Last Saturday night we went to the Fiera dei Vini (wine fair) for dinner since it was held in the Parco della Pellerina which is just a hop, skip and a jump from our casa. When we walked in the building it smelled fantastic! There were vendors selling hot grilled sandwiches, dishes with polenta, pasta and more, crepes, all kinds of desserts and candies, and of course wine.
So many choices. I went ahead and ordered a grilled pork sandwich on a piadina which is an Italian flatbread that while thicker is much the same to me as a flour tortilla. My sandwich came with grilled red bell peppers (which are known in Italy as pepperoni - not to be confused with the salame that we Americans love on our pizza) and sauerkraut which Italians call krauti.
Zibibbo is a wine of Sicily that is one of my personal favorites. It is a strong wine that is similar to Marsala, that has been partially fermented and then distilled without the addition of spirits. The Zibibbo is made from grapes that have been partially fermented in the sun. It is an old process. So old that it comes from a formula known in the middle ages. Trust me, it is good.
So many choices. I went ahead and ordered a grilled pork sandwich on a piadina which is an Italian flatbread that while thicker is much the same to me as a flour tortilla. My sandwich came with grilled red bell peppers (which are known in Italy as pepperoni - not to be confused with the salame that we Americans love on our pizza) and sauerkraut which Italians call krauti.
Zibibbo is a wine of Sicily that is one of my personal favorites. It is a strong wine that is similar to Marsala, that has been partially fermented and then distilled without the addition of spirits. The Zibibbo is made from grapes that have been partially fermented in the sun. It is an old process. So old that it comes from a formula known in the middle ages. Trust me, it is good.
After dinner, we strolled past the vendors again letting the boys choose what they wanted for dessert. Crepes were the choice. I chose Babba al Rhum. It is a pastry that is cooked, and then soaked in a sauce made of two parts water, one part rum, and a lot of sugar.
After the Zibibbo and the Babba our defenses were down and when we walked past an amazing display of Torrone in many different flavors, we couldn’t resist. We bought one kilo of Torrone in the flavors of Limoncello, arancio, Tiramisu’, Nutella, and Pistacchio. Mamma mia!
Oh man...this trip to Italy is gonna kill my lifestyle change, but it's only temporary and I must enjoy all taht Italy has to offer while I am there, right? At least that's what i keep telling myself! I'll walk it all off!
ReplyDeleteThat torrone looks yum-alicious! I don't know that I'd be as successful in my weight loss efforts if I had to live in Italy, so kudos to you Ambra for whatever success you have with shrinkage!!
Your posts are always a joy to read!
sounds like lots of fun!!
ReplyDeleteSounds great! If only I were a bit closer!
ReplyDeleteE & I - You'll be fine here in Italy, even with your lifestyle change. Luckily Italian cuisine has lots of choices, there is a wealth of things to eat other than pizza, pane, pasta and gelato! Think exciting seafood, glorious fruits, fresh veggies... and when you order, remember the primo piatto is usually a pasta dish, and the secondo is usually a meat item.
ReplyDeleteEast of Oregon, and Delina- I wish you could have come, at least for the Torrone! :-)
MMM, this brings me back to Italy! although, i've never ever seen such large torrones. that's insane!! what does a kilo look like? ! :)
ReplyDelete