Amsterdam

Despite getting sick during my trip to Amsterdam last year, I really liked the feel of the city.  I think I would enjoy it even more in the summer.  After getting the hang of watching out for bikes, the city started to grow on me, fever and all.  Some highlights of my stay included: a concert at the Concertgebouw, the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank's house, the floating flower market, wandering the endless canals, and finally, a (centuries-old!) quirky pharmacy right near our hotel.  I went in for cough drops and came out feeling like I'd traveled back in time.  I definitely want to return to this shop, Jacob Hooy and Co., next time I'm in town.  For more on Amsterdam, check out this post on a delicious local bakery, and here for a recap of a tasty Indonesian-influenced meal.  Below are some pictures I took.

The Wandering Cafe Dinner

Last summer, I had the pleasure of partaking in a chef's dinner at The Wandering Cafe.  It was a great evening of meeting interesting new people and sharing conversation over delicious cooking. I encourage you to subscribe to their mailing list, which keeps you up-to-date on chef's dinners, cooking classes, and other events.

Delicious salad made with produce from Kristine's garden!

Moist chicken and pesto pasta

Paradise Beach Club

If you find yourself lucky enough to be in Taormina, I recommend spending a day at Paradise Beach Club.  Last summer was our third time to Taormina, and we wanted to try something new.  Our lovely hotel advertised "A Day at the Beach" including round-trip shuttle service.  Paradise Beach Club is located in the town of Letojanni.  For a flat per-person rate, you can enjoy unlimited access to the private seawater pool and beach, changing rooms and showers, and free wi-fi.  They also have a restaurant serving above-average pastas at lunchtime.  Be sure and try one of the bartenders' amazing, non-alcoholic fruit drinks.  The fresh fruit and innovative combinations will most definitely impress your taste buds.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Happy New Year!  Every year, I always get a case of the January blues starting right around January 2nd.  I love the holiday season in December, the mad rush of parties, cookie-making, present shopping, and tree-decorating.  After New Year's Eve festivities, everything seems to come to a halt and we're forced to look a new year in the eye.  The weather is still dreary but this time we don't have the twinkle of Christmas lights to keep our spirits up.  That's when it's time for a pick-me-up citrus dessert that will whisk you away.  There are so many recipes out there for olive oil cakes and many of them are very good.  My favorite version is from Gourmet, however, because it doesn't stray too far in the ingredients and the simplicity of this dessert is what makes it special.  Good olive oil and the hint of citrus from the lemon make this cake undeniably moist and the perfect treat to accompany your tea.  It's just what the doctor ordered for the New Year blues.

Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Tomatillo Salsa

  

I made these quesadillas and couldn't get enough of them.  I followed Deb's recipe over on Smitten Kitchen, only I substituted butternut squash in place of the acorn squash.  They were delicious.  I highly recommend making the accompanying tomatillo salsa since it balances the heaviness of the squash.  Finally, wash it all down with a chilled glass of hard cider.

Crack Mac and Cheese

Fall is comfort food season.  The cold weather signals the arrival of stews, casseroles, and macaroni and cheese.  Back in college, my roommates and I adhered to the Joy of Cooking recipe, and for a good reason.  It was delicious, not too complicated, and reheated nicely as leftovers.  Last month, I decided to branch out and try a different recipe, using the always trusted Martha Stewart.  I followed Deb's adaptation over on Smitten Kitchen, but made some adjustments myself, including the amount of pasta.  Perhaps we're just pigs in my house, but I doubled the recipe to make it two pounds of pasta, and we still finished it the second day.  (I would say it serves about 10, with the doubling of the noodles.)  The combination of Gruyère and white cheddar is delicious, if not pricey, decadence.  The crispy breadcrumbs on top give an otherwise mushy dish a welcome variety in texture.  I think it shall be referred to as crack mac and cheese from now on.  Recipe here.

M-eating Restaurant in Mykonos

On our last night in Mykonos, A. and I decided to splurge on dinner.  (As good as the 2.50 gyro sandwiches were, it was nice to have a long, sit-down dinner before the nightly festivities.)  We ended up eating at M-eating Restaurant, right smack in the action.  We made a reservation for 10:30pm, and in true Mykonos fashion, we were right on time.  The bartender was really sweet and sent over shots of mastiq.  It was very woodsy and a nice change from the ouzo and tequila we'd been enjoying on the island.  The setting of this restaurant is just divine- we sat on the back garden patio under the trees.  Soft candles glowed all around us and set the tone for our meal to come.  

I had to order this appetizer once I saw that two of my favorite Greek dishes were included: fava puree and tzatziki.  The tzatziki was one of the best I had on the trip- the texture was thick and creamy and it was loaded with garlic.  

I also enjoyed a sea bass filet with couscous that was cooked perfectly, the citrus-infused juices seeping out when I sliced my knife into it.  We lingered over our dinner, before heading out after midnight.  The night was still young in Mykonos, and it was time to celebrate our final night on the island...

M-eating is located at 10 Kalogera str. in Mykonos (town) 

My Salerno

Salerno will always hold a special place in my heart.  First and foremost, I still have cousins that live there.  It was from this part of Italy that my great-grandfather immigrated to Boston, where he met my great-grandmother from Friuli.  Ever since my first visit to Campania, my relatives have always been the most hospitable, wonderful family.  But aside from my personal attachment to Salerno, this is a beautiful part of Italy.  Salerno is a sizable city not far south of Naples.  That means lots of good pizza as well as a rich culture. It's close enough to the pretty yet touristy towns of Positano and Amalfi, and far enough away that you can return in the evening and walk among Italians dressed in their finest, tasting an ice cream cone, and lingering about during their passeggiata.  

 

Ancient botanical gardens

Gulf of Salerno

Dinner at the cousins!

My favorite part of the trip is every night when we sit down for dinner where we partake in simple food at its best.  They make their tomato sauce once a year and bottle it up to use for the next twelve months.  We enjoy vegetables like green beans, roasted peppers, zucchini, and a simple lettuce salad-everything tastes like it was picked from the garden a few minutes ago.  We'll finish with different cheeses- buffalo mozzarella of course, some parmigiano, and another type perhaps.  And finally, melon, gelato, and cake for whoever still has room.