A Cook Not Mad

European Markets Part Two

2012-11-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

As you can see in this and our previous European Markets post, the variety of products that can be found at markets is limitless. Whether you're looking for pickles, honey, ferrets, second hand clothing, olive oil or durian, there's a market somewhere ready to cater to your needs.

When in a new city, town or village head over to the market and talk to local vendors, see, smell and taste your way to a better understanding of that specific part of the world and support the local economy while you do it.

Vegetable Market in Barga

Small Animal Market in Ghent

Shopping for Dinner at the Small Animal Market in Ghent

Second Hand Clothing at Waterlooplein Market, Amsterdam

Hens at the Arras Market

Home Made Jams in Arras

Colourful Eggs in Ghent

Antique Tins in Amsterdam

Foie Gras at the Great Market Hall, Budapest

Ferrets at the Small Animal Market, Ghent

Coeur de Boeuf Tomatoes in Lille

Durian at Marché d'Aligre, Paris

Smoked Garlic, Arras

Fresh Strawberries at Westermarkt, Amsterdam

Olive Oil Honey Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Milk
1 Egg
1/3 cup Olive oil
1/3 cup Honey
Pinch Salt
2 tsp Yeast

Directions

Warm up milk in small sauce pan, add pinch of sugar and sprinkle yeast. Wait until yeast foams up a bit.
Measure flour, add salt to measuring cup and blend a bit with a spoon.
In bowl, beat eggs, add sugar olive oil and honey. Add yeast/milk mixture.
Add flour to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon. Empty onto floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes.
Let rest.
Punch down and place into oiled loaf pan or shaped into round and place on oiled cookie sheet.
Let rise, place in 375F oven for 45 min to 1 hr.

Where is your favourite market?

A Day Of Remembrance

2012-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Remembrance Day, wear the poppy proudly and remember the men and women who fought for your freedom. Without their sacrifice who knows where we would be.

Photo Credit Mona Line Moisan

My uncle's grave in Ravenna, Italy

4 Things To Do In Cologne Germany

2012-11-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

Your Own Personal Brew House Crawl

Cologne is the place for Kölsch. In fact there are over 20 different types of Kölsch brewed in Cologne. With that many beers, served in 0.21cl stanges, you could literally end up crawling back to your hotel room.
Try some of our favourites:
- Brauhaus Sünner im Walfisch, Salzgasse 13
- Peters Brauhaus, Mühlengasse 1. Am Alter Markt.
- Früh am Dom, Am Hof 12

Eat Raw

If you can get over your fear of contracting listeria, try the mett, a raw spiced pork sausage or the beef tartare. At around €2.50 for a sharing plate, it’s filling and delicious.

Check Out The Locks

Cologne’s Hohenzollen Bridge is heavy with love. You can easily spend an hour walking across the bridge looking at the different locks, placed there by lovers to display their undying love. Once across, you have the best view of the bridge and cathedral. If you have a chance, do it now as there is talk of the locks being removed due to excess weight.

Get Some Exercise!

The Cologne Cathedral is the easiest and most picturesque way of getting exercise. With 533 steps to the top of the belfry, it’s the original Stairmaster. The view from above is well worth the effort. So grab your sneakers and some water and burn some calories while you face your fear of heights. (*TIP: Make sure there aren't any slow walkers in front of you.)

Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (or are they Turkish?)

2012-10-20T03:32:00.000-07:00

We didn't do much research into Budapest before arriving other than finding a place to stay. But once there we were schooled in its rich history, its amazing culture and its cuisine. Foods like goulash soup, the huge variety of cakes and pastries and the stuffed peppers are comforting and delicious. Peppers so flavourful they left us speechless. Like Italians, Hungarians all have their own version of dishes. Small variations from family to family. The recipe we're sharing is our version, it's delicious and the ingredients can be sourced in most cities. The fact of the matter is that Hungarian Stuffed Peppers aren't Hungarian at all. It's a recipe with Turkish roots that was adopted by Hungarians in the 16th and 17th century during Turkish occupation. So feel free to use this recipe as a guideline, use it as is or add your own twist to it.

Fresh Peppers at the Great Hall Market

Stuffed Peppers in our Kitchen

Stuffed Hungarian Peppers

Ingredients

10 Hungarian Yellow Wax Peppers pr similar thin skinned pepper
1 kilo regular ground beef (not lean)
3/4 cup Arborio rice (any rice will work but Arborio is good!)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 extra large egg, beaten
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (+ 1Tbsp to add to the sauce)
1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 jars tomato passatta (strained tomatoes)
1/2 small can tomato paste
3 or 4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp or branch of fresh thyme (optional)
couple squirts Worcestershire sauce

Cooking Directions

If you are really lucky you will be able to get those beautiful Hungarian yellow wax peppers but any type of bell pepper can be substituted. Use a non reactive cooking vessel that has a lid or can be wrapped well with tinfoil.

Cut the tops off all the peppers and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Pop the stems out of the top and then finely dice the remaining flesh.
Cover the rice with water in a small pot and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for 2 minutes then drain it and rinse it under cold water.
In a sauté pan, preferably with bacon fat (olive oil is fine) cook the diced onion and garlic until they are soft and then add the chopped pepper tops with the paprikas and cook for another few minutes until soft and fragrant. Remove all of it to a large bowl and let cool completely. When cool, mix the onion mixture with the ground beef, the beaten egg, salt and pepper.
Fold in the cold blanched rice.
Gently stuff the peppers with the filling and make meatballs with what remains. In a suitable sized covered pot or casserole loosely fit the peppers in a layer or two and then gently squeeze in the remaining meatballs on top. Whisk the tomato paste with some passatta and then pour over the peppers, continue with more passatta if needed until the meatballs are almost covered.
Add the Bay leaves and the branch of thyme, the paprika and a couple of squirts of Worcestershire. A good pinch of salt and ten turns of fresh pepper and check for seasoning after cooking.
Place the whole works in the oven on the lower middle rack at 350F for the first forty five minutes and then reduce it to 325F for the next hour.
Remove from oven and check for salt. If the sauce is too thin you can remove the peppers and reduce the sauce until it is thicker.
Serve the peppers in warm pasta bowls with an accompanying meatball and lots of sauce. A good dollop of heavy sour cream takes it up one octave.

Recipe by Tim Harris

Bathing Suits Are Mandatory

2012-10-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

When you go to Budapest the question is not whether or not to go to the baths. The question is which baths and when. We were staying near Castle Hill and decided to go to Gellert Baths even though we read reviews saying it was crowded and touristy, the staff was all cranky and your belongings may or may not be safe in a locker.

On a sunny Sunday morning, we walked the 30 minutes from our rental apartment to the baths, taking with us the absolute basic necessities, money, flip flops, a towel and bathing suits.

'Sundays are co-ed and bathing suits are mandatory.

We arrived around 9:30 am and were greeted by helpful staff that told us how to get to the lockers and baths. We changed and met up on the men's side.

As I walked in, I noticed that there were only a few people and I was the only woman in the room. I felt a bit awkward at first and quickly slipped into the 36C pool.

I asked Tim if he was sure it was co-ed day. I felt like an intruder until another woman walked in. At which point I started to relax and enjoy the heat.

We went from pool to pool, 36C, 38C, and the plunge pool at 18C (Tim didn't last too long in that one). We donned our mandatory bathing caps and did a few laps in the swimming pool.

Four hours later, wrinkled like raisins and limp like overcooked noodles, we walked back to the apartment. A little dehydrated but without a care in the world.

'I could definitely get used to this.

If you go, bring only the basics, a towel, your flip flops, a bathing cap and suit and enough cash for the entrance fee and water. Leave your body issues at the door, you will see all shapes and sizes here so get in there an enjoy the experience.

Which baths did you choose?

Budapest

Autumn Leaves

2012-10-12T04:35:00.000-07:00

We felt the need to break the chronological order of the blog to bring you these Autumn views of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Driving to Linden Pond Cottage, I realised it had been six years since I've seen nature's colourful show first hand, 2006 in New York City. The leaves were at their peak this passed weekend (Thanksgiving) and we took advantage by spending some time in the country.

Central Park, NYC 2006

Western Quebec

Eastern Ontario

Linden Pond Cottage

Meadows at Linden Pond Cottage

Red Vine Growing on a Tree

Linden Pond

Typical Rural Ontario Scene

Colourful Trees in a Cemetery

Chenaux, Quebec

On the Way Back

Do you enjoy seasons?

Ottawa

Budapest Through The Lens (And Goulash Soup)

2012-10-06T05:40:00.001-07:00

Hungary's capital city, once two cities, Buda and Pest, unified in November 1873. Budapest is rich in culture and history and it is so pretty, it's no wonder it made Forbes Europe's Most Idyllic Places To Live list in 2008. We quickly fell in love with its wonderful architecture, its cafes and the kindness of strangers. We hope that through our lens we can give you a feel for this city, the gateway to Eastern Europe.

Statue of St Stephen Outside the Cave Church

At the Great Market Hall

St Stephen Basilica

At the Fehérvári Úti Market

A Typical Street In The Castle District

View From Buda Hill

Fountain in a Park on Erzsébet tér

Buda Castle

At the Fehérvári Úti Market

The Parliament at Sunset

Ingredients for a Goulash Soup

Goulash Soup

Ingredients

1/4 cup rendered pork fat from bacon (or vegetable oil)
1 1/2 lb stewing beef or chuck, cut into 1" cubes
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 parsley roots, chopped
2 yellow Hungarian peppers or Anaheim peppers, diced
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups beef stock
2 cups water
1 heaping Tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups spaetzle cooked or fresh dropped into the soup
chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Directions

Start by searing the meat in small batches until it is well browned (a very important step) set aside.
In the same heavy bottom pot, add the onions, carrots and parsley root, sweat them over medium heat until they start to soften. Add the peppers and continue to cook.
Next is the Paprika, another important step, sauté the paprika with the vegetables in the bacon fat until it starts to change colour a bit and smell heavily, don't over cook it though, just enough to bring out its full potential.
Slip in your diced potatoes, tomato paste and then the beef broth. Traditional recipes would only use water but I use stock to bump up the flavour and then top it up with water until it is at least an inch over the veg and meat.
Bring it to a simmer and then cook it low and slow for a good couple of hours (and a half) or until the meat is meltingly tender. Season well with salt and pepper then garnish each bowl with a good sprinkling of chopped parsley.
If you are lucky you will find cspetke (pinched noodles) or spaetzl in your goulash in Budapest. At home, cook packaged spaetzle in separate water and then put a couple spoons full of noodles in the bottom of each serving bowl and cover with goulash. If you are going all out and make your own Spaetzle cut it right into the simmering soup!
Sour cream is not traditionally served with a Hungarian Goulash but the sour cream was so unbelievable in Budapest I could not resist.
Big slices of fresh dense white bread is the Hungarian choice to mop up all this delicious comfort food.
However you choose to put your spin on it, you can't go wrong with this favourite Hungarian classic.

Budapest

Lifeventure Dakar 25 Review

2012-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is a review of the Lifeventure Dakar 25 Daysack. I'd like to preface this review with a bit of disclosure. We used the bag the way people normally use things, which means not always following the recommended directions.

On the Chain Bridge in Budapest

Technical Info and Highlights:
3 yr warranty (original purchaser)
dimension: 44x27x20 cm
weight: 700g
capacity: 25 litres
padded laptop pocket
hidden security pocket
lockable zips

At first glance we thought the Dakar 25 might be too small as a second bag for our 3 month European adventure. Its compact size is deceiving, similar to our other bag, the Lifeventure Altai 60+15, when you think you just can’t fit anything else into it, you find an empty space.

I couldn’t wait to try it on, the air mesh padded back and straps make it one of the most comfortable bags we’ve ever owned. The front organizer pocket is great for a note pad and pen and other little things like a toothbrush and floss but you could fit a lot more than that into it and the fleece lined loft pocket is very useful for fragile objects.

On a Floating B&B in Amsterdam

The Dakar 25 has a stretchy front pocket that I thought I would never use but it soon became my favourite place to stash *a camera lens and extra memory cards for quick and easy access.

I asked a few people what they looked for in a backpack and most came back with the same answer,

easy access to contents and no hanging straps (that could get caught in conveyer belts). Lifeventure bags are different, they have barely any hanging straps and the ones they have on bigger (checkable) bags usually have a zipable flap to contain them, they open up in a way that everything is easily accessible and all of their bags feature lockable zips for security.

At the Train Station in Ghent, the hanging straps are from the bag on my front (not a Lifeventure bag)

So how did the Dakar 25 fare on the road? Consider the conditions it endured, walking (one of us carrying the bag) for up to 8 hours a day for 90 days in 40C weather, a few days of rain and **a few wash cycles.

It held up perfectly, it was quite hot in the July and August heat wave and the straps (being well padded) may have soaked up a bit of sweat (or should I say perspiration?). We emptied it, threw it in the washer and it came out like new, except for a bit of stitching that came undone on the mesh pocket (easily fixable with a travel sewing kit). Make sure to empty all pockets beforehand. I say this because the Dakar 25 has a secret pocket, so secret in fact that I kept losing my passport (or so I thought) because it was secure in the secret pocket. Avoid the need to explain to a customs agent why your passport is wet and make sure you check the secret pocket before **washing the bag. That said, it’s a great bag but it would be even better with these two additions.

- enlarging the mesh pocket on the side or making it tighter (useful to hold a pair of socks or a hat) would be more useful if it were deeper (a regular sized water bottle kept falling out).
- a built in rain cover

Hiking in the Apuan Alps

Even without these two enhancements, I would still recommend this bag with confidence.

*This is not a camera bag and using it as such is asking for trouble. Lifeventure and/or ACNM are not responsible for your broken camera equipment.

**After checking with LifeventureUK on washing instructions, they recommend that you clean it with a damp cloth and not put it in the washing machine.

Disclosure: LifeventureUK were nice enough to give us this bag to use and review. As always, the opinions in this post are our own.

Devouring Budapest

2012-09-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was 9 am when we arrived at the Great Market Hall to rendez-vous with our tour guide Virág along with two other travelers with whom we would share the tour.
Budapest’s covered markets were created in 1896 to remove vending from the streets and Danube. Having the markets in an enclosed area was cleaner and easier to control. There are five markets in all, the Great Market being the largest and definitely the most popular with its magnificent architecture.

Ready to start the tour we headed upstairs to a tiny bar stuck in the corner. Pressing up against the bar, our guide ordered five shots of Unicum a strong liqueur of purported medicinal qualities created in 1790 by Dr. József Zwack. This was according to our guide the way some Hungarians kick start their morning and ready their system for the day.

With the Unicum taking the edge off and warming the seat of our pants we plunged into the crowd to wiggle our way to breakfast. Lángos is a common Budapest street food that is a simple fried bread dough usually topped with garlic, sour cream and cheese. Grouped around a small table we all enjoyed our first taste of Budapest. Moving on, we slipped our way through a narrow aisle of delicious looking ready to eat foods and down a staircase to the main floor. Salami and prepared meats filled this section of the floor, piled high and hung with care. While admiring the displays and the delicious smell of fresh smoked bacon our guide ordered up a tasting plate from one of the vendors. Smoked pork loin, hot and sweet Hungarian salami, horse salami, smoked salami and summer sausage, all delicious. Walking around the corner, the counters start to fill with things like stacks of sausages, piles of bacon and entire cases of chicken.
Here you will find any and every cut of fresh meat including rooster testicles, organ meat and the popular fattened goose liver. Continuing our walk we ended up at the back of the main floor where there is a lone stall selling fresh dairy product. A selection of local cheeses was in order and Virág had even brought a cheese board, knives and napkins (very thoughtful).
Setting up our impromptu cheese tasting at an empty stall we enjoyed all sorts of different flavours of cheese including a cheese similar to cottage cheese with a nice bite, a crumbly cow’s milk cheese with dill and even a chocolate covered sweetened fresh cheese (quark).The basement was next and my nose told me instantly that fish was being sold down there. Game meat was also sold, mostly frozen, but plentiful and stalls of pickle makers took up the remainder of the floor. We are not talking just brining some dills but pickling of the highest order. Barrels of different types of vegetables like squash, carrot, baby corn, peppers and of course cabbage, filled the stalls and cute displays of mixed pickles where stacked in every available space. Stopping at one stall we sampled a cone of fresh sauerkraut and an array of tangy vegetables including a huge sour pickle.

Upstairs again we were now in the vegetable section of the main floor and the displays were beautiful. Huge mountains of the freshest peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, you name it! Artfully arranged and accented by huge strings of dried Hungarian peppers. Working our way down the aisle we soon came upon rows of different honey and bags of dried spices containing the famed Hungarian paprika used in just about everything.
Our guide quickly steered us away from the inferior, mass appeal, paprikas to the good stuff made for years by the same family and considered the best by Hungarian cooks. The market hall pretty much covered, it was time for us to move on down the street to a very local lunch spot to sample some of their most popular dishes. On the way, Virág spotted her favourite chocolate shop and had to have us try their uniquely blended flavours before we moved on.

Arriving at Belvárosi Disznótoros, we found the place to be packed but we staked our claim to an outdoor table and Virág disappeared inside to order, while we guarded our spot.
In very short order she returned loaded down with plates of different food with more coming when it was ready. The sampling at the market had managed to take up more room than any of us thought but it all looked so good we dug in like troopers.
We carefully divided up all the dishes between our plates so that everyone had a good taste of each. Salt cod potato croquette, venison stew, potato pancake with sour cream and garlic, Lecsó (a vegetable stew, this one had sausage in addition) fresh Mangalica pork sausage and blood sausage with a touch of mustard and kraut on the side. Lunch conquered, we were glad to keep moving since we were all feeling pretty full and knew we were not at the end yet. Budapest, like Vienna, has a big coffee culture and also shares the love of pastries and the art of the confection. Knowing the locals’ preferred pastry shop we headed just a few blocks away to a very busy corner and the shop was bustling. Inside, we again waited patiently for Virág, as she ordered a sampling of traditional Hungarian cakes and pastries. We begged her not to get too much but there were five we had to try and they only cut the pieces one size. Grabbing a fork we cut into each piece while Virág described their makeup. All were incredibly fresh and beautifully made. The rigó jancsi, chocolate sponge cake with chocolate cream filling was moist and denser than it looked. The Dobos torta, the most famous cake in Hungary, stacked chocolate butter cream topped with a thin crust of caramel. They were all good but the one I liked best was the Kapros Turos Lepeny, filled with a sweetened cottage cheese and lightly flavoured with dill, one of the most unique cakes I have ever had. Now we were full, but with over three hours of walking, sampling and eating, what could be left? How about a wine tasting at a great little outdoor bar with seating in the adjacent park? The wine came by the glass starting with a Sauska white, made with the Furmint grape variety, the same as the famed Tokaji but not sweet. Next was a chilled Kékfrankos that was super drinkable, perfect for the hot afternoon and last was a Kadarka, a bigger, fruitier red and also fantastic. The tour was now officially over but we lingered at the table for a bit talking about our future plans and what a great day we had tasting the real Hungary in the beautiful city of Budapest.

Our thanks go out to Carolyn and Gábor Bánfalvi for inviting us out for a wonderful day on Taste Hungary's culinary walking tour. If you’re going to Budapest and are interested in authentic Hungarian cuisine and wine, book a tour with Taste Hungary!

Budapest

Meeting the Bánfalvis

2012-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Bánfalvis started Taste Hungary in 2008. Four years later, their business is still growing. We sat down with Carolyn and Gabór to talk about food, wine and life in Budapest.

-When people think of Hungary, they think goulash, name two other specialities that are not as well known.
There are so many. But if I have to name just two: halászlé (fisherman’s soup, heavily spiced with paprika) and Rákóczi túrós (a wonderful dessert which is a short crust topped with sweetened curd cheese, meringue, and apricot jam).

-Carolyn, as an ex pat (American), can you describe, in three sentences, your experience of moving to Budapest?
I moved to Budapest the first time straight out of college, and I loved getting immersed in the very different way of life here (though, of course there are the annoying bits, which aren’t so much fun). Living here has allowed me to really focus on what interests me and create a business, and life, around that. Budapest is a city which not everyone falls in love with right away, but those who do, fall hard (like me).

-What is Hungary's best kept wine secret?
Furmint is my favorite Hungarian wine, and should be much better known than it is. It is best-known as being one of the ingredients in Tokaji aszú (Hungary’s famous sweet wine), but it is also made in a dry version, which is fabulous.

-Your favourite place to chill out in Budapest?
Again, there are many! Margaret Island with my kids, the Széchenyi Bath in the winter (preferably when it is snowing), a ruin bar on a summer night, Károly kert with a book, or any kávéház where I can get good coffee.

-With Hungary producing 70% of the world's foie gras, how do you think Hungarians would react if they banned foie gras in Budapest?
Most Hungarians would not be too happy. They do love their libamaj. Of course there are a few animal rights groups who oppose the force-feeding (but not as vocally as in the US, for example), I think the majority of Hungarians are just happy to eat it. Foie gras is abundant here, and if a restaurant does not have it on its menu, it is rare. Most restaurants prepare it a few different ways.

-You recently started a blog called The Hungary Dish, tell us about it.
The blog (which I write with my husband, Gábor, and a friend, Matt Ellis) is all about eating and drinking in Hungary and the region. We travel a lot due to the tours that we organize and are always discovering tasty new foods, wines, and cool places. We hope to write about all of this on the blog, as well as publish Hungarian recipes.

Disclosure: Although we were guests of Taste Hungary on their market tour and wine cruise, the interview was our idea.

On Proper Etiquette at Memorial Sites

2012-09-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago Ayngelina from Bacon is Magic wrote a post about visiting the 9/11 memorial in NYC. She did not understand how some people could visit such a meaningful place and take photos of each other smiling for the camera. What followed was a discussion on her Facebook page about whether or not it's appropriate.

We understand why she was conflicted. Earlier this summer we were at The Shoes on the Danube Promenade in Budapest, it honours the Jews who were shot by Arrow Cross militiamen. They were ordered to remove their shoes and were shot into the Danube.

The memorial is beautiful and somber, all sizes of men's, women's and children's bronze shoes scattered on the edge of the river. It's a place for reflection but as we sat, thinking about what happened here, people would walk up, take their own shoes off and try and put their bare feet into the bronze shoes. The first time it happened we figured people just didn't know what it was all about but more and more people came and it seemed like at least one person from each group tried to fit their bare foot into one of these shoes.

And then came the smiling picture taking and then the smiling picture taking with a foot in the shoe. We couldn't take it any more, we got up to leave when a group of twenty somethings came along. They sat by the water, amongst the shoes, and one of them started looking for a shoe that fit. She was smiling and laughing and thought it was great. As we were leaving, we passed her and asked whether she knew what the shoes represented. She said no. We guessed she hadn't seen the plaque that explained it very well. After telling her, she walked back to her group of friends, not smiling anymore, but most likely thinking about whether or not it was appropriate to act the way she had.

These memorials for people who died tragic deaths attract great numbers from all over the world every year. They are places to reflect, pay our respects and hope that these devastating acts of war, hate and destruction will some day stop.

We are of the opinion that it's appropriate to take a picture of the memorial itself but to smile and pose for the camera is disrespectful to the people who lost their lives. What do you think, appropriate or not?

Budapest

Hungry for Budapest

2012-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was with mixed emotions that we boarded the Wizz Air flight to Budapest, Hungary from our beloved Italy. A month had flown by and there are still many untold stories for future posts.
An hour and a half out of Milan and we were in Budapest, searching for our shuttle driver, in a busy airport. Although we were snug in a van that barely had AC (it was scraping 40 outside) we were smoothly delivered to our door in the neighbourhood just below Buda castle. The last two to be dropped off, our driver was excited to meet someone who knew of his favourite band, Rush. Rock and roll had kept him alive and he gave us the down low on his garage band Submariine and what it had done for his mid life.
In preparing for our trip to Budapest I had picked up an App called Budapest Insider’s Guide by Carolyn Bánfalvi. Clicking through a few links on her app led me to her website Taste Hungary, which advertised for rent a lovely apartment that they own. A couple of more mouse clicks, a few emails back and forth and the next thing you know, there we were at the front door.

In renting the apartment we also exchanged introductions and discussed our shared interest of food, wine and cooking. Not only has Carolyn written a great app to have on hand, with cool insight on how to really enjoy visiting Budapest, she has also authored some fantastic books, The Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to Hungary and Food Wine Budapest.
If you are planning a trip to Budapest and you appreciate food, wine and culture, these books are a must read before you go. Carolyn has done an outstanding job describing Hungarian cuisine and food lore. She sets the record straight on traditional dishes and describes ingredients and their origin in a way that will prepare you to hit the markets, wine stores or restaurants with confidence. It's a perfect blend of information, with handy translation references, directions and instructions to find real Budapest treasures like mangalica pork or a good bottle of Kekfrankos.
Back at the apartment, we were super happy to be greeted by a beautiful, spacious suite. Buried in the back of a vintage deco building we could not have felt more like locals.
The staircase and open inner courtyard echoed with Hungarian conversation and smelled like home cooking. Best of all, the apartment had a big and well-equipped kitchen, which we would use to its fullest.

We had eagerly accepted an invitation to meet Carolyn, her husband Gábor and their three beautiful children at their home, and were glad we did. Delightful and gracious hosts, we enjoyed a bottle or two of chilled Kekfrankos and a delicious cheese board including a spread made of pork fat and ground crackling, why not?

On top of writing and raising a family, Carolyn and Gábor also run a highly rated food tour group called Taste Hungary. With some interesting choices of wine tours or culinary walking tours and now a new wine and sightseeing cruise these guys really have the bases covered and it was great to pick their brains over drinks.
It also gave us a chance to explain first hand what ACNM is all about and how lucky we were to hook up with them to tap their expertise of Hungarian food and culture. Our luck didn't stop there though because before the night was out we were invited to tag along on a four hour culinary walking tour of Budapest and to cruise the Danube while sampling a selection of choice Hungarian wines. Would you decline? Neither would we.Excited about our upcoming tours and new friends, we bid everyone goodnight and started the walk back to the apartment. A beautiful and balmy evening, we decided to walk along the Danube where the spectacle of a fully lit Budapest had a chance to blow our minds. The city twinkled with possibility, intrigue and beauty and within 24 hours we were well on our way to enjoying a taste of Hungary.

Budapest

The Infamous Number 60 Andrássy

2012-09-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

Walking down the tree lined Andrássy Boulevard is quite enjoyable with its shops and stately residences. It is known as the most picturesque street in Budapest. Arriving at the infamous number 60 Andrássy is a different story. The building towers over you like a communist propaganda statue trying to scare you into submission, the word TERROR looming above your head, a reminder of what happened here.

As upsetting as it can be, we find it important, when we travel, to learn about the history of the place we are visiting. The way we see it, how can you learn about a culture if you know nothing about what they have been through as a nation?

When visiting Europe you can be certain that this includes learning about a war or two and maybe a revolution.

In the case of Budapest it means learning about a war, an occupation and a revolution. Budapest has a dark past, a big percentage of the city was destroyed and rebuilt during three major events. First in WWII, secondly during the Soviet occupation and thirdly during the 1956 revolution.

If you're interested in learning about this while in Budapest, the House of Terror is a good place to start. The museum is on three floors, going from room to room, you walk through 12 years of violence, destruction and death from the double occupation of the Nazis and the Arrow Cross to the revolution.

The detail of some of the events and first hand video testimonials can make the visit pretty emotional. I caught myself tearing up often over the two hours we spent there. I was upset because of the suffering that happened but I was also sad for the perpetrators. That may seem odd to some but as horrific as their actions were and as much as I wanted to hate them, all I felt was sadness. The dinner table set with dishes decorated in Arrow Cross logos and the row of Nazi uniforms along one wall made me shiver and reminded me that the perpetrators were as human as their victims, in that they got dressed and needed food to survive. They were born and had a childhood and at some point something happened that led them on a path that changed the world.

The museum winds down to the basement and some of the original rooms of execution and imprisonment (some are re-creations). The tour ends in the hallway of perpetrators, walking down the hall you can look into the empty eyes of the people who worked in the House of Terror, their images lining the walls. If you pay attention throughout your tour of the museum, you will have a hard time not picturing exactly what went on in this very place.

The museum is well curated and although most information is in Hungarian they do supply printed sheets in English in every room. An English audio guide is also available and a good idea at only 1300 HUF.

Budapest

Torino, Images of a Shrouded City

2012-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Turin is best known as the stage of the 2006 winter Olympics. It is the home of the Shroud of Turin and is also known as the Automobile Capital of Italy as it is home to Fiat. Turin is a great city, packed with museums, galleries, parks and one of the biggest outdoor/indoor markets we've ever seen. It's a city we could definitely see ourselves spending more time in.

Turin

Borgo Garibaldi - a pictorial

2012-09-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

We rented an apartment at Cà Borgo Vecchio in Borgo Garibaldi, it made for a comfortable base from where to explore the area. Borgo Garibaldi is a suburb of Brusasco in the Piedmont region of Italy. The Borgo is small and consists of a castle, and a few buildings built around the church, it's quiet, and away from it all, ok so we didn't really research the area and it was in the middle of nowhere but it was a short rental car drive to Torino and other, smaller towns. There wasn't much to do in the borgo itself but the views are inspiring and the food, well the food was amazing.

Reverse Wedding Crash

2012-09-05T05:25:00.004-07:00

Tucked away in our quiet apartment in Borgo Garibaldi. We were quite relaxed and comfortable. The owner mentioned to us that the agriturismo that runs the palazzo next door also has a restaurant, only open on the weekends, in the building between us and the castle.

"You should make a reservation", she said, "but I think they are catering a wedding this weekend so,...I don't know!?"

The restaurant was our neighbor and we could see their terrace from our window so we thought it would only be neighbourly to support this lone establishment.
Making the reservation the next day, we were assured a table and that the wedding they would be catering would not affect their ability to provide for the restaurant.

In the car Nat said to me ‚ “Did you ask them how much?”
“No”, I replied “I don't think it will be too much. I just hope we get good food!”, I continued
“We should go and crash the wedding!” I joked. "You know that’ll be a spread. An Italian wedding at a beautiful palazzo!"

That Saturday evening we returned to the Borgo from a long day of sight seeing, restricting ourselves to coffee and water for the day and looking forward to our dinner out.

Arriving at the reasonably early time of eight o'clock, as requested by the hostess, we were told by the waiter that the kitchen staff had been running late at the wedding and the service was going to start around 8:30.

In my mind I was already thinking about my back up plan and what I was going to make from the leftovers in our fridge. Surprisingly, he showed us to our table on the terrace and plunked down an unlabeled bottle of vino rosso and a bottle of sparkling water to enjoy while we waited.

Time flew by with stunning views and soon the waiter approached us to say that the service would now begin. At this point another table of two and two tables of eight had taken their seats on the terrace including a family of barn cats that would end up as our entertainment for the evening.

The first course was soon slipped in front of us, zucchini blossoms stuffed with local cheese and vegetables.

“Hmm..‚ I said, these are really good! This could be good…”
Nat replied, “There's no menu. What else do you think we'll be having?”
“No idea‚ I said, but it will probably just be a simple pasta, meat and potatoes, dessert and coffee, kind of thing”.

The next course was served family style for the table, on the heels of the zucchini blossoms. It was an excellent cold dish of thinly sliced, lightly breaded pieces of pork with fried eggplant and zucchini tossed in a strong white wine vinaigrette and served like a salad, super tasty!

Sinking into the evening, another unlabeled bottle replaced the empty and the waiter started to serve the next course. This time he came carrying a large platter that held neatly mounded portions of freshly made beef tartare, Monferrina style. The single waiter then proceeded to serve every person on the terrace himself. Being our lucky night, we had arrived first and so were served first, sweet. The tartare was superb, perfectly seasoned and freshly made.

“Now what, pasta and dessert?” Nat said, “I'm already full.”
“I don't know” I said, “I think the wedding may have just crashed us!” because I could see our capable waiter returning with another large dish. Warm flan served with a rich blue cheese sauce, delicious, light and pungent.

“Pace yourself”, I said. "I think we are getting the wedding menu tonight. I hope it's not too expensive."

Course five slowed the pace down with a super rich dish that consisted of confit style rabbit, cooked slowly in its own fat and olive oil, until it flakes like tuna, into large chunks. A small pile of buttery morsels was served just warm and all alone. We were almost taken back by its lonely simplicity but its flavours were silky and surprising.

“Where is the pasta? We have not even got to the pasta yet!” I said to Nat, anxiously realizing that we could be in for an epic meal.

Thankfully, I think, a huge bowl of homemade agnolotti al Ragú made its appearance. Obviously homemade, they were fabulous. Rich meat filling dressed lightly with a traditional sauce.
Lucky course number seven drew us deeper down the rabbit hole with braised veal breast, served with a generous amount of lip smacking braising liquid, reduced to a sauce, and a strong mix of wilted greens.
The house wine peaked in its pairing here and the decadent veal sauce threatened to slip us into a trance as darkness fell and the stars came out.
The family of cats, including a couple of adorable kittens, posed for table scraps and startled diners under the tablecloth. The veal really turned them wild and ultimately one, uncontrollably, lept onto our table.

It was obvious the wildlife was an accepted part of the restaurant and a cute little Yorkshire terrier joined the begging, thankfully it was cute and not annoying.

The penultimate blow dealt, we gasped for the relief of standing up to stretch and admire the night’s sky before the inevitable dessert course was served.
The summit was in view, all we had to do was sample an apricot tart, butter cake with cream and a slice of chocolate salami and we could stick a fork in it!
Trying to find a new word to describe how full we were, the smell of fresh coffee wafted over the terrace and that was our cue to slip away. Four and a half hours at the table was enough and we were going to be full for days.

“€28 per person‚ €56 all together” said the waiter.

I would like to thank the lovely newlyweds for a wonderful dinner and a beautiful evening. Although we never had a chance to meet, the memory of your wedding will be in our hearts forever.

Signed,
ACNM

Piedmont

Near The Banks Of The Mighty Po

2012-08-26T13:03:00.001-07:00

Glad to be out of the madness of Genoa, we made the drive North to our next destination, Brusasco.

A small town about an hour outside of Torino near the banks of the mighty Po river. Our apartment for the week was actually in a small Borgo sitting at the top of a hill behind Brusasco, that consisted of a couple of groupings of old stone houses and a huge palace that has no permanent residents. It was very quiet and very peaceful with a gorgeous view looking out over the valley.

Driving in this part of the country is much more straight and flat, especially along the Po river valley. We soon found ourselves driving along endless fields of rice patties. Changing location in Italy usually means a change of regional produce and cuisine too and up here rice is the crop of choice.

Not just any old rice of course but the world famous and unique arborio rice, a short grain, starch packed, rice that is used most notably in making risotto (although it can be used in many dishes). Carnaroli Arborio is the best variety and it is agreed by most chefs to be the best to use to make a perfect risotto. In my experience I find it to make the most creamy risotto with the biggest window of doneness, meaning it doesn't go from under cooked to over cooked instantly.
Porcini mushrooms and truffles (both black and white) abound here and the gorgeous town of Alba, only a short drive away, has become world famous for its trade in the world's most expensive fungus. The black summer truffle was what was available when we were around but it is the white truffles, available in winter months (November, December), that pack the most intense wallop of funky truffle taste and sell for ridiculous amounts of money.
To prove the point, a truffle dealer we visited in Alba dropped a golf ball sized black truffle on the scale and it rang up to about €15, changing the setting to show us what the same truffle would cost if it was white, it showed it to sell for just over €150. Due to the hot and dry year, truffle prices were at an all time high of around €3000 per kilo for the white and just under €300 for the black.
A good alternative is to try some truffle paste which is available in a less expensive blend of black and white and still provides that wonderful, intense truffle taste for dishes like risotto or to just spread on a piece of bread. Truffle salsa is also available but it is usually made up of mostly mushrooms and the majority of anything else that you find truffle flavoured, like salt, flour or honey is enhanced by synthetic truffle flavouring. My advice is to read the label and try all the samples to find the one you enjoy the most.
Armed with a bag of beautiful local Carnaroli rice and our little jar of truffle heaven, dinner was shaping up and with the addition of a nice hunk of smokey bacon we headed back to the kitchen to prepare what turned out to be one of the best risottos ever!
More than any other dish I have cooked over the years, risotto has been by far the one that most people want to know how to cook well. A simple dish it is really dependent on the ingredients you put into it, so don't skimp! Use the best rice you can find, real Parmigiano Reggiano, strong stock and decent wine. If you do that and follow the steps below you will make a great risotto every time.
Change up the truffles and bacon for pumpkin purée or roasted garlic and you have a whole new dish, the basic recipe remains the same. The combo below is a mind blower though because bacon makes everything better and truffles make it mo' better!

Start off with a good amount of olive oil in your pan over a medium high heat.
Add the diced bacon and cook it to render the fat and brown nicely on all sides.
Next add your finely diced onion and sauté without browning it until it is translucent.
Add the chopped garlic and quickly sauté it before adding the rice to the pan.
Stirring constantly, sauté the rice for about three or four minutes until you see the rice start to look more opaque and clear. This is an important step to ensure the rice releases its starch slowly and gives you the creamiest risotto possible. The rice should never brown, so adjust your heat accordingly.
The next step is also very important to create a truly delicious risotto, the addition of the wine.

To the pan, add the wine, slowly, while stirring, and continue to cook everything until the rice becomes dry again.
It is the acidic flavour of the wine that will enhance the dish and really bring out the flavours.
Now you are ready to start adding the stock. Using warm stock will make the process go faster but I have used cold stock with great results too.
Add a couple of ladles full at a time and continue to cook and stir until the rice absorbs everything and starts to become dry, then add some more stock and repeat.
As you cook and add stock the rice will slowly release its starch and the risotto will start to become creamy.

Continue adding stock and stirring until, when you sample the rice, it has the tiniest little uncooked part in the center of the grain (20 to 25 minutes) .
At that point you know it is almost done and you should add only enough stock to keep the risotto creamy and not let it dry out. Add the truffle paste to taste (more!).
Sample the rice again, if you're on track the center should just be cooked through with plump intact grains surrounded by a rich creamy sauce. If it's slightly under done that's ok it will continue to cook, my advice is to taste often to check your progress. Once you understand the process and the appearance, you will be able to nail it every time.
Remove from heat.
Now to really bring it over the top add a good whack of butter and the grated Parmigiano.
Stir everything one last time to bring it together, give it a few twists of pepper ,taste for salt, and you should have the best risotto you have ever eaten. Always serve it in a warm bowl with more Parmigiano for sprinkling and a ribbon of olive oil over the top for good measure. A good risotto will be rich and creamy with the integrity of the grains still intact, never soupy, too dry or pasty.

In a restaurant we would cook the risotto 3/4 of the way through and then spread it out on a large sheet pan to stop the cooking.
You can then heat up the rice to order with some more stock and the flavouring of choice, finishing it the same way we did above.
It's a great way to make risotto for a dinner party too. You're a master now so here are a few of my favourite risotto combinations to try; crab, corn and bacon/ butternut squash and ginger or risotto Primavera with chopped spinach and all kinds of diced and blanched veggies.

Piedmont

But Why Here?

2012-08-23T17:00:00.002-07:00

Twice in my life a local has asked me why I would want to visit their home town. The first time, I was lost in an alley in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, it was 1986.
The second was this summer in Genoa. I thought I was pretty smart, I found a super cheap hotel near the old port. Turns out it was smack dab in the middle of the red light district. Why isn't that marked on the map? Winding our way up the super narrow and filthy alleys, passed propositioning middle aged spandex clad hookers, we found our hotel. The first floor room was akin to a hospital room, reasonably clean but stark, all business. Across the narrow alley from our room's window was a mosque, where they felt the need to use a microphone for prayers, in a 15 x 15 foot room multiple times throughout that night. Needless to say there would be no sleeping!
So we locked our bags to the radiator and decided to do a walk about.
We asked the hotel owner where we could grab a good sandwich and he directed us to the Gran Ristoro on Via Sottoripa.

It’s a sliver of a place, with not much room to hang around and eat so most just take their food to go or sit outside. As we stood, waiting, we noticed that everybody around us was local. The guy behind the counter was giving me the eye when I diffused him with a smile. He started speaking in broken English, focusing the attentions of all the patrons on us, and asked where we were from. The conversation continued with him asking more questions like where were we traveling etc., so we told him and listed most of the cities we had visited around Italy. Then he asked, very sarcastically, "...all those beautiful places! Why did you come to Genoa?” getting a good laugh from his patrons. We didn’t really have an answer. It was a one night stop between two destinations but we were now wondering if it may have been a mistake. He laughed and we changed the subject to their sandwiches and ingredients. They had everything from prosciutto cotto to spianata, boasting over 100 sandwich combinations. The sandwiches looked good, on crusty buns with all the meats and cheese sliced fresh in front of you. We decided on Culatello and fontina for Tim and prosciutto and provolone for me, made to order, served with a side of local sarcasm.
Genoa on the other hand wasn’t really our style although it may be worth another try to see whether it can change our opinion.

Genoa

The Best Bakery in Italy

2012-08-20T05:39:00.000-07:00

Lucca is a lovely little walled city about an hour and a half drive from Florence.

We were lucky to have visited frequently last year when we were based only ten minutes away in Massarosa. This trip we were based in Barga for the week, with Lucca just over a half hour away, and even though we had covered most of the city by foot before, we had to make one trip in to visit a couple of our favorite spots.
The first place to start our day off right would be the gorgeous and old Di Simo Caffe for a delicious coffee. Rounding the corner our excitement was quickly dashed seeing the gates pulled shut over its ornate wooden facade, closed for holidays.
No problem, there is lots of coffee to be found but none with an interior quite as beautiful as Di Simo.
With a quick coffee from across the way we moved on to see if anything had changed since our last visit.
Not too far down the road we noticed the Basilica of San Frediano, that was previously being renovated, had now been reopened and we thought we better take a look.

Although they were still not 100% done, the church was clean and polished but the real treat was the freshly restored original artwork that was as crisp and vibrant as the day it was painted.

Another screaming hot day, it was also wonderful to escape the sun into the refuge of the cool and quiet church.
Back on the street it was business as usual for Lucca with long lines for all the attractions and bustling cafes feeding the masses.
We were getting hungry so we decided to make our way to Forno F. Casali, our favourite bakery in Italy and the main reason we made the drive into Lucca.
Forno F. Casali is a very non descript little bakery hidden on a side street, which most tourists miss because they are staring up at Torre Guinigi that can be seen above the buildings. Parting the bead curtain to get inside you could be underwhelmed by the simple interior but the patient line of locals tells you that something special is being done here. Behind the counter, stacks of different types of bread, fresh from the oven are there for you to choose from but it is their focaccia that is ordered by the majority. In fact it's so popular that it is constantly being baked and sent straight out to a cutting board where it is cut to the size of your liking and wrapped up still piping hot. There are two types of focaccia to choose from; the traditional flat and slightly chewy one, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, or the unique and sublime corn focaccia. As if that was not good enough, they also use these two breads as a base for their pizza, served the same way, cut to size fresh from the oven.
As luck would have it, just as it was our turn to order, a piping hot corn focaccia pizza was slid into place right in front of us, lunch was served.

Sitting on the steps of the house next door, with a bag of fresh corn focaccia and two slices of piping hot corn pizza in hand, we drew the attention of many passing tourists as we waited for it to cool down enough to eat.
Finishing my slice of heaven, I decided that I was going to try and get the recipe for this special bread and headed back into the bakery. At first the staff thought I was going to complain but with a few broken words of Italian I explained to them how much we loved the corn focaccia and would love to know the recipe. Laughing, the girl told me to wait and she went to get the owner. Minutes later the owner arrived with her curious husband, the baker, who poked his nose out of the kitchen door to see who was trying to steal his recipe.

After assuring her that I was not the competition from down the street but just a huge fan and curious blogger she let her guard down and was flattered that we would have driven from Barga for some of her bread.
“So, what about telling me the recipe?” I asked.

She laughed and turned to her husband repeating in Italian what I had just said. The baker stepped forward and, making a slashing motion across his arm, said in Italian “I would have to cut my wrist because there is no recipe, it runs in my veins!”

He told us that the breads have been baked by him for 43 years, and by his family for generations before him. There are no recipes, he just bakes from memory and by feel.
Actually, his wife explained, even if there was a recipe you still could not make it because it is the ingredients that make it special. Disappearing into the kitchen for a second she returned with a scoop of the dry mix that they make to prepare the corn focaccia.

She told me that it is a mixture of corn flour from the local formenton variety of corn (also used to make the incredible local polenta) regular flour, sunflower seeds and a very unique type of puffed corn kernel.
“This is what makes it good!” she said
“...but you will never find these ingredients anywhere but right here.”
“I'm disappointed” I said “I really wanted to make this focaccia for my friends back in Canada”
“You’re from Canada?! Canada is a beautiful country! There are lots of Italians there you know.” she exclaimed. “ I would love to go to Canada some day but...” and she raised her hands to indicate she had a bakery to run.

By now many of the local customers had stopped to listen to our conversation and she proudly explained to them that these “cooks not mad” from Canada loved her bread and wanted her recipe. There where laughs and smiles all around and a couple of them responded to us with “Si, molto bene!”
Disappearing to the back again she called out to her husband in Italian and we heard them have a conversation. Sticking her head out of the kitchen she smiled like she was up to something and motioned for us to wait. A minute later she arrived from the back with her husband and staff and hoisted two straining bags onto the counter.
“A present for our lovely Canadian friends” she said with a huge smile. “Take back to Canada and enjoy with our compliments. Five kilos should be enough?”
“Five kilos?!” I said, peeking into the bag to see the special corn focaccia dry mix.

“No that's too much” I politely responded in Italian but she insisted, and loaded the two five pound bags into our hands. She then handed me a ball of raw dough so that I could see how it was sticky and soft not dry and firm.
“One kilo of mix with 15 grams of brewers yeast and enough water to make a dough like this. There's your recipe!" she said smiling.
With a “Mille grazie” to everyone we bid farewell to the best bakery in Italy. Where else but in this wonderful country, filled with kindest and most generous people, would you ask for a recipe and get 5 kilos of the real deal, that's amore!

Hiding In Plain Sight

2012-08-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

We had seen pictures of the 18th century theatre that sits in the middle of the old town of Barga, but when we got there, the doors were locked. When we asked the tourism office how we might gain access we were told to go to city hall. Figuring there was no chance in hell they would accommodate us, we hesitated but the most they could do was say no, so there we stood, in city hall, talking our way into an old theatre. Surprisingly, it was a lot easier than expected, a few phone calls were made and before we knew it we were standing outside the theatre.
The caretaker led us in, gave us a quick tour and historical run down before leading the way to the stage. The Teatro dei Differenti was built in 1689 out of wood. It was knocked down around 1794 because it was considered inadequate and then rebuilt in the form that remains today. The sumptuous decor inside is the work of a Reggio Emilia painter, Francesco Fontanesi, who was scenographer for most Tuscan theatres at the time. November 1911 would see Italy's famous poet and home town hero, Giovanni Pascoli giving his infamous pro Libyan war speech.
In the 60’s the theatre was bought by an English couple and found a new lease on life as Opera Barga.
History lesson over, the caretaker turned on the lights.

We stood there for a while, taking pictures and admiring the decor. That’s when he told us about the painters’ little joke. The lower half of the walls are painted to look like marble but if you look closely you can see that they had a wicked sense of humour. The elite, sitting close by, watching opera and plays probably never noticed that within the painting, hiding in plain sight were faces and umm... genitalia.

Barga

Michelangelo's Marble

2012-08-12T12:36:00.001-07:00

Installed in our artists pad, it was time to go enjoy the Serchio Valley and all its little villages, some stuck in the deep dark woods.

The first order of business was to drive up to Trassilico, a tiny village perched on a mountain top at about 1700m above sea level. Our Castellina friend Anna Rita owns a house there that has been waiting for a full restoration and is currently unoccupied. She has gone to great lengths, flying in a huge ceiling beam by helicopter just to save this super choice piece of real estate.
After the expected drive on a one lane, butt clenching, road we arrived in Trassilico. It was over 40C that day so when we got out of the car the heat was sinister.

Like many hill towns, you have to park on the outskirts and walk up into the village because the streets are too narrow. As we walked in, a young woman who runs the local cantina asked if I could help her delivery guy lift the heavy wine carboys into her stock room from the street. Like a polite Canadian with the ability, of course, I obliged.

“Please come back for a beer after you have seen the village, as a thanks for the lifting” she said.

A quick search turned up Anna Rita's place, literally soaring over the valley. Calling it a fixer upper, would be putting it mildly, the place is in a shambles. If you are interested in a piece of land in Trassilico email me.

The sleepy little town offered us a bird’s eye view of Barga, quite a bit lower across the valley, and of the massive Appenines.

House checked, we headed back down the mountain but first we wanted to stop at the town’s water fountain.
The fountain is about 100 yards down the road from Trassilico and is quite ornate for a water source stuck in the woods at the top of a mountain. Originally built around 1514 the well has never stopped producing ice cold water. In fact over the centuries, it has hydrated the towns people, as well as armies of soldiers and their horses.

Luckily we had a few empty 2 liter water bottles bouncing around in the car so we filled up! The water comes through a brass tap poking out of the stone enclosure. Filling the bottles we started to get excited, the water was so cold it made the bottles drip with condensation.

It was like finding the fountain of youth. Not being able to wait, I tipped back a bottle and was blown away by how delicious, cold and pure the water was. It tasted like water should, refreshing, quenching and real. Out of the ground and into our bottles, we filled up and then headed back down to visit another cool spot on this side of the valley, the Hermitage of Calomini.

Down and up we went to an adjacent mountain and before we knew it we were pulling up to this very unique construction.

The hermitage was built hugging the side of the mountain with nothing more than a chisel.

More than half of the building, including the sacristy and convent, remain excavated into the mountain. It is said that in this place where today the rocks give pure water, the image of the Virgin Mary, who is venerated in a shrine, appeared to a girl from Calomini. This is the reason the shrine is dedicated to the Marian cult.

The place was packed because it was Sunday and there was a mass so we stood at the back and listened to most of the sermon in Italian. Waiting patiently for all to leave so we could take pictures.

Back in the car we looked at the clock and decided we had enough time to go for the hike that we had originally planned for that day.
A winding 45 minute drive across the edge of the Apuan side of the valley put us up at about 1650m and at the end of a road in the Parco Regionale della Alpi Apuane.

From the parking lot we could join a number of trails that lead to all of the tiny villages dotting the mountains and valleys. What we wanted was to go up for the most spectacular valley shot we could find. Off we went down a reasonably well kept trail that eventually started to point up but with temperatures hitting 40C and that high altitude, things slowed down more than expected.
The Apuan alps provided Michelangelo with the marble for his famous carvings (Carrara is just on the other side) and it is not an over statement to say that these mountains are made mostly from solid marble. In fact the trail we walked on was cut from marble with rough hewn steps and eroded runs, it got pretty slippery with a wet leaf underfoot.

Our photographic mission accomplished with some great pictures taken after hiking to over eighteen hundred meters above sea level (just under the summit) we headed back down to the car for that delicious Trassilico water, heaven!

We made the quick drive back to Barga, completely spent and soaked from head to toe in sweat, ok that might be a slight exaggeration.
At home base we fixed ourselves up and, looking out the window we saw a sunset coming that could not be missed so we dragged ourselves up the steps to the duomo with the tripod and camera in hand.
As hoped, the sun set in spectacular fashion and as it disappeared, the lights turned on across the whole valley exposing the location of each village hidden in the darkness of the mountains and lighting up the old village of Barga.

Back at the apartment, the thick stone walls had kept our bedroom at an almost chilly cellar temperature and Nat fell asleep before I could say goodnight, with me right behind her. Just another day in the Garfagnana.

Return To Barga

2012-08-07T10:40:00.002-07:00

We visited Barga last year with only enough time for a couple of hours of exploration but that was enough to ensure our return. There is something about this little walled village sitting on a hill looking out over the Serchio Valley that wants you to slow down, breath and stay a while. The colours are mellow and sun-washed, the mountains of the Appenine and Apuan Alps surround you and every view seems to be a postcard moment.

The plan was set, we would go hard around Italy for a month or so and then head up to Barga where we would chill out, do some hiking and hopefully get some writing done.
Our accommodations in Barga could not be cooler either, since we had managed to find Casa Cordati, smack in the middle of the old village. Going in we did not have huge expectations but it turned out that Casa Cordati and its famous former resident, Bruno Cordati have quite a story.

Arriving at the city gate we parked our car and walked down the narrow street to the “palazzo”. We were greeted by Giordano Cordati (the grandson of Bruno) who now runs the palace as a gallery and guest house. The front foyer of the house has been turned into a small gallery shop and reception and our apartment door was in one corner. As Giordano opened the door, Nat and I were shocked at the sheer size of the apartment with its super tall windows and high ceilings but more than that, the place just oozed of character.

Old and simple fixtures were offset by white walls and doors that were worn and full of patina. The kitchen was simple, equipped with an array of vintage implements and a small stove and sink. The bedroom was huge with a mix of furniture and the bathroom, having undergone a modernish upgrade, was tucked in under the central staircase of the house.

If you were thinking gilded palace you won't find it here; as Giordano says, he likes to let his guests live their experience and not just spell it out for them like they do at an expensive hotel.

Bruno Cordati was a painter who was born in Barga up the street from the palace. In the early 60’s Bruno bought the gigantic house and moved his atelier into his new home.

He was a prolific painter but never cared much for the art community and scene, all he wanted to do was paint, which he did everyday of his life. We were told that during a hospitalization, he painted in the air above his bed.
Bruno divorced his wife at seventy and withdrew into the palace, turning into somewhat of an urban hermit but he never stopped painting. In 1979, he collapsed and died in front of his easel, in his studio directly above our bedroom, he was 90 years old.

Now Giordano and his mother (Bruno’s daughter) live in the house but the bohemian artist vibe still remains. Giordano has dedicated a large portion of the first floor to a gallery displaying incredible original paintings spanning his grandfather’s career.

Bruno Cordati’s skill as a painter is evident in the incredible emotion he created with simple brush strokes and having the opportunity to view them numerous times over our stay was an extra bonus.

Something else we enjoyed was the altana, a large covered roof top terrace at the top of a narrow winding staircase.

Perhaps the most incredible room in the mansion, Cordati frescoed the walls in the early 1970’s.

The windows look out in all directions across Barga but one window perfectly frames the Cathedral with Bruno’s original desk and chair below it.

Rivaling the altana for beauty is the concert hall, across from the gallery on the first floor. The concert hall is the size of a small ballroom and has many paintings covering the walls.

It is used as a meeting room and also by local musicians as a rehearsal space for its very good acoustics. The tall windows give the room incredible light, it’s easy to see why Cordati loved to live here, inspired by its unique atmosphere. On a door of the concert hall, not completely decorated, there is a date disclosing the palaces age: 1628.

Within hours, the magic of the apartment, its surroundings and beautiful artwork, started stirring inspiration within us. If we had any paint and brushes I may have tried to paint my own masterpiece but instead I turned to the stove, trading the brush for a knife and the paint for a rich sauce. Our inspired dinner of pork tenderloin with a balsamic sauce is one that works beautifully with roasted potatoes and sautéed broccoli. The sauce can also be paired with steak (filet mignon). Break out your boldest bottle of red like a Chianti or Barbera and cook like an artist.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH A BALSAMIC SAUCE

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (good quality)
1/3 cup strong chicken, beef stock or veal stock (unsalted stock because it will be reduced)

Cooking Directions

Ahead of time prepare the pork by cutting roughly 2" thick steaks and then pounding them down to about 1" thick with the heal of your hand (you can wrap them in plastic wrap to do this).
Season with salt and pepper on both sides but don't go crazy because you will cook the sauce in the same pan and you don't want it too salty.
Heat a heavy sauté pan over medium high heat with a touch of grape seed oil (or other cooking oil) until it begins to smoke.
Lay in the pork medallions carefully and without moving them cook them for about 4 minutes on the first side, browning them well.
Turn the pork over and cook another four minutes.
Try not to let any of the juices burn in the pan by adjusting the heat if necessary.
Remove the pork to a warm plate and immediately slide in 1 Tbsp of butter and the chopped shallots.
The shallots will cook very quickly so stir them to keep from burning.
When the shallots are soft pour in the balsamic vinegar and, still over medium high heat, reduce it down to a syrup while scraping up any cooked bits on the bottom of the pan, referred to as deglazing.
Now add the stock and reduce that with the vinegar by about half to a saucy consistency.
Slide the pan off the heat and while still very hot swirl in the remaining 2 T. of butter which will give it a beautiful richness and thicken it slightly as well.
Return the pork and any juices on the plate to the pan and baste it with sauce.
Taste it and adjust with salt and pepper and it's ready to serve.

Barga

Capture The Colour

2012-08-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

When we started A Cook Not Mad in 2011 we had no idea we would have so many experiences in such a short time. There isn’t a day that goes by that one of us doesn’t remind the other of how lucky we are.
We may not own much anymore but the riches of travel are countless. Our senses are more alert, ready to absorb every detail. The smells are stronger (think fresh bread in Paris or Venice in the summer heat ;)), sounds are more vibrant (the clip clop of horse drawn carriages in Brugge) and colours more intense (the tropical blue of a glacial lake in Canada).
And with every trip comes thousands of pictures, so when Foodie International nominated us to participate in the Capture The Colour contest put on by Travel Supermarket, we were excited to share but knew it would be difficult to pick only one per category.

WHITE | A flower girl playing on the church steps in Barga, Italy

GREEN | Kipahulu, Maui, a jungle of different shades of green.

RED | Small bursts of colour created by poppies on the side of a Tuscan country road are reminiscent of a painting by Monet.

YELLOW | Market stalls are a Mecca of colour, like this one with its different shades of yellow and yellow striped awning.

BLUE | A home in the Rimini neighborhood of San Giuliano, showing its age in the form of a beautiful patina.

To participate in the contest, bloggers must create a post that showcases five photos that capture five colours: Blue, Green, Yellow, White and Red. There are specific judges, for each colour category, looking for specific characteristics and qualities. To learn more about the Capture the Colour contest visit the TravelSupermarket.com website. Participating bloggers must also nominate five other bloggers, here are our nominations:

Asgeir Pedersen of asgeirpedersen.no (@asgeirpedersen) He’s an amazing photographer and you should all get to know him better.

Keane Li of Keane Is Cool (@keaneiscool) Keane really is cool, he likes to travel and he takes a mean picture.

Jeanette Kramer of Latitude Travel (@jeanettekramer) a wonderful photographer, traveler and fellow West Coaster. If you want to work or study abroad, you need to get in touch with her.

Valentina of Too Much Tuscany (@toomuchtuscany) loves Tuscany as much as we do and her images are beautiful. We look forward to seeing her entry.

Cristina of The Travolution (@thetravolution) her blog is filled with good tips and advice, make sure to check it out.

Good luck to all entrants!

Driving Through A Painting

2012-07-30T06:05:00.001-07:00

Amongst the European countries that produce wonderful cheese, Italy definitely ranks near the top. Some of the cheeses we have enjoyed this trip include squaquerone, stracciatella, buffalo mozzarella, asiago, formaggio di fossa, robiola and of course the great Parmigiano Reggiano but by far the most prevalent cheese across Tuscany is my favourite, Pecorino.

Pecorino comes in many flavours with the addition of ingredients such as mushrooms, truffles, farro, chestnuts, hazelnuts or fresh herbs and spices. All Pecorino is made with fresh ewe’s (sheep) milk and can be eaten very young or aged for up to 14 months in ash, grape must, fresh straw or grape leaves.

Since Pecorino is made from ewe's milk it also has no lactose and is easier to digest. There is even some Pecorino made with vegetable rennet extracted from artichoke flowers instead of animal rennet, making a pure vegetarian cheese.

At a town festival, tucking into a dinner of grilled local specialties including sausages, ribs and fegatini (a combination of chicken and duck livers wrapped in caul fat), we struck up a conversation with the family sitting next to us.

As it often happens, when we tell people about our blog and our search for honest, excellent food their recommendations soon follow and we always listen carefully. This particular conversation was focused on cheese and the great Pecorino of Pienza.

“If you want the best Pecorino around, you have to go to Cugusi just outside Montepulciano. You’ll see the big yellow sign.” the gentleman exclaimed.

“They make the best Pecorino cheese in Pienza and you can buy it straight from the farm” he added.

We were planning on making the drive into Montepulciano the next day for some sightseeing and wine tasting anyway, so a stop at Cugusi was added to the list.

The following afternoon we arrived in Montepulciano. We parked the car and made the steep walk up into town through the curving streets mostly filled with tourist shops but dotted with some beautiful cafés, restaurants and wine shops.

Vino Nobile is the famous wine of Montepulciano and the best wine cave to visit in town is the one below the Palazzo Contucci, the Contucci cellar.

The Contucci family has lived in Montepulciano since the eleventh century and has grown grapes for their fantastic Vino Nobile starting prior to the Renaissance. Their cellar was built in the thirteenth century and was originally part of the inner city walls, later, in the sixteenth century, the palace above was built to accommodate Antonio Sangallo, the Elder it has also been the home to Pope Julius III and the Grand Duke of Ferdinand.

Today the palace continues to be occupied by the Contucci family and all of their wine is still aged in the cellar below. With an afternoon of sightseeing under our belt, including a tour of the Contucci cellar and a light wine tasting, we headed back to the car with a couple of bottles in hand.

We had spotted the sign for the Cugusi farm on the way into town and before long we were pulling up to their farmhouse cheese shop.We were greeted by a young woman standing behind a counter filled with all types of Pecorino.

“What would you like to taste?” she asked.

“Everything!” I said and without hesitation she grabbed a piece of young and soft Pecorino and cut two generous samples to start. It was creamy, slightly tart and so fresh you could taste the grass the sheep were eating.

Next was a semi stagionato (medium age) that was slightly more intense and firmer, delicious. Moving to the stagionato the cheese was drier, much more firm and had developed a considerable flavor which is much sharper and packed quite a zing. The Grand Riserva was their longest aged cheese at fourteen months and is hard like a Parmigiano. The flavor of the Riserva is the most intense with a tart but enjoyable taste that has a long tongue biting after taste.

The samples kept coming with Pecorino al pepperoncino, al pepe nero and al latte crudo (unpasteurized). What about a wedge of young Pecorino marinated in olive oil loaded with chilis and pepper? Truffle pecorino is my absolute favorite and here they had two types to choose from, a super intense and funky white truffled variety and a more mellow and unctuous black truffle. If you love Pecorino cheese, Cugusi is cheese heaven!

With our shopping bag now full of Pecorino we were scared at what the tally would be but were super surprised when it came to under €15. That much cheese back in Canada would have run you as much as a new car!

With our cheese on ice we headed out again and decided to take a drive into the farm land where all of this great wine and cheese gets its start.

To our delight, huge rolling hills of pasture and vineyard unfolded in front of us, patterned in shades of green and brown.

Rows of beige drying hay lined some fields as far as you could see while in the fields next to them the grasses were still green and changed shades as the wind blew across them.

Farmhouses sit on hilltops looking out over their crops as if they had been painted into this surreal landscape and rows of Cyprus trees created silhouettes in the distance.

The light, now low, emphasized the drama of the landscape and finding a deserted farm road we pulled over to watch the sun set in sublime Tuscan style.

It is no wonder, with inspiration like this, that Italy has produced some of the greatest painters in the world. I know we felt inspired being there and lucky to have the chance to take a drive through a living painting.

Montepulciano

European Markets Part One

2012-07-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you're traveling for any length of time, eating at restaurants gets a little tedious and expensive. If you want to save a few dollars and aren't interested in eating fast food or street food every day, you can save some cash by renting a room with a kitchenette. You can often find deals through websites like hotels.com or hostelbookers.com.

The fun part about cooking for yourself in foreign cities are the markets. Markets are a great place to learn about other cultures, their local food and how to prepare it.

The first thing we do in any city is find out where and when the markets are held and this trip is no different. From Bologna to Budapest by way of Torino, visiting markets is always a learning experience, even for a chef.

Here is a quick and easy recipe we made, ok Tim made, in our €38 a night hotel room in Frankfurt.

CREAMED CHANTERELLES ON TOAST

Ingredients

4 cups cleaned chanterelles
olive oil
1/3 cup cream cheese (we used chive and Gewurztraminer cream cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese works well)
salt and pepper

Cooking Directions

Sautée over high heat so they fry and don't boil.
Add cream cheese and mix until warm and combined.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread over pieces of toast.