Posts tagged Italy
Making Our Way Through Italy
Cruising through Tuscany, we pass lush green farmland that sprawls over rolling hills for as far as the eye can see. Cypress trees tower over the long rows of grapevines that line the country side like perfectly raked sand. As we pass through this picturesque landscape I get the realization that we’re finally in Italy. Whats more exciting is that we’re headed to the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence.
Rolling into Florence we head straight into the city center where we meet a local guide who takes us through the narrow alleys and winding streets of this ancient city. Michelanglo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Galilieo were just a few of the great minds that worked and played here. Even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were named after these Renaissance men.
Gazing at a sculpture of Hercules, something set in. A rush of inspiration and creativity channeled through my veins. I could feel the energy cycling through my body as history washed over me. This was the back drop for one for the most incredible times of mankind, and I was standing right in the middle of it. By no means am I a modern day Michelanglo, but this experience has inspired me to keep creating, keep learning and keep progressing.
When in Rome…
Learn how to make gelato. This essential culinary skill will skyrocket your awesomeness and take you far in life. Everybody wants to be friends with a gelato maker. And Team Nat-Kat managed to befriend Amadeo, a gelato chef extraordinaire who works at one of Rome’s most famous gelaterias near the Colosseum.
This jolly old Italian shared with us his infatuation with the frozen food and allowed us to taste test the plethora of flavors (a big shout out to Nutella Birthday Cake for taking my love of gelato into the realms of obsession).
After consuming 5 cones of gelato in one sitting and practically wanting to bathe in the heavenly dessert because it’s so good, we ask Amadeo what the secret is. What is the magic trick behind creating such an exquisite treat?
Well whip out your cook books my friends. Here’s a recipe that is sure to become a family legend:
Ingredients
2 cups milk… preferably from Roman cows
1 cup heavy cream… preferably from Roman cows
4 egg yolks… preferably from Roman chickens
1/2 cup sugar
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, mix milk and cream. Warm until foam forms around the edges. Remove from heat.
2. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until frothy in a large bowl. Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture gels slightly and coats the back of the spoon.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl. Cover and chill overnight.
4. Pour the mixture into a Compacta 3003 RTX (Italian ice cream maker), and freeze for several hours. Transfer to a sealed container, and freeze until firm.
OR
5. Just come to Rome, eat at Gelato Giolitti and tell Amadeo he is the “uomo,” or man in Italian.
Feeding Time in Italy
I guess this one needs a lot of explaining. So, I’m hopping at you from the finale of my tour in Venice (I’ll backtrack in the next blog), but I just thought this was too bizarre. Darren, Dan, Andrew, and I all went out to eat at this great Italian cafeteria, and it occurred to us that we needed to get the true Venetian experience and feed those pigeons!
In case you were unaware, these pigeons are ridiculous creatures who flit and flutter in every direction at all times. Watch your heads, they will land on you and attack you. (A bit exaggerated – but they’re along the lines of the Hitchcock film “The Birds”.) They are actually like this because they were fed contraceptives back in the day to keep them from reproducing too rapidly.
Back to our story, though. So we decided, these birds have had enough seed. Let’s see what they think of people food! Darren had a piece of meat wrapped in bacon that seemed to be suitable for pigeon consumption
and well, just watch the rest. Between the crazy little Italian boys, hostile seagulls, and flock of pigeons – calamity did ensue. Undoubtedly.
Spain, Italy and France!
Literally, I cannot believe how much sightseeing, culture immersion, and fun I have had in the past two weeks. The last we spoke, I was rambling about Las Ramblas in Barcelona. If you’re looking for a mini-world tour walk up and down the street several times. You’re bound to run into something you’ve never even heard of.
Then we took a quick jaunt over to the south of France. Hysterical moment: I’m walking down this seemingly quiet street in Avignon at a typical French market. I stop to look at a booth and buy a present for
a friend back home when all of a sudden, this woman runs up to me from her booth holding purses and screaming in the “sacre bleu” French. No lie, I almost wet my pants. Luckily, I was with a fluent French-Canadian (Thank God For Canadians) who informed me that all she said was “I have these bags in black and silver!” Really great.
Another highlight of the tour was my trip to the Monte Carlo Casino where I won 30 euro! I was happier than those people on Deal or No Deal when they find out that the models were only faking them out. But legit, the casino is beautiful. It’s covered in ornate and decorative paintings that give it this billion dollar shine. Not to mention the Benzes, Porsches, and Jaguars parked out front. Unfortunately, my winnings can’t buy me a Rolls Royce, but it was still pretty sick.
Then, we on down to Cinque Terre and Florence (in Italian, it’s Firenze). I loved it. Once we crossed the border into Italy, I was totally stoked. Seriously, I must have eaten enough food in my days here to last an entire mountain village four days. No, make it five. But it’s just so good – the pesto is fresh, the tomatoes are ripe, and the pizza – move over Domino’s – the best in the world.
Other things to note: our tour guide was amazing. If, and when, you head over to Europe as for Emma. She is just the most fiesty Scottish woman who will greet you every morning with an “Okey guys”
and a “Wakey, wakey, wakey”. With our Italian gigalo bus driver (he identifies himself as this), the whole experience was a hoot from start to finish. Gotta love it. Peace out guys!