Umbria’s Medieval Hilltop Town Spello

August 6, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

Just to the south of Mt. Subasio sits an Umbrian gem. The medieval hilltop town of Spello. The nearby hot shots Perugia and Assisi welcome millions of tourists a year. Not the case here. We wandered the city’s labyrinth without bumping into another native English speaker. Instead, we passed a myriad of stone houses that intertwine with one another and share ancient walls.

Umbria's Medieval Hilltop Town Spello Italy's labyrinth of stone houses.

Quiet streets of Spello

Red geraniums and purple lythrum tumbled out of stone crevices and contrasted with the sun-drenched ammonitico rosso (red limestone). Church walls are seen hanging on for dear life to what is left of 15th-century frescoes by the likes of Perugino and Pinturicchio. There was plenty to explore here. We practiced Italian in the shops and with a local on a bench in the piazza. He said he enjoys the slow pace of life.

Plants tumble from window boxes and out of the walls in Spello.

The best part of stopping in an unplanned city is finding a place to eat. No guidebook in hand, no ratings or reviews pre-examined. We just let the locals direct us. When we saw Extra Vecchio Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP on the table, we knew that they guided us well.

Sometimes, the simplest foods are the ones that give you the most pleasure, because the freshest ingredients are the bare-boned essence of taste. With every bite of my bruschetta from Enoteca Properzio, I closed my eyes and allowed all the flavor nuances to overtake my senses.

Umbria's Medieval Hilltop Town Spello Italy's Bruschetta

Bruschetta at Enoteca Properzio in Umbria’s Hilltop Town Spello

Umbria’s white oak forests are home to some of the world’s best truffles. It should be no surprise that white and black truffle spreads be still the hearts of many travelers to this region. Arugula (or wild rocket) is a favorite throughout Italy with its peppery flavor making a flavorful spread for bread, and also for meat. Then, of course, local heirloom tomatoes that spend their days ripening, and drying in the Italian sun. Both as a spread and as simple chunks drizzled with straight up Umbrian olive oil excited my nose and tongue. We washed it down with local wine, Tenuta Castelbuono Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG. Let the staff steer you through their outstanding wine collection, after all; they drink this stuff on the regular.

Enoteca Properzio located on Palazzo dei Canonici, Spello, Umbria, Italy

On the table for our 2015 visit: Guiseppe II Extra Vecchia Balsamico Traditizionale di Modena DOP
What we ordered: Selezione di Bruschetta (Selection of Bruschetta): Spello Oilo (Olive oil from the hills of Spello), Salsa al Tartufo Bianco e Nero (white and black truffle spread), Salsa ai Pomodoro Secchi (sundried tomato spread), Pomodoro fresco
Ribollitta Misti di Verdure Stagionali (soup of fresh seasonal vegetables)
Prosciutto di Norcia IGP Panino (Ham of Norcia sandwich)
Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG Castelbuono 2007 (100% Sagrantino)

Understand Italian Food, DOP

June 8, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 2 Comments

You tasted a fantastic cheese at a party, and when you asked what it was, your foodie friends threw around a bunch of pointless acronyms. You were like, yeah, whatever, parmesan from Italy, good enough. And you moved on. Then you bought some, and the experience was more like eh, than the wow you remembered. Why is that? Simple. Because you ignored the acronym. You need to understand Italian food, DOP and all. We learned about this a few years back when we decided to explore Italian food, Bologna style, with Italian Days Food Tour.

Parmigiano Reggiano DOP in Emilia Romagna

Wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano DOP aging

Let’s Look at DOP, Simplified

DOP stands for denomainazione di origine protetta. This certification is granted to individual producers when they follow strict production guidelines. DOP guarantees the quality and production specifications in the creation of the Italian food product.

Take Parmigiano Reggiano DOP for example. Milk can only come from cows in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna (west of the Reno River), and Mantua (east of the Po River). The cheese must be produced and aged in these provinces as well. The birth location and type of cow come into play, as well as what they eat. All these factors must be met for DOP certification.

But, the milk and production location alone does not sanctify DOP status. The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium sends Parmigiano Reggiano experts to investigate that the cheese making facilities are producing in using traditional methods. Parmigiano Reggiano DOP is made by hand in the same manner as generations past. There are many steps in the process from applying yesterday afternoon’s milk as this morning’s starter, to the size, material, and shape of the cauldrons used, to the wheels used for shaping, and the salt to water ratio of the brine. Each wheel is aged in the region for a minimum of 12 months. After that, there are three additional aging reference points: over 18 months, over 22 months, or 30 months. Each wheel is rotated and brushed clean regularly during aging. The consortium experts check that it is all going as it should.

Rows of Aging Parmigiano Reggiano

Then the real test comes as they check each wheel of cheese with a hammer, needle, and finally a sampling dowel if necessary.

They are listening and looking for too many air holes. The more air holes, the more places that moisture can gain hold and linger causing unwanted mold. The fewer air holes, the longer the cheese can age. They are determining if each wheel rates as DOP if it is ready for market, if it can age longer, and finally if it does not quite qualify at all as DOP and is just “cheese,” which by the way is itself delicious.

How Do You Know if it’s Parmigiano Reggiano DOP?

Take a look at the rind. The visual info found there means everything. You will see an inscription stating PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO, DOP, and CONSORZIO TUTELA. The number identifies the dairy used in the wheel, and the production month and year. You can visit the official Parmigiano Reggiano website and type in the number on your wheel and see what dairy in Emiglia-Romana produced it. Luckily, the consortium has a fact-filled website for your enjoyment before you go to buy your next wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.

Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Aceto Balsamico, Part 3

June 8, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 3 Comments

On the drive from the Parmigiano Reggiano factory one couple joked they would love to swim in the salt curing water. As I laughed, I remember thinking bring on some more Lambrusco! A long gravel driveway led us to a stately villa. It was 3 or 4 stories high with a bright red terracotta roof. Honestly, I don’t know if it really was or not, but that’s how I remember it. Chickens and roosters scattered into the grass clucking and pecking like mad men as we slowly made our way to an outbuilding. A caramel-y, sweet smell mingled with that of old wine greeted us at the door. We headed upstairs to the attic where traditional balsamic vinegar was aging.

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP or Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

As I recall, tradition dictates that a family can only begin a new batteria, or set of casks, of balsamic at two moments in time–to celebrate a marriage or a birth. Each batteria is crafted of 5 different kinds of wood and arranged successively in size.

Batteria Aceto Balsamico di Modena, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar Casks

A Dark Attic Full of Aceto Balsamico Aging

Each year, the smallest cask gives the vinegar output. No more than 1/3 of its contents can be emptied. The 1/3 that is taken out is replaced by 1/3 from the cask behind it, and so on. Fresh grape juice is added to the largest cask in the back. None of the casks are ever drained, and each become progressively thicker and more syrupy in texture as they become more concentrated over time, down to the smallest cask. This cask contains the most concentrated and longest aged sampling of the vinegar.

The tops of all the casks are covered by a piece of cloth which allows the vinegar to breathe and stops the fermentation process. Without getting to complicated, a sampling is sent to a consortium which blindly taste tests and decides yep, this is the bomb, or nope, goes back in until next year. If not approved for sale as traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, the villa can sell it as condiment grade vinegar. If given the a-o-k, it gets bottled by the villa in the same 100 ml size and shape bottle used by all the villas approved for sale as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP The bottle is then adorned with a color coated DOP seal indicating age, and a label identifying the villa.

Batteria of Balsamic Vinegar Covered with Fabric

Fabric Cloths Cover the Balsamic Vinegar Cask Openings

We sampled many years of balsamic. Each lending something different to our taste buds. True balsamic vinegar D.O.P. as well as balsamic condiment of Modena take on the flavors found in the casks. Oak, chestnut, cherry, juniper, mulberry, etc. Factory condiment does not as it is rapidly fermented in stainless steel so there are no wood nuances to take on. The moment of truth arrives when fresh vanilla gelato is topped with balsamic vinegar aged over 100 years known as extra vecchio.

Extra Vecchio Aceto Balsamico DOP di Modena, Balsamic Vinegar Food is Passion

Official 100 ML Aceto Balsamico di Modena Tradizionale bottle that is used by all D.O.P. approved Aceto Balsamico

Already lovers of true balsamic, we picked up a bottle of the extra vecchio on this tour which recently brought food passion back to me. I often find myself day dreaming of an Italian wedding taking place among the family’s Trebbiano vineyards over 100 years ago when I enjoy our bottle. I find myself remembering amazing Italian meals each time I smell or taste the contents. More so, I remember the company many Italian meals have been shared with–a professor, old and new friends, my husband. I remember the weather, the trip, the table setting. Food is the gateway to memory for me. Aceto Balsamico for me happens to open the gate.

Many Courses, Many Wines

We wrapped up the tour with a beautiful group meal. Alessandro’s partner Barbara joined us with their daughter. Pegged as a “lite lunch” this was far from that. How lite? Many hours long and 7 or 8 courses. We dined on the grounds of an organic winery, Inn, and restaurant.

Rolling hills surrounded us, and the leaves on the vineyards just started to emerge from their winter’s slumber. Alessandro and Barbara’s daughter was just gaining confidence in her little legs. She’d climb down the patio into the grass, and back up, and so it went for a while. Then she’d run to each of us asking for bread, or cheese.

Vineyard Lunch

Each course was paired with a wine from the vineyard. The highlight of the meal for me was ravioli stuffed with potato and mortadella in a butter and sage sauce. Honestly, the rest of the meal is kind of a blur of wine, laughter, closing my eyes in bites of ecstasy, more wine, and more laughter.

This experience was more than a food tour. It was the first time I believe I really adopted my motto that strangers are friends you haven’t met yet. New friends were made that day with one language in common, taste.

Part 1 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style with Italian Days Food Tour
Part 2 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP

Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Parmigiano Reggiano, Part 2

June 4, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 2 Comments

The first stop on the Italian Days Food Tour was a family-run factory making the king of cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (parmesan as most Americans call it). You could smell a very distinct smell outside the factory. This was Parmigiano. As a scent sensitive gal, I feared this moment since the day I booked the tour, but the smell was completely different than what I feared.

Cheese never entirely agreed with me growing up, so I never took a liking to it. Then, one day I started eating “real” cheeses, and it turns out that it wasn’t the cheese of my youth that disagreed with me, but more likely the fact that I wasn’t eating cheese at all. My mom never liked cheese, so we never ate it, other than grilled cheese sandwiches made with American cheese food product in white or yellow. Each slice was very conveniently individually wrapped.

My childhood convinced me that I did not like cheese. We also had in the fridge a plastic jar of parmesan cheese for my dad. I cringed every time he pulled it out. I hated the smell, despised it even. It reminded me of the odor that permeated when he would take his work boots off at the end of the day. My sister and I would both wince and tell him to please, for the love of God, put your boots outside.

I was pleased to experience that it was not the same smell. The smell was slightly sweet, nutty, and a bit foxy. I will admit though, by the end of the tour it was wearing on me. Much like any strange smell does after a long dose of exposure.

Cheesemakers pull Parmigiano Reggiano out of cauldron on the Italian Days Food Tour

Head Cheesemaker and his assistant pulling the Parmigiano Reggiano out of the cauldron

Ever the light packer, I had two pairs of shoes to select from for the day. Strappy flat leather sandals and hiking sneaks. I chose to wear the former and instantly regretted it. We entered the factory, and a slurry of milky-whey-watery substance that was all over the floor licked the sides of my feet. Lesson learned closed shoes next time you visit a cheese factory.

Except for the slurry, the factory was immaculate. White tile floor and walls and shiny polished stainless steel work surfaces everywhere. Cheese balls were being produced in large copper cauldrons about 6+ feet deep. About 2 1/2 to 3 feet were above ground and about the same or more recessed below the surface.

Unlike other cheese tours, this one presented the entire production process. Morning milk delivery, whey separation, cheese ball pull out and forming, salt bath soak, aging, wheel rotation, and brushing.

We learned all the production steps and tradition that separates Parmigiano Reggiano DOP from just cheese.

It was an honor to meet the head cheesemaker, and if I recall correctly, he has not taken a single day off in over thirty years. He was what I would picture if someone said to imagine the “head cheesemaker.” A happy man, but very serious. It was as if the world was on his shoulders. Each day’s milk delivery turns to tomorrow’s cheese production. If he halts production even one day, he stops the entire process.

There were millions of Euros of cheese wheels aging. Yep, the crap in the plastic container at the grocery store is just that, crap. And, of course, we tasted the amazing cheese. Then the real tasting, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP aged for over 12 years, 20 years, 22 years, and the king, aged over 30 years. Complex, nutty, and refined, we washed it down with beautiful, slightly frizzante local Lambrusco.

Parmigiano Reggiano wheels curing in a salt bath

Back in the van, we were off to a family’s villa that has been producing balsamic vinegar in the traditional method for over 200 years. Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, Part 3

Part 1 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style with Italian Days Food Tour
Part 3 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Aceto Balsamico

Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style

June 4, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 3 Comments

Some travel experiences have no price tag. These are very rarely tours for us. We’ve had a few meh experiences over the years. It turned us off. The whole idea of spending money to be stuck with a group of people you may or may not hit it off with, and a guide you may or may not relate to, well, is just not worth it. Or at least that’s how we felt until we decided to explore Italian food, Bologna style, with Italian Days Food Tour.

Bologna is in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. Easily one of my top 5 favorite Italian cities for all the usual reasons–art, food, wine–and repeat. Home to what is said to be the oldest university in the world. You pass by smart and sophisticated people on your passeggiare under the labyrinth of covered porticoes. The city is roofed with red terracotta tiles and is strikingly beautiful.

Iconic Red Terracotta Roofs in Bologna, Italy

Art and music abound here. There is a museum dedicated to the still life paintings of Bologna’s own Giorgio Morandi. This city is home to the best damn bolognese sauce. It is, after all, named after the place. For us, priceless travel experiences are always art or food related. Recently I opened a bottle of extra vecchio Aceto Balsamico di Modena that I picked up on this tour and food is passion again for me. This tour opened a door for a genuine appreciation of traditional food production.

It has been a few years since we went on the Italian Days Food Tour yet I still recommend it, with flying hand gestures, to everyone that tells me they will be in Italy.

Going to Puglia all the way in the boot’s heel? I don’t give a shit. I’m still going to tell you to go to Emilia-Romagna and explore Italian food, Bologna style.

So now you ask, what makes this tour so amazing? And no, the company did not compensate me (except for two tickets to the New York Times Travel Show this past January that anyone in the area could get from them), so nope, that is not the answer.

Enter Alessandro Martini, the food-loving mastermind behind this company.

When we took the tour, he had only location going–Bologna. You had two choices, with or without prosciutto farm. With a larger than life personality, it’s no wonder that over the years he has built an empire staffed with food and culture passionate people all around Italy. They are ready to assist you in exploring your Italian desires.

Three things separate him from others giving tours: passion, experience, and connection. He works intimately with small, family producers that create fantastic food using traditional methods. He breathes, sleeps, and of course, eats DOP. Alessandro’s excitement is contagious. You suck up the energy he puts out with every gestural sentence. I do not have one photo of him standing still. Decked out in a sports coat over a graphic tee filled with illustrations of Ray-Bans, and of course, like any civilized Italian, he was wearing a pair of said glasses as well.

Italian Days Food Tour Owner and Guide Alessandro Explains Parmigiano Reggiano

Alessandro, the passionate foodie mastermind behind Italian Days Food Tour

We popped by his booth at this year’s New York Times Travel Show to say hi. Yep, still sporting his fun-loving personality. He told us the Bologna food tour pretty much operates the same (with the addition of white coats, booties, and hairnets).

We first met Alessandro on a May 2017 morning. It was before 7 AM when his sprinter van driver picked showed up at our hotel. There were about 12 of us total. Instantly, we hit it off with the others and realized they were our people! We were all lovers of food ready to fill our senses with whatever Alessandro had planned.

In the van, Alessandro got us all talking-before 7 am-to one another. What?! That’s crazy! Yep, I know.

We learned the difference between I.G.P (indicazion geografica protetta) and DOP (denomainazione di origine protetta), and the importance of DOP certification. Alessandro made everyone feel comfortable. He asked questions and listened. The old-fashioned kind of listening, you know, when a conversation is interactive and not just one waiting for an opening to talk. We learned about each other, what we all did for a living, and a bit about each of our passions for food and life. The lush countryside moved by outside; rolling hills of kelly green grass, and big puffy clouds in the sky. We had no idea what the day would bring us but felt pretty good already that it would be outstanding.

Then we arrived at our first stop, a factory that makes Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of Italian Cheeses. Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style II, Parmigiano Reggiano

Part 2 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
Part 3 of 3: Explore Italian Food, Bologna Style, Aceto Balsamico

One Drop of Balsamic Vinegar and Food is Passion Again

May 15, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 2 Comments

A few nights ago, for the first time in a long time, I opened up our extra vecchio aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena D.O.P., aka extra old balsamic vinegar, aka some mind-blowing sh**. We purchased a botted aged for well over 25 years, the family that created it said well over 125 years. Anything more than 25 we just have to take their word for as there is no way to know for sure. We share it with very close foodie friends, and only pull it out for our indulgences on select cuisine occasions. Layers of complexity tasting of figs, cherries, and chocolate just to name a few. The tartness hits you in the right spot on your tongue. There is not the same acid that you experience with supermarket balsamic vinegar which is mostly “cooked” with additives like caramel. Just layers and layers of tradition.

The first touch of the syrupy goodness on my tongue causes my eyes to close and my lips to quiver. One drop of balsamic vinegar and food is passion again.

One taste of balsamic vinegar from Modena and food is passion again.

I have had the joyless experience of spending the entire year up until now on a massive sugar restricted diet. Yeah for my waistline. Boo for my taste buds. For six months while traveling, I obsessively ate truffles. Could this have been the cause of my lovely bout of thrush? Who knows. But as a result, I have had to eat an anti-candida diet. If you have never had this pleasure, be thankful. If you have, I feel your pain. Therefore, this stripped much joy from my life. Yes, non-foodie people right now are saying “quit your complaining, it’s not that big of a deal.” Maybe not, except everything you put in your mouth causes pain and discomfort. Bless you, my food allergic friends. I never understood quite how difficult life was for you. I feel unwavering compassion for you now.

For me, food is the key that unlocks memories of living in a particular time, place, and culture. Food is passion.

I was forced to drive across country with a salad spinner in the back seat. Our stop in New Orleans was spent with me depressingly walking by one restaurant after another that has always been on my food “must do” list. To put the anti-candida diet into some perspective for those that have never experienced it–it is so restrictive I lost 50 lbs in the first seven weeks. Swallow that for a second. It is a lot of weight in a short period. Finally, I leveled off after that. Once the outbreaks stopped, I developed a new assault on my taste buds. Geographic tongue. Google that. Not fun for a foodie either.

This past week I noticed my taste buds started enjoying life again, so I started eating a variety of foods. Mostly my favorites found here on the Big Island of Hawaii that I have been looking past since arriving. Some of this week’s indulgences include malasadas, passion orange guava juice, and a bottle of Chablis. And tonight I will crack open our final remaining gourmet mustard from Fallot–a pinot noir mutard.

Suffice to say I am already 5 pounds heavier… and food is passion once again for me.

Malasada Fills Your Sugary, Fluffly, Deep-Fried Cravings in Hawaii

May 13, 2016 By Jessica McAvoy 1 Comment

If you love fried dough, the warm brown paper bag they hand you should make your heart flutter. Oil will have already started to bleed through the little sack. The malasada feels heavy and warm in your hand and the yeasty sweet smell whirls around you. I warn you, this post is just a selfish, gluttonous look at my favorite sweet treat on the Big Island of Hawaii. There is no content here, just pure indulgence.

This, my friend, is what you experience when you are handed your first malasada at TEX Drive-In.

Chocolate Malasada from TEX Drive-In

Crispy on the outside and fluffy-flaky on the inside. The best and only way to enjoy one is fresh. TEX Drive-In in Honoka’a is where we go when we have a sweet craving–and yes, we are nuts because they are 45 minutes away. You can watch the production process live through a plexiglass wall. This yeast-based deep-fried dough arrived with the Portuguese plantation workers in the 1870’s. A finely crystalized sugar coats the exterior. Traditionalists say no filling. I say yes, please. Chocolate or vanilla custard, and tropical jellies like guava, lilikoi (passion fruit), and mango all please the palate.

And yes, TEX Drive-In has a food menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring local cuisine. And nope, we never have a plate lunch. Just malasada fix.

$Tex Drive In Kitchen$

Malasada making magic happening at TEX Drive-In

Truffle Hunting Istria with the Karlic Family

November 16, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy 1 Comment

Truffle in English, tartufo in Italian, truffe in French, tartuf in Croatian, gastronomic heaven in Foodie.

One of the first things I tend to eat when I arrive in Italy is something with truffles. Although we can purchase almost anything in NY, truffles are one food that are widely un-affordable to even consider in our foodie loving kitchen. I don’t care how much you love to eat, the prices are ridiculous. White truffles are so high in value, they are priced by the gram. How expensive is too expensive for my kitchen? A quick search on eataly.com shows around $168 for 4 oz of black truffles to around $965 for 4 oz of white and at that price range they are out of the question in my kitchen. Not the case in Umbria though where a mere 9 euros gets you a nice walnut sized tuber. A mere 9 euros. We were eating them almost as much as gelato. Well, ok, not quite, but you get the point.

Not being able to get our hands on truffles at home is ok as some foods are more memorable when ingested in the right surroundings listening to the dancing of a foreign language in your ear. If you have never had the pleasure of experiencing a real truffle (and I do not speak of truffle oil – most do not even contain truffles but a chemical) know this – it smells pretty much like the bottom of a laundry basket that had sweaty gym clothes festering for a few days (or even weeks – I have not had white truffles yet but have been told the smell is far more intense than black). How did I come to love the distinctive taste? On first bite it is earthy or what you would imagine eating the forest floor would taste like, but as your saliva mingles with oils of the tuber so many layers of flavorful nuances appear. Hints of syrup, flowers, nuts and honey, and time, and place, and memory…

We had wanted to go on a truffle hunt. We love seeing how and where our food comes from. We were interested in how this tuber became gastronomic gold and why in all of the large, vast, United States truffles (at least not outstanding ones) are not harvested. While we were in Italy we simply ran out of time.

Discover black truffles during truffle hunting Istria.

A black truffle discovered by the Karlić family’s newest pup.

Istria is home to some of the finest fungus in the world.

When we arrived in Istria, Croatia I spotted tartuf on the menu and quickly learned Istria is home to some of the finest fungus found in the world. Istria is a heart shaped peninsula in northwest region of Croatia, and within it lies the Motovun Forest, a perfect environment for the elusive white truffle, as well as 3 varieties of black truffle. White truffles are harvested from September until January, black truffles year round. One of our new Croatian friends told us about the Karlić family and set us up to go on a truffle hunt with them. Three generations and over fifty years of experience, this is the family for truffle hunting Istria with!

Truffles are tubers that grow completely underground in close relationship to the roots of oak, hazel, poplar, and beech trees. The human senses have no way of discovering it; for that you need a specially trained dog. The scent of the truffle develops after the spores are matured and this indicates when the taste has developed. Harvest too soon and the tuber will be tasteless. Well trained dogs (and pigs in some locations) can sniff out these tubers when they ready.

We were greeted by Kristina and she led us through the history of the family and told us about truffles and the environment needed for them to grow. We enjoyed a beautiful spread of local cheeses, meats, salsas, honeys, and all sorts of delicious truffle infused foods. Kristina showed us a platter full of shaved truffles. All of these would comprise the scrambled eggs that the two of us would be served. ALL OF THESE SHAVED TRUFFLES!!

Then the moment of wow as she brought to the table a platter of eggs with more truffle than I will ever see again in my lifetime.

Truffle hunting Istria tantalizes all the senses.

Truffles gently folded inside and mounded on top. It was hot out, I was full, and yet could not stop eating them. Then, with our stomachs bursting it was time to hunt.

Scrambled eggs heaping with fresh truffle at Karlić Tartufi.

The excitement from the dogs is contagious. Ivan opened the back of the car the dogs all started jumping for joy in their pens. For this hunt, Ivan selected two beautiful off white dogs, and a young pup of under a year old that he had been training. They rushed to the car and nearly knocked each other over to get in. We drove a few minutes down the road to the family’s private forest.

There was no need to coax the dogs to get to work. They had a task to do and as soon as the door opened they were off. We we rushed with adrenaline and did not want to miss any of the action. It was a 107 degrees out in the thick humid forest, and I can assure you we did our best to keep up but they were like lightning. Within five minutes the new pup bolted to a tree and began ferociously digging and found a nice small black truffle. Then the competition began and the two older ladies really kicked it into gear quickly finding another. Following the second find the dogs, and us, were hot and exhausted so we headed back to the house. We chatted with Ivan and Kristina about how they train the dogs.

Karlić Tartufi dogs entering the thick forest truffle hunting Istria.

Karlić Tartufi dogs entering the thick forest to hunt for truffles.

We ate a lot of truffles that day. More than I ever imagined I would have in a lifetime. Since we were traveling by motorcycle we had very limited space but managed to fit one small jar of truffle salt in the side case that I use often. As we finished up our experience that day we met a lovely family from Canada about to begin theirs. We found ourselves lost in conversation with them, and the Karlić Family, and enjoyed spending the summer afternoon in such wonderful company. Each time I sprinkle my salt I remember back to the beautiful experience and warm conversations we had on a hot July day outside Buzet. I have been truffle spoiled, and boy, my taste-buds, and memory, have thanked me.

Karlić Tartufi is located at Paladini 14 near Buzet. The family hunts daily and also has a beautiful truffle and local products shop on their property. Call them at +385 52 667 304, email tartuf@vip.hr, or visit http://karlictartufi.hr/en/ for more information.

Gourmet Mustard Tour Beaune France

August 23, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy 1 Comment

I must confess – until only five or six years ago I was not much of a mustard fan. In fact, I despised the look, taste, smell and texture of mustard. Growing up I knew only two; Gulden’s and French’s. Then I started cooking. I started watching cooking instructional shows and reading cookbooks not just for recipes but for the fun of reading them.

A funny thing happened. I became a food snob. Oh, yea, and I started to love gourmet mustard. Powders, seeds, and even the full on condiment.

Entrance to La Moutarderie Fallot

I know Burgundy first and foremost for wine. The picturesque walled city of Beaune is unofficially the capital of Burgundy wines and it is where you find the Hospices de Beaune known for its wine auction, painted terracotta roof tiles, and home to the Beaune Altarpiece by Rogier van der Weyden. We should have known that Burgundy is also home to incredibly good gourmet mustard. After all, the region’s capital is Dijon.

Gourmet Mustard Tour at La Moutarderie Fallot in Burgundy

La Moutarderie Fallot, or the Fallot gourmet mustard mill, is located a 5 minute walk outside the Beaune city walls. Around the turn of the 19th century there were over 300 mills producing mustard in Burgundy. Today, just 4 total – 3 in Dijon and La Moutarderie Fallot remains the last in Beaune.

Mustard paste in its basic condiment form is produced with mustard seeds, vinegar, and salt. Additional spices, herbs, or flavorings are added to create a wide range of tastes. During the middle ages what separated the producers of Dijon and Beaune from others was the use of verjuice (an acidic grape juice produced from unripe grapes) instead of vinegar. The mustard paste itself is a chemical reaction. When you taste mustard seeds they will first be rather tasteless, similar to when you eat poppy seeds. Then, after a few moments as the chemical reaction between your saliva and the seeds occur, the flavors explode in your mouth.

All parts of the plant are edible – seeds, flower, stems, and leaves. There are more than 40 varieties ranging in color from pale white to dark black. Fallot uses only dark seeds in production which provide the spiciest flavor. After tasting seeds guests of the tour are presented with seeds, salt, vinegar and a mortise and pestle and invited to take a crack at making mustard! The fruits of our labors were a little dull and bitter – turns out the chemical reaction takes a few hours.

Mixing gourmet mustard seeds, vinegar, and salt on the Fallot tour

Mixing Mustard Seeds, Vinegar, and Salt

Mustard plants grow best in soil rich in potash. Burgundy woodlands would be burned to create charcoal, and the charcoal makers would plant the seeds once the ashes were cleared. Once demand for charcoal ceased it was no longer economically viable for the region to continue growing the crop. Since just prior to WWI most of the seeds are imported to France from Canada. There are however a few small plots of the mustard plant being revitalized in the region. Fallot’s Moutarde De Bourgogne is produced using only seeds from the region in an effort to keep the tradition alive.

We were impressed that being we were the only two non-French speakers on the gourmet mustard tour, the guide took the time to translate everything for us for the first half. The second half of the experience includes looking at historic equipment used in production and comes with an audio guide that instantly turns on when you are within a few inches of the equipment, and changes automatically as you move in. The tour wraps up with tasting various mustard varieties on breads, pâtés, and crudites, and they send you off with a small jar for at home.

Mustard Seeds

The location also has a tasting house where you can try any of their varieties and of course make purchases. Some varieties produced by Fallot include tarragon, basil, gingerbread, currant, honey, pinot noir, truffle, and many others… all delicious! The tour is 10€ a person and must be booked in advance by calling 03 80 22 10 10, emailing accueil@fallot.com, or stopping by the tourist information in the center of Beaune. 31 Faubourg Bretonnière, Beaune, France.

Wide variety of gourmet mustard to taste and purchase at Fallot in Beaune, France

Wide Variety of Mustard to Taste and Purchase

Cappelletti when in Ravenna, NOT Tortellini

May 27, 2015 By Jessica McAvoy Leave a Comment

I Passatelli

When box pasta dreams, it dreams that it is homemade fresh pasta.

When Cappalletti dream, they dream that they were made at I Passatelli 1962: L’Osteria del Mariani located at Via Ponte Marino 19, Ravenna, Emiglia Romagna, Italy.

Cappalletti are regional pasta stuffed with local cheese and herbs. The word cappalletto means ‘little hat,’ and yes, that is what these tasty little guys resemble. Recently we were in Ravena on a rainy Friday night. The sky seemed to clear for a bit so we tossed on our hikers and headed out for a walk. No sooner did we walk by I Passatelli did the sky open up, and we took that as a sign that this was the place to eat, and to forget about how stylish we looked in our hikers!

The staff was incredibly friendly and when the host began speaking in Italian I responded in Italian; then he inquisitively looked us up and down (nothing screams not Italian like a pair of hikers plus Daryl’s red hair is usually a giveaway) and asked rather unsure holding up menus “Italian?” to which I replied “Certamente!” A fluster of rapid Italian apology ensued which included mention of so many tourists he is never quite sure! I acknowledged that he was correct, we were tourists, but that we were studying Italian and preferred the Italian menu.

The proprietor of the guest house we were staying in, Casa Masoli, had shown us online a few local food specialties to try. Of course the first thing we tend to ask a local when we arrive anywhere new is what do you eat. He showed us a picture of cappalletti, and although they look similar to tortellini, we were told they are not the same, they are specific to the region and contain regional cheese and herbs. We ordered a plate in a meat ragu at I Passatelli and had them split it for us. Quite delicious!

Cappateelli, or little hats are delicious cheese and herb filled pasta "hats" in Ravenna, here served in a meat ragu.

Cappatelli, or little hats are delicious cheese and herb filled pasta “hats” in Ravenna, here served in a meat ragu.

I ordered pollo cacciatore (hunter’s chicken). I make an outstanding one myself so am reluctant to order it when we go out but it sounded so fantastic in the Italian description that I could not resist. I was not disappointed! It came out with a sprig of rosemary and some roasted potatoes.

Pollo Cacciatore, or Hunter’s Style Chicken

Daryl went for the roasted rabbit. His was just as fantastic. We also added a side of sauteed spinach and both had a glass of local red wine. We left it up to the sommelier as they had multiple local red wines by the glass.

Roasted Rabbit.

We finished off with a hazelnut semifreddo. The meal was so good we went back the next night and planned on just a few drinks and a crudo platter and ended up eating again!

Hazelnut Semifreddo