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

You travel to Europe, and you're pretty much guaranteed some food-related moments you don't want to forget. And I have many, and I hope to share a few of them here. Considering we traveled through several different countries, I thought I might try sharing them by location. Let's begin where our trip began.... in Paris.

Our first meal was on the historic market street, Rue Cler, at a little place aptly named Le Petit Cler, recommended by our hotel clerk. Petit indeed, with the tables so close together, they pulled each one away from the banquette so diners could be seated. That aside, everything about it was charming. We had tartine, basically open-faced sandwiches topped with exquisite French ingredients.

Though our trip was primarily a guided group tour, we arrived a few days early, and enjoyed a Wine & Cheese Lunch we had pre-arranged at O'Chateau wine bar. There were some 20+ attendees from all over the world, which was an added bonus to the delicious food and wine pairing. It proved a great "opportunity not only to taste good French products but also to get an education about them," exactly as advertised.

As luck would have it, there was a very fine fromagerie [cheese shop] just steps from our hotel. Knowing full-well that it was unlikely that much English would be spoken there, we stepped in and had a lovely minimally spoken/mostly pointing "conversation" with the shopkeeper, and as hoped, left with a small collection of cheeses that proved perfect as an impromptu happy hour with the baguette we'd picked up at the corner boulangerie [bakery]. We were so glad we'd stepped out of our comfort zones - both for the encounter, as well as for that perfectly-crafted cheese.

There was a second opportunity we'd pre-arranged before leaving home, and that was a Paris by Mouth walking tour "Taste of the Left Bank." The tours are "designed to share the very best of what Parisians excel at: cheese, bread, charcuterie, chocolate, pastry, and wine." We visited several shops together, gathering goodies along the way to share at the end in a crowded little wine cellar. 

• La Maison d'Isabelle, whose butter croissants won "Best in Paris" in 2018, and for good reason

• Charcuterie Saint Germain, think rillettes, Paris ham, and terrine

• Patrick Roger Chocolatier with its exotic flavors

• Laurent Dubois, from which we picked up a variety of sheep, cow, and goat cheeses

• Un Dimanche a Paris' fancy pastries

• La cave du Senat wine shop, where the tour ended and we enjoyed our feast

Not to worry, we also devoured crepes, quiche, French onion soup, kir, and numerous salads topped with goat cheese on toast (I ordered it every chance I got!) while in town. Let's say Paris more than exceeded our expectations, culinary and otherwise.