Tuscan Road Trip, Sights From The Road (and near the road)

Hi

Yes, we are totally bad ass

Correct, the Italian Stallion and I are on a road trip, official labeled as a "work site visit and interview".  However, for those of you that know me, or us at all, we'll turn this into an epic gastronmic experience for sure.  Not that everthing will be great.  Not at all.  Some of the food I'll show you totally sucked, mark my words.  

But when you're with good company even shitty food is a topic enjoyed.

Did you realize that it's winter time?

Cause I didn't, and my leather soled dress shoes have me skating across the parking lot like Dorothy  fricken Hamill!

Danger

Not Safe

Bad

I was really going to wax poetically about the views and experiences traveling from Ticino to and through Tuscany and back.  But, truth be told, we had 1 night and lots of driving and the primary point of interest was a small cafe, in a small town, rated consistently in the top 10 cafes in Italy (really, fact check me, I dare you), and we were headed there for breakfast.

It also happened to be Market Day, so the street was lined with vendors selling everything from ham to underwear.  Literally.

Felt like I was with secret agent 00-dork....

Owned, operated, and occupied DAILY by one Masseur Angelo, the Maestro of the pastry, coffee, and general good time.  

This guy could sell dog shit and I would line up to eat it on a cracker.

As this was my first visit a tasting was in order, sharing, experiencing, enjoying.

First up was a couple of beauties made with a dough similar to croissant.  The

one on the left was filled with apples, and the one on the right pastry cream.

Closer

The dough was light, crispy, and not oily, something that sets these apart from any other pastry of this type that I've ever had.  Perfection in execution.

The pastry cream is dark yellow because the egg yolk to milk ratio is 12 to a quart.

Yeah

Amaze-balls

And, delicious.  The best pastry cream I've ever had (and I make a pretty good one if I do say so myself)....

A plate arrived with a few dainty morsels

No explanation other than these are made on the premises, like EVERYTHING is here, and bursting with flavor.

Impressive

Beautiful

Elegant yet the setting was so rustic/comfortable

Giamaica coffee (say it out loud, sounds like Jamaica CAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS)  

hahahahahahah!

Simplicity at it's finest

Just the dough, folded and fried, dusted with sugar, and an evil little drop of cream in the center, making you take the biggest bite you can just to get to it as fast as you can.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Do we have to leave???

I don't wanna, at all, ever

On to Parma.

Hoestly, I don't even remember the name of this place.

High expectations though.  8 tables in all, very well attended to.

This photo is of the table, decorated with a sprinkling of acorns, wood, pixie dust.  

Fuck.  I'm aready getting pissed.

And then the wine list arrives....

Oy vey

From this point on this will just be primarily a photo expose, minimal comments.

Waffle made with Parmesan cheese.  Decent, average.

Honestly I don't remember what this was.  I do remember that it was unmemorable...

Bread

The wine table - Quite a production (a little overplayed...)

This didn't suck, Parma ham and cheese and a light vinaigrette.

Foie gras served with mango sorbet. 

Ravioli with some meat inside

Pork with mashed potato

This was the best thing we ate and the only item I would want more of.

3 cheese sampler

Dessert

Wasn't worth noting

Let's get outta this place!

Average at best.  Very pretentious but executed without an issue, just very uninspired.  Boring even.  Not trying hard enough.  Just good enough is just good enough for these guys.  Everything looked good, tasted average.  For the price, not worth it.

Back to our best friend, ANGELO!!!!

It's now the next morning and we have routed ourselves to ensure that we pass by on our way home.

Almond croissant, Bellissimo

The other one was pastry cream mixed with rice.  A new one for me and it was amazing.  A whole new texture and taste.  I loved it.

Chocolate filled donut and one made with barley.   A little dense but full deep flavor.

Bye bye Tuscany

Bye bye Italy

DVA

Osteria Enoteca Ferriroli - Minusio - Ticino - Switzerland (CH)

MEAT

It's what's for dinner

http://www.ferriroli.ch/

Located high on the hill of Locarnese at the mouth of the village of Contra sits a restaurant that is at it's essence an authentic gastronomic experience. 

Operated since 1993 by it's current owner and namesake, Antonio Ferriroli, Osteria Ferriroli offers simple rustic homemade dishes and grilled specialties (said grilled specialties are cooked personally by Mr. Antonio).  This place, however, has very humble beginnings dating back to 1870 when it was a simple meeting/shopping place for local peasants and woodsmen. 

Now, it's a mecca for meat

 Yet Man cannot live on meat alone.... (that's probably not true) but we certainly cannot order meat alone, and we're thirsty as well, so let's get the party started.

A wonderful bottle of wine was selected by the Master of Ceremonies himself, and an offering of homemade bread for the table.

 They called this a salad but it was s chiffonade of lettuce within a ring of tomato wedges.   

Not impressive visually nor tastually....  so let's move on.

Risotto with seared foie gras.

Although I had a better version of this at the home of a friend a few nights previously this risotto was easily the second best I've ever had in Ticino. 

The foie was soft and super flavorful and the rice was creamy but not gummy, if you know what I mean.  I believe that I ate 3-4 slices of bread at the end just to ensure that not even the smallest tid bit was left behind..

Sides arrive 

I'm not excited, but I'm not a side guy really (not their fault)....

BAM!

OK, there were 6 of us at dinner and instead of each one of us ordering a different meat from a different country (they had multiple cuts from multiple countries) we opted to get 2 whole tenderloins to share.  One from Italy and one from France.

An international taste test if you will.

This was France

And this was Italy.

Both cooked with only salt, finished with melted butter drizzled at the end.

My favorite was the Italian.  While the texture for both was great, soft and easy, the flavor of the Italian meat was richer and deeper.

And we weren't shy.  No meat left behind.

Really though, a terrific steak, cooked by the owner, in a quaintly amazing setting, with a nice group of compatriots.  

Dessert?  Why not!

Grape ice cream, I heard it was nice....and seasonal too!

Semifreddo

It's like a semi frozen custard.  I heard this was good too. 

And the king.

I don't remember the name of this but it was a meringue ball that was not very sweet, covered with very sweet whipped cream and a vanilla cream over that.  When eaten with all elements in one bite it worked perfectly.  The sweetness balanced itself out and was not at all heavy, as I thought it would be when it was placed in front of me.  You could ask the others at the table what they thought but they wouldn't have any idea as I shared with them as much as they shared with me.....!

The best part of this meal though, was the company.  It was a great night after a long day.  But when that's spent with people you truly enjoy being around, time flys.

Knee-how Joe/Andrew/Johnson!

You too Alf  and Luis.

DVA 

Zürich Street Food Festival 2017

I cannot say that it's been a life long dream to attend the Zürich Street Food Festival.  However, as I have a free day at the back end of my current trip to Switzerland, and it's about an hour walk from my hotel, it sounded like a swell idea to check it out.

We'll call it exercise and lunch.

After weaving my way through the heart of the city I come across this....

I'm not a brain surgeon but I think I'm near... AND I've made it without having to do too much backtracking, I'd say that's a win!

Almost to the gate and I'm getting hungry, especially when I see trucks like this lined up!

I don't know about shrimps on a burger, but that photo does not suck,

And then this

Essentially it says that they are taking holiday today, likely because they don't have a Sunday permit.  But hey, come back and enjoy the festival that will be back on from 18-24 September!

Ughhhh

Fick dich Zürich!

DVA

Zuppardi's Apizza - West Haven - Connecticut - USA

http://www.zuppardisapizza.com/

Stories like this are difficult to tell.  I'm not only struggling with where to start but also with figuring out "what's my point"?  Is this about me and my journey? Or, is this about the destination and those who are there?  If I jump right in will you be able to follow or do I need to "set-it-up"?

Like I've said before, it's not easy being me.....  Fuck it, let's roll!

We're on our annual summer east coast vacation and I realize that we'll be rolling right through the birthplace of one of my favorite styles of pizza, "New Haven".  Yes, Connecticut, yes pizza, and yes they are famous for it, even though you've probably never heard of it....

What the F is this you ask? and many do and have...  The easy explanation is that it's like a rustic New York pie.  The ingredients of the crust are similar; thin, a little chewy, a nice pull to it, but it's not perfectly round, and has minimal cheese, and is cooked, generally, in a coal fired oven giving the outer crust ring blisters and chars from the inconsistent temperature zones in the oven.  It might look burnt to some.  It might look awesome to others (me).

In San Diego you can find this style of pie at Urbn in North Park, or in Portland at Apizza Scholls, see link below.  For more info on WTF Apizza is and the New Haven style, check the interweb, I don't have time to educate you further on this stuff.

http://yourpiemymouth.blogspot.com/2013/10/apizza-scholls-portland-or-pizza.html

Back to me

I can't just roll into this town and pop into any old place, it wouldn't be prudent.  So, I begin the search, and re-search, and investigate, and obsess, which turns into anticipation, which ultimately creates expectations and excitement and more anticipation.  Then fear strikes.  Will the place I choose live up to the (my) hype?  Will the people I see be the actual people I've seen Will I've seen on TV, Youtube, Viceland, etc.? 

I can only hope.

Zuppardi's is the choice (it's actually in West Haven, but the style is still New Haven).

It's situated in an average looking neighborhood, surrounded by average looking homes.

As we enter we are greeted by a frowned faced host that stares blankly past us.  We enter a bit further and glance around noting the counter where you order and also a minimalist dining room with 10 tables or so.  Do we order and sit, or sit and then order?  Will the the low faced, downtrodden host with the sorrowful essence that has wrapped me in a blanket of worry and concern offer any help whatsoever? 

No

I ask, "how does this work?!?!?"  "you wanna eat here, grab a table and we'll come take your order".

Geez

Let's just move on, I think you get the point.  

This place is known for their house made fennel sausage and clam pie (separate things, FYI).  So we order them, and a caesar salad each and a carafe of the house red.

No, this is not grape juice to go along with the Graduates for the little one, this is the house red and thankfully it wasn't terrible, not great, but for the price it was drinkable.

Basic, but at least it wasn't terrible.  There was an off putting sourness to it that I couldn't put my finger on.  I shook it off and downed the bowl (probably not the brightest move but meh).

The sausage pie was actually the "original" which consists of sausage and mushrooms.  It's called the original because the old dude that opened this place in 1934 put it on the menu then, and it's still a big seller.  An obvious "must order" for us.

The appearance of the crust is deceiving.  It looks hard and thick but it actually has a very thin crispy shell and is light and fluffy inside.  I honestly liked it a bit.

The sausage was as advertised, delicious with a strong but not overpowering fennel flavor, but enough to let you know it's there.

And then this happened.....

Canned mushrooms

I know that grandpa used to do it that way and we want to stay "authentic", but holy mother of jesus, in 1934 you probably couldn't get fresh mushrooms in West Haven (or he couldn't afford them) so he used canned, which in today's world equals terrible, and they were.

Come on Zup, roll with the times!!!!!

Solid crust though, at least there was that.

Clam pie, sold at market price, which for this medium was $32....

We were suggested to order half cheese (the standard pie doesn't have it) because, as we've never had the clam pie, the flavor can be improved with cheese....  so we did (and thank god we did...)

I now know that I don't like clams on pizza.

Blech

The clams weren't bad or old or spoiled, it's just that the flavor of clams doesn't (to me-us) go with a pizza, at all.  With the cheese it was tolerable, without it you can have all of mine....

Gross

Those of you that know me know that I love this.  However, to continue the negativity, they had it on the cheese shaker and not the crushed pepper shaker.  sad.

Good things babies don't know good food yet, they'll eat anything.

When passing through Connecticut there's no need to stop, or even slow down, for pizza.  Just floor it and get some chinese food when you reach the NYC.    Right Spence-O?

DVA