From Pizza to Paella: A Trip to Spain

Taking a break from my usual talk of Italian food, I spent this past weekend in Barcelona, Spain...where pizza and pasta come right from the box, but fish is served fresh from the source. So, I did my best to consume only Spanish food and as much seafood as possible. And let me say by making this choice I was not disappointed.

For my first meal in Spain, lunch in fact, we went to a small cafe on the water. Since it was warm weather I went for a tuna fish salad, something nice and cool. It was not as I was expecting...like a tuna fish salad would be at home, but it was even better. As shown below, the tuna, so fresh I could barely stand it, was served on tomatoes and a bed of lettuce and onions. Even though the heat can sometimes take away my appetite I ate every last bite.

For dinner that same night I kept with my stand and we ate at a seafood place. The name of the restaurant was Somorrosto, and I have my Let's Go Europe Book to thank for finding such a great place.

The first thing to understand about Spaniards is that they eat their dinner very late, even by Italian standards. We got to the restaurant around 9:30 and had to wait and were not seated until 10:15....because the restaurant was so crowded. Even then, people were still sitting down to start their meals as late as 11:30.  To read more about Spanish eating habits, take a look at this great article from Spanish Lifestyle Magazine. Anyways, once we were seated, we were quick to order pan con tomate....a starter of bread with tomatoes, and a pitcher of sangria to share.

My friends ordered ravioli with brie cheese and shrimp and I ordered a sauteed prawns dish. As I ordered the waitress looked at me hesitantly saying it was a starter dish and may have less than 10 prawns. I'm not sure about you but  where I come from 10 prawns is a feast. When I got my meal I found that the prawns were the size of a small shrimp, but there were still 16 for me to enjoy, clearly an entire meal. I could barely finish it in fact, but the quality of the seafood was far too good for me to leave some on my plate. I would certainly recommend this place to anyone visiting and would also recommend trying these dishes or something like them. The pan con tomate is found just about everywhere and is an essential starter or tapas choice.

My second day I explored two long standing Spanish traditions, tapas and paella. Fof lunch, we stopped at a cafe on the street and ordered paella. While we ordered chicken, or mix, paella, the dish started in Valencia containing seafood. Paella has much history behind it and it's important to understand before you can look into the food of Spain.

For dinner, we had a friend who is studying in Barcelona take us to an authentic Catalan tapas place. I ordered Cava to drink, a Spanish sparkling wine, and was able to munch on all sorts of traditional dishes that our entire table ordered. The entire concept of tapas was very interesting to me, and I especially loved experiencing it at a place where we had to ask for recommendations....because they didn't have an English menu.

If there is one other thing to take away from this experience, besides the incredible food, it is my new outlook on food media. The friend who brought us to the tapas bar had found the place on a food blog.  A Catalan women had posted about her favorite places and it has now become a go to place for an international student. I keep this blog up weekly, talking about my food experiences, but it never occurred to me to use this platform in reverse.  While clearly my opinions can never compete with a locals, it is interesting to really start to think of all the ways digital media can be used to spread food traditions around the world. With this blog, I set out to compare the food in the United States to that of Italy, and various other countries a long the way. I think now I have found a very important similarity, tradition. Whether its tapas, pizzas, or burgers and fries, there is always something to talk about. I guess you can say I had my break through today. And maybe when I am back in the United States I'll pay a little more attention to how it all works ,and to participating in American traditions I've never even heard of........

Gelato Showdown

MMMMMM gelato. Before your mouth starts watering too much.....I've decided today to shed some light on the gelato scene in Rome....and let people know there is more than the number one place listed in guide books to find fantastic gelato. In fact, I may have found a place to top it.


Giolitti.....known all over Rome as the best place to find Gelato. Dozens of flavors to choose from, a massive size small cone, the option for cone or cup, and the perfect location just steps from the Pantheon. Seems to have it all right? I would agree with you...until I met another contender. While I still give Giolitti its well deserved props for number of flavors and the option of cones ( I am a cone person myself), I have to say I may have found my new favorite pistachio in town.


Introducing.....Il Gelato di San Crispino.

Located just steps from the Trevi Fountian...another quite ideal location....San Crispino takes us back to the way gelato should be done. They have a limited number of flavors....but they are all done perfectly. The gelato is kept in tin canisters and covered...giving off a professional vibe...not to mention authentic. They only serve in a cup here....this is simply to preserve the flavor of their gelato. I must admit I've been spoiled by the number of options other places, however what they do have they do right. San Crispino is definitely the place for fruit lovers and for those who prefer to step away from the run of the mill chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

You can feast your eyes on pictures and all sorts of information on these two places here:

Giolitti

Il Gelato di San Crispino


When in the mood for pistachio, I will be doing my best to head back to San Crispino. However, when I'm ready for some chocolate or just really craving my cone, there really is no place like Giolitti. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to find a contender to Giolitti. I now have more than one option for finding fantastic Gelato. But don't let my thoughts sway you....try them both to decide who really has the best selection, the best prices, and the best pistachio in town.

Seven Days Without Pizza Makes One Weak

Does this apply to you? Pizza lovers around the world I invite you to listen up and start to drool as you hear about one of the most famous pizzerias in the world, Antica Pizzeria Da Michele.

This pizza place is located in the birthplace of pizza, Naples. At any given time you can find nearly an hour  wait to get one of these pies. They sell just two kinds, margherita and marinara, both traditional pizzas to Naples. If you think that sounds awfully plain, its clear then that you haven't tasted it. While you can read much of the history on the website, and I won't bore you with it here, it was started in 1906, is a small, traditionally run place, and they use only the finest ingredients. If you are lucky enough to get a seat in the first room, which I was, you can see them make the dough, add the ingredients, and put the pizzas in the oven, take them out, and put them right on your plate. Be prepared to sit at a shared table, wait in crazy lines, and maybe even eat your meal on the quick side, but I promise you you will not find a better pizza.

If my pictures aren't enough to have you convinced, maybe you'll trust Rick Steves, along with authors of various other guidebooks, who list it as a top place to go. Without buying his book, you can see what Rick has to say here on youtube. Start the video at about :49 if you're not interested in what he has to say about the streets of Naples.

Also, those of you who are avid readers or movie goers may recognize this place as mentioned in the book turned movie "Eat, Pray, Love". Julia Roberts, or her character, attends this pizzeria in Naples to get the feel for the birthplace of pizza. You can see the clip, also from youtube, here.

If your ever anywhere Naples, in Rome or somewhere you can sort of consider close, there is no place better for pizza. Don't worry, you can easily fit The Pompeii Ruins and a pizza in all in one simple day trip from Rome. We did.

Venice...the land of tourists, water ,and seafood!

While I won't get too much into the touristy things, I must comment that Venice is a magical city and you simply must try and make it there once in your life. Nothing can compare to the feeling of walking off the train and expecting a crowded street, and getting a canal instead. Pictures and stories really cannot do it justice so while I realize I am about to tell stories and show pictures of Venetian food, trust me you should just go see for yourself.

The first thing I will say is to never, in any city, underestimate the power of a picnic. Italy is famous for its cold cuts and cheeses, and of course wine, so I highly recommend taking the time to have a picnic Italian style. We went into a little meat shop and bought some salami and cheese (Asiago and Pecorino) and some potato chips as a side. I had brought a bottle of wine with me from a vineyard visit, so the last stop was a local Forno for some fresh baked rolls. It was perfect to enjoy inside or out, and after ordering in Italian, the owners spoke no English, I felt truly Italian even if just for one meal.

Now on to the big stuff. SEAFOOD! There is no shortage of it in Venice and you can find some of the best around if you know where to look. We stopped at a place near the Rialto Bridge that advertised for its attentive selection of fresh seafood. We were not disappointed. I split the grilled Sea Bass and potatoes with my mom....while my dad enjoyed a spaghetti and clams dish.

The history of seafood in Venice, and the role it played in their trade empire is something to read about. While again, I can say stories cannot do it justice, you can get a good sense of the Seafood culture in Venice here. I hope you enjoy the stories and pictures, but mostly I hope you can make it there to try for yourself!

Forget the Art.....Let's talk about Food!

While Florence is known for its wonderful selection of art and leather goods, I toured both major art museums and spent way too much money on leather trust me, I was most surprised by the great food! I suppose when you think of Tuscany as a whole you think food and wine but it didn't always register with Florence in particular. It didn't take long for me to think of Florence as food and wine as well. I spent two nights in Florence, thats 6 meals, and I didn't have anything close to a "just ok" meal. For lunch, I experienced my first Olio, a little bar that sells sandwiches and the like. I had the luxury of sharing and got to eat half of an eggplant sandwich and half of a salami and cheese sandwich. There were different bread options as well as the option of a side of fries. I was proud to have ordered for myself and my parents entirely in Italain, and was even prouder of our food selections (see below).

Our first dinner allowed us to sample the staples, each of us had some version of beef a la Florentine....and none of us were disappointed. You can read this article to get a grasp of what the "a la Florentine" really means and how a dish is prepared in this manner. Of course we also had to have the classic Chianti wine of Tuscany with our meal, and based off of my wine tasting training, however limited, I was able to taste the true Chianti flavor and enjoyed the wine near the place of its origin.


Our second dinner experience was much different, but fun and exciting. We signed up for a 3 course "meal deal" including wine, water, primi, secondi, and side for a flat fee. This small trattoria style restaurant was perfect to capture the small town feel and I felt like I was eating in a true Italian kitchen. The restaurant also permitted street musicians to enter the restaurant so we got to listen to some nice accordion music while enjoying our meal. Between the three of us eating, we were able to capture a good sampling of traditional Italain dishes. Tortollini, Penne arrabiata, and spaghetti bolonese as well as Tuscan sausage, chicken, and pork chop. We left this adorable little place fatter and happier and ready to rave about the food of Florence right along side the art and the shopping.

Suppli......It's For You!

I have to come to discover...and naturally love...on of Rome's street food treasures. Suppli. Suppli is a delicious treat mainly consisting of rice, cheese, and bread crumbs all deep fried. What's not to love about a piping hot, filling, deep fried snack? Suppli al Telefono, the full name for this fritter, comes from a common name that just kinda stuck. After you take a bite the mozzarella in the middle tends to form long strings that have always reminded people of telephone lines. The name kinda stuck from there. I have only had a few suppli in my time in Rome, while delicious it's probably not the best snack to turn to for your waistline. My first (pictured below) was from one of our favorite pizza places near our school, Zucchero e Farina.

My second place for suppli came on a recommendation from friends. I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but it comes from a place called VIP (Very Italian Pizza). Terrible I know, and as a resident of Rome for 4 months I vowed to never enter such a blatantly touristy place. However, I have to say their suppli was excellent, I was very impressed. You'll notice I have mentioned two pizza places. This is the most common place to find suppli on the street and now that I have become aware of them I have seen very few pizza places without them. I highly recommend suppli as a part of anyone's Roman experience and I feel even better about saying so considering I can provide a fairly easy recipe to those of you who may never make it here.  I haven't tried it myself, I only stumbled upon it yesterday In my Food History textbook, but with using similar ingredients I have a hard time imagining it could be bad.

The following recipe comes from "Food and Culture in Italy" by Fabio Parasecoli

Rice Croquettes (Suppli al Telefono)

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound short-grain rice
4 cups hot beef broth
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
5 eggs
1 tablespoon minced parsley
nutmeg
2 ounces boiled ham, diced
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
1 cup flour
1 cup dry bread crumbs
oil for frying
salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the rice and stir till it is translucent. Add a ladle of broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring occasionally. Keep on adding broth ladle after ladle, always waiting for the broth to be absorbed before adding more broth, until the rice is almost done. Add a third of the grated parmigian reggiano and stir. Remove the rice from the heat, spread it on a wet marble surface (or a large cutting board). and let it cool completely. When it is cold, put it in a big bowl and mix it with the remaining parmigiano reggiano, the eggs, a pinch of nutmeg, the parsley, and salt. Make small, elongated balls with the rice mixture, inserting a piece of diced ham and mozzarella in the center of each. Beat the remaining 2 eggs in a small bowl. Dip the rice ball in the flour, the n in the beaten eggs, and then in the bread crumbs. Fry in abundant oil and serve the suppli hot.

Enjoy!

Way Down South....

This past weekend I traveled to Lecce, a small town in Puglia, located in the very southeast of Italy. We weren't blessed with great weather for the trip, but we were still able to enjoy our food. It's important to understand that restaurants are not as plentiful here as they are in bigger cities like Rome and Milan. We had to go hunting just to find a place to eat. But never fear, there were dozens of pastry shops around every corner so we were never short of sweets and goodies. We stopped at a place right on the main square for some dessert after a long day of being cold and wet. We tried some common pastries as well as some things specific to carnivale. 

We ate our first dinner at a little place off the beaten path and found ourselves alone in the restaurant. Despite being determined to speak Italian, the waiter was more excited to practice his English and this is the one moment all trip we spoke English to a local. I ordered the Tria e Ciciari, a traditional dish consisting of fried pasta and chickpeas. In my searches to learn more about the dish I came across this webpage that talks more about the dish and tells how to make it. I really enjoyed it and I may even get adventurous one day and try to make it myself (but don't count on me actually rolling out the pasta myself)! 

In the traditional Italian style, for our last meal in Lecce we had an enormous lunch. We split an antipasti that consisted of fried potatoes, fried eggplant, and some other fried goodies. Thank goodness we split it between the two of us or that could have been a meal in itself!

Our main course was, of course my favorite, gnocchi. My dish had a mushroom and tomato basil sauce and you could tell at the first bite the gnocchi was homemade. We were also given fresh out of the oven bread with our meal, which was amazingly dirt cheap! 

We noticed both nights that the water and cover charges were much less in Lecce than in the other big cities we have visited. The wine for our dinner was cheaper as well, just 4 euro for a 1/2 liter! I was very happy to have tried a traditional dish from Lecce and despite going out of my comfort zone I was not disappointed. I am now officially a fan of the food way down south.....and I'll raise a glass to fried pasta and chickpeas any day!