Paula's Tour Talk

10 Things to Love: Southern Italy

I am so pleased to post this guest post from Cherrye Moore, who lives in Calabria and specializes in southern Italy. Please check out her blog: My Bella Vita for more. Thank you, Cherrye!

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10 Things to Love About Southern Italy

by Cherrye Moore

  It is no secret I’m a tad biased when it comes to traveling in southern Italy. Oh, yes … I’ve been to-and loved!-Florence, Rome and Venice … I’ve strolled through Emilia-Romagna and “held up” that leaning tower in Pisa. But even before I moved to southern Italy in 2006, I had visited Puglia, Campania and Calabria and felt at home.

Here are just 10 of my favorite things about Italy’s southern regions.

1. Temperature

No, no, we don’t have that year-round warm weather I’ve seen advertised by people trying to sell southern Italy real estate-but compared to our northern counterparts, I’d say it’s pretty nice. Last year we were swimming- in both the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas-through October. That’s pretty cool, I think.

2. Beaches

Speaking of swimming, Calabria and Puglia each have 800 kilometers of coastline and feature hundreds of beaches that are under-the-radar-for international tourists. Add in the views from Campania’s Amalfi Coast and you’ve got yourself a beach vacation that will rival any seaside destination in the world.

3. Mountains

Sunburns and gritty sand not your thing? Then head into one of southern Italy’s 13 national parks. The Pollino National Park extends more than 200,000 square kilometers from Basilicata into northern Calabria and is the largest national park in Italy, while the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo is home to Apennine wolf, Marsican bear, fox, mountain goats and Apennine lynx, as well as beech, pine, ash, wild oak and maple forests.

4. Medieval Villages

There is something calming about strolling through a Medieval village, exploring alleyways and ancient churches and being able to peer across the bluest waters in the Mediterranean. Medieval villages abound in southern Italy, from Campania’s Pisciotta to Calabria’s Gerace to Sicily’s Erice, these villages will transport you back to the Middle Ages.

5. Islands

Some of Italy’s most famous islands are found in southern Italy, including the Aeolian Island archipelago, with its world-famous Stromboli volcano, the trendy and chic islands of Capri and Ischia near Naples and the Tremiti Islands in Puglia.

6. Chili Peppers

Southern Italians are proud of their food and perhaps the most beloved ingredient of all, as well as the most versatile, is the famous chili pepper. You’ll find this spice in antipasto plates, pasta dishes, desserts, chocolate and liquor and most families keep a steady supply of it at home, for last minute peperoncino emergencies.

7. Figs, Citrus and Nuts

When the Greeks moved across southern Italy into the land we now call Magna Grecia, or Greater Greece, they came prepared. In addition to their olives and grapes, which produce some of the best olive oil and wine in the country, they also brought fig trees, citrus plants, chestnuts and hazelnuts … fodder for some of the fabulous festivals we celebrate in southern Italy every year.

8. Wine and Pasta

So, yes, we’ve already talked about wine, but did you know that every year two of Italy southernmost regions-Sicily and Puglia-battle it out for being the biggest wine producing region in the country? Well, they do and Puglia is historically the biggest pasta producing region, as well. Hmmm … dinner anyone?

9. Culture

I often tell people I feel like I’m living in the 1950s … we hang our clothes out to dry, shops close up for the midday nap and generations of families take time to enjoy leisurely lunches together … even on weekdays. It’s nice that there isn’t a McDonald’s on every corner and that authentic southern Italian culture is still alive and well.

10. People

Many travelers have told me the people they meet in southern Italy are among the most helpful, generous and gregarious they encounter in their travels. While I tend to think this is an “Italian” thing, rather than a specifically “southern Italian” trait, it is true the people down here generally take time to chat, especially if you approach them first, and are open and friendly to travelers they meet on vacation.

To see some beautiful photos of the region check out these links:

Photos:

Beaches: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28329597@N06/3285721721/

Medieval Villages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/missus_magik/4034546415/

Chilis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielaineurope/261396369/

People: http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielaineurope/261399231/

Cherrye Moore is a Calabria tour planner and travel writer living in southern Italy. She writes about expat life for AffordableCallingCards.net, a site that sells-you guessed it-affordable calling cards to Italy. You can read about expat life on their site or more about traveling in Calabria and southern Italy on her site, My Bella Vita.

Delizia: The Epic History of Italians and Their Food

 

Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food by John Dickie is a wonderful book for anyone who loves Italian food. It's not a cookbook, but  a remarkably readable history of the food of Italy's greatest cities, including Rome, Venice, Naples, Florence, Bologna and more.

Dickie's compelling idea is that the food of Italy is city food. In the cities, he argues everything necessary for great food comes together: ingredients, talent, money, and power. He shows how taste, creativity, and civic pride combined with princely arrogance, political violence, and intrigue created Italian cuisine.

He takes readers on a journey through time from Milan's medieval marketplace to the banquets of Renaissance Ferrara; from the back streets of nineteenth century Naples to the tratttorie of modern Rome. And along the way, exposes many false legends and illuminates much that has been unknown.

You'll learn that Marco Polo is not responsible for bringing pasta to Italy form the Far East, for example, and that early pizzas were positively disgusting.

This is a dazzling history that reads like a story with characters like a Renaissance cook who plotted to murder a Pope renowned for his love of aphrodisiacs. The stories will take you from amazingly opulent wedding banquets with hundreds of dishes to the subsistence meals of thin soup in war time, while giving you a fresh understanding of origins of some of today's best loved recipes.

Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food is a history of Italy as told through its food.

Ossi di Morto Cookies

Ossi di Morto, literally bones of the dead, are a Tuscan cookie made especially for November 2nd, All Souls Day (called Day of the Dead in some cultures).

I thought they might be fun to make for Halloween.

These cookies are crunchy and delicious--perfect with an espresso or glass on Vin Santo. Children love them, too. 

One of the most famous bakeries in Siena, La Fabbrica del Panforte, exports bags of Ossi di Morto and you can sometimes find them in gourmet stores. But they are also easy to make yourself.

This recipe takes about 40 minutes from start to finish.

Ossi di Morto

Preheat your oven to 350.

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup almond, roughly chopped
• 2 cups  sugar
• 2 egg whites
• the juice of one lemon

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, egg whites, sugar, and lemon juice. Add the nuts, and work the mixture until the dough is firm.

Shape the dough into a ball and then roll it out into a long thick snake shape (just like kids do with clay). Cut the snake into 1/2 inch thick slices and break into 2 or 3 pieces and flatten into "bones." (See the photo above)

Butter a cookie sheet, dust it flour, lay the bones on it, and bake for about 20 minutes. Do not let them get too brown. Cool before serving.

Guide to Restaurants in Italy

I just came across this very good little article about the various types of restaurants in Italy, how to order, and some advice on tipping. 

However, I don't agree with one thing: the article says that you do not have to tip when a service charge is included on your bill.

Here's the thing: that service charge does not go to the waiter,as you might imagine. It goes to the house to help pay the server's salary. I always tip about 10% in cash for good service in a restaurant in Italy.

Of course, when you travel with Time of Your Life Tours, you don't have to worry about any of this. We have selected excellent restaurants, you get to order whatever you like from the full menu, and we take care of tipping.

Something Different for Dinner--Lamb Ragu

Molise is a small region in southern Italy. It's a sparsely populated, rugged, mountainous area, perfect for raising sheep. A friend whose family is orginally from the Molise recently sent me a great recipe for a lamb ragu that I think you will enjoy.

Fusilli con Ragu d'Agnello all Molisana , or  Corkscrew Pasta with Lamb Sauce in the style of Molise, is a wonderful alternative to the usual beef or pork ragus. Plus, it's quick and easy to prepare.

The name fusilli comes from an implement resembling a knitting needle that was used to form pasta dough into a twisted corkscrew shape. It's the ideal pasta for catching this sauce in its curves and grooves.

Fusilli con Ragu d"Agnello all Molisana

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced with the garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 sweet red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 small hot red pepper, seeded and diced OR 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ground lamb
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 16-ounce can plum tomatoes with their juice, roughly chopped
salt and fresh pepper
1 pound fusilli
grated pecorino cheese

Mince the garlic and rosemary together. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan and cook the garlic mixture and bay leaves until garlic softens (but do not brown).

Stir in peppers and cook for 2 minutes until they soften. Stir in the lamb and brown it slowly, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Turn the heat up to medium high, add the wine, and stir until most of the wine evaporates.

Stir in the tomatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. When done, remove the whole bay leaves and discard.

Cook the fusilli according to package directions. Drain and add to the saucepan. Stir to coat with sauce. Put in a big bowl and sprinkle with the cheese.

8 servings

Add a salad of mixed greens dressed with olive oil and vinegar, crusty bread, and a simple red wine and enjoy. Buon appetito!

A Springtime Risotto

Here's a lovely dish for spring:

 Risotto with Peas and Asparagus

5 Cups chicken broth, warmed
• 1 cup fresh peas (frozen peas will also work)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chives, finely chopped (optional)
• 14 medium asparagus spears, cut into 1- or 2-inch lengths
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Bring 2 cups of the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the peas and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add  the onion, garlic, and parsley. Cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes, stirring to coat the rice with the oil. Add the wine and chives, and cook until the wine is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Warm  the remaining 3 cups of stock in a medium pot over medium heat. Add one cup of the warm stock to the rice and stir well. The rice will absorb the stock in about 5 minutes. Add another cup of stock, every few minutes, stirring frequently, until you have used all the stock. Add the asparagus after the first 10 minutes.

 After the risotto has cooked for 25 minutes and is almost done, add the whole peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve garnished with the grated cheese. 8 servings

This is lovely with grilled chicken breasts, a green salad, and a dish of black olives--and of course, a glass of chilled white wine. Happy Spring!

Espresso on My Mind

When Italians walk into their favorite bar and order un caffe' (pronounced oon cahf-FEH) they will automatically get an espresso, served in a porcelain demitasse cup (tazzina) with its own saucer and little stirring spoon. Most will add a packet or two of sugar, stir it in, and drink the sweet delicious coffee in a quick sip or two.

As a tourist, you will probably have to specifically order un espresso to get the same thing.

Order un caffe' and you will most likely get an "American coffee" which is similar to Starbucks' Americano--a shot of espresso with hot water added and served in a large coffee cup.

That is, unless you stop in the same bar for your drink for a few days in a row. In that case, the barman will most likely begin to remember you and your drink of choice.

Remember, a bar in Italy is quite different from one in America. It's not strictly for consuming alcoholic drinks. It's a social center for regulars who may stop in several times during the day for coffee, and again in the evening for an apertivo before dinner. Everyone has their local favorite bar.

Pastries are available in the morning and often panini and other snacks can be purchased throughout the day. Of course, anyone is welcome to stop in for a drink and a bite.

One of the things I long for most when I am home between tours, is a perfect cup of espresso. The memory of the delicious aroma and deep rich flavor of un caffe' (I like mine with a little less than one packet of sugar) can instantly transport me back to my favorite bar in Florence--at least in my mind.

The word espresso has two sources. It's derived from the Italian verb esprimere which means "pressed out."  And, it also come from the fact that coffee was sold to commuters as they boarded the express train in Milan.

However, coffee came to Italy long before trains. It came from the Ottoman Empire via Venice in about 1600.

There's a story that Pope Clement VIII was urged to ban the drink as Satanic because it was the favorite beverage of Muslims. Instead, after tasting a cup, the Pope enjoyed it so much that he decided to 'baptize' it-- thus making it Christian and removing any taint of the infidel.

True or not? I don't know.

I do know that the first coffeehouse opened in Venice in 1654.  And also that I am glad that the Italians accepted and perfected this fragrant pick-me-up.

Mmmm. Just thinking about a breakfast espresso and a flaky cornetto (an Italian croissant) makes me want to hop on a plane tonight...

Chicken Thighs Italian Style

I am waiting for spring and asparagus, fresh baby peas, and the lighter dishes of the season. But it's still winter, and I am bored with hearty soups and stews.

I was searching for something new to try for dinner and came across this lovely dish in an out-of-print cookbook called the Italian Food  for All Seasons.

It uses inexpensive chicken thighs and dresses them up with a bit of pancetta (thinly sliced ham can be substituted).

Involtini di Pollo all Pancetta

6 chicken thighs

1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried), finely chopped 

1 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled

6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

6 paper-thin slices of pancetta

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the skin from the thighs. Mix the chopped rosemary, sage, garlic, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl, and roll the thighs in the mixture to coat well.

Roll each thigh in a slice of pancetta.  Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with one tablespoon of the oil, arrange the thighs in the pan, and brush them with the rest of the olive oil.

Cook for one hour, turning once halfway through. Remove the chicken from the pan and put on a warm platter. Add a little water to the roasting pan and deglaze the cooking juices over medium heat. Pour over the thighs and serve.

Serve with a simple risotto, green salad, a dish of black olives, sliced oranges and warm crusty bread for a delicious dinner that everyone will enjoy. Add a glass of wine and light some candles and you have a feast to chase the end of winter blues away.


Buon appetito!

Martha's Blog

My dear friend Martha, who has often sent me recipes to publish here, has started writing her own blog. It's called Mangia Tutto and it's all about daily life in a small town in Tuscany with a focus on food and cooking.
I am hoping she'll be including recipes as time goes on (she's a marvelous cook!), but for now you can read about her adventures and misadventures in her tiny kitchen and the fabulous meals she cooks for the charming Piero.
Check it out at Mangia Tutto and read about her Thanksgiving feast and lots more.

A Simple Pasta Dish

Since all of us here in the US (and the expats abroad too) will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week--and eating and cooking-- a big meal, I thought I'd give you this simple pasta recipe you can make in a snap during the busy days ahead. It's delicious, low calorie, and healthy too.

No Stress Pasta

1 pound dried fusilli pasta (plain or tri-color)

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive  oil  
                                     
2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (can be omitted)

salt to taste

1 large can of best quality Italian plum tomatoes (drained, save the liquid for another use)

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

freshly ground Parmesan cheese

With a mortar and pestle, or in a food processor, work oil, garlic, parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt into a coarse paste (do not over mix, it's best if a bit coarse). This is the pesto.

Chop the tomatoes and put in a saute pan with the vinegar.  Cook for two minutes over medium heat. Add the pesto mixture and stir together. Continue gently heating over medium heat.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and toss with the sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan (or pass at the table). Serve with a green salad and crusty Italian bread, and a glass of hearty red wine and enjoy!