Cuisine!

Pofi, Italy

November 25, 2014

Italy... what an amazing place. I am fortunate to have visited my Mom's side of the family in Italy a few times in my life. This past summer my parents took my family again. Now that I am older I appreciate the food so much more. People might get tired of hearing this...but IT'S AMAZING! Food for Italian's is no joke. They take this stuff seriously. My Mom's relatives live in a small town called Pofi. Their house is located on a farm, so everything they make - from chicken, to lamb, to salad - is all home grown and fed. When Italian's get visitors food is the best way to greet them and show them they care. So, it's safe to say that the five day's I was there, I ate - A LOT. How could I not though?


Italian meals are separated into courses. 

The first course is traditionally homemade soup! The soup broth is made with a chicken off their farm cooked with carrots, celery, onion and more. Even the noodles are homemade and hand cut.

The second course is the pasta. The sauce is made from their own jars of sauce cooked with beef, chicken and other meats. Once again, the noodles are homemade and hand cut.

The third course involves some protein, veggies and carbs. This was probably my favourite part - just because the flavours are unlike any I have had before. 

Next comes the fruit. Watermelon, peaches, nectarines - they had it all.

Finally, dessert and espresso. When making the espresso on the stove, many including myself enjoy some sugar. In order to get the perfect mixture I learned while I was there that once the espresso is just about ready the top layer is poured into a glass with sugar. The sugar is then whipped to be served in the single cups. The espresso is paired with a nice Italian cookie, pastry or cake.

It's safe to say I gained 60lbs when I went to Italy this past summer - but let me tell you, it was WORTH IT!

- Mary


 Behold! 99 ice cream cone! 

October 7, 2014

Food is such a great way to experience a culture, whether it is local or abroad. The preparation, the presentation and the history are all factors into why certain foods may be of importance than others. Being able to take part in a culture by simply enjoying signature foods is something I love to be a part of. 

I have traveled to Ireland about 6 times in my life. When I was younger I didn't appreciate my experiences quite like I do now. This past summer I got the chance to go back and visit my grandpa with my family. Every time we visited my grandpa when we were younger we got this amazing ice cream cone called the 99 at a corner store just a block away, called McCrystal's. The ice cream was always amazing! At the time I didn't understand why or how the people of Ireland were able to eat such amazing ice cream. 

Location: Carlingford, Ireland

This past summer I got the chance to eat - what I believe to be - the best ice cream around. After successfully hiking up and down the Slieve Foy mountain in Carlingford, my family and I rewarded ourselves with some ice cream.  You're probably wondering what it is? It's quite simple actually. The 99 is soft serve ice cream placed in a cone and topped off with a Cabury's fake bar. Ireland uses real cream in all its dairy products - which makes them one-hundred times better than what most of us have tried. So, if you are in any area of the United Kingdom - make sure you go to a local ice cream shop and get yourself a 99!

- Mary