How it has possibly gone 18 months (wait a minute! I missed my 1.5 year anniversary on Jan. 16th!) and I have yet to have a proper Sunday roast is beyond me. But, it is true, and this Sunday was another first.
The Sunday roast in England is an institution (in case that definition is unclear to you, I did in fact wiki it and I think it is quite good ... Click here. )
"An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community. Institutions are identified with a social purpose and permanence, transcending individual human lives and intentions, and with the making and enforcing of rules governing cooperative human behavior."
Read it a couple times ... eventually it sinks in. What it means is - exactly why we say it - is that this event is engrained in the very fiber of the culture ... everyone knows it, everyone does it, no questions asked, and it is oh so good. Like apple pie ... every Sunday afternoon.
A roast ... tender slow cooked meat, potatoes soft in the middle, crispy outside, carrots not too mushy, and the graaaaaaaavy. Hm hm. In addition, in the UK they add some cabbage and turnips, and it is critical that the "Yorkshire pudding" is sitttin' on the side to lap up the gravy (of which there just never is enough, right?)
During this exploratory experience I was informed that Yorkshire pudding is "nothing more than baked pancake batter". Well, I actually think I prefer it baked!
Yu-um. Now this is an institution I just may be able to check in to.
I am not writing this to rub it in to all the Midwesterners that just received a dumping of snow and have now officially begun the dreaded winter season.
I am writing this to share the wonderful day I had today celebrating the birth of Spring here in London. Yes, Spring. Though there is a bite in the air and the threat of frost is still real, indeed the cherry blossoms have begun to bloom and the bulbs are already at half height hinting at the Daffodil season just around the corner.
And the sun has been shining ... I was told last winter was "the snowiest ever" and "dreadfully cold". Thus far into this year I have to say it has been quite pleasant comparatively. London remains green in winter-time and flowers still bloom.
This weekend, brunchers dined outdoors and picnic tables at pubs were full of locals drinking pints and toking cigarettes. As I was promised before moving here, "It really never gets so cold that you can't sit outside here in London."
When living in Chicago I always said, "wouldn't it be great if we could just skip January and February and go straight from Christmas to March?". Guess what ... I found a place where that actually happens ... March just lasts four months. A trade I am happy to make.
So, I spent the afternoon raking the leaves into bags, revealing the bulbs growing underneath. Made a trip to the garden centre to purchase some more sprouting bulbs to fill the pots and enjoyed the renewing feeling that only Spring cleaning provides. Oh happy day.
Straight after the holidays were over I set out to catch up on all the Chi-town food I was missing. It's a wonder I don't weigh a ton now (because this journey began AFTER the holiday dinner and cookies).
I had certainly been craving some of the old favorites like the best Italian place ever Buona Terra and sushi at Sai Cafe, but I was also fortunate enough to try some new kids on the block like The Girl & the Goat and the Telegraph wine bar in Logan Square (P.S. Logan is blowing up with new eatty joints that I am slightly jealous about).
Of course, I also spent some quality time at the mecca Whole Foods and made some pretty spectacular plates at home myself to mix in ... eh hem.
The line up went something like this ...
Potbelly - the Wreck sandwich, not a planned stop but oh-so-yummy Chicago post-X-mas Target shopping lunch
Sai Cafe - best sushi ever with Mochi ice cream balls, a Monday tradition (hit it 3 times this visit)
Cafe con Leche - Chilequiles Verdes, surprise Logan Square delight only because Lula was closed
Buona Terra - Prosciutto/Mozzerella salad, Angel Hair with red sauce - first choice is always the red sauce. If you haven't been there your life is just a little less happy than it should be
Urban Belly - Udon noodle soup with shrimp, the spices are an artform - cleans the passages
Panozzo's Italian Market - Italian beef sandwich w/ hot peppers - hadn't had one in years, but this new place was on TV as I mentioned a dip sandwich and ... SOLD!
Buona Terra - Beet Carpaccio, Di la Nona Pasta - guilty pleasure ... only a half order!
Casa de Jonas - that octopus, mushroom, olive thing on polenta - a favorite of ours, not sure how I originally came up with it
Lula Cafe - The Lula Royale sandwich - not as good as other things I've had there
Casa de Jonas - Cod ceviche, Tri-tip steak, shrimp, greens, a ripe avocado - Happy New Year!
Casa de Jonas - Eggs Benedict - ooooh ... the "I love myself" breakfast
Casa de Chepe - Tacos, charro beans, hominy soup - unreal NY Day feast that lasted for days of leftovers and put this journey on pause ...
Giordano's - can't go to the Chi without a pizza stop, though I would have ordered the deep dish
Girl & the Goat - the place to be in Chicago right now by Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard - got in the work peeps through a lucky connection - tons of wonderful small plates, worth the hype
Mel's Vegetarian Wonderland - a beautiful friend hosted a delicious dinner party, and it was warm enough to sit outside!
Casa de Jonas - Brazilian style streak, delicious scallops - the way we love it
Casa de Jonas - every day Jonas makes the most delicious fruit / yoghurt / oats / honey salad for breakfast, yummy health
Buona Terra - again, garlic, pasta, wine, again, and again ...
Gene & Georgetti's - final evening work dinner at the oldest steak house in Chicago .... Filet Mignon. Period.
I am going to give London another fighting chance to prove itself as a foodie capital, but sorry, there simply is no touching Chicago as a culinary institute the world throughout .... and now I actually have some world experience to back that statement up.
Nothing but fish and veg for weeks! I'm on a cleanse!! Whew, it was worth it though.
<< Slide Show ... Don't watch if committed to a resolution!! >>
The holiday season means a variety of different things to different people - could be about the birth of Jesus, the visit from Santa Claus, eating comfort foods guilt-free, spending time with your family and friends, or buying yourself the gift you really wanted.
This year I was most looking forward to the time with family and friends. It had been quite some time since I visited my Mom and I was in need of hugs, relaxing and chatting.
As you can see we took to the kitchen for a baking marathon and ended up with quite an impressive spread! Yes, all home-made - eleven varieties that would make Martha Stewart demand our job applications.
Just a week later I have eaten half my box ... and the pants are feeling a little tighter, but worth it. There is more than sugar and butter in that box ... there is a lot of love to help fuel another couple months away.
Not making it to at least one Christmas market this time of year would simply be ridiculous. With so much to offer - handcrafted items, local cheeses and vinegars, hot food and mulled wine - it is a great way to spend an afternoon and get into the holiday spirit!
This year the choice was Bath, England. Just a two hour train ride away from England, and quite rich with history.
Known for its Roman bath house established off the therapeutic waters of local hot springs, it was a popular spa destination in the Georgian era and apparently still today (though this time around I did not partake in the spa experience).
Bath also serves as a location in several Jane Austin books, where she lived herself for several years, and tours around town take you to see the sites she mentions - one of the more popular is the Pump Room where one can take a sip of the healing Bath waters (pass, thanks).
Another is the Putney Bridge, quite pretty over the river Avon. I just happened to get into the spirit of the trip by reading Sense & Sensibility the last few weeks.
The market was great, with many more local handcrafted items than others I have been to. I was able to pick up a couple kitschy Christmas gifts while sucking away on my candy cane.
Bath is also known for having a glass blowing house, where they specialize in turquoise colored glass items - picked myself up a little vase. "Taking its name from the city’s Latin name (Aquae Sulis) ‘Bath Aqua’ is made by adding copper oxide to molten glass. This gives the aquamarine colour reminiscent of the historic city’s hot springs."
All in all, a nice little road trip away from the hustle and bustle of London, and helped to start the Christmas spirit.
Hello. I am fortunate enough to have had my second trip to Paris last weekend, nearly one year exactly after the first. This time - a girl's trip! Seven beautiful, funny, intelligent ladies together for a weekend together to bid adieu to one, heading back to the U.S. with a one way ticket.
This now seems to be becoming a regular part of life ... saying goodbye. It makes sense, with a group of friends comprised of expats living outside their native home that people will come and go, but what was less expected is how quickly you become so close, family, to people you have known for such a short period of time. Sadness readily combines with hope for the future and it is impossible not to reflect on yourself and your uncertain future.
It was a weekend of comraderie, shopping splurges, croissants, drizzle, and a little jiggle in the hips. Bittersweet defined.
I admit, when I first saw the invite list for Thanksgiving dinner this year I thought it was nuts. Sixty people? Making dinner for 12 is stressful enough!
However, the expat gang is so fortunate that our group has grown considerably over the last year ... significant others, newly relocated, and a growing number of Brits that enjoy our company as well (well, maybe it is more Cheryl's cooking).
With the discovery of a nearby church with a kitchen, it was decided! Thanksgiving for all this year! We had just under forty confirm and turn up, all toting dishes and wine to pass. My contribution was a turkey, stuffed with Mom's recipe, and some darn good gravy, if I do say so myself. Also, the test run of the butter mould I purchased in Germany was a success, so I contributed some pretty butter as well (maybe too pretty, as nobody touched it!).
There were different varieties of sweet potatoes, home-made mac-n-cheese, garlicky mashed potatoes, corn casserole, stuffings, cheese, bacon-wrapped dates, empanadas, roasted vegetables, rolls, salad, and the deserts - pecan and pumpkin pie, carrot cake, brownies and tons more that I simply had to chose not to see for fear or exploding. So fun to taste everyone's dishes!
And of course, we did have to share "what I am thankful for". Each guest wrote down on a note card their thoughts and put them into a basket. We each drew one and read it aloud. It's a touching exercise to express what it is that you are thankful for. It is clear that expat crowd does not take for granted their great fortune in living in a wonderful city and having found a pseudo-family to help ease the home-sickness, if only for just a short time.
Seriously, what is the deal with the price of X-mas lights in this city?? 70 quid for a string that would hardly show up on a tree or round a window ... that is $115 USD people !!!! What? What???
Even the cheap light set is 35 pounds ... $55 USD !!!
Am I hallucinating or did I pick up 100 light strings for 99 cents after X-mas a few years ago?? I mean even the triple-overpriced lights pre-Christmas in the U.S. are like $10 bucks, right?
And what is the deal with this tiny LED light things? I want huge globes!
This is so anti-father Christmas and my holiday home glow is suffering. No wonder not a home in London has lights (well, maybe aside from Kensington). Boo.
Recent studies report the number of cars per adult in the city of London is 0.48. That means 48 cars per 100 adults... less than 1 car for every two adults (trust me, I'm a statistician).
I ask those of you in America, how many adults do you know without a car? Certainly not half. Only perhaps in New York do we get to those levels. In Chicago it feels like it is nearly one per adult, only possible as low as .80. So guess what that means for Londoners? Delivery!
One difference from home that I still struggle with is the lack of the big box ... now, let me be clear, I prefer the small, local shop-owner to the big box, but I could not figure out for quite some time where one buys an iron or lawn furniture or wine glasses, as alas there is no Target (or Crate & Barrel sniff, sniff).
On top of that - even if I found it, how would I actually get it home? Seriously, all the walking is doing my legs and buns some good, but my shoulders, neck, and back are screaming a bit from the lugging. Delivery!
Everyone does delivery. You can get anything overnight ordered online delivered to your door. Sure, sure you can get this in the US, but here it is simply a necessity - a way of life. The act of buying without seeing must be accepted.
In fact, the location I finally discovered, the one everyone responded with when I asked "where do you buy ____ ?" = Argos. Even if you do go into one of their locations, you will find nothing but aisles and aisles of catalogues where you simply point out what you want from the glossy page. This is normal.
I am opening up to this gradually, and this Thanksgiving offered up the perfect opportunity to splurge. Since I will be roasting one of the expat turkeys, I needed a roasting pan. Lo and behold John Lewis was having a 25% off sale on Le Creuset. Oooooooh Leee Creuuuuseeeet. Wi Wi!
Well, since you're delivering, you might as well throw in that wonderful teal casserole I have been lusting over for forever as well. Free of shoulder pain! Woot!
When I was a child my grandparents on my father's side had a cuckoo clock. On my mother's side, my grandmother's speciality just happen to be the Black Forest cake. Add in Black Forest ham, one of the best wine regions in Germany, and the autobahn and this weekend was a no-brainer on my must-do list.
Enhanced by the fall colours in the trees, pretzels, micro-breweries and what could have possibly been the best surprise view out of my hotel in the morning (see photo of market in the square), this trip certainly lived up to my hopes.
Planned for a weekend trip, we got ridiculously cheap airfare to Stuttgard, Germany where we picked up our cute little Mercedes and were on out way down the autobahn on to the "Schwarzwaldhochstrabe" a.k.a. the Black Forest Mountain Road. (Now that I look at it in writing, the German translation is not all that more complex than the English!)
c/o Ms. Fin.
The Fall colours were stunning, and as we wove our way up the winding roads in altitude we passed in and out of dense patches of fog, laced with the aphrodisiac of smoked ham. I read about the wine region there, but I did not expect it to be as stunning as it was. High hills, stratified with rows of plateaus supporting the vines, stained with their bright red autumnal leaves. Wow. The pictures I have do not do it justice.
And the village Freiburg, where we decided to stay, was great. Smack dab on the main square around the stunning Gothic cathedral, it was cobblestoned streets laced with hanging vines supporting "bierstubes" and "weinstubes" with a particularly delicious micro-brewery. On the first night I had a delicious cordon bleu pork and on the second night fresh trout (which had I had less to drink may have been a bit more freaked out by the presentation).
Throughout the days we visited Triberg, known for the origin of the cuckoo clock and its picturesque waterfall, of which the hike to in the fresh air was invigorating and provided for some fine practice with the camera (isn't that pic amazing??)
We concluded the journey with an authentic (and gigantic) slice of Black Forest cake, liberally laced with Kirsch (the cherry liquor the region is known for) in a VERY local cafe on a Sunday afternoon (avg. age 66, no English).
From there we "flew" back to the airport on the Autobahn. 180 km/hr is our official max. Swear that rental had us restricted!
Ok, I finally decided to dress up. The expat gang settled on a Neverland theme for our Halloween party, as we are all living in what at times seems to be a bit of a fantasy. Though I couldn't come up with a Peter Pan themed costume (not sure I have actually ever seen that movie!), I did end up finding a Wonderland themed costume ... close enough!!
Another great night with the crew, and some very creative costumes. The ladies were gorgeous and the boys full of fun as always.
I definitely crossed off all the sporting events I need to participate in for the foreseeable future throughout October, having the chance to see both types of football - American and the type the rest of the world plays.
While Jonas was still in town we randomly checked online for tickets to see the Arsenal football (soccer) club, whom is local to my neighborhood and I have declared my loyalty.
They are quite popular and tickets are usually hard to come by, but on this day they were playing a lesser known team and we were able to get some seats! It was a great chance to see a soccer game in England, for us both. They won and we could walk home!
Also, as luck would have it the Chicago Bears played Tampa Bay in an International Series NFL game at Wembley Stadium. A good portion of the expat group secured tickets one way or another. We hosted a proper tailgate party with a massive amount of barbecued meat before heading off to the game. Look at that group!
I was fortunate enough to be joined by one of my great friends from Chicago and his two children, for what turned out to be another great game. I will admit, there was a special feeling in the air ... a familiar feeling, and I was literally startled by hearing a Chicago accent from someone sitting behind me. Cried during the Star Spangled Banner.
The final leg of the Italy dream trip was to Piedmont. Five days driving through the wine country of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero - the Langhe hills. This place in particular holds a special spot in my heart, as throughout the years of hanging with my crew at Buona Terra (if ever in Chicago check it out!) we spent countless nights hashing out all of life's ins and outs while reviewing in detail the varietals of this region.
Barolo is considered the king of wines, only to be rivalled by France's Burgundy as the finest in the world. The geographical region is actually quite small, and when on top of one of the many hilltops you can see it all in one breathtaking view.
We started out this leg of the trip taking the train from Cinque Terra to Genoa airport to pick up our little car and took our time driving along the coast before heading north. The landscape quickly changed to lush, green mountains with highways either suspended between them or purging through them via long black tunnels.
After a lovely two hour drive we were in wine country. Piedmont stands for "foot of the mountain" and is green planes resting at the foot of the Alps. I had picked out our room at a converted castle, Castello di Sinio, and no doubt I felt like a princess the entire time! What a room! Three directional views of the vineyards from the top of a stone castle! From the sunset views, the comfy bed, the decadent breakfast buffet to the Michelin rated birthday dinner, it was ridiculous!
That Saturday was the opening day of the Alba Truffle Market, and we were just a 15 minute drive from Alba, one of the larger towns in the region. I have met only one person who said they didn't like truffles (and I'm talking about the fungus, not chocolate), but I am still convinced they clearly were delusional. The truffle, for whatever reason, holds an intoxicating aroma and nearly all who encounter its glory are hooked.
So much so that a truffle now sells at more per ounce than gold, and this was the time of year when they are harvested in the place in the world where they are found naturally and those with hundreds of extra dollars for mushrooms come to buy up their crop. It was pretty cool to be there ... we smelt quite a few of them, bought up truffle oil, truffle cheese, truffle salami, and even had a bowl of fresh pasta with truffle grated on top. Never got tired of it.
The remainder of the time we spent driving to the little villages each with their own castle, seeing the views and visiting their enotecas, picnicking, and of course eating at some great restaurants. There was a little pizzeria within walking distance of our room that did heart-shaped pizzas that were delicious, and we took a risk at a place that did not come highly recommended to have what turned out to be the best meal of the trip (though best one course still goes to the risotto in Santa Margherita!).
We walked in and food just started showing up at our table ... no menu, just a decadent six course meal of tartare with porcini, truffle/parmigiana soup with quail egg, artichoke cannelloni, sausage pasta, panna cotta with poached pears ... whew. All run by what appeared to be a two person show, along with their dog and a story of a pet pig that was stolen long ago.
We did make it inside one winery via a much appreciated hook up from my Chicago crew (most do not allow walk-ins), and it was cool to see how it all came together ... a seemingly impossible small operation, run mostly by family, but distributed throughout the world at a premium price. Though I could have sent home cases, I carefully selected four bottles along the trip to be my souvenirs ... we'll see how long those last!!
Cinque Terra is a region along the Northwest coast of Italy that consists of five small towns preserved in time, all hanging in the steep cliffs along the ocean. Until not so long ago they were only accessible by foot or boat, and it is common for visitors to plan a hike between all five.
In this leg of our journey we took the train from Santa Margherita to Monterosso, the northern-most and largest of the five. That is where we had our lovely room with a balcony for two nights. The turquoise beach that greatest us as soon as we stepped off the train was incredibly difficult to pass by.
But off to hiking we were! The plan for day one was to take the train (which in itself is a fine example of human perseverance - those tunnels through the mountainside were impressive!) down to Manarolo and walk the 'Via dell 'Amore' to Riomaggiore. This leg of the path was comfy - paved, railing, etc. Known for lovers, couples had secured locks along the way as a symbol of their unending love. Jonas and I got engaged. Joke!!!!
However, we did settle down for quite a nice sit on these old stairs down the side of the mountain for a perfect sunset view (flashbacks of the Portugal trail experience had me a bit nervous). Certainly a highlight of the trip for me. Thanks babe! Riomaggiore is exactly as I imagined ... bright homes, boats, and a wonderful dinner where we had another plate of anchovies and smoked tuna. Yum.
The agenda for day two was to hike from our town over to Vernazza and then Corniglia. This was an intense walk, as the first 30 minutes were straight up rocky 'stairs' to the top of this mountain. The heart was sure pumping! I was so impressed by the people I saw on this trip. Average age was probably 60, and these people, with their walking sticks and hiking boots were smoking Jonas and I. Very inspirational.
The entire walk took us an hour and a half. This region is also known for its own wines, and the terraces that have been constructed forming ledges on the mountains for growing grapes and olives add to the scenery. We cruised around town, had a piece of pizza and ultimately decided we didn't have it in us to proceed until the next hour hike to Corniglia, so we just went back to the beach and ended the perfect day with a picnic on our balcony and wine in a little enoteca.
I shall forever say that I only set foot in four of the cinque terra, but man it was awesome.
<< Slide show!! >>
The first planned destination of the Italian birthday adventure was Portofino - rumoured to be one of the most timelessly beautiful scenes in all of Italy. Because it was near the other planned destinations, I slipped this in for one quick visit ... why not?
We stayed two nights in the nearby town Santa Margherita - a bit more financially reasonable than Porto, known for regular visits from the rich, famous, and lavishly large-boated.
After our unplanned visit in Pisa we arrived via train in Santa Margherita our first evening. We strolled a bit through town and couldn't resist a larger than life pizza we eye-balled along the way.
This region, known as the Liguria coast, is the source of several local products - anchovies are one Jonas was a bit more thrilled about than I. We stopped later that evening at an adorable restaurant near our hotel for a nightcap and had a plate of anchovies that were quite fresh and delicious. I am a convert!
The next AM we were up to catch the boat to take us along the coast and into Portofino. The weather ended up being quite a bit warmer than anticipated and I was thrilled the boat trips were still running in October. What better way to ride into lovely Portofino than on the crystal turquoise water to see the sun shining onto the golden buildings?
We spent the day exploring town, hiking up to the top of the opposite hill to check out the views, and then a lunch on the water consisting of a typical dish of pasta with pesto sauce and filet milanese. Molto buono!
On our return to Santa Margherita, the restaurant with the anchovies looked so good we decided to head back there and had arguably the best meal of the trip (only one other competes - to be mentioned in the Piedmonte chapter).
The antipasti was an octupus / potato salad that was so simple, but so well-prepared and tender ... yum. However, it was the seafood risotto - so rich, fresh, creamy, and seafoody - that won best prize for best single dish. The taste alone had me convinced they it undoubtedly took hours of simmering shells and vegetables to make the stock alone. Amazing ... Jonas and I had to roll out of there to our room!
The trip was off to a perfect start! << slide show on this one! >>
Thus starts a series of blogs accounting my recent 'dream trip' to northern Italy ... ten days planned (and planned, and planned) to be shared between the coast and wine country to see first hand all that I have discussed for so long regarding the pleasures this region has to offer. There will be four to this series - if I tried to cover the trip all in one blog it would be impossible - 600+ photos!!
The trip started off on a concerning note when a series of public transportation set backs in London caused us to miss our flight to Genova by minutes ... (argh!!!) Jonas said he could see me turning red from the neck up. I was simply trying to fight back the tears and think rationally.
Genova is a small city, and it is not like you just jump on the next flight in an hour or two ... the next flight was tomorrow, and it was full. Fortunately our scurry with a helpful BA counter agent with an atlas landed us with a flight to the not so far away Pisa, leaving in an hour ... Yes! Oh, and that will cost you just ... Ugh. Oh well, you take what you get. Nothing was going to ruin this trip!
So, though an hour behind, things from here went perfectly and I got to see the Tower of Pisa!! Unexpected bonus - another major global monument checked off the list! Of course, the cheesy tourist thing to do at the tower is attempt to get some sort of clever shot of you supporting the tower ... ours were just not so successful, but you get the point!
The tower itself was stunning, almost seemed to be carved of ivory, and definitely leaning at an eerie angle.
Now ... I just need to figure out how to get from Pisa to our original destination, Santa Margherita. Thank goodness I knew the Tren Italia site fairly well from doing previous research, and it was just an hour and a half train ride. After just a short pit stop we're off ...
The Sunday roast in England is an institution (in case that definition is unclear to you, I did in fact wiki it and I think it is quite good ... Click here. )
