Tuesday at the Table

So I've taken you through our time in Paris, to Beaune, Bern, the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and on to Munich. At long last, we reached Italy. On this trip, everything prior had been new to us, but Italy... Italy was familiar.

In Venice, where Al Peoceto Risorto is located in the Rialto fish market just a few steps from the famous bridge, we had the most delicious fish dinner. Not surprising, since we were surrounded by water. There was pasta too that night, and it was obviously so enticing I gobbled it down before getting a photo. But the fish dish - with vegetables, garlic cloves, and olives - and tiramisu, too, were a real treat, and just part of a magical night with our group.



And after discovering the Spritz aperitif last time we were in Venice, of course we had to hunt down where we'd first tried them, so we did that the first evening we were on our own. The tiny bar had changed hands, but the drinks were no less delicious, and we enjoyed chatting with the owner as he sat on the stoop, all the while watching the neighborhood play and stroll in the piazza. It wasn't easy leaving Art Cafe Venezia and our hosts Lucia and Andrea, not knowing when we'd be back. But you can bet we'll be thinking of them every time we enjoy a Spritz at home.



Then we were off to Florence, another city that held fond memories for us, as it was where we first stepped into Italy years ago. (You may remember me recreating that first trip in fabric.) Anyway, of course there's the pizza, much thinner, and simpler, if you will. But truly delicious. We lunched at Trattoria Zà Zà at the suggestion of our tour guide, and were not disappointed. Pizza everywhere we went came whole, uncut, and one pie per person. I guess we could have ignored the trend, but why? And then after lunch, we wandered over to EATALY, which we had visited first when we went to Chicago for a long weekend a few years ago. It was really a treat to visit one IN Italy.



Our tour ended in Rome, where for our final group dinner, we gathered at Cuoco e Camicia Ristorante, which was lovely and elegant, and where every bite was savored. The photos don't do justice but the Arancini (rice balls stuffed with cheese in tomato sauce), Orecchiette (with broccoli sauce, sausage, and cheese), and Tiramisu Chocolate Mouse were each exquisite.



And then we were on our own for a day before flying home, so why not take a cooking class, right? We walked to Rimessa Roscioli, where our instructor Lily met us at the door. Wouldn't you know we were the only two that signed up that day, so we got a private lesson, from working in the kitchen with her to cut the guanciale for the Carbonara we'd make, to each rolling out and filling pasta, mixing and forming meatballs, and whipping up some Tiramisu for dessert. We ended up making three different pasta dishes - Amatriciana, Carbonara and Cacio e Pepe - and at the end, we sat and enjoyed wine-pairings as we ate what we'd created. SO MUCH great food, each dish better than the one before.



So that's the end of my little trip review.... makes me want to get into the kitchen and cook up a memory soon!

Tuesday at the Table

When a friend asked how the jet-lag was, I basically said it wasn't an issue, but I may have spoken too soon. I mean I'm making it through the days well enough, but when it IS time to sleep (or nap!) I'm sleeping SO hard. Can't get enough. But that's ok! It's great to be home. Yet the sleep thing reminds me that we're still catching up from pretty strenuous travel to amazing places. And I like being reminded.

We spent just one night in Beaune, an endearing little town in France's Burgundy region. According to Wikipedia, "The annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. (The hospice structure, in the town center, being one of the best preserved renaissance buildings in Europe.)" Interesting! And we got to visit Hotel-Dieu and taste some great wine at a winery in town, Debray Domain. But the other thing Beaune is know for is.... beef bourguignon. So of course we had to hunt some down for dinner the one night we were there. Thankfully it wasn't hard. I did a google search for 'best beef bourguignon near me' (this is serious stuff!) and landed on Le Bistrot Bourguignon, and it did not disappoint. We arrived, though, before the kitchen opened (this is Europe, you know), and were intimidated by all the locals at the bar, and we actually walked away. But for reasons I don't remember, we turned and went back, and asked in our halting French if we could have a drink and wait. We apparently were understood well enough to be seated, enjoyed a delightful glass of wine while waiting for the kitchen to open, enjoying the restaurant's eclectic interior and the multitude of locals. That all led directly to a delicious salad with goat cheese on toast (remember, that's a favorite), and the much-anticipated beef bourguignon. Oh yum. It was everything we expected and more, and I really want to try making some at home and soon.

Bern, Switzerland wasn't a town we had anticipated seeing on our trip. It was an unexpected stop, and better yet, one of the best foodie moments of the whole trip. Except it wasn't actually the food. Oh, it was just fine - we actually had stopped in at Bread a Porter bakery for a quick, light lunch. We sat at a table out front to share our 'picnic' of sausage rolls, pretzel buns with salami, a mortadella sandwich, and some fresh-backed cookies, and that's when it happened. As there were very few tables, a young couple asked to join us. Gary & Kathryn were traveling from Dublin and we started chatting. We all shared about where we were from and where we were going, our families, and our jobs. In fact, we talked together so long, we had to race to meet up with our tour group. The encounter was even more unanticipated than our stop in Bern, and way more meaningful. And it left us with a warmth that we carried with us for days.

Then on we went to the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps. Undeniably gorgeous, and we spent quite the day walking up in the clouds. Besides making sure we tried a cup of true Swiss cocoa, we also enjoyed a fun demo of cheese fondue, and honestly that would have been enough of a meal for me.

We also tried Raclette, which didn't come in the specialty pan I had expected, but was mighty tasty nonetheless.

It was a few days later in Munich, Germany that we had a couple more encounters that stuck with us, at Oktoberfest of all places, where you literally had to shout to be heard over the din of music and thousands of voices. There, in a crowded beer hall (ie. the hall had a capacity of 6000!), we met Richard first, then later Sepina & George, all from Munich, and we were all eager to learn a bit about each other tho finding the right words wasn't easy for any of us. But worth it, oh yes, and memories were made that won't soon be forgotten. Sepina thanked us for letting her practice her English, which gave us all a chuckle as we parted ways.

So that was an overkill of a post I know, and I don't expect many of you are still with me. If so - thank you! I know of a few that enjoy those flavorful experiences as much as I do. And more than anything, I don't want to forget about those chance meetings shared around the table. They definitely added a something special to our days.