Before arriving in Umbria I was under the impression that truffle hunting was done with pigs. I’d seen dogs doing the hunting too but I thought some people would be ‘old school’ and keep a few pigs around to do the dirty work. Apparently not. You’ll only find dogs on a truffle hunt nowadays and we had the very anxious to impress Sole working for us with his owner Matteo.

Matteo gave us a few hints for successful truffle hunting with the most important being to make sure the dog doesn’t eat the truffle!

After a couple of false positives and a lot of wandering through the wet woods, Sole went digging and came up with the goods.

While not the biggest truffle ever, along with the other two truffles we found, we had enough for lunch.

Lunch was a family affair at Agritourismo Ca Solare. It’s a farmstay in northern Umbria which is a bit like a B&B except it’s a working farm. We lunched with Matteo’s family and started with various truffle bruschetta-type dishes. Truffle is quite strong tasting but it’s something I could definitely get used to. The truffle cheese didn’t need getting used it, it was delicious as is.

You can’t go to Umbria without trying truffle pasta, especially if it’s hand made and the truffles have just been dug out of the ground. It’s the number one Umbrian dish and I tried it a couple of times on my recent trip. I find it to be quite rich but there are no small portions in Umbria!

Lots of red wine was consumed with the meal and that was followed up by the local digestive and some biscotti. The trick is to dip the biscotti in the alcohol to soften the biscuit and soak up the drink. There is to be no driving after a good Umbrian meal.

I would have loved to have spent the entire day here truffle hunting and hanging out in the countryside but we had other places to visit in Umbria.

Special thanks to Matteo and Sole at Agritourismo Ca Solare for a great truffle hunt and warm hospitality and to Umbria Tourism and Umbria on the Blog for hosting our trip.

Truffle Hunting in Umbria is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

Having visited Berat many times I think I’ve tried just about every cafe and restaurant in the city so I thought I’d share my favourites.

The number one restaurant in Berat in my eyes is the Greenhouse. It’s a little out of the centre on Rruga Antipatrea but a taxi would cost less than 2 euros if you don’t have a car. The Greenhouse has a few vegetarian options and I loved the grilled vege plate and garlic pizza bread.

They have pizza and grilled meats too if you like that kind of thing.

I also love that the Greenhouse has free wifi so you can catch up on what’s happening in the outside world while you’re there.

The most popular restaurant in Berat is definitely the Whitehouse which is right in the centre of the city by the river in an Ottoman style building.

This place is always busy with businessmen, tourists and the occasional couple out on a date. They have the ‘Balkan Menu’ so there’s grilled meat, fish, pizza and pasta but not much in the way of traditional Albanian cuisine unfortunately. I would always get a mixture of vegetarian plates like pickled vegetables and deep fried local cheese. There are plenty of meaty dishes but be aware that Albanians like their meat very well done.

There are a few hotel restaurants to choose from too and if you’re staying at Hotel Berati you can eat there for around 3 euros for a basic meal.

Albanians are not big on dessert and a meal is usually followed by fresh fruit but if you can try zupa which is like Italian zuppa inglese or English trifle.

Every second person in Albania owns a cafe so there’s no shortage of places to sit to watch the world go by. The only problem is many of them don’t welcome women so it’s best to follow the younger generation to see where it’s acceptable to go. I loved the cafe on the rooftop of the Hotel Palma as it overlooks Mangalem (the old town) but be prepared to be engulfed in cigarette smoke even though there’s a ban on smoking in Albania.

Unfortunately there aren’t many other options of where to eat in Berat but for those passing through the city, these will give you an idea of Albanian cuisine and culture.

Where to Eat in Berat is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

The meal started off with my first ever glass of cava (and not my last) and a shared plate of patatas bravas. Patatas bravas is my favourite tapa of all time and the patatas bravas at Divinum is the best I’ve ever had. I so wish we hadn’t had to share that dish!

February to April is calçot season in Spain. Calçots are a type of Catalonian onion traditionally eaten at a calçotada where they are cooked over hot coals and dipped in Romanesco sauce. Divinum’s calçots were a little more refined and cooked tempura style. I’m not a huge fan of onions but these were very mild and tasty.

Next up was artichokes with a kind of jam/sauce made with sobrassada. I don’t usually eat meat but I’m trying to be more adventurous so gave it a go. Sobrassada is a kind of sausage and it gave the dish such an intense flavour. I loved it!

One of the most popular tapa in Spain is tortilla española and it’s something I order all the time. However, the deconstructed tortilla española at Divinum was not like anything I had tried before. Caramelised onion, poached egg and pureed potato served in a bowl rather than in the typical omelette. Let’s just say it was unique!

For me the dish of the night was the ravioli. It was outstanding! Once again I put aside being vegetarian but did not regret it for a second. Not sure exactly what was inside the ravioli but it was sweet, smooth and delicious.

I haven’t eat much tuna in my time so I’m not sure how this dish compares on the tuna scale but it was voted as the least popular dish of the night by my fellow diners. I didn’t mind it though.

As much as I’m trying to be more adventurous when eating out I couldn’t bring myself to eat this huge chunk of braised veal but it was quickly taken off my hands so I suspect it was good.

I should make a special mention of the freshly baked bread that was provided alongside the meal. It was served with a variety of flavoured salts which were incredible. It would be worth going to Divinum for the bread alone!

The meal ended with a cheese plate including a wonderful Livarot (which is French not Catalan) and sumptuous hand made chocolate truffles. A fantastic way to end the meal.

This meal was the the highlight of my trip to Spain in February and I can’t wait to return when I go back to Girona in September.

Special thanks to Charming Villas Catalonia for hosting my stay in Girona and for organising this amazing night.

Degustation Menu at Divinum in Girona is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

I’d heard about the buttery Kouign Amman pastry for years but never got around to trying one. I’d planned on having a tasting in Brittany earlier this year but when my trip fell through so did my chance at sampling the best Kouign Amman in the country. Finally last week I got lucky when I stumbled upon Maison Georges Larnicol which opened in Saint Michel just last month. They have a massive range of kouignettes from the traditional nature, chocolate and pistachio flavoured ones to the more adventurous coconut, salted butter caramel and orange Cointreau.

Surprisingly the kouignettes at Georges Larnicol are available in a self-service counter. I’ve never seen anything self-service in France before but it’s a great idea. You can pick out your preferred sticky sweets and they weigh them at the counter for you. I got a mix of flavours include raspberry, pineapple and apple which I took home to share.

I have to say they weren’t as delicious as I expected. They are very buttery, rich and quite heavy. I’m not sure if that’s how they’re supposed to be but personally I prefer my sweets to be a little lighter. I did some research afterwards and discovered they are better if you re-heat them prior to eating so the butter oozes out of them. I guess I’ll give that a try next time but I’m not convinced that’ll be enough to put them on my favourite dessert list.

Maison Georges Larnicol isn’t just about kouignettes. They also have a large chocolate selection, pretty pots of salted butter caramel and the ever popular macarons.

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Kouignettes at Maison Georges Larnicol is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

We started with an amazing seafood antipasti which included fish carpaccio and seafood tartare as well as kiwi, pomegranate and blood orange. I have never tried anything like it but I surprised even myself by liking it. I might even order raw seafood again in the future!

My favourite dish of the day was the fiori di zucca fritti (deep fried stuffed zucchini flowers). These were so light and delicious. They apparently had anchovies in them but I couldn’t taste it which I’m sure was a good thing.

Lots of other dishes came out including a polenta and a meatball dish. I skipped the meat but went back for seconds of the polenta (which looks kinda weird in this photo but it was tasty, honest).

Next up was a massive bowl of pasta with a variety of shellfish. The Italians love to make food which is simple and delicious and this was another success in that regard.

Pierluigi isn’t just a seafood restaurant, they do meat and vegetarian dishes too. Actually we were a demanding bunch of diners. As well as me being semi-vegetarian others in my group were allergic to gluten, seafood or corn but we were all taken care of. 

I loved this restaurant near Campo di Fiori and would definitely recommend it if you’re in Rome and want a special meal.

Thanks to HouseTrip for hosting my stay in an apartment in Rome and for organising this meal at Pierluigi.

The Best Seafood Restaurant in Rome is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

Angelina’s hot chocolate is thick, rich and delicious. Just how hot chocolate should be.

When I first tried French hot chocolate, I didn’t like it, preferring the sweet hot chocolate I grew up with in Australia. But over time I have been converted. Nowadays I expect my hot chocolate to be thick and almost syrupy but not sweet and it must be accompanied with a very large serving of cream otherwise what’s the point? In fact, that would be the one failing of Angelina’s hot chocolate, they don’t serve enough cream with it!

Of course, nothing is cheap in Paris and €7.90 for a hot chocolate is pushing the limits of what’s acceptable but you’re partially paying for the experience. Situated opposite the wonderful Jardin des Tuileries, having their famous hot chocolate or the full breakfast (either €20 or €32) in Angelina’s elegant dining room is worth the occasional splurge.

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Breakfast at Angelina’s is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

Our guide Gina lead us through the meal as part of an amazing food tour in Rome and she explained the historical significance of the cuisine. With most of Italy being poor and rural in the past, readily available and inexpensive ingredients were used and little food was wasted. So dishes consisted mostly of vegetables and legumes plus cheaper cuts of meat and offal.

We started our 7 course meal with a simple but tasty entree. Oozing mozzarella di bufala with bruschetta, roasted veges and a hefty amount of olive oil. I was so happy my wonderful hosts prepared this especially for me as a vegetarian alternative to the prosciutto based dish enjoyed by my fellow diners.

Another favourite of the cucina povera movement is one of the simplest pasta dishes of all time, cacio e pepe. Spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. That’s it. Bliss.

February to May is artichoke season in Rome and during this time you’ll find them on just about every menu throughout the city. Keeping to the ‘peasant food’ theme, the artichoke is simply roasted with a little salt and quite a bit of olive oil. Affordable, in season ingredients at their best.

I received special treatment again when the main meal came out. Everyone else at the table had grilled lamb while I had grilled cheese. You don’t get simpler than that and it was amazing. Hot, gooey, grilled Italian cheese, mmm…

When dessert arrived I thought it was going to be custard but the moment I dug in I was surprised to discover it was actually tiramisu. Lightly sweetened mascarpone cheese and mixed berries. We were all extremely full by the time dessert arrived but within five minutes there was not a spoonful of tiramisu left on anyone’s plate. This was the best tiramisu I have ever eaten and was the perfect way to finish off our cucina povera meal. Simple and delicious.

I can’t recommend Armando al Pantheon highly enough. I truly loved the simplicity of the meal and the care with which it was prepared and served. The food was absolutely delicious and if you find yourself in Rome make a reservation as soon as you arrive as you don’t want to miss out on this experience.

Special thanks to HouseTrip for putting me up in one of their wonderful apartments in Rome and for organising this amazing meal.

Cucina Povera: Peasant Food in Rome is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

I’m a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain and his show No Reservations. On one of his recent episodes he visited Croatia and I was amazed at the unique and traditional food he got to try. Croatia is one of my favourite countries in the world but I’ve often been disappointed with the meals I’ve had. Not that the food has been bad, fresh fish and grilled chicken and salad have been my go to meals and I love them but I always found the variety on menus to be lacking.

Of course the way to get the best food is to get off the beaten path. Bourdain had Istrian white truffles, oysters and mussels in Rovinj, blue fin tuna in Zadar and Croatian lamb goulash in a little restaurant on Pag Island, all of which I hope to visit next time I’m in Croatia.

This was one of my favourite No Reservations episodes. You can watch the video of No Reservations in Croatia here.

No Reservations in Croatia is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

Taps are little sponge cakes made in the shape of a champagne cork and dipped in icing sugar for extra sweetness.

They melt in your mouth and trust me when I say it’s tough to stop at just one. If you don’t eat them within a day or two, which is almost impossible, then you can dip the taps in your coffee or a little rum (!) to moisten them.

Where to Buy: Taps are available from a few places in the region (including in some restaurants) but Pastisseria La Mallorquina on the waterfront in Cadaques is home to the original taps which they’ve been making since the 17th century.

Visiting Cadaques: Cadaques can easily be reached on a day trip from Barcelona or you can rent a villa in Cadaques if you want to take a few days to explore the region.

Taps Cakes from Cadaques is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.

It’s up to you what ingredients you use in your seafood paella but it’s best to pick whatever is freshest in your local market. A typical seafood paella includes prawns, langoustines, muscles, clams, cuttlefish, pork chops and chicken on the bone. As far as vegetables go, you’ll need garlic, red onion, capsicum, green beans, chilli and tomato but you can add whatever you like. Of course you’ll also need olive oil, paella rice and salt.

Start by cooking all the main ingredients separately in a paella pan. Cook the prawns and langoustines then brown the pork and chicken pieces as well as some red capsicum in olive oil and put aside.

Add a little more olive oil and cook finely chopped garlic over a low heat so it doesn’t burn.

Add diced red onion, green capsicum, beans and a couple of dried chillies. Don’t forget to season with a little salt as you go.

Once the veges have softened, add some cuttlefish.

Let the cuttlefish cook through then add tinned or fresh tomatoes.

Add water and finally the paella rice. Check the seasoning and add more salt if you need to.

Then add the ingredients cooked earlier including the pork, chicken, seafood and some fresh muscles and clams.

Let it simmer until the rice and the last of the seafood is cooked. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes then serve!

That is how you make authentic Spanish seafood paella and the best way to enjoy it is outside in the Spanish sunshine with friends and a glass of rosado.

Making Seafood Paella in Besalu is a post from: food blog Bites of Pleasure.