gigina's, bologna

I can't believe I haven't finished posting about our trip to Italy this summer, especially when I have been excited to tell you about Gigina's since the beginning planning stages of the trip! You know a restaurant is good when a fine group of gentlemen go out of their way to tell you that this restaurant is as good as it gets; the best. Who am I to argue? If there is one place you have to eat in Italy, it must be somewhere in the province of Emilia-Romagna. I will never even think of going to Italy without at least one stop somewhere in Emilia-Romagna... we spent 5 nights, which meant 5 very rich and memorable meals. Perhaps I should say that if you travel to Italy, ok when you travel to Italy, you must go to Bologna, Parma, or Modena. This is not a choice. You must go! I dare say, it just might be close to impossible to eat this well any place else in the world. Ok, it might be possible, but not made and lovingly served by ma and pa with heart-on-their-sleeve hospitality. Oh, and you are absolutely, not allowed to leave without being the most full of the best stuff you've ever imagined. It's Mama's food of your dreams. I have been to Gigina's before, but I had to go back. I knew Gigina's was famous for their fettucine bolognese, but I didn't order it. And I'll admit, that seeing Heston Blumenthal travel to Gigina's In Search of Perfection, I knew I had to hurry back. Fast. At Gigina's you start with chunks of mortadella, gnocco fritto, and salame. Gnocco fritto are literally fried pieces of dough, a little salty, a little sweet, but delicious melt in your mouth pillows of dough. In Emilia-Romagna, it is also obligatory to drink lambrusco, the wine of the locals. Bubbly red wine sounds terrible to most, but it is not sweet, and honestly helps with all the fat. The food is gloriously fatty... sigh. Spuma di mortadella e gelatina di balsamico is like mortadella in a whipped pâté-like consistency, accented by the sweet richness of balsamic vinegar. The accompanying greens are valeriana, a popular easy-to-find green in Italy. It is impossible to eat enough culatello in Italy. The meat so rich, but so very sweet and tender. Parmigiano-reggiano is another Emilia-Romagna specialty. This looks like an excessive amount of cream and butter, but it is not possible here. The only thing that is near to impossible is trying to finish all of these gnocchi con spinaci in fonduta di parmigiano e tartufo. Yes, those brown specks are truffles, and irresistible. I had been to Gigina's in 2007, and ordered the gnocchi and not their infamous fettuccine bolognese. I nearly leapt into the air when I saw Heston Blumenthal travel to Gigina's, In Search of Perfection. I knew I had to go back. This fettuccine was well worth the wait, and the journey. The golden fettuccine are rich and delicious, with the perfect consistency one only dreams of. The bolognese is nearly sauceless, it is meaty, and hearty, and the most delicious meat sauce imaginable. Definitely perfection. There is no room for anyone to have a full tummy in Bologna; it is simply not allowed. Cotoletta alla petroniana con tartufo davvero, also seems to be on nearly the plate of every single diner, and for good reason. It is breaded veal, then wrapped in prosciutto with a rich and creamy parmigiano-truffle sauce. It is one of the best dishes I have ever enjoyed, even as I burst at the seams. We also enjoyed a few side dishes. The spinach was flavourful, and well seasoned. Roast potatoes and tomatoes with parmigiano were also equally delightful. Dessert needed to be washed down. This moscato did just the trick. Although I vehemently wanted to refuse dessert, but, I could not. This cherry sorbetto in a citrus sauce was sweet and tart, and of course, it was to-die-for. Stunning. Waving goodbye to Gigina's. Gigina's is closer to the outskirts of Bologna, rather than the city centre. But well worth the trek. via Stendhal 1 40128 Bologna tel. 051322300 - fax 0514189865 info@trattoriagigina.it
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a butcher party

Don't worry, a party at a butcher shop isn't as gory as you might think. Although, it sure is delicious! Recently, although I'm not writing this as recently as I would like, I was invited to a social bash hosted by the soon to be Charcut Roast House along with Fresh Kitchen, Big Rock, Jackson Triggs, Caffee Umbria, Okanagan Spirits, and Rocky Mountain Game Meats. And so, in the back of the butcher shop, we tasted once forbidden treats with nose to tail eats. We munched on livers, snouts, shoulders, marrow, belly, and even ears. The beverages were the previously forbidden treats including beer, wine, coffee, and absinthe. Did you know that promoting wine in any way on the internet is still illegal in France? And absinthe is still forbidden or limited in a few Canadian provinces? The pigs head was stuff to the brim with a pate-like consistency, of deliciousness. It's what I dream mortadella should be. Blackened flat iron steak sandwich with 24-hour caramelized wweet onion and wild mushroom bruschetta on brioche, was packed full of flavour. Below, is liverwurst and pigs belly croquettes, sauce gribiche with fennel. This was absolutely addicting, as the smooth tang of the gribiche made the crunchy croquettes irresistible. I normally don't drool over chicken, but after one bite, I wanted the whole platter. Perfect chicken. Why party at a butcher shop? For a fascinating butcher and meat tenderizing demonstration. I'm still wishing I caught it on video. But we did eat some of the results! Beautiful marbling. After all, it is what's on the inside that counts. Connie and John of the soon to be CHARCUT. The steaks off the grill; so juicy, so very good. 60% and taboo! Food in Calgary will only change as a communal effort to really put this city on the map. I think things are certainly on their way.
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radio

I've been eating pancakes galore, and you can learn a bit more about a few of my faves for a weekend brunch. There's a new segment this Saturday too! Check it out on CBC Radio 1010 with Russell Bowers.
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bar cucciolo, firenze

In Florence, I love Bar Cucciolo. Why? Because it has everything you want in a bar, and everything is good, and you can sit down AND there's a washroom. Plus, it's honest service with an honest smile. Every time I go, it's kinda like going home. Nothing that exciting or mind-blowingly exotic, but reliable and good. Really, you can get most anything, and go any time of day (but not Sundays), whether it be a morning cappuccino (breakfast for 4 was about 8 Euro), or an aperitivo spritz, freshly squeezed orange juice, or heated sandwiches and pizzas - it's all good and super reasonable. I'll admit that it wasn't anywhere near the best breakfast we had in Florence, but it wasn't the worst either. I go to Cucciolo when I don't want an enormous meal, but I still want something good. It's best when you just want a little snack, or a light meal. I was so enamored with my new favorite sandwich that somehow there's no photo... but it has a few thin slices of ham, a few slices of hard-boiled eggs, and a creamy sauce with mushrooms. Love it. There's a gigantic display case with dozens of sandwiches and pizzas, with a very gentle man ready to take your order. Order. Sit. Eat. Pay after. Pastries galore. Bar Cucciolo, Via del Corso, 25/R, Florence, Italy +39 055 287727
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Vegas Baby!

Yes, I know it's snowing in Las Vegas. Or at least, it was snowing there yesterday. But we are at the airport awaiting departure. It shouldn't be more than a few hours until the adventure begins, so expect updates shortly! There's only one real problem; Jeff wants to start with a pastry from Payard, and I want dim-sum from Zine, in the Palazzo. Delectable difficulties, oh darn! p.s. towing a new Canon 5D MarkII !
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not sure what the restaurant looks like?

Google maps now has street level view. It is literally like walking on the street, and pretty unbelievable. Go to Google maps, and search Times Square. Zoom in. Click on the little orange guy in the left. You're suddenly walking down the street in New York. And, if you're not sure about the facade of your destination restaurant reservation, now you'll know.
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aspen - the last chapter

If you only have one day in Aspen, it's going to be a busy one. You'll need some hiking gear, biking gear, and your finest understated yet flattering fashions. While Aspen is famous for it's skiing, the summer more than exceeds expectations in every possible way. Start off at Ink! Coffee for the caffeine injection of your choice - you'll need it. If you haven't found the right rocket fuel to start your day there, devour a granola and vanilla yogurt parfait from Zele Cafe a few blocks away; it's loaded with fruit. While taking in the morning sunshine, pick up a free copy of the Aspen Times, or an Aspen housing magazine and become delirious while laughing away the cost of housing in Aspen. It's time for a hike. Ask anyone, where the Ute trail is, and be prepared to breathe heavily. Aspen is at 7900 feet, making it one of the most precarious airports to land, asides from accidentally running into a Gulfstream, as there is hardly any descent to the runway -- but also a fitness fanatic paradise. At elevation, you will work hard, and your efforts will be rewarded by loose-fitting pants, lean-mean muscle, and most importantly - glorious food to enjoy. Be sure to take a bottle of water, or a camel-bak if you decide to hike all the way up the mountain, as the Ute is only part of the way. If you make it to the top, attempt to take a deep breath, smile at your accomplishment and the vista, then fortunately for your knees, you can also take the gondola back down into town. There are many other hikes around, ask a local, or stop in a sporting goods shop, and they will point you in the right direction. Nothing is easy, but that's the best part. The gondola will drop you off near Big Wrap, one of the best values in town. For $6.70 + tax, pick up a savoury wrap, such as the Mr. Potato Head, which includes fresh roasted potatoes, spinach, grilled portobello mushrooms, pinto beans, jasmine rice, salsa, lettuce, cheese, with a roasted garlic vinaigrette in a whole wheat wrap. My favourite, is Rock Your World with fresh roasted turkey breast, confetti slaw (jicama, carrot, cucumber, green onion), lettuce, sprouts, guacamole, ranch dressing, and toasted pumpkin seeds in whole wheat. For further satiation, ice cream is a summer afternoon necessity. Paradise Bakery is the place, just follow the line. The peanut butter cookie, and chocolate brownie ice creams include their fabulous baked products, in creamy, dreamy ice cream, and are served with a mini chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. The muffins are scrumptious too. While Paradise Bakery is a chain, there aren't many ice cream shops that frequently have bassoon(!) or string quartets performing in the summer air. Now it's time for a quick change into cycling attire, and head up to Maroon Bells, just off the traffic circle (trust me, there's really only one). Maroon Bells is one of the most frequently photographed images anywhere, and often visited by tourists, but not by car. It is a road-bike ride with minimal traffic as it is accessible by bike or bus only. It is a definite climb, but well worth the effort, if not just for the racy downhill portion of the ride. Alternately, the entire morning can be rearranged to cycle a much further distance, but somewhat easier ride, and enjoy lunch at Pine Creek Cookhouse. A summer sojourn in Aspen would not be complete without enjoying a concert at the Aspen Music Festival and School. All the concerts are good, so don't worry too much, if you can only make one. It features the best of the best - the best young musicians to international starlings such as Canadian Measha Brueggergosman, John Zirbel, and Joaquin Valdepenas, to Yefim Bronfman, Sarah Chan, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Even if you aren't sure of what to do at an orchestral concert, you will be dazzled and amazed, if even only by the fashion, and by the tent itself. It's not exactly a tent, but more of a semi-permanent structure, of higher quality than most concert halls. Finally, it is time to relax. Reserve a table at Montagna, located within the Little Nell, a Relais & Chateaux. Enjoy an aperitivo at the bar, the negroni are quite good, or save yourself for Master sommelier Richard Betts fine wine picks. A table outside near the pool can be lovely, and inside is equally enchanting, elegant and refined. You are in for a treat. Just to tease, the butter is sprinkled with fleur-de sel. It is a hotel, yes, but the food is strikingly good, with an emphasis on local products. Of the two nights we were here, the chef's farmhouse tasting menu, is to die for and a steal at $42 for three courses. Local vegetables, melt in your mouth pork with herbed pappardelle, and peach crepes to finish. It changes nightly. The second night we opted for a la carte, and were not disappointed. As expected, the service is impeccable. Above - porchetta with zucchini and chili Homemade lamb sausage with rapini and mustard: Ribeye with porcini, parmigiano-reggiano, and arugula: Pistachio gelato, chocolate-hazelnut gelato, with fabulously fresh local cherries: If further hiking time in Aspen is not an option, try to swing a drive up to Independence Pass. Make sure your car has turbo, or one can invariably be left to walk back down. The views, and race-track driving possibilities are well worth the effort. Finally, to conclude the day, take a stroll around town and gaze into glowing shop windows. A little window-shopping, and star-gazing, is just the way to end a delightful summer day. Ink! Coffee 520 E Durant St. - Downstairs (970) 544-0588 Zele Cafe 121 S Galena St. Aspen (970) 925-5745 Big Wrap 520 E Durant Av. Aspen - Downstairs (970) 544-1700 Paradise Bakery 320 S Galena St. Aspen (970) 925-7585 Aspen Music Festival and School Pine Creek Cookhouse 314 South 2nd Street (970) 925-1044 Montagna, at the Little Nell 675 E Durant Ave. 888.843.6355 For more info on eats: EatAspen Big Wrap video (not mine):
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Aspen eats so far

A few moons ago, I was solely dedicated to becoming the best musician I could be. And one of the best places for any young musician to venture is to the Aspen Music Festival and School. It's a little beyond what is even expected of a summer program; there are five orchestras, and international guest artists. It's a little surreal. Recently, I guess I was becoming a little nostalgic for the past, and wanted to see where Aspen was at today. You know, you go somewhere new, find new flavours, and then spend years craving those flavours again? I think I look at Aspen as the beginning of my adventures in food; the last summer here I was training for a marathon with a terrible cafeteria to serve all the best slop you can imagine. So, off to restaurants I went to fend off hunger. But more than that, the Festival has a "student dinner program", whereby students are invited to dinner in the homes of local residents. The dinner program sounds simple; unless you know Aspen. There are currently dozens of homes with a price-tag of over twenty-million dollars, and beyond. It can be a little absurd. Not many "local" cooks exactly, however, there are many chefs and caterers to meet the burgeoning need. So, lucky me, spent several fine evenings with chef prepared food, fine wine, and incredible conversation in some over-the-top homes which generally resemble fine hotels in size and in detail. It was over the top! This was definitely hard to get over, and thus began my continued delving into the world of good things to eat... certainly not many of which are ever in such luxurious surroundings, that is for sure. All fine and good, but the restaurant scene of Aspen is somewhat fascinating as well. As can be inferred, money is no object here, and most of the folks don't really live here. Just a handful of the glitteratti you see. The rest essentially have vacation homes or cabins here, which I say lightly, as the dwellings are palatial. Many restaurants, can "make it" here for awhile, but with the exceedingly high cost of goods and labour in Aspen, there has to be some real substance to keep things going long-term. So it is interesting, that after six years, I return to check things out. Which restaurants are still here, and which places are not? A few of my favourites are gone like Blue Maize. I see a bit of a trend with locally owned places, that are just shutting their doors when the owner decides to get out of the business. Jeff and I have had several stints of ice cream from Paradise Bakery, including some of their fabulous baked goods. Pretty darn good stuff. I learned that I am still enthralled with the creamy richness of the "peanut butter cookie" ice cream. It's a chain, but still, it's still fairly close to what I call "real food". There's still real chunks of fruit and nuts. To me, this rationalizes most any ice cream or cookie consumption. On Tuesday, we had some so-so food from Gusto. I had a grilled calamari and arugula salad, which I liked enough. The amatriciana bucatini was flavourful, but nothing to write home about. There were too many ingredients over-complicating things. Jeff's gnocchi were made in house, and better than we expected. Nice and light, with a sauce needing some improvement. Mostly, we weren't fond of the food, and the service made it worse. They were trying too hard, but nearly hovering over the table. Lambrusco was going to be served in a champagne glass, which seems fitting, but that would never happen in Italy. Luckily Jeff inquired in advance. The manager decided to open a window behind Jeff, after other customers requested it, but then it was sticking into his shoulder. It was eventually moved, but a little frustrating nontheless. Our server was often arriving at inopportune times, which could have been overlooked, if everything else was on par. Ah well. Onto the next day! On Thursday, our salvation was found at Montagna, situated in the Little Nell. The Little Nell is a Relais-Chataux and has exceptional service to go along with all that requires. I can literally hear voices through this computer, charging with disdain, that how could I possibly eat at a hotel restaurant?? Perhaps in Europe you say, but never in North America. It can't be good, it is just plain wrong, and an insult to gastronomes everywhere! I implore you to not run away screaming, as I always do from hotel restaurants. The food at Montagna is good, very, very good. Yes, the surroundings are beautiful, and the service attentive and detail-oriented, but the food is honest, well-executed, and flavourful. It was the third time I have eaten at Montagna, and I have yet to be disappointed. Jeff and I decided to enjoy the "Farmhouse Tasting Menu", and it was brilliant. When a tasting menu is "inspired by local farmers", there really isn't much that can be bad about it. Good ingredients well prepared, well, should be good! There is love behind this food, and I can't help but fall in love with the taste. We started with house-cured bresaola with radish, greens and pitted cherries. A refreshing combination of a little salty and a little sweet. Then, again I do have a soft-spot for cured meats and fruit. Next, was pappardelle with lamb from Rendezvous farms of the Roaring Fork Valley, and this was highlighted with mint. The lamb would kind of sit on your tongue, and then decide that it really did just want to melt away into deliciousness. This dish was the highlight of the evening; I wish I could have again and again. The sweet finish of the evening was cornmeal crepes with fresh peaches. A beautifully romantic meal, in equally elegant surroundings. Yesterday, we were not so lucky. I was looking forward the tasty appeal of the menu at Pacifica, but unfortunately it was a bit of a let down. After a bit of confusion with our reservation, we were seated and enjoying the comforting ambiance on a warm summer evening. The scallop and foie gras appetizer was quite lovely; the sweetness of the tender scallops were well complemented by a little crunch on the foie. Getting better. Then, the truffle fries were so-so. They were crisp, but they just needed a little bit more truffle. Oh well. The blue marlin I ordered came with sugar snap peas, and was absolutely beautiful on the plate. The marlin was cooked correctly, with a little bit raw as it should be, but I was not fond of the dish. There wasn't much flavour, but I was dreadfully hungry and just trying to get through the dish. Jeff ordered a whole striped bass, and again it was plated like a piece of art. Although, Jeff's summary: "It was bad". My summary: the fish was alright, but the noodles and vegetables were simply covered in a spicy sauce purchased at the grocery store. Too bad. Up next? Six 89 in Carbondale. Wish us luck!
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vacanza

You can probably tell I'm on holidays in every sense of the word, I have a lot more time to post to this blog! I'm a teacher. I've been absolutely exhausted this year, so now I finally get to chill out a bit. Although, I still haven't unpacked my suitcase from the last trip....soon Jeff and I are off to Seattle, via Rossland BC, Aspen CO, and Vancouver Island. I have spent significant time as a music student at the Aspen Music Festival and School, so I think I have that one covered. I'm still feeling a little vague about the Seattle "list". I know it seems a little crazy to be too organized, but I really do like having the eating planned out for a trip in advance. Then we don't get burned eating too dreadfully, when there are so many amazing options! Jeff and I were in Seattle two summers ago and already have a few places we can't wait to go back to, but here's the list I've scoured so far: MUST GO: -Salumi -shop of Mario Batali's papa -Molly Moon's Ice Cream (Dana from tastingmenu.com) -Lark...this place is FABulous. -Caffe Ladro for coffee and pie -Bizarro 300 mile menu, and all-round tasty sounding menu -Paseo for a Cuban pork sandwich Maybe yes, maybe no: -Lampreia -El Camino -Ooba's Maybe you can help us, where would YOU go?
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last meal

Luckily, the food show in NYC was amazing. I loved.. well every last bite of it. However, it was not quite nearly as good as the food I would not want to die without. You know, the meal when you ask for a cigarette and what you want to eat before the electricity zaps the taste buds off your tongue. Yea, okay I know they use drugs now, but still. Okay, so promise me that if I am on DEATH ROW or about to be shot point-blank, that you'll find me the PORK BUNS from Momofuku to give me a little bit of salvation before I die. I beg of you! Now, what's cool is that Calgary is just getting into pork mania. But New York, just seems to be coming off the high. Sweet, I get to enjoy good things for longer! But unfortunately, I have no pictures to show you. This is probably better because then you won't drool on the computer, and if you have a laptop then you' screwed. Thank me later. I will just describe them to you instead, give you a few videos, and dream of these gosh darn delicious morsels and wreck my own computer instead. I have one word for you: Momofuku Noodle Bar. If you go to New York, you must go. Do not try to run or walk, take a cab. Better yet, take a $159 helicopter ride from the airport. This will change your life, the food not the helicopter. Momofuku is kinda like a diner, but it's not. The idea is that it's all about the food rather than the surroundings, and keeping things simple and honest. These pork buns, are sort of like the pork buns you get at dim-sum. The dumpling ones with the soft bread on the outside, and a nice surprise of pork in the middle. Well, just the outer part is the same, the bread is the similar part. Then, the rest is not at all the same. At Momofuku it's a folded in half sandwich with a bit of hoisin, scallions, pickled cucumber, and the most incredible melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. That's right. Pork belly. The whole thing is sweet and salty all at once. Divine. I ordered only just one order, and then had to order another plate! "Jay" joined me and ordered the kimchi stew. I thought there would be a lot more kimchi, than there was, but the bowl was overwhelmingly full of beautiful bits of pork. She loved it more than anywhere else on the trip. Now, Momofuku is not what I expected. In photos, it looks so modern and refined. After sitting at the bar at ChikaLicious only a few hours before, watching meticulous Chika at work, exaggerated the contrast. Momofuku is raucous, and fun. The chefs are hastily slathering on hoisin on the pork buns. But don't step out of line, or you get the impression a chef will kill you. Hoitey-toitey is simply not allowed. The tables are communal, and the food is served fast, and there is no messing around. The chefs were literally bitching that they had to make so many pork buns, it seems they have other dishes they think people should order. But I certainly can't blame anyone who orders the pork buns. Although, I want to try everything else. Hopefully, if I survive death row, I'll make it back. Want to join me? Momofuku has a few other operations in the works too. Check out their website, and these addicting mouth-watering videos too: David Chang with Mark Bittman: Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC with David Chang:
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yum yum

Disclaimer: there were eight of us at this meal. I didn't have time to memorize or write down all of the names of the dishes. I barely got the photos, and am happy that I took them. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Thai Nongkhai was tasty. Everyone at the table agreed that there is so much flavour in their food, that it is like an explosion of flavour in every bite.

The dishes arrived hot, which seems like a simple thing, but it still doesn't seem to happen often! Unlike many similar restaurants we didn't leave feeling ill or wondering what we really ate. Really nicely prepared food, lovingly prepared and served. It is deceivingly in a strip mall. However, once you are inside, this place is warm, cozy, and makes you want to linger.

Really, the soup I had is based on being yummy! OK, OK, it is "tom yum" soup. But it was yummy. It is a broth based soup with chunks of tomato and mushrooms. Watch out for enormous pieces of ginger; this soup has a kick to it. This is definitely a soup to get if you think you might have a compromised immune system. It will warm you from the inside out!
This is the "tom kha" soup, coconut based soup:
The appetizer platters were my favourite part of the meal. Just plain fun. Purple dumplings, and little birdie shrimps. I don't usually like to play with my food, but the best part was that the food had an interesting presentation AND tasted great. Tender chicken satay too. The little tarts were tasty at the time, but unmemorable. The red curry paste spiced meat and vegetable stuff chicken wings were also loved by all, even a sometimes picky six-year-old!

The appetizer platters came with these sauces, and pickled vegetables. I enjoyed the sauce on the right with the chicken wings. It was a little sweet which completed the crispy salty wings.
Dr. S knows his wines, and made an excellent choice as it was a little sweet to complement the spiciness of the food.
OK, so you can't see the rice, and packages aren't everything albeit this one was unique. It was coconut rice, and exceedingly addicting.
This is the best preparation I have had of tilapia in a while - "pla tod rad prik." It is fried to a golden crisp on the outside, and the inside was tender and flaky. It was in a light sauce with a number of cilantro and green onions scattered over top, really top-notch stuff.

The shrimp pad thai was lovely, with everything you hope for in a pad thai. Just right.
Shrimp with basil and coconut milk. Again, well prepared with the shrimp at the right consistency, and the vegetables were cooked perfectly.
I have no clue what else was in this beef dish besides carrots and ginger. It was great with the coconut rice. I like that the beef tasted like beef, and didn't have a thick bizarre sauce, as is so often overdone. This dish exemplified the quality of all of the dishes - the ingredients shone through and the flavours weren't masked by starchy sauces.
Again, the sauce appears very rich. However, it was not too heavy and did not overpower the seafood and vegetables in this dish. I was ecstatic to have seafood which was not cooked to a rubbery mess, but was instead tender and delectable. This dish was also not too salty, but also wonderful with the complementary coconut rice.
When looking for a dinner in SE Calgary - check out Thai Nongkhai: 10, 7400 Macleod Trial S.E., (403) 705-3329.
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Oooey gooey mozzarella

Buffalo mozzarella is an Italian treasure - or is it? I had intended to start off writing that these gems might no longer grace the deli's at Italian grocery stores, or fortunate recipients in North America. However, it seems that there could be some dioxin contaminants, which are potentially cancer causing, and which were found in several samples of buffalo mozzarella from Campania. A recent NYTimes article, would lead you to believe that the odds are perhaps unlikely you would come in contact with these dioxins if you were to buy buffalo mozzarella. But who knows.

This potentially doesn't look good for Obika, initially a Roman mozzarella bar, which has also recently opened in Milan, London, and is soon to be open in NYC, Kuwait City, and Torino. This bad press is like mad cow disease for a steak house. The website for Obika is also not it's normal self - is this because of the buffalo mozzarella problems? I am not sure, but hopefully the situation gets better before it becomes any worse.

The fascinating thing about Obika is that at first glance you think mozzarella is the only thing of importance, when in fact many Italian specialties are highlighted. Culatello from Zibello, and prosciutto di parma are already a good start. I was really excited to check out Obika this past summer, and I think the concept is great especially...for curious time-crunched tourists. Lucky for us, Roma was on the tail-end of the trip, and we had already been to many of the regions with specialties highlighted at Obika. We had already sampled some of the best products that these areas have to offer. That being said, Obika is still a great place to check out many unique items without going to the grocery store, or traveling all over Italy....

I had a spritz and Jeff had a Peroni. We ordered burrata which came with a spicy sausage (right), and three balls of mozzarella (left). These mozzarella's were described to us as one which was a little sweet, one which was pretty standard, and a smoked mozzarella. The "sweet" one was my favourite, but I have to say that the smoked mozzarella was incredibly unique, unlike anything I had tasted before. Jeff describes it as a "dry-wet cheese with no hickory flavour or anything, but just like campfire smoke."

Burrata (below) is like the creamiest goo, you ever wish mozzarella could be. There were also accompanying breads, oils, and vinegars which were great - especially for the leftover greens. Really yummy cherry tomatoes too!

As you can see, the interior design is quite modern, and in a very different style than most of the other restaurants we enjoyed on this trip.
I really sincerely hope that the fears created by this media monster are mostly just that - some isolated pieces of cheese somewhere which have probably already been destroyed. The article seems to be quite vague, and not entirely specific. ie. "While the exact cause of the contamination has not yet been established, they said the producers with elevated levels of dioxin in their milk were few and that none belonged to the consortium that receives the Protected Designation of Origin quality seal from the European Union. The protected region, they noted, is big, and much of it is far from illegal trash." This actually sounds quite promising.

I have never regretted eating a single morsel of calorific-cheese, or any food, made by real people with real ingredients....or what I perceived to be real food by real people. Now should everything be "certified organic" for me to eat it? Perhaps, but what is really organic anyways? You can't change the air of the world, or have perfect water either. (although I do buy many "organic" and local products because they just simply taste better) This makes me think that now even ingredient listings are not doing anyone justice. Sad as it is, perceived threats or not, we all need to keep examining the sources of our foods, as well as the media-hype regarding these issues, which may or may not be exaggerated. I'm still confident that there are "worse" foods to eat, with far dire consequences....we're not talking about excessive consumption of generic burgers from cardboard boxes, but artisanal cheese. I think I'll fore go the media hype until there are more facts. This cheese is really good stuff! In the meantime, I'll just drink more green tea, and hope that there are not excessive dioxins in that!

And I'll hope that places like Obika, can make it through this media onslaught, and the ensuing multiple bans many countries have created against the import of the cheese. Not everything can be contaminated, or we're all pretty much screwed anyways.
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It takes a village

As Calgary becomes more and more of a global village, we are fortunate enough to be able to experience a small part of many cultures without having to venture far from home. Today, Jeff and I had lunch at Village Pita Bakery in the NE. I had heard many times that the falafel was good - and it was great. The falafel was good, the pita was good, the sauce was good, but the pickled vegetables and freshness of parsley really made it great. It was fairly salty, but nothing one of the non-alcoholic "lemon beers" can't wash down. Get one of those from the fridge, and a bag of spinach and feta goodies to take home, and you're good to go. mmmm. Village Pita Bakery 255 28 Street SE, Calgary, AB
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Mercato Calgary

What could be better than a fabulous family run restaurant attached to an upscale gourmet grocery store with a café in the middle? Not much. Mercato is the hip and modern reinvention of Bridgeland's Italian Centre. Now located on "trendy" 4th Street, Mercato caters to a different type of client with an abnormally padded wallet. That being said, it doesn't mean that you can't pop in and pick up a couple grocery items to enjoy at home, or even just a very good espresso and a fantastic doughnut. And this I highly recommend you do. The concept of Mercato reminds me of a scaled down 'Gusto from Rome. Some of my favourites from Mercato's grocery store are the roasted red peppers, the suppli, the pear and gorgonzola pizza, and the selection of fresh mushrooms. The Uncle Luigi's olive oil they carry is good, but still not as good as olive oil we bought in Italy (and we weren't trying to find the really good stuff), and it is terribly expensive. It's better olive oil than most you can find here, and nice for salads. The desserts in the display are generally very good, but cannoli should never be sitting in display cases already filled with cream! They need to be filled to order, or the shell is too soft. I do love popping in to see what is new or for inspiration, and having an espresso with a doughnut. These doughnuts are not exactly something you think of as Italian. But they are wonderfully yeasty and soft and just darn great. If you see the pear and gorgonzola pizza come out of oven, then you better have a slice of that too. My favourite. Last night, four of us headed to Mercato for an 8pm dinner reservation (myself, Jeff, K, and L). Having eaten at the restaurant four times now, I am happy enough with the food and the service. I have never had a dish that wasn't at least good, and this was the same as last night. The best part is that in most dishes, the food is allowed to speak for itself. In an Italian style, fresh food is prepared simply. Like all Italian restaurants in Calgary, the food does not focus solely on one particular region of Italian food, but combines the best ingredients and ideas of many regions. Yes, there is an emphasis on Tuscan grilling for the secondi, but in Italy you would be hard-pressed to find risotto and gnocchi and on the same menu. When you arrive at Mercato for dinner, the restaurant is mostly full or packed and bustling with a chi-chi crowd. It is probably one of the only places in Calgary for good people watching. This is unless you are seated at the bar around the kitchen, in which case, you will be absorbed in watching the food! It wasn't really an evening I planned on writing about, so I didn't jot down all the specifics or take any photos. I'll give you the 'gist: The wine list is ample, and features mostly reds with many DOCG and DOC bottles. We started off with a bottle of Maculan Pinot Nero, 2006 ($60). It wasn't overwhelmingly full-bodied, and for this meal, it was just right for us. I started with gnocchi in a sauce of squash, littered with chili peppers, three fried sage leaves, and a nice dab of mascarpone on top. The sweetness of the squash worked really well with the firy chili flakes, and then the final cooling with the mascarpone. I really enjoyed this dish, but there was too much going on - I loved the fried sage leaves, in and of themselves, but they weren't really necessary. Yes, sage goes well with squash, but I wanted to think only about the chili pepper and squash and really enjoy that flavour because it was new to me. The sage leaves seemed to be there for colour, and certainly their crunchy texture. This seemed to detract from the flavour of the sauce to me. Overall however, when I order gnocchi, I want to taste the gnocchi and feel them melt in my mouth. Someone spent a great deal of time making these gnocchi by hand, and this is the love behind that is what I want to taste. With this dish, the gnocchi were down-played, merely an after thought, even though they were quite good. I think they could be lighter in texture, but they weren't too doughy or like lead either. A good dish, and pretty good gnocchi, but could be a little bit simpler in final presentation. Everyone else, including Jeff ordered the risotto made with carnaroli rice to start. Now the problem with ordering risotto in a restaurant is that usually it is not right...as was the case with this. Risotto takes too long to cook from beginning to end and wouldn't work for restaurant customer's demands for timeliness. Therefore the rice is parboiled or already partially cooked (as many dishes in restaurants have to be). This creates an enormous problem - the risotto ends up tasting like cooked rice with a sauce. Poor Jeff, this the case with his risotto. The rice was beyond al dente, but as we always tell ourselves - "This is Calgary, not Italy, and the majority of Calgarians would complain because they would say the rice is not cooked!" Sigh....restaurants can't win sometimes. Well, he ate it of course, and the flavour was fine. But not really risotto at all. Oh well. Lamb was the secondi for me. It was lamb chops with a pistachio pesto, and some reduced balsamic. The overall flavour was great, a nice amount of salt, and the meat was tender. The serving size was perfect, and the lamb was not overcooked. I was happy that the server did not ask how I want my lamb cooked, but brought it the way they think it should be. Personally, I would have liked it a little less cooked. By the time I got to the second piece, it had continued to cook on the plate, so there was nearly no pink left. The first piece was great though! K also had the lamb and enjoyed it. L had the tonno (tuna) and seemed to enjoy it, but we were all laughing and talking so much that I didn't really ask! Jeff had the bistecca alla fiorentina. He also really liked that there was no questioning about the done-ness of the meat. It arrived how the chef sees fit. Good! Jeff was happy with the amount of salt, but says his rib-eye is better. I believe him; he is the grill master. The weakest part of my meal was the semi-freddo with blood orange. The texture was nice, and the flavour of the general custard was great. However, the blood orange streaks made it taste like "tiger" ice cream. Not great. Next time, I'll stick with espresso and order an antipasti to start. Jeff said the same. K and L shared the chocolate-hazelnut torte, and were in heaven. I LOVE hazelnuts, what was I thinking ordering the semi-freddo??? But I was too full to even have a bite of theirs. Rats. Some of my previous meals at the restaurant have been better. When Mercato had been open for only a few weeks, I had lunch there with a friend. The salad I had was just great - the thinnest and tiniest French asparagus I had ever seen, with chunks of lobster and watercress. Dessert was over the top, a cobbler of some sort with a pool of an accompanying cream sauce. Again, neither dish was particularly "Italian", but was particularly good. I think the best value on the menu is the antipasto platter. It has everything you could ever want, and is the perfect accompaniment to a pasta and then you are done. If you were to buy all of the individual ingredients in the grocery side of Mercato, it would easily exceed the $17 on the menu. The service in the restaurant is usually good. Well...for Calgary. However, I am still insulted by the server who acts a little too much like they want to be my friend. This usually happens more often - the younger the server is. I am not looking for a friend, but for someone who provides good service, mostly by being unobtrusive. Bringing water and greeting us as soon as we sit down, but don't even think about asking if we would like wine after one minute of our arrival. Timing is everything, and I could care less about how long I have to wait for the food..... Last night, I was saddened by two lonely figs sitting on the plate of a neighboring table, uneaten. And this is the quandry of Calgary: I am pretty sure that if Mercato they made risotto and their pasta truly al dente, people would probably complain. A restaurant can only bring the horse to water, but can't force it to drink. So while, I believe that Mercato is doing some really great and original things for Calgary - I would still rather stay home and cook. "Mercato" literally means market in Italian, and this family-owned business certainly has extended the market concept to the table, and done it very well. I am sure I will eat at Mercato again, but still, as with nearly all restaurants in town... I would rather stay at home and cook and use ingredients from their store, not because the restaurant food isn't edible, but it isn't "right" yet. Mercato 2224 4th Street SW, Calgary, AB, (403) 263-5535. www.mercatogourment.com
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Gastro - wha???

Trust me it's gastronomica for good, very, very good. After planning a trip to try some of the best restaurants in Italy, there is only one thing you want to happen....to do the entire trip again! However, if i could, I would want to eat at Arnaldo's Clinica Gastronomica, in Rubiera, every night, or every night for the rest of my life if I could.... It is THAT good. Next time, I would also stay at the hotel and explore the area with a car during the day....then have a 9pm reservation for at least a week straight. I would want to try everything on every cart...at least a taste. The easiest way to describe how Arnaldo's works is a little bit like many dim sum restaurants. There are several carts or trolleys, and the server puts the final touches on the dishes. The only exception to this is pasta. I am certain that I could live on the antipasto cart alone. Okay, if you doubt me, that is fine - you are correct - I would also require the wine list and their puffy, salty gnoccho fritto. Jeff ordered a taste of everything on the antipasto cart, and I ordered prosciutto and melon. The prosciutto is cut traditionally, by hand. Every item I snagged from Jeff's plate was sublime, and so was the service throughout our meal. There is great pride in every dish, and in their exceptional service. Arnaldo's is recognized by Michelin. But it isn't just about service; at Arnaldo's you will find the best gnocchi, period. Perfectly plump. Each gnocchi melts in your mouth, before you even noticed it was there. I will spend the rest of my life trying to recreate gnocchi like that in my own kitchen, dreaming to the day I will get back to Arnaldo's. The "special" Arnaldo's pasta with mushrooms and cheese was also exceptional. It was so rich, and so flavourful. But just in case my appetite was not yet sated, the semifreddo with zabaglione was also ....absolutely perfect. You would find that Italians love Arnaldo's too. There are families with children, and beautiful young couples in glamorous designer clothing - their Ferrari's waiting outside. Piazza XXIV Maggio, 3 Rubiera (RE) Tel. 0522 626124
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