tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82366721343319004592024-03-13T11:11:30.251-04:00Viaggi, Vini, e CucineUn Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.comBlogger501125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-34713503092497150872020-05-11T12:41:00.000-04:002020-05-11T12:41:49.422-04:00Simply Delicious Cream of Celery Soup<span style="font-size: large;">This cream of celery soup is extremely easy and very tasty. It requires just a little chopping. I posted a similar recipe about seven years ago. This one is a bit better and makes fewer servings - three to four instead of six. I also added an ingredient that I thought made it even better - pancetta.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The catalyst for making this soup was to use up celery left over from making potato salad. It was so tasty, I pigged out and had two servings with the rest of my dinner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even the most inexperienced cook should be able to produce excellent results with this recipe. I found it at <a href="https://www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-cream-celery-soup/" style="text-indent: 0in;">https://www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-cream-celery-soup/</a>. If you have time, I suggest reading the whole article at that site. As that article explains, you can also use this soup as a base for other soup recipes that call for cream of celery soup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's my version of the recipe:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup butter</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped (1 small onion)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 cups finely chopped celery (5 large ribs)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 large clove garlic, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/3 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 & 1/2 cups chicken broth</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 & 1/2 cups whole milk (or richer taste by using some combination of milk and cream or half & half. I used 3/4 cup light milk and 3/4 cup half & half because that's what was in the refrigerator.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/2 tsp sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup chopped panchetta (I used the Publix chopped.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Instructions</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven
or heavy stock pot over medium-high heat and cook the onions, celery, panchetta, and garlic
until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Add flour and cook for
another minute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Add chicken broth and
milk/cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Increase the heat and bring it
to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining ingredients, and
simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-44909880801024003032020-03-18T23:08:00.001-04:002020-03-19T11:10:24.744-04:00Bleu Provence, Naples, FL - Great Food and an Amazing Wine List<span style="font-size: large;">A special friend and I recently had dinner at Bleu Provence (<a href="https://www.bleuprovencenaples.com/">https://www.bleuprovencenaples.com/</a>),</span><span style="font-size: large;"> a remarkable restaurant in Naples, FL. Not only are the food, atmosphere, and service terrific, but its wine selection and service are so good that, since 2015, it has been a winner of Wine Spectator's Grand Award, which is awarded to only 100 restaurants world wide.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We sat out on the back patio, with its very romantic atmosphere. It was partially bordered by trees and was covered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We both had the three-course, $35 early dining menu, and a nice red wine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The three-course meal consists of an appetizer, a main dish, and dessert. The dishes we had were all delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I started perusing the wine list to find a wine, I was very surprised at how lengthy it was. I had only seen wine lists so large at a few restaurants in my life. most notably at Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona, Italy, and at Bern's Steak House in Tampa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our superb waiter explained that Bleu Provence was a 2019 winner of Wine Spectator's Grand Award. When I checked the appropriate edition of Wine Spectator at home, I read that Bleu Provence, with nearly 4,000 wine selections, had received the Grand Award every year since 2015. There are only four Florida restaurants who received that award in 2019 - Bern's in Tampa, one in Palm Beach, and one in West Palm Beach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The appetizer my friend chose was salmon marinated in citrus vinaigrette, and served with strawberries and vinaigrette. Not only was it tasty, but the serving size was generous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My appetizer was Provençal Soup served with gruyère cheese, rouille sauce, and croutons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We chose the same wonderful Duck Leg Confit as a main dish. It had an orange and Grand Marnier demi-glace, and was served with Mango Fries and Sweet Potatoes gratin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For dessert, we both enjoyed the Lemon Tart Meringue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wine I chose was a 2015 Barruol Tiercerolles, Crozes-Hermitage Syrah from the northern Rhône. It was excellent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Early Dining Menu is only available from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After our meal, Alex took us to visit the very impressive wine cellar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant has been in the Crayton Cove area of Naples since 1999. The owners, Lysielle and Jacques Cariot, operate the restaurant with their three sons. They are from Provence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">During normal times, I highly recommend reservations.</span><br />
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<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-42463050679077654722020-02-14T21:31:00.000-05:002020-02-14T21:38:44.538-05:00Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro in Naples, FL - Wow!<div class="yiv5200202214MsoNormal" style="font-family: "times new roman", times, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I recently discovered a terrific Persian bistro in Naples, FL. In searching the Internet for a restaurant where I could treat a special friend (and myself), I ran across Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro (<a href="https://bhabhabistro.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bhabhabistro.com/</a>), which had over 4,000 mostly five-star reviews on OpenTable, TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp. It had a great menu which was a mix of traditional Persian dishes and innovative Persian dishes. On that menu, I found four Persian dishes that protagonist Javad “Josh” Shirazi in my novel <em>Team Triad; A Nuclear Spy Hunt – Iran</em> had prepared as a special dinner for his wife and himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The experience at the Bistro exceeded all my expectations. Every bite was superb; the atmosphere was excellent; and our server Cayan provided impeccable service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My friend and I shared an appetizer of Kashke Bademjun, an eggplant dip with lavash bread. There are two versions of this dish. The one on the menu had sliced eggplant. However, when I showed Cayan the Kindle page of my novel which described the dish I wanted, he realized I would not be getting the correct dish. He immediately went and fixed the problem. The dish was great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My friend’s main course was an evening special - lamb shank, which was tender and delicious. It was so large that she had enough to take home for another meal. I think the sauce was a Mediterranean tomato sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My main dish was Duck Fesenjune (Khoreshte Fesenjun) in a pomegranate-walnut sauce with a mango sauce accent and topped with caramelized dried fruit. In Iran, this traditional dish was originally made with duck. It is now often made with chicken. It was fantastic. I have made it with chicken several times, and was happy to learn that my preparation was in the ball park.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The duck dish came with a side of saffron-topped white rice. However, I also ordered a side of Polo ba Tahdig, which I think bistro calls Tahdik. It is a type of rice in which the bottom of the pot caramelized the rice to a crispy golden brown.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also shared a side of Mast o Khiyar, a cucumber-yoghurt dip/salad it bears some similarities to Greek Tzatziki and Lebanese cucumber-yoghurt dip. It was flavored with dill. I loved it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For dessert to celebrate my friend’s birthday, Cayan brought a dish of Persian rice pudding, which was part of the <em>Team Triad</em> dinner. We both enjoyed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wine I chose to accompany our meal was a 2016 Zenato Alanera red Veronese. It is reliably good. I would like to have ordered one of the wines from the Persian Darioush Winery in the Napa Valley, but their wines are a bit expensive for my taste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We sat outside at a table on one side of the restaurant. It was very private. It was a bit chilly outside, but the heaters next to our table eliminated the chill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The bistro is located at 865 5<sup>th</sup> Ave in South Naples. We found parking right behind the restaurant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can’t wait to return and savor other dishes on the menu. I will definitely request Cayan as our server.</span></div>
Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-91969348114009003902020-02-08T14:35:00.000-05:002020-02-08T14:35:10.892-05:00Simple & Tasty Prosciutto, Avocado, Greens, & Feta Salad<span style="font-size: large;">I created this simple and tasty salad to accompany a flat bread pizza I made for a family dinner. I initially planned to make a terrific-sounding fresh fig and prosciutto salad I found on-line at <a href="https://www.purewow.com/recipes/prosciutto-fig-salad-board">https://www.purewow.com/recipes/prosciutto-fig-salad-board</a>. However, when I couldn't get fresh figs, I ended up changing four of the major ingredients. This recipe serves four, but can easily be scaled up or down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Juice of 1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/3 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 6 ounces mixed arugula, watercress, kale & spinach (Publix sells this mixture)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 ripe avocados, sliced. (There are great on-line videos for avocado-slicing techniques.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 3-4 ounces of thinly slide prosciutto torn into pieces</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 tbsps chopped sweet peppers (Publix sells a chopped sweet pepper mixture.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Preparation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. Stir lemon juice, EVOO, mustard, salt, & pepper in a small bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Place greens on a salad board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Top greens with avocado, prosciutto, peppers, and feta</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Set bowl of dressing next to salad for diners' use.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-11803053440779545122020-01-13T01:07:00.000-05:002020-01-13T01:07:11.387-05:00A Delicious Persian Meal<span style="font-size: large;">For a recent dinner with friends, I decided to serve a (mostly) Persian meal. I was delighted with the results. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The three principal dishes were Persian:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Cucumber salad (Salad-e Shirazi)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Chicken Pomegranate Stew (Khoresh-e Fesenjan)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Bottom-of-the-Pot Rice (Polo ba Tahdig)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dessert was Baklava, which is served from the Balkans and Greece all the way to Central Asia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">(I refer to the main dishes in this posting as Persian rather than Iranian because there are a number of different ethnic groups and cuisines in Iran.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love the cucumber salad, which is very simple to make, and would go beautifully with a wide variety of dishes. It contains cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and herbs. Its dressing is fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. I used small, seedless cucumbers from a nearby Middle Eastern store. I followed the recipe I found at: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/salade-shirazi-persian-cucumber-tomato-and-onion-salad-20190617-h1fg57">https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/salade-shirazi-persian-cucumber-tomato-and-onion-salad-20190617-h1fg5</a><a href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/salade-shirazi-persian-cucumber-tomato-and-onion-salad-20190617-h1fg57">7</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">. Of the herb possibilities suggested in the recipe, I chose fresh parsley and dried mint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Chicken Pomegranate stew contains chicken breast or thighs (I used thighs), pomegranate molasses, walnut paste, onions, sugar, chicken stock, and a variety of spices. The pomegranate molasses is available on Amazon. I purchased the Al Wadi brand from Lebanon. This syrup is widely used throughout the Middle East. The walnut paste is made by crushing toasted walnuts in a food processor. This dish is delicious the first day, BUT is much more flavorful the next day. I followed the recipe I found at: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fesenjan_persian_chicken_stew_with_walnut_and_pomegranate_sauce/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fesenjan_persian_chicken_stew_with_walnut_and_pomegranate_sauce/</a></span> </span><span style="font-size: large;">It took me about four hours to make. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Not in the photo below are the pomegranate arils I added as garnish before serving.) </span><span style="font-size: large;">It ain't purty, but it shore is yummy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqCGKLtm-5Mk7pZ6dz0-J5Twm-l3WK4W3wd8cDd517OetzTNdefBX0pJU1WFP1DTSutlQ8ox1GUCkhOUructxrjtjgZjE148FEueMdHWkoV8_Hz2UXYLsjbHVaetN6hwjon2_T1fVIZDY/s1600/Khoresh-e+Fesenjan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqCGKLtm-5Mk7pZ6dz0-J5Twm-l3WK4W3wd8cDd517OetzTNdefBX0pJU1WFP1DTSutlQ8ox1GUCkhOUructxrjtjgZjE148FEueMdHWkoV8_Hz2UXYLsjbHVaetN6hwjon2_T1fVIZDY/s400/Khoresh-e+Fesenjan.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Khoresh-e Fesenjan</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Persians have several unique rice dishes. One is Polo ba Tahdig, which is extremely popular. A main feature is that it has caramelized rice or slices of potato or bread at the bottom and is topped with saffron rice when served. I tried one recipe a few months ago, and was not successful. However, this time I found a recipe with a very clear video explanation. It worked great. The recipe can be found at:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240606/persian-rice/">https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240606/persian-rice/</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoO2ZVreowwPwijBwebpyB7bMf-nsmBKm0_KfYFzPsaDWohBDDedNvT1j1zU9M1SYBDeeI6wRbiJ1eZmqQtzJsUDDMKHwzZ06UEJSmDqCNu0aTD-EKJUu6UwZyU8yk3TsJzwsaC3Xc2zg/s1600/Polo+ba+Tahdig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoO2ZVreowwPwijBwebpyB7bMf-nsmBKm0_KfYFzPsaDWohBDDedNvT1j1zU9M1SYBDeeI6wRbiJ1eZmqQtzJsUDDMKHwzZ06UEJSmDqCNu0aTD-EKJUu6UwZyU8yk3TsJzwsaC3Xc2zg/s320/Polo+ba+Tahdig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Polo ba Tahdig</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The pastries I served were pistachio baklava, walnut baklava, and "birds nest" from Beirut Bakery (<a href="http://beirutbakery.net/">http://beirutbakery.net/</a>)</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in Livonia, Michigan. They were incredible. Beirut Bakery makes the best baklava I've had, and I've had lots. The bakery came close to shipping the delivery on the wrong day. Fortunately, I phoned them to make sure the order had been shipped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wines I served were 2018 Martin Ray Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, Poggio Antico's 2015 Madre Tuscan red from Montalcino, and 2016 Davey Family Shiraz from McLaren Vale, </span></div>
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<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-52774542771802813342019-10-22T01:27:00.001-04:002019-10-22T01:27:23.814-04:00Ciutat Comtal/Ciudad Condal - Great Tapas in Barcelona<span style="font-size: large;">The first meal I had in Barcelona was a mouth-watering experience at Ciutat Comtal (its Catalan name) / Ciudad Condal (its Spanish name). Each bite of each dish was really tasty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's very popular and doesn't take reservations. I was on a waiting list for 90 minutes before I got a seat at the covered outdoor cafe. It also has indoor dining. The extensive menu is in both Spanish and English.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxZmevUeZDpuy3H2HURt1X2xJCBhDRIf57iPKXxGBAQLrfBtIjf31geGN1d_6_jSu-QzGPtlNckiQLHTXzmlqpyKiXco5GPFYG1ArMfpIfHgk38SdyddwcnRze-GHQqC-Gy5qn1-1rwLo/s1600/20190922_221622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxZmevUeZDpuy3H2HURt1X2xJCBhDRIf57iPKXxGBAQLrfBtIjf31geGN1d_6_jSu-QzGPtlNckiQLHTXzmlqpyKiXco5GPFYG1ArMfpIfHgk38SdyddwcnRze-GHQqC-Gy5qn1-1rwLo/s640/20190922_221622.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Part of the Menu</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I started out with Bacalao Especial (salt cod) with aioli for €10.95. If you're in Spain, you have to try at least one Bacalao dish because it's a major Spanish (and Portuguese) food. I tried several, and was always pleased.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the Bacalao and the next tapa, I had a glass of Viña Pomal Crianza Rioja for </span><span style="font-size: large;">€3.35. It was very nice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My second tapa was Mejillones del Norte al Vapor (steamed mussels) for </span><span style="font-size: large;">€6.30.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Time for another glass of wine - Raimat Abadia Costers del Segre - Cabernet Sauvignon & Tempranillo for </span><span style="font-size: large;">€3.10. Also very nice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My third tapa was Huevos Estrelladas con Jabugo. Fried eggs with Jabugo ham and potatoes. Jabugo is a terrific ham from the village of Jabugo in southern Spain.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5NiJPeYWQSXeE22drfgjWddVb_UYIDH0m6hYY7FlGytUSpXCV2-rTjXn3Avw1jGgVBG8CCsteuwGUSyfPNhn97U1Nwi5KmacIfn2zALihrad9Niu-Fezo0tAJyLsZAc1L_SZFVscmL1o/s1600/20190922_222819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5NiJPeYWQSXeE22drfgjWddVb_UYIDH0m6hYY7FlGytUSpXCV2-rTjXn3Avw1jGgVBG8CCsteuwGUSyfPNhn97U1Nwi5KmacIfn2zALihrad9Niu-Fezo0tAJyLsZAc1L_SZFVscmL1o/s400/20190922_222819.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Huevos Estrellados</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My total bill came to </span><span style="font-size: large;">€42.40.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant is located on the corner of Rambla de Catalunya and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, one block north of Plaza Cataluña.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-48186438184873111842019-10-07T12:44:00.000-04:002019-10-07T12:44:00.035-04:00Poem to Antoni Gaudí<span style="font-size: large;">During my visit to Barcelona, I visited four of the great works of the architectural genius, Antoni Gaudí. The first was the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (the Basilica of the Holy Family), an immense work which has been under construction since 1882. Two of the four were residences - Casa Battló/La Pedrera and Casa Milà. The fourth was Parc Güell, a beautiful park high above the city.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxTi_MceoJjRkXR7cHxGmC9WFE1D2T5E845ZeXZSEIC2Zo6kwXy7n0hAl2xUtUgKxI2rUiXub8u2W8FFRz0aettmkGMk3D612hMQTsnJj9Db3ffeXV-sSt-KUjYCFCFtcpPo0CbsXb10X/s1600/20190925_144727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxTi_MceoJjRkXR7cHxGmC9WFE1D2T5E845ZeXZSEIC2Zo6kwXy7n0hAl2xUtUgKxI2rUiXub8u2W8FFRz0aettmkGMk3D612hMQTsnJj9Db3ffeXV-sSt-KUjYCFCFtcpPo0CbsXb10X/s400/20190925_144727.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Basilica de la Sagrada Familia</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3V7rPCTOU65dF2GIRPZisaJWMxnZgBidQc369qICHu9n_EnZmBQhf1VF5KdHS-BtlbswMZFDv8e2wQR62WkRh6beU7oO_GLSznGzZqcuh7OszxRZ3j31IVv17YLk_w7ULg4YkKWF43mv/s1600/20191001_220054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3V7rPCTOU65dF2GIRPZisaJWMxnZgBidQc369qICHu9n_EnZmBQhf1VF5KdHS-BtlbswMZFDv8e2wQR62WkRh6beU7oO_GLSznGzZqcuh7OszxRZ3j31IVv17YLk_w7ULg4YkKWF43mv/s400/20191001_220054.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><b>Casa Battló/La Pedrera</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFRJoJfX_i_acxJ912VHcy5lxYWpIPBAhgdgPee5wjGnzDm4OH-R3iHkWx2dG1cASQ2a7-6LZJ3xzQLlJtkd_e9YznGKmfZbwRsxiL29RmlsrEIqrUb2WbFsxDHunadsPgaVr_hkyTAMS/s1600/20190930_123103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFRJoJfX_i_acxJ912VHcy5lxYWpIPBAhgdgPee5wjGnzDm4OH-R3iHkWx2dG1cASQ2a7-6LZJ3xzQLlJtkd_e9YznGKmfZbwRsxiL29RmlsrEIqrUb2WbFsxDHunadsPgaVr_hkyTAMS/s400/20190930_123103.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>In Parc Güell</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOywHkru3o2Ut0K9UN-vdBAbA9qA-UQC8mg4_7TLJ_1mvD-1p1V9lmaWzRRnYYrHntCaCT_oVz6PEki1yyWg7xV61_yJD3a66Z-QuEJulbeqJN7VxQzJ4ui5xGmGjcQv5gJqFCPnrOWbW/s1600/20190930_124824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOywHkru3o2Ut0K9UN-vdBAbA9qA-UQC8mg4_7TLJ_1mvD-1p1V9lmaWzRRnYYrHntCaCT_oVz6PEki1yyWg7xV61_yJD3a66Z-QuEJulbeqJN7VxQzJ4ui5xGmGjcQv5gJqFCPnrOWbW/s640/20190930_124824.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Looking from Parc Güell over Barcelona to the Mediterranean</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Frater Vester Qui Erat in Barcelona<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title="">[i]</a></span></b></span><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn1" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">To Antoni Gaudi<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="IT" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">October 1, 2019, Barcelona<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">I. Qui cherche, Trouve<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title="">[ii]</a></span></b></span><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn2" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gaudi. not
gawdy,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Was colorfully
plaudible<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bounded by
nature,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">But unbounded
within,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">His complexity
was simple,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">His simplicity
complex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was myopically
farsighted<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">But saw better
than all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">His Barcelona
creations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are Gaudacious<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn4" name="_ednref4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
innovations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">That generate
sensations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of astounding
incarnations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beyond
adulation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Basilica and
park<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Batlló and Milà
-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">A wholly-made
family<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn5" name="_ednref5" style="mso-endnote-id: edn5;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of complimentary
creatures <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Featured a new
DNA<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">That none could
foresee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">I saw nothing
he missed,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">But missed much
that he saw.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">II. Heaven Scent<span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn6" style="mso-endnote-id: edn6;" title="">[vi]</a></span></b></span><a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_edn6" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps he'd
confess<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">That his
constructs for life<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Built a path to his end:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">A. His daily
devotion<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Led him faster
to God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">B. He wouldn't
take transport,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">But transport
took him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">C. His
shabbiness without,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite
elegance within,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Left him sadly
bereft<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of emergency
care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;">
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> The
title is a take-off on the name of the prayer - Pater Noster - the Our Father.
The title translates to: "Your Brother Who Was in Barcelona."
Appropriately, the “cel” in "Barcelona" is the Catalan word for
“heaven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> The title of this section, "Qui Cherche, Trouve," is my
French motto. It means,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He who
searches, finds." Its substantive meaning is that the person who searches
for solutions finds them. That was Gaudi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> "Plaudible" is a word I made up from plaudit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn4" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref4" name="_edn4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> "Gaudacious" is a word I made up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn5" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref5" name="_edn5" style="mso-endnote-id: edn5;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"> “Wholly made family" is a take-off on "Sagrada
Familia" - Holy Family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn6" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///E:/Documents/Poetry%20-%20Mine/Not%20Yet%20Included/Gaudi.docx#_ednref6" name="_edn6" style="mso-endnote-id: edn6;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
This section is about factors relating to his death.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-83470339889213444782019-10-07T11:32:00.000-04:002019-10-07T11:32:26.031-04:00Barcelona - A Great Place to Visit<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Everyone I’ve met who’s been to Barcelona has told me how
much they’ve enjoyed it. Now that I’ve had the chance to visit the city, I
understand why. The city is interesting, lively, clean, safe, and walk-able.
There is a great variety of delicious restaurants and cafes – both indoor and
outdoor. There is a lot to see and do. The people are hospitable and English is
widely spoken. On one level, it is a bi-cultural city mixing Catalan and Spanish
people and their distinct languages. Among the Catalan people there is strong
sentiment for independence from Spain. Barcelona is also a multicultural city,
with large communities from of many different ethnicities. It has a superb
transportation system of interconnected subways, buses, and trains. The weather
when I was there in late September was perfect – with highs in the high 70s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The only downside that I could see was that it was swarming
with tourists – like me. Since it is such a terrific destination, it is visited
by over 18 million tourists per year. It is the beginning or end point for many
Mediterranean cruises. From Montjuic Castle overlooking the city, I could see
six huge cruise ships in the port.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I loved the cuisine in Barcelona. There is a great variety
of mouth-watering appetizers – Spanish tapas, montaditos (small open-faced,
single slice items like crostini, or small baguette sandwiches), and Basque
pintxos (also like crostini or canapes, but with a toothpick holding the
topping to the bread). In addition to the small dishes, I tried a number of
Spanish, Catalan, and Galician dishes. I took a tapas and pintxos walking tour,
and a paella cooking class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Prior to my trip, I did a lot of research on the cuisine and restaurants, and received great advice from friends. So I had a number of specific dishes and restaurants to try. I had reservations at a number of the restaurants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Spanish wines were also very enjoyable and reasonably
priced. I took a winery tour to the Penedès region about an hour west of
Barcelona, and another to the mountaintop Montserrat Benedictine Monsastery and the
Ollmer del Mas winery, about an hour northwest of the city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the city, I visited four of the architectural wonders of
the creative genius Antoni Gaudí – the Sagrada Familia basilica, Park Güell, Casa
Milà/La Pedrera, and Casa Battló. I was so impressed, I wrote a poem to him,
which I plan to post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I also visited the incredible La Boqueria food market, the
Cathedral of Barcelona, Montjuic Castle, the Gothic Quarter, and the Arc de
Triomf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was lucky to be there during the annual La Mercè Festival
in honor of the patron saint of Barcelona. I saw a fantastic parade, and great
outdoor dance performances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I walked for miles in the city, and never felt uncomfortable.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There were lots of wooden benches where one could sit and relax, or people watch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Pickpockets are reportedly a problem, so I was very careful to protect my valuables.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As gifts for family and friends, I bought delicious Torrons,
traditional Spanish nougats. I purchased them at Vicens Torrons, which has been
making them for 300 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I also succeeded in my hunt for men’s tie clips to add to my
collection. I found them at two places. The best was Militaria Barcelona, a
great military antiques store. The other was a booth at the Mercat dels
Encants flea market, the largest in Barcelona. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-59123436317907981952019-08-19T11:51:00.002-04:002019-08-19T11:58:34.291-04:00Tapas Paradise in St. Pete<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday, I had a terrific tapas and Basque wine experience at Ceviche restaurant (<a href="http://ceviche.com/">http://ceviche.com/</a>) in St. Petersburg, FL. Even though the temperature was in the low 90°s, I felt perfectly comfortable sitting outside on their covered porch (about one block from Tampa Bay).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9MKj__KHQTQqa0K1ccrgOIhF8Hhb8TgjFw8nn7T0SxdxWNbfn5q22SWAMG-jKFuDMYzSghRAxipJjY3EcNjbThh3H97C9Cf1jTIax7h_yAzYBbV8PzGtYi8RBMV59WX3uvdLcAYomZ3F/s1600/20190818_153113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9MKj__KHQTQqa0K1ccrgOIhF8Hhb8TgjFw8nn7T0SxdxWNbfn5q22SWAMG-jKFuDMYzSghRAxipJjY3EcNjbThh3H97C9Cf1jTIax7h_yAzYBbV8PzGtYi8RBMV59WX3uvdLcAYomZ3F/s400/20190818_153113.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Despite its name, the restaurant has four ceviche dishes on its menu compared to forty-three tapas dishes. It also has three kinds of paellas, cheese and charcuterie plates, and salads.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I had two seafood tapas and a Basque wine at the restaurant and took another two meat tapas home for dinner. They were all mouth watering.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The first seafood tapa I had was Mejillones a la Catalana (Catalann-style Mussels) - Sautéed mussels, sherry cream sauce, serrano ham, shallots, and garlic, with crispy baguette slices and lemon to squeeze. ($11)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I thought the first dish was great. Then I tried the Cangrejo Fundido (Crab Melt) - jumbo lump blue crab, manchego cheese, sherry cream, with small slices of perfect pita onto which I scooped the crab mix. That dish was out of this world. ($13)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT869tMkgGSoBGaLQk3DkVgZLTgOZQ3VqhWyl7qLLsIEOflK50kjv2gpYlduwzDnknFRB8L8V8RynfzBX-rDHobvjpQLjH_IfLWplUZdc9EeT8Wptque8w1_aKreEtNqFjSBvOZjRhv2n9/s1600/20190818_145235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT869tMkgGSoBGaLQk3DkVgZLTgOZQ3VqhWyl7qLLsIEOflK50kjv2gpYlduwzDnknFRB8L8V8RynfzBX-rDHobvjpQLjH_IfLWplUZdc9EeT8Wptque8w1_aKreEtNqFjSBvOZjRhv2n9/s400/20190818_145235.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The wine I had was a delicious white wine from Spanish Basque country - a 2017 Txakolina wine made with Hondarrabi Zuri grapes. The wine was a bit on the sweet side, and a perfect accompaniment for the two tapas. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The winery that produces it is Rekalde, which is owned by the Hirutza family.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The 9-oz glass was $13.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The two tapas I took home for dinner were also delicious. (They were on the edge of my modest spiciness tolerance).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The first was Albondigas - chorizo, pork, and veal meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce. ($9)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The second was Piquillos Rellenos - Roasted red peppers stuffed with veal, pork, and chorizo, in sherry cream. ($10)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant has flamenco performances three nights per week - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My server, Brittany, was terrific - customer-focused with a warm and ebullient personality.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I can't wait to go back.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-8920614657607121872019-08-10T17:19:00.000-04:002019-08-10T17:19:05.885-04:00Power AirFryer XL - Incredible Fries & Delicious Salmon Cooked SimultaneouslyOn a whim, I recently bought a Power Air Fryer XL. A customer in BJs noticed me looking at it, and she commented on what great fries and breaded cod it made. I had to give it a try. I'm really glad I did. It was extremely easy to use and produced great results;<br />
<br />
The first time I used it, I tried breaded chicken. It turned out tasty, but not incredible. However, yesterday evening, I decided to try cooking salmon and french fries at the same time. The salmon was delicious and the fries were among the best I have ever had. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.<br />
<br />
I used unthawed Alexia frozen fries, which I lightly coated with EVOO. I prepared the 7-oz. skinned, fresh, wild Keta salmon filet by basting both sides with EVOO and lemon juice, and sprinkling it with sea salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
Then I set the temperature at 400° and the timer at 18 minutes. I put the fries in first. When the timer reached 11 minutes remaining, I opened the basket and inserted the salmon. At the same time, I turned over the fries. When the time reached 5 minutes, I turned the salmon over and shook the fries.<br />
<br />
It doesn't get any easier than that. One great benefit of using a hot air fryer, is that it significantly reduces the calorie count of dishes.<br />
<br />
The fryer inner and outer baskets are non-stick and are dishwasher safe.<br />
<br />
The cost of my 5.3 quart air fryer at BJs was $79.99.<br />
<br />
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-91201920765615062992019-08-05T14:14:00.000-04:002019-08-05T14:15:17.618-04:00Beirut Bakery - Incredible Arabic Food in Redford, MI<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For me, the gold standard for Levantine (Lebanese,
Palestinian, & Syrian) Arabic food is the incredible, mouth-watering food my
mother made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A place that comes very
close to that gold standard is Beirut Bakery (<a href="https://www.beirutbakery.net/">https://www.beirutbakery.net/</a>) in
Redford, Michigan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">As anyone who’s been to Beirut Bakery knows, it's far more
than a bakery. If offers an extensive assortment of main dishes, side dishes,
and baked goods, primarily for takeout. It also has a couple of tables where
one can eat at their venue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">For a number of years, my brother has brought gifts of
Beirut Bakery foods when he has visited us in Florida. So I have long wanted to
visit Beirut Bakery and try more of the dishes they prepare. During a recent trip to Michigan, a special friend and I joined
my brother and his son to have lunch there. It was the most delicious Arabic
meal I have enjoyed in many, many years. It included stuffed cabbage rolls
(Malfouf), stuffed squash (Khousa), stuffed grape leaves (Warak Arish), baked
stuffed Kibbeh, meat pie, Labne yogurt spread (similar to Tzatziki), Hummus,
Pita bread (Khoubiz), and Baklava. Everything was superb. I could easily have
eaten there every day for two weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have had Baklava many times over the course of seven
decades. Theirs is among the very best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Catherine & Baklava</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One interesting item they carry is a delicious Lebanese
olive oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They ship many of their foods; and some are carried in Whole
Foods stores in their area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Beirut Bakery was created four decades ago by Milad and
Leila Hallis. It is now a family team operation, with daughter Catherine and
son Mark working with their parents.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-67412059357315044822019-07-14T23:51:00.000-04:002019-07-14T23:51:12.765-04:00Budapest Wine Tour - Etyek<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Etyek is a small, wine-producing area just outside of Budapest, on the Buda side of the Danube. A tour of Etyek wineries, recommended by my hotel, turned out to be a very pleasant experience. The tour stopped at three wineries, and we had dinner at the third winery. The cost of the tour was 24,000 Hungarian forints ($86).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Etyek area only produces enough wine to sell to visitors and local restaurants. The wine grapes grown there include three Hungarian types - Kiralyeanka, Irsai Oliver, and Zenit, plus Blaufränkisch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peter, our tour guide, picked me up at my hotel at 3:10 - 10 minutes late. Transportation for the two or was a minibus which held 15 people. There were thirteen people on our bus. We spent the next 25 minutes driving to several different hotels, looking for two additional people who were supposed to be on the tour. It turned out they had the wrong time. So they were invited to come on another tour of the next day. We finally left for Etyek at 3:35.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Our tour group was a delightful mix of people it included two ladies from Scotland, an American couple teaching at an international school in Jakarta, Indonesia, a South African woman, and several other Americans, including a woman who was born in an area of Michigan where I had lived for a few years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Along the way, Peter talked about national and local history, architecture, and Etyek wine making. The minibus ride was not particularly comfortable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once we reached Anonym, the first winery, the rest of the experience became very pleasant. Our guide originally worked there full time, but at the time of the tour, he was dividing his time between working at the winery and conducting wine tours.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We tasted four wines at Anonym. Réka, the young woman who presented the wines, was knowledgeable and very nice. I enjoy the first two wines, but not the next two. The wines were:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. 2018 Egyböl kettö - 60% Zenit grapes, and 40% Pinot Gris. (Zenit is a Hungarian white grape.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. 2018 Frazir Sauvignon Blanc</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. 2017 Szinkopa Chardonnay. (I am not fond of oaky Chardonnays.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. 2016 Életjel Pinot Noir</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The next winery - Nádas Szilárd (the owner - winemaker) - was a delightful surprise. I liked/loved five of the six wives we tasted, even a Chardonnay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Szilárd has a great, engaging personality. He clearly loves wine making, and seems to be an out-of-the-box thinker. He and his wife, who is his partner, each have two Masters degrees related to wine making. He has worked at wineries in Bordeaux, Australia, and Canada.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We were only supposed to taste three wines here, but we ended up tasting eight. The wines we tasted were:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. 2018 Kiralyeanyka. This was the first year he had made this wine – excellent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. 2017 Sauvignon Blanc – superb.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. 2017 Zöld Grüner Veltliner - great!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. 2016 Pinot Gris. It was orange in colour, and my least favorite.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. 2017 Cimbi Pinot Gris - very nice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. 2017 Chardonnay - superb. It was interesting that the grapes for this particular Chardonnay came from the same vineyard and the same harvest as the grapes used in the Chardonnay I had had at the previous winery, and had not cared for. There was a dramatic difference between the two Chardonnays.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. 2015 Öston (Instinct) Pinot Noir - very nice</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. 2015 Mühely titok (Secret of the Winery) - 50% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Pinot Noir - very nice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The third winery we went to was Buzál-Mórocza. It was both a winery and a restaurant. We had a delicious chicken dinner at a long outdoor wooden table. They served the following nice wines with dinner:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. 2016 Grüner Veltliner</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.2016 Szurkebarat Pinot Gris</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. 2017 Blaufränkisch rosé</span><br />
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Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-80882344973007796112019-07-14T22:59:00.004-04:002019-07-14T23:52:04.351-04:00Hotel Residence Agnes, Prague - A New Favorite<span style="font-size: large;">Of the four very nice hotels where I stayed during my recent trip to Central Europe, my favorite was the Hotel Residence Agnes (<a href="https://residenceagnes.com/en/">https://residenceagnes.com/en/</a>) in Prague. I chose all four on the basis of their great reviews. All were nicely situated, and had nice rooms and professional staff. What made the Hotel Residence Agnes special was its incredible staff. They were not only very professional, but they were friendly and helpful in a sincere, down-to-earth way. They welcomed guests with beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks. Guests were welcome to free drinks at any time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The hotel also had a driver who would, at no charge, take guests to the train station, restaurants, etc. I If a guest makes a reservation directly with the hotel, rather than through an intermediary company, the hotel's driver will pick the guest up at the airport. (I wish I had known that.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I first stayed at the hotel for five nights when I arrived in Prague at the start of my trip. At the end of the trip, I returned to Prague from Budapest for one evening before catching my flight home. The hotel driver met me at the train station. I was worried about getting to a jewelry store before it closed so I could buy a gift before returning home. The jewelry store was set to close in a few minutes. I phoned the hotel front desk and asked that they contact the store and request that it stay open. The front desk staffer went one step further and instructed the driver to take me directly to the jewelry store. She also phoned the jewelry store to tell them I would be arriving shortly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The front desk also recommended two terrific restaurants - U Modré Kachničky (The Blue Duckling), which has incredible duck, and Hergetova Cihelna, which is situated on the river on the castle side of the city, and has not only delicious food, but great views.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The breakfasts were very nice, and the woman in charge of the breakfast was extremely helpful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The owner, Frank, was very, very pleasant and laid back. When he asked me where I was from, I answered that I was from a place in Florida that he probably didn't know. When I mentioned it was Sarasota, he said that he had owned a house there - in Palmer Ranch. (He hadn't told me he was the hotel's owner. I guessed, and he confirmed it.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The hotel is nicely situated in a quiet area that's only a short walk from the Old Town Square and the Jewish Quarter. There is also a large shopping center, the Palladium, nearby.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The nightly cost for my room, during the height of the tourist season, averaged $266, including breakfast. The room was comfortable, spacious, and clean. If I ever have the pleasure of returning to Prague, it is the only place I would consider staying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The hotel is located at Haštalska 19.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-70388183144872206452019-05-02T00:45:00.000-04:002019-05-02T00:45:21.585-04:00Paris Bistrot, Lakewood Ranch - A Long-Time Favorite<span style="font-size: large;">Paris Bistrot (<a href="https://www.parisbistrotlwr.com/">https://www.parisbistrotlwr.com/</a>) </span><span style="font-size: large;">on Lakewood Ranch Main St. is a long-time favorite. Not only does it offer authentic French bistro food in a pleasant atmosphere, and with excellent service, but it also provides me an opportunity to speak a few words of French. I usually eat there at least four times per year and am always very happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The other night, my sister, a special friend, and I shared a wonderful evening there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The three of us chose the $28.90 "Chef's Menu" of one appetizer and one main dish. Everything we had was terrific.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The appetizer my sister and my friend chose was the Hot Brie Salad of Brie cheese on toast, with honey, lettuce, and tomatoes. I had the country paté, which I choose nearly every time I dine there.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Both ladies had the Pork Parmesan - pork tenderloin medallions in a puff pastry with a cream of parmesan cheese and shredded prosciutto.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I had Chicken Normande - diced chicken breast and mushrooms flambéed in Cognac with a cream sauce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Chef's Menu meals always include a vegetable plus a choice of rice or potatoes Dauphinois.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For dessert, my friend and I shared Crêpes Suzettes with orange marmelade and flambéed with Grand Marnier for $8.90.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I finished my meal with a cup of espresso.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I chose the wine I almost always have there - a St. Cosme Cotes-du-Rhone. It's always good and sells for $33 a bottle. This was a 2017.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-10998654108888563712019-05-02T00:17:00.000-04:002019-05-02T00:17:40.630-04:00Columbia Restaurant, St. Armands Circle - Always Nice<span style="font-size: large;">Columbia Restaurant on St. Armand's Circle in Sarasota (<a href="http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/St-Armands-Circle">http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/St-Armands-Circle</a>) </span><span style="font-size: large;">is a Spanish restaurant that I always enjoy. Over the years, I've had a number of meals there with family and friends, and have never been disappointed. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I recently had a delightful lunch there with a special friend of Spanish heritage. She knows authentic Spanish food. She loved her meal, and I loved mine. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We each started with a cup of Gazpacho Andalucia - a purée of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, cucumber, and garlic. It was topped tableside by finely chopped vegetables and croutons. It was reeeeeeeeeeeeally delicious. Each cup was $4.45.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The main dish she chose was actually a Tapa - two Empanadas de Picadillo - pastry turnovers filled with spiced ground beef, garlic, tomatoes, onions, raisins, and olives for $8. They were excellent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My main dish was Cakes de Congrejo - two crabcakes of grilled blue crabmeat drizzled with passion fruit aioli. They were tasty and solid, unlike the mushy version I'd had at a Punta Gorda restaurant a few days earlier. They cost $15.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">(Normally, I have a larger main dish like Columbia's wonderful Ropa Vieja, but this time, I went lighter to save room for a nice dinner.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My drink was a 2015 Rioja tempranillo wine called Rusty for $11. Like all the wines I've had at Columbia, it was very nice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Our waiter, Norbert, who was Hungarian, was exceptional. Not only was he a superb server, but he was a hilarious comedian.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The parent restaurant of the Columbia group is located in Tampa. It was established in 1905, is Florida's oldest continuously operated restaurant, and is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. It offers Flamenco dance shows, for which there is a cover charge.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-25668682874484100722019-03-31T23:42:00.002-04:002019-03-31T23:52:29.538-04:00The Kehoe House - Perfect Lodging for Savannah's Historic District<span style="font-size: large;">During my recent delightful visit to Savannah, I found the warm and welcoming Kehoe House B</span><span style="font-size: large;">ed and Breakfast Inn </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.kehoehouse.com/">https://www.kehoehouse.com/</a>)</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> ideally situated to enjoy Savannah's gorgeous historic district.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My large and beautifully decorated room was very comfortable. The evening turn down of the bed included a couple of large, delicious cookies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Kehoe House offered a breakfast menu that included the choice of an egg or sweet main course with sides that included fruit, bacon or sausage, grits or potatoes, and biscuit or toast. They also served juices and coffee or tea. If the menu main-dish choices didn't appeal, they offered to prepared another dish. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast could be enjoyed in one's room, or at a large dining room table with other guests. I enjoyed chatting with very interesting guests at the breakfast table.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the evening, there was a free happy hour with wine and choice of several appetizers. I enjoyed the Kehoe House label Pinot Noir and their Cabernet Sauvignon. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">At one happy hour, an engaging historian gave a very interesting presentation about the Kehoe House, which was built in 1892 by William Kehoe, who had come to Savannah as a poor Irish immigrant child and eventually became a very successful foundry owner. For about 10 years, the building was owned by former New York Jets football star, Joe Namath, who purportedly intended to make it a "bunny club."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As is fitting for a mansion built for a foundry owner, all of the building's exterior stairways, window frames, columns and fences are cast iron.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There is an elevator inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The staff was supporting and attentive in every respect. When I left, the staff sent me on my way with a nice bag of snacks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My cost per night, including taxes and fees, during the three midweek nights I stayed there was $298. </span><span style="font-size: large;">There was an additional charge of $20 per day for parking in the nearby uncovered Kehoe House parking lot. Just beyond that lot is a covered lot where parking is $10 per day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I discovered that I would have received a better rate had I booked directly with the Kehoe House rather than through a booking service.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is easy to understand why the Kehoe House has nearly 1,200 excellent Trip Advisor reviews.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-85834960027593266912019-03-02T00:09:00.000-05:002019-03-02T00:09:14.027-05:00Turtles Restaurant, Sarasota Bay - It Doesn't Get Any Sweeter<span style="font-size: large;">What a fantastic experience - sitting outside chatting with wonderful friends at a shaded table, while looking out onto Little Sarasota Bay on a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70's, and enjoying delicious food and drinks. That was our experience at Turtles Restaurant (http://www.turtlesrestaurant.com/) on Siesta Key.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My food and wine were delicious. I started with a cup of their signature crab bisque for $4. It was <u>really</u> delicious and filled with crab.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My main dish was a tasty North Atlantic salmon BLT grilled with a dill sauce for $13. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My drink was a nice White Haven Sauvignon Blanc for $8.50 per glass.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The hostess was very accommodating, the service excellent, and the prices reasonable.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Turtles does not take reservations and can be crowded. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is located at 8875 Midnight Pass Road.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My only regret is that I don't live closer.</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-48122075541930974432019-02-24T01:51:00.000-05:002019-02-24T01:51:15.103-05:00Easy, Japanese-Style Carrot, Ginger, and Onion Salad Dressing<span style="font-size: large;">I found this great and very easy Japanese-style dressing on The Spruce Eats (https://www.thespruceeats.com/onion-ginger-and-carrot-salad-dressing-3863338) I used all the ingredients, including the optional ones. It easily serves eight. I reworded the original directions to simplify.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup chopped carrot</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/2 tsp peeled and minced ginger</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 tablespoons ketchup or tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 tablespoon soy sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/2 cup canola oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 cup rice vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Optional dash of black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Optional 1/2 tsp of granulated white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and purée. (I used a blender.) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-49708490713634527812019-02-24T01:30:00.000-05:002019-02-24T01:30:47.773-05:00Japanese Fruit Sandwich - An Easy, Tasty Dessert<span style="font-size: large;">For a recent Japanese-style meal for family, the dessert I served was an approximation of a Japanese fruit sandwich. It was very tasty and easy to make.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Normally, Japanese fruit sandwiches are made with a light, fluffy, slightly sweet Japanese bread known as milk bread (shoku pan) or Hokkaido bread. Since I could not find that bread, I used a butter pound cake instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The ingredients are simple:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- A firm bread that will not easily get mushy from fruit and that does not have non-dessert ingredients like garlic.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Fruit that is not too juicy - kiwis, mangos, strawberries, peaches. I used the first three.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Homemade whipped cream. Homemade whipped cream is unbelievably easy to make. The ingredients are just whipping cream, powdered sugar (optional), vanilla extract (optional). There are plenty of instructions on line.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The preparation is simple</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. Slice the bread</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uIjuuAkH36RO8nLxxKJ6wUKka7QPY9Qhs2ymbPWm66opX275rJzafhfrxiKtZE-iLSDDylBLc8-YsSwyRYZj9kRr5cdOUONKyrgvDHIaqo4jdxz47aC5JjnpIZzZ4KBOtvqaNBFcQfb-/s1600/20190223_003749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uIjuuAkH36RO8nLxxKJ6wUKka7QPY9Qhs2ymbPWm66opX275rJzafhfrxiKtZE-iLSDDylBLc8-YsSwyRYZj9kRr5cdOUONKyrgvDHIaqo4jdxz47aC5JjnpIZzZ4KBOtvqaNBFcQfb-/s320/20190223_003749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Cut the fruit and place it on the bread. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrImQo0mgYe2tAcHHCAIqAMEX0YCTluwQePDmM-DauT_zV4dGc-mUpXjOpQ04LR8SqwWVZ6Eb1iKLW0nOvybp5w_soXodpXJS8QHqpZq61vR7eqCIQ56KmOLnzBQrmWEeXT-7KnW0FeQ9d/s1600/20190223_004218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrImQo0mgYe2tAcHHCAIqAMEX0YCTluwQePDmM-DauT_zV4dGc-mUpXjOpQ04LR8SqwWVZ6Eb1iKLW0nOvybp5w_soXodpXJS8QHqpZq61vR7eqCIQ56KmOLnzBQrmWEeXT-7KnW0FeQ9d/s320/20190223_004218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Spread the whipped cream on the fruit.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyisa4JMyKOmRQEjPMb3uSNSkXKRor3l-OCaFpq9Qp0MW1S2Znlpy-iesW0V06x2MGMgoBUuXSSA0LKfy0MMzniM0niV2BNLYI24xU9_I8Tixb3D5M69thm0DFHo6OiH-EBSxjx4AStFJk/s1600/20190223_004500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyisa4JMyKOmRQEjPMb3uSNSkXKRor3l-OCaFpq9Qp0MW1S2Znlpy-iesW0V06x2MGMgoBUuXSSA0LKfy0MMzniM0niV2BNLYI24xU9_I8Tixb3D5M69thm0DFHo6OiH-EBSxjx4AStFJk/s320/20190223_004500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. Assemble the two pieces.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCnTwD3CF5kmsT7Z0uv3QQgmkFlLGZ4ycyiteoSu3psUmJH5k_NZdM_ZB2a2bgqJG0K8riiqvmBMOuFROZNcIX__8iMu4E0ZzTmGwYgw5IZrNb6z4kJ3x5A5R7lLbfPfhMDVooNXPaqXI/s1600/20190223_004516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCnTwD3CF5kmsT7Z0uv3QQgmkFlLGZ4ycyiteoSu3psUmJH5k_NZdM_ZB2a2bgqJG0K8riiqvmBMOuFROZNcIX__8iMu4E0ZzTmGwYgw5IZrNb6z4kJ3x5A5R7lLbfPfhMDVooNXPaqXI/s320/20190223_004516.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When using the larger milk bread slices, the sandwich is sliced diagonally and the properly positioned fruit looks very nice from the sides.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-62072505635493522242019-02-24T00:03:00.001-05:002019-02-24T00:03:27.931-05:00Prague Restauramt, Sarasota - Czech It Out!<span style="font-size: large;">How do I love thee Saasota-Bradenton - Let me count the ways, er, uh, Let me count the restaurants (but not the traffic). Today, I had the very tasty experience of trying a Czech restaurant for the first time - Prague, located on Main St. in Sarasota (https://thepraguerestaurant.com/). It offers a nice variety of Central European and American dishes. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I chose one of the Happy Hour specials - a salad and a main dish with sides for $15. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There were two salad choices - Caesar and a Czech cucumber salad (okurkový salát). I chose the latter. It was on the sweet side and had a tiny bit of a kick. I loved it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The main dish I had was the Czech national dish, slow-roasted pork with a homemade brown sauce and caraway seeds (vepřo knedlo zelo) accompanied by Bohemian dumplings, sweet and sour cabbage, and sauerkraut. The combination was very tasty, down-to-earth food. I particularly liked the pork and the cabbage. The dumplings (knedliky) are boiled and look like slices of bread. They were unexciting, but went nicely with the pork.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The dessert I had was terrific - two different types of Czech rolled crêpes (palačinky)</span><span style="font-size: large;">. One was filled with sweet cream cheese, cinnamon, and rum raisins. The other was filled with raspberry jam. They were topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and chocolate. The cost was $9.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I had a nice glass 2016 Lyric Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County for $10 and a cup of espresso for $5.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The drink list includes two types of draft Czech beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The next time I go, I intend to try another Czech dish - the roast duck Bohemian style.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The owner and staff are Czech, and the service was efficient and friendly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are tables inside and out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Prague is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. It is located next to C'est la Vie on Main St. For reservations, phone 941-329-2882.</span><br />
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<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-77599072453473815132019-02-18T00:53:00.000-05:002019-02-18T00:53:30.515-05:00Roasted Butternut Squash - Simple, Tasty Side<span style="font-size: large;">In looking for a way to use leftover butternut squash from a recent beef stew recipe that I made, I found this really easy, tasty recipe on allrecipes.com - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229733/simple-roasted-butternut-squash/. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This recipe makes 1-2 servings. The addition of cinnamon is my idea. (The allrecipes recipe called for a whole butternut squash. Since I only had a part of a squash, I reduced the amount of olive oil and garlic by half.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2/3 pound of peeled and seeded butternut squash cut into 1 inch chunks. The squash I had from Publix was already seeded.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 clove of minced garlic</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Preheat oven to 400° </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Mix squash, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Place squash in a single layer on a baking sheet</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Bake 25-30 minutes until squash is tender. (27 minutes did the trick for me.)</span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-79937552536604680232019-02-04T02:16:00.000-05:002019-02-04T02:17:57.305-05:00Pollo all Cacciatore - A Delicious Tuscan Chicken Stew<span style="font-size: large;">A couple of days ago, I prepared a Tuscan dinner for friends. The main course I chose was Pollo alla Cacciatore, which means hunter-style chicken. Variants of this dish are popular throughout Italy. I found two Tuscan versions and chose elements of both to create the one I cooked. It was easy to make and I love it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The recipes I used as a starting point are at:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><a href="https://www.santacristina.wine/en/cookbook/ricette/chicken-cacciatore/"><span lang="IT" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.santacristina.wine/en/cookbook/ricette/chicken-cacciatore/</span></span></a><br />
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<span lang="IT" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. </span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://lifeisabowlofpasta.com/recipe-items/pollo-alla-cacciatora/"><span lang="IT" style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">http://lifeisabowlofpasta.com/recipe-items/pollo-alla-cacciatora/</span></span></a></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The version below serves two. I scaled it up to serve eight the other night. (I scaled it up enough that I probably could have served 12.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The other dishes I served with the chicken were:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Crostini with goat cheese, fig preserves, and prosciutto di Parma</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Crostini with olive paté (crushed black olives, lemon juice, olive oil, breadcrumbs)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Carabaccia - Florentine onion soup</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Carote in Stufato - Tuscan braised carrots with pancetta</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Schiaciatta alla Fiorentina - Florentine sweet bread/cake</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The wine I served with the main course was a superb 2010 Máté Brunello di Montalcino.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">(I did not consider serving Chicken Florentine for this dinner because, despite the name, it's an American dish.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut up</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- Half of a 28 oz can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 3 oz of pitted olives, halved. I used Sicilian Castelvetrano olives.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 oz red wine. I used a Tuscan Chianti.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 garlic clove chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1/4 Spanish onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 carrot, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 celery stalk, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 rosemary sprig</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 2 bay leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- 1 tsp fennel seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- salt </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">- pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Preparation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. Coat the base of a large sauce pan with extra virgin olive oil Heat to medium high and add chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, and then remove it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are softened - about 8 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Add chicken to the vegetable base and stir for two minutes to coat.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. Add wine; stir gently again, and let wine evaporate.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">5. Once the wine is almost reduced, add the tomatoes and rosemary, and adjust salt and pepper. When I added the tomatoes, I included the juice from the can. Cover and let cook on low heat for 20 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Stir in olives and cook for another 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-66542325167286273632019-02-04T01:06:00.000-05:002019-02-08T12:46:37.361-05:00Delicious Japanese-Style Beef Stew<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In searching for a delicious Japanese-style main dish to serve my brother who was visiting from out of town, I found a terrific New York Times recipe by Mark Bittman. I figured it had to be good because it had over 1,000 five-star reviews. I've made it several times now and have been very happy with the results. I serve it with Japanese, short-grain, sticky rice. (My brother really liked this stew and asked for the recipe.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This recipe serves four and takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes to prepare. I've also scaled it up to serve six people. I've added my comments to the original recipe, which can be found at </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017398-japanese-style-beef-stew">https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017398-japanese-style-beef-stew</a>.</span><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 1 & 1/2 to 2 pounds of boneless chuck cut into 1-inch to 1 1/2 inch chunks. (I use precut chunks of stew beef from Publix.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 2 cups of dashi or chicken stock, or water. I use dashi, which is a Japanese cooking stock. It is easy to make with Hondashi, a powder produced by Ajinomoto. For each cup of dashi, mix 1 tsp of Hondashi into 1 cup of boiling water. I bought the hondashi at Kim's Oriental Food, a local oriental store, but it is available on Amazon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 1/4 cup soy sauce</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 1/4 cup mirin, honey, or sugar. I used Kikkoman mirin purchased at Kim's Oriental Food. It is available at Publix and Whole Foods.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 10 nickel-sized slices of ginger</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- black pepper to taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 1 lemon</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- 1 & 1/2 pounds of peeled butternut, pumpkin, or other winter squash or sweet potatoes. I used butternut squash. It was great.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;">- salt to taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Preparation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, sear meat until nicely browned on one side - about 5 minutes. Transfer chunks into a medium-size casserole pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Add stock to the skillet, and cook over high heat, stirring and scraping until all the solids are integrated into the liquid. (This took me less than a minute.) Pour this liquid into the casserole and add the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and a couple of grindings of pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Peel the lemon and add the peel to the casserole. (I had never used lemon peel in a recipe, but I quickly found lots of videos on different ways to easily and properly peel lemons.) Now juice the lemon, <span style="color: red;">but don't add the juice to the mixture yet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Cover, and cook on top of stove (or in an oven at 350 degrees), maintaining a steady simmer. Stir after 30 minutes. Then check meat for tenderness every fifteen minutes after that. I only simmered the meat 45 minutes the first time. That was not long enough. The second time, an hour of simmering worked perfectly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. When the meat is nearly tender, stir in the squash and continue to cook until the squash is tender, but not mushy. Add salt if necessary. Then stir in the lemon juice. Serve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span>Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-37763873672850296822019-01-12T12:51:00.000-05:002019-01-13T13:58:23.970-05:00This Gumbo Is Yum-yum-yumbo<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love Louisiana gumbos. In my December trip to New
Orleans, I tried six different gumbos, including the one I learned to make at
the New Orleans School of Cooking. The school's recipe was for a Gumbo with chicken and
andouille sausage. Since returning home, I’ve made it three times for family, friends,
and moi. It’s now one of my very favorite dishes. When I made one batch recently, I made so much
that I ate it four nights in a row. With that batch, it tasted progressively
better the first three nights, and was still terrific the fourth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">At a dinner for family and friends, I included three other dishes - shrimp and grits, cornbread, and New Orleans bread pudding.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">One aspect that took three tries to get right at
home was to make the roux dark enough. At the school, we used lard and made the
roux on an induction cooktop. At home, I have a natural gas cooktop. Also, at
home, I used canola oil the first two times, and switched to butter the third
time. I also raised the heat the third time. Even though the roux wasn’t dark
enough the first two times at home, the taste was great!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Below is my slightly modified version of the New
Orleans School of cooking recipe with my comments included. I’ve cut the
school’s recipe in half to make four generous servings instead of eight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Items in red font are ones that I added to the
school’s. Items in green are ones I did not use.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ¼ cup butter (for the roux)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ¼ cup flour<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ¼ cup oil, or lard, or bacon drippings for sautéing
the chicken and sausage (I used canola oil.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ lb chicken, cut up or deboned (I used cut-up,
precooked roasted chicken twice, and uncooked boneless chicken thighs the third
time. All were good, but the chicken thighs worked best.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ lb andouille sausage. (I used Aidall’s, which I
bought at Publix.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next three ingredients form the Louisiana “trinity.”
I cheated on these items by buying the Publix supermarket’s prechopped trinity
mix of ½ cup of each and then adding a ½ cup of onions I chopped. (It also
saved me from buying more celery and green pepper than I could use.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- 1 cup onions, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ cup celery, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ tbsp. garlic, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- ½ cup green onions, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: normal;">- Zatarain’s Creole seasoning – 1/2 tsp
(but to taste) or </span><span style="color: #00b050; font-weight: normal;">Joe’s
Stuff seasoning to taste. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Joe’s Stuff
is a cooking school spice, I should have bought some while I was there. A
friend tells me it’s terrific. I intend to buy some.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #00b050;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #00b050; font-size: large;">- Crab boil to taste </span><span style="font-size: large;">(I did not use this because it seems more
appropriate for seafood gumbo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- 3 cups of chicken broth, stock, or water,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">- Filé powder is used for flavoring and thickening
the gumbo. Add and stir in after serving – <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>½ to 1 tsp per serving, (It is made from
ground sassafras leaves, and is of native American origin.</span><i> File</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is pronounced </span><i>fee-lay</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">, with the accent on the first syllable.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- Sliced French bread if desired to sop up the soup. Yum!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">- Rice if desired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Instructions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Season and brown the chicken in ¼ cup of oil, lard,
or bacon drippings in a large pot. Add sausage to pot and sauté with chicken. I used canola oil.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a skillet, make the roux using butter and
flour. Cook over medium low flame, stirring continuously until it turns the
color of peanut butter. My gas cooktop has heat settings from 1 through 10. I
was successful with a setting just below five. It took about 20 minutes. If you
do not keep stirring, the roux can burn and become worthless.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the roux reaches the desired color, add onions,
celery, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic to the skillet, and cook over
medium low heat until vegetables reach desired tenderness. Stir frequently. I cooked
the vegetables for about 10 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">When vegetables are ready, add them to the pot with
the chicken and sausage, continuing to stir frequently. Gradually stir in the
liquid (broth, stock, or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and
cook for an hour or more. Season with Creole seasoning or Joe’s Stuff seasoning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serve over rice if desired. I used two large serving
spoons full of rice per serving.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you wish to thicken the gumbo, add ½ to 1 tsp of
filé per serving, and stir.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8236672134331900459.post-77021305180079988732018-12-17T14:10:00.000-05:002018-12-17T14:10:55.464-05:00Commander's Palace, New Orleans - A Living-the-Good-Life Lunch<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Commander's Palace (<a href="https://www.commanderspalace.com/">https://www.commanderspalace.com/</a>) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">in the tony Garden
District of New Orleans </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">is an iconic New Orleans restaurant that has been around since 1893, and has a
great reputation for its haute creole cuisine. It has been under the
proprietorship of the renowned Brennan restaurant family of New Orleans for
over four decades. It has won many awards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had a very pleasant lunch there on the recommendation of a
friend. (Thank you, Peg!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The meal started with four pieces of a nice garlic bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then came a really delicious amuse-bouche. It was a sweet
crackling morsel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first course I had was a set of small servings of three
soups, called Soups 1-1-1, for $9.50. It consists of turtle soup, a gumbo, and
the soup du jour. The gumbo had oysters, shrimp, and redfish. The soup du jour
had tomato and smoked redfish. The turtle soup was served with a bit of sherry
poured in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was a bit reluctant to try the turtle soup, but I'm glad I
did. It was fantastic – one of the tastiest soups I’ve ever had! The soup du
jour was also superb. I enjoyed the gumbo, but it was not quite to my taste -
perhaps because of the combination of ingredients. I'd had two other gumbos the
previous day - one at NOLA's and one that I made in a cooking class. I liked
both of them more. Both had andouille sausage. NOLA's was the best.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The second course was New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp - five
seared extra-large shrimp crusted with rosemary, garlic, and lemon zest over
goat cheese grits, with charred chilies and New Orleans barbecue butter for
$24. It was tasty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A small loaf of French bread was included, but I did not try
it because I was saving room for dessert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wine I chose was a 2016 Commander's Palace Pays d'Oc
Merlot. I really enjoyed it. My 6-oz. glass was $10.50.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My incredible dessert was the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé
with cream sauce mixed in for $9.50. This dish is made in advance, so it has to
be ordered at the same time one orders the other courses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I accompanied the soufflé with the perfect drink - a snifter
of Bailey's Irish Cream for $9.50. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I finished the meal with a decent cup of espresso for $3.50.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My server, Jeff, was one of those consummate professionals
who does everything right, and who adds a pleasant note to the dining
experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The atmosphere was vibrant, and all of the many diners
appeared to be enjoying themselves. At one point, three singers walked around
singing lively Christmas songs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The dress code is upscale casual. (See the restaurant's web
site for specifics.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The restaurant is located at 1403 Washington Ave, an easy streetcar ride from the French Quarter. Reservations are essential. Phone 504-899-8221.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After finishing a meal there, you might consider checking out some of the beautiful old mansions on the nearby streets. Be careful when walking on the very uneven sidewalks.</span></div>
<br />Un Viaggiatorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00677672326463263523noreply@blogger.com0