Travelling Somewhere Soon? Here's How NOT to Eat Like a Tourist

Travelling is a lot of fun but simple things like dining can become difficult when you don't speak the native language. This can be a problem especially in cities with a lot of tourism, as restaurants with large English lettering call tourists in, rip them off and leave them thinking the pasta was better at home. 

Here is a compilation of the best tips for eating in Europe- some I've learned the hard way and others were passed on to me by friends, but either way these are some of the best tips for making sure you get your money's worth - in euros and that you enjoy some delicious regional food while you are away from home.

1) Stay away from restaurants with large colourful pictures of food plastered on their walls, signs and menus.

2) Stay away from restaurants that advertise "large coffees" and "big salads" or any other places that use a lot of English on their signs/menus. As you might have guessed- locals don't eat there. 

3) Don't eat anywhere from where a major tourist attraction is visible. This rule can be bent slightly if you want to eat in a large piazza (just use the other rules to help you avoid the major tourist traps)

4)Observe the diners...if they don't look like locals or as if they are savouring their meals...they are probably not! Avoid places where the diners don't look excited about what they are eating.

5) If they offer a "menu turista" where there is a combo of pizza, a drink and a dessert for ten euro and it sounds too good to be true...it probably is. (There may be places where this is not the case but I didn't risk this so can't really give you my personal opinion on whether to try it)

6) Do ask locals that you meet where they like to eat and don't be afraid to ask for recommendations from BnBs you walk by or the staff at your own hotel/apartment/residence.

7) Do use online forums like trip advisor to locate some authentic restaurants near you. I found however, that the best ones were those recommended by kitchen staff, BnB owners, even tour guides. Just specify you want to eat local food.

8) Don't stop at places that have a small selection of food on their menu. Places that have lots of dishes on their menu tend to have lots of food coming out of pantries and freezers, which means the food is not fresh and seasonal. If they don't offer a lot on their menu or don't have a fancy printed menu it means the food is fresh and comes in daily. 

9) If the restaurant has multiple menus in different languages this is not necessarily a bad thing. It means that they cater to both locals and tourists. If the menu is strictly in English...I'd stay away though.

10) the last- and In my opinion best- tip is to eat at places that only have one menu- a chalkboard near the entrance. Especially if it is written in the local language...you're in for a foodie's delight! It's written on a chalkboard because the ingriedients arrive fresh daily and it varies based on what's available. If they run out, it's because they don't overstock and only make what the fisherman catches or the farmer sends in. In this case, they simply erase it off the chalkboard and diners know what the best dish in the house is, in case they decide to revisit.

Hope these tips help you avoid tourist traps (there's nothing worse for a food lover if you ask me) and enjoy some true authentic cooking no matter which country you are in. Happy travels! 

Wine Tasting in Tuscany

While in Italy I enjoyed a beautiful day in a region of Tuscany called Chianti. It was just like a scene from the film "Under the Tuscan Sun"- rich, green, rolling hills and beautiful scenery as far as the eye could see. It was a place that can only be described as dream like...and only a thirty minute drive from Florence's city centre. 

The winery, called "La Castello Verrazano" was a renaissance castle built a top of a large hill, with many, many lush green vineyards below. After a tour of the incredible property- complete with lemon trees and a canopy of hanging grapes, our group headed into the wine cellars where we learned all about the wines production of the region. 

Chianti (pronounced "key-aunt-ee") is famous for a wine called...you guessed it....Chianti. In fact, much like the way that sparkling wine (Spumante in Italian) cannot be called champagne unless it's made in Champagne,France, a bottle of red wine matching the criteria of a Chianti cannot be called one unless the grapes were grown and processed in Chianti, Italy.

So what makes a Chianti? This red wine is made primarily with san genovese grapes. In order to be considered a true Chianti wine, the blend must contain at least 80% San genovese grapes. Castello de Verrazano in particular, uses 95%, yielding a delicious, full-bodied red wine. They also make a variety of other wines including a popular house wine called the "supertuscan"(sounded like a super hero) and a golden "holy wine", which is basically a dessert wine. 

The wine tasting experience is truly something else in Italy and as our group was lead through a guided tasting complete with food pairings, I was in total foodie heaven. We were each presented a platter with prosciutto, salami, tomatoes, bread, olive oil, olive tapenade and cheeses. 

Nearing the end we paired a spoon of the most delectable twelve year old balsamic vinegar with a piece of pecorino cheese and the taste of this pairing can simply not be described. I was in love with the balsamic but at 48 euro a bottle I had to control my impulses. 

The final taste...and one that is a local treat in Tuscany was a peice of canatuccini (what we know in North America as Almond biscotti) which was served in a shot glass of grappa. A cookie in a shot of alcohol seems like a strange thing but we were all instructed to dip the cookie into the grappa until it had soaked up the liqueur and then to eat it, chasing it with the shot. It was a little strong for me, I have to admit...but "when in Rome," right? Or Tuscany, rather. 

Other regions of Italy also have their special wines and drinks that they are quite proud of. If you are in Rome, I'd recommend you try the Nero D'Avola red wine and in Almafi the drink of choice is of course, Lemoncello. (Take it easy though, this one is strong). 

When dining out in Italy, it is completely acceptable to ask for a glass of the house red or white wine. I'd definitely encourage you to make sure to check out the regional specialities too. Italians take so much pride in their food, wine and hospitality that you can trust a restaurant to suggest a wine that will be compatible with your meal. Remember- in Italy wine is not a pre or post dinner drink or even something to drink on it's own. It's meant to complement and bring out the flavours of the food you are eating, so it will always be served with meals or at least snacks. When deciding what to order with dinner, house wine or "table wine" is a great choice. Before dinner- enjoy a cocktail or appertivo like an Orange Spritz (made with aperol). After dinner? Italians will reach for the liqueurs like Lemoncello or grappa. Me? I'd reach for the tiramisu. Yum!

Pasta in Italy...oh my!

Of course one of the joys of being in Italy for me was all the fresh pasta all around. Mealtimes were exciting and I tried as many different types of pasta as I could. In Rome, they are known for their Carbonara- a light creamy sauce made of milk and egg yolks with sautéed pancetta. Also popular here is a pomodoro sauce- which is a basic spaghetti sauce made with tomatoes, garlic and basil. Another local favourite (which I did not try) is spaghetti bolognese which is a ground beef, tomato based sauce, cooked with milky to give it a creamy texture.

In Italy, you will not find Italian-American dishes like spaghetti and meatballs or Fettucine Alfredo. But who wants to eat what you can easily find back home? Not me! I enjoyed trying all the regional dishes and eating, as much as possible, like a local.

In Florence, I had the opportunity to taste another local favourite - tagitelle with "wild boar sauce". Sounds pretty extreme but this is another way of saying the sauce is made of ground pork and has a tomato base. It was seriously delicious. I loved egg noodles before, but Italy has completely converted me to only want to eat paparadelle and tagiatelle. Just love those broad noodles that hold so much sauce. Yum! 

As I headed down south to Sorrento and Almafi, the pasta specialities changed. The selection offered was based more on seafood. Rightfully so as this is a coastal region. Most restaurants that cater to locals (not tourist traps) will bring their fish and other seafood in daily so everything is always delicious and fresh. Some of the regional specialities here include spaghetti alla Vongole (clams) or pasta with mussels or shrimp (scampi) or even lobster. It was all delicious and nothing beats the taste of freshly prepared food. 

When you come to a place where food is basically a religion, it's fun to learn all about the different food customs surrounding what you are eating. Pasta was especially intriguing to me as I spent time in Italian kitchens. So what did I learn? 

1) Spaghetti is always boiled in water that is salted. The salt is added ONLY when the water has already come to a boil and never before. If you add it before, the water will take forever to come to a boil. 

2) Spaghetti is basically a friend of the family. As such, you NEVER break these precious hand crafted noodles in half. You always drop them into the water gently and let them slide further in as they cook. 

3) Despite what we think, customarily pasta is eaten as part of a meal and not as the whole meal. It's actually a second appetizer at dinner followed by the main meat or fish dish. As such, pasta is served in smaller quantities than we are used to in North America. 

4) When serving pasta or longer noodles, you would present it on a flat plate (don't over load it) with about three fingers worth of space between the pasta and the edge of the plate. This will allow you to eat the pasta "properly" (see number 6)

5) When serving pasta, you set the table only with forks...never a fork and a spoon. In Italy, eating your pasta with a fork and a spoon is like stirring your coffee with a knife...it's weird and simply not done. You'd never need anything but a fork when eating pasta anyway as you are never supposed to cut your pasta...ever. If you are dining at a restaurant as a tourist, of course no one would say much to you about this- Italians are far too lovely to comment on it, but customarily speaking, you don't cut your spaghetti.

 

6) so how DO you deal with those long noodles? Well when dining in Italy, remember we are supposed to take our time and savour each taste, flavour and meal. As such, you are encouraged to take your time- this worked in my favour as I tried to get a hang of the eating spaghetti technique which involves using your fork to bring about four spaghetti noodles to the side of your plate and then twisting them into a little ball on to your fork. Why four? Apparently it's a tried and tested amount to ensure you get the perfect sized bite every time. 

And now? Nothing left to say about it except... Bon appetito! 

The Culinary Culture of Italy

I have had the good fortune of being able to travel in Italy for two weeks and I'm learning all about the food culture here. (Super excited, since it's my absolute favourite topic)

While mealtimes in Italy are just like anywhere else- meals provide family time, time to relax and enjoy- they are also very different.

 A traditional meal consists of 4 courses: an antipasto or appetizer, a primi or first course which is often a pasta dish, a secondi or second course which might be a meat or fish dish and the dolci which is dessert. 

What is interesting is that each dish is enjoyed independently of the others. It is not served all at once so as not to complicate or confuse your palate. Each dish is served in small portions so you can enjoy each taste and enjoy small amounts of different types of food, resulting in a balanced diet. 

Before dinner you might have drinks or appertivo which could be wine or a cocktail...but what's interesting is during dinner you'd typically only drink water or wine. This is because Italians take their food seriously and would not typically drink something that would take away from the flavour of their foods. So coke, milk, juice and beer are just not typically consumed at meals. 

Additionally, the only condiments they will bring you to accompany your meal would be olive oil, salt, black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Some restaurants will also bring chilli oil but in my experience so far, I'd say this is not the norm. In fact if you ask for something other than the pre-approved condiments, they will probably try to talk you out of it. This is because Italians enjoy tasting their food. They do not over-season their meats but rather hope that you will be able to taste each ingredient. 

Bread is something that is served with meals and is not meant to be eaten with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as many of us think over in North America. Rather it's almost a tool to sop up the remaining sauce on your dish after a meal so you can savour the flavours a little more. (This is something you can do at home or in a casual cucina but not something you'd do if fine dining.)

Overall, in Italia, meals are not meant to be consumed quickly or rushed through. Rather, meals are meant to be savoured, relished and enjoyed. In fact, wait staff in Italy will almost never bring you the bill without you having had requested it. Why? Because they want you to sit, relax and enjoy. The goal is not to rush you or get you to spend more but they want you to experience the true Italian joy of eating. 

Asparagus: a simple side dish

Asparagus spears make a healthy and filling side dish for any meal. It's a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet and it's super easy to punch up the flavour. 

I love the taste of grilled asparagus and had some fun playing with some white and green asparagus spears. For this dish I marinated the asparagus spears (after removing the tough ends) in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and chilli flakes.

 After letting the asparagus marinate for about twenty minutes I grilled the veggies (horizontal placement on the grill so that nothing falls through) for about 6 minutes, turning once to ensure even cooking. And that's it! Really so simple and a great accompaniment to pasta or a meat dish.