Alba & Out!

I think this may be my last post from my trip abroad. It has now been two weeks since I have been home, and I think it is time to hang up the hat on this one. It has been delightfully busy since I have been back, and should have posted this a long time ago. But there was just one more excursion that I must write about. Just an hour away from Torino, where all the Slow Food activities took place is a town called Alba. Alba is known for one of my most favorite foods, the white truffle. But, it is also nestled in between some of Piedmont’s delicious wineries.

Hills around Alba

Dad and I had the very fortunate chance to go along wine tasting with Ron, with some of our friends from Lagunitas Brewery,  who had their beers proudly on display in the Salone Del Gusto. We left Torino on a cold and rainy day, and carefully followed their car up into the hills above Alba. Our destination was Pietro Rinaldi, a family-run operation since the 1920’s. Monica and Paolo, the owners and operators, opened up their home for the tasting and lunch. They served a delightful yet simple meal full of yummy antipastos and pasta.

Outside their home, the dog is in the wine barrel

Homemade ragu

Cheese, a mix between sheep and cows milk, with homemade jams

Along with the food, we tasted six of their wines and thoroughly enjoyed them all. 

Four of the Six

They take pride in what they make and really like to have fun with the wines. They were all fabulous, and I really enjoyed their 2009 Moscato called D’Ampess, which they explained meant its liking meeting a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. 

Naturally, since we were in Alba, we had to have some of their infamous truffles. We had dinner the night of the wine tasting in the middle of the heart of Alba

The Main Church

I had nice pasta called Tajarin, an egg pasta that is a favorite in the area. It is a perfect accompaniment to the truffles, I just only wished I had more truffles!

Bringing them out to the table

Box of truffles!

Check out a similar  RECIPE here

The next day was our final day in Alba, and Dad’s final day in Italy. I sought out the truffles again and we managed to find a wonderful restaurant in a back alley called Osteria La Libera.  We walked right in and immediately got seated for their lunch service. For starters, Dad ordered a GREAT crudo.

The kitchen

THE crudo

For the main coarse, I ordered, of course, another pasta with truffles. But this was completely different then the night before. First, it had oodles and oodles of truffles on it, shaven right in front of me, so they we fresh. Second, it was one ravioli, stuffed with a pecorino and spinach. And third, it had an egg on it, so once cut into, egg yolk just oozed down the sides. Fantastic!

The smell of these guys permeated the whole restaurant

Shaving away

Helllloooooo Truffles

As if lunch couldn’t get any better, we got dessert, and it was just heavenly. Dad ordered a pannacotta that he argues is one of the best, if not THE best one he has ever had. I ordered a chocolate soufflé with a fabulous cinnamon ice cream (my new obsession) and some caramel. YUM

Pannacotta

Souffle

Oozing with chocolatey goodness

It was the perfect way to end the trip with Dad. We packed up the car and he head back out to the West Coast of California, while I headed up North to Switzerland to meet up with Lexi again. The food was uber expensive so Lexi and I cooked in our really awesome hostel.  It was really good food that we made, but what was missing with the foods was replaced with views. Just fantastic!

Interlaken

Interlaken

"Hello Swan!" Cue Sex & the City 2 reference...

Hiking in Grindenwald

Gettin' in touch with the locals

Lexi & I in Interlaken

Hellooooo Glacier

Montreaux

 And that’s it! I left Switzerland for two nights in Milan, which I wrote about here. I couldn’t believe that my trip had ended and to be honest, now that I have been home for two weeks, it seems so surreal that I was there. I had so much fun, met so many amazing people and most of all, ate some REALLY good food.

But really, that’s not it! Well it is for Europe, but my adventures in food (& wine) are still continuing up in Northern California and beyond. So stayed tuned for them. This area has so much to offer, to see and explore, and to taste. So really, I’m just getting started….

Milano & Home

I have been SO delinquent in the postings. My last two weeks have been crazy, but incredibly besutiful, fun, and awe-inspiring. I have so much to write about and will spread it out over the next few days. I am currently in Milan, but will be leaving in just 11 short hours for home. Yes home. I am leaving Europe, and all the 6 countries that I have called home the last three months. I say six countries because they have all in some way have been some place special, some place where I could see myself, if given the chance, living for some time in my life. Obviously, my time in France became my home and I really miss all that I was able to get to know and meet.

Friend's & I at a dinner party

Caitlin & I at the Cenac Rugby Bodega

Albert & I at the St Cyprien Night Market

I went to England, and found myself wanting to spend much more time there with a certain someone.

I would say that this fireworks at the last Night at the Proms explains the feeling quite well

I went to Italy to follow my food passions and learn what 5,000 farmers from 150 countries are doing to preserve their food heritage and culture.

Wishes at the Trevi Fountain

Terra Madre 2010

I went to Germany, to get in touch with my family roots.

Market in Munich, no WONDER I love these swings so much

I went to the Czech Republic not knowing what to expect and only to find that Prague reminded me so much of my favorite city in the world, San Fransisco.

So not the Golden Gate Bridge, but there was just something that connected this city to home

And finally, I went to Switzerland, to discover some of the greatest beauty I have seen in any landscape.

So it only makes sense that I am here in Milan, on my last night in Europe, with a wonderful family. They are the family of our friend Tony, and graciously accepted me into their house very last minute. Mom and Dad don't speak any English and Ivana, their daughter, does her best in translating our conversations (and she is REALLY good at it). But even without directly speaking to one another, I have again found myself in a place that feels like home.  It only seems appropriate to be in this home before I embark on my 18 hour journey in the morning back to the Bay. We spent a few hours "talking" about our respective homes, their love for their native Calabria, and my love for Sonoma County. I showed the pictures of my family and friends. But without speaking anything at all, we bonded over the language of food.

lunch for us four

Wonderful salumi-like cured pork from Calabria

1st course-antipasto of the pork, cheese, pickled vegetables

2nd course-pasta with a DUCK and pork ragu. She started cooking this before I got up for even breakfast!

3rd course, 'fried' chicken and potaotes

And a wonderful pannacotta that we had to eat a view hours later after a nap because I was so full. But, sitting in their living room, we laughed and enjoyed the meal together, and I couldn't help but feel part of the family. 

Now I head home to my own family and I say goodbye to this three month chapter in my life. It was an amazing experience and I know that my adventure is not yet over. There is too much good food and good people to not just get out there to taste and meet everyone. And this blog is not over either! During this last two weeks I have had some incredible encounters with people and food, just not enough time to write about them. So on my 12 and a half hour flight from Zurich to Los Angeles (and my two one hour flights before and after), I will be writing away and posting upon my return to the Bay. From there, I will see where my life will take me as I begin the real quest to figure out what I want to do with my life, and of course, document and share with you my food moments along the way.