4/25/2013

Venice and around it – some time ago!


Venice and around it – some time ago!


I have discovered a few new places during the last year which I didn’t write about and one of the most wonderful trips must have been the visit to Venice and its surrounding area. Everybody knows that Venice, along with Paris, is one of the most favourite honeymoon targets . Romance is flowing through its ancient canals, hiding in little alley ways known by Casanova and whispering into ears of craftsmen while they are creating intricate colourful glass shapes.




Just when you arrive to the train station and take a first step out into the streets, the Venetian atmosphere hits you with the view over the Gran Canal. Public transportation in Venice is tightly connected to water. It is not trams, underground or buses that take you around the city, but boats! In the heat of the city I found this means of transportation a very agreeable solution. The breeze doesn’t take away just heat but also any troubles that could have been on your mind before.



Walking through the streets and seeing all the famous ventian touchpoints wasn't always on top of my list. I was so lucky to experience the city through the eyes of someone who knows it well and who guided me through the streets with love and attention to what interests me – food! Unfortunately, due to heat and our not so deep pockets we limited ourselves to fresh fruit and bottled water rather than all the beautiful pastries and delicous bites we saw. However, I am one of those people that don’t even mind spending hours looking at food and its thousand forms and possibilities.



To be honest, I am more of a fan of the beatiful little towns and monuments which are not surrounded with camera snapping tourists. Places that have been shot thousands and thousands of times over and over again lose the sense of surprise and originality when you finally visit them. Eventhough I loved Venice, I cannot say it suprised me a lot. This, however, I definitely cannot say about Asolo.





During my very short 4 day trip the town of Asolo and the hills behind it (Monfumo and Castelli, up to Possagno) completely charmed me. Blue sky was the perfect match for old stone buildings and mountain hilly views. On the square, to taste a bit of local Italy in a little restaurant bar, we had a plate of cheese and cold cuts. I was very hungry, but I could still identify the distinct delicate flavours that differ so much from any hams in Czech Republic or in Spain. Those flavours just melt in your mouth telling you about the balance between rustic sharpness and delicacy of simplicity.



Following this lovely experience and a short walk around, it was time to set off on the scooter (very italian style) and follow the road through villages and fields. As the journey countinued, and apart from buying fresh milk delivered into our plastic bottle right from the source and consuming quite substantial portion of ice cream, I realized that there is so much more to discover about this beautiful country than just funny accent and exported pizza trend. In Italy, everything has historical background, and I hope that one day I might be able to look into its history of gastronomy in a lot more detail than in the four days and my hobby style reading, beacuase as Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright said in Pavarotti, My Own Story: "One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."



2/22/2013

Escape to Pyrenees!

Les Pyrenees


I fell in love with Les Pyrenees few years ago when for the first time my parent’s friend took me hiking and rock climbing without permission. For me Les Pyrenees breathe out serenity and natural beauty of immeasurable value!  People are friendly and the food is just full of rustically rich and amazing flavours! When I was asked where I want to go from Barcelona for a weekend, Les Pyrenees was a clear answer. There was no other option for me.

Food market in Vilafranca


Our starting point was the tourist area of Stiges just outside of Barcelona from which we travelled to Vilafranca to see its food market. They had everything from hand knife cut jamon to amazing cheese, vegetable and fruit! The kaki there had such a vibrant colour - so dark and attractive just singing about ripeness! After all my food excitement it led us only up and up to the mountains!

Food market in Vilafranca
Half way I washed the grapes we bought on the market in a mountain stream. They were so rich and juicy – the high levels of sweetness made you feel like smelling alcohol before eating them! While I fed on these wonderful treats I enjoyed the breathtakingly beautiful scenery along the road, which was full of autumn colours ranging from bright yellows to rusty reds and browns. . The trees were an inspiration to nature's best symphony and the young, fast water stream was its orchestra!

Clear water of Pyrenees

After a quick tour of deserted Benasque, we decided to move on and sleep over in Aínsa. The decision often reminds me not linger on something that is not worth it as it may keep from something very special. Aínsa is an amazing location with plenty of nice views and we arrived just on time to see the sunset from the town walls! So many tones of pink spreading along the sky!

Beautiful views in Aí
Then we found an apartment to rent for one night right in the centre on the main square and made a reservation in a restaurant recommended by Michelin called Callizo. The dinner was an intriguing experience - some liquid nitrogen, some dessert eating right from the table, some delicious salmon ceviche and liquefied olive oil „olives look alike“ and much more! I took photos of almost everything! 



Cheese soup in Callizo


I call that a perfect presentation of a paté!


2/05/2013

My new and silly beginning...


I have been away for a very long time – everybody needs at some point or another to figure out a bit more about themselves ... and I moved to an island next to Africa for 6 months!



























Ok,ok, it was connected to another working experience, but I can say that Vin Diesel’s bodyguard is a really nice guy and that baby bananas and mango-lemon jam from Tenerife are delicious.

I have received an amazing birthday cake, went up a volcano which I was scared of since 7 years old and for the first time of my life spent Christmas without my family – just to spend it with some amazing people that survived living with me those six months.


























Meanwhile learning about myself and about my pressure resistance, I was taking a lot of photos and keeping in mind that this blog is a part of my life. I will keep on working on it even if nobody reads it, because traveling and cooking is what I truly love!



Please, do forgive me for the idleness and I promise I’ll improve! I am hopefully coming back a little wiser and with new ideas and energy on my side! 

The real happiness!






5/23/2012

Granada – Tapas - I’ve been there and I ate a lot!


Granada

Yes, we have seen the circus three times on the way around the roundabout!  After going in circles for 1 hour + with our automatic human Hungarian map (our friend Tamas) we arrived to Granada. Granada – the place of history and food - viva Andalucía! That’s at least what I was after originally as always.






We started our journey nowhere else than in tapas bars. Prawn pil-pil, small grilled sardines, patatas bravas, calamares fritos, queso y jamon! The Spanish most certainly know what goes well with their wine! And what a delicious wine it is! The red liquid heated me up for the rest of the evening that I completely forgot to take pictures. The atmosphere completely absorbed my soul and ate me up. The only thing that was left from me was laughter and hunger for more food. I am glad my friends were not far behind with the bloody drink of most Mediterranean feasts.





I woke up the next day surprisingly without a headache, but starving again. We finished all our junk food cookies and chips left from our late night no sense making conversation and we headed off to the streets of Granada. We arrived on a square full of people looking for the same thing like us – full plate of churros and steaming fragrant cups of hot chocolate like nowhere else. I must admit that my Spanish friend was right telling me that hot chocolate in Belgium is nothing compared to the Spanish one. Belgium’s pralines are amazing, but shame on them their hot chocolate is just milk infused with chocolate. During 6 months the only place close to real hot chocolate was Wittamer’s.


After inspecting the cathedral, the ethnic market, watching 1st of May demonstrations and trying to get inside Alhambra our hunger reached the levels of torture. We spend some time enjoying the amazing mountain and city view from one of the hotels right below but the possible sensation of food was driving us back. 
The best view!

Wandering around took us to a place where they offered us more than satisfying possibility: grilled meat platter. Nothing against our student prepared canteen food but we all suffer from some protein deficiency. It was delicious mix of everything one can possibly imagine: lamb chops, grilled chorizo, black pudding, pork medallions... yummy!
Very meaty feast...
After this meaty feast I slept most of the way back to the coast. Thanks to our Hungarian navigation this is forever saved in one of the phones. I think taking photos of people sleeping should be forbidden! I loved the tapas (pil pil remaining an all-time favourite) and I want to come back. Especially to see real corrida – I know the poor beastly things suffer but it is the part of culture – at least once!

Granada's old town

4/15/2012

From Spain to the delicious Taubenkobel in Austria!


It takes about 9 hours at the airport without sleeping and three hour flight for me to eat something amazing. A real treat was awaiting me on my way home for Easter holiday - short visit to Austria and especially Taubenkobel - a Relais & Châteaux hotel with continuously awarded restaurant. I was so excited that sleep deprivation didn't exist in my world. 



Taubenkobel is one of those beautiful examples showing how a restaurant even in such a small village such as Schutzen/Gebirge can work and thrive . The little boutique hotel has an adjoining shop and little garden inviting it's visitors for a bit of exploration. It is a little place to eat, buy interior decorations or treat yourself with special local produce. I have to admit that it is a very charming little idea.


The shop
The garden even though it was still chilly outside gave one an impression of romantic, but planned disorganization as well as of everlasting peace. Unfortunately, we were very unlucky and didn't find any Easter eggs hidden behind the bushes or colourful pillows in the garden. 

The garden
Finally, we moved to the heart of the restaurant and I suddenly found myself in heaven. In the heaven of perfect service and delicious exciting food. The waiting staff definitely knows what they are serving and why is every single element on the plate prepared in the way it is. The table set up is charming and the overall atmosphere just breathes and lives comfort and peace. You just feel like a spoiled lazy cat on a soft pillow in a warm cosy countryside cottage. 

Teble set up 
Local corn caramelized pop corn with charcuterie
Most certainly we didn't protest to be served  little appetizers and amuses before digging into some of the more refined and more complex plates. Caramelized pop corn, local charcuterie and speck, three kinds of home made butters (nuts, salty, smoked fish) and hot white bread right from the oven.  I remember my first bite of the bread with melting butter and how my eye lids slid down in the sudden sensation of ultimate pleasure. 

Home made butter - salty, smoked cod and nuts flavours 
This moment of pleasure was followed by another completely new experience - frog's leg in chervil sauce. It was the first time I have tasted frog and even though some of you might think I am just crazy it was an absolutely delightful little bite of freshness and smoothness at the same time. One of the favourite bites of my life! 
Frog's leg in chervil sauce
Following the Easter theme another favourites of the afternoon arrived to the table in a little paper egg box. A take on de-constructed egg served in the original shell. The egg has been de-constructed in a beautiful layered manner - speck egg yolk cream followed by horseradish foam and topped off with frozen yoghurt powder. The egg yolk cream with the horseradish foam is a marriage made in heaven! Lots of love going on in that little shell! 
De-constructed egg 
After all these little treats I couldn't feel more excited about what was yet to come. Fresh water crayfish served on a bed of fresh herbs, green apple, sheep's milk panna cotta and watercress sauce. It looked like a piece of art and tasted so refreshing. I have been analysing this plate with a glass of perfectly matched Gruner Veltliner in hand and I hope all the components identified correspond to the reality. 

Crayfish served on a bed of fresh herbs, green apples,  sheep's milk panna cotta and watercress sauce
The fish course was poached perch with fennel, dandelion and little bacon cubes. The perch has been followed by a black feather rooster with young leek and black root foam. I still wonder how did they make the skin so flat and crispy - I am thinking of squeezing my chicken under a flat baking tray next time. 

Poached perch with fennel, dandelion and little speck cubes
Black feather rooster with young leek and black root
With main courses over a little refresher arrived on a rustic wooden plate - A glass of carrot sorbet with no added sugar and cinnamon macaroon. I have to say that the sorbet was the least favourite thing out of the whole afternoon, however the macaroon was just perfect. Living in Belgium for six months and having a friend in France obsessed with macaroons I have already eaten some in my life, but this one was just perfect. 

Carrot sorbet and cinnamon macaroon 
The main dessert came picture ready served in Martini glass with colourful spring edible flowers on the top. It was a mixture of candied and jellied figs accompanied by dried cream. It was very interesting and light molecular experiment, but for a strong flavour dessert lover like me it was a little bit too light and I kept on thinking where my real dessert is. 

Candied and jellied figs with dried cream
My little bite of satisfaction came just a few minutes later in the form of a little cornet miniature and a dark chocolate praline. Unfortunately, the base jelly was too hard and didn't make a good enough match to the Irish coffee praline which just melted in my mouth. However, the crispy cornet with its lemon curd zing filling and cute meringue cap was just perfect. What a feast with a perfect finish! 

Lemon curd and meringue cornet and Irish coffee dark chocolate praline
This beautiful Austrian experience will stay with me forever as a very beautiful dream come true and as a source of indescribable inspiration. I most certainly didn't want to leave, but my home and my grand parents were waiting for me for almost seven and half months - no excuses there! I hope you had an amazing Easter too!

Austrian village

 

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