The past 9 days have been a rip roaring fabulous time of hedonistic gluttony. With ARC in town for my recent birthday I learned a few things:
1. Like Virginia, Venice may be for lovers. It’s also for people with shopping addictions.
2. Someone in his/her sixties using the phrase “you’ve got junk in your trunk” and “you’ve got a boot-ay!” just doesn’t seem right.
3. I love sardines. Who knew?
4. There might actually be a thing as too much dessert.
5. No, turning 30 doesn’t feel “different” or “weird”. Neither does turning 30 and 1 day, 30 and 2 days. I’m fairly certain I feel exactly the same as I did at 29. Sometimes I actually think I’m about 12 or maybe 22, but let’s not dig into that.
6. Eating a tub of hummus before dinner might actually spoil it (ok, this one I already knew, but we couldn't help it).
ARC’s arrival started out on a fairly healthy note with a really fabulous rice salad that I adapted from The Sunday Telegraph. Chicken, Sour Cherry, and Wild Rice Salad with green beans, basil, and a pomegranate-balsamic dressing was both beautiful (I kept thinking I should make this as a side dish around Christmukah because of the green and red) and tasty (the sour cherries and dressing balanced nicely with the al dente green beans and simple chicken breast). Oooh yes, another thing I learned this week:
Don’t leave a leftover salad with a garlicky dressing sitting in your fridge while you are away for a few days. It’s really going to smell, and not in a “yum, who’s cooking garlic bread?” kind of way.
ARC’s first weekend found us in Venice. 48 hours of walking, coffee, shopping, vino, shopping, snack time, shopping, gelato/more vino, more walking/shopping, pastry, sardines, vino, bellinis, vino, vino. Dinner. (Not in any particular order of course).
All in all it was a lovely weekend and whilst we started on a sour note with lunch at an atrocious tourist spot, there could only be room for improvement. Based on a few good reviews, one from the NYT, ARC had scored us a reservation at Fiaschetteria Toscana. On the menu:
Starter: Fried brown shrimps with polenta
Starter: Black tagliolini with lobster sauce
Main: Grilled local sea gilt-head bream
Main: Grilled local sea grey king prawns
Side: Fried zucchini flowers
Dessert: Fig tart
To Drink:
1. Like Virginia, Venice may be for lovers. It’s also for people with shopping addictions.
2. Someone in his/her sixties using the phrase “you’ve got junk in your trunk” and “you’ve got a boot-ay!” just doesn’t seem right.
3. I love sardines. Who knew?
4. There might actually be a thing as too much dessert.
5. No, turning 30 doesn’t feel “different” or “weird”. Neither does turning 30 and 1 day, 30 and 2 days. I’m fairly certain I feel exactly the same as I did at 29. Sometimes I actually think I’m about 12 or maybe 22, but let’s not dig into that.
6. Eating a tub of hummus before dinner might actually spoil it (ok, this one I already knew, but we couldn't help it).
ARC’s arrival started out on a fairly healthy note with a really fabulous rice salad that I adapted from The Sunday Telegraph. Chicken, Sour Cherry, and Wild Rice Salad with green beans, basil, and a pomegranate-balsamic dressing was both beautiful (I kept thinking I should make this as a side dish around Christmukah because of the green and red) and tasty (the sour cherries and dressing balanced nicely with the al dente green beans and simple chicken breast). Oooh yes, another thing I learned this week:
Don’t leave a leftover salad with a garlicky dressing sitting in your fridge while you are away for a few days. It’s really going to smell, and not in a “yum, who’s cooking garlic bread?” kind of way.
ARC’s first weekend found us in Venice. 48 hours of walking, coffee, shopping, vino, shopping, snack time, shopping, gelato/more vino, more walking/shopping, pastry, sardines, vino, bellinis, vino, vino. Dinner. (Not in any particular order of course).
All in all it was a lovely weekend and whilst we started on a sour note with lunch at an atrocious tourist spot, there could only be room for improvement. Based on a few good reviews, one from the NYT, ARC had scored us a reservation at Fiaschetteria Toscana. On the menu:
Starter: Fried brown shrimps with polenta
Starter: Black tagliolini with lobster sauce
Main: Grilled local sea gilt-head bream
Main: Grilled local sea grey king prawns
Side: Fried zucchini flowers
Dessert: Fig tart
To Drink:
2 glasses Rose Ferrari – Gorg!
Bottle of local Soave
Espresso
Due to a small blip in the evening ARC wasn’t able to participate in the 2 starters. It was a tough situation to handle, but I took one for the team and proceeded to tuck in.
When the shrimps and polenta were served I was surprised by the colour of the polenta (white contrary to the cornmeal pale yellow I'm used to) and the itsy bitsiness of the shrimps. While the polenta was probably the least attractive part of the meal with its lack of flavour, the thin crispy coating of the brown shrimp made up for both the polenta and the size of the shrimp. However, it must be noted that the shrimps had been fried with the shell/heads on. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to picking one or two shrimp eyeballs off. Only 1 or 2, I promise. I ate the rest with gusto and panache!
The black tagliolini was pretty much the ultimate pasta dish ever. Light and ethereal it was dressed with just a bit of olive oil, garlic, herbs and lobster. The pasta was obviously home-made and made me realise that buying the generic supermarket brand every 4 out of 5 times just isn't going to cut it. More to the point, next on my list of culinary projects will be to perhaps make some homemade pasta.
Both mains were grilled in a little olive oil with herbs and lemon. The fish was so fresh I thought I might have to slap it back down on my plate. I think we often get so used to eating food that’s 80-90% “fresh” that when finally prompted with the opportunity to eat the Godfather of Fresh – we realise just how sublime it can be. I absolutely fell in love with the taste of the fish. I typically get annoyed at the little bones that have been inadvertently left in when being filleted. However, in this case – all was easily forgiven.
The most surprising aspect of dinner was the fig tart ARC and I shared for dessert. Expecting something similar to a tarte tatin with big pieces of freshly baked fig, we were completely blown away by what did arrive. Homemade pastry crust was layered with fresh pastry cream and fig puree. It was absolutely heavenly. Bellissimo!
Bottle of local Soave
Espresso
Due to a small blip in the evening ARC wasn’t able to participate in the 2 starters. It was a tough situation to handle, but I took one for the team and proceeded to tuck in.
When the shrimps and polenta were served I was surprised by the colour of the polenta (white contrary to the cornmeal pale yellow I'm used to) and the itsy bitsiness of the shrimps. While the polenta was probably the least attractive part of the meal with its lack of flavour, the thin crispy coating of the brown shrimp made up for both the polenta and the size of the shrimp. However, it must be noted that the shrimps had been fried with the shell/heads on. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to picking one or two shrimp eyeballs off. Only 1 or 2, I promise. I ate the rest with gusto and panache!
The black tagliolini was pretty much the ultimate pasta dish ever. Light and ethereal it was dressed with just a bit of olive oil, garlic, herbs and lobster. The pasta was obviously home-made and made me realise that buying the generic supermarket brand every 4 out of 5 times just isn't going to cut it. More to the point, next on my list of culinary projects will be to perhaps make some homemade pasta.
Both mains were grilled in a little olive oil with herbs and lemon. The fish was so fresh I thought I might have to slap it back down on my plate. I think we often get so used to eating food that’s 80-90% “fresh” that when finally prompted with the opportunity to eat the Godfather of Fresh – we realise just how sublime it can be. I absolutely fell in love with the taste of the fish. I typically get annoyed at the little bones that have been inadvertently left in when being filleted. However, in this case – all was easily forgiven.
The most surprising aspect of dinner was the fig tart ARC and I shared for dessert. Expecting something similar to a tarte tatin with big pieces of freshly baked fig, we were completely blown away by what did arrive. Homemade pastry crust was layered with fresh pastry cream and fig puree. It was absolutely heavenly. Bellissimo!
No comments:
Post a Comment