Checking off my Bucket List!

2. Hear the Gregorian chants at San Minato, check! hiked up there two days ago, it was an absolutely beautiful service.

3. Go to Italian mass, check! Little did I know that the San Minato chants were part of a service so I killed two birds with one stone.

6. Go to the vintage market in Lucca, check-ish! We went to Lucca, we looked for the vintage market but couldn't find it. But we had a great afternoon in Lucca!

7. Go the the beach at Viareggio, check-ish! We got on a train to go to the beach but it was still cloudy when the train go to Viareggio so we stayed on the train headed towards the sunshine and got off at Forte dei Marmi instead for a sunny beach day.

Dolci Tipica de Tosana

If you couldn’t tell, I am currently on a Italian food-writing binge and since food is a large part of travel and every day fulfillment for me  don’t see any problem incorporating it once and awhile…or regularly…to my travel blog.

On almost all Dolci (dessert) menus in Italy you will see “Dolci tipica de Toscana” or “Cantuccini di Prato con Vinsanto” which are one and the same. Cantuccini is an almond biscotti and considered the classic choice among biscotti lovers and Italians. This biscotti is traditionally served with vinsanto, or a sweet desert wine, and the cantuccini are dipped into the wine to absorb its sweet taste.

           

Recently, Apicius, the Culinary school under the International Association I intern for, hosted a biscotti workshop where we learned how to make Cantuccini di Prato. I wanted to share the recipie with you:

Ingredients:

400 gr. (2 and 2/3rds cup) of all purpose flour

200 gr. (1 cup) of sugar

200 gr. (2 cups) of shelled almonds

3 eggs

1 fresh vanilla

baking powder as needed

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F. mix the flour, sugar, vanilla, and baking powder, and then make a well in the middle of the mixture. Whisk the eggs together in a separate bowl and add them to the well in the mixture, mix together by hand. When well combined, add the almonds and mix together by hand. Take the dough and make small loaves and place them on a cookie sheet. Do an egg wash over the loaves. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, cut into the typical diagonal biscotti shape as shown and return to the oven until they appear a light golden brown. Serve with vinsanto of your choice!

The Battle of the Pear Pastas

Pear Pasta at La Giostra

Students who come to Italy are frequently told by past students and even faculty of two amazing restaurants that have a specialty dish in common: Pear Pasta. A foreign taste of a savory cheese melted together inside freshly made pasta with a sweet slice of pear is a dish that 4 Leoni and La Giostra have mastered. But which is better? To decide I took myself, two of my friends, my notepad, and my camera to each of the restaurants and try each of their pear pastas while keeping an eye out for the quality of their service, the ambiance of each restaurant, the presentation of each dish, and of course, most importantly, the taste!

 

On a Saturday evening two of my friends and I sat down at 4 Leoni under one of the white umbrellas that litter the piazza that the restaurant spills out onto from its turquoise interior.  Immediately bringing a basket of freshly baked bread and glasses prosecco, the waiter began to speak to us in Italian until he realized that we could not understand him when he spoke so quickly and switched to excellent English. The fact that he assumed we were Italian made the place feel more authentic than I had thought previously but his, and all of the waiters, easy transition to English was very helpful. As we sat on the piazza, splitting an appetizer of mixed pecorino cheese with honey (12 euro) and a carafe of house red wine (12 euro) , we talked and laughed and watched the people who moved in and out of the piazza with their children leaping around at their legs or arm and arm with their lover. The waiter gave us the perfect amount of time to finish our appetizer without swooping in the second we had finished to take our order for a entrée. For our entrée we ordered three “Fiocchetti di pera in salsa di taleggio e asparagi”, essentially large tortellini stuffed with pear in a taleggio (a white, creamy, mild cheese) and asparagus sauce. The pasta came out quickly, all at once, and we sat in silence, overwhelmed with the delicate presentation and sweet aroma wafting up to our noses before we carefully cut a small bite, trying to get a little bit of every taste, the pasta, the pear inside, the small slices of asparagus, and the tallegio sauce onto one forkful. The blend of the tastes was exceptional, light, sweet yet savory, and incredibly satisfying. I cut each piece of pasta into four pieces in attempt to savor each bite. By the end, the small portion of pasta had not filled us up so we ordered their famous cheesecake topped with fresh berries, which was almost more delectable than the pasta dish. We were given time to talk and enjoy our meal and our conversation with the waiter appearing only when needed and leaving us to our night the rest of the time. The atmosphere in the Piazza was quaint and authentically Italian but still had an air of fine dining with a touch of rusticity.  The pasta itself was 10 euros, a bargain for the taste, and the entire meal including a 1.50 coperto, a liter of red wine split three ways, a mixed pecorino and honey and two pieces of cheesecake split three ways at 6 euro each cost me an alarmingly small amount of 23 euros for a mélange of wonderful tastes, the perfect amount of service, and a beautiful backdrop for a dinner with friends.

        

On Thursday evening I walked the short distance from my apartment to La Giostra to meet my two friends for their farewell dinner. We were welcomed by a warm atmosphere in a long cave-like room sparkling with twinkle lights and candles. Despite the Italian wine-celleresque atmosphere, one of the first things that I noticed were that the waiters spoke to us automatically in English, and everyone in the restaurant was American, mostly families I assumed because of how expensive I had heard the place was. We were greeted in English by our waiter and brought large glasses of prosecco that we were told were a welcoming gift from the princes who owned the restaurant. The waiter was very helpful with the menu and we asked for bread after we ordered since we had not been brought any. Instead of bread we were pleasantly surprised with an assortment of appetizers on the house, three of everything, one for each of us. We ordered the cheapest bottle of red wine at 28 euro, which they made a show of pouring into three different glasses, them emptying, and pouring into a special carafe, we were not sure why and they did not explain. The wine was exceptional though. Then our pastas came out, I had ordered the “Ravioli di Pecorino toscano e pere William's” (pear and pecorino ravioli), and my friends had ordered a gorgonzola, pear, and pistachio pennete, and an asparagus and zucchini risotto. There were four large ravioli, coated in a light sauce in the dish. The pasta was very good, but heavier than the pasta at 4 Leoni. The actual pasta at 4 Leoni had been a lot thinner and lighter, the pasta that surrounded the pecorino and pear here was much thicker and made it more difficult to taste the delicate flavors of the pear and cheese inside. The taste of the pecorino was also a lot stronger than the pear taste, which was also not the case at 4 Leoni. My friend who had ordered the pennete with gorgonzola, pears, and pisacchio could not even find the pears in her dish and it was far too salty for her to finish. The asparagus and zucchini risotto was good but nothing out of this world for the 14 euro we paid per plate. We decided against dessert because dinner had been expensive enough and we were asked if we would like some limoncello, tequila, vodka etc on the house. We said yes to limoncello thinking they would bring out the traditional shot per person to sip as an after-dinner drink but after 20 minutes had passed and we were wondering if we should leave or not we were brought an entire half liter of limoncello! We were shocked because we usually have a hard time finishing one small glass worths and do it more out of Italian tradition than an affinity for limoncello, but the waiter kept coming back and filling up our drinks while another waiter kept giving us looks like it was time to leave because people were waiting for our table. A lot of mixed messages. Even with all the free prosecco, appetizers, and limoncello, the 3 euro each coperto, bottle of their cheapest wine, and pasta dishes wound up costing us 28 euro each.

        

 If you could not tell already, I much preferred 4 Leoni to La Giostra. The atmosphere was much nicer on the piazza than in the sparkling cave and the service at 4 Leoni was authentic, without waiters trying to make you feel special by bringing you a large amount of things on the house, but doing it for everyone. And the fact that La Giostra brought us such large amount of limoncello and then insisted on making us drink it made me think that, 1. It is sad that they think that American girls our age will like their restaurant more by helping/forcing us get drunk for free and 2. That they are catering to Americans in the first place. Besides the superiority of the ambiance, service, cost, and dining experience, the pear pasta at 4 Leone was just plain better.

  Pear Pasta at 4 Leoni

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one hasn't eaten well."

                                                     - Virgina Woolf

Il Gelato di Filo

Upon arriving in Florence eager to soak up everything Italian, my days were governed by the driving quest for what Americans think of as Italian cuisine: pizza, pasta, paninos and gelato. It did not take me long to figure out that even in Italy, just like everywhere else in the world, quality food was not as easy to find as one would think. Most of the pizza slices sunbathing in the shop windows tasted more like cardboard than the cheesy, doughy heaven I had imagined and the paninos were inescapably bland, though the store keepers insisted that they were just semplice (simple). Temporarily giving up on my savory cravings, I turned to the sweet. Luckily, I learned quickly to avoid the gelaterias where the gelato was piled foot-high, sculpted into perfect towers, and adorned with fruit and chocolate drizzles. Although visually alluring, the gelato that looked perfectly untouched was a sign that the locals knew not to eat it because it was it was actually a low quality tourist trap. Instead, I was instructed by those more experienced than I to challenge my sweet-craving tastebuds and stray off the well traveled roads to find places where the Italians got their fix.

             

I discovered Il Gelato Di Filo on Via San Miniato tucked into the side of a building right before passing under the old city wall on the trek up to the view from Piazza Michelangelo. In fact, I debated publishing this because one of my favorite things about Il Gelato di Filo is its lack of notoriety and its local friendliness. The little shop only fits about five customers comfortably but the squeeze is well worth the decadent, smooth, perfectly creamy flavors being offered to you by their small, friendly staff. In my eight months of being in Florence, I have encountered only three staff members; one who speaks perfect English but will encouragingly speak Italian to you if you try, and the other two who speak broken English but seem to enjoy bantering in mixed dialects to figure out what I would like to have. I have come here more times than I could count to the point where the woman behind the counter knows exactly what I am having. As a chocolate enthusiast, I have not discovered a Cioccolata Fondente (dark chocolate) this satisfying anywhere else in the entire city. Not even the places the tour books rave about (I'm talking about you, Grom). Each time I am handed over my rich brown, almost black in decadence, piccolo copeta it is as if it is my first taste all over again and I walk out into the sunshine in a happy daze of delighted taste buds. Now that the summer has turned sweltering, even my chocoholic self cant always handle the richness of the Cioccolata Fondente so I've been opting for the light, creamy, and incredibly tangy Limone flavor (as pictured).

             

Il Gelato Di Filo opened two years ago in 2009 when Filipino Lorenzo (hence the name of the gelateria) backed Edmir Prenga to open the gelateria, design the flavors, and make them. Edmir, who quickly introduced himself as Eddy, attended Carpigiani University where he found his passion for the process of making ice cream. Every morning he makes at least twelve flavors from scratch. After showing my interest in the process of making gelato, he invited my friend and I to come in one morning before they opened to watch him make it. In broken yet enthusiastic English, we communicated back and forth about how the gelato is made, how the shop was opened, and the history of gelato. Listening to the history of gelato was like listening to an Italian folklore. The origins of ice cream are debated. Some say it originated in China, some in Arabia, but this far back in time ice cream was more of a sorbet being made up of ice, fruit, and honey. Arabians inhabited Sicily and brought sorbet making it Italy. It was in Florence though that the first creamy based gelato was created by an architect named Buontalenti who had an underground passion for cooking. Buontalenti combined eggs, milk, and honey to create the first La Crema (cream). Over time, ingredient experimentation, and industrial inventions, gelato as we know it was made individual to each country who adapted gelato making.

             

 Eddy began his morning with Fior di Latte, whose ingredients make up the base of all their gelato. In the batch he mixed mostly whole milk, a bit of cream, a bit of powdered milk for thickening, and five different kinds of sugar that each play a different part in the process. Because of the milk to cream ratio, gelato has much less fat that the ice cream in the United States. Even though he noted this, Eddy insisted that fat is healthy and a key part of a nutritious diet in moderation. He was quite convincing when he claimed that despite everyone wanting to be thin these days, gelato is actually great for the feminine figure. A promising thought!

The ingredients are then thoroughly whisked together, then put in the first machine to heat up until the mixture is pasteurized. Once pasteurized, the liquid filters into the cooling, rotating machine to make the ice cream. Finally the ice cream is put into tubs and then placed into an incredibly cold freezer and thermally shocked to reach negative -13º C very quickly, making it hold its form. Then the tubs are put into the glass case, which is kept somewhere between -12 and-13 degrees, ready to serve. I have tasted almost all of the flavors and you really cannot go wrong. Il Gelato Di Filo has something for every taste and craving weather it be Limone cone to keep you refreshed for the hike up to the Piazzale or a decadent Cioccolata Fondente to reward you on the way down. Find this gem before the tourists do and you will be rewarded.

early morning, Piazza Santa Croce

Do's and Don'ts

DO buy some of your produce from the fresh markets like San Ambrogio and Mercato Centrale, if not for the quality of the fruits and vegetables harvested from Italian farms then for the fun and cultural experience.

DO take a small Italian dictionary or phrasebook with you. If you are having trouble with a menu look up your questions in it first or if you’d like to say something in Italian teach yourself how to say it. Making an effort will separate you from the tourists who expect everyone to speak English and consider it an inconvenience when locals and staff don’t.

DO enjoy the long, slow, Italian style meal with family or friends. Pick a time when no one has to be anywhere anytime soon and order one thing at a time, try different wines with different courses, and really take the time to enjoy your food and your company.

DO explore the Oltrarno. The Oltrarno has far less tourists and none of the giant umbrella-led groups in single file, better restaurants, cheaper options, an amazing assortment of shops with hand-made goods, some beautiful churches like Santo Spirito and San Miniato, Piazzele Michelangelo for a beautiful view, and the Pitti Palace and the Boboli and Bardini gardens. Are you convinced yet?

DON’T travel every weekend. I know you’re in Europe for such a short amount of time and you want to see as much of it as you can but don’t forget about exploring the place you live.

DON’T eat out for every meal. Grocery shop in the local markets (see DO #1) or grocery stores to save some money each week and whip yourself up an easy meal at home or make a night of it with your friends and all cook together, have a glass of wine, and take part in a cheaper version of DO # 3

DON’T eat the gelato that is close to the main sights (Ponte Vecchio, Duomo etc) and is piled high in its containers and covered with old fruit and hardened chocolate drizzles. It may be convenient but you have not tasted true gelato until you find a tiny place where Italians, not tourists, buy their gelato. Try: Gelato di Filo before the steps to Michelangelo, Gelato di Neri on via di Neri close to FUA, or la Carraia on the other side of the Arno right across the Ponte la Carraia.

DON’T spend all your free time on your computer. I know you have TV shows to catch up on and you want to skype with your family, friends, and significant other but Hello? You’re in Florence, Italy. You can catch up when you get home. Get outside, now.

Piazza del Duomo

People around the world are familiar with the image of the facade of the Duomo but unless you have spent some time in Florence you might not know that the Duomo becomes a social gathering when the sun begins to sink into the sky and all the tourists who have had crowded around it earlier are off to some fancy tour-book-recommended dinner.

As the last light of the day leaves the sky, the lights within the Piazza glow orange against the cobalt sky. People gather on the steps to meet friends, share a bottle of wine, or even a small picnic. Friends walk side by side, motorcycle helmets in hand to a nearby restaurant, and strangers gather under white umbrellas to enjoy a drink with a view of the most spectacular and revolutionary church in all of Italy. 

Checking off my Bucket List!

1. Went to the Uffizi, check! I don't know if I'm a huge fan of Renaissance art but seeing Botticelli's Venus and Primavera was really amazing.

4. Went to Fiesole, check! My parents and I spent a lovely afternoon and evening walking around Fiesole, seeing the ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins and had an amazing dinner looking over the hills that tumble down to Florence's center.

8. Went to Palazzo Vecchio and saw the Medici rooms, check! Sadly Damien Hirst's diamond encrusted human skull left in May, but the Medici rooms were magnificent and really gave you a taste of the power the Medici family held over Florence for centuries.

9. Got the cheesecake from Tre Panche....twice. check! I went once with my friends and a second time with my parents, Tre Panche is really a must-go for incredible Italian food in a cozy, welcoming, authentic environment.

12. Went to the Galileo Museum, check! For some reason, although I clearly know the difference between the two inventors, when I went I was thinking of it as the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum so I was disappointing to not find any flying machines, but it was still really interesting.

My Old Friend in the Fountain

This is my favorite fountain in Florence. 

My first encounter with the fountain was on my first night in Florence way back in January, the shuttle that took us from the airport to our new apartments crashed into the fountain, luckily it was unharmed.

From then on it became a marker of the street to my best friend in Florence's apartment, the way to my favorite restaurant (4 Leoni), the halfway mark on the walk to school or to home, and just a friendly face when I was flustered from elbowing my way through tour groups, had too much on my plate for schoolwork, or was overwhelmed trying to plan some complicated weekend of travel.

So here's to you, my old whiskered man in the fountain, thanks for being there.

Pecorino, a Traditional Tuscan Cheese

One week after I was struck down by the stomach flu, I am finally seeming to make a full recovery. That being said, this past week has hardly given me the opportunity to write the article I intended about different aperitivo places around the city since my stomach refused to handle anything besides bananas, vegetable broth, and crackers, bleh. Despite my stomach pains, I found myself craving the things I knew they would not help my situation, particularly cheese. Unable to eat it, I could at least write about it. Coming from a foodie family that drives 45 minutes to do our grocery shopping at a traditional, fresh food, Italian market, I was familiar with Pecorino cheese before I arrived in Florence. I loved it sliced in my salads, grated into omelets with vegetables, on open-faced sandwiches with avocado and tomato, and just by itself maybe with a cracker or two. There really was no way to go wrong with pecorino since it comes in all different textures from almost spreadable to very hard and crumbly and varies in flavor from surprisingly mild to very sharp.  What I did not know is what a staple it is here in Tuscany. On almost every menu you can find “mixed pecorino cheese”, usually accompanied by honey (an amazing discovery!), and the only other time you see another cheese available is mozzarella in a salad, ricotta stuffed into your pasta, or parmesan sprinkled over. Every cheese has a role but pecorino is the only one that stands on its own. So since it’s such an important cheese to Tuscan cuisine I wanted to know more.

Looking into the history of pecorino cheese I found that it is a sheep’s milk cheese and gets its name from the Italian word pecore, which means, sheep. Pecorino began first in Rome which was then surrounded by countryside full of grazing sheep and their monopoly on salt after winning the Punic Wars, made the cost of making cheese in Rome low. Pecorino production remained native to Rome until 1884 when high taxes on salt caused law officials to ban the salting of cheeses in Rome. Thus, Pecorino production moved to the island of Sardinia.

            

After World War II, many Italians abandoned their homes, farms, and factories, moving away from the ravaged Tuscan land and others, notably Sardinians, moved to Tuscany to pick up the pieces. The Sardinians brought along their sheep and their cheese making methods and that is how pecorino cheese landed in Tuscany!