Chive Blossoms

On a recent trip to a family member's house, I was surprised to see what looked like purple dandelions on my salad plate. Upon inquiring as to what these interesting, and surely not edible flowers were, I learned that they are indeed edible and that they are the flower that grows on the chive plant.

These delicate blossoms are not only visually stunning, adding a punch of color and summertime magic to any plate, they taste great (well, for a flower, that is.) I chewed the blossom slowly and carefully, and mentally recorded the following words:
     delicate
     watery
     spicy
     slightly bitter
     onion-y (original... I know...)

These belong to the Allium family, which include leeks and garlic. According to gardeners.com, be sure to remove the central stem from the cluster of flowers in order to release the separate florets.

Next time you're making a salad, dip, or any other fresh and savory dish, consider adding these attractive blooms to the mix. Your guests will be wowed...

   

New Golden Gate Restaurant

66 Beach St
(between Hudson St & Oxford St) 
Boston, MA 02111

This restaurant is easy to miss... As you walk along the entrance, you notice big signs taped to the windows, making hard to see the crowds at this bustling little place. I would not have known about it had not been for my colleague Cliff, who grew up in Chinatown before the Mass Pike came in, forever altering his vibrant community. 

He has shared stories with me of the "old" Golden Gate- the original restaurant that was such a "hole in the wall" that at one point in its history did actually have an actual hole in one of the walls as result of somebody's fierce punch. Eventually the owners sold the place, and the new owners added "new" to the name, in what I believe was in the hopes of preserving some of the original's legacy.
Stories like these are so valuable and should not be forgotten. 

Per Cliff's suggestion, the three of us made our way to the New Golden Gate Restaurant to sample what Cliff calls some of the best Chinese comfort food around. I heard some of Cliff's native Cantonese and to more specific, Taishanese- which originated in the South Guangdong Province. After a 2 minutes conversation with our young waiter in Taishanese, Cliff announced he had order a few dishes for us to sample... some of his favorites. 

About ten minutes later, my other colleague and I were stunned when 6 huge plates of food arrived, all heaping and vibrant. This was a big meal for 3 people... We had a big food mountain to climb and we were certainly up for the challenge. 

The following photos show a few of the dishes I was so lucky to try! (some of them aren't necessarily on the menu...)

Salt and Pepper Calamari. This had a definite kick, and my limited tolerance for all things spicy hindered my enjoyment of this dish... I wish I could eat more spicy food! The few bites I did have before the heat kicked in were absolutely delicious! Perfectly fried, and crunchy- this is a winner!

This was the star of the meal for me, and the reason Cliff has been raving about the New Golden gate restaurant. He remembers eating this dish as a young chap at the old Golden Gate, and due to popular demand and tradition, the new restaurant serves it up as well. This my friends is true fusion cuisine. Behold! Roast Beef in Black Bean Sauce. 

Those are indeed tomatoes you'll see in there. The sause is thick, creamy, and very zesty. Not an usual dish at a Chinese restaurant in China, but the flavors marry well together. This is a truly American Chinatown creation, and its simplicity is also its brilliance. 

The Roast Beef was tender and just a tiny bit pink on the inside The Black bean sauce is Cliff's favorite, and now I see why. 

Chinese Broccoli with just a tad of Oyster sauce drizzled on top. Love the vibrant green! Notice the Ulong tea as well. This is what we had during our meal and not just after it. 

Pan-seared chicken. Not your average crispy fried chicken. It came with a special black salt that I was told I had to lightly sprinkle on top! KFC... you have some serious competition...

Finally, they brought us a sweet black bean and tapioca liquid pudding-type soup. Mildly sweet, and surprisingly, and perfect closing for the meal... 

If you are looking for a low-key meal in Chinatown, I hope you'll check out this small, unassuming spot that packs a real punch.

Casa B

On this Blog, I sometimes talk about restaurants I've been to. I don't pretend to be a professional food critic (though that is a career path that I would certainly not object to...) but as a foodie, I am entitled to an opinion and I hope that you, the readers, will find what I have to say about a particular place useful. I want to reiterate that at the end of the day, they are just that- my opinions and that I don't necessarily write to sway you to go or not go. Even if I say something less than positive, I might even dare you to go to see if I've got my judgement right. Here we go!

Casa B
A Spanish tapas bar located at 253 Washington St. in Somerville, MA 02143. If you need to call them, reservations are possible at (617) 764-2180.

This small but cozy retaurant's ambiance was festive, young, and perfect for a group of 4. The night was full of lively chatter. We discussed both personal matters but also what new tapa the server has just placed in the middle of our table. That was always a great jumping off point for conversation. From this angle, I would suggest this as a good date or get-to-know-you spot. You'll never run out of things to talk about with new and interesting ingredients constantly making appearances in the wide array of tapas found in their menu. Luckily, our conversation was not dependent solely on the tapas, but it did help that we were a foodie group.

We started off with cocktails. Their menu is full of Spanish classics like kalimotxo and sangria, and other inspired old-time cocktails. They were strong and well prepared (though, was it just me or was the size of the glass extra small...) It didn't matter too much at the time because it's what's inside that counts, and believe me, the drinks packed a punch ;)

Classic Capirihna. very lime-y... y muy fuerte!

A spicy cocktail!

beautiful! (wish the photo wasn't so dark for you all!)

These stuffed oysters were favorite. Very flavorful, with a hint of heat.

or actually, maybe this tapa was my favorite! Chicken giblets on crusty bread. Amazing!

Now, I must say I was not crazy about this... I didn't actually realize I was eating tortilla (a thick egg and potato omelette) until I asked why he hadn't been served out tortilla yet... my friend kindly pointed out we had already had the tortilla and I was incredulous as I struggled to reconstruct the flavors I had just tasted. It was slightly cold and plantain-infused. Tasty, but confusing to me. 

 Dessert time! Tres Leches cake. This was very good! I can't compare it to my mom's Tres Leches cake, but it put up a good fight. Now you see it.

Now you don't! 

Have you ever had Tres Leches? Quite literally meaning 3 milks. Whole milk or cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk are blended and poured onto the cake slowly so that the mixture soaks into the cake. Delicious! 

Finally, this isn't food, but I thought it was so nifty! Every table gets one and got to choose how we split the bill. So easy. Every restaurant should have one. 

The end. Fin. 

¡Buen provecho!

what's in season?

Are you ever curious about why that asparagus bunch looks all shrivelled up in November, but long, green and luscious in April...?
It's all about what's in season!

A lot of times, we're so used to popping over to the local supermarket and expecting every single one of the ingredients to "that recipe I just found," to be on display. Well, all those fruits and veggies shouldn't be on full display ALL the time.

More and more, people are advocating the "Local food" movement- and it all starts with identifying what's in season. This will likely guarantee that those strawberries or parsnips have not been shipped thousands of miles or frozen in order to be conserved longer. Because we've all become so used to having EVERYTHING readily available, most of us are not used to thinking or knowing when produce should be in season. Well people, it's time to start learning!

I stumbled upon this extremely useful site, and spent more time that I'd like to admit, exploring Massachusetts' seasonal offerings. I learned a lot.
Take a look here... one of my fave websites of all time :

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/seasonalingredientmap

What do you think? Did you already know some of the different vegetables' and fruits' peak seasons?

Tea for two! Two for tea!

I think we should make afternoon tea a part of everyday life. Sitting, chatting, and for a few minutes (or more like an hour); you look at the person in front of you, and talk. All while eating delicious sweet and savory treats, and letting the warm and fragrant tea soothe whatever part of life is aching at that moment.

It's a perfect concept. Food therapy, I might even venture to call it.

One of the trips I've most enjoyed in my life is my short tour of the South of England with a good friend whose family welcomed me and were eager to have me try all the local flavor. It was August, 2012- the summer breeze and easy strolls across the beautiful landscape made for an unforgettable getaway.

While on a day excursion to Bath, Lucy and I made our way to the Grand Pump Room, part of the Abbey Church Yard and home to Roman Baths, where spring water still fills the long and regal bath rooms, and my destination of choice: their beautifully classy and serene restaurant serving the best tea display I've ever had. (Which I hope is a good compliment, since I've only had real English afternoon tea a few times in my life.)

The Pump Room Museum's one key characteristic is the often smelly sulphuric waters. The water is so rich in minerals (and equally rich in its "eggy" taste) that the restaurant is able to serve some of the water to patrons who request it, directly from the source. It was warm, murky, and not so delicious- but I was told it was good for me, so I did not hesitate drink up!

The highlight of the day was the full afternoon tea display that my friend and I enjoyed. Behold the deliciousness:

Savory at the botton, scones, clotted cream and jam in the middle. At the very top lie the sweetest treats in the trio. I loved the finger sandwiches!

Since coming back to the United States, I have tried to find imported clotted cream. And I have, but it's expensive of course. And it has not tasted so delicious and fresh as the one pictured here for example. Look at how thick and luscious it looks. I split the scone, doused it with some jam and put a very healthy heap of clotted cream on the very top. For those of you who have not tried clotted cream, let me try to describe it to you as a cross between whipped cream and BUTTER. The consistency is thick, but it melts so easily after a bite. The mild sweetness and starchiness of the scone is such a good companion to the tea (I added milk, but not sugar) Simply glorious!

As a side note: I have heard two very different pronunciations of the word scone. One rhymes with gone and the other rhymes with tone. 

You decide which you prefer. In the UK, I've heard it's a matter of region and dialect. 

I have found a few places that serve a decent afternoon tea in the US... I'm sure there a ton! I have   yet to discover them all in my vicinity. Here is one such valiant effort. Though I have my doubts concerning the clotted cream they served...

But as you can see, the display was lovely! My mom and I enjoyed the wide selection of teas at the Rowe's Whaf Sea Grille. It was a relaxing afternoon, a few hours of good conversation sand tasty morsels. That is after all what a leisurely tea time in the afternoon is all about... 

I will allow this only for today

Today my readers, I will allow us to be pretentious and critical about some of the lows of North American food creations. Don't get me wrong, I am the first to say there is a true food revolution happening in the United States and that it is very possible and quite easy to find good, delicious, and creative food out there- as evidenced by my last few posts.

But sometimes there is this:

Mac-and-Cheese Pizza

I present you one website that had me chuckling today, and that is worth a gander. I give full photo credit for the image above to http://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/

Hope you get a chance to take a peek at this site. I headed straight to the "Top Tens" Section at the top of the page. 

After spending some time in Europe and eating many meals abroad, and I'm sure those of you that have travelled can agree, food labeling blunders and crazy (and sometimes mildly offensive) food combinations that are all too common WILL stand out more to you. Of course I'm not personally offended when I come across imitation French products marketing themselves as "the real thing," but it does make me think about the reasons behind such efforts on the part of food producers. It also certainly makes me reminisce about the different products and dishes I was lucky enough to try and my unyielding desire to recreate them here in the United States, in what I hope will be in a more authentic way than my pre-Europe days ( I've been since privy to regional food preparations by locals in France.) 

I get it though, it's hard! Finding ingredients here that are common elsewhere is a real doozy. And don't even get me started about the prices of certain things... cheese and wine for example. 

On a recent trip to a local liquor store (which shall remain nameless) that also sells "gourmet food" in Newton, my friend Emily and I spent almost seventy dollars on two kinds of imported cheeses (a brie and comté), some bread, apricot jam to accompany cheese, two small packs of beer (including one of my favorite beers of all time, the Tripel Karmeliet from the Brouwerij Bosteels in Belgium) and a bottle of Italian prosecco. Oh yes, and some gummy candies.

Seventy dollars! I miss the days of fresh unpasteurized milk cheeses for a more lowly sum, and of cheap beer. Take Prague for example... their very decent beers, even some of the better pilsners, were cheaper than water.

 

Readers from the U.S. and abroad, what do you think about this topic? 

 

Oink Oink

Pork

Puerco

Porc

Porco

The pig.
I've had pig's feet, pig's ears, fried pig's skin (called chicharron in Mexico) and all sorts of other types of preparations with different parts of the animal. Whatever flavorful preparation you choose, pork is always a versatile protein capable of lots of flavor and seasoning. 
What's your favorite?

Now, let me tell you about a recent meal I had- one truly worthy of a post. 

...It's very refreshing to see restaurants in this country taking it upon themselves to expose diners to variety, quality, and both local products as well as intriguing imports. 

One such place is The Salty Pig.

130 Dartmouth Street, Boston MA 02116. 
(617) 536-6200

Their menu was filled with different types of cured meats, tantalizing cheeses, as well as an exciting list of craft beers. We built our own board with the following:

-Culatello (according to our waiter, the "filet mignon of prosciutto." It comes from the main muscle group in prosciutto. It was extremely tender and flavorful. We learned that it takes an entire ham to make a block of Culatello. The other clippings get discarded! So you can see why it would be pricey.)

-Manchego Cheese

-Pork Rilletes made in-house. (The pork trimmings were extra large, but extremely tender and well seasoned. A good match with the pickles.)

- A nice Goat's Milk Cheese called Trés Bonne. It is described as a semi-hard mild goat cheese and it is aged 2-5 months. It was mild and nutty. Also read it was the Bronze Medal winner at the 2012 American Cheese Competition. 

-Finally, all of this was accompanied by fine crusty bread, pickles, mustard, smoked shallot marmelade, and my personal favorite- the Chianti jelly.)

Oh yeah, we also shared a nice thin-crust mushroom pizza. It wasn't the highlight of the meal, but it was a nice contrast to the saltiness of the meat and cheeses. The tomato sauce was tasty. 

What's more, what I loved about the Salty Pig was not only the impressive list of cheeses and meats- local as well as with occasional surprise import from Italy or Spain -rather,  it was the leisurely 2+ hour dinner with my friend Kara that was a wonderful change of pace. It was a culinary escape from the hustle and bustle of life and work in a big city. Our waiter took the time to actually explain everything on the menu as well as the daily specials in detail but he offered his opinion and commentary. Surely I know this is part of his job, but his effort felt honest and he seemed to enjoy the food very much. This kind of personalized service is what some establishments I've been to seem to really be lacking. 

Until this soirée, I had forgotten what this type of slow food service was all about. In the six months since I left France, I have grown accustomed, all to quickly, to the quick and often dismissive service at some American restaurants. At the Salty Pig, we weren't rushed to leave and the atmosphere was convivial, modern, laid-back, and cozy. 

To wrap up the post, no meal (or most meals) would be complete without a quality beverage. The night at the Salty Pig called for beer. Kara and I drank some...
- Woodstock Inn Brewery's "Pig's Ear Brown Ale"
- Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project's "Baby Tree" (a dark quadruple)
- and of course, and much to my delight, Delirum's "Tremens" (What a classic! oh the memories!)
          
           ** To read more about beer around the Boston area and beyond, check out Kara's  awesome father-daughter beer blog. What a good team they make. A must-read! 

                                                              http://beerschnabs.com/

Café St. Petersburg

This restaurant is cozily tucked away in Newton Centre.  In the 18 years I’ve been living in the area, I had only just heard of whispers of a Russian restaurant. This family owned restaurant i located in the lower level of a large brick building with a quiet and clean ambiance. There are photographs of the family with diners spaning a few generations, and even a few photographs of them posing with celebrities, only one of whom I recognized. Mikhail Baryshnikov dined here!

On a Tuesday night, it was very quiet, but perfect for enjoying a quiet meal opposite the bright and neatly laid out bar displaying bottle after bottle of clear alcohol : vodka (водка)

Our meal began with the horseradish house-infused vodka. Spicy! Definitely not my favorite, but according to the waiter, this is one of their most popular selections. We also tried the cranberry house-infused vodka. That one was sweeter and easier to take and made a nice accompaniment to the food.

As a starter, the Russian Herring served with boiled potatoes and assorted breads. Not bad at all. The Herring was tender and salty, which was a perfect match to the potatoes and the sliced onions it came with. 

For the main course, I had the Stuffed Cabbage, which was, as you can gather, stuffed with beef and rice and topped with cooked sweet peppers. In addition, I got a side of buckwheat. I misread the menu and thought it came with it... fortunately, the waiter said he could give me a side of wheat nonetheless. It was great. My favorite part of the dish was the second cabbage component. More cabbage! it was in a slaw-type preparation. The seasoning was tangy and delicious.

Finally, my dinner companion had the Siberian Pelmeni, which the menu describes as Russian style meat ravioli, served with sour cream or vinegar. They were very hearty and the unleavened dough from which they are made was very tender and surprisingly flavorful. 

All in all, a winning meal. 

il caffè

There are so many types of coffee available in Italy. Whether you are an experienced and passionate connoisseur or a casual drinker, it is a wonderful idea to take advantage of all Italy has to offer. 

Someone once told me that the longer the foam (la crema) remains in the cup- frothy and bubbly- the better the espresso brew is. If the foam dissipates quickly, then the drinker has reason to distrust the quality of the brew. 

Whether this theory holds up in all instances of coffee, it is surely a good indicator of the quality of the machine at work and of the overall freshness of the drink. 

I didn't quite believe this until I saw it for myself. I added just a tiny bit of sugar and stirred.   Incredibly, my friend and I sat for more than half an hour, and "crema" remained until the last sip. Molto squisito!

Batzen

In the small city of Bolzano or Bozen to the German speakers...

At the Batzenhausl (Address:  Anreas Hoferstr, 30,  Bolzano, Italy) I enjoyed true comfort food: Austrian style.

But wait, I’m in Italy. How is this possible?

I was so unaware of the cultural essence of this Tyrol region of Italy before finding myself visiting this interesting region for 4 days, on a pure whim. 

According to Bolzano locals, this is the place to be for traditional pub fare, good brews, and friendly ambiance. All the while, I found myself nestled in the middle of this small city in a refurbished and modern eighteenth century home. This place, I was told, is the oldest continuously run restaurant in Bolzano.

They brew their own beer here too, the Batzen Braü selections are well known for their crisp and flavorful characters. I tried the Batzen Weisse- their wheat beer. Definitely cloudy, and very refreshing with some very pleasant floral notes… 

I was dining alone… (As I found out after a month of travelling, dining “toute seule” is not one of my favorite things to do- but essential if I was going to make sure I experienced local flavors. The corner pizza joint could only get me so far…) The waiter was very friendly, and helped me decipher the menu, which was all in German with Italian translations. My Italian, I discovered, was not that bad, but I definitely needing a helping hand if I was going to have any luck ordering at this place. After a lengthy conversation in my broken Italian and a few English words here and there, I placed a full order. Bad news is that I found the portions SO hefty (plus all the beer) that I could only get through the appetizer…

That’s okay! I’m glad I did, there’s plenty to share regarding this wonderful dish:

Semmelknödel

(or the Italian varation: Canederli)

are in broad terms, German and Austrian bread dumplings that also found in the North of Italy. These are made, like you’ve gathered, from bread, cheese, milk, eggs, and even potatoes. All are very inexpensive ingredients, but they can be garnished with other accent flavors like Speck (a type of cured beef) and other vegetables as shown below. 

Because of the hefty portions, I had mine as a main course, but they are usually a starter or an appropriate accompaniment to meat dishes. Sometimes, I heard, they can be made into soup form with a light broth. 

I can't begin to describe how delicious this knödel sampler was. Each round dumpling was flavored with different flavors and on a bed of creamy and zesty vegetable purées. My favorite one was the tan one to the far right. It was full of creamy cheese pieces (rolled into the bread, not as a filling) and on a bed of seasoned tomatoes.) A winning combination. Consequently, the red knödel was made with meaty pieces and on a bed of creamy horseradish. Very strong! 

Add some variation of coleslaw, beets, and you've got yourself some very powerful combinations. The knödel themselves are soft to bite into, and of a very solid consistency. They are not fried, so they're not greasy at all. Instead, I believe they are dunked and steamed in water or broth. 

Finally, no meal is complete with a basket of assorted breads. I had the bread in Bolzano on a few occasions, especially at my breakfast brunch every morning. They look like buns don't they? Ahh... but don't be fooled. These small breads are not soft and delicate. They're actually quite tough, but make a perfect accompaniment to sauces, savory ingredients like cured meats and cheese, and even butter and jam. The darker ones were my favorite. They were infused with fennel and other herbs. Perfect for scooping up some leftover knödel and sauce. 

Guten Appetit! 

Food... how the Romans like it

No trip to Italy, especially Rome is complete without having an apperitivo.
Imagine an all-you-can-eat buffet spread at the counter of a bar. Little plates and little forks... and unlimited trips. The only catch is you need to buy a drink. Not bad... A drink and full dinner all for 10 euros approximately. Some places do charge a cover to enter, but that guarantees a delectable selection of the best variety of salada, pastas, and crostini.

Then if you're still hungry, why not head to dinner? Pizzerias are easy to come by in Rome, but they are mostly, according to some native Romans I talked to, tourist traps. For real Roman cuisine, head outside the center, or look for Pizzerias with Italians on the terraces and menus for less than 12 euros.

Trattorie were by far my favorite kind of restaurant option in Italy. The same tourist-trap rules apply. But when you find a family-owned, friendly, and unpretentious trattoria in whatever city you find yourself in... don't let go! Trattorie are friendly family-style establishments whose focus is not high-brow cooking, but simply making local comfort foods which please the clientele day after day and keep them coming back for more. A trattoria will be less formal than a ristorante but a bit more substancial than an "osteria."

A typical Roman Piazza in the evening. People chatting, getting ready to decide where to go for a meal. 

Bruschette: Olive spread, fresh, sweet tomatoes, and artichoke spread on robust white bread.

Some typical Antipasti (appetizers) at pizzerias include these little delights, Supplì, which are made of seasoned rice, shaped into egg-shapes with cheese, then breaded and deep-fried. 

These were my favorite: Fiori di Zucca. Zucchini flowers filled with anchovies and cheese then deep-fried to a golden perfection. People may ask for the Fiori to be filled with just cheese and no anchovies. I found I liked them with anchovies- they added a burst of saltiness at the end of the mouthful which was a nice contrast to the mild cheese and batter. 

Pizza Capricciosa: mozzarella, tomatoes, artichokes, olives, ham, egg

Notice the thin crusts and sparse ingredients.

A white pizza is just as common and well-liked as a red pizza. A white pizza is just cheese and no tomato sauce. This one was a creamy and salty delight. Quattro formaggi e funghi. (four cheeses and mushrooms)

Something which completely took me by surprise was the pasta- which came at the beginning of the meal as a first course and not as an entrée (the english meaning, the main course.) The portions were always huge. Just good pasta with the sauce and that's it. By the time I was done, I didn't have any more room for the main course! (And there, you would have a wide array of meats an more delicious sauces)

Carbonara. The photo does not do it justice, the color was rich and vibrant. I can't even begin to describe how creamy the sauce was. 

What made this thick pasta so delicious was the black pepper sauce. 

The airiest, most simply delicious tiramisu. No frills, just homemade cream and strong coffee flavor. This trattoria was about 40 minutes away from the main station, Termini. 

No evening meal could be complete without a bit of citrus delight. Limoncello, the classic and well-known digestif was as good as I imagined it to be. I had never had it before, and it was a perfect cap to a delicious meal. 

Crèpes continued...

The first Crèpe post by Valentine explained the story and technique behind real crèpes and galettes from Brittany.
Now here are some examples of galettes and crèpes found in a few crèperies around the city of Nantes (which a lot of people would say is now no longer really Brittany... I tend to disagree. But hey, I'm not a real Breton...)

Goat cheese, Egg, and Provençal vegetables on a buckwheat galette

Smoked Salmon, Sauce Ciboulette (chive) and algae

Chocolat maison (home-made dark chocolate) and roasted almonds

Long live Brittany!

I'm back! and the first post is... Italian Gelato!

Now that I am back in Boston, I have a lot of time on my hands for reflection and writing. Before leaving Nantes after living there for two years, I travelled for one month throughout Italy, Belgium, and Great Britain. In the coming weeks, I will share with you a bite of my travels... I will share with you some of the wonderful things I ate.

Because it's hard to write on the road, I took many photos, but unfortunately was not able to write much. Now is the time to catch up on all the meals worth sharing with you that I was lucky enough to discover in the last couple of months.

For this reason, the timeline will be a bit choppy, and for that I apologize. I just have so much to catch up on!

Let's waste no time. Let's start with a classic food blog entry: ice cream.

Gelato Italiano is by all accounts, just ice cream. But for some reason, the Italians do it so well. At every single Gelateria, from the most simple and tourist infested to the artisanal parlors, their ice cream never seems to disappoint. Maybe it's the insane variety of flavors. Or maybe the rich creamy-ness. Or maybe it's just the fact it's ice cream in ITALY. Whatever the reason, true Italian gelato always seems to taste heavenly. Here are a few snapshots of some of my favorite ones, and mind you, I tried a lot. I was travelling alone for a few days in Florence and then Verona. What is a girl to do?


*As always, I urge you to click on each photo for an enlarged version of it. That way you can savor each snapshot even more! Thanks!

My First Gelateria. 

Gelateria dei Neri in the Santa Croce Neighborhood in Florence.

Via dei Neri 25, 50122 Firenze, Italia

Nope, not vanilla. It was half Gorgonzola gelato and half hazelnut. 

This Gelateria is also known for its Granita, which is similar to what we know as Italian ice. 

This place, I'm told is old, traditional, family owned, and very well known with queues usually reaching the back and flowing into the street. I, though, was SO lucky and got there early. I was the only one in the shop! 

Gelateria Santa Trinita in Florence. In the Santa Trinita Neighborhood. 

Piazza Frescobaldi, 11-12/r

50125 Firenze, Italia

Coffee and White Peach. Melting fast!!! It was scalding hot that day in Florence. 

This gelateria is good, but I heard way too much English in there. Tourist trap? I don't know, but it sure was trendy, and very polished. 

And only a bridge away, Gelateria La Carraia

Piazza Nazario Sauro, 25/r Firenze, Italia 

My now FAVORITE flavor: Pistacchio. also, Chocolate, and Cherry.  

The BEST pistacchio gelato I had in Italy

Gelateria Giolitti

Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40

00186 Roma, Italia

Historic 1900s dairy turned Gelateria and tea room, this bustling and over crowded spot DID deliver in the quality and taste department. The price and relatively long wait was worth it for the best gelato in Rome (in my humble opinion.) All the servers, dressed in black and white had to be quick and efficient in order to handle the throngs of locals and tourists alike. When Clare and I finally made it to the front, the server was actually quite nice and very polite. 

 Nocciola (hazelnut) and wait for it... Champagne sorbetto. Don't judge me on the weird combination of flavors- I just really wanted to try both!

For my last gelato in Italy I headed for 

Gelateria Artigianale Pistacchio

Via XX Settembre Verona, Italia

I couldn't leave Italy without having my favorite flavor of all time (pistacchio, of course.) This time I combined it with Lime Sorbetto. The lime was so refreshing and smooth. I couldn't get enough.