One of the reasons I like travelling through Italy

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You  know what I look forward most when travelling in Italy (or in this case to Trieste)?? Well it is eating at Autogrill and drink the best coffee to my and I think most Italians’ opinion. I usually try to stop in them after 1pm, because  between 12 and 1 it is fuuuuuuull of Italians enjoying some good lunch.

This time we just went for a rusticella. But when I’m in the center of Milan or Rome, I usually also stop in an autogrill (in city center) for a salad, or a whole Italian meal (Primo, secondo and dolce)…. And everytime I have to admit that the price-quality they serve is great!

And now they are even expanding to other countries 🙂 jeeeeeej

Have you guys ever visited or had lunch at an Autogrill restaurant?

Aaaaah, Torino….wonderful Torino

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I really don’t understand that people would prefer going to Milano? Since years and years Torino has always been in the shadow of Milano, although this city has so much more to offer. When you walk through this city, you can immediately see the rich history this city has had. I would say that this city is a mix of Rome and Paris.

When it would start raining, no fear, most of the shops are located under the ‘galleries” and you can always rest on one of the many plazas or parks the city has. Another thing to see are the many “gallerias’ like the “galleria Vittorio Emanuele” in Milano (smaller, but not less impressive)

Not many people know that Torino previously was the capital city of Italy and that the Royal family lived here…. Visiting the Royal Palace is a real must.

Maybe some of you might remember Torino from the winter Olympics some years ago?

Even for shopping I can really suggest Torino. And you always discover new streets filled with shops (food and clothing).

 For lunch (what did you expect, that I wouldn’t eat??) we went to this spot called Mood. It is a bookstore where you can also have lunch 🙂

I had the ‘Trofie al pesto’ and my girlfriend a Mood Salat (with tuna). Below the result

Some other great lunch spots:

Ristorante brek, pastificio delfilipps and eataly.

 For lunch I normally don’t go to too fancy places… I prefer going to an ‘Autogrill’ (in Rome and Milan I do this) if there is one in the neighbourhood. The reason for this is that you don’t spend a lot of money, the quality is good and you don’t lose too much time.

What you should really do, is visit the “Mole’, this is the big pointy tower you see sticking out on the picture above. This used to be a Synagogue, that now got transferred into a museum about the history of cinema. It is really amazing 🙂  At some point you’re even playing in a movie without knowing it and you only discover it few moments later. They also have some original movie sets (décors) from famous movies. If you like nice views, you can take the elevator to the top of the Mole tower and you’ll overlook whole Torino.

We were also looking for a gift for my little nephew, funny thing is that we searched for it in whole Torino to finally buy a gift from a Belgian brand in Torino 🙂

 In the evening we went back to La Morra,  to eat at nice restaurant I had already visited in 2005, Ai Tardi, and it was as good as I remembered it. The wine this evening: Barbera vigna carzello Eduardo Sabrino (diano d’alba).

Today we’ll just be staying a ‘Bofani’ and won’t go anywhere, as tomorrow we’ll be picking up Zia Livia and going to Trieste….

Beni di Batasiolo

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As you could read in my previous posts, I’m currently visiting a longtime friend (Fiorenzo) from my father, who owns together with his family the ‘Batasiolo’ vineyard. But that is not the only reason this wine house is close to my heart, also for products they offer and produce.

Already being the 3rd generation (4th and 5th are also already ensured), you can be sure that the Dogliani family knows what they are doing. The name Batasiolo was only given to the ‘Azienda’ or vineyard around 1978, before they used to call it “Cantina Chiola”.

What really keeps surprising me is that eventhough Batasiolo is exporting to more than 63 countries worldwide, they are still able to keep the same high level taste and still have the same respect for the traditions of making wine.

MY personal favorite Batasiolo wines are:

La Corda della Briccolina, Barolo DOCG (red)

Sovrana, Barbera d’Alba doc  (red)

Bricco di Vergne, Dolcetto d’Alba doc (red)

Langhe Doc Rosso (red)

Granée, Gavi DOCG (white)

Bosc dla Rei, Moscato d’Asti docg (dessert)

Langhe Chardonnay DOC (white)

Ofcourse the most famous wine they are producing is without any doubt the Barolo (and I’m sure everybody knows this wine) that is a monovitigno wine. The reason for that is that they only use 1 kind of grape, the Nebbiolo. Barolo is also one of those wines you keep in your winecellar for years, 20 years easily. As you might already expect, this is a stronger kind of wine J not your every day table wine 🙂 .

The other day I had a tour around the ‘factory’ to see how the wine gets made, because what better moment then during the vendemmia??

Staying right in the middle of the vineyards, I got to see the workers picking the grapes.

But being a bigger wine house and making sure being able always stay at the same level, Batasiolo searches for the best new techniques and machinery to make this possible.

What I didn’t know (and I already know Batasiolo a lot of years), is that they also make special “Kosher” wine for the local Jewish people, who at the moment I was there were checking if the making respected the Jewish traditions. And as Batasiolo is already doing this for some years I think they are indeed respecting them 🙂

Basically first the grapes get squeezed to get the juices out (for the precious Barolo Nebbiolo grapes, the machine even separates the fruit from the pit and for the white wine it even peels it??? Wow, what a machine.

I just needed to add the next picture, because I really like engraved wood.

And as I said I really really find it amazing the machines like the one on the below picture, that clean the bottle, fill it, label it, close it, put it in a box, but the box on a pallet, etc…. I admire the person who invented this!!

And I’m sure it will not surprise that I tasted wine that morning (yes, at 10 o’clock), we tried 3 Barolos, from different vineyards from Batasiolo… and they all 4 tasted different… what could be seen a strange,, as they are from the same grape and treated in the same way… but in fact it is nature who helps a hand to give them all something different. I also tried the Sovrana (that I really like a lot) and the Barbaresco… (I just had a sip from the wine, I didn’t drink it all 🙂

If you have the chance, you should really taste the Batasiolo wines as they are really Worldclass!! (let me know when, then I’ll join you guys 😉

And so also the second day has come to an end…

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For some reason I’m never able to sleep late, I’m always awake around 7 o’ clock and when I see the sunshine it is even more difficult to stay in bed. The first thing I did yesterday (same as today) is write the next post. After doing that, this morning I went to a little town called Boves (btw, my girlfriend doesn’t have my problem, so she kept sleeping). Boves is a small town near Cuneo (the capital from this region). I needed to go there to buy the ‘Bovesine’, these are chocolates filled with cognac, grand marnier, etc… and are a specialty from this region (in Cuneo they are called Cunesi). Not that I like them that much (I don’t like alcohol and chocolate together), but my favorite Zia Livia asked me to buy them for her 🙂 :-). To get there (about 60km from where I’m located for the moment) I took the regular way and not the highway… as then at least I can enjoy the view.

The below picture was one of the first views I had on my ride.

Just beautiful! And this was one of the many sights I got to say (really worth doing).

My first task when arriving in Boves was buying these chocolats at Pasticceria Rebecca after that I explored the little town, + there was an open-air market at that moment, so that’s even better 🙂 . A little town close to Boves that is really worth going to, is Saluzzo, a little medieval town…

I was really exited reaching the afternoon, as my Zia Livia is also in Piemonte (Torino) to visit a friend of her and we had planned to meet around 3pm in at Alba.

Alba, is for me one of the nicer towns or I might even say small cities in the neighborhood. I especially like via Vittorio emmanuele (lots of deli shops ), but also for the shoppers, there are some very nice boutiques. And on top of that you get the fragrance of Chocolate! Yes, that’s right, chocolate. The reason for that is that the Ferrero factories are located right in the heart of Alba and whenever they are melting chocolate, you smell it in the whole town (it actually makes one hungry 🙂 ). For all you that don’t k now Ferrero, they are the ones from Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Mon Cherie chocolats or the Kinder Bueno.

          

And to make a long story short (er) we encountered my aunt and here two friends earlier than expected and one of the friends insisted to invite us for lunch (for her small, for us pretty big). So again we had a celebrative lunch 🙂

Last evening we went to my favorite restaurant in this region, ‘ Osteria da Gemma’. This restaurant is not for small and/or picky eaters, as you don’t have menu, you just have to eat what they serve. And believe you me, they really serve A LOT. As starter or antipasto, we had vittelo tonnato, steak tartare (piemonte style), Insalata Russa, salami and coppa. We then continued with ‘gli primi piatti’ tagliolini and agnolotti al sugo di carne. Followed by rabbit and veal with peperonnata. We finished with a choice of desserts (they just gave them all) Strüdel, Crème caramel, semi freddo. ALL HOME MADE!!! We drank their own Dolcetto wine and water. How much would you guess we paid? 48EUR for 2!!

I had already been to this restaurant with my dad (the picture is still on their wall)

Another perfect end of a perfect sunny day. Today we are going to my mom’s favorite Italian city Torino.

Some call it Barolo, I call it heaven – day 1

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I think the best way to start this post, is by showing you the view I have right out from my chair.

Yes, that’s right, all vineyards! If heaven looks like this, I’m really blessed.

For the moment I’m visiting a friend of my father (Fiorenzo) in La Morra. Which is one of the 11 villages where the Barolo wine can get produced (Yes, lucky me). Every time I come here, I forget how beautiful this region is and how many gastronomical greatnesses it has. Starting with ofcourse the world famous Barolo wine, the Spumante d’Asti (sweet spumante), White Truffles, Nutella or better Ferrero, etc…. Do you guys now understand what I mean with heaven?!

Something I also should tell you, is that Fiorenzo is the 3rd generation of a winemaking family that sells its wine under the name “Batasiolo”, but I’ll tell you more about that in one of my next posts. Usually I visit Fiorenzo with my dad, this time I brought my girlfriend. As I really wanted her to see this underestimated region that is as beautiful as Tuscany (no doubt).

Like every time, we stay at “Bofani” which is a ‘little’ house in the middle of one of Batasiolo’s vineyards.

In the back there are the grapes to make Barolo, and in front of the house to make Chardonnay.

Yesterday was our first day here, and already we got dipped in the Italian way of living.

We had a small lunch right in front of the house together with a few Puerterican and Candian friends from Fiorenzo, who are visiting. I was also very happy that Fiorenzo’s nephew also joined.

What do you guys think about when I say Italian feast? Long tables, lots of food, lots of people, wine more than the eye can see? Yes? Well that’s exactly how it was. I helped to set the table.

After this “lunch” or “Merenda” we went back to have a tour in the cellar’s and see how the wine of Batasiolo gets made… as there is no better moment to see this as now it is the “vendemmia” or grape picking. (more about that in my Batasiolo blogpost).

That night we went for a dinner at Rosso Barolo in a town called Barolo (what’s in a name).

We really enjoyed our meal. We started off with some Melanzane with cottage cheese, followed by some gnocchi and ravioli, to finish with some Brassato. We didn’t have a dessert… but I must admit they looked great 🙂 . I would recommende Rosso Barolo for its great food, romantic atmosphere and very friendly staff that for some reason didn’t want us to go yet 🙂 .

A great end of day 1, up to day 2… who knows what might happen

Wine & Delicacies expo Brussels

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For all you guys that want to spoil you taste buds , you should really go to the Brussels Wine & Delicacies expo from 24 until 27 November.

This is not only a tradeshow for professional foodies, all us regular people are also welcome to enjoy the more then 4600m² of the best Gastronomy has to offer . What makes this expo different? Well  Wine é& Delicacies tries to focus on authentic ingredients and flavors from Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, etc…  like for example the champagne from Paul Hazard, in chocolate marinated Sauterne grapes from Chocolatier Verdier, handcrafted Roquefort cheese, etc….

Besides being able to temper your taste buds, you’ll also be able to feast your eyes on culinary demonstration (by kitchen aid), meetings with great star chefs, and list goes on and on ….

I’ll be going, hopefully I’ll see you there?

You’ll find more info on the Wine & Delicacies expo Brussels website

Fajita Spinelli Style

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I really like fajita’s and could really keep eating it (mmm, I think I say this from all my dishes from time to time I make them myself… because everything you make or do yourself is always done better. This time I showed my buddy Nicolas  how to make them (in his kitchen)

Ingredients: (for 4 fajita’s, enough for 2 people)

  • 3 paprika’s (doesn’t matter which color they have)
  • 2 chicken filets (but you can also take other kind of meat)
  • 1 little tin of tomato purée
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt, pepper
  • 3 eating spoons or sweet paprika powder
  • Pinch of oregano
  • 400ml of chicken stock ( or either 400ml of water and 1 chickenstock cube)
  • 2cloves of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion (peeled and sliced)
  • Glass of red wine

 For the tortilla dough

  • 100g of flour
  • Water
  • Pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • Iceberg salad
  • Guacamole
  • Emmental cheese (or another greasier cheese)

 Get started:

Peel and slice the onion, garlic and paprika’s

Put some olive oil  and the 2 peeled garlic gloves in a pot and heat the pot.

  • Once the oil is hot, put in the chicken and bake the chicken.  When chicken is not pink anymore, you  add the sliced onion and cut paprika’s. (stir from time to time)

  • When all the water has disappeared and you add the paprika powder, oregano, salt, pepper ,red wine, chicken stock and bay leaves.

  • Cook on a lower heat until the sauce has thickened and it looks like the picture below.

Now we start to make the tortilla dough

  •  Put the flour, ¼ of a glass of water and a pinch of salt in a bowl and start mixing and kneading it until you get a firm dough like on the picture below

  • Make a little ball and cut it in 4

  • Take one piece and start flatten it (put some flour under it, to prevent sticking)

  • Grease a pan and put on heat.

  • Once your pan is hot enough, put the first flattened dough and bake 3 minutes at each side (like on picture below)

Do this for all pieces of dough .

Only 1 thing left to do, serving it 🙂

I think you picture below speaks for itself

 

Let me know what you think!!

Young chefs cook for young people

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Sorry, this is especially for my dutch speaking followers.

From  October 1st until November 15th you can enjoy Flemish top gastronomy made by young and very potential chefs .

You can enjoy a 3 course menu for €45 with wines and waters included. Find out which are the participating restaurants on the  link below:

 http://www.vlaanderenlekkerland.be/Startpagina-home-Jong-Keukengeweld.html

I will certainly try one (or more) of them out.

Let me know which one you’ll be doing?

Tomorrow I’ll post another great recipe!

Gnocchi alla romana

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This is actually one of my preferred dishes.  I remember eating this dish loooooots of times siting under a pergola in Italy during my summer holidays in Italy (when I was young)

Ingredients:

  • 250g semolina (kind of Italian flour)
  • 50g butter
  • 50g grated Parmigiano cheese
  • 3 egg yolks
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1l milk
  • Pinch of salt

For serving it

  • 200g Butter
  • Sage
  • Grated parmigiano cheese

Get started:

  • Put the milk and butter in a put and turn on the heat (not max heat).
  • Just before the milk start boiling, you add the semolina. Stir until all the semola is gone and until the milk is starting to get thick (like picture below

  • Add the egg yolks one by one while stirring
  • Add the pinch of salt, nutmeg and the parmigiano cheese.

  • When everything is mixed well, you poor the milk mix on a cutting board (wrapped in plastic foil) and try to even it out (like picture below)

  • Let the mix cool down (I always have to watch out that I don’t eat it all when it is cooling it down, because it is daaaaaaaamn good)
  •  Once the mix is cold you can cut out little rounds (or whichever form you prefer).

  • Put the little rounds in a baking dish that you greased with some butter.

  • You now put some of the butter and sage in a pot and let the butter melt on low heat

  • When the butter is melted, poor it over the gnocchi and put some Parmigiano cheese on top

  • Put in 180°C pre-heated oven for 10 minutes and 5 minutes under the grill

 The result looks like this:

You can eat it like this or serve it with a normal tomato sauce.

Let me know if you like it?!

Tagliatelle with Scampi tomato sauce

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This dish is loved by lots of my friends  and on top of that very easy to make.

 Ingredients: (for 2 or 3 people, depending how much they eat 🙂 )

  • 250g scampi (peel them, you can use the peel for making fish stock
  •  1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 red pepper under oil (in case you like it more spicy)
  • Pinch of oregano
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 cube of fish bouillon (unless you used the scampi peels to make stock/bouillon)
  • 250g tagliatelle
  • Glass of water
  • 800g peeled tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Glass of white wine

Get started:

  • Cut the scampi’s in smaller pieces

  • Peel the garlic and onion .  slice the onion.
  • Put some olive oil and the two garlic cloves in a pot and put on the heat.

  • Once you hear the garlic sizzle, you put in the scampi’s

  • Add  the sliced onions and the white wine. Let simmer untill 2/3 of the wine evaporated
  • Add the  peeled tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper, nutmeg, and the glass of water. Stir it all and let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes until you  notice the sauce has thickened.

  • Cook the pasta.
  • Once pasta is cooked you put it back in the pot you cooked it in and add a little bit of the sauce
  • Head it together (this will give better taste to the pasta)

One thing left to do, eat 🙂