I suppose that I’ve sufficiently succeeded in being completely cheesy and unoriginal, using the two most obvious cliche’s to name my two posts about Rome (first post). Oh well, this is what you can expect from me when I’m faced with the monumental task of bringing you up to speed on our many recent adventures. So, let’s begin!
When I last left you, we had seen the Pope’s home (Vatican City), a bunch of steps (Spanish Steps) and a some running water (Trevi Fountain). The next day, we wanted to see a pile of stones (Colosseum) and a big dome (Pantheon). And if anyone ever describes some of the world’s most precious treasures like that again, smack them!
On our second day in Rome, we set out early to reach the Colosseum, the world’s largest ancient amphitheater and one of the most spectacular examples of Roman engineering and design. It is estimated that the colosseum could hold as many as 80,000 spectators. If you put that into perspective, that’s as big as most NFL football stadiums – only it was built almost 2000 years ago! I’m no historian, but I don’t think they had reinforced steel, engineering software and cement-mixing trucks back then. It’s no wonder that the Amphitheatrum Flavium (it’s Latin name) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of seven wonders of the world [source].
Amphitheatrum Flavium (Colosseum)
Julia found some horses that she wanted to ride
I hold Julia outside the massive stadium
Posing with Dad
Now momma gets a photo with Julia
“Cheese!”
We didn’t get to spend too much time at the Colosseum because we had something even more important to do as we approached mid-day. I know, you’re thinking… “Greg, I’ve been reading this blog long enough to know that your very important thing is just lunch”. On any other day, you would be correct. But on this particular day… lunch would have to wait. We had a meeting with someone you may have heard of. Oh you know… Pope Francis.
Papa Francesco greets us from a window in the Papal Residence
Now, when I say “meeting with the Pope” – I mean, a meeting of sorts. A meeting that I generously shared with about 5,000 other people. Every Sunday at noon, the Pope addresses the masses from the Papal Residence and delivers a short address to the crowd, followed by a blessing. It was quite a tremendous thing indeed to be blessed by the Pope!
Large crowds await the Pope’s appearance
We take a picture amongst the crowd
A somewhat grumpy Julia rises above the crowd to take a picture with the Papal Residence in the background
The crowd roared with jubilation when Pope Francis appeared
Jen and Julia listened intently during his address
A view of Saint Peter’s Basilica with the crowd
We left the Vatican feeling great and enthralled by the beautiful weather. We decided to continue our tour of Rome with wide detours, adding time and additional sights to our pedestrian footpath. We departed from the Vatican and walked past the Castel Sant’Angelo before crossing over the famous Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge. We strolled along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River), Italy’s third longest river that courses directly through the city of Rome.
We were lost among a sea of people departing Vatican City along Via Della Conciliazione
We have our photo taken with Vatican City in the background
A direct shot of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Obelisk that sits in front
Castel Sant’Angelo
The Italian flag waves proudly atop the castle
Angels fly overtop the Ponte Sant’Angelo
Crossing the Ponte Sant’Angelo I turned for a view of the castle
View along the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River)
Although, this was my favorite view along the river
Our destination was the chic neighborhood of Trastevere. Trastevere is to Rome as the West Village is to New York, but with fewer hipsters and MacBooks. Small streets are lined with great shops, cafes and restaurants. People spend time outside and congregate with neighbors. The short time we spent there was long enough to fantasize about owning a pied-à-terre in this particular part of Rome. We ate a fabulous lunch at a local place and continued on by foot.
A small ristorante in Trastevere
Even the Vespa’s look hipper
People gather at a cafe
The narrow streets don’t offer a lot of room for the public transportation
We wrapped around to the southwest portion of the city to see the Fonte Acqua Paola – a site that is seldom talked about, but worth a visit. A panoramic view of the city opens before you eyes from the elevated vantage point. The styling of the fountain is nearly as impressive as the Trevi Fountain, but without the crowds.
Julia leads the way up to the fountain
A beautiful panoramic view of Rome opens from this high vantage point
Fonte Acqua Paola – built in 1610 to mark the end of the Acqua Paola acqueduct
Julia is thrilled to have discovered another fountain
She allows me to take a picture with her
We next made our way to the east banks of the Tiber river and visited Campo dè Fiori, an outdoor marketplace. We followed a short arc back toward the Pantheon. Along the way, we saw the Area Sacra, one of Rome’s most significant archeological finds. Four temples dating as far back as the fourth century BC were discovered quite by accident in 1926. We planned to eat dinner in one of the restaurants in Piazza Navona, Rome’s largest piazza built on grounds of the ancient Stadio di Domiziano. After taking in the beauty of the piazza, we spent all of three minutes evaluating and then quickly dismissing the restaurant options. The places were obvious tourist traps, many of them boasting pictures of their food (which is always our first sign it’s time to scram). Instead we tucked into a little trattoria on a nearly unnoticed street and settled in for a couple nice glasses of wine.
Area Sacra a significant find in the middle of the modern city
The Pantheon was built in 126 AD
The Pantheon’s coffered dome was poured in concrete moulds- the oculus is the main source of natural light
Fontana del Pantheon across from Pantheon in Piazza della Rotonda
We stopped for some wine in a nearby piazza while Julia had dinner
The Pantheon and Piazza Rotunda at night
The fountain in front of the Pantheon
Altare della Patria (Alter of the Fatherland) also known as Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II
We had two big days in a magical city, but so much more still ahead of us. We were departing on our cruise the next day; eager to embark on another adventure on the sea.
If all roads lead to Rome, nowadays you could also say that all European cruises start from Rome. Well, maybe not all – but a good many of the cruise ships use this port of call as a starting point for their Mediterranean voyages. At least, this was the case on our cruise aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines ship, Silhouette. The Silhouette is one of five ships in their newest Solstice Class – a group of sleek, modern ships with a heavy emphasis on style and dining. The ship and the cruise did not disappoint. We had many ports of call and a lot of wonderful activities that I’d like to write about, so let’s start at the beginning…
A wonderful statue stands outside the port of our ship
We arrived in Rome two days ahead of our ship’s departure to explore the city’s history, experience the cuisine and absorb the magic of a place you absolutely must see in your lifetime. Two days is barely enough time to scratch the surface, but we did our best to fit in as much as possible. On this blog, I’ll often write about a city’s history before detailing our adventures. The history of Rome is so storied and captivating, that a single paragraph couldn’t possibly do it justice. Instead, I invite you to click on this link to read about Rome and this link to read about Ancient Rome. Or get off the internet and pick up a book (but not until you finish reading my blog post)!
A view of Rome – Altare della Patria stands prominently above the rest of the city
After living in Italy for nearly a year, we are still learning travel tips on a constant basis. A new lesson you may be surprised to learn (and one that could possibly be applied to real life) – procrastination doesn’t pay. Even though I knew our travel dates, I waited months to reserve our train tickets. I paid roughly €80 for two tickets from Milano to Roma on the express train (a great price), but more than triple that amount on the way back – they only had first class seats available. Suggestion – if you know your dates, book early! Better suggestion – if you have flexibility in your dates, book your train first and then schedule everything around it (for example, I could have stayed an extra night in Rome for the difference in train fare). Additionally, go talk to someone at the ticket counter (most of them speak English). They often have access to fares that are different (and better) than the kiosks. If you travel from Milano to Roma, book aboard the velocità alta (high speed train), which whisks you across the country at a remarkable 300km per hour, delivering you in just over three hours.
We arrived in Rome just after lunch and went immediately from our hotel to Città del Vaticano (Vatican City), thereby entering a country not apart of Italy. The city-state is sovereign territory of roughly 110 acres entirely enclosed behind large ancient walls. The city boasts a population of around 840 people, making it the world’s smallest internationally recognized independent nation in terms of both size and population. As they say, good things come in small packages. We opted to join a tour group, since there is so much to see and do inside the city walls. The tour included the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica – the three main attractions in the city.
Saint Peter’s Square at night – shown here are the Basilica and the obelisk
We started in the Vatican Museums, a collection of buildings that hold some of the world’s most priceless and inspiring works of art. My camera was smoking from staying on overdrive. In 2011 over five million people visited the museums founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century [source]. Our tour included passage through the Borgias’ house; family of the controversial Pope Callixtus III, popularized by the hit Showtime series, The Borgias.
Just hanging out with my pal, Augustus – “hmm, I like his hair… but he needs a beard”
Amazing works of art carved from marble greet us in the entryway
Laocoön and His Sons excavated in Rome in 1506
The piece is dated between 200 BC and 70 AD
An example of the French painting style, trompe-l’œi (deceive the eye) – the image appears three-dimensional
Central portion of the tapestry, The Resurrection of Jesus
Eye-popping ceiling in the impressive Galleria delle Carte Geografiche (Gallery of Maps)
Jen stops for a photo
Next, we walked into the adjoining Sistine Chapel. On the tour, we learned that the Sistine Chapel is the largest chapel in the world. A chapel, practically by definition is a small place of worship (either freestanding or attached to a larger church). This is significant because the papal conclave (the sequestering of cardinals when electing a new Pope) is held in the Sistine Chapel (as opposed to the more spacious Basilica, next door). Inside the basilica, Michelangelo’sLast Judgement monopolizes the back wall, while the even more famous Creation of Adam rests prominently in the center of the ceiling. Words cannot describe the feeling that washes over you as you sit in such a historically significant place. The amazing frescoes inspire images of Michelangelo, resting on his back atop scaffolding and slowly painting each section, a brush in one hand and a candle in the other.
The most iconic portion of Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, The Creation of Adam
As the sun set on our tour, we visited Saint Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world. The church sits in the center of St. Peter’s Square, which is flanked by large rounded colonnades – intentionally reaching out like long arms embracing visitors. From an aerial perspective, you’ll see that the church itself is designed in the shape of the cross, while the entire square resembles a keyhole (echoing Saint Peter’s role as holder of keys to heaven).
A beautiful blue night’s sky had settled over St. Peter’s Basilica
Pietà, also by Michelangelo
While our appetites for spiritual enlightenment had been quenched, our appetite for food was ravishing. We found a wonderful place, Gusto Forno and went in for dinner. What we found was even better – a happy hour with a buffet included in the price of your drink. And the drinks were magical! The bar-genius, Nina had created a cocktail inspired by a margherita pizza. Sounds weird, but the result was nothing short of fabulous. If you’re in Rome, stop by and see her.
I take a picture with our wonderful waitress and the fabulous bartender, Nina
Nina’s creation – the Pizza Margherita cocktail
Some of the buffet that was included with the order of a cocktail
Before the night was over, we stopped by Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps). Of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without throwing a coin over your shoulder (guaranteeing your return to the city) in the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain).
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps)
Julia on the Spanish Steps
Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) at night
This magnificent fountain stands 86 ft. high
Julia gives her momma a hug
Jen and Julia in front of the Trevi Fountain
Family photo
Julia wanted to go for a swim
Julia gets ready to toss her coin and ensure her return to Rome
Italian architect Nicola Salvi lost the original contest to design the fountain, but was awarded the commission anyway due to public outcry in Rome that a Florentine (Alessandro Galilei) had won – a fortunate turn of events
As it turns out, two days in Rome is too action packed to fit into one post – so I’ll continue in a subsequent posting. Ciao for now!
Wow! We did it! SIPPING ESPRESSO officially turns one today. I distinctly remember starting our blog one year ago today. Jen had the idea to use a blog in order to maintain a “virtual journal” of our time in Italy. She also wanted a vessel to share our photos and stories with family and friends. I was intrigued by the idea of maintaining some sort of project and so I was happy to jump into the blogosphere. Over the past year that we have been posting – our tiny, insignificant blog has grown into something much, much more…a little, insignificant blog.
Over the summer, we took a cruise that concluded with a goodbye letter from the captain, along with “fun facts” about our time at sea. For example, they listed the number of crew on board, the amount of food consumed in terms of weight, our nautical miles traveled, etc. It gave me the idea that it may be fun to also look back at our own blogging voyage and break down the numbers from this past year.
So without further adieu… here you go.
Sipping Espresso by The Numbers
Number of Blog Posts
87 (including this one)
I couldn’t make it to the even 100 – even though I have a few half-written posts in the pipeline. Sometimes all I feel like I’m doing is sitting in front of my computer… blogging!
Total Number of Page Views
25,955
I was shocked and awed by the number of people that have visited our blog. Thanks, mom and dad for clicking on the blog 25,645 times and getting your friends to click on the links the remaining 310 times.
Most Unique Countries That Have Visited the Blog
Ukraine (we’re huge with the Ukrainian crowd), Russia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia. We also have a good amount of visits from our European neighbors – France, Spain, Norway, Germany and Denmark. Of course, our biggest base is still the good ‘ol U.S. of A.
Post With The Most Page Views
The View Overtop Como (link) – 1,114 page views
I was really surprised by this. It’s definitely not one of the better posts or subject matters. I think it must have some combination of key words that rank it fairly high in google searches about Lake Como.
Greg’s Favorite Posts
Scotland – Where Real Men Wear Skirts (link)
Kiss me, I’m Irish in Dublin (link)
I’ll Take a Pint of the Black Stuff, Gov’na (link)
Recreating a Photo 63 Years Later (link)
This was a tough one for me. It’s like choosing among your children. OK, that’s not true at all – it was much easier than that. I liked these particular posts because I had such fond memories of the events, there was usually a good combination of food/travel/photography in the story and there was most likely a quip or joke I made that I still find to be particularly witty today.
Jen’s Favorite Posts
Beaches, Wine and Pasta Making – What a Vacation (link)
Make My Order of Haggis a Double, Please (link)
Recreating a Photo 63 Years Later (link)
Five Villages – One Day (link)
Our Final Days at Sea (link)
Oktoberfest…What More Can I Say?! (link)
Revenue Earned Through Blogging
$0
Well, I guess I won’t be making a profession out of this anytime soon.
Our Time Abroad… In a Nutshell
Number of Visitors
23
We have had the good fortunate to have shared many of our adventures with friends and family. Here are the people that came to see us.
Diane (2 visits), Dominic, Jessica, S David (2 visits), Deborah (2 visits), Nathan, Danielle, Michelle, David, Elsa, Giovanni, Sonny, Stefani, Lauren, Josh, Abby, Dave, Jill, Matt and Lindsey.
Average Days in Between Visitors
5.9 days*
When you have that many visitors in a short period of time, it doesn’t give you a lot of time to change the sheets. To our guests… I promise, they were changed (wink, wink).
*This average was taken from the last day of our first visitor and the first day of our last visitor.
Total Amount of Euros Spent on Traffic Violations
€1,710.78 ($2,318.44)
UGHHH! That’s a lot of cannoli’s! This wonderful figure includes the fines themselves as well as the “convenience fee” our local government charges in order to pay the ticket, the mailing fee I have to pay to receive the ticket and the commission I have to pay to use a credit card. I may not be paying taxes in Italy, but I’ve sure given more than my fair share.
Breakdown of tickets
•Speeding – €1,369.48
•Limited Zone – €288.80
•Parking – €52.50
Approximate Grams of Pasta Consumed
44,200 grams (97.44 lbs of pasta)
This [somewhat shocking] math was fairly simple. An average serving of pasta is 80 grams per person (although, I usually have a little more).
2 people (Greg and Jen) eating pasta 4x week = 640 grams per week +1 child (Julia) eats a third portion = 210 grams per week
Total of 850 grams per week
850 grams x 52 weeks = 44,200 grams of pasta
I’d venture to guess it’s a little more than this (let’s call it a ‘cool’ 100 pounds of pasta). Wow… that’s gross when you add it all up!
Approximate Number of Pizza’s Eaten
208 pizzas
Pizza in Italy is thin and served in individual portions. So if we both want pizza, we will order two pies. Not only is pizza delicious – it’s quick, mess-free and simple when you’re on the road. You can always find a good pizza place anywhere in Italy. Apart from that, we discovered an amazing brand of frozen pizza that we enjoy probably once a week (Jen cooks amazing lunches, we’re usually more low-key for dinner).
This was also simple math.
4 pizzas per week x 52 weeks = 208 pizzas
I actually think my average my be higher, but I don’t want to embarrass myself any further.
European Countries Visited
13
Traveling as much as possible was always a major goal in moving here. Over the past year we have seen Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Vatican City, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland and Monaco.
Regions Visited Within Italy
11
There are 20 regions in Italy, each of them remarkable in their own way. Every region could make their own argument for having the tastiest food, producing the best wine, boasting the most magical scenery and on and on. Truthfully, your opinion may be swayed in favor of the region making it’s case… until you visit another region and have to decide all over again. Seeing each of Italy’s 20 diverse regions is an important part of our experience here. Even though we may only be able to get a “flavor” of the local place, we’d like to see them all. We’ve just tipped past the half-way point and we’ve got our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to see all 20.
We have visited:
Lombardia (Lombardy)
Piemonte (Piedmont)
Liguria
Trentino Alto-Adige
Veneto
Emilia Romagna
Toscana (Tuscany)
Lazio
Abruzzo
Campania
Sicilia (Sicily)
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Visited
21
World Heritage Sites are places that have been listed by UNESCO as possessing important cultural significance. They all share one thing in common – they are beautiful and awe-inspiring. Viewing these magical sites has been a highlight of our time abroad and a blessing that only Europe can offer in such abundance.
We have acquired (and drank) more grappa in our first month here than either of us had consumed in our lifetimes. It’s just how it is… we love it! Plus, we love making our guests try grappa to gauge their reactions. These 26 bottles have either been purchased, received as gifts or made at home.
Number of Grappas Made at Home
2
It’s surprisingly easy. If you’d like to try, click HERE
“Strange” Foods Tried by Julia
Julia is quite the adventurous eater. She’s always happy to eat off our plates and we are happy to expose her to new things. Among the dishes she’s tried this year are:
Foie gras (goose liver), caviar, pigeon, pâté, haggis (heart, liver and lungs encased in a sheep’s stomach), black pudding (mixture of pork fat, onion, oatmeal and pig’s blood), goat, rabbit, lamb, boar, octopus, squid, freshly shaved truffles, lardo (cured pork fat), fondue, mussels, king prawns and lobster.
These were the only facts and and figures that I had the foresight to include or the smarts to calculate. If I’ve left anything out, please let me know! I look forward to Sipping Espresso making it another year and entering our “terrible two’s”. Thanks for coming along on this voyage with us!
When you are young, the world is your oyster. You can do anything… be anything. Many kids have grand plans to become a cowboy or a princess or even travel through space and time. Most kid’s plans become a little bit more grounded in “this” world as they get a little older. But that doesn’t mean they can’t still be grand. I specifically remember sitting in my seventh grade Spanish class, penning a list of activities that I absolutely had to do in my lifetime. This list included activities such as climbing Mount Everest, sky diving and hang-gliding, running with the bulls in Pamplona and skiing the Swiss Alps. I think even then, I knew that I would be lucky to complete more than a handful of the activities. The one activity that persisted most in my mind was skiing the Swiss Alps. All throughout high school and college, my friends and I spoke of the day we would make this dream a reality. But after a decade and a half of dreaming, I started to believe that was all it would ever be. Sometimes the real world (jobs, kids, schedules, finances) just get in the way.
The Matterhorn serves as the iconic image of Zermatt
That’s why I was giddy when our friends Matt and Lindsey told us they would be visiting us for New Years. Matt and I devised a plan to go skiing for a couple days while they were here. Matt was tasked with the job of picking a mountain, a job which he took very seriously. With the precision of a surgeon, he dissected the various pros and cons of Europe’s best mountains before narrowing it down to two famous ski locations; Chamonix, France (with Mont Blanc) and Zermatt, Switzerland (with the Matterhorn). We went back and forth for over a week, analyzing the choice ad nauseam. Our analytical brains lead us toward Chamonix for practical reasons such as cost, proximity to Como and hotel availability. I wrote Matt a final email confirming that it was the correct choice “even though skiing the Swiss Alps would have been cool.” Matt surprised me by writing back and telling me that he booked the hotel in Zermatt because my email only confirmed that the emotional part of his brain beat out the analytical part – a decision that I was happy with!
We were all set to depart after lunch on New Years Day. I carefully wound the car along the windy and snowy roads, zigzagging our way through the Swiss Alps before coming upon Zermatt. It was at this point in time Matt decided to inform me that we would have to park the car in a nearby town and take a train in to Zermatt. You see, Zermatt is a town like no other. The streets are made of snow and no outside vehicles are allowed. The town is truly a winter wonderland; high-end shops and expensive restaurants frame the main streets, while charming gingerbread houses line the side streets. We found our hotel, Hotel Blauherd set in a part of town reserved for hotels that fit in perfectly with my vision of an ideal ski town.
Our hotel, Hotel Blauherd
“Our” street with a view of the Matterhorn
A street in the Altstadt (Old Town)
Horse drawn carriages are a classic Zermatt image
Upon checking in, we set out to eat dinner and discovered something along the way. Zermatt is EXPENSIVE! We knew this going in, but I don’t think any of us were quite prepared for just how expensive it really is. For example – we found a place that looked great and so we glanced at the menu. One item in particular stood out – a lamb burger for Fr39 ($43). I’m sorry, but if it has “burger” in the title – I have a hard time paying over $40. Eventually, a problem more pressing than cost presented itself. Availability was the buzz word that became our stumbling block. Every single restaurant was at maximum capacity and we were turned away half a dozen times. We finally found a place that would seat us, a Mexican restaurant that only had one remaining table. Mexican food in a ski town in Europe may seem like a strange choice, but Jen and I were actually excited because it had been over a year since we’d dipped our last nacho. The service was awful, but the food was pretty darn good! And yes, even the Mexican food was outrageously priced ($45 for a single portion of fajitas seemed a bit steep to me).
Zermatt!
The streets of Zermatt are a winter wonderland
Zermatt at night
A view of some of the hotels at town at night
The next morning I was up early and dressed in my ski gear. Matt, Lindsey and I had agreed to hit the mountain just after they opened the lifts. I ate breakfast. I looked at the trail map. I “read” German ski magazines. And I sweated. Then I sweated some more (ski gear is hot when you wear it inside). Finally, Matt and Lindsey came down to breakfast. Then I waited some more. And some more. Eventually, we made our way to the mountain. It turns out a later departure wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Skiing Zermatt is tough work and our legs were wiped out by the end of our day. The skiing was indisputably the best any of us had ever experienced. After a brief lunch at the top of the mountain, the skies cleared up (we had been shrouded in a dense white cloud prior to lunch) and the Matterhorn appeared before us. I was left speechless. We quickly hoped back on our planks to enjoy the rest of our day.
Lindsey, Matt and I pose for a picture before our first run
On the way up in the gondola
Matterhorn “selfie”
“Let’s go skiing!”
We walked out of lunch to this view – the Matterhorn had been completely covered previously
Happy couple
Happy guy!
Jen doesn’t ski much and the elevation would have been too high for Julia, so they stayed in the town. While we enjoying ourselves on the mountain, Jen and Julia were having fun walking around Zermatt. They poked in shops, took in a nice lunch and played in a snow covered playground.
Jen and Julia catch snowflakes
They found a park…
…and played in the snow
As the sun was setting on the mountain’s final runs, we made our way to Zermatt’s most famous après-ski place, Hennu Stall. Après-ski (literally, after skiing) is the act of getting drinks and socializing after a day spent skiing. Europe’s mountains host some of the best après-ski destinations in the world and Zermatt is no exception. We all promised Jen that we wouldn’t be too late for dinner, but we found ourselves among the last patrons left on the mountain. It is important that you don’t stay too late or drink too much at après-ski, regardless of whether or not you have a wife waiting at the base of the mountain. Once the sun sets, the temperature plummets and you still need to have enough wits about you to ski the remaining way down the mountain. We barely escaped before both the temperature and the booze created a problem for us.
Hennu Stall – Zermatt’s best après-ski
Nothing better than a beer after a great day skiing
We were among the last group “parked” in the “lot”
The view of Zermatt from the deck of Hennu Stall
When we regrouped at the hotel, we all got ready for a nice dinner in town. Our group of five strolled along the streets with a very specific plan. We wanted to find a restaurant where we could enjoy something Zermatt is well known for – their fondue! We were worried that max-occupancy would once again be the theme of the night, but Matt became the hero of the group at our first stop. His ability to speak German got us the last table in a charming little restaurant. We eagerly dove into our pot of fondue and reveled in cheesy delight. The fondue set the stage perfectly for the rest of a wonderful meal and Matt and Lindsey surprised us by treating us to this memorable Zermatt meal.
Jen and Julia before our dinner
Our group in front of the restaurant, Zermatterstübli
On the second day, Jen rented a sled for Julia and they spent the day taking turns riding and pulling. For some strange reason Julia seemed to be more interested in pushing and pulling her sled than riding in it. Jen kept commenting to her that she was the only kid in the town pulling her own sled, as opposed to riding in it. It certainly slowed down their progress, which was just fine because we were busy shredding up the mountain on a glorious, clear day.
Julia sleds throughout the streets of Zermatt
Although she was more interested in pulling than sledding
Even up the hills!
A riding on the sled “selfie”
Matt and I stop for a photo before our second day of skiing – Matterhorn in the background
Matt found some deep powder – but not the best way to discover it
“Matterhorn… what, what?!”
Take it up a notch… Matterhorn, goggle-eyed, ski-lift “selfie”
A picture from the highest point of the mountain on our final run – the most amazing run of my life
Jen pulls Julia to the top to sled down the hill
“Here we go!”
I tried to take Julia, but she only wanted to push
She finally let me take her for a spin!
Julia tries to ski, “like daddy”
Lindsey hurt her hand and so of course Julia needed medical attention too
We closed on our final runs of the day and eventually made our way back the car. All of us could not believe how amazing our little vacation had been – the town was perfect and the skiing was amazing. On the car ride home, we talked about our favorite runs until Jen was sick of hearing about them. As we pulled back into Como, I smiled to myself. I had done it. I checked a major item off my bucket list. I skied the Swiss Alps! Now having been refueled, recharged, reenergized and reminded of that once forgotten list… I’ve decided I need to check a few more of those “completed” boxes! Who knows what’s next… I’m definitely thinking “the running of the bulls”- Olé!!
I have celebrated the year changing exactly thirty-four times. That is a lot of ball drops, backward counting and champagne toasts. In the thirty-four times I have seen the calendar progress another year, I have experienced elaborate dinners, small family gatherings, massive ballroom parties and cozy nights in. I have had “the night of my life” and “the disappointment of a lifetime.” In all this time, I have learned that a valuable life lesson. When you place an unhealthy amount of expectations on any one thing (in this case, an evening), it is hard to meet or exceed the vision you’ve created in your own head.
Fireworks light up the sky behind Milan’s Duomo
Fortunately, disappointment was not the theme as we rang in 2014. The stakes were at an all-time high and the night came together as well as anyone could have hoped. A couple months ago we got an email from our friends Matt and Lindsey that they wanted to come to Italy and ring in the new year with us. Our plans for a low-key Italian New Years with the traditional zampone and lentils quickly changed as I scoured the dinner venues of Milan. After a lot of research, we came up with a plan that we thought was perfect. A prix-fixe meal at a lounge just steps from Milan’s Duomo in the main piazza (square). Jen read that there would be fireworks visible at midnight and so the plan sounded perfect.
A stage was set up in front of the Duomo for live performances throughout the night
Matt and Lindsey arrived the night before New Years and we enjoyed a low-key dinner that Jen prepared. Matt got to the train station in typical “Matt fashion”… three hours late, without any warning of his delay and a frantic look in his eyes. We were both glad I waited for the last train to pull into the station!
When I made our New Year’s dinner reservation, I was told that we should arrive at 8:30pm. I knew the Italians wouldn’t be arriving at that time, so I planned our arrival at 9:00pm. We were still about an hour early! So much for looking like a local! We started our evening with a little prosecco (Italian champagne) and moved through our four course meal accompanied by some great red wine and sparkling conversation. The atmosphere for a New Year’s dinner was perfect. The music and lights were set just right, as if to say, “this place is hip and you’ve still got it” as opposed to saying, “this place is entirely too formal – what are you doing here, you’re still sort of young!” Or even worse, “this is a club with twenty-somethings and you old fogies don’t fit in at all.” By the time all the Italians had arrived, it was evident we picked the right place for dinner. We were surrounded by some of Milan’s elite – fashion designers and models.
Matt and Lindsey
Greg and Jen
We’re ready to have some fun!
Our group at dinner
Out of nowhere, it was almost midnight. We surprised our server by telling him we wanted the bill, as opposed to staying for their champagne toast. We had bigger plans in place! We rushed to the Duomo, a five minute walk through a dense sea of people. We arrived with just a couple minutes left until midnight and I struggled to prepare everything. We had brought bottles of prosecco and Jen insisted on plastic champagne glasses. While thousands of other people were counting down and swigging from their bottles, I was fiddling with the bases for the plastic glasses. I had only finished two glasses when the countdown reached five, so I threw the remaining glasses on the ground in desperation. I’d be damned if “etiquette” was going to get in the way of us having our bubbly at midnight!
Jen and Lindsey in front of the Duomo
Me and Jen just after midnight
In keeping with tradition, Jen tried calling our family to wish them a “Happy New Year”
We had been excited to see the fireworks light up the night’s sky behind the Duomo all night. When we arrived in the piazza, we learned that the firework show Jen had read about was a different kind of event altogether. Please allow me to give a small background for our international readers. You see, Americans do fireworks right! I think it’s in our DNA, like baseball and childhood obesity. So when we read that there would be fireworks, we assumed it was going to be a major production – administered by professionals at a safe distance from the crowd. We have never been so wrong. All the fireworks being set were ignited by people from within the crowd. There were literally explosions at our feet, above our heads, behind our backs at regular minute-long intervals. It was not uncommon to see a huge gap in the crowd as dozens of people pushed and shoved their way away from a ready to explode M-80 or Excalibur Artillery Shell. It evoked a strange sensation of festive revelry with an ever-present sense of impending doom. The Outkast song “Bombs Over Baghdad” kept playing over and over in my mind.
Fireworks above the crowd
Jen and Lindsey show their sheer terror
Someone (ehehm… Jen) spilled prosecco all over Matt
We all agreed that the night would land in the “Epic New Year’s Eve” column as opposed the other column, “How Much Did I Spend For This Awful Disappointment?!” We stayed in the piazza until roughly 1:00am before heading home. We didn’t want to get back too late, we had to depart early the next day for the road trip of a lifetime. Matt and I were ringing in the new year by checking off a lifelong bucket list item… skiing the Swiss Alps!
This was predestined to be a low-key Christmas. In fact, the most low-key Christmas either of us had ever experienced. When I was young, we would gather as a family and open mountains of presents before our grandparents came and joined in the fun. Jen’s experience of Christmas as a little girl was no different. Since we started dating over ten years ago, our two families have merged and we have always made the holidays the grand event it should be. Since it’s just the three of us here in Italy, we knew this year would be small in comparison. But at the same time, we were eager to set our own family traditions now that Julia is old enough to understand what’s going on.
Our low-key Christmas
We developed a plan based on our vision of how we wanted the day to unfold (OK, OK. Jen’s vision… Jen’s plan. I just helped when possible). Fortunately, our low-key Christmas did not disappoint. First we had to set up the tree, which we did well before the big day. We capped that evening off with popcorn (a real treat for Julia) and a movie (The Polar Express).
Julia strikes a fashionable pose after I set the tree in place
She helps her mother trim the tree
Then it’s time for a break and a Christmas movie
On Christmas morning, we struggled to roll out of bed – still full from an epic Christmas Eve dinner the night before. We could barely keep out in front of Julia with the camera flashing and the video rolling. She was beyond eager to see what Santa brought her and went for his presents first.
Julia opens a present from Babbo Natale (Santa Claus)
“It’s a SAXOPHONE?!”
“Is this how it works?”
“Oh, no – like this!”
Jen takes a picture with Julia, but I think she’s more interesting her Peppa Pig chocolate bar
“Wow, a guitar too?!”
“Are you for real? Is this for ME?!”
“I can be my own band – bring my my microphone, please!”
After opening Santa’s musical gifts, she next moved onto the gifts from her nonni (Jen’s parents) and her Grandma and Pop-Pop (my parents). Franco and Claudia (Jen’s aunt and uncle that live above us) came down for part of the gift opening. We took a brief pause for breakfast – it was already 9:00am and the Italians from upstairs were freaking out that they were eating off-schedule. Jen fixed a delicious french toast casserole, made even better with sciroppo d’acero (maple syrup – which is not easy to find in Italy). She served it with fresh fruit and cappuccino. Franco and Claudia retired upstairs after breakfast and we helped Julia open her remaining presents. We spent a pleasant afternoon playing with Julia and her new booty. Later that evening, we hosted Franco and Claudia for dinner. We put on a simple spread – real Italian comfort food. Antipasti followed by brodo con tortellini and simple salads.
Julia works on removing her brand new Furby from Nonna
Julia plays with her new cash register from her accountant, Pop-Pop
Jen’s breakfast
Julia and I jam out after breakfast
The day after Christmas is the day of Santo Stefano – another good reason for families to gather and feast once again. This time, Franco and Claudia wanted to host the whole family. This included our family, as well as the families of Franco’s sons – Massimo and Gianni. We all gathered at the standard lunch time and feasted on antipasti (many, many appetizers), primi (a choice of pasta bolognese or zuppa di pesce – my choice was both), secondi (an arrosto di vitello and a turkey that Jen prepared at the request of Gianni). Of course there were plenty of contorni (side dishes) and wonderful wine. When the traditional panettone was served, Gianni thought it would be fun to whip up some crema al mascarpone (mascarpone cream), which we also put in our espresso.
The table is set for the family
Jen brought up some dates stuffed with mascarpone & formaggio di capra, wrapped in prosciutto
One of our favorite types of antipasto – spicy peppers stuff with tuna. Try before you judge, it’s delicious
Julia dressed up in some of her fancy new princess treasures
Gianni’s wife, Giussi helps him whip up some crema al mascarpone
It made for a delicious topper on our espresso
You may think the fun is over by now… but you see – Italians know how to keep a good thing going (i.e. our six-hour meal on Christmas Eve). It should come as no surprise that extending their holidays are no different. On January 6th, La Festa dell’Epifania (The Epiphany) marks the final celebration of the season. Just as Santa Claus often overshadows the birth of Christ, so too does the candy-weilding Befana monopolize the day God revealed his son as a human being. Oh well, presents and candy are certainly more fun than religion and history – especially for a child. Just as Santa flies in his sleigh to deliver presents to the world’s boys and girls, the Befana flies on her broom to leave candy in the socks of children. Although she hasn’t quite racked up the amount of frequent flyer miles as the big guy – she always stops at the border of Italy. Just like her bearded counterpart, she even leaves coal for the bad kids. Although they don’t really come out empty handed – it’s actually carbone dolce (candy shaped coal… which turns out to be pure sugar… as well as my coffee sweetener this past week).
The Befana visits Julia
“Just look at this spread!”
Of course, we missed our friends and family this year – but as far as low-key Christmases go, we sure had a lot of fun (and great food)!
If you are notoriously known for having eyes that are bigger than your stomach, then Italy is the ideal place for you during the holidays. You will eat some of the most delectable food known to man… but you will certainly eat far too much of it! If you possess a willpower stronger than mine and think to yourself, “nonsense Greg, I always stop eating when I am full” then you are mistaken.
A table like this means it’s impossible to pace yourself
First, it is impossible to “budget” your intake. You will definitely want to sample all the delicious and unique treats on the table. The courses come in waves bigger than Australia’s Gold Coast and there is no telling when they will stop crashing on the table. So even if you simply try a little of everything, you’re still going to eat three times more than a normal meal. But that’s hardly the main reason. If you are a visitor in someone’s home, the hostess is absolutely going to give you the largest portions. And before you’re even done, you should expect seconds. This will continue over and over until a cold sweat starts to break above your brow. The trifecta of being force fed occurs if:
A) you are a man (and therefore expected to eat copious amounts of food)
B) you are a visitor from another country (Italians are very hospitable and eager to show off their regional specialties)
C) you are in a house where a nonna (grandma) is present (as if the hostess herself wasn’t enough, a nonna is guaranteed to guilt you into taking another several portions of food)
This trifecta of food-over-indulgence just happened to me during our six hour dinner on Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve). We are blessed to have wonderful neighbors below our condo. Stefano and Aurelia have become great friends of ours. They are among the kindest and most generous people we have had the pleasure of knowing. They have two sons, Giuseppe and Alessio that Julia loves playing with – and the boys are great with her. But there is an added bonus to knowing them that I haven’t yet mentioned. They are from Napoli (Naples)! “So, what’s the big deal” you say? Well, for starters, it means that they know how… to… live! They enjoy having big parties with lots of friends and family – and always with the most amazing food. We have enjoyed many phenomenal dinners with them and have gotten to know their large extended family as well as some of Naples’ most special food secrets.
A panini tower complete with festive cheese stars
A savory cheese torte with shrimp
Croquette di patate con polpa di granchio (potato croquette with crab meat)
We were thrilled when we got the invite to join them on Christmas Eve – we knew that we would be in for a treat. I think that in our minds, we set the bar as high as possible, only to have our lofty expectations shattered by an event even more amazing than our most creative fantasies. You’ll notice that I just called this dinner an event, as opposed to a meal. That’s because there are a few things in Italy that are more than they appear on the surface. Seeing La Traviata in Milan’s famous opera house, Teatro alla Scala is an event. Experiencing the sunrise over Rome’s Colosseum is an event. Finally, Christmas Eve dinner at Aurelia’s house is an event!
We arrived just after the standard “dinner-time” of 7:30 (there was no need for them to tell us arrival time, everyone just knows when to show up). After roughly 10 minutes of hugs and kisses and then another 20 minutes to decide where everyone was sitting, we sat down to start our meal at 8:00pm. The table was already full of antipasti (appetizers). Normally, I would have the self restraint of a blue ribbon hog presiding over a spread like this. However, this time I paced myself, knowing that this was just the tip of the iceberg (I’ve learned a lot over the past year). It was hard to show restraint around the carpaccio di polpo (octopus carpaccio) and ate more than I originally intended – but, it was pretty light after all.
Even though we had place cards – it still took a little while for everyone to find their proper place
Carpaccio di polpo (octopus carpaccio)
Another round of antipasti appeared, this time calamari (squid) in a spicy tomato sauce. Finally, we moved on to the primo (first course), an impressive pasta full of shellfish. Roughly two hours into the meal and we were only on the first course – fantastic! I was given a plate that was quickly removed because it had been determined (unbeknownst to me) that the portion was not sufficient. A portion much larger and impossibly packed with additional seafood appeared an instant later. The linguine pasta mixed perfectly with eye-popping amounts of clams, shrimp, mussels and calamari.
Aurelia’s niece serves some of the calamari
I couldn’t get a picture before everyone dug in… sorry!
The beautiful pasta dish was presented
My own plate, complete with a fuller portion
You’ve likely noticed a consistent theme to the meal by now. Our dinner was comprised almost entirely of seafood dishes. Jen and I were under the impression that the meal we were enjoying is what is commonly known as, “The Feast of Seven Fishes” and so we asked one of the guests about it. The answer was so perfectly Italian. “No, there is no number of fish. You just eat fish.” That’s it. Case closed. No “Feast of Seven Fishes”. Just fish, because… you eat fish. It turns out that the “Feast of Seven Fishes” is more of an Italian-American thing than an Italian thing. Obviously, there is truth to the tradition of eating fish. However, there is no hard and fast rule about the number of fish – you just eat as much as the hostess has time to cook (this is coming from the Napolitani – the people that started the tradition). If you’re looking for “The Feast of Seven Fishes,” you’re better off booking a flight to the Jersey shore than you would be to Italy.
After the pasta, we were finally able to move to our secondo (main course). Stefano presented a fish that any man would be proud to claim as his own – a fish large enough to feed a small village. In our case, it would feed a small apartment building. They also served another traditional fish, baccala – which is a salted and dried cod. For the preparation, they chose to lightly fry it. Our contorni (side dishes) were fried carciofi (artichokes) and fried cavolfiore (cauliflower).
Stefano and Aurelia bring out the fish
Stefano skillfully divides the fish
The fried baccala
The fried artichokes
At this point in the meal, any normal human would beg for mercy. He would pray that the food would cease to appear. But there is always that tiny little voice (perhaps due to a food-induced hallucination) in the back of his mind saying, “I wonder what’s next.” Well, in this case it was the most amazing platter of gamberoni (king prawns) that you’ve ever seen. Magically, the platter got completely re-filled once the first supply had dwindled. My plate quickly became an overgrown graveyard of prawn shells.
We stopped eating long enough for Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) to bring presents for all the kids
Franco shows us how to balance a coin on the edge of his glass
The nonna next to him had the line of the night – “I don’t drink water at the table. Only wine. Always.”
Success!
The gamberoni appear
Not everyone made it the full six hours without a power nap
As we crossed past midnight and into Natale (Christmas), the prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) flowed freely. My guesstimate is roughly eight bottles of the bubbly were popped over the course of the evening. After dinner wound down, the fruit appeared. But not your typical fruit plate – more of your, “let’s go harvest a field of fruit and put it in this basket” type of presentation. Same thing for the nuts. Then we had our first dessert – a carpaccio of pineapple, sweetened with sugar and adorned with currant and blueberries. And then, the main dessert! A homemade yule log made of chocolate and compete with the wood graining and extra trees for decoration. It was delicious. Guess who got the biggest piece – larger than any normal dessert after a regular-sized meal! As if that wasn’t enough dessert, regional specialties from the best pastry shops in Naples appeared. Jen and I searched for any spare millimeter of space left in our stomachs – we simply had to sample each one. Lastly, we needed our espresso and grappa. I went with a barrel aged Brunello grappa – I was pleased with my choice.
Fresh fruit – oranges, mandarins and lychee
A mixture of nuts
A pineapple carpaccio
The chocolate yule log
I love when Stefano appears with any kind of bag of homemade goodies
In this case, it was a unique homemade cookie typical of Naples
The grappa was the last thing to appear
It was nearly 2:00am (six hours later) when we started our long walk home (truthfully, I couldn’t have made it any further than a single flight of stairs). Jen and I crawled into bed, completely satisfied after eating one of the most amazing meals we have ever had. We both gave thanks that Julia was not old enough to wake us at the crack of dawn, eager over Santa’s arrival. Of course, Jen and I were sad to not be with our immediate family this Christmas, but we were grateful that we were adopted by such a warm and loving family here in Italy. And of course, it didn’t hurt that they provided the event of a lifetime.
Robert Downey Jr. will be the first to tell you that you never go full Italian. But if you’re planning on living in Italy for more than a few months… the chances of going “full Italian” are pretty strong. Truly being an Italian is rooted deeper than the country in which you live or the ancestors to which you are tied. Being Italian is a state of mind. It will affect the way you think, the way you eat and the way you love. Did I mention that it will affect the way you eat?
If you’re unsure whether or not you’ve gone “full Italian” – here is a list of telltale signs. The longer you live in Italy, the more susceptible you are to each and every point. If you’re happy with the changes (perhaps the improved fashion sense and appreciation of wine) – stroll in to your favorite enoteca and plan to stay a little longer. However, if the changes scare you (perhaps the increased volume at which you speak or your daily critique of the food you’re eating) – well then, hop on the first olive oil freighter and high-tail it home (there’s one leaving now… there’s another one… and another one…).
1. YOUR HAND WORKS IN CONJUNCION WITH YOUR MOUTH
This is probably the first visible transformation as you begin to morph into a full Italian. When you consistently discover your thumb meeting your other four fingers as if you’re tenderly cupping a tiny quail egg… and then shake it vigorously up and down like you intend to scramble it inside the shell – you’re starting to look a lot like a local. Italians are very expressive and use their hands to illustrate their points. Apart from hand gestures working in harmony with your words, speaking with just your hands is a language unto itself. The same gesture can mean, “he’s always late”, “that’s expensive”, “that’s inexpensive”, “stop busting my chops”… and much, much more.
2. IT’S SEVENTY DEGREES AND SUNNY BUT YOU’RE WEARING A SCARF
OK, it’s seventy and sunny – but is it November? Oh, well in that case – you’d better have your scarf on. And a hat and a heavy coat and two layers beneath it and don’t forget the gloves, just in case. You did say it was November, right? Italians dress for the season – not the weather. This means that no matter what the weather brings – you can always tell who is Italian and who is just visiting. I turned every head in my grocery store when we first moved here by shopping for toilet paper wearing shorts and flip flops… in February.
Scarf… check. Hat…check. Gloves…check. Big puffy coat…check. “Mom, am I supposed to be sweating this much?”
3. YOU CAN SET YOUR WATCH TO YOUR STOMACH
The time lunch starts deviates slightly throughout the country – people eat earlier in the north than they do in the south, but one thing never changes. You eat at the exact same time as everyone else in your region, every… single…day. This means planning an entire day around lunch. Shops are closed for lunch, parks are emptied for lunch – basically the country shuts down until lunch is over. You can’t schedule a visit to another city unless the timing of that visit works with your lunch plans. Once accustomed to the dietary habits of your region, don’t deviate from the script or your stomach will start kicking harder than, Dominic the Christmas Donkey.
“I’m hungry… let’s get some lunch!”
4. IT’S TIME FOR COFFEE… AGAIN
I don’t mean the Starbucks 20 oz coffee that gets you through the morning drive. I mean an espresso – quickly and skillfully delivered by a barista that will make a thousand more in the same day. You can drink your coffee at the bar or at the table, with a little milk or without – but you’re virtually required to have more than one. You’ll need your coffee with biscotti(breakfast cookies) in the morning, a mid-morning coffee, another immediately after lunch, an afternoon cafe and possibly one after dinner. And that’s if you’re conservative – we have friends and family that drink as many as a dozen espressos’ in a day. The Italians didn’t invent coffee – but they elevated drinking it into a form of art.
“15 espresso’s a day multiplied by 7 days a week divided by 24 hours in a day times 31 days in a month…
forget it! Bring me another coffee!!”
5. YOU SERVE BREAD WITH EVERY MEAL
This was a great mystery to me. There is always bread served with every meal, but no one ever seemed to eat it (you don’t eat it withyour pasta and by the time your secondohas arrived, it’s too late). Magically, the bread always disappears and yet everyone in the country remains skinny. I thought there must be an overweight fatina dei pane (bread fairy) flying across tabletops with an insatiable appetite for baked goods. What I learned is that Italians eat the bread in moderation and at specific points in the meal (as a conduit for sugo, for example). When you can skillfully (and secretly) devour the appropriate portion of bread – you have mastered one of the finest and least-known Italian skills.
Keep an eye out for the Italian Bread Fairy to help you eat your bread
6. YOU CAN FIND THE COUNTERPOINT IN ANY DISCUSSION
You know that you’ve gone full Italian the moment you voluntarily enter into the arena of Italy’s most popular sport – discussing politics. Once you start cutting and slicing across your political talking points like a young Barry Sanders dancing across the Silverdome, you’ve reached the Champion’s League of your Italian-ness. A less challenging, but still very “Italian” way of thinking is to engage in a conversation at argument-level volume by simply disagreeing. Or better yet – agreeing, but doing it so loudly that non-Italian passerby’s surely think you are involved in a spate with a mortal enemy… not a good friend.
Bonus points if you can use an Italian soccer play in your analogy as opposed to American Football player.
“Heyyy, I told you I wanted a BIG salami”
“I told YOU, that WAS a big salami!”
7. YOU WILL LITERALLY GIVE THE SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK
Living in Italy is good for your soul – especially when it alters how you treat other people. It is impossible not to let the infectious Italian generosity and hospitality seep into your persona. Embrace the change and soon you’ll find yourself at the airport at 1:30am – picking up a cousin’s friend that his girlfriend met in college six years ago. But you’ll be glad that you can be the one to help and you’ll surely get rewarded for your efforts somewhere down the line. When you’re willing to give someone in need the shirt of your back – even if it’s Armani; you are on your way to full Italian.
“Here, take mine. I’ll get another one”
8. YOU ACCELERATE WHEN YOU SHOULD BRAKE
Everything you’ve seen, heard or read about Italian drivers is true. Little old ladies whisk past at 140 km per hour. Motorcycles weave dangerously into oncoming traffic. When you can safely and comfortably join the challenging dance that is played out on the winding Italian roads each day – you’ve become a native. Bonus points for any guy that can drive a Fiat 500 and still look like a typical Italian ladies man.
“Vai! Vai! Let’s go! Move it, buddy!”
9. YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF SKINNY JEANS MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A 90’s RAPPER
When you first moved to Italy, it’s highly likely that you bought some nice clothes so that you didn’t stick out too badly. You probably bought an expensive pair of jeans and even purchased a cut that is skinnier that you’re used to. Once you’ve lived in Italy long enough, you’ll think that “skinny” cut is so baggy you are not sure how you ever dared don those parachute pants in public (and that accounts for the extra 10 pasta pounds you’re sure to have gained). Italians wear their clothes very fitted, very tailored and very well. You’ll also discover that your fashion tastes in general have changed – a puffy winter coat? How could you have ever lived without one?!
Julia wouldn’t be caught dead without her puffy coat and skinny jeans
10. YOU THINK YOU’RE BERLUSCONI WHEN YOU PARK YOUR CAR
Italians drive fast and they drive aggressively. Parking is no different – forget circling around the block, looking for a spot. You can comfortably double or triple park your car and then casually stroll into your favorite coffee bar for an espresso. Airport run? Throw your parking brake on and walk in to wait for your arrival. It’s always amazing that everyone is so comfortable leaving his or her car parked illegally. If they do actually get a ticket – the issuing officer better not be nearby, lest they get an earful about having the audacity to ticket such a law-abiding citizen. When you can leave your car in the middle of a busy intersection with less stress than boiling an egg – you’ve definitely gone… full Italian.
“What sign?! I never saw a sign!”
So there you have it – ten telltale signs that you’ve “gone full Italian”. Have you developed some or all of these habits (whether intentional or not)? If the answer is “yes” – then pull out the grappa and make sure your meal is properly digested… you are an Italian. If not, stay a little longer – it’s only a matter of time.
If you’ve read a couple of our recent Christmas posts, you may notice a consistent theme over and over. We have been thoroughly enjoying the official drink of the season, vin brulé from the markets of Alto-Adige to the lakeside shores of Lugano, Switzerland. I promise you, we are by no means a pair of winos – but I’m pretty sure it’s against the law not to have a vin brulé in your hands as you stroll through the Christmas markets.
Homemade vin brulé
We have been having so much fun thawing the chill from our bones with this delicious winter drink that we thought we should make it at home for ourselves. I have to say, for our first attempt – it was pretty darn good! And since we enjoyed this easy and delicious recipe so much, we decided it was only fair to share it with you. Of course, that meant that we had to go back to the test kitchen and whip up another batch!
What is vin brulé, you ask? You may know it better as mulled wine or glühwein (it is a very common German drink). No matter what you call it – it is basically a red wine heated over a flame, sweetened with sugar and seasoned with spices and fruit. The result is nothing short of perfection. You are sure to find the drink in just about any of the thousands of holiday markets set up all over Europe in December.
Here’s how it is made (follow closely… nah, just kidding. It’s pretty easy).
Ingredients (serving for four)
>1.5 liters of red wine (a lot will cook down)
>1.5 cups of sugar
>4 to 8 cloves
>Nutmeg to taste
>2 cinnamon sticks
>2 mandarins (you can also use a small orange)
Your ingredients – feel free to add or subtract items
The great thing about the ingredients for this recipe is that they don’t have to be exact. You can use what you have lying around. If you like more nutmeg flavor – go ahead and add it. This is completely based on personal preference.
Directions
>Slice some of the citrus peels and set them aside
>Grate the zests of one of the manderian and add to a pot with the sugar, cloves, cinnamon and citrus peels
>Add about one cup of the wine and cook on a high heat until everything blends together. This will create a thick almost syrup like liquid that is infused with tones of Christmas flavor. You don’t want to use all of your wine because cooking it at this high heat will burn off the alcohol
>Add the remaining wine and reduce the heat to a low simmer
>Serve and enjoy!
Add the ingredients
Add one cup of the wine
Cook over a high heat
There you have it! Easy and delicious!
We wanted to be sure to post this recipe on Christmas, with the hope that you make this delicious and easy drink on your own today or tonight. You have our personal guarantee that it will increase your festive cheer by 19.6%. That’s 4.6% higher than the next best thing… not getting underwear in your stocking.
