly eat, in some of our favorite cities (this may not include some of my best meals – but to be a favorite restaurant, I think it’s important you dine there regularly).  In our hometown of Washington, DC – it would be Braserie Beck.  Robert Wiedmaier’s contemporary Belgian-style brasserie sits on the corner adjacent to our building.  Their food is always delicious (try the mussels), the service wonderful, the outdoor patio is divine in the spring and the beer selection is among the best in the city.  My favorite steakhouse is in one of my favorite cities – N9ne Steakhouse in the Palms Casino, Las Vegas.  The ultra modern furnishing is set off perfectly with the club-music playing just loud enough to create a fun and hip atmosphere.  Order the seafood tower (some of the best seafood… in the middle of the desert!) and settle in with a cucumber martini while you wait for your bone-in filet (rare).  Amazing.  Living in Italy, we discovered Osteria Belvedere Montalbano in our neighboring lake town of Lecco.  The restaurant is the among the most unique I’ve encountered.  The journey to get there is half the adventure (the small, rustic restaurant sits high atop a mountain with access via a virtually non-existent road).  The menu is seasonal and determined by the chef, Fabio – so I can’t tell you what to order.  Just sit back and enjoy the most authentic of Italian experiences.

We had Julia’s christening at Brasserie Beck
Antipasti we had set on the table
The family in a room behind the wine cellar

4. What is your favorite dinner meal or “comfort food?”

Michel, I can see we’re very like-minded, I’m sensing a food-theme here…  This is almost as difficult as the previous question – but I promise to be a bit more concise.  My favorite meals – From my mom (and my most often requested birthday dinner) – egg salad, caviar and artichokes to start.  Then a caesar salad made table side.  Next, a standing rib roast with sides of roasted potatoes and asparagus.  Finished off with a mint chocolate chip cake.  From Jen – a starter of salami, prosciutto and cheese.  A first course of pasta with a simple pomodoro sugo and then veal Milanese with a side of potatoes and her cannelloni bean salad.  Finished with a fennel salad and then pastries from our bakery next door.  Finally, my favorite comfort food – if we’re feeling lazy and in a “snuggly” mood – Chinese take out (and large quantities with lots of variety) always hits the spot (add a Coke Zero and a good action movie and you’ve got one of my favorite nights in).

Mom preparing the Caesar table side
My mom and Jen’s mom digging in to the roast
Proof I like this meal every year – this is the following year’s birthday

5. Who is your favorite author?

I’ve got to go with the classic American novelists… Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck and Faulkner.  Nah, I’m just kidding.  I would probably say, Stephen King – the best to keep you lying awake with a cold sweat.  Also, Ben Mezrich who has written some fascinating non-fictional novels about Ivy-League kids experiencing meteoric rises of financial wealth in their early 20’s.  Finally, Mario Puzo is quite literally the Godfather of the organized crime story.  I’m a bit embarrassed I can’t name some obscure, but really deep author that no one else has heard of.  I suppose I’m just a bit more mainstream.

6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be? 

I suppose that living in Como, Italy would definitely top the list.  I would also love to live in Sydney, Australia and Shanghai, China.

7. What is your favorite movie of all time?

COME ON!  I can’t just answer with one (again)!  I suppose the top, top, top all-time is going to be Braveheart.  I have probably seen the movie 100 times from beginning to end (I re-watch it a couple times a year).  The film has the right amount of action, history, love and drama.  Some close seconds are Kill Bill, Inglorious Bastards, The Princess Bride, Godfather I and II, Seven, Django Unchained, Heat, The Big Lebowski, American Psycho and City of God.  I have heard that I need to see Oldboy – a Korean Gangster movie (too bad Netflix won’t work here).

“They can take our lives… but they can never take away… my LiebsterAward!”

8. Tea or coffee?

Finally, a softball.  Coffee!  Although, we’re becoming more partial to the Italian way of drinking it – cappuccino in the morning and espresso throughout the day.  The one habit from the States we kept was a big cup of American coffee in the morning (to extend the morning coffee-drinking ritual) but it’s starting to taste a bit weak in comparison to the espresso used to make cappuccino.

Even Julia prefers coffee

9. What is your guilty pleasure?

Getting an obscene amount of food (see any of the above junk meals from McDonalds, Five Guys, Chipotle or a Chinese restaurant) and settling in for a new movie release on TV.  I have loved doing this with Jen since college when I would get the food from our dining halls (on Jen’s meal plan – mine would be empty) and watch movies on VHS (as opposed to today’s more convenient, On Demand).

10. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Not sure I fall into either of these categories.  I don’t like to get up incredibly early and I don’t like to stay up too late.  However, I’d have to lean more towards morning – I just seem to be a bit more productive before 10:00am.

11. What would be your dream job?

I would like to work for an Italian company that has operations in the US and would need me to manage their US branch.  This would allow me to keep ties with Italy and live in the US.  Additionally, I would like to develop residential and commercial properties and start a management company to oversee the real estate portfolio.  Taking applications for business partners now…

Now Presenting the Liebster to…

B and J have a wonderful blog, Two DC that revolves around their life exploring a new city.  The blog has a heavy food focus but also highlights many wonderful activities that they encounter in DC.  They moved to DC in 2007 but I have to say…. I can’t comment on the future of the blog since they have just  completed a cross country trip to their new home in the Bay Area.  Hopefully there will be a Two Cali coming soon.

Our friend Amy has a great blog, One Preppy Cookie where she blogs about her life and her cookie business. Be warned – her pictures will make you hungry for dessert!

Elaine McCardel lives in Michigan but cooks wonderful Italian food, featured on The Italian Dish.  Her images and recipes are both awe-inspiring to us.  Can you say, blog-envy??

And Their Questions Are…

1) Are you a fan of social media and if so, do you prefer Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, FourSquare, Linkedin, Tumbler, Instagram, etc?
2) What accomplishment are you most proud of?
3) What’s your favorite thing to cook?
4) Pick your favorite company – large or small, profit or non-profit and explain why.
5) What is your all-time favorite TV show?
6) What is the longest stint you’ve ever spent awake and why?
7) Where is your favorite beach?
8) Detail your dream vacation.
9) What is something that surprised you recently?
10) Mac or PC?  iPhone or Galaxy?
11) Name your superpower – ability to fly, invisibility, immortality, telepathy, super speed or something else.
Food and Drink, Landscape, Photography, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Italy, Tuscany

Edward and Bella – We’re Here!

Well, we didn’t run into Edward Cullen, Bella Swan or that creepy little girl that can induce pain in people’s mind (I suppose the world’s largest and most powerful coven of vampires was in hiding) during our visit to Volterra in Tuscany.
Now this is Tuscany!

For the Tibetan monk that has been living in isolation in Bhutan… and my sister, the only two people in the world that haven’t a clue who Edward or Bella are – I am making a playful reference to the Twilight Series.  Buddhist monk and Michelle, listen up – the premise of the fictional story is simple. Girl falls in love with boy.  Boy happens to be a blood-sucking vampire.  Girl also falls in love with another boy.  Boy happens to be a shape-shifting werewolf.  Love triangle ensues.  They all get in trouble when the Volturi (fictional Vampire royalty from the non-fictional town of Volterra, Italy) get involved.  Giant battle rages.  Extend story over five books.  Produce six movies and collect hundreds of millions of non-fictional dollars.  You know – your classic love story.

Julia reading in Volterra
Julia’s new pose while strolling

While we didn’t see any vampires (darn), we did find something better in Volterra.  We found an amazing city with an incredible history and beauty worthy of a hundred stories – let alone a few blockbuster movies.

Street scene
A government building in the main piazza
In the main piazza
Torture museums are popular here
Jacob??
“Come take a load off” 
Another street scene
Remains of Etruscan-Roman Acropolis
Rooftops
I call this… “lonely albero“
Love the roofline
About to break into a run
I love this little peanut

We were given the opportunity to see Volterra with a local, Beth – whom we had recently re-connected with via Facebook.  We stayed with her family in their amazing farmhouse for a long weekend that began with a wonderful party you can read about HERE.  The first day of we partook in the festivities of Festa della Liberazione.  The next day, we woke up and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast in true Tuscan style – piano, piano (slowly).  I drank my coffee in Beth’s amazing backyard and watched Julia play while soaking up the scenery.

Beth and her son Indi
Beth’s backyard… what a yard!!
I could spend all day soaking this up

After lunch, we ventured to Volterra and spent the day strolling through the wonderful city.  I was particularly interested in the large castle, Medicean Fortress perched at the main gate of the city.  We decided to visit the caste and include this large fortress among the many we plan to see this year.  I was greeted at the gate (and then turned away) by an armed guard.  That seemed odd.  Then I noticed armed guards on the roof.  And industrial-size surveillance cameras.  Boy, these Italians take the preservation of their historical treasures seriously.  Or maybe the Volturi do exist…

Medecian Fortress in Volterra – no vampires living here as far as we could tell

Beth told us that there was a prison in Volterra, but we all agreed that it didn’t seem to make sense to convert a  14th century landmark positioned in the center of a tourist town into a prison for hardened criminals.  I just discovered (thank you internet) that we were wrong.  The castle was converted into a high-security prison for criminals that are serving sentences longer than seven years.  I have also learned another interesting fact about the prison – there is a restaurant inside that serves gourmet food.  This was part of a rehabilitation project and has been highly publicized.  The food is prepared and served by inmates and the restaurant is open to the public (provided you pass a security clearance, don’t mind eating with plastic silverware and have some stones of your own).  I think I’ll have to make a reservation next time we visit – my kind of joint.

Another angle
One of the main city gates
The drive from Beth’s home to Volterra was simply amazing – we got to see some of the incredible Tuscan country-side.  Beth explained that there are essentially “twelve colors of Tuscany” throughout the year.  A painter had once told her that the look of Tuscany changes each month with the growth of new plants and flowers each month.  We must have come during the most vibrant green month – because the scenery was just stunning.
Julia and Indi ready to go
Vibrant green hillside
Tuscany in spring is a dream
Incredible scenery
Couldn’t wait to make a panoramic photo

We picked up some cheese, salami and sott’olio (“under oils” which are a variety of vegetables stored in olive oil) and headed back for a late dinner.  Andrea (Beth’s husband) arrived home just as we were setting out the food and we all ate and drank until we crawled into our beds.

The following day was particularly exciting for both me and Andrea.  You see, Beth is a vegetarian and so he relishes any opportunity to cook meat.  I happen to love meat and so a match was made in heaven.  He was particularly excited to try a new lamb recipe and was particularly excited to be his guinea pig (having grown up loving lamb).  The women prepared for the feast and tended to the children while the men asserted our male dominance and hunted for the meat…at the local grocery store.  We were triumphant!  Andrea set to work preparing the lamb and I was eager to assist him.  I gathered some rosemary from the yard – and evidently snapped a living branch in the process.  He casually brushed it off, as he had “only been growing that plant for three years”.  I felt awful – they were kind enough to laugh.  Andrea selected a great bottle of wine they had been saving for the right occasion.  I took this to mean that they liked having us and we hadn’t yet worn out our welcome.  The meal surpassed all my high expectations!  But we made a critical mistake – eating that much meat had put us in a food coma.  We needed grappa (Italian alcoholic drink used to aid in digestion) – stat!  We drove to a local pasticceria (pastry shop) for some sweets and grappa.  Eventually, day turned into night and we each fell into bed, sleeping quite soundly.

Andrea preparing the rosemary
Andrea was excited to make a meat dish
Baby swap – feeding the kids early
Beth shows Julia how to twirl like she’s “up in the club”
Andrea showcases his cooking skills and great taste in wine
Full-bodied, flavorful Tuscan wine
The table is set…
…with copious amounts of succulent meat…
…and the best roasted potatoes we’d ever had!
The gang’s all here

After lunch, Andrea played some music for the kids – both drums and guitar.  He had an instant collection of groupies (I’m including Jen in that lot).

Andrea lays a beat
And has a collection of fans
Julia had to get in on the action

Somehow we had already arrived at Sunday and our magical weekend in Tuscany came to a close. We enjoyed our morning coffee and some of Beth’s homemade muffins (Jen borrowed the recipe) and hit the road.  We had such a nice time with Andrea, Beth and their son Indi – we hope to host them in our home in Como soon.

Cooking, Family Stories, Food and Drink, Holidays, Humor, Landscape, Photography, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Italy, Tuscany

Facebook Brought Us To Tuscany

Facebook is great for a lot of things.  First of all, it’s a wonderful time killer.  It is a spectacular medium for sharing funny videos about cats.  The site is also great for shameless self-promotion of your unimportant blog (ahem).  Facebook keeps me and Jen apprised of popular youtube videos and trending pop-culture stories we would have otherwise missed living in another country.  But perhaps best of all – it helps reconnect people after many, many years.

This is how you “like” a post on Italian Facebook

This was recently the case when my wife re-connected with a high school friend of ours, now living in Tuscana (Tuscany).  Beth traveled to Rome in 1999 to study abroad.  There, she found her love and has been living in Italy ever since (to clarify, I mean a man – not just a love of the country).  While they enjoyed living in Rome together, they eventually moved back to his hometown in Tuscany, a short distance from Pisa.  It was here that Beth and Andrea started a family together with the birth of their son, Indi.  We were thrilled we got to spend some time with them in their amazing home and had the opportunity to reconnect with Beth while getting to know Indi and Andrea (whom we both loved).

Beth and Indi
Beth’s “front yard”
Still in the front
More views from the front – ridiculous, I know!!

Jen and Beth had been exchanging Facebook messages about getting together (we’re roughly 3 hours apart) almost since we moved to Italy this past January.  And then, the timing seemed to click perfectly.  The 25th of April is Liberation Day in Italy.  Festa della Liberazione is a holiday that marks the end of Mussolini’s Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945.  Today, this holiday is celebrated with the closure of nearly all business, which affords the people a good reason to get together and do what Italians do best – eat wonderful food, drink amazing wine and trade passionate stories.

Congregating after lunch

As we soon discovered, Beth lives in an incredible 500 year old farmhouse and her neighbors were having a party for the holiday.  There was to be a big lunch outdoors, with music, kids and plenty of wine.  She invited us for lunch and extended the invitation through the long weekend.  I don’t know anyone that would turn down such an amazing invitation – and we were no exception.

The farmhouse Beth and Andrea share (the building in back)
Their home
Another angle
Building used to store hay – now used for parties :-)
The plan was to arrive just ahead of lunch – the real start of the party.  It was to be a typical Italian lunch, with all the courses and dishes we love – but, quite literally Under The Tuscan Sun and with some regional favorites we were eager to try.  I would not allow our typical tardiness out the front door get in the way of this epic meal.  So, I fibbed and told Jen we needed to be on the road earlier than we really did.  Then, I budgeted an extra 30 minutes for typical trip delays (over an hour buffer in total).  If you know me, you’ll know this was the type of meal I would not want to miss!
Everything was going according to plan until we neared Milan some 40 minutes down the road.  Traffic got a bit thicker.  By the time we got on the Autostrada toward Tuscany, we were stuck in stand-still traffic, moving 0 km/hour.  That converts to 0 mp/hour.  I watched the GPS arrival time creep later and later.  11:30am turned into 12:00pm and before you knew it, 1:00pm.  I tried a short cut that just added to the time.  By noon (and an estimated arrival of 3:00pm) we sullenly threw in the towel.  We pulled over and ate panini at the AutoGrill.  I swear as the day is long – I’m getting depressed all over again just typing this.  The sandwiches were good – but nothing like what we were missing.  Thankfully, we kept our spirits high and pulled into Beth’s house by 3:30 (a seven hour trip).

The remnants of the meal we missed :-(

Since everyone had eaten, we jumped right into the party.  Beth has some spectacular friends and we had a wonderful time.  It came as no surprise that everyone was so warm and inviting.  They talked to us as if we had been friends for 15 years and took to Julia as if they had watched her grow up.  We drank wine, fresh mojitos and swayed to the beats of the DJ spinning outside.  We spread our toes in the Tuscan grass and ate some fresh food off the grill.

Relaxing together
Julia loved playing with Indi
DJ spinning great music
My kind of speaker set-up
Part of the party
Say “formaggio!”
This nice kid fired up the grill for us

At one point, a big blue tractor showed up and it almost sounded like some of the male partygoers were arguing with the man driving the tractor.  I recognized a few words and hand gestures usually only reserved for a type of heated debate.  After a few minutes, the arguing died down and the guys walked with the tractor driver to the bar area to get a drink together, laughing like they were best friends.  It didn’t seem to make any sense until Beth explained.

What’s this guy doing here?

The land we were on (including the farmhouse, all the structures and ten more homes nearby) belonged to the Marchese (Marquis).  The Marchese is a man of noble decent who carries his title and rules his lands as if he were still in power.  In reality, he has no more power than you or me.  That is – if you or me had a noble bloodline, hundreds of acres in Tuscany, a mansion, dozens of employees and a several properties on our land.  In 1948, the newly adopted constitution of Italy refused to recognize all noble titles (the Republic of Italy replaced the Kingdom of Italy in 1946).  So, the Marchese (whom I was fascinated to learn loves the aristocratic pastime of hunting with dogs) “rules” his lands and everyone is just sort of happy to let him go on thinking it.  He had “ordered” this man to drive up the hill in his tractor to tell us to lower the music.  At home in the States, I can imagine a property manager (at the behest of the landlord) banging on someone’s front door to tell them to lower the music would be greeted with a bit of disdain.  He would certainly not be invited in for a drink and food.  But this is Italy.  After a couple glasses of wine together, we lowered the music and the man drove back down the hill having successfully completed his task.  But not before letting Julia drive his tractor – quite literally, he let her steer unaided for about 10 meters (until she almost put him into a field).

Only a small portion of the Marchese’s house can be seen here – it was huge
He let Julia drive
She was ready to GO!

After some time, we decided to go in and feed the kids and make a proper meal.  Beth’s time in Italy was definitely evident, as she “whipped up” on the best pasta dishes we’ve had since arriving here.  We paired with another wine and settled in for a relaxing weekend in Tuscany.

Dinner is about to be served – LOVED the charm in her home
Wonderful Tuscan dinner
Baby Indi munching on his mom’s wonderful cooking

More to come about this amazing weekend in Tuscany in a subsequent post…

Cooking, Food, Humor, Jen's Kitchen, Sipping Espresso

Bagels and Lox – Italian Style

I’ve got a lot I should be blogging about.  Now that the spring flowers have arrived, I’ve decided Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I’d like to feature the lake – specifically, downtown Como for you.  I also need to do a piece on Alzate Brianza (the town in Como in which we reside).  I would love to share with you images of our condo that we’re borrowing from Jen’s parents.  If that’s not enough… we have had some wonderful experiences recently in Bergamo, Tuscany, Piemonte, Bellagio, Venice and more.  And of course, we’ve had some incredible meals I’d like to showcase.

A scene in Tuscany – what I should be writing about

In order to share these stories I will need to take hundreds of new photos and sift through the thousands I have already taken.  Then, I’ll need to re-create the stories and sprinkle in a bit of research about the towns.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love doing this.  And I love even more that we have both devoted and casual readers of our blog.  A highlight of my day is getting a comment from a new reader somewhere in the world.  But, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer work of it all.  I recognize that feeling stressed over such an unimportant task is comical.  Or perhaps it just makes me look like an asino (you can translate that one on your own).  But what can I say… I just want to do the best job I can.

So what do you do when you’re overwhelmed?  Procrastinate, of course!  And what can make you happy when you’re overwhelmed?  Comfort food, of course!  So this blog is a procrastination piece about comfort food!!

I wouldn’t necessary call bagels and lox your typical “comfort-food”, but it is a breakfast dish both Jen and I love.  We’ve shared many wonderful brunches with this as the main course and loved every crunchy/creamy/slimy and flavorful bite.  Plus, it reminds of us of home.

I was surprised to see how popular smoked salmon (“lox”) is in Italy.  It is widely sold in the supermarket, with a vast number of brands jockeying for premium shelf space.  Since breakfast in Italy is very light (usually just a few biscotti), once in a while we will get salmon to mix things up.  However, a bagel in Italy is as non-existent as a Jew in Mississippi.  So instead, we use toast points and occasionally add capers.

One day, we accidentally stumbled on all the typical ingredients (minus the bagels) and decided to go for it!  So, here is our version of a “bagels and lox brunch, Italian style”.

All the ingredients, minus our “everything” bagels
The final product was quite delicious!

Now that I’m done procrastinating… I just feel more guilty than ever!  Guess I should really get to work… but maybe I’ll just check out some new posts on 9gag first…

Castles, Family Stories, Humor, Salzburg, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Europe

How Do You Say, “The End” in German?

Two posts about the Dolomites and now four posts about Austria… will the posts about this road trip ever end?!  I promise, I’ll wrap it up here… I think I’m spending as much time writing as I did enjoying the trip!

An unfortunate haze covers a beautiful city

You may have gathered (HERE) that we instantly fell in love with Salzburg and extended our trip by an extra day/night to see more.  We started day one with a visit to a castle, Hohenwerfen Fortress and so I thought starting our second day with a visit to it’s sister castle, Festung Hohensalzburg would be appropriate.

Castle tower
Inside the main gates
From the main courtyard

Festung Hohensalzburg (literally, High Salzburg Fortress) sits atop the Festungberg Mountain, commanding a view of all Salzburg – a useful feature during the middle ages.  Today, the opposite is even better – a view of the beautiful castle is ever-present as you walk through the city below.  I described a history of it’s sister castle (HERE) – the purpose for this castle was the same.  The original fortification began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein as one of three fortifications during the Investiture Controversy.  Today, it remains as one of the largest medieval castles in all of Europe.

The day was hazy, which was unfortunate given our high position over the city.  I was hoping to capture some amazing panoramas of the city – but the haze wanted to get in my way.  Still, the castle tour was amazing.  We started with a ride up the funicular and then wound our way through the various museums built into the original fortress.

A ride up the funicular
Beautiful views blocked by fog
Wouldn’t want to pick a fight with this crew
I like my lady wearing a bit more “contemporary” undergarments
Don’t be a jackass in the 15th century – or else you’d be sporting this
Guys – just go ahead and shiver.  Yeah, this punishment is for THAT
The chapel
Julia found her knight in shining armor
Leaving the main castle
“My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard…no, really.  Where’s my milkshake?”
Castle tower
View from below

Next up, a classic Sound of Music attraction – Schloss Leopoldskron.  The movie was filmed in Salzburg in 1965 and Schloss Leopoldskron, an amazing estate just outside the city – served as the backdrop for some of the most infamous scenes.  Surprisingly, the city’s fascination with the movie consumed me and I did an ample amount of research about the film.  It turns out, many tour operators pass off the estate as the Von Trapp Family home featured in the movie.  Couple points of order (during which, we’ll take a brief detour).  The movie, The Sound of Music staring Julie Andrews (America’s earlier version of Julia Roberts) was based on the 1959 musical, The Von Trapp Family Singers.  The musical was based on the real life Von Trapp family, a family that lived in Austria in the early 1900’s.  OK – this brings us back to Schloss Leopoldskron, which is often falsely presented as the Von Trapp home.  The real family did not live there (they lived in a more modest estate in another neighborhood).  This was not their home in the movie (there’s only one brief front exterior scene of the Von Trapp home, and that was yet another estate).  They did not film inside (the interior shots were done in Hollywood).  So, why on earth would anyone come here?  Well, it’s easy for tours to pass off as the home because it’s a wonderful sight to behold and who really remembers anyway?!  The tie to the movie you ask… remember when the kids paddle home in the canoe to meet The Captain’s girlfriend (and fall in the lake, getting soaked in the process)?  Well, that scene was filmed here (and the subsequent scene with the pink lemonade).  In any event, it made for a nice walk along the side of the castle and down into another town.  Plus, we still had a lot of sausage and pretzels to work off!

We followed a beautiful road that wrapped us around the castle
Julia kept wanting to “pet” the ducks – Villa in the back
Schloss Leopoldskron – castle in the background
A stroll with one of my favorite ladies
As we walked back, we navigated through town and then walked along the river.  Our new mission – successfully make it to Augustinerkloster und Brau – a beer house and oh, so much more!  But we passed an outdoor food market… the best kind of market.  I had to stop and get a German sandwich.
Rooftop view along the route back to the city
Soft pretzels – I happen to be a sucker
I love me some vendor food – this place made a mean sandwich

Eventually, we made it to Augustinerbier.  The monastery, now turned beer hall is furnished with a large dining area (picture your mall’s food court, but exclusively German food… and no samples on toothpicks), several great halls for drinking, a beer garden and more.  The brewery was founded in 1621 by Augustinian monks called from Bavaria.  To this day, they follow the Purity Law of Brewing, set in 1516.  Your journey begins by picking a mug (the size of your choosing) and then washing it in a communal sink.  Next, you present your mug to be filled and go find your seat.  Many of the tables are reserved, so move fast!  We were among the first through the doors at 3:00pm on a Wednesday and the place was packed within 20 minutes.  Many of the tables are reserved for individuals and companies – just like box seats at a stadium.

The most amazing beer house I’ve ever been to outside of Munich
I think this says, “Come in and enjoy some beer”
Food court before the crowds arrived
Choose your mug
Give it a good rinse (that’s not me, by the way)
Guess who’s is who’s.  You’re correct… mine is on the left.  Jen has a wooden leg
“Not, ‘cin-cin’ Mom… here you say, ‘prost’!”
Julia on the loose!
Look at the placards on the wall – choice seats go for big bucks
One of the smaller drinking halls
We were bummed it was too cold for the garden – maybe next time

After a couple brews (and apple juices for Julia) we had another Sound of Music destination – Mirabellgarten.  These immaculate gardens are beautifully maintained and offer the perfect line of sight to the castle on the hill.  They are also great for singing “do-ray-me-fa-so-la-te-do” and running beneath a tunnel of foliage.  I even helped a group of college girls photograph a replica of the moment when the Von Trapp family jumps on the entry steps.  They could only jump about 4″ off the ground.  It was not easy to photograph.

Beautifully maintained garden
Perfect juxtaposition with the castle – sad about the haze
Julia wanted to ride the “horse”
Early for flowers – but in a nice bloom
Julia ran around like a kid in a candy store
I had all of three seconds to capture this shot
The Von Trapps ran under this archway in the movie
A nice fountain
Many beautiful statues

As the sun fell behind my new favorite castle, we headed back toward the hotel to eat dinner.  We finally found Das Stadtwirtshaus, a restaurant near our hotel that we were unsuccessful in finding the day before.  The 24 hour wait was worth it – everything about the restaurant was exactly what we wanted.  Truly authentic and delicious.  Unfortunately, a full week in some of the most amazing places we’d ever seen and my camera’s memory card was full, so you’ll have to imagine this meal along with us.

The next day we woke up early and enjoyed a nice breakfast in our hotel. Afterward, we piled into the car and began the six hour ride home.  Our three-day trip that turned into a two-country-week-long-tour was finally over.  And so are the stories about this particular family adventure.  Thanks for reading!

Castles, Food and Drink, Humor, Landscape, Photography, Restaurants, Sipping Espresso, Travel - Europe

The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of… Julia

Apparently I’m the only person in the world to forget that, “The Sound of Music” took place in Salzburg, Austria.  I base this observation on the countless number of tour operators and tourists we observed visiting and posing at key movie locations.  However, thanks to a quick iTunes movie download in the hotel, we were quickly singing our doe-ray-me’s along with the rest of the cheese balls.

Not only was this classic movie set and shot here, but a fairly famous musician was also born and raised in the city.  Perhaps you’ve heard of him… Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.   Salzburg is an amazing city filled with a rich history and jaw-dropping beauty.  We left northern Italy for Austria on a whim two days prior.  We continued riding that whim and drove further into Austria to see Salzburg on the suggestion of family.  Since our expectations of the city were nonexistent, they were easy to surpass – but I would think this city could have easily leapt the most lofty of them all.
Julia taking in the sights
Since our first day in Salzburg was framed with an incredible visit to Hohenwerfen Castle (HERE), we didn’t arrive in the actual city until mid-afternoon.  Having spent more than the anticipated amount of time at the castle, we had a lot of ground to make up.  We walked down Linzer Gasse until we crossed over Staatsbrücke Brücke (State Bridge), one of the oldest in the city.  The original bridge was built in 1090 and now the 10th incantation of this passage stands with a plaque commemorating the slave labour from Eastern Europe used to reconstruct it during WWII.
View from the Staatsbrücke Brücke
Landestheatre (Provincial Theatre)

We spent quite a bit of time walking through the Altstadt (Old Town), taking in the marvel of the city.  My carefully planned itinerary seemed to constantly evolve as we made turn after turn based on our curiosity, rather than our plan of attack.  We strolled past the birthplace of Mozart, but declined to pay the €35 admission (for all of us) to see some old violins.  Sorry, Wolfgang…  I’m still a fan.

Street view – Google, I’m available for free-lance
St. Blaise’s Church at the end of the shops
Mozart’s first “crib”… literally, he was born here
We next discovered the Pferdeschwemme (Horse Pond) – one of two remaining in the city where horses would go to get cleaned.  In the middle stands a statue, Der Rossebändiger (horse whisperer), which is a bit of an inside joke unique to the city.  Not sure I got the joke, but we did enjoy the spectacle.
The Horse Pond with the “funny” statue in the middle
The pond is carved directly into the face of a mountain
A better view of the horse’s entrance

At this point in our voyage we were at a critical crossroads.  We could head northwest to the Augustinerkloster und Bräu (Monastery and Beer… a beer garden) for a brew and dinner.  This would consume the remainder of our first of only two days.  Or we could head southeast and continue further into the city.  I wanted it all, but knew we had to chose.  So we made the right choice – stay another night and do it all!  We postponed the Beer Garden for the next day.

We were happy with our choice to stay another day

We walked along Hofstallgasee, passing by some incredible sights – and always with an eye upward at Festung Hohensalsburg (the Castle that sits overlooking the city).

Festung Hohensalsburg above the city
Kollegienkirche (Collegiate Church)
A nice horse and buggy through the city would be fun
And the castle again

This path led us directly to St. Peter’s Abbey, one of the oldest monasteries in the German area.  The abbey was formed in 696 by Saint Rupert.  During medieval times, the monastery was known for its educational prowess.  Adjacent to the monestary were catacombs that were carved into the face of the mountain, just next to the cemetery.  St. Peter’s Cemetery was created at the time of Late Antiquity and therefore, older than the Abbey itself.  The dead have been buried here for 1,300 years.

Welcome!
Inside the courtyard
The Abbey at Saint Peter’s
“Hey guys, let’s go!”
“I’m not waiting for you suckers, I’m off!”
“Are you coming?!”
The cemetery
Always time to stop…
…and smell the roses
Catacomb Chapel built directly into the face of the mountain
Private burial sites
“I love this place!”

After leaving the awe-inspiring Abbey, we stopped to watch a life-sized chess match in action in the Domplatz (plaza outside the Dom).  One of the other spectators was nibbling on a giant pretzel and we had to get in on that action!

Check… and… mate!
Num-num-num!

Next up was the Dom of Salzburg, or Salzburg Cathedral.  Today’s baroque style cathedral was finished in 1628 and replaces the original cathedral built on the site in 774.  I’m sorry to admit, but most European cathedrals, while beautiful – do not particularly hold my attention.  However, the Dom was different.  My father-in law (Dominic) may say it’s because of the name – but I think perhaps the artwork and painting intrigued me a bit more.  We barely got out before closing, and somehow I became the valet as 30 people exited through the surprisingly heavy door I was holding.  Good thing I had eaten that pretzel for strength!

The Salzburg Dom
Allegoric figures representing an Angel, Devil, Wisdom and the Church
Jen lights a candle
Inside one of the domes
I promise – this door is as heavy as it looks

The day was winding down, and Julia needed to eat.  OK… I needed to eat.  We walked back toward the hotel and searched for a restaurant the concierge recommended, Das Stadtwirtshaus.  Our German hadn’t improved since we first arrived in Austria and we couldn’t find the place.  Instead, we found Altstadtheuriger-Bruderhof – a modern place that blended classic German cuisine with a contemporary style.  The result was delightful. And Julia couldn’t have had any more fun!

“We’re eating weinerschnitzel?! Hahaha!”
“Daddy, you’re so funny…you said schnitzel!”
“BWHAHAHAHAHA!”
“Oh, did you want to sit here?!”
Clear beef soup with root vegetable and liver dumpling
Wienerschnitzel served with parsley potatoes
Baked breast of corn chicken
served with a creamy and lime flavored cucumbers and parsley potatoes

At the end of the day, we still hadn’t visited the castle overlooking the city, had a beer at the beer garden or seen any of the classic Sound of Music sights.  Glad we had planned to stay an extra day – we would be busy waking up the hills with the sound of our music tomorrow!