Greasy, Fried Meat and Cheese? Czech!

In effort to gain some perspective on world food, not just Italy, this week I will branch out a little. I had the opportunity to spend my weekend in Prague, and got a whole new taste of food.

The main thing about Prague is beer, it's cheaper than water in fact, so the first night we went to Pivovarsky Dum, a local place famous for their beer. (Check out the link! Thank god for my Let's Go Travel Guide!)We tried a sampling of 8 different beers ranging from light, to wheat, to dark, and even nettle( yes, it's a green beer). For the main meal, I took my books recommendation and tried the Brewmaster's Pocket. Yes, believe it or not, it is "deep fried pork stuffed with cheese and more pork". The dish came with not one piece but two! If I would have known it was so big I may not have taken the waitress' recommendation to add fries on the side. This much meat is something I haven't seen since the start of my trip to Italy, and the beer was definitely a nice break from wine. I would have to say, in comparison to the US, Czech food seems much closer to the greasy, fried loves of Americans.

Street food was next on the list. For my lunches on the trip I enjoyed a fried cheese sandwich and a Bohemian sausage. The fried cheese is just what you might think....a deep fried patty of cheese on an even more delicious bun. I couldn't tell you what kind of cheese it was but for just over a euro, I couldn't care less. The Bohemian sausage stayed true to Czech style, being incredibly cheap and incredibly large. I almost left the country without trying someone and I would have missed out on one of my best meals in Prague.

Our second and final dinner in Prague was I'm afraid much of the same. But can you blame me for stuffing my face with pork on my one weekend to get it in any restaurant I choose? Again with the help of my guidebook we discovered a small, underground, tavern-like place called Restaurace Tlusta Mys, or in English, The Fat Mouse. (If you cannot read the website, at the very least click on the door to see pictures that can help you capture the feel of the restaurant). I had another pork dish this time one with cheese and bacon. I added 4 potato pancakes on the side. While this food was a little less than last nights, the side could have probably been skipped but again.....how could I pass it up? The price at this place also made me smile as it cost just about 7 euro for our pork, the side, and water to drink.

Prague was like a breath of fresh air for me. Just as I was feeling like I couldn't eat another piece of pizza or look at another bowl of pasta, my diet transformed into a greasy, cheesy delight. Prague is not without it's Italian influence though. We found many places claiming to have the best Italian wines or Italian pizza you could find. Seeing such an obsession with Italian food reminds me I am in one of the best places to eat and drink in the world, and with that I am ready to tackle the pizza and pasta once more.

I'd Do Anything For A Pork Sandwich...

Today I set out on a journey for a pork sandwich. No seriously, I did. Ariccia, a small town about an hour outside of Rome, is famous for its Porchetta. We took the train into the town of Albano Laziale and from there, had no clue how to get to Ariccia. We finally made our way into the town and were immediately greeted with the smells of porchetta. There were tons of trattorias everywhere offering porchetta by the kilo, on a sandwich, and as an appetizer.

We ended up choosing Cioli as our place to try this tasty, local treat.  We entered in the tiny establishment and ordered. For only 3.50 we got a sandwich on a roll that was to die for.

As we were waiting for our food, I noticed there were many stickers on the door detailing the accolades of the establishment. Gambero Rosso has recognized this company for the last 7 years! That's when you know you've got some good porchetta. 

While the company's website details its history and its products, in both English and Italian, it is important to share that porchetta is made by taking the bones out of the pork before cooking, and then carving directly....If you look closely at the picture of the front of the place, you can see the meat that was carved for my sandwich. The shape closely resembles the pig, as the meat is simply cut right from the roast. 

If you can stand eating pork just the slightest bit, I promise you won't be disappointed by the porchetta you will find in Ariccia. I would highly recommend a visit to anyone, and I can say it really is worth doing just about anything for that pork sandwich....

When in Rome.....Taste Wine!

This weekend I had my first true Roman experience. I attended Vini Naturali a Roma, a wine tasting festival held annually in Rome. It was at the Hotel Columbus which I discovered was just steps from the entrance to St. Peter's Square. 

 When I first entered the hotel I soon discovered I was the only American around. I bought my ticket, one of the best things I could have spent my 20 euro on, and headed in. I was first greeted with a table of glasses so out of instinct I picked one up and climbed the stairs to see what was in store for me. 

What I found was even more amazing than I expected. The room was so crowded! Everyone had their glass in hand, tasting some wine and speaking with the vendors. I spent the first 15 minutes of my stay in the corner just watching to try and figure out what to do! I observed how to taste wine and how to approach the vendors and use these small black canisters to dispose of any drips from your previous wine. I took my first chance and went up to a table for a glass of red wine. As I had observed, I swirled the wine in  my glass, stuck my nose inside to smell it, and then slowly took a sip. I now realize what I have been missing out on! The wine was some of the best I had tasted and my other choices throughout the event did not disappoint either. I then entered the next rooms and gave some white wines a try. I could not believe how many people were packed into these small rooms and how every person there was not necessarily a food or wine critic, but they knew exactly what they were doing and what they were tasting. 

Finally, I noticed a booth advertising its olive oil, that had bread samples to try with it. I stopped to take a closer look and found myself looking at a slow food company! I was particularly interested as we have discussed this movement in class so I picked up some flyers to read about the company and their participation in this movement. My Italian only got me so far, but I was able to gather that they produce their olive oil in a planet friendly way and take pride in advertising the philosophy of slow food. The olive oil itself was not my favorite, but I was happy to learn about a familiar concept at the event.

While I can in now way even begin to classify myself as someone who knows something about wine, this event has definitely sparked my interest. It was so cool to be the only american around and go unnoticed and really observe the event. It is amazing to me just how many people know about wine. In the United States you have to have a particular interest in wine or wine making as a hobby, or have some exposure to wine in your line of work to really have an idea about what you are tasting or how to taste it. Here it is so different. The common person is expected to know what kinds of wine are made from what kind of grapes (they aren't included on the label) and how to serve each wine and what to drink it with. I was happy to spend my first Roman/Italian experience here and I look forward to much more eavesdropping on culture!

Pass the Protein!

One of the big things I've noticed about Italian cuisine....they don't eat much meat! Compared to America, where  you would have a struggle finding a dish without meat, or the option of it anyways, Italy is seriously lacking in it's meat options.

After ordering a beef kabob dish in Milan, see below, I was certain I would have my meat fix and could go back to my daily pasta. The beef was absolutely wonderful and I am glad we stumbled upon the Argentine place, 3cafe, thanks to my Let's Go Europe Guide.

But I soon found out a taste of a meat dish had me wanting more. I am ashamed to say I have purchased and tried, and quite good by the way, Italian Hot Dogs. Despite my best efforts at translation I cannot tell you what kind of meat they were made from, but they added some much needed protein to my diet, of that I am sure. I think the most embarrassing part about buying hot dogs in Rome, is that there's a fairly decent selection of meat at the supermarket, I just have no clue what to do with it that will make it into something resembling a local dish.

As I write this entry, I am searching the internet for some recipes to try and to avoid being so American. I seem to be having little luck, as every dish I seem to find then turns out to not be an authentic Italian dish at all! In doing a little more research on the Mediterranean Diet I find that the Italian diet is increasing in protein and it is leading to rising rates of obesity in children. So they are actually trying to avoid protein! I am all for trying lean proteins and similarly trying new things all together, but I need to add some meat back into my diet in some form soon. Some other articles have mentioned replacing red meat especially with nuts. Maybe I'll just stick to peanuts.....