Branzino ravioli, hard to guess from the photo, but completely identifiable to the taste. Fabs.
Blackened Swordfish. Yum, yum, yum. We all shared.
The remainder of the holiday was a blissful seafood blur. Tartares, ceviches, they were all delicious.
Antipasti in Assisi, served with a dose of embarrassment for the two American families near us who did not understand (or care) how mealtime in Italy is observed. 🙁
Mushroom lasagne. A new recipe for me to recreate.
At the Rialto Fish Market in Venice, the swordfish and cuttlefish tempted us, but the simple kitchen at our farmhouse in the Veneto swayed us otherwise.
This particular stop was memorable. Not wanting to sit for the customary two hour lunch, we partook of the homemade offerings of a Nonna’s grocer along a side lane in Ostuni. Probably one of our favorite meals.
Sometimes a stop at the grocer was a bit much for Anna Grace, between the skinned bunnies and the “Equino” meat sections…
We happened upon a small trattoria in Puglia, where plate after plate of deliciousness graced our table.
As did the Limoncello. Anna Grace declared it the equivalent taste of kitchen cleanser.
If any meal across our two weeks stands out, not counting the attempt at tacos in our Umbrian cottage (in a different manner!), it would be our supper in Alberobello. We arrived a day later than expected, due to having spent the previous day at a Volvo dealer for emergency service on the car (a whole ‘nother story), to discover that the area totally embraced Austrian shopping hours. That is, all the grocers were closed, in stark contrast to what we had been enjoying even in rural Puglia. Tired and too unmotivated to find a restaurant, whatever were we to do for dinner?
A hopeful stop at a small and seemingly unpromising grocer turned out to be our saving grace. Not only did the proprietor have the essentials of fresh pasta and wine, but when I explained our plight to her, she left the store in my command to run over to her house to return with a plate of tomatoes, pepperocini, garlic, and parsley (and a recipe!) with which we could prepare dinner. There is good in this world.
June 29, 2015 at 19:32
Hey Victoria,
My name is Joe Pinzone and I'm casting an international travel show about expats moving abroad. We'd love to film in Austria and wanted to know if you could help us find expats who have moved there within the last 15 months or have been there for 3-4 years, but recently moved into a new home. The show documents their move to a new country and will place the country in fabulous light. The contributors on the show would also receive monetary compensation if they are filmed. If you'd like more information, please give me a call at 212-231-7716 or skype me at joefromnyc. You can also email me at joepinzone@leopardusa.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe Pinzone
Casting Producer
P: 212-231-7716
Skype: Joefromnyc