The Case of "The Lasts"

Ugh, I hate this part. You know, the one where everything you do is "the last." Last load of laundry in our crazy machine [it secretly wishes it were a rocket ship - you should hear it on spin cycle). Last shopping trip in the market. Last time I have to climb the never-ending stairs to Italian class...ok, maybe I don't hate every part. Those stairs at 8 in the morning were not exactly a treat.

After I got my grade on my Italian final - all good :) - I came home for some overnight oats!

Before you go to bed, put oats in a bowl and pour an equal amount of liquid (I'm a fan of almond milk) over them, and maybe add a dash of cinnamon. Let them sleep in the refigerator and when you are both awake, the oats will have absorbed the liquid and be soft - voila, no-cook oatmeal!

(There are different ways of preparing them; some people add more stuff to it the night before. That's why they're so fun - lots of different ways to experiment!)

Before...

After: all mixed up with some vanilla yogurt.

This was exceptionally good today - it tasted like snickerdoodle cookie dough! The perfect way to prepare for my cooking practical, the second half of my final for that class where we actually have to cook for and be judged by our professor.

We set his table up all pretty:

We were split up into teams to tackle 3 courses of 4 dishes.

Course 1: BREAD

Not just bread - stuffed focaccia and pizza.

This was the focaccia we made a couple weeks ago for our "green class." It's amazing, and this time it was even better. The spinach is sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic to add flavor and it worked - the spinach-garlic combo sang through the bread. The mozzarella (use fresh buffala mozzarella - it's a little fattier but you can use less to get a powerful punch of flavor) was perfectly stretchy, and the dough was juuuust dense enough to hold up it's filling but fluffy enough to be like eating yummy, doughy, pillows. 

Another team made pizza margherita - tomatoes, mozzarella, basil. This was very probably the.best.pizza. I've ever had. The flavors was perfectly balanced and so fresh. The crust was the right thickness - not cracker like but not like you were getting more crust than ingredients in your mouth at once either. The sauteed the tomatoes in garlic and olive before topping the dough to bake - this is essential for non-soggy pizza, because if you just throw the raw ingredients on the top, the water (that makes up most of the veggie) will release and make your pizza WAY to heavy to eat. The cheese was golden but not gummy or too crispy and with the basil was SO good. Yup, will be making this when I come home.

Next course: Pear-filled ravioli in a walnut-herb sauce with pecorino.

PEAR!

This was very tasty. The pasta was a little undercooked, but I actually like overly-al dente pasta (yes, I'm odd). I wish the pear had been blended with the pecorino and then filled, the ravioli with just chopped pear felt a little sparse to me. But the walnut sauce was SO good - walnuts, parsley, and basil. You couldn't really taste the walnuts, at least not unless you looked for it, but that is actually kind of the goal. Like pesto - it's not ALL about the pine nuts that you add to it, but if you took them out you would know. It really did work well the sweetness of the pears. As my professor commented - "amazing".

Dessert: MY TEAM!

[Thanks again blogger for the sideways picture. It's not funny anymore.] 

Crema di amaretti - I also made it here.

Gosh, I love pretty food.

The filling is very similar to tiramisu - we used the double boiler method to kill any salmonella ickiness in the eggs as we beat the. Here's what we did: Separate the whites from the yolks of your eggs (it's one egg for every 2 people you are serving). Get your double -boiler going; when the water is simmering (NOT full-on boiling!), use a hand-mixer (or one of those fancy-schmancy Kitchen Aid mixers that I can only dream about owning) beat the yolks with cane sugar (tablespoons=number of eggs used) until it's nice and creamy. Set it aside to cool. Get your water a-simmerin' again, and repeat the process with egg whites (no sugar) until they form stiff peaks. Not sure what that means? I didn't either. Get them to the point where if you turn the bowl upside down, the egg whites don't move (and please use a second bowl underneath when testing this...). Let those cool as well. Fold in marscapone cheese with yolk-sugar mixture gently. Then add the egg whites. 

This is where I added a couple teaspoons of cinnamon. I remember thinking it would be good the first time we made it, and I wanted to do it for the final. My teacher loved it! Yay! Nothing like feeling innovative in the kitchen to make me smile:)

Now, look at the consistency you have. You want something tiramisu-filling-like, very light and creamy. We made the call to add a liiiiittle bit of whipping cream (whipped with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt to get it fluffy!), and that really made a huge difference. We used about 125 grams of cream, and we were making for 14 people - so you really don't need much.

To plate, dip two amaretti cookies (they're like little almond biscuits, I will have to consciously search for them in the States when I come home - I'll keep you updated!) in strong coffee mixed with just a few drops of milk and sugar. Sprinkle the top with coffee (instant here is fine), chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Voila! better-than-tiramisu goodness.

Our professor's comment? "Delizioso!"

He gave me a big hug when I left and that was when this whole "I'm actually leaving" business hit me. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! DON'T MAKE ME GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem.

SO, after class I wandered over to the Ponte Vecchio to do some window shopping. I have been searching for a necklace with the Florentine fleur-de-lis crest, and I knew if I would find it anywhere, that's where it would be. The Ponte Vecchio is known for its jewlery, specifically marble and gold. Honestly, I really can't stand gold, but I was still hopeful. It was looking pretty dim at first; all I could find were charms the size of my pinky fingernail at the low, low price of 122 euro - which is, what, maybe 150 dollars? Ugh. I was feeling like giving up, when I crossed to the other side and found it.

Yay! 6 euro, and I already have a chain :) Ain't it perty?

For the first time this week, the sun was out! I have been planning on returning to Piazzale Michelangiolo to get some better pictures because a) the day we went it was cloudy, b) I have a new camera!!, and c) the combination of my carberrific lunch + the joy of finding my jewelry left me with some newfound energy to burn!

The walk there is lovely.

[Ponte Vecchio]

Remember the funky trees?

It's quite a hike to get there...

And just when you think it's over...

But it's worth it.

Even though I've only been here for 4 teeny months, I still call it 'mine.' Not that it only belongs to me; more in the way that it has made such an impact on me. It's home.

Dinner tonight was long-anticipated. We planned to go to Cibreino - "the poor man's Cibreo." Cibreo is one of the most important (and most expensive) restaurants in Florence. The chef is world-reknowned for his take on Italian food. Simply put, it's a big deal.

Cibreino is a little trattoria around the corner from Cibreo that offers a limited menu for a MUCH smaller price. Same kitchen - fewer options.

I was excited.

We got there at 7, when it opens, and all breathed sighs of relief when there was a table for 4 ready and waiting. The trattoria is a very small room with only 8 or so tables, so we were a little worried. It was also mostly tourists - and we were treated as such, which was a little annoying but to be expected considering the fame of this place.

After much debate and some help from our very entertaining waiter, I ordered:

It was a veggie-fish soup. Very well spiced and I loved the fish that was in it - no idea what it was called, a kind of white fish that looked a little bit like tuna (different taste though). It was a little brothy for me, but it was so well-seasoned that it didn't hinder my enjoyment of it. They also brought us a "surprise" bowl of the minestra di pane - bread soup - that is very similar to ribollita. That was awesome - tasted just like Thanksgiving stuffing! Ah, the wonders of sage.

At the end of our class today, my cooking professor was talking about going to restaurants. He said the best way to judge a restaurant is by its appetizers and dessert - how they start and end a meal. He emphasized the great importance of dessert and ending a meal on a sweet note, because there's always room for sweet! (You understand now why I enjoyed this class so much?) I was feeling inspired and so Alaina and I split the flourless chocolate cake.

Best. Decision. Ever.

This was one of the best chocolate cakes EVER. Very thin but SO dense and moist. I could have eaten an entire cake's worth of it. But, aside from the phenomenal flavor, I also appreciated the portion size - it was a perfect dessert. Wonderful taste but not overwhelmingly huge so as to make you waddle out of the restaurant. Well done, Cibreino. Well done.

What fabulous plans do we have on our last day in Firenze? Pack, pack, pack - print boarding passes - and then pack some more. Ah, the glamour of life abroad.

And I loved every second.

~Namaste~

Roughing It

Ah, the weekend. What everyone looks forward to. This weekend was especially exciting though - for our last excursion, API took us to Siena and Perugia for a weekend of thorough relaxation. I would have to say this mission was most certainly accomplished.

We boarded the bus on Saturday morning  [for once not at the butt crack of dawn!] and headed to Siena, an idyllic Tuscan town a bit south of Florence. It is world-renowned for its natural beauty; in fact, if you google Tuscan landscapes, there's a pretty good chance that one of the first pictures to pop up will be in Siena. I gave Frida a firm talking to before we left - this was not the trip to be without a camera, and her best behavior was mandatory. She grudgingly complied.

Siena's Duomo.

Fun fact: The word 'duomo' has nothing to do with domes! It was taken from the German word for house and in Italy a "Duomo" is the "house of God", meaning it is the most important church in its city.

Siena and Florence were HUGE rivals, and Siena began constructing their Duomo with plans to make it greater than Brunelleschi's creation for Florence. They didn't succeed, but this is nevertheless an immensely impressive structure. Just look at the detail!

InTENSE.

Main piazza - can you see the seashell shape?

Siena is also known for its horse race, a tradition dating waaaaaay back that draws thousands upon thousands of people into this small city. Siena is divided into sections called contrade, and each contrada has its own symbol and horse. Most of the symbols represent strength, including a rhinoceros, a griffin, and the tower on top of the elephant that you see above^. A horse representing each contrada gathers in the main piazza and in 75 seconds, it's over and done with. The prize is pretty much the ability to say "hey, we won!", but the loyalty to one's contrada is fierce and quite endearing. Being the good little tourists that we are, we each bought a banner with the symbol of a different contrada on each.

I got the porcupine. Duh.

After our walking tour we went on a lunch-hunt. After a failed search for a recommended restaurant, we settled for another one, which turned out to be slightly mediocre, but fit the bill.

I was feelin the veggies today, and definitely made the right choices!

Melanzane alla griglia fatte in casa - Grilled eggplant made in-house

This was quite amazing, I will say. Very garlickly and tender. Perfect for this veggie-loving soul.

And bruschetta:

Certainly not the best I've had, but when in Italy it's hard to find "bad" bruschetta. Olive oil, bread, fresh basil + tomatoes. Simply amazing...or amazingly simple?

After doing some souvenir shopping, we made sure to get some of the Sienese specialty called panforte, a kind of sweet whose recipe dates back to the Middle Ages when it was eaten as a kind of "trail mix" for the Crusaders.

Panforte al cioccolato

It's a very dense mix of dried fruit, nuts (mostly almonds and pistachios), honey, and various spices. It was heavy on the cinnamon and cocoa - which I loved, and also on the orange rind - which I was not so much a fan of.Overall though, the cakey texture mixed with the variety of other textures and the complex flavors made this a very enjoyable treat for my tastebuds - those Crusaders had good taste!

Now, prepare to be jealous. The main event of the day was a trip to a thermal spa, located in the Rapolano area just outside of Siena. This area is located above thermal waters that have been enriched by the minerals of the soil deep within the earth. The Etruscans discovered that the minerals in the water were amazingly beneficial for the body both inside and out, helping everything from smoothing skin to cleansing the internal organs. There are many spas in this area that have tapped into the thermal waters and constructed pools for people to sit in and soak up the minerals to receive their many health benefits. 

Oh man, this was incredible. The water was like a warm, comforting bath, and it was so relaxing to just sit and soak and chat for a couple hours. I left feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and all-around happy.

Rough weekend so far, no?

After our perfectly lovely afternoon at the spa, we went to our hotel - the Grand Hotel Boston! They must have known I was coming (well, me and the hundred other kids with API from Mass...). In case we hadn't been pampered enough just yet, API had planned a four-course dinner for us at the hotel. It was nothing more than your average hotel food, but we were excited for a free meal and to be waited on regardless!

They even had menus on the table for us:

The obligatory bread and wine:

First antipasto: CHEESE!

The upper one was tomino, a very soft creamy cheese that is exactly like brie in its consistency but has none of brie's pungency. I enjoyed it, but it paled in comparison to this guy:

Maybe I was just starving, maybe I don't eat fresh mozzarella plain often enough, but this tasted absolutely incredible. Soft, milky, with a rich mouth-feel but a light flavor. This was the most delicious bite of the entire meal.

Second antipasto: Fritture

This was an assortment of fried veggies and rice balls. I took a taste, but nothing more. When I was on my weight-loss diet, I completely cut out all things fried and ever since then, I can't eat it without getting horribly sick. I can't ever taste what has actually been fried, it all tastes like the same cheap, greasy lump to me. I also think I've developed a conditioned taste aversion - I immediately connect the taste of deep-fried food to the unbearable nausea that I'm always stuck with after, and I just can't do it. Alas and alack, I simply cannot appreciate it. Perhaps some day...

First primi: Zuppa di verdure - Vegetable soup

Well, the name pretty much says it all. Soup of vegetables. It was a bit too salty, and not much more impressive than something that I can get out of a can. But, I'm always happy to have some fresh vegetables, and it was perfectly edible - just nothing more.

Second primi: Lasagna vegetariana

Apparently this hotel defines 'vegetarian lasagna' as regular ol' lasagna without the ground meat; the only vegetables in here were the tomatoes in the sauce. It had a hint of what I thought was nutmeg, and I did appreciate that surprisingly little tough of sweetness. The crunchy outer noodles were also a nice contrast to the soft, melty middle. Not bad, just unremarkable. I probably ate about 3/4 of it.

Secondi: Roasted Chicken

This was actually pretty decent. Very simple salt+pepper+rosemary seasoning (although a little too heavy on the salt). Too much dark meat for my taste, and I will admit for the amount of work that goes into picking the meat of the bone, the acutal amount of edible chicken I was left with was not worth it. But, I enjoyed the few bites I had. Again, nothing special. It did get me excited for summer at home though - my dad makes a mean lemon-pepper bbq chicken!

Dessert

You know me; this was what I was waiting for. Unfortunately, it followed suite with the previous courses in its overwhelming mediocrity. It was kind of like a tiramisu cake; something like angel food cake with a whipped topping drizzled with a coffee-chocolate sauce and a light chocolate cream layer. The cake was only slightly better than tasteless, and the filling was more like a pastry cream with a hint of cocoa than a chocolate filling which I found disappointing. The whipped topping was like Cool Whip in texture (thankfully without the artificial chemically taste) with a coffee-cocoa drizzle that was clearly trying to imitate tiramisu, My main complaint is WHY did they not just make tiramisu (very hard to screw up) instead of producing this subpar impostor? But, it was dessert, and I of course had no problem lapping it up within minutes.

Ok, I kind of bashed the dinner a little bit; but I promise, it was a truly wonderful evening! It was the perfect end to a long, luxurious day and the company of my sweet roommates made the dinner a success. We had laughter, wine, and plenty to talk about - luckily for me, they like talking about food, so we discussed the dinner as we ate!

Morning brings my favorite part of staying in hotels: the free breakfast. Most important meal of day, right?

Tea, yogurt, muesli, a roll [which went uneaten], and MELON! If you had only seen my face when I saw that platter piled with infinite melon...like a kid on Christmas morning. I am a full-on melon addict, and could (and when I'm at school, do) eat it every day and never get sick of it. I must have gone back 4 or five times, probably at least half a melon's worth! It was exactly what I wanted after that heavy meal the night before. I'm so excited for summer fruits!!!

After breakfast we boarded the bus and zoomed off to...

PERUGIA!

We entered the city through what was the residential area of the city in the Middle Ages. It was a huge labyrinth of arches where people used to live under one big roof, and was really cool to see.

I was too amused with this scene: the escalator leading down into the medieval residences. I am endlessly fascinated by past-meets-present collisions! *NERDALERT*

Perugia is located in the region of Umbria, just under Tuscany, known as the "Green Heart of Italy."

Give you one guess why:

Those Etruscans looooved their aqueducts!

There were these little yellow flowers sprouting up out of the most random spots! Frida thought it was poetic.

Ca-RAZY church!

If 'Perugia' sounds familiar to you, it might be because it is the birthplace of the chocolate company Perugina. They produce Bacio (literally, 'kiss' - we have Hershey's, Italy has Perugina!). A Bacio is a dark chocolate shell with a chocolate truffle filling dotted with chopped hazelnut and one whole hazelnut in the middle! Don't worry, I have pictures coming tomorrow...patience, grasshopper.

This was our non-negotiable first stop.

Perugia is also home to one of the world's most famous chocolate festivals! Every October, thousands of people flood the streets - they say you can smell chocolate everywhere! Fall Break trip to Italy, anyone?

LOOK at the Hedgehog cakes!!! Iwantonenow.

You may have noticed a key element missing from our trip so far...

GELATO! We quickly made up for its absence.

Raspberry + Bacio, because, well, when in Rome Perugia!

After a walking tour and an espresso in the sun, we were off to today's main event: a wine tasting in Chianti!

Like I said...rough weekend.

It took place at Castillo di Verrazzano, as in the Verrazzano who discovered New York. I guess it's not too surprising that his family has a castle, huh? We were welcomed by the owner, who was a very charming Italian man. He may have been a little too charming, because I couldn't even dislike him despite the fact that I was absolutely green with jealousy over his "house":

And I thought I had it rough.

He talked for a while about how wonderful it is to walk around a vineyard and take in every sight and smell it has to offer, because then when you taste its wine, you can appreciate it all the more. You can taste the cherries from the cherry tree, and the lemons growing on the lemon trees. Wine is not for "getting drunk"; as he said, a baby could get drunk! Wine is about respect. AMEN! To be honest, I only really like wine when I sip it slowly and only have a couple small glasses; I find I get bored with the flavor and forget to really 'taste' it if I just mindlessly pour and drink. And that takes all the fun away!

We proceeded with a tour of the castle & its cellars:

Their reserve bottles - check out that layer of dust!

We were all ushered in to a big room for the sit-down tasting. Just as I had hoped, the owner walked us through the first sip, explaining how to hold the glass, look at the color, check the alcohol content, and even how to smell it correctly! What I learned in Italy...

We started with a simple table wine, red of course:

Then proceeded to the Chianti Classico - this was my favorite:

What a fox, that Verrazzano.

Just like the other tastings, we were served lots of "snacks" with the wine that turned into a perfect dinner! Tuscan bread, olive oil, toasted garlic bread (my favorite), salami and prosciutto, pecorino (my love!), salad, white beans...the works. Oh, but I was happy.

We also got to taste one of the Reserve wines; I could definitely taste the difference in its age and quality, but to be honest, it wasn't my favorite. It was too strong for my underdeveloped palate ;) But it was such a fun experience!

We ended with the traditional cantucci (Tuscan biscotti) to dip in Vin Santo, the classic dessert wine.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. I liked this vin santo better than the last I had - less strong/bitter. I really like the two together! Really, I just love cantucci. A lot.

Before we left this beautiful trip behind and traveled back to the semi-reality of Florence, I took some pics of the castle's "back yard":

Now that's rough.

~Namaste~