The Liebster Award!

January 1, 2019February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design3 Comments

Niche Travel Design has been nominated for The Liebster Award!

I was nominated by A World in Reach for this peer award. For a somewhat new blogger like me, this is a special treat. It’s always a great feeling to be recognized by your peers. Thank you, Sydney and A World in Reach.

What is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster Award is a peer to peer award, given to bloggers, by bloggers as a way to foster collaboration and support. What a nice idea.

I noticed a message board in my German friend’s house that said “liebe und respekt.” I asked what liebe or liebster meant. She told me it means dearest or kindest. Thus, bloggers being dear and kind to one another. This is an award I can get behind. I am always seeking advice from others and I am happy to promote the idea of collaboration. I strongly believe in the theory that what you give comes back to you.

The Rules of Engagement

Once you’re nominated with the Liebster Award, you have to follow a few rules to celebrate your win and spread the award throughout the blogging community.

1. Thank the person who nominated you, and put a link to their blog on your blog.

2. Display the award on your blog.

3. Write a small post about what makes you passionate about blog posting.

4. Provide 10 random facts about yourself.

5. Answer the questions from your nominator and provide a fresh set of questions for those you nominate.

6. Nominate 5 – 10 blogs that you feel would enjoy blogging about this award.

7. List these rules in your post.

How I Began My Blogging Journey

I began blogging when I first moved from California to Parma, Italy in 2011.

When my daughter was a toddler she frequently made up words that sounded similar to the adult versions. She would say strawbellies instead of strawberries; froggy instead of foggy. One of the words she transposed was Parmesan. In her toddler mind, Parmesan cheese was Purple John cheese. For years our family asked each other to pass the Purple John cheese at the dinner table.

Imagine our surprise when we realized that we were moving to Parma, Italy – the birthplace of Purple John cheese. Apparently, the universe has a sense of humor. It seemed like serendipity. What we did not know is that an international move is difficult. Life in another country is difficult. It is not all adventure. I had 2 very sad children who did not want to move and leave the comfort of their home.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read about the reality of an international move here.[/dropshadowbox]

All that being said, life in Italy was often quite funny because things were soooo different than what we were used to. Thus, my original blog, Purple John, began by me just telling friends about the difficulties and the funny stories that we encountered along the way.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read funny stories about life in Italy in the drop-down menu here. [/dropshadowbox]

And of course, just when we were settled into life in Italy, the universe struck again and we had a second move to Malmö, Sweden. Once we moved and settled into Malmö, I toyed with the idea of reworking my past experience as a travel consultant and incorporating the blog as part of the business. The kids were older and they did not need me as much as they did in Italy. This last year I began my existing blog Niche Travel Design using my name and domain name from the travel business that I ran in the USA. So now my travel business has a blog attached to it.

My blog still occasionally includes funny ex-pat tales of excitement and woe, but now I am more focused on the business of travel. The funny thing, though . . . that little toddler that inspired my first blog name, she now works with me on the business.

At Niche Travel Design, our philosophy is that designing the perfect vacation is as much an art form as designing a home’s interior or a garden’s landscape. We curate a unique experience for each of our clients.

We are experts in finding the best cup of coffee, the most interesting art gallery, the best place to sip Prosecco while watching the sunset, and the best accessories to make your adventure more comfortable.

The perfect cappuccino

Aperol Spritz – the classic summer cocktail

Niche Travel Design is more than a travel blog. We are a community featuring stories of life abroad, cultural experiences, recipes, ideas, and tips for creating unique memories to last a lifetime. We also recommend products and services.

10 Random Things About Me

I once sort of crashed a funeral. My friend was supposed to go and I was staying with her so I went too because it was celebrity filled. In the end, I felt like a heel and a looky-loo. People (even celebrities) were grieving. I don’t recommend it. Not my best moment.
I always top off my gasoline, despite the warnings.
I love Gene Kelly movies and I got to meet him once and had a conversation with him about his more obscure movies. It was amazing and he was so kind.
I am secretly a Carpenters fan. I guess it is not a secret anymore.
I sing all the time in public even though I really shouldn’t.
I once got into a car accident on the way home from a car accident and neither one was my fault. I know you don’t believe me, but it is true.
Apparently, according to my family, I say Google incorrectly? Who knew?
I hate, I mean really hate, The Pillsbury Doughboy. His voice makes my skin crawl.
I once stayed at a “pensione” in Barcelona that was actually the host’s children’s room. He was clearing toys out of their bedroom. It was weird, but it was late and there was a train strike so I paid to sleep in a stranger’s kid’s bed.
I generally don’t like chick flicks despite being a chick. I seem to be missing a gene or something.

A World In Reach’s Questions For Me

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your travels? That once one strips away all the cultural differences, we are all the same. We all just want safety, family, friends, love, and respect in our lives.

What’s your favorite part of traveling? Exploring and learning about a place. Finding off the beaten path things to do. I am a researcher and enjoy the discovery of new things to do, a great local restaurant, a specialty shop, an unusual experience in a typical tourist spot. Least favorite? The getting there bit. The airports, etc. Ugh.

Do you collect any souvenirs from your travels? I used to collect art from each place but now I have too much. I had to stop. No more room to hang anything. We have also always collected ornaments for our Christmas tree. It is nice to remember our trips as we put up each ornament every year. Now I collect photographs and memories.

What is the most unique experience you’ve had with a local while traveling? Swimming with horses in Croatia. Just incredible.

[dropshadowbox align=”none” effect=”lifted-both” width=”auto” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Read more about swimming with horses here. [/dropshadowbox]

If you could travel with one person you’ve never traveled with before, who would it be? Barack Obama. He is intelligent, funny, has done some cool stuff and met a bunch of interesting people. I’ll bet he has good stories. Plus, he gets V.I.P. treatment and if we were traveling together I’d get V.I.P. treatment too.

How did you come up with your blog name? It was the name of my travel business in the USA. I focus on niche, unique, unusual travel experiences. I curate and design your trip for you.

What tip would you give to a new blogger? Learn all the technical stuff before you begin.

Is there a book or a movie that has inspired your wanderlust? No. My wanderlust was developed as a child. Actually, I feel like it has always been there.

What are the top 3 things on your bucket list? Africa – all of it! Australia/New Zealand and Asia.

What is your biggest travel regret? I had a chance to go to Africa for a summer. I didn’t go because it wasn’t practical. I should have gone.

My Nominations for The Liebster Award

I have really enjoyed the Liebster Award process. I also enjoyed reading about each of these bloggers that I am nominating. I hope that you each take the time to read up on what they have to offer.

1. Divine Kabwe at beingyourselfblog.wordpress.com

2. Diana Danciu at ourblindlife.com

3. Jenny Toney Bhatia of travelingpartyof4.com

4. Temeka Flack Green of worklifemommyhood.com

5. Heather Eyre of thefemalefactor.me

6. Jamie Joseph of wearefreeindeed.wordpress.com

7. Samantha Norman of SammiNormanFit.com

8. Louise Emerson of 12books.co.uk

9. Mallory Herrera of mamaonparade.com

10. Megan Henderson of thehendersonhouse.org

Questions For My Nominees

Since I have a travel blog, my questions are all about travel.

Where would you go if money and time were not issues?
What is the best advice you would give to new travelers?
What is the one accessory that you cannot travel without – your phone and/or computer don’t count?
Where is one place you would return over and over again? And why?
Where is one place you’ve been but never want to return to? And why?
What is the funniest travel mishap you’ve had?
What is the scariest travel experience you’ve had?
What is your favorite travel souvenir?
What is your favorite local cuisine?
What is your next destination?

Looking forward to reading my nominees’ answers and getting to know them better.

And once again, a BIG THANK YOU to A World In Reach for my nomination!

Everyone, please be sure to check out Sydney’s blog for ideas on budget travel. A World In Reach can provide you with all sorts of ideas on traveling on a budget.

Americans abroad · aperitivo · Buon Natale · Christmas · Christmas cocktails · cocktails · day drinking · Emilia Romagna · Emilia Romagna · European travel · ex-pat life · favorite recipes · Insider Tips · international travel · Italian cocktails · Italian food · Italian recipes · Italy · Parma Italy · Travel

Italian Liqueurs | Day Drinking In Italy: The Italian White Russian.

November 26, 2018 Niche Travel Design2 Comments

ITALIAN LIQUEURS ARE NECESSARY | Our First Winter In Italy

a young girl holding an enormous snow ball.

Big Snow for the Big Lebowki

Emilia Romagne snow.

Our first winter living in Italy was brutal. Snow for months. My husband and I were snowbound, watching the movie, The Big Lebowski and dreaming of White Russians to keep us warm. A White Russian is a lovely concoction comprised of vodka, cream, and coffee flavored liqueur, Kahlua. The drink features prominently in the movie. Unfortunately, while Kahlua is very popular in the USA, it was impossible to find in Italy. Literally impossible. Our Big Lebowski dreams were shattered.

Then one day my husband walked in from work with a look on his face like a little boy with a frog in his pocket. He excitedly pulled out a bottle of Borghetti, a coffee based Italian liqueur. White Russians were back on the menu. And, we quickly realized that the regional Italian liqueurs, well, they are necessary to survive winter.

White Russian cocktail on the bar stand on rubber mat. — The classic White Russian cocktail. Photo credit: iStock Photos.

Now, after 2 or 3 White Russians, you’d think that we would have been out cold. I am an insomniac, but my husband can literally sleep anywhere, at any time. Yet this night, no sleep was to be had. No sheep were being counted. At about 3:00 a.m., we were both wide awake with the edgy energy that only high amounts of caffeine have ever given me. We tossed. We turned. We tried to figure out why my husband couldn’t sleep. Eventually, it dawned on us to look at the Borghetti bottle.

ITALIAN INGREDIENTS | Hint, They Are Sticklers For Natural, Pure Ingredients.

There it was right on the front of the bottle, “di vero caffe espresso.” Arrgh. Our excitement had made us foolhardy. While Kahlua is a coffee “flavored” liqueur, Borghetti is made with pure espresso. Italians do not believe in artificial ingredients. Not even in their liqueurs. We had essentially consumed 3 espressos each before bedtime.

ITALIAN COFFEE | Borghetti, Not Suitable For Evening

We concluded that Borghetti is only suitable for day drinking. Borghetti is a day drink because one cannot drink it in the evening and expect to get any sleep. If Borghetti bested my sleep connoisseur husband, a normal person doesn’t stand a chance.   Borghetti is delicious. I like it even better than Kahlua. It has less of a sugary taste and more of a strong coffee flavor. So the conundrum. The stuff is tasty but there is no way we can drink after 12:00 noon and how many times a year does one sit around drinking during the daytime? Hum . . . when could we consume this lovely liqueur?

We decided that Borghetti is the perfect Christmas morning drink. A little Borghetti in with some cream and Nat King Cole singing Christmas carols is a pretty damn near perfect way to start your day.

Two Christmas gnomes with a bottle of Borghetti. — The Italian liqueur, Borghetti. The necessary ingredient for an Italian Christmas White Russian.

ITALIAN RECIPES | The Italian White Russian

Despite the name, the White Russian was not invented in Russia. I suspect that the alleged inventor so named it due to the inclusion of vodka, but I have no proof (pun intended) of that.

Legend has it that Gustave Tops, a Belgian bartender, not a Russian, created the cocktail in 1949 at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels. The drink was quite popular initially and eventually spread across the globe. In the USA, the concoction hit the height of its popularity in the 1970s. Today, not too many people drink them and it is considered a retro cocktail.

Our recipe adds a new twist with the addition of the espresso liqueur. In our house, we have cross pollinated 2 cultures and now our cocktail’s official moniker is Il Russo Bianco di Natale Italiano or the Italian Christmas White Russian.

Makes one drink:

2 oz vodka.
1 oz Borghetti
1/2 oz whole milk or heavy cream.
Ice.

Buon Natale a Tutti!

Americans abroad · Emilia Romagna · European travel · ex-pat life · ex-pat reality · football · Insider Tips · Italy · Parma Italy · soccer · Travel · world cup

The Most Popular Game In The World

June 13, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design9 Comments

Football match in Italy. Parma vs. Inter Milan — Italian football match. Parma vs. Inter Milan

Italian Passion

Italians are a passionate bunch in general, and their passion for life can be triggered on a dime. Amazingly though, they also seem to make up with one another right away. I have seen them yelling and screaming at each other, faces reddened, spittle flying, arms waving and then shake hands and walk away five minutes later. Given this passionate culture, I was eager to attend a football match because one thing that Italians are very passionate about is football, the most popular game in the world. You know, what we Americans call soccer.

Football, The Most Popular Game In The World

We decided to support our local football team and we went to watch Parma play against Inter Milan. I was a tad nervous because my husband had warned me that when Parma scores the crowd goes a little crazy – their passions are unfurled with yelling, screaming, shoving, running up and down the stands. Joe was actually knocked over at the last game he went to. He was not hurt, but that knowledge made me anxious as neither my daughter, nor I, do well in crowds. I was also anxious because Inter Milan was ranked fifth and Parma was ranked sixth, so tensions were indeed high. Ultimately. my desire to experience Italy to its fullest won out over my fear. We donned our blue and yellow and headed out to the stadium.

Upon arriving, I noticed that there is no alcohol allowed at an Italian soccer game. Now, bear in mind that Italy is a place where one can find a full bar just about everywhere – the park, the movie theater, the shopping mall, the gym. But not at a football stadium. I have to say, that I support this practice. I think it is a wise idea to prohibit alcohol at sporting events where passion and loyalties are on overdrive. One of my dear friends in California is a sweet, gentle guy unless you encounter him at the UCLA/USC football game. Then, he is a rabid dog. Give him some beer at the UCLA/USC game and he is a rabid bear. It may be a good thing for America to follow the Italian example in this case.

Something else that I noticed was that even stone cold sober, Italian fans are INTENSE about, and loyal to, their football team. One of our Italian friends welcomed his second daughter into the world on the morning of the game that we attended, but he still made it to the match that afternoon!

Warning – Foul Language Ahead

The intense loyalty that they feel for their team is most often manifested by hurling insults at the other team. Through the entire game, Parma fans were chanting “Inter, Inter, vaffanculo, vaffanculo!” which literally translates as “Inter, Inter, up your a**,” but is used more as Americans use f^%k you. Imagine half of a stadium chanting “f^%k you!” Here were some of the antics I was hoping to experience.

Italians are a poetic people. They value the poetry of their art, food, fashion and language. Given this love of language, a simple vaffanculo would not suffice and the fans occasionally intermixed the vaffanculo’s with the chanting of an Inter Milan player’s name and then “pezzo di merda.” As in, for example, “Zanetti piece of shit.” They also broke into song once or twice singing along to the tune of Guantanamera but replacing the Guantanamera with “pezzo di merda” and then a player’s name so that the tune went something like this – “♫ pezzo di merda. Zanetti, pezzo di merda. ♪♪ peeeezzzzzo di merdaaa, ♫ Zanetti, pezzo di merda.” Again, imagine a huge crowd all swearing together in song. Fascinating and entertaining stuff, I tell you.

The most perplexing expression of loyalty for me, however, was the yelling of “cinesi vai via!” or “non ci sono cinesi in Italia!” This translates as “Chinese go away” and “There are no Chinese in Italy.” As factually incorrect, and as racially insensitive, as these comments were, the funny thing to me is that they were yelling these insults at Inter Milan player Yuto Nagatomo . . . who is Japanese. I swear I saw Nagatomo looking around for the mysterious Chinese guy once or twice.

The final thing that I noticed about Italian football games is that the previously blogged about colpo d’aria – the dreaded hit of air – that Italians feel must be avoided at all times and at all costs for fear of ending up in the hospital – seems to have a waiver for football matches.

During our game, for example, the weather was rainy and cold and yet scores of fans were without umbrellas or rain gear. And quite a few were without shirts. In the rain! There they were, standing in the freezing rain, getting hit by air for 2+ hours and not a one seemed to be concerned that they were going to end up in the hospital. Once again, questions arise in my American mind about the colpo d’aria malady.

Alas, for Parma fans, despite their best insults and choral talent, Inter Milan won. Parma didn’t score a single goal so I didn’t get to see the post score craze of happy fans that I craved. And despite the racist epithets, Nagatomo dominated the field. But, you know what they say . . . karma is a Japanese Inter Milan player.

Americans abroad · Emilia Romagna · Italian food · Italy · Parma Italy · parmigiano-reggiano · Prosciutto di Parma

Torta Fritta

February 14, 2018 Niche Travel Design2 Comments

One day, not long ago, I was craving this yummy little treat from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. Torta Fritta as it is known in Parma or Gnocco Fritto if you are in the next town over because in Italy food is very regional and even if it is the exact same dish but it is in the next town it must have a different name. Oh Italy, I do miss you.

Anyway, there I was in Sweden dreaming of Torta Fritta. Torta Fritta are little pillows of dough, lightly fried and puffed up. They are most often served warm and stuffed with Parmesan cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, salami and various meats. They are little pillows of culinary heaven.

The thought never entered my mind to make them from scratch, because, you know, I am not Italian and Italian cuisine (real Italian cuisine not the over worked American versions) is intimidating. So I foolishly tried to Macgyver it and I bought some pre-made, albeit fresh, pasta with the intention of flash frying it into pillows. It didn’t work. It wasn’t pretty. And it certainly wasn’t Torta Fritta.

What I forgot is that while living in Italy I discovered that most Italian recipes are actually quite simple. They pair a few ingredients that happen to compliment each other. They don’t over work, they don’t add too much. They let the flavors meld and do all the work. Then I remembered that one of my favorite gifts that I received when moving from Parma was a cookbook given to me by my gem of a friend, the amazing Beatrice Zambelloni Papoccia. Bea is the Martha Stewart of Italy and one of the best cooks I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. She gave me a book titled Ten True Gems of Parmesan Cuisine. I cautiously opened it, searched for the recipe and said a little prayer to Don Alfonso.

Sidebar – Don Alfonso was the original proprietor of our favorite restaurant in Parma and the staff was kind enough to give me a commemorative photo of Don Alfonso when we moved. He sits on a shelf in my kitchen overseeing it all, and I like to believe, spreading good Italian food mojo around the kitchen.

I opened the cookbook and there it was. The recipe.

And here it is for you now:

Torta Fritta – enough for 6

1/2 a kilo of white flour
water
salt

Mix the ingredients, adding enough water to obtain a rather soft dough. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 a centimeter. Cut it into rhomboids with a pasta cutter. Fry the pieces in oil or lard. Torta Fritta can be served hot with cheese and meat and if there happens to be any leftover, it is excellent eaten cold the next day, dipped into milky coffee or with jam.

I know what you are thinking. I know that you are judging me because it is soooo easy, but let me tell you when you have tasted fresh Torta Fritta that has been handmade by your neighbor’s nonna it tastes complicated. I also know that you want to know the precise measurements of the water and salt but this recipe has been handed down for hundreds of years and you will just have to work it out.

Finally, just because I am American, if you want to complicate the recipe, I read that sometimes, a drop of milk is added to soften the dough.

Buon appetito tutti!

Americans abroad · Bologna Italy · Emilia Romagna · ex-pat life · Italian food · Italy · Parma Italy

Cappelletti in Brodo

February 14, 2018 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

Cappelletti in Brodo is a lovely Italian soup. This soup so simple, but packed with flavor and is popular in Italy during the winter months. It is also a staple of the Italian Christmas menu.

Cappelletti – little hats – are similar to tortellini. They are not tortellini though. Cappelletti are made with squares of pasta rather than the circles used for tortellini. The squares are folded in half to make a triangle, then the two ends of the triangle are joined together to make a turned-up peak, which make them resemble the tri-cornered hat of the Italian army. So, the top point is up for cappelletti or folded down for tortellini.

This is so simple it is a wonder that I never thought of it when living in the USA. I also never saw it served anywhere in the USA.

If you are so inclined as to make the cappelletti from scratch, the recipe is below.

If you are short on time however, you can buy freshly made cappelletti and use a homemade broth. I recommend that the cappelletti is fresh though.

Cappelletti can be filled with meat, poultry or ricotta cheese.

For the Broth
The broth will vary according to your filling. For example, if you are filling the cappelletti with meat you will want a beef or pork based broth. If you are filling them with poultry, then make a chicken stock. If you are filling them with ricotta cheese, the broth base can be either meat or poultry based.

Here is a standard chicken based stock recipe.

1 whole chicken in pieces
1 tomato
2 stalks of celery, in chunks
2 carrots, chopped in chunks
2 large onions, chopped in chunkssprig of parsley
healthy pinch of salt
water

In a large stock pot add all ingredients and cover with water.Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
Strain your stock and discard the vegetables.

Pick the meat off the bone to use in the cappelletti. Substitute beef and/or pork for a different filling and stock.

For the Pasta
You will need a pasta machine. You can get a pasta machine online for as little as $25.00. Using a pasta machine also helps to create a silky smooth pasta.

Before you begin, take your eggs out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature.

You will need:
3 eggs plus 1 egg yoke
3 cups of doppio zero “00″ flour if you can find it. If not, you can use all-purpose flour, but try “00″ if you can get it. It is different than the flour typically used in the USA.
Pinch of salt

Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and salt to the well and mix gently with a spatula. Slowly incorporate the flour. Mix in the remaining flour and place on a lightly floured counter. Knead for 10 minutes. The dough will soften up after it rests. Cut the dough in half and wrap each half in a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for one hour.

After the dough has rested:
Unwrap one of the dough pieces and cut it in half, re-wrap the remaining dough.
Cut your dough in half and roll it out on a floured surface.
Put your pasta machine on setting #1. Pass the dough through each setting (1 through 5) twice.
Lay the pasta dough on flat surface and cover it so that it doesn’t dry out as you put the remaining dough through the settings.

Cut the sheets so they are 2 inches wide.
Cut the pasta the other way so that you have 2 inch squares.

For the Filling
The filling can be meat, poultry or ricotta cheese. This recipe is for a composite meat filling.

1/4 lb ground veal or pork
1/8 lb prosciutto
1/8 lb mortadella
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 egg
1 tsp butter
nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground pork and set it aside to cool. In a food processor, add the mortadella and prosciutto, pulsing to mix. Add the ground pork, butter, cheese, egg and pulse some more.

Place a little bit of filling in the center of each square.

Fold corner to corner so your square is now a triangle.

Dab a little water if you need it for the seal.

Take the two outer corners and fold them around your finger, pushing the center up.

Leave the “point” up as this is the signature of cappelletti.

Place on a lightly floured tray or wax paper.

For the Cappelletti in Brodo

Simply bring the stock to a boil.
Add the cappelletti and cook until they bob to the surface.
Serve hot and top with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and some good fresh bread.

Buon appetito!

Americans abroad · Emilia Romagna · Italian food · Italy · Parma Italy

Sbrisolona – The Yummy Traditional Crumbly Italian Almond Tart

February 14, 2018 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

Before we officially moved to Italy, my husband brought a Sbrisolona back with him on one of his commuter trips. I instantly fell in love with it and all its almondy deliciousness.

After arriving in Italy, I took a cooking class with some friends. I was delighted to see Sbrisolona on the menu and even happier to learn how simple it is to make. Sbrisolona is perfect in the morning with an espresso or cappuccino, but also a lovely end to your meal at night with some sweet dessert wine.

The History
Created around the 16th century in the Northern Italian countryside, near Mantua, Sbrisolona was a popular dessert among poor families. In order to save money, they would prepare the tart by mixing cornmeal, hazelnuts and lard.

Although made with inexpensive ingredients, Sbrisolona began to appear on the tables of the noble families of Mantua, including the Gonzaga family.

In the noble households, the recipe was enriched with more expensive ingredients using sugar, spices and almonds, without moving too far away from the original characteristics of the dessert.

According to tradition, this hard, yet crumbly, dessert should be broken into pieces and eaten with one’s hands.

The Recipe
Preparation – 10 minutes
Cooking – 20 – 25 minutes depending on your oven

Ingredients

1 ½ lb all-purpose flour
1 ¼ lb butter
1 lb granulated sugar
4 oz egg yolks
½ oz baking powder
lemon zest, grated
1 ¾ oz almonds
⅞ lb cornmeal

Method

Blend all ingredients together on a table or work-surface.
Mix all the ingredients together to obtain a pastry dough.
Crumble the dough into a greased pie pan. Do not press the dough together, let it remain crumbled. The knack lies in preparing all the ingredients by crumbling them. Do not let the mass become homogeneous.

Optional – Arrange almonds on top of the crumbled mix.

Bake in a preheated oven at 360°F for 20 -25 minutes depending on your oven.

This yummy dessert can be served at brunch, for dessert, at bookclub or at a work function. It is great with coffee or dessert wine. Versatile, light and full of flavor, it will not disappoint.

Americans abroad · Bologna Italy · Emilia Romagna · ex-pat life · Italian food · Italy · Parma Italy · parmigiano-reggiano · Prosciutto di Parma

Prosciutto With Black Truffles and Truffle Mustard Dressing

February 14, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design1 Comment

This appetizer is so simple and so full of flavor you may end up serving it at every party you have from here on out!

The Recipe

Ingredients
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp truffle mustard or dijon mustard
6 thin slices fresh black truffle, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
8 small slices ciabatta
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for brushing)
4 slices prosciutto
Small salad leaves, your choice
8 thin slices of fresh black truffle

Method
Make dressing first by mixing 4 tbsp olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard and finely chopped truffl e. Season with salt and mix well. Preheat oven to 160C. Brush ciabatta bread pieces with 1 tbsp of olive oil and toast lightly in oven for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut each prosciutto slice in half to obtain eight pieces. Once toasted, remove ciabatta pieces and, while still hot, place a piece of prosciutto on each and nestle on serving plate with small salad leaves. Drizzle with truffle dressing and finish with a truffle slice on each crostini. Add a couple of turns of pepper over the lot and serve.

Thank you to http://www.goodfood.au for the recipe.

Americans abroad · European travel · ex-pat life · Italy · Parma Italy

Your Carriage Awaits You

February 14, 2018February 10, 2022 Niche Travel Design21 Comments

So, my husband accepted the job in Italy. We were moving and we needed a house. I have heard that moving is one of the most stressful things one can do. Add to it the challenges of an international move, and stress doesn’t adequately describe the feeling.

The company set up a trip for us to go house hunting in Parma. We were put up in a very nice hotel right in the center of town. We walked the narrow, cobblestoned, beautiful streets and explored our new city. The buildings were architecturally beautiful. Many had interior courtyards, carved edifices and delicate detail. Parma was gorgeous and romantic and everything that I had hoped for. I was excited.

House hunting in a foreign land is challenging. There is the language barrier and cultural expectations that must be tempered. And there is the fact that most American houses are larger than what Europeans are used to living in. Space was an issue. I had reduced our belongings by 1/3, but we still had more stuff than the average Italian family. I meticulously filled out the forms telling the relocation expert what we were looking for. Our relocation expert, Ignazio, arrived in a fancy big car to drive us around and look at houses. My excitement grew. We were driving around Parma and the buildings were just gorgeous. The countryside was stunning.
In my excitement, I asked questions, I commented on how lovely the town and the surrounding villages were. I tried to engage Ignazio. Yet, every time I made a comment, Ignazio ignored me, and when I asked a direct question, Ignazio looked at my husband and answered the question. I seemed to be invisible, although, he clearly heard me as he was answering what I had just asked?? There is a saying the USA, that a happy wife equals a happy life. Clearly, this was not an idiom in Italy, or at least not with this guy. The thing is, my husband is happy wherever. His housing needs are much simpler than mine. I wanted to find a place that would not only fit all of our stuff, but also, one that would make the kids comfortable and happy. When I walk into a space, I can envision where every piece of furniture will go and I can quickly assess if the space is big enough. Machismo Ignazio didn’t seem to realize that I was the one that he needed to please. The first few apartments and houses that he showed us were not even the right number of bedrooms. What he called a bedroom would not fit anything more than a twin bed. Where would wardrobes go?? My excitement was waning. My excitement was transitioning to worry and frustration with Ignazio. Surely, there had to be bigger spaces. It felt like there was a puzzle piece missing. His car was bigger than some of the places he showed us (ok, that may be hyperbole, but you get the idea).

After a few days of house hunting, I was near hysteria. We were running out of time and there did not seem to be anything in Parma that fit our family. Plus, Ignazio was still ignoring me and my feedback, thus, we were not making any progress. A friend in the USA hooked me up with a producer of a popular international house hunting show. They wanted us on the show. I saw angels and heard harps playing. Salvation was on the way. Uh . . . no. Spoiler alert, if you are a fan of these type of reality shows, you may not want to keep reading as I am about to burst your bubble. Pre-production called me and explained that they do not actually help you find an apartment. The show features families who have already found a place to live. They move the family completely out of their apartment, film it empty, film the family looking at a bunch of other apartments that no one really intends to rent, move them back into their apartment and film the result. “Why would anyone do that?” I asked. That process did not seem like it was going to help my stress levels. We declined the show appearance. One more trip in the big fancy car did not help either. I was no longer enjoying my first visit to Parma and I was on the verge of causing a scene at the relocation offices.

One evening, after yet another stressful and unsuccessful day of house hunting, we decided to go out for a walk and find a restaurant that the hotel had recommended. Armed with a map and American confidence, we set out. While the narrow, cobblestone streets are charming, they are also quite confusing. We got lost and the streets were empty. This was surprising for a Saturday evening. We would later figure out that we were far too early, but I digress. We went into a few shops and asked if they spoke English. No. We gave them the name of the restaurant and the map and pointed. Nope, they couldn’t help us.

So there we were. Standing in the street, tired, frustrated, running out of time to find a place to live, lost and hungry. Anyone familiar with the old Jack Lemon movie The Out of Towners? We were that couple.

As we stood there staring at the map, tears of emotional exhaustion in my eyes, a garbage truck the size of a golf cart pulled up. A man got out and approached us. He spoke no English. He looked at our map. We showed him the name of the restaurant. He pointed in a few different directions. We were still confused. He waved his hand. We stood there with blank stares. He waved his hand again and added a head nod toward the garbage truck. “I think he wants us to go with him.” I said. “Should we? We don’t know this guy. He could drive us somewhere and murder us after stealing our wallets and jewelry. We have 2 children at home. We cannot get murdered in Italy!” We were armed with American confidence AND American fear culture, but again, I digress.

I still do not fully understand why, perhaps our sheer physical and emotional exhaustion took over, but, we decided to get in the garbage truck. The gentleman drove us around for a few minutes, picking up garbage bags that had been left on the streets. Then he delivered us to the front door of the restaurant. We thanked him effusively. He smiled and said “Niente. Buon appetito.”

Then something wonderful happened. The stress dissipated and my husband and I started laughing. In the USA, a garbage truck would NEVER offer to drive you anywhere – liability and union rules. Nor would we ever agree to get in a garbage truck with a perfect stranger. Too scary. But here in our new country, the garbage truck was a sign. Here, in our new country, we were going to have to learn to adapt. We were going to have to accept that the best apartment may not be the size of the house we left behind. We were going to have to embrace the changes, the stress, the new rules, and, the adventure of it all. We were going to have to learn to recognize that sometimes the most beautiful carriage is not a big fancy car, but a golf cart sized garbage truck.

Americans abroad · Bologna Italy · Emilia Romagna · European travel · ex-pat life · Firenze Italia · Florence Italy · international travel · Italy · Parma Italy · Travel

La Bella Figura

March 20, 2016March 20, 2016 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michaelangelo.”
Mark Twain

This is the quintessential Italian woman. Elegant, stylish, understated and fare la bella figura.

“Fare la bella figura” literally means “to make a beautiful figure.” The phrase refers to the Italian ideal of looking your best at all times. For this casual Californian this ideal may be the biggest challenge that I’ve faced living in Italy.

Northern Italy is the home of Milano, the seat of fashion houses and world famous designers. People are stylish here. Then, among Italians, Parma is known to be a very fashion conscious community.

The first week of school, I was jet lagged and coming down off of an emotional roller coaster of a year. I was unaccustomed to humidity and was sopping wet every time I stepped outside. Because of the humidity I was also carrying around water, which I stated earlier is a big no-no. So there I am the first day of school in Italy, bedraggled, exhausted and definitely not stylish. I hardly felt the need to dress up for the ten minute walk to school when I was just going home to unpack dirty, dusty boxes. I was feeling good about myself because I had put on some makeup and my fancy Taryn Rose flip flops.

I arrived at school, looked at all the Italian mothers and thought “uh oh.” Not only were they thin and beautiful, they all looked very stylish in an understated, elegant way. Northern Italian women don’t wear a lot of makeup. They don simple, but high quality and finely tailored clothes. They wear dresses, skirts and lots and lots of stilettos. And boots – year round. And scarves – year round. I stood on the sidewalk, hair in a ponytail in casual, (almost exercise) clothes. Needless to say, I stood out like a sore thumb.

I had a conversation with my friend Diana who is English about the Italian women’s seemingly effortless style. Diana noted that if you went to the supermarket in England dressed like an Italian woman does, everyone would think, “what is she trying to prove?” I thought about how people would react if you showed up at Safeway in stilettos, a dress, a scarf – Diana was right. Americans too would think you were putting on airs. The only reason you would wear high heels to the supermarket in America was if you were on your way to or from work or an event. In Italy, however, it a common occurrence.

From my American (and casual Californian) perspective, it seems like a lot of work to get dressed up just to run to the supermarket, go to the gym or walk the kids to school. But dress up they do. I was no longer in California and if I didn’t want to stand out I was going to have to make some changes. Wearing exercise clothes on the street is just not done here and flip flops (my shoe of choice in California) are reserved for the pool or the health club. If I continued my disregard for la bella figura, I may offend someone or at the very least confuse them. My American friend Sarah told me that once she went out in her “tuta” or her exercise suit with no makeup. She ran into her landlady who promptly contacted Sarah’s Italian in-laws to inquire if Sarah was feeling ill since she had been out of the house looking so casual. In Italy, being ill is the only excuse for failing fare la bella figura.

The first week here I sat back and observed. I saw one woman ride up to school on her bicycle in a tight pencil skirt, gorgeous blouse and stilettos. There was a light summer rain. She rode her bicycle while holding an umbrella, one child on the back of her bike and another in the front. She arrived, floated off of her bike, got the kids out of their seats, grabbed her Louis Vuitton bag and glided into school. Not a hair out of place. I watched – mouth agape. She couldn’t be a real mother of two small children. She looked like a super model. I looked around for a film crew. This had to be fake.

I soon came to accept that not only are Italian women stylish, they don’t seem to be affected by weather. Italian women’s hair is never out of place. The weather reeks havoc on my style regularly. In the summer the humidity leaves my body and head wet and it renders my hair a wet, frizzy, wonky mess. In the spring, the pollen makes my eyes water and my nose run constantly leaving me looking like W.C. Fields. The wet winter rain and fog makes my eyes water resulting in black raccoon eyes from runny mascara. And again, my hair becomes a frizzy wonky mess. Why don’t Italian women suffer as I do? Is it genetics? How do they do it?

Fare la bella figura is not limited to young women either. I have seen many an old women dottering along, holding on to her companion for support in stilettos! Stilettos! They can barely walk anymore, but damn it if they aren’t going to look good. I can no longer navigate a flat surface in high heels, let alone the cobblestones. The older women also love their hats, fur coats, scarves and handbags. I particularly like to watch the older ladies during the Christmas season as Italians dress up to do their Christmas shopping. At the beginning of December, the older Italian women put on their finest attire as they stroll around the main piazza and shopping streets showing off their coats, hats and handbags It is a far different atmosphere than the images you see of people clawing and fighting over items at WalMart. This is slow deliberate shopping experience. Another difference between Italy and the USA, no one in Italy is afraid of PETA.. Fur and leather abound, particularly among the older crowd. Fur hats, fur coats, fur trimmed scarves, fur lined leather gloves, fur lined leather boots, leather pants and leather skirts are commonplace.

The Italian women are not alone in pursuing la bella figura. Italian men spend an equal amount of time on their appearance. Italian men’s clothes are often tailored. It is unusual to see baggy clothes on men here. Italian men also wear sweaters quite a bit. Not just pullover sweaters, but cardigans. And they like to roll up the cuffs of their pants, jeans, shorts. Italian men also wear scarves as often as women do and they pay a lot of attention to their shoes. They also carry bags made of beautiful leather – or what we would call a man purse, a murse. Older men frequently wear suits, bow ties, fedoras and a scarf. They dress this way all the time – just to go to the post office or the vegetable market. And where the Italian women tend to be understated, Italian men have a flare for bold style. They are not afraid to wear colors and patterns. Lord knows they love a brightly colored pant.

I have observed the Parmigiani women for almost three years now. I still don’t fully understand how they pull it off. They make being stylish and elegant look effortless and easy. I will never understand how they navigate cobblestones in stilettos. After 2.5 years it still seems like a lot of work just to run your errands, but it is part of the Italian culture. And it is expected. And now I have come to appreciate it. The attention to style makes one feel a bit better when you are out and about. And it makes for great people watching.

The Italian author Beppe Severgnini summed it up best. “Being Italian is a full-time job. We never forget who we are, and we have fun confusing anyone who is looking on.”

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Below are some photos of Italian stye. These are not my photos. I got these off of the internet, but I assure you that I have seen some version of each of these outfits on a regular basis.

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Americans abroad · Emilia Romagna · European travel · ex-pat life · international travel · Italy · Parma Italy · Travel

Spring. Parma, Italia.

March 19, 2016 Niche Travel DesignLeave a comment

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