Fette Sau BBQ - Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Our very recent trip to the US was filled with great food (some of which you may have seen on Instagram and Facebook), beautiful places and people we love.

There were long beaches, big waves, lakes, farmland and the great urban marvel that is New York. We grilled aged steaks in our backyard, had sweet and buttery corn on the cob, NY bagels and pie. We picked berries that never made it to dessert and ate our favorite Thai food twice. We drank pink, ice cold wine and some really good beer. We had our share of delicious burgers and lots of sushi.

Nun, Taste of Middle East

 

 

 

I just can’t seem to get back to a normal pace of things.

I have gone to bed more than once in the past weeks thinking “finally tomorrow I have a couple of free hours to finally post on my blog” and then something unexpected happens at work, or the kids’ social life takes over as usual and it just doesn’t happen. For the same reason, things have not been particularly active in the kitchen lately either (or on FB, IG, Twitter for that matter), so now that I have finally gotten around to writing something, it is lucky that I had these pictures of a great little place we discovered recently sitting in a folder waiting to be published.

 

 

 

It is not a fancy restaurant. It is not even a restaurant per se, and it does not serve Italian food, so it will mainly interest those who live in the city (because no matter how delicious Italian food is, and it is, we are allowed to sometimes crave other cuisines, n'est pas?) or tourists that have had one too many plates of pasta, if that is even possible. 

There are three reasons that make it noteworthy, the first being that it is pretty much always open (Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00-23:00 - or 11:00pm)... refreshing given that so many places  in Milan close between lunch and dinner. The second being that it is cheap. The last, but not the least, being that it serves all those Middle Eastern staples that I often crave, homemade and fresh .  

 

Trattoria dei Bracconieri - a different way to spend a day on Lake Como

 

 

 

The great thing about living in a city like Milan is its proximity to so many beautiful and interesting places. And although Milan may not be considered as beautiful as other Italian towns and cities, it makes up for its looks with lots of glamour and its strategic positioning: whether you are into nature, history, architecture, art or just plain good food, when visiting Milan all you have to do is pick.

The Alps (some of the most beautiful mountains in the world), Italy's three most impressive lakes (Como, Maggiore, Garda), lovely cities (Brescia, Como, Bergamo, Turin, Mantova, Venice, Bologna) and stunning coasts (Portofino, Cinque Terre)  are just a short drive away. Not to mention the proximity of Tuscany and Rome and several European countries (France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia) if you have a couple of days to spare.

 

 

When it comes to food, Milan has a lot to boast too: Michelin-starred restaurants, historical eateries, places you go to see and be seen; but I figure that if you are reading a food blog and you are planning a trip over, you probably have already researched and easily found all the information you need.

 

 

 

This is the main reason I don't blog about restaurants very often. This and the fact that I have two little ones, which have somewhat diminished my fancy dining experiences of late. So when I do write about a place they are usually places in the area that I discover with my family: good food, reasonable prices, child-friendly (which doesn't per se mean they are full of loud, screaming children - just that they are casual enough to bring children), the kind of place you will not find in a guide or that your hotel will most likely not recommend because they simply aren't on the radar. I tell you about the kind of off-the-beaten-track places I would like to know about when I travel.

 

 

 

Last week we took an American friend who was staying with us to Como. It had been raining for days when he arrived and because it is the middle of winter, it did not seem like the best time to take a boat ride to see the famous and impressive villas that surround the lake. Our plan was to take him to the city that has become the lake's namesake, Como, a town whose historical wealth (thanks to silk manufacturing and because it is a border town) is reflected in its opulent architecture, definitely worth seeing.

We however wanted our friend to be able to admire the beauty of the lake so we decided to take the funicular up to the town of Brunate, a place none of us had ever been. After a little research we found a place that perfectly suited our  needs: a simple, rustic trattoria. A place that offered a view and, according to comments on Tripadvisor, not bad, overpriced food for tourists.

Cascina Lasso and Vigevano

 

 

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will have realized that I do not often post about restaurant meals. For a variety of reasons, I might add.

The first being that I don't dine out half as much as my former self, the one without children. Exhaustion, the need to meticulously plan ahead and finances play a key role in that decision.

Secondly, dining out with a 3-year old and a 7-year old is just not that amusing. Granted it is getting easier every year, but however fun and delicious the experience might be, it is definitely not relaxing. It is all about cutting up food, mopping up spilled drinks, pulling out toys and books from your bag quicker than Mary Poppins, eating quickly and getting out before the people at the other table starts rolling their eyes at us. Not to mention multiple trips to the bathroom after a miniature member of the family loudly announces their need "to go" and exactly what category "needs to go" so that all the diners can hear.

However, although it is not a daily event, we do still go out. Our wining and dining can be split into categories.

a) Going out sans kids either means date night or having dinner with friends, but we are usually too busy knocking back cocktails and having adult conversation to remember to take pictures of what we are eating.

b) Going out with kids involves more casual affairs in child-friendly environments, often local hang outs, usually at lunchtime, that are good'n'all, but not something to write home post about.

 

The other reason I don't post much, truth be told, is that I hate being that person taking pictures of her food in a fancy restaurant. I admire all of you great food bloggers who entertain us daily with your  fantastic food and restaurant shots all over the world, but I just don't have the guts. I am incapable of shrugging off what other people are thinking: I don't feel comfortable when waiters sniff at me, when other tables watch me disapprovingly or with mild curiousity. I hate making others at the table wait for me to snap the picture because I feel rushed. I would die of embarassement if someone came to my table to tell me pictures aren't allowed and (it makes me cringe to admit this) I don't want to pass for that person who has never dined in a nice restaurant and absolutely needs to send pictures home, as shallow and silly as that may sound. And let us not forget the impossibility of taking a decent pictures (inconspicuously or not) at night. How do you do it?

I admit I have tried on various occasions and all of them have failed: bad lighting, bad angle, bad shots. I just end up throwing away the god-awful pictures I took hiding under a napkin or behind a menu each and every time.

I have embraced the fact that I will never be that person who demands a table by the window to get the perfect shot and that jumps up to get a great angle. I am just not that bold. I only snap pics when I am in totally casual sorroundings or positive that I am in no way disturbing anybody's sensibility by taking pictures. And of course the meal has to be worth it. Not an easy combination.

Last week end was the perfect example. We went for a drive: the weather was reasonably decent after some days of snow and rain, the kids needed to get rid of some pent up energy and my mother had never been to Vigevano, a somewhat hidden jewel in the province of Pavia. Surrounded by the famed rice paddies of the Lomellina, that produces the best risotto rice in the world, lies this dormant town with one of Italy's most beautiful examples of Renaissance  piazza, presumbly designed (together with the tower) by Bramante. The castle was originally a fortress and hunting lodge for the Visconti family and then renovated by the Sforza family.

 

Upon arrival, not only were we delighted by the beauty of the Piazza Ducale, with its frescoed arcades, but also surprised by the replica of an old carousel that the kids (and I in tow) rode on before walking up to the tower and castle.

 

Once we had worked up an appetite, we got back into the car and drove just a few minutes to Cascina Lasso, in the Parco Naturale del Ticino, a park and protected area in the Ticino valley. Cascina is the word used in Northern Italy, usually Lombardy and Piedmont, to describe a working farmhouse, with or without livestock.

Cascina Lasso has been owned and run by the same family since the early 1900s. A family of four lives there now: the husband farms the land and takes care of the animals, while the wife, a mother of two, is a gracious hostess in the restaurant, that is only open on week ends, when they hire extra help to cook and serve clients. Most of the food they serve is grown on the farm and what isn't they acquire from neighboring farmers. This guarantees a meal that is extremely fresh and seasonal for a comparatively low price for the Milan area.

The meal consists in several courses, so be warned and come hungry! The restaurant is located in the renovated barn, on two floors and is charming and cozy in its rustic simplicity (and extremely clean!).

Antipasto 1: homecured meats (salami, coppa and ham) accompanied by homemade warm focaccia

Elba, Il Cantuccio

We just got back from a few days on the island of Elba, taking advantage of my daughter’s days off from school on Thursday and Friday for the later Milanese Carnival. It is a longish drive and ferry boat ride away, making it a bit of a journey to stay just a little over two days, but the amazing weather, the joy on my mother-in-law’s face upon our arrival and the beautiful landscape made it well worth it.

It was our first time there in the winter and after seeing the beauty of the deserted beaches, the turquoise water and the quaint atmosphere of the seaside towns helped me understand how usurped the locals must feel in the summer when the hoards of tourists hit and sully their picturesque shores. 

  

 

The kids enjoyed the briny, fresh air and the total freedom of running around the shores choosing smooth white rocks to paint, picking shells and collecting fallen fern-like branches to use as wings. They sucked on the shells of sea snails and nibbled on fried shrimp. We went with their nonna to buy fresh fish right off the boat and she treated us to many a delicious, if not exactly light, meal.

It was difficult to dissuade her, but we did not want her to cook for us the whole time we were there and insisted on taking her out for a drive and lunch one day given the beautiful weather.

By the time it was noon the kids were starving and we found ourselves knocking on the door of a charming looking restaurant (the only open one actually) in the almost-deserted town of Marina di Campo. We were ushered into the empty rooms and seated at a table, an old glass-covered horse carriage wheel (yup, just like the one in When Harry Met Sally), by the window. The place mats were sheets of yellow paper that my mother in law explained was what they once used to wrap the pasta in at the pastifici, where people bought pasta in bulk before the days of packaging and supermarkets, when she was a girl. It was also used to wrap fried fish. It turned out to be very useful to keep the children busy drawing while we awaited out meal.

The owner/maitre (?) was not very kind to begin with and we were a little surprised given we were the only people there and it was an out-of-season week day in the sleepiest time of the year. We were not handed a menu (rich in delicious offerings of the land and sea of Tuscany) and we were curtly told they do not make pizza at lunch (my mother in law was disappointed, she had had it there before and was looking forward to it). The man went on to list the day’s specials and we were pleasantly surprised so things started looking up. Once we had ordered we were brought a basket of warm, crusty sourdough bread, quite a rarity here in Italy. It was quickly devoured and we were brought more immediately and throughout the meal (free of charge may I add).

Things were getting better by the minute. I looked around while I waited. The furnishing was simple, rustic, with a mix of old and new that is predominant in many Italian trattorias. It was actually quite charming and picturesque to sit in but the camera does not do it justice (not just mine, check out the website and prepare yourself for some pretty bad English). There were very good bottles of wine and pretty wine crates strategically placed around the restaurant, the promise of a good cellar and a reminder that this place has been serving wine since 1930. 

The restaurant started filling up unexpectedly with an array of different people. A middle aged French couple was seated near us and curiously eyed our dishes before ordering. Four builders walked in and sat at a back table, chatting away and sharing jokes with the owner and waitress. A group of fashionable young people sat in the other room and sipped wine and laughed.

Then our orders arrived and we were impressed.

  

The riso al nero di seppia, rice with black squid ink, that my husband and children ordered was served in an edible basket of crispy Parmesan. The rice was perfectly al dente, lusciously black and creamy and studded with chewy yet tender pieces of squid.

I ordered a plate of spaghettini with baby calamari. I am not exaggerating if I tell you this was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. The pasta was toothsome, the squid ink fresh and full of flavor and it was filled with the tiniest, most delicious calamaretti, all drizzled with top quality garlic and chili infused olive oil (incidentally, they have an impressive olive oil menu). The French tourists ordered the same and ooohed! and aaahed! the whole time they ate it. I was so in love with the dish that I enthusiastically covered our host in praise despite my initial antipathy towards him. This softened him. This and perhaps seeing my well-behaved (if I may say so myself; not always the case, but in this occasion definitely) childrens’ faces covered in black ink and nibbling on fish heads.  

Next came our three orders of fritto di paranza, generally a plate of bite-sized fried fish. This fish was actually larger in size, but it was fried perfectly, golden and crunchy with little more than a hint of grease. A squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt and we were set to eat, head, tail and all.

By the time we ordered coffee, the kids were getting a little restless and my youngest was ready for a nap so we skipped dessert. Well, I will be totally honest with you, we had homemade cannoli waiting for us at home.

Our last surprise was the extremely reasonable check. We didn’t have wine or dessert but our meal of three first courses and three mains, three large bottles of water and three coffees turned out to be €88,000. Not bad for a fresh fish meal if you ask me.

The food really was excellent, the fish fresh and I will definitely go back in high season in the evening my husband to taste some more dishes and a good bottle of wine. I am sure it will not disappoint. I just hope that the sun of summer will warm up our host’s very professional yet icy mannerism.

Ristorante Il Cantuccio

Largo Garibaldi 6

Marina di Campo

Isola d'Elba

Tel. 0565.976775

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Zum Franziskaner and Munich

When you read this I hope to be walking on a mountain road, white powder snow sparkling in the sun, the smell of pine trees and burning wood in the air.

I hope you will be sitting cozily with your family and loved ones, enjoying the holiday season and basking in their affection.

While you relax (unless you are hosting and in that case you will probably be stressing just about now) I thought I would show you some more snippets from our trip to Germany.

After walking around the center of Munich and several Christmas markets (and buying the most decadent snack ever, crackly pig rind), we needed to refuel.

Crackly pork rind: they must be taught young!

We stopped at the restaurant zum Franziskaner, famous for serving Bavarian and German classics, for a bite to eat. The place is an endless maze of rooms, large and small, each decorated with a unique style, from the grand turn-of-the-century-like salon to the the cozy wood panelled Bavarian stubes, the winter garden and the student mass. It is a large, crowded place. The service is efficient, the ingredients are seasonal and the recipes are nicely executed. Baskets of pretzels and large glasses of beer are aplenty, as are brimming bowls of warm potato salad, red cabbage and mustard.

A much needed cold beer

Warm goose liver salad

Steak tartare (we asked them to mix it for us)

Pork with crunchy pigskin and bread Knoedel

Traditional potato salad, cucumber potato salad and red cabbage

I wish you all very Happy Holidays and a healthy, wonderful 2012!

Just everyone was in town to do Christmas shopping!