Why Everyone Should Know about Testaroli

My mom was telling me about this pasta some time before going to Italy and I could never remember the name of it. She told me that upon meeting my fathers extended family in Pontremoli, Tuscany she tried this flat doughy pasta coated in pesto and parmesan cheese. I kept imagining this dense, round dumpling- like goodness and couldn't wait to experience what she had once eaten. Why didn't Grandma Zani ever make it for me growing up? What was so special about this pasta like pancake- dumpling glory my mouth had been watering over for weeks... 

I had my first bite sitting in a tiny living room converted- dining room after I watched Great Aunt Elda cut it up and dunk it in hot water for sixty seconds. While visiting the village of Pontremoli where my Grandmothers family resides I didn't get the chance to see Testaroli created from scratch. My cousins did, however, go beyond their means to grab hold of an entire box full of individually sealed Testaroli, some of which I was able to take home to America. There is something to be said about these Testaroli, especially when your cousins have relatives in the business making it. 

After two and a half months in Italy, I finally got to see for myself what this Testaroli was and how wrong I imagined it to be. It's not thick and dense at all, in fact it looks like a thick crepe with a smooth brown texture on the top side and small air-bubbles on the flip side. The Testaroli is the oldest known recorded pasta in Italy and, although, it may never come across ones mind as pasta, it is indeed in that family of carbs. Made with flour, water, and salt the Testaroli doesn't turn into pasta dough, but rather a batter just like pancakes. The batter is poured out onto this huge round griddle made especially for this pasta and I would estimate it to be about a foot and a half in diameter when cooked!  Grandma Zani made my mom buy this huge indoor flat round pizza griddle years ago just for this purpose so that they could make it here too (although I don't ever reminisce). She had me convinced that a special griddle is the only way to make it, but with some further research I have found that you can use a cast iron skillet as well; I assume thats what a home cook would have on hand nonetheless. The cookware must be durable and able to hold heat for an extended period of time so those bubbles can form on the bottom just like when making pancakes.  Once cooked, it's typically cut into triangles, and always eaten with pesto.  I guess you may suggest the texture of soggy bread when tasting, at least that's what came to mind when my mama tried it again this week after too many years of missing out. The Testaroli becomes spongy and quickly absorbs all the oil and delicious juices of the pesto too. Ahh it's so delicious!  

I think what thrills me the most about this story is how little the internet world knows about Testaroli- besides a few Italian related food sites and Wikipedia- and that this truly is a homegrown novelty from where my family originates. I think Italy is so much more than pasta, pizza, and zeppoli. Oh Man, there is so much food culture hidden beneath valleys and along the coasts of the boot. I think it's pretty amazing that I can share something near and dear to my heart, with you.

All the little bits matter

I have been yearning to write for the last few days, but can't seem to find the moment to slip away to my thoughts, quietly. While adventure takes place during my week of work and the wheels in my head are spinning too fast after the days end, it’s hard to step back and notice the little things.  I like to think of cherries in this instance, not just because I have been ferociously eating them since they are now falling into the peak of their season, but also because like life they are both sweet and sour. Could it be cliche, yes but comparatively food always brightens the mood.

It's been shy of three months since I landed back on American soil- solo, followed by college graduation, and only a couple days to live the post grad life, until I jumped head first into working. I met, talked to, read up on, worked at, and worked with many people and have taken on various roles in the last couple months. Some moments have been incredibly sweet and exciting, new adventure awaits and crazy talented people to meet, but other experiences have been different to say the least. 

 Regardless of it all, it's important to love the moments you share with a significant other, best friend, or family member while feasting on the most sought after food or snacking on fruit at the height of its season over good conversation. While consuming my time working in the food world, I really love the opportunity to appreciate the meal someone else puts in front of me too, especially when you take time to separate it from work and life.

Citrus Buzz

It's days like today, smoldering hot and humid that make me crave citrus. I don't want to drink a cold beer or tall glass of ice water, I really want something juicy with zing! When I was in Italy, some hotter days called for a citrus fix of oranges right from the local market, or even better, the white pompelmos (grapefruit) that I somehow confused as the oversized citrus in America called Pomelos. I had never had a Pomelo here before, so I thought I had discovered something insanely delicious in Italy when really it was a well grown fruit at the height of it's season. I would eat two to three of them in class during lecture or demos when they were around- it was rare. I always managed to sneak into the walk-in fridge searching for one and knowing I probably wasn't supposed to do so; that's how good they were.  And as we fell out of citrus season the oranges and grapefruit would slowly disappear too. I never liked oranges so much until I was in Italy, nor do I think I craved citrus like I do now. Grapefruits, however have always played a roll in my life. When I was little my grandmother would take care of my brother and I after school. I remember the certain treats she was good at bringing over like crumb cake, corn cake, Wendys, or snacks she knew how to prepare well like grapefruit sprinkled with sugar. No, the grapefruit was never enough on it's own, it always had to be sweeter and treated like dessert over fruit. And, though I love the fruit without any additions I think I can make an exception today.

Hot and Slushy Berry Tea Granita

Spring has turned into summer incredibly fast,  and I am way ahead of the season by preparing this icy granita made from Harney and Sons Berry Young Tea.  As I head up to the Hudson Valley every other weekend, I notice the vast change in quietness and the peace of the countryside and how much more motivated I am to get creative. I use all and anything lying around, like the plaster and sample paints that my brother had leftover from renovating his room. While in NYC- at this moment in my life- there is only so much room an apartment can offer. I have started to bring my props down in batches, but always love knowing that I have enough items back at home to work with when I'm there.  And when I am really motivated I create surfaces like the one above. A subtle blue textured wave with the bright pinkish- red contrast is just right. The surface adds a little something different but it also doesn't take away the essence of what the photo is really about. 

It's quite simple to make so instead of turning brewed hot tea into a cold drink, just blend it with some sugar and berries and pop it in the freezer for a quick treat. Granitas are delicious when your sweet tooth is weak and you are quenching for something fruity. Granitas melt fairly quickly, but they taste just as delicious if you consume the rest through a straw- I know it seems odd but trust me on this. I think this treat also leaves you feeling less guilty because it doesn't contain the fat from dairy as you would get in Ice cream. Maybe I'm contradicting myself here, but  I would recommend having ice cream after lunch (work it off) and save granitas for your end of meal, sweet snack. 

---

TEA NOTES

---

RECIPE

---

The vibrant fuchsia tea is certainly flavored by a mix of unexpected ingredients. Rose petals, goji berries, kiwi, bits of apple, and pieces of orange peel take action in flavor and what's so beautiful about this tea are the dainty ingredients that make it quietly complex. The loose leaves tell a story about the tea before drinking it and what you will taste is up to your senses. Perhaps it's easier to taste these various  ingredients when observing the tea leaves as you sip, picking through each dried piece (this is for very observant tea drinkers). Try drinking this tea hot and then drinking it cold and see how the entire profile changes. The strawberry is subtle when warm and immediately you think of Mama's berry cobbler. But, when chilled the berries are crispy and ripe just as you would eat them at the strawberry patch. 

---

1 Cup water

2 T Berry Young loose tea leaves

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

---

METHOD

---

1. Steep the tea in hot water until a bright fuchsia color develops. Let cool.

2. Add all ingredients to a blender, including the tea leaves and blend until smooth.

3. Strain the liquid and pour into a metal pan. Place in the freezer for about 45 minutes to an hour. 

4. Scrape with a fork and put the mixture back in the freezer for another hour. It should be completely frozen and slushy after two hours. 

***The bigger and shallower the pan is, the bigger the granita chunks will be. For smooth scraping, pour into a smaller, deeper container. You will get nice scraped-up fluffs of granita this way.

Grapefruit Crush and my Freakish love For collecting Props

After a few weeks of working and staying in NYC some pops of spunk have come out in me. If work takes me downtown, I find myself in a lively area where all of the young-ins spend time shopping for high waisted jeans at popular designer stores.  I think I really like that part of town and wonder how it would feel to live in an area with clothing shops outside of my door, cafes with good cappuccino or pressed juices nearby and Crate and Barrel staring me dead in the face. It's a real weakness of mine; shopping for interesting glassware, bowls and ceramic plates that could capture some unique recipe or morsel of food. I love collecting "props" that are within my budget. I love all types of glasses, plates, silverware, place mats and fabric, and I now find use for things I would have considered ugly at age fifteen. Finding Crate and Barrel sure was an accident, but I have been wanting to check this store out after having heard so many people talk about it and seen so many fabulous uses of their products. To my surprise, the store offered very simple and classic items that are priced smartly and can be used for most occasions. I meandered around the glassware section for a good while telling myself not to put too many items into my basket. Tall lanky stems, wide rims, shooters, and  glass mugs... I fantasized of a place for all of them in my imaginary dream home. That's what these stores do to me.  

After much contemplation, I settled for something petite and multipurpose, in a set of two, of course. My mom once caught me buying one of something and encouraged me to change my one-sided thought of only using a glass or bowl as a prop.  Such items should be purchased in sets and placed into kitchen cabinet circulation. I think my favorite use for this pair of Crate and Barrel glasses will be something bright and crisp such as a grapefruit and mint cocktail.  I don't remember the last time I tasted a Mojito, but I will use similar ingredients here. Grapefruit, lime simple syrup, muddled peppermint and rum poured over crushed ice in my new, dainty glasses. A little brown sugar hazelnut brittle for some extra crunch too. Not only interesting to the eye, but the sweet, citrus, refreshing scents of summer appeal to the olfactory senses. I just knew I would find the perfect use of the glasses that I happily skipped off with at the end of my Crate and Barrel shopping excursion. 

Brunch Italia

I returned home from the city this weekend and wasted no time preparing a brunch for a girlfriend of mine who just returned from Italy. I was eager to make her a small Italian inspired feast, but with minimal ingredients in the fridge leftover from the week, I could not get as authentic as I had wanted. I imagine polenta with fried eggs, crepes with chocolate and a cup of something that resembled cappuccino would get her feeling sentimental. Like the time I visited her in Florence and we had pancakes with Nutella sauce and foamy cappuccinos at the sophisticated La Menagere. She only returned a week ago, and although happy to be home, feels a bit out of sorts, just as I did when I returned home. It's another life away that almost feels non-existent when you come back to normalcy. It's a weaning away feeling, a process that is hard to overcome when you know you must go back to the routine life of school and work. So, I wanted to make her a few things she was accustomed to eating in Europe. I was trying not to burn the crepes as I juggled the steamer on the espresso machine ( I pulled that thing out of storage, only to find out that maybe it doesn't work after all) being attentive to her stories- what happens in Florence, stays in Florence! I was all for the exciting stories of what she did on the weekend while in the Amalfi Coast or on her second visit to Capri. After all of the adventures she endured, Florence is where she left her heart. As most people who have been to Italy would say, Florence is probably the best city in all of Italia and I only had a small peak of it when I was there, a return awaits...

I made savory polenta with parmesan cheese, fried eggs with a sauce of edible flowers, basil and olive oil,  and crepes with Nutella.  The polenta was firm enough to cut into, like butter- still soft and creamy- but toothsome. I added a parmesan rind to it as I quickly stirred. I will say, one of the worst parts of cooking polenta is when it spits steaming bubbles of cornmeal onto your bare skin. That's why you let polenta either do its magic from afar or you stand there stirring like crazy. Fried eggs have become my favorite, but only when made in a non-stick pan. I can't stand loading a stainless steel pan with oil, adding the eggs and watching them start to stick anyways. No matter what anyone thinks, although not the popular favorite, I love non-stick nonetheless.  

Crepes will never go away, they are a dainty delicacy that you can eat over and over without getting full. Pancakes are another story. Crepes are also something you want to make in a non-stick pan with lots of butter too. With all  of my friend's travel gossip from Berlin, Paris, Prague, and back to Florence each European weekend carried away another funny tidbit or exciting discovery. And so we sat hastily nibbling our brunch as she shared and I listened to her amazing stories.

Japanese Green Tea Horchata Anyone?

Just as we round off Cinco de Mayo weekend, we may still be thinking about horchatas, concha, and beef tacos. I have been thinking about horchatas and the fact that I never found them appealing until now. What could you do with tea other than sip it hot under a blanket or drink it with ice on a warm sunny day? Horchata is generally known as a Spanish and Mexican milky cold drink blended with raw rice. The rice sits in the liquid for hours so that the fine starch particles can soak up the water and create a viscous beverage. My version is Japanese due in part to the sushi rice I used as well as the tea, Genmaicha which is made from the leaves of Bancha tea, brown rice, and popped rice kernels. I thought, well, if I'm going to spin this classic around I better use a tea that makes sense like one with rice in it.

---

TEA NOTES

via GIPHY

Genmaicha is classified as a Japanese green bancha tea that has been picked a few weeks after the first tea harvest. The first harvesting of the tea's plant would be considered the sencha tea leaves. The Gemaicha has course bancha tea leaves and toasted grains of rice with a few popped kernels per handful. Wafting the dry leaves will immediately get you envisioning yourself snacking on buttered popcorn with the initial aroma of a toasted butter. While the tea steeps, you will notice the aroma loosening up a but due to the dilution from water, but it still holds strong in flavor. When sipping Genmaicha you taste toasted rice as if you were parching some in hot oil for risotto, however there is a grassiness that comes forward too. The longer you steep the more intense the flavor and color will be, so while steeping at the appropriate temperature of 190 degrees for maximum 3 minutes, you should see a light minty green color appear. This is a great detoxing tea when you're feeling a cleanse or  after eating stuffed Castella pancakes or super sweet Custard Fish.

---

     MAKE IT 

---

2 Cup Water

2 T Genmaicha Tea leaves

1/2 Cup+ 2 T  Sushi Rice 

3/4 Cup Coconut Milk

2- 3 T Honey

1. Bring water to 190 degrees and add the loose Genmaicha tea leaves. Let steep for 1-3 minutes.  Let tea cool down before adding rice. 

2. When tea has cooled, add raw sushi rice and blend in blender until course. Let sit for 2 - 3 hours and strain liquid through sieve leaving rice bits behind. 

 3. While liquid is sitting, fry 2 tablespoons of sushi rice in hot oil until they pop into mini kernals. Transfer to paper towel to soak up any leftover oil. Set aside.

 4. After a few hours, blend honey and coconut milk into tea liquid until smooth and frothy.

5. Add ice cube and kernels to the Genmaicha Horchata and drink through a straw in a sassy tall glass.

---

MAKE AHEAD

Make Genmaicha tea ice cubes instead of using regular cubes that will dilute the drink. Make tea as you would above and pour hot into prepared ice trays. You can purchase cube shaped rubber ice trays at any home goods store.

---

Take Me to Margaritaville

First things first about Margaritas... I know they are made with squeezed lime, tequila, and simple syrup, but there could be other exceptions too right? Like when you see vibrant yellow Meyer lemons at the store that yell out summertime. And yesterday sure did feel like summer while the sun was blazing down on me as I was trying to capture the right moment of the drink before the sugar started to bubble. For me, what makes a beverage more drinkable is something with effervescence and light acidity. I almost always crave citrus when I'm thirsty and this is just enough to quench ones thirst while feeling good too. So, my go to drink of choice will always be thirst quencher like the Meyer Lemon and Bubbly Lime Margarita. 

---

Recipe 

---

For Rim:

Honey

Sugar

For Simple Syrup:

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C water

Yields: 2

Ingredients:

2 oz. Tequila 

1/4 C Meyer Lemon, fresh squeezed

1/4 C Lime, fresh squeezed

Splash simple syrup

1/2 C Sugar

1/2 C Water

---

Method

---

1. Coat a margarita glass rim with honey and dip in sugar.

2. In a Boston shaker add ice, tequila, lemon, lime, and syrup. Strain the liquid from the ice and pour into glass and add a splash of seltzer. 

3. Serve straight up with a lime wedge!

Day of the Dead Longevity

Cinco de Mayo is over, but I am still thinking about these sweet breads. Concha is a sweet bread with a dry cookie- like crust and Rebanadas- meaning sliced- are another type of Pan Dulce with icing slapped on the top. Mexico has always been known for their corn made products like corn tortillas, but France and Spain opened up the world of wheat for them. They were inspired by the sweet French brioche which the Rebanadas look similar to on the shiner outer-side. Concha may just be similar to the French Choux au Craquelin which is a pate choux baked with a cookie layer on top. In Mexico and Europe as well, it's quite common as you may know to dip dry light breads or cookies into coffee or warm chocolate beverages. So the idea to combine both dry bread and sweetness concocted these distinguished puffs. There is always a great story behind food and the food miles are incredible. 

Frozen Eggplant gets turned into a Spiced Feast

It only happens sometimes when our garage refrigerator turns food into ice and we must come up with something nifty to prevent food waste. When this happens, fear not, there is always a way to utilize those water saturated veggies. Eggplant is already full of water so when it ices over, there really isn't much you can do but turn it into some sort of soft puree. Roasted eggplant- turned baba ghanoush is delicious. It's an essential side to have with any Levant style meal, but in this instance it pairs with a mix and match of flavor profiles. Turn leftover baked sweet potato into a mash with sour cream and red wine  and add some acidity to the spread with raw pickled onions or olive oil marinated roasted peppers. I bridged the cumin with grilled chicken and pan roasted chickpeas as well.  We love feta cheese in our home and like to add it to a meal of chicken or couscous. Although eating baba ghanoush usually requires some pita to dip, it also tastes great when you dip a piece of chicken into it. I always love these spreads at the dinner table because they bring some excitement by allowing your choice of mix ins. How you decide to eat them together is all a personal opinion. 

---

---

If you're Craving Elote you should go to La Esquina

The tiles in the restaurant gave me a sentimental feeling. My mind went back to coming home after a long day of classes and eating a snack that was kept warm on the stove top for me. Such comfort from the start at this small, Mexican food hub, which sits on a corner inNYC's upper east side. The open kitchen wafts all the right smells into the fast, casual dining area.  Hot sauces, sauteed tomatillos, paprika, and citrus zest fill the air and bring to mind particular food items that I crave occasionally, and until I make or buy them, I can't get them out of my head. Christopher spotted on the menu one of my favorite ways to "do up"corn. I learned to make corn this way in the Cuisines of the America's class at the CIA and I remember my mouth watering before I picked up a piece to put on my plate. It's a bit spicy, but you can get past it because it's just so creamy and good. I have tried it a few ways including the time I made it at home for my family, but Esquina really has the simple technique down. A perfect ear of corn, smothered lightly with mayo and rolled evenly with cojita cheese and paprika. It was just so good that I'm going back soon.....or I will never get it out of my head!

Tea Time with Harney & Sons

I am thrilled to announce that The Garnished Palate is now sponsored by Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders, which means I am on a monthly mission to deliver stories on all things Tea. I have spent days mulling over the idea of what I can do for my first Tea Time post. The most appropriate one for the month of April- when we are not so subtly enduring April showers- was to drink Harney & Sons Organic Rooibos Tea. This bright herbal tea suits the soon coming Springtime feeling of craving warm weather, chirping birds, and radiating sunlight. And, having been home for only a week from Italy, I am already missing the idea of Italian pastries, which was the last thing I set my eyes on before crossing borders. Powdered sugar coated sfogliatella, my favorite of the aforementioned treats,  with lots of crunch and crumbs pairs perfectly with hot, floral rooibos tea and is a great afternoon snack to welcome the changing of seasons.

---

TEA NOTES: 

 Rooibos is truly considered an herbal tea (flowers, spices, herbs) as opposed to a typical tea steeped with tea leaves (more on that later). The dark red color comes from oxidizing the South African Shrub for hours so that its beautiful color tone sets. There are other versions of Rooibos sold in their greener state before oxidation occurs, which create a different drinking experience. This one is not so much floral as it has more deep-rooted, grassy tones and the flavor is assertive. And when drinking pay attention to vanilla notes as they will come forward. I will mention that if you are a serious tea drinker and pay attention to all aspects of tea as a sommelier would with wine, you should take part in really observing color, taste, and aroma.  Wider rimmed white teacups will suit best for color identification and release of aromas. Slurping tea like you would wine -through your teeth and buzzing around the palate- is the proper way to taste tea. There are so many amazing hidden properties about tea that you can discover just by sipping.

---

---

MAKE IT:

Boil 8 oz water and steep 1 tea bag for 4 minutes or 1.5 tsp loose leaf tea  for 6 minutes. 

---

Under the Tuscan Sun

It's not a glamorous life, but it's a good one. The sentimental feeling of driving miles up the curvy mountains of Pontremoli, Tuscany to a village the size of a small street  where your grandmother once grew up, was invaluable. It was like I set out on a mission to find the past for the present. I was so aware of everything around me too, that I felt I must capture it all at once. I never used a camera so much until this very weekend. I wanted to capture those long unforgotten memories of my grandmothers life- I know she still remembers much- and hope for one day to tell my own stories too. The curvy valley views, the sound of the rocky stream, buzzing bees, or a rooster crow created that rustic, nature vibe that many people yearn to live in this hectic lifetime. My weekend was wrapped around meeting new family and eating familiar food that I grew up craving. The connections and the emotions were finally linked together in this small village named Groppiadiloggia. 

 My cousin took me into lower Pontremoli so I could see the town. I had been hearing about this sweet called Amor- similar to pronunciation of amore, but not spelled as so- that is typical of Pontremoli. Amor is a pastry made with pastry cream whipped with butter and sandwiched between two wafer cookies and then rolled in cake crumb. I loved how fluffy the cream was and how it left a seam of fat on the roof of your mouth from so much butter! I could not appreciate food so much in this instance. The more places I travel in Italy, I truly realize the rules of eating in the country. It's like each town or city or street the size of groppiadiloggia have it's own food item to contribute to that regions cuisine. And it's so special being able to eat particular foods in the place it was concieved. 

The stream that swerves around the mountains and down into town is such a tranquil place to stare. I could slip away outside at any moment last weekend to find peace if I wanted. After dinner on Friday night my family pulled out a shoebox full of pictures and I came across this one of my grandma. She too, was sitting by the river taking in the vibrant sunlight, swooshing sounds, and fresh crisp scent of water and rock while her tiny son jumped about the slippery slopes.  I suppose it was slightly less peaceful for her, but still a place she could always link back to and a symbol of the small village she once lived in. 

 I was totally craving one meal after the next. I was always so distracted by the meer idea of the next meal. Like day and nigh we ate La Bomba Reali- the bomb of the king- and Torta di Riso or Potato. Gosh! It was so crazy. I grew up eating this food when my grandma would make it a couple times a year and now I'm here eating it from the motherland. It was so incredible finally making that link to something mysterious: torta? la bomba? where did those foods come from and why? Always why. Why do we eat torta in Pontremoli? Who thought of making a huge rice bomb filled with meat? I also thought my grandma was the only person who ever invented those things, but I was so terribly terribly wrong. She could have very well learned from those who I met last week. The little ladies tucked away in their kitchens with slippers and an apron, every single one in that village was dressed the same way. Those ladies were making history happen.

Great uncle Pietro has an apiary. As if the village people were not interesting enough, this sweet animal loving man raised bees for honey. To my happy surprise he has a laboratory under his home to produce and bottle honey for market. It just seemed all so early nineteen hundreds to me. Everything so rustic, simple and not too showy, cut down to simplicity. The honey too was way different. It tasted very floral and produced from chesnut tree bees who pollinated from their. 

The Easter morning tradition in the house of my family was to have eggs with salami. Eggs of course symbolize birth and all that Easter fun lingo. Salami too is very common to have in the spring time nearing Easter in Pizza Rustica or Easter Pie which family from my other side makes. Uncle Piertro here getting his fill before going off to tend to her baby bunnies.

Crucendo bread! It sounds like the crucendo in an orchestra under the stage at a broadway show, and is similar in context too. The bread is huge, flat, and raised a few inches off the table. The fluffy, somewhat dense bread was torn all about the long table on Easter. It was very hard to put down when eating with prosciutto crudo or roasted oil soaked peppers. I made sure I got the recipe before leaving.

Testeroli is possibly the most interesting food item from Pontremoli. Once again, the type of food only found in this particular region. All may say it looks similar to a johnny cake or taste like pasta, but it's practically neither. Flour, water and salt, poured onto a griddle and toasted on each side like a pancake. They are produced into these enormous flat round disks that get  cut into diamonds, dunked into boiling broth for a minute to soften and eaten with pesto or parmesan cheese and olive oil. Being that Pontremoli is so close to Liguria, the region known for it's DOP basil and pesto genovese, the testeroli has adapted to this sauce and quite well!

Bittersweet Oranges

I can't really explain the timing of this journey. Some students who travel abroad would say that it seemed like ages since they last slept in their beds at home, some would say it has not been long enough and they don't want to touch American soil anytime soon. As for me, I am having a hard time wrapping my head around three months of solid education and discovery. I feel like it was yesterday that I was lying in my bed at home, sick with bronchitis the days before my departure to Italy. All of the excitement about this journey coupled with the nervousness of my first big trip away from my comfortable life. (A little irony of it is that my mother also had bronchitis when she set out on her first trip to Italy; turns out, maybe history repeating itself was a good omen.)

As I sit here in my room in Brescia, clicking away, pondering my last blog, I am full of emotion.  I feel over-joyed to have met some of the greatest people on this trip. Loving, generous family, enriched my last two weekends with a sense of connection to personal history. I am blessed to have connected with a charismatic, kind, fun-loving group of people for the last three weeks at my externship, Pasticceria Bosco and I feel like I have known them my whole life. The owners are lifelong friends who connected years ago to work in the bakery. Not only was I fortunate enough to work there and to produce northern Italian pastry such as columba, Venetian brioche, fiame, pane di Spagna, chantilly and Brescian cannucini, I dined with them most evenings as well. They are the epitome of knowing what is truly important in life as they sit for hours enjoying each other's company while eating pasta or risotto from Florium in the center of Brescia, or "all you can eat" Japanese food from a local restaurant. 

I think I can look beyond food for a moment. Yes, this trip was entirely devoted to food and I am amazed by the regional cuisine, right down to the smallest village of a single town in a vast country side of a region, but there are other things to be said too. The people we connect with in our lives are there for a reason. They come, they go or they stay, but forever they will be a part of a lifetime and of who we become as individuals.  Traveling, being uncomfortable, exhausted and maneuvering a tremendous learning curve opened a world of knowledge and friendships for me here in Italy.

The cliche "saving the best for last" fits right here. Shall the future hold a fortunate return...

The Rhubarb And Meringues Of Ottolenghi

Over joyed, because I got to visit Yotam Ottolenghi's cafe and feast on his famous raspberry meringue next to the Queens palace. I love the Queen, but food is always my favorite especially when it's covered in pink and fluff. Sarah Copeland introduced me to Ottolenghi's pastry book Sweet which I have flipped through various times trying to understand his use of Israeli ingredients and techniques and how he makes everything look rustic, but elegant at the same time. I baked a Spice cake for Sarah before Christmas and remember marking the many things in his book I wanted to make for her, but (to admit the truth) a little intimidated to re- craft some of those pastries.

This was one of the pastries that caught my eye in Sweet because it looked so intricate, and colorful, and tart, and moist. I spot it in the window of his shop where there were layers of shelving full of a variety of flavor profiles and fruity treats. I believe the one in his book is called Louise Cake with Plum and Coconut, and this may be a spin off of that.This one has slivered almonds, rhubarb, and dried raspberries in the middle underneath a top layer of crunchy meringue that turns soft and fluffy beneath its shell. The cake is so dense absorbing the flavor of the rhubarb and raspberry as it macerates for hours. 

I'm happy to go back home and flip through Sweet, knowing I was able to see everything in person at Ottelonghi's Cafe in the posh Knotting Hill of London. It was a unique and fabulous experience, thanks to Sarah!

Afternoon Tea And The London Crawl

I made my way to the U.K. this weekend to visit one of my dearest friends, Hannah. It was a great retreat and I could not have asked for a better time. I felt at peace being in London, I felt it was a perfect place to be young and to explore a food scene full of various cultures and thrice cooked chips while having a cocktail or a beer. I also knew that we needed to have afternoon tea before the weekend was up and so we did. The Persian pomegranate tea was very refreshing, but I also learned that I don't really like the powerful fruity teas I thought I once did. They are gorgeous and powerful on the palate, but "not my cup of tea" as Hannah would say. I think this means I must go back to England one day for a proper afternoon tea. I promised my mother I would take her there one day because I imagine her fantasies of being one with Downton Abby, a British show she is totally hooked on.

I knew Hannah would know just the right places to spark our interests. India and China have stamped their food imprint in England, so it felt right that I savor their cuisines the one weekend I venture outside of Italy. The Indian Curry and Chinese Custard Fish- that we could not stop thinking about- were the little things that made our time together valuable.

I must tell of the amazing ambiance Tamarind Kitchen had. Every wall had different textures, colors, and decor and I loved all of the hard shadows. The marble tables and the crystal glasses were elegant yet modern. It was gorgeous there and the food was a feast for the eyes. I think I should mention the obvious; the first thing your eye goes to in the picture above. My Lady Martini and her Bombay Anar were tasty cocktails, yes. The color and the stem of the martini glass, and the ice garnish with pomegranate seeds on Hannah's drink were a convincing way to make you crave another.

Red curry with prawns, peanut coconut curry with chicken, two rounds of pilau rice, raita, and two rounds of garlic naan completed the Indian feast. I thought the restaurant was a bit too fancy to self serve the curry from mini copper pots, but I actually liked the classic french addition, when I look back at the pictures. I realized that I'm always cooking and eating from pots at home so I guess it was rather reassuring.

Winston the Beagle was such a sweet delight to stay with over the weekend. I never thought I would be the person to obsess over, and give affection to animals, but I really do love beagles, like this British one. He has so much character and definitely thinks he's a person! I think perhaps I am missing a piece of home where my beagle lives, maybe just a little.

It was fascinating to see the Queens Palace as well as her guards who would march to and fro in their bearskin hats, I suppose so they wouldn't fall asleep on duty. It was just what I needed to see to complete the English experience.

A Million And One Layers

waited and waited for weeks to make these precious shells. A multitude of layers ontop of the next layer surrounding polenta made with milk, sugar, candied orange peel, and agua di fiore. This recipe is simply challenging and it didn't come out as best as I wish it had. Quite honestly I'm just as thrilled to have made them and eat them too. I practically burnt my mouth rushing to crack into one, as the best part of the pastry is the very tip where all the layers bundle into a tight knob. It's so crunchy and greasy, and just perfect.

 Can you count each layer? It's like making a French croissant using the four fold method to stack pounds of butter between the layers, creating double, triple, quadruple the amount of sheets you first began with. The couple who truly make the absolute best sfogliatella are Frank and Maria at La Deliziosa Pastry Shop in Poughkeepsie, NY. There is nothing like their sfogliatella and I am thrilled to have worked for and learn under them!

I think Campania is the region of layers. The making of Casatiello (bread above) involved flipping and folding dough sprinkled with meat and cheese. Once again, it's similar to making croissants, except the time isn't as lengthy nor is the process as intense. Once the dough doubles in size, eggs are placed around the crown to bake. It becomes this huge mound of bread, perfect for Easter dinner!

I was reminded of the many pastries La Deliziosa would produce when learning about Campania. Pastiera Napoletana, Stuffoli, and Baba Rum all come from this region. The first is a wheat pie laced with beautiful lattice and best eaten on Easter. Stuffoli are mini fried dough balls- the size of a hazelnut- caramelized in honey and stacked into a mound- sold at Christmas. Baba Rum are the typical brioche- like dough that proof for many hours, baked, and then get soaked in simple syrup made of rum and orange. Babas as one would call them are eaten at any time of the year. It's typical in Naples to see jars of baba soaking in syrup or lemoncello. Have I got you running to the bakery for some?

Columba

I recently found out that the origins of Panettone is Milan, Lombardy and so of course I had to find a way to either eat it or make it. I never liked Panettone growing up as we would always receive one or two for Christmas in a box stamped Bauducco or Ferrara. Unfortunately, these are not the greatest and I feel sorry for saying so, but until you have had the realist and truest of the Pannetone from the ones who craft it, you don't know the joy of eating it.Maybe you should book your trip to Lombardy. Now!

Columba is similar in flavor profile to Pannetone, but it's shaped like a dove  for Easter, a sign of christianity. I guess I'm a sucker for chocolate, however the classic Pannetone or Columba is made with candied orange peel and almonds. And the bread tastes almost fermented- not like a sour dough- but like the sweetest fermentation has occured due to it's twelve plus hour production period. The bread alone without added chips or orange peel is just...different. Perhaps it reminds me of brioche (sort of) which slightly ferments as well, from hours of kneading, resting and rolling, cutting and proofing the sugar and yeast soaked bread. So many steps for these crazy delicious breads! 

After proofing the dough over night- 7pm to 7am- it gets mixed again with the addition of dry fruit or chocolate. The dough is shaped, proofed, and glazed with icing made from almond flour, sugar, and milk, and atop goes chocolate or almonds and white sprinkles (the biggest I have seen). After baking it's important to flip the breads upside down so they don't collapse. When I first walked into the kitchen the breads were hanging like so, and I was excited to learn the what and why of the inverted breads.

Shelf life is great, lasting up to three months! The Columba are packaged in the cutest pink boxes at the pasticceria too, and as my mom always says baked goods should always come in pink boxes. They are such a satisfying way to end a meal on Easter Sunday. Tomorrow is the last day for production of Columba so I will soon learn how to make a cake traditional of Brescia that is sold after holidays. Stay tuned!

Box of Goods

Truly delighted by the pastry shop in Brescia. The cafe vibe is just as lovely as the people and I am grateful to be here! After arriving I took a stroll down the street to scope out the work space and was granted opportunity to take away my lunch which was a box of mini pastry. You best believe I tried each one too. The bakery offers a variety of mini pastries that they have decorated beautifully; pate choux filled with pastry cream (bright yellow from the eggs here), baci di dama (typical of Piedimonte), and pasta frolla filled with pistachio cream. The brioche, which is also made in house, is layered with butter just like a croissant. Layers of flaky brioche are then filled with albicocca (apricot) jam or gianduia (similar to nutella). 

And We Must Go

It's always bittersweet leaving something behind; family, friends, pets, the comfort of your home and cozy bed. It's always that eerie feeling leaving behind an experience, or a larger part of a lifetime... like tomorrow when I depart from Ugento, Puglia. I don't know what has happened to the time between January and present. It's life that's always racing for the next thing, wanting to get there before anyone else. All the knowledge I have gained and the food that has found a peaceful spot in my belly is now satisfied with Puglia. It's up to me to carry on the next phase and what I will do with all I have earned here. It's up to me to be thankful for this adventure, grateful for the people who have walked through my life in the last few weeks, and appreciative of the place that I was able to call my temporary "home" away from home. I imagine there is no other spot in the world like Ugento.

Today we hosted a lunch at the Castello as a farewell to the town. Many wonderful influencers and business owners were invited and they were just truly the most lovely guests. Kathleen and I joyously set the table with pruned plants from the garden on this first day of spring. Tree trunks, cypress, daisies, lemon, fresh dill, and lit up candles evoked a refreshing and soothing vibe for an afternoon lunch. 

La Riviera orata, purea di sponsali e aglio

The final dishes represented bits and pieces of Italy and what we felt could nicely represent the varied cuisine. I was able to collaborate with a group of people on the appetizer course consisting of sea bream, mussels, sponsali onion puree, fried fish skin, and parsley foam. A very simple and rustic plate, yet colorful and dainty. On incident it seemed that all the courses were quite colorful too. Beet red cappellacci with robiola and guanciale, fregola with red mullet and raw artichoke salad, and goat cheese mousse with olive oil cake and pomegrainte sorbet all contributed nicely to the sunny warm afternoon. 

And, moving forward with an open mind, I embrace the challenge ahead; living on my own and working like an Italian for three weeks. With bags packed and tired eyes, I am ready to travel to the opposite coast.  I look forward to a bit of a lifestyle change while I see my way through the pastry world in this northern region. I do not know what to expect, but I look forward to filling my spare notebook with frills and tricks from the pastry shop of Brescia.