Apron and Sneakers - Cooking & Traveling in Italy

Sautéed Mussels and Clams (Sauté di Cozze e Vongole) and an Upcoming Tour of Piedmont and Liguria

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:49:00 +0000

I just closed my suitcase and triple-checked the list of things that I should take with me. Almost everything's packed. I never really mentioned until now that I was invited to go to Piemonte (Piedmont) and Liguria at the northwest part of Italy for an Enogastronomic Press Tour sponsored by Borsa Internazionale del Turismo Enogastronomico (BITEG). It's a tour organized by the Piedmont Tourism to experience and to get to know some chosen towns that represent both regions well. In Liguria, the cultural and culinary specialties of the Savona coast will be explored like their chinotto (myrtle-leaved orange tree), extra virgin olive oil and pesto. In Piedmont, we will get to know the three important food and wine products that the region proudly stands for: Barolo wines, truffles and hazelnuts.

Amaretti Pancakes With Peaches and Reduced Amaretto Syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:04:00 +0000

Here I am with a breakfast recipe experiment gone yummy. Pancakes are lovely to manipulate with different flavors and blends and when I am bored with my first meal of the day, I tend to browse my cupboards and fridge to look for interesting combinations to put together. Remember the Banana Pistachio Pancakes With Marsala Syrup, the Hazelnut Pancakes with Roasted Figs & Reduced Marsala Sauce, the Dark Chocolate Pancake & Banana Towers or the Almond Blueberry Pancakes With Godet Chocolate Ganache? There are also other combinations that you might want to check out at my recipe index (under breakfast).

Tartiflette: French Potato, Onion & Cheese Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:24:00 +0000

It was in Chamonix, France where I had my first tartiflette. It was in the middle of summer and the town was full of tourists. Yes, I noticed the beauty of Mont Blanc but when you are walking in the middle of a big crowded town with a large dog taking you for a walk and lunch time is ticking away fast, the only thought I had at that moment was where to eat. After our futile search for a place to sit down & eat, my husband and I eventually gave up and moved away from the town. There, just about a kilometer or 2 away, we found the perfect open-air spot. Our dog found his spot too under the shade of a tree while I ordered my very first tartiflette, the specialty of the region.

Parchment Baked Red Mullet Fish With Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:24:00 +0000

After fruit & vegetable markets, I love fish markets next. I love immersing myself to the different kinds of sea creatures, some with vibrant colors and interesting forms. This goes especially to the tropical fish and shellfish markets. They all exude freshness just like the fruits and vegetables. And, they are healthy food.

Toasted Spongecake With Vanilla Yogurt and Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:13:00 +0000

Breakfast, breakfast, what's on the table this morning? If you had been eating too much food lately and would like something light and fresh to start your morning, a plate of fresh fruit with some yogurt would be wonderful. If you also happen to have some shop-bought sponge cakes in the cupboard, just pop them in the oven for a few minutes to make them crunchy. Put them altogether on a plate and you have a 15-minute quick, simple and healthy breakfast. Good morning!

Italian Breakfast on Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sat, 11 May 2013 18:34:00 +0000

An Italian breakfast is sweet. Period. I grew up with salty breakfasts. Period. For that I had a huge problem in coming to terms with my first meal of the day when I moved here. It took me years to appreciate the switching from salty to sweet. And it took me a very long time to say that I am looking forward to breakfast as soon as I open my eyes.

Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:47:00 +0000

I have been blogging for more than two years and I can't believe that I haven't shared one of my favorite pasta dishes yet. The other one that shares its glory in my eyes is Gricia or Amatriciana Bianca (White Amatriciana). It's the same as this amatriciana but without the tomatoes. If you click on the link, you will also find out about its history and that amatriciana was actually originally white from the 12th century, before the tomatoes were introduced to Italy in the 17th century.

Lemony Mashed Vitelotte Potatoes With Baked Fish in Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:25:00 +0000

My 3-year old daughter came home today from kindergarten, holding a colorful cupcake with hearts wrapped in clear plastic wrapper with a little card saying "Ti voglio bene Mamma." It means I love you Mommy. As she walked through the front door, she was excitedly calling out to me with her little package and she loudly announced that I'm the only one who's supposed to eat it because it's her gift for me for Mother's Day. I knew she wanted it but she was keeping her teacher's word that it's only for me. A little pushing finally succumbed to a delightful "Buona!," from her little smile with crumbs. Now, that is a perfect Mother's Day gift.

Fried Ham and Cheese Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Ham and cheese, and uhhhm, fried. Three words and they will definitely catch any kid's attention. With the warm melted cheese oozing out as you slice the rolls, no one, not even the adults can resist grabbing a bite. It's simple, very good, not really your everyday food but nonetheless something that has the right to have a space on the table and impress adults and children alike. Absolutely a recipe to keep! See my recipe at this link at SheKnows.com and click here to see the list of other recipes that I have there.

Have a wonderful week!

Carciofi Arrostiti (Roasted Artichokes)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:20:00 +0000

Our plates were overflowing with artichoke leaves. Some leaves were neatly stacked on one side while the others were left haphazardly all over the plates and spilling on the table. Every single leaf was pulled out from the globe with only the tender part of the leaf eaten. It seemed like a tedious job of taking apart the artichoke leaf after leaf before arriving to the core which is the biggest surprise you will have.

Hotdogs, Eggs and Fried Rice (Hotsilog), A Philippine Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sun, 05 May 2013 01:20:00 +0000

Life happens and families grow. But as time flies, it slowly dissipates from our hold. We get old and the clock just keeps on ticking. The kids become adults, the adults grow older and the older ones leave us. Life keeps on continuing and time is our enemy because life, as we all know, is very short. Let me explain why I am speaking about life when there's a breakfast plate to be explained. I just lost my 94-year old paternal grandmother and coincidentally, my other 94-year old maternal grandmother is in the hospital. 94 years is a whole lot of time to enjoy life and I am glad I to have known these two strong women in our family.

Strawberry, Basil & Almond Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:11:00 +0000

I'm not a pink person but when I see pink and pastels together, I feel relaxed. It's true that colors affect our moods and when they are light and soothing to the eyes, they traverse through our bodies and give us tranquility. Exactly what I need when the house quiets down after the initial morning chaos of the kids' preparation for school. A refreshing, healthy and fruity breakfast in a glass is one of the best ways to start the day.

Cold Pasta With Mozzarella, Tomatoes & Tuna

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:29:00 +0000

If you can see one of our rooms now, you will wonder what happened. The floor is covered with boxes of summer clothes. There are four of us so you can imagine how much they are. Help! Summer temp has arrived and I still haven't switched the seasonal clothes. Just looking at the wool and thick clothes in our closets gives me beads of perspiration. I pulled out our summer clothes that almost match, we all went out and headed to a friend's house to celebrate Labor Day with a barbecue lunch.

Coconut Rice Pudding With Mango Puree and Rum Caramel Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:30:00 +0000

When luck strikes and we get some Asian mangoes from the Asian market in Rome, we celebrate in the kitchen. The big part of the very sweet mangoes gets eaten as is, like how they should be enjoyed. Then one small part gets the cooking treatment in my pots and pans. I would really rather eat them by scooping the chilled pulp from the sliced fruit that just came from the fridge. It's just like how I used to enjoy them when I was growing up in the midst of mangoes everywhere. But now that I am thousands of kilometers away from the closest mango tree (I would have to correct this to just a few kilometers if my friend is successful in growing her mango tree which she planted from seed), I encapsulated the flavor and smell of my favorite fruit. I used it as a topping to a bowl of coconut rice pudding then I mixed it with a good drizzle of rum caramel sauce. The flavors are amazing and it perfectly epitomizes my long-lost childhood memories of how a tropical island dessert should be.

Pizza Roll Sandwiches With Salami, Cream Cheese & Rucola

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:13:00 +0000

I was ready to switch my heavier clothes to lighter ones today when, after waking up to a gray day, I retreated back to heavier layered clothing again. Just the other day, I had to stay in my short-sleeve shirt because it felt like summer just shoved spring out of the way. It was hot. With the heat, scenes of picnics and outdoor eating with the kids played in my mind. It's the time of the year when we like eating quick and easy food under the olive trees outside our house.

Orecchiette With Salmon, Spinach, Tomatoes & Lemon

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:55:00 +0000

Orecchiette. For the different varieties of pasta that I have tried, I can only count with my fingers which ones I really like. They are the ones that are compact and catch the sauce perfectly well. One of them is orecchiette, the ear-shaped pasta with a central depression to catch the sauce better. It has a good compact body that compensates the amount of sauce that gets caught in its concave shape. It comes from Puglia, one of the southern regions of Italy and there, they like serving it simply with broccoli rabe and some breadcrumbs. Its simplicity is what makes it so good. The flavors of two to three ingredients blend harmoniously well together. I always say that but it's true with Italian cooking. Less is better. But let's go back to this recipe. For a change, I strayed away from the typical broccoli rabe sauce even if my family and I are crazy about it. I tried something new using salmon, spinach and tomatoes for a change. Adding lemon zest gave it a wonderful aromatic side to it.

Instant Strawberries, Greek Yogurt & Brownie Breakfast Trifle and The Town of Calcata

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:47:00 +0000

There was something about the half-finished block of shop-bought brownies, tub of Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries staring back at me whenever I open the fridge. I knew that I was missing the point the first few times I was sneaking looks at them. Those three can actually create a quick and delicious breakfast without putting any effort at all. So here it is, a five-minute sprint breakfast, all for you to enjoy.

Spring Green Vegetable Salad With Pecorino & Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:26:00 +0000

Fruit & vegetable markets have an air of healthiness around it. I feel like if you inhale the air while in the midst of all the beautiful greens, reds, yellows & oranges, you yourself will absorb all the vitamins they keep inside them then cancel out the bad food you had been eating. Just a thought. And hope. I'm not a perfect health food eater but I am trying my best to recompense for the unhealthy way I had been stuffing myself with bad food when I was younger. That and to guide my kids to healthy eating.

Peanut Crusted Chicken and Peanut Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:19:00 +0000

I wonder why kids are crazy about chicken. Wherever they grow up or however they are exposed to food, chicken will always be number one. And I have two chicken lovers at home, always ready to pounce on them and smothered with its undying partner - ketchup! I myself grew up with fried chicken thighs delightfully covered with, what else? Ketchup! Fortunately, you will never find fried chicken in Italy so my eating habit was put to a halt. You will only find rotisserie chicken with roasted potatoes. It's healthier of course and so good too! But my childhood chicken eating habits nag me at times so I came up with different ways to make my chicken crunchy, and this one has an Asian twist to it being all covered up with peanuts coupled with rice sprinkled with peanuts too. Yum! For this recipe, please click on this link.

Simple Italian Grilled Vegetables and The Vatican City

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:39:00 +0000

It was around this period, years ago, when I swore to the Italian flag to abide by its laws and be a good citizen with my quivering voice, following the lead of the Vice-Mayor of the comune. As we concluded the session, the Vice-Mayor and I exchanged hands and she happily gave me her good wishes. "Auguri signora". I'm Italian. I felt strangely emotional and elated.

Rum & Raisin Truffles and Afternoon Tea Cookbook Review

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:07:00 +0000

Mention chocolate truffles to me and I will turn to you. Show me some and you will definitely get my full attention. I will always have time to stop and admire the rows of chocolate truffles in display in chocolate shops even when I was a child. Back then, I could barely even reach the height to look at them properly but with my nose pressed against the border of the display rack, and with my toes supporting me to the fullest height, I know they are good and worth all the money that my Mom would pay for.

Lemon Leaf-Wrapped Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

I've seen my husband revive ailing plants and trees in our garden more than once. He nurses them back to good health with a lot of attention and they in turn bounce back to life with more fruit to give. In our garden, I take care of the flowering plants and herbs while he takes care of the trees. Most of our fruit trees are untouchable. Translation? The wife cannot snip off leaves or flowers that will soon become good fruit. If I need lemon leaves, it's a long negotiation. Imagine my distress when I made these meatballs and I needed 20 leaves to wrap each meatball. I didn't tell him because he was in the office anyway. But dinner had to be served, all wrapped up with lemon leaves. His lemon leaves. All 20 of them. He was not so happy about that but at least he liked what he was eating. I think he sneaked out to check his lemon tree after dinner just to be sure that it's still ok.

Breakfast Polenta With Pancetta and Eggs and The Town of Civita Castellana

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:40:00 +0000

I'm back with my breakfast craze. Be it savory or sweet, here I am to enjoy it and when I make a new discovery, you can count on me to share it with you. Like these delicious breakfast polenta for instance. Just watch out because they are hard to resist! Yum!

Grilled Salmon With Caramelized Onions

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:40:00 +0000

Do you have half an hour and want to have a delicious and healthy meal? I'm usually in a rush too and I am always hoping for something quick, easy, healthy and delicious on my table. It's never easy to accomplish all that in one flash and it is my perennial problem. For all these years, the redundant question I pose to my husband is, "What do you want for dinner?" Even if I am into food, I am not always perfectly prepared and bursting with ideas. I have a lot of moments of drawing a blank on what to prepare for the whole family.

Pineapple, Chicken and Pork Adobo Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Rowena Dumlao-Giardina) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:48:00 +0000

I already sound like a broken record whenever I recount memories of my past that always find their way connected to FOOD. I have fond memories of my family, my friends, places and events whenever I think of every single dish that is familiar to me. But the past is meant to be cherished and left behind because we should always move on to what is next. I respect that because I moved on embracing everything Italian, from this place that I nested on for my kids and husband. I tried not to look back but cravings from the past jolts me to stop and listen to my needs. Familiarity is important and this dish is a part of what I am.