Italy the Land of Love

It’s the labor of love – all the effort put into making delicious meals – and the people of Italy that make it such a wonderful country.

Gathered at the dinner table with Grappa

Oh, yeah, I can’t forget the awesome architecture such as this castle in Napoli. 

No matter what region of Italy I was in there were outdoor marketplaces with fresh organic foods. The uncompromised fresh foods in the hands of talented chefs and cooks took my culinary experiences to new levels.

At the time I went to Italy I knew I couldn’t eat onion without getting sick. So I did what I always do here at home. I asked if there were onions in the dishes. I constantly received a confused almost insulted look and a definite answer of “no” said in a tone that implied that I was crazy.

I realized the majority of the foods I was eating were made from freshly picked and prepared foods thus the flavors popped. The simplicity of the recipes allowed the flavors of the fresh ingredients to shine. 

Giullio picks fresh ingredients

The food is delicious throughout Italy. I noticed there tended to be more seafood dishes at restaurants in Southern Italy and more pasta dishes in Northern Italy. Italy is still the home of many of my favorite edibles:

Gelato at the Trevi Fountain

Espresso at the Milan train station

Pizza Margherita at a small restaurant - 30 minutes bus ride East of Rome

Risotto made by Giullio

Tiramisu made by Mari (she’s in the family photo)

Tortellini in Northern Italy

If you haven’t visited yet, I encourage you to experience the culinary delights Italy has to offer. I’m looking forward to my next trip because I’m sure there is so much more for me to discover.

Gelato at the Trevi fountain

I can’t stop with the topic of Italy yet because there is so much to share. My travel has taken me to Rome. Home of the famous Trevi fountain that just happens to be the largest Baroque fountain in the city. 

I did throw a coin into the fountain because legend says by doing so you are ensured to return to Rome. I would love to return to Rome.

Just to the right of the Trevi fountain I captured a photo of another colorful outdoor fruit stand. I picked up some fresh coconut here. It’s very refreshing on a hot day. 

And very near to this my absolute favorite gelato can be found at Il Gelato di San Crispino. They serve gelato in cups with a tiny spoon that resembles a square shovel. No frills to get in the way of pure delicacy of flavor.  Sorry I don’t have a photo to show you because I was too busy delighting in my gelato. In fact I think I had it four times in one day. Utterly crazy, I know, but it is so good!

If you happen to travel to Rome, you won’t want to miss the Trevi fountain or the wonderful gelato nearby.

Delights of Venice, Italy

My adventures through Italy took me to lovely Venice. It's a city full of amazing architecture and rich in history and food. Intermixed with my photos of the architecture are many pictures of the outdoor marketplaces. Once again I couldn't resist the colorful beauty of fresh food.

My hometown doesn't have any canals so I was fascinated to learn that instead of carting the fresh fruits and vegetables through the narrow corridors of Venice the locals prefer to use water transportation.

Since I mentioned water, I can't resist tossing in a photo of me with my beverage of choice. Water.

Thanks for traveling with me. Here's to happy healthy eating. Eating good...even with restrictions.

Fresh Food - Outdoor Marketplaces

There is something about an open-air marketplace that captures my attention. I love the vibrant food colors and the promise of wonderful flavors coupled with an organic nutritional punch.

In my blog post FOOD OF THE PEOPLE I showed a couple photos from Tashkent, Uzbekistan of an open-air marketplace. Even though the faces and names of people vary throughout the world the foods remain constant.

Whether it’s the red tarp covered market in Lugano, Switzerland

or the blue tarp covered market in Capri, Italy

I still find this open-air type of market most fascinating and attractive.  Here is a shot of the fruit section at that market on the island of Capri.

I hope these photos encourage you to seek out and frequent your local open-air markets for fresh vibrant foods.

Chipotle Cultivate Festival is Today!

If you are in the Chicago, Illinois area today and are looking for something to do... Look no further... the Chipotle Cultivate Festival is happening right now. October 1st from 11 AM to 7 PM in Lincoln Park.

Cultivate is a "festival that brings together food, farmers, chefs, thought leaders, and musicians."  While there make your way over to the Chefs' Tent East at 4 PM and hear what Executive Chef Amanda Freitag has to share.

For those who do attend the festival, I look forward to hearing all about it from you.  Enjoy the food, fun, and fabulous speakers. And a reminder Good Eating & Healthy Eating go hand-in-hand.

To learn more about Chef Freitag go to www.AmandaFreitag.com and follow her on twitter @amandafreitag