Yes, I take photos of my food in restaurants. I admit it...... I know that I'm not the only one... am I?

Some friends and I went to this amazing restaurant that I had found by driving around, going down roads to see where they'd lead in my neighboring areas.   So, I wanted to go back and eat a meal there to check it out.   I decided that I wanted to check it out for my birthday meal. 

The first course: Home-made Pasta  (look at the little zucchini flower!)   I know most people always get the second course meal- but, I find that the pasta dish is more than enough to fill me up.

*Click on the photos for a larger view...

Home made bread and crackers!   The homemade crackers don't look very fancy but they were tasty!   My friend got an ice cream dessert.   With a piece of dark chocolate added as a topper.   The dash of dark coco powder adds just the right touch.         For my dessert, I ordered Tiramisu.   I love Tiramisu.   I don't like coffee at all- but, I love Tiramisu    In every restaurant in Italy, I am usually tempted to order Tiramisu to see how that place makes theirs.   It is very unique- same ingredients but each recipe can taste so differently..   Sometimes, it is too strongly 'coffee flavored' for me.   But, even then, I like it... I just know not to order it again if I go back to that restaurant.    After my dessert was delivered in a 'cup' ... I had a memory flashback to a few years ago, before when I was still living in Cold, snowy, wintery Germany.  I had gone on a military bus tour trip to northern Italy, in February, for President's Day and to escape the German winter for just a few days.      We stayed in this same area... drove all over, went to Venice by train (which I had done many times but, from a totally different area.)   We had taken the entire group of maybe 55 Americans on the bus for lunch at a huge restaurant, in the middle of nowhere, and we had the best, best Tiramisu that I had ever eaten.  At this time, I had already lived in 2 different Italian locations and I had always tried each restaurant's Tiramisu.   For days, everyone on the trip was talking about the Tiramisu in that restaurant, about how good it was.  Those that had opted not to order the Tiramisu seemed a bit jealous.   However, when I saw the cup of tiramisu, it brought back memories of that trip and tasting the best Tiramisu.   I knew that it would be very unlikely that this was the same place.   How could it be?  We had driven all over this part of Italy for 3-4 days.  Our hotel was not in this area.   And, here I was a few years later, living/working in the same region, and eating at a restaurant that I found by accident... trying to find a short cut to the physical therapy place in a neighboring town.   However, all it took was ONE BITE and I was in Tiramisu heaven.   It was the same place, it was the same most wonderful Tiramisu!   Now, how was I going to stop myself from wanting to stop by daily?  After all, this restaurant is only 1 1/2 miles from my house.   Down, a rural road that I had never had a reason to travel down.   That road, taken looking for a short cut, ended up leading me, once again, to the 'often talked about' best Tiramisu, that I had ever eaten.... 'Tiramisu.'   So, take that road less traveled, turn down a new street, a new turn-off... who knows what you'll find?

My meal last weekend... from when I went to the local restaurant for the Woman's Day event..

Home made crackers and dinner rolls...

Home-made Tortellini

Grilled Pork Chop.   This was awesome... and there was so much meat- that I took over 1/2 of it home and had 2 more meals from this serving.   They also gave me an entire bowl of home-fries (not frozen) and this is all that I had with my meal.  I gave the rest to my friend who was eating with me.

The dessert menu and I did appreciate the ENGLISH translation.  I can read quite a bit of 'Italian' when it concerns menus though.  I need to learn 'the words for how a dish is prepared though.'

The name of the restaurant.   *Also the front of the dessert menu.   I got the 'tiramisu' again, of course.

I'm a fan of 'finding things' by accident... it's how I've found some great shopping places and awesome meals..

Last Saturday, I went on a morning shopping trip.  First stop was to the 'purse store', then to the yarn shop, and the last stop was going to be to the 'big Italian grocery store' that is just a few miles from my house.   All 3 stops made a big circle, of driving, in the local area.  On the way, to the grocery store... and going in a totally different way than usual since I was coming from a different direction than I usually do.  I remembered that one time the navigon device took me through the farming fields, old villas, etc.   While it was a scenic route-- it was many miles out of the way.   So, after we'd driven several miles-- I decided to find a place to pull over to check things out.    Finding a place to pull over isn't that easy in rural areas of Italy- since, there are no 'shoulders' on the roads or lots of parking areas.   I finally saw a side road and I took it- hoping to find a place to pull over.  I actually found an area big enough for a few cars to park.   At the same time, I happened to notice a sign with a name of a restaurant and an arrow pointing further down the street.   So, I decided that I'd drive a few blocks to see if I could find the restaurant in question.   I did.  Someone was cleaning the sidewalk in front of the huge restaurant- so, I got out and pointed to my watch to the number 12 indicating that I was asking if the place was open for lunch that day.  *THEY do not open prior to 12 noon.  He nodded yes.   So, we decided to continue on to the grocery store and return for lunch at the new place.   THAT is actually only about 2 1/2 to 3 miles away from my rental house-- just down a road that I had not traveled on before.

 This place had HOME-MADE CRACKERS and wonderful bread. 

I got a lobster pasta dish with home-made pasta.   It was good.   I loved the zucchini flower decoration.

My friend got this for her dessert.   They served wine w/ the pasta course and our dessert.   We did not order a main meat dish or any sides.  

This is what I got.   TIRAMISU ... it was heavenly.   So good you sigh out loud eating it.  I thought the cup had a great handle on it too.  I didn't drink my wine.  I was driving.   I did taste it-- very light and fresh.  

Once we arrived in the lobby... I saw a painting on the wall and realized that I had been here once about 3 years ago... when I came down by bus on a military MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation) bus trip from my old base in Germany.   We had been here about the same time of the year too- for Carnavale. 

Here's the painting:  right here

The food at this place was great.  As soon as I saw the painting in the lobby- I knew that I had to order dessert.  This place has the 'best' tiramisu that I have ever had anywhere.  I just can't believe it was less than 3 miles from my rental house-- just down a road that I had yet to drive on... and of course, I wouldn't have found it at all- had I not wanted to find a place to stop to check on the navigon to make sure 'she' wasn't taking us on the long back roads.  It is going to be my 'go to' place to eat.   Just goes to show you... it pays to take the 'road' less traveled (by yourself).

HAPPY THANKSGIVING..

My first year to live in Italy, (around 1999) working for the US Department of Defense on an Air Force Base, away from friends and family in the states a couple of male friends and I decided to have our own Thanksgiving meal. I was still getting well from an injury that caused ‘severed nerves and tendons in my right hand’ so, due to this injury- I wasn’t able to lift heavy things or do as much ‘cooking/stirring/etc.’ that I usually would be able to. One friend said that he’d bake the turkey at home and bring it to my house and then we’d assemble the rest of the meal at my house. I had baked a couple of pies: Pecan and Pumpkin. I had made green beans and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. (I’m from the south) I had also assembled the cornbread stuffing. They had to do any stirring and lift the pans and put them in/out of the oven. My oven was tiny- so, we were cooking the foods in shifts. I asked them if they wanted regular mashed potatoes too and they did. We did always serve both types when I was growing up. So, off we go to the local small Italian grocery store, less than 2 blocks away, to pick up some regular white potatoes. This was in 1999 and at this little store, you weren’t allowed to ‘touch’ or pick out your own produce. You had to point or tell them what you wanted and they (the produce guy) selected and bagged up your items. We pointed to the regular potatoes that had lots of dirt on the skins and he bagged them up for us. Off we walk back home and we send my friend’s visiting ‘and non-cooking’ friend to the little balcony off my kitchen, to peel the potatoes, since my kitchen was too small for 3 people to work in it. His friend peeled the potatoes and then mentioned how dirty they looked. We told him that it was probably because he didn’t wash them first and remember that they did have a lot of dirt on the skins of the potatoes. So, he brought them into the kitchen washed them really well under the running water and we told him to put some clean water in the pot to cook the chunks of potatoes. After about 25 minutes… the potatoes were done. We told him to drain the water and to add some butter and milk to the potatoes and mash them up. My friend, told him to just pour the water out in the sink and to rinse the potatoes before he added the butter and milk. My friend told me that his friend really didn’t know anything about cooking and that this was a big step for him to be helping with the meal. So, my friend and I continued putting together our meal as we cooked the items almost one by one due to my tiny oven. We set out our feast, carved the turkey, filled out plates with food… and then for the first time … we noticed that the ‘regular mashed potatoes’ were GREY IN COLOR… like a very dirty white sock that has been worn outside in the dirt and won’t ever come clean. Like they had been cooked and sitting in mop water. We again questioned my friend’s friend to make sure that he had washed the potatoes before he cooked them and again he told us that he had. They did not look appealing or appetizing at all. No one was brave enough to try them. I finally tasted them. They were some sort of sweet potatoes. So, not only did we not get our mashed potatoes (I had also made some homemade gravy for the ‘expected mashed potatoes.’) but, we had two types of sweet potatoes: Orange Sweet potatoes with melted browned marshmallows on the top and… DIRTY GREY SWEET POTATOES We laughed so much that day at our ‘very ugly’ dirty, but tasty, potatoes. I always remember that meal that was made fun by a new and very casual friend and his visiting friend… a meal that I would not have been able to prepare alone due to my injury and without each other… that none of us would have had a Thanksgiving meal at all. And, especially not one as full of laughter as that particular meal was that day.

The foods of Italy

I haven't been out to eat since I returned to Italy.  I think it is time.  I'm hungry for pizza too.

This is a photo of fresh spider crab pasta.  I got this in June when my friend was here visiting before I went to the states. 

I don't know what they do to make the green beans taste so good- but they do!

Day 3 of Spring Break...

This is the type of bread that was easily found in the German bakeries.  However, the 'brown bread' isn't found as much in Italy.   It's my favorite type of bread though.  This bread was MUCH BETTER than the German bread though.  It was softer.  I put the more roundish one in the freezer.   The breads don't stay fresh long; so, I've learned to put most of my purchases in the freezer.

The Robin Egg's Blue 100% CASHMERE yarn that I bought!  For me!!!!  I think I'll knit a hat, maybe some fingerless gloves and if there is enough left:  a cowl.     It is so soft.  Like a kitten.  I want to name it George and pet it all day.   They also had some great dark charcoal grey in this color.  It would look great in a nice man's hat.  However, I didn't buy any because I don't know anyone to knit something that special (and expensive) for right now.   This is a little darker than it really is.  Not a good photo; taken at night.  However, you get to see my lovely marble floor- which is the main reason that I rented this house. This was taken in the bright sunshine; so it is a bit washed out.  So, imagine the real color of the green as being between both colors and it will be about right.   I loved that purple and it's also not 'as bright' as it shows in the photo.  I love that the yarn brand on the green says:  wool cat Today was a busy day.  Yet, it seemed like I didn't really get anything done.   In the morning, I finished 'hand-washing' my knitted scarves and hats that I didn't finish yesterday.  I laid them outside on the balcony to dry and hoped that it wouldn't start raining as it was predicted.  I wrapped up a birthday present for a friend with a May birthday.  I made a Greek salad of sorts for lunch.  I used some of the green marinated fresh olives, feta cheese, sweet Italian cherry tomatoes (you can't believe how different they taste), a variety of salad greens, dark green (first pressing) local olive oil mixed in with some balsamic vinegar.    I had a chunk of the whole wheat and full of seeds (just the way I like it) bread roll that I found at the local bakery yesterday.  I dipped the bread in the olive oil.   It was yummy.  My lunch was made out of items that I bought in the big grocery store that I found yesterday. Hand-washed knitted items getting ready to be put away for the warmer weather. Later, I went on base and did all sorts of errands.  I did get my taxes completed and sent off.  I'm not getting much back and that was disappointing... considering my upcoming 'maybe' furlough days of lost wages.  I mailed a May birthday gift early, went to the PX to see what could be done about the shattered glass on my Ipad screen, I deposited a check from the Health Insurance Company from the health claim that I had submitted a few weeks ago, and several other errands.  Then I drove to the school to do a couple of quick things in my classroom. Once, I got to my neighborhood, I tried to find some nice flower pots to put on my front steps.   I couldn't find anything that wasn't plastic (not big enough for the front steps).  It made me sad to think of the really nice blue glazed huge ceramic pots that I had to leave behind at my house in Germany... and how I gave them and all my other flower pots away.    After arriving home... I continued to hang artwork on the walls.  Things are already looking better; like I live here.   However, I really have some paperwork that I need to do and I also need to do some more work on those 3 on-line college courses that I'm taking.    All in all, I was busy all day long... but, at the same time... it seems like I don't have much to show for the day's efforts?   Well, I do have 3 damp bath towels and some 'almost dry' freshly washed knitted items. The yarn is really thin, but I'm going to knit 2 strands together in some sort of cardigan.   The purple was just such a nice color.  The green-ish grey color?  It didn't photograph very well- if you can imagine... half-way between both photos- that's the color.   I really liked the color- even though it might not look that 'exciting'... but, the color is exactly the color of my eyes!  I have green eyes... with a sometimes 'grey cast' to them.   I thought the yarn was a close match to my eyes and when I brought it home and held it to my face and looked in the mirror... it was an EXACT EYE COLOR MATCH!!!