Why is a Michelin plate hanging in Treviso’s Le Beccherie? L’Assiette Michelin, or Michelin Plate shows that the Michelin inspectors enjoyed food that was not only of good quality, it was also notable. This restaurant might have a Michelin Star on the horizon.
Treviso, Italy, known by Italy lovers as “the city of art and water” should add “fine dining” to its moniker. Le Beccherie, the birthplace of tiramisu, was awarded a Michelin Plate in 2022 and not just for its famous tiramisu. This beloved dessert has a twenty-year history of experimentation that ended in 1975 with the inspired addition of fresh mascarpone instead of zabaglione. Espresso was an ingredient from the beginning. The dish was created to give a young mother additional energy to care for her growing family. Having only six ingredients, it is also easy to prepare.
In 2010, the recipe for Le Beccherie’s Tiramisu was deposited with a notarized deed at the Italian Academy of Cuisine. The restaurant and its tiramisu were featured in the New Yorker magazine. Now world famous, the dessert has been personalized by hundreds of chefs, each adding their own twist. I cannot add “improvement” because I have never had a tiramisu as tasty as the original. Le Beccherie has perfected the balance of the bitterness of the espresso and cocoa with the sweetness of the custard.
Tiramisu Day is celebrated worldwide on March 21. The dessert been served on the International Space Station. Astronaut Luca Parmitanoasked for tiramisu to top off his Italian dinner. A renowned chef created a space-ready dehydrated version, but the taste is not recorded.
The restaurant generously shares its recipe on its website, and I have made it several times. Younger guests lick the bowl; adults wish they could. The recipe is in Italian. Use Google Translate and convert the European measurements.
More Than Dessert
Do not go there just for the dessert. That Michelin Plate is for much more. The restaurant entrance, conveniently located in the city center, is inviting but unpretentious. You won’t feel you need to dress up, and outdoor seating is available. The ambiance is intimate with touches of elegance. Window tables overlooking a small canal are one of Treviso’s hidden delights. Lights beneath the canal change in color serving as an amuse-bouche for the eyes before all attention is on the food. Tableware rests on colorful marble slabs. House-made breadsticks have an unusual and inspired hint of fennel.
The cuisine mingles some of the finest native specialties with products originating in distant lands. For example, Chef Manuel Gobbo serves Verdon beans with oysters. This is a legume that originated in Brussels and is produced in the Veneto village of Quarto d’Altino, population 8,000, in quantities too low to qualify for Slow Food Presidium. The bean has a mild but satisfying taste and its thin peel makes it easier to digest than more familiar varieties.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
We also ordered calamartawith cacio-pepe and green curry. Who would ever think of curry in Italy! Pepper cheese made more sense. The pasta, calamarta, was also familiar and made in house. It uses durum wheat semolina flour and humorously resembles calamari squid rings. The combination is surprisingly awesome. After enjoying and sometimes enduring oral injuries from curries of all kinds in India, I had a full water goblet in hand. The dish has a curry flavor but no hint of heat. I would have ordered seconds, but I needed to save room for the main course, or as they say in Italy, secondi.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Second to None
Agnello e lampone (lamb and raspberry) is browned lamb ribs finished in the oven then glazed with raspberry vinegar, raspberry sauce, and black garlic gravy. The meat is served with Belgium endive dressed with raspberry vinegar. Severed aside, and advised to enjoy after the main dish, is a bite size piadina filled with lamb shoulder cooked with Moroccan Ras el Hanout spice; salt, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black and white pepper, coriander, cayenne, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Piadina is a classic unleavened flat bread that has been made in Northern Italy since the Middle Ages.
I have found Belgian endive to be an acquired taste, but it works well as a counterpoint to other sweet and sour flavors. It offers a crisp texture and a refined look when plated. The piadina was a spicy, unexpected finish to a memorable secondo!
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
For dessert, of course we had tiramisu. It tastes like the dish I make from their recipe, but the presentation is more professional. At my house, it’s best to turn the lights low and concentrate on the flavor, not on custardy jumble served with soup spoons.
The restaurant offers surf or turf tasting menus in addition to a la carte. Selections make the most of local produce in season and traditional regional foods with surprising international twists.
Thanks to Chefs Manuel Gobbo and Beatrice Simonetti and to the staff of Le Beccherie for a memorable evening in Treviso!
Our 13-day Legendary Rhine & Moselle* River Cruise with the top ranked UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruise Collection began in Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands, with a canal sightseeing cruise.
Amsterdam is surely one of the most under-rated capitals of Europe. Where else could you find canals alternating with streets and crisscrossing 90 islands that are linked by some 2,500 bridges; canals dotted with picturesque houseboats and fronted by beautifully maintained 17th century merchant houses; museums of every persuasion from world-class to the absurd; and a foodie paradise, from street food to Michelin stared restaurants in one very walkable city.
A business sign in France. Photo by Manos Angelakis
Our canal cruise was pure magic as the day was bright with sunshine and the play of shadows and light on the canals was intoxicating. Our excursion included a guided tour of either the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum and the UNIWORLD guests were just about evenly split on which famous institute to choose.
Once back on our luxurious River Queen, we set sail for Cologne, the oldest major city of the Rhineland. Although most of the city was destroyed during WWII, some of the Old Town still exists along with 3 medieval gates and the City Hall with its Renaissance façade.
Our brightly painted tourist choo-choo train wound through the old town and ended at the renowned Cologne Cathedral. The day was gray and overcast, and the façade of the cathedral with its monumental spires seemed to blend into the gloomy sky. As if wishing makes it so, all of a sudden the sky cleared and the spires appearing to nuzzle against the deep blue sky was a sight to behold.
Next to the cathedral is the Roman-Germanic Museum with the world’s largest collection of ancient Roman glass vessels along with the remains of a Roman villa. Not to disturb the unearthed, almost flawless Dionysus Mosaic floor, the museum was constructed around the archaeological find. Since the Rhineland was founded by the Romans, the five countries that we touched during our cruise, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland – have many archaeological ruins that remain from that period of history.
UNIWORLD’S River Queen in a lock. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Koblenz was our next port of call and the point where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers part ways. At the confluence called German Corner is a massive monument, featuring an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, who in the 19thcentury was responsible for uniting the country. Behind the statue is a semi-circular wall of plaques representing each of the nation’s provinces. Bidding farewell to Koblenz and Father Rhine we continued our cruise on Mother Moselle, as affectionately referred to by locals.
Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I in Koblenz. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The Mosel valley has picture-perfect small towns and villages fronting the river alternating with patches of vineyards with grapevines planted in military precision, climbing the hillsides like soldiers in formation. Once in a while, there is a flat piece of ground that makes the labor intensive industry of viticulture less physically challenging, but on the whole farmers must ascend the steep hills to tend the vines and hand-pick the fruit.
In the few days since leaving Amsterdam, the autumn foliage had reached its peak phase, and we were passing hillsides ablaze with colors from gold to scarlet as we maneuvered the 10 locks (could have been 12 … I lost count) on the meandering river. Watching the River Queen crew squeeze the ship through the just slightly wider sides of each lock and under the low-lying bridges was fascinating entertainment.
Depending on the seasonal height of the river, the wheel house had a hydraulic lift mechanism that could be activated to allow passage under the bridges as we made our way down river. On the way back to rejoin the Rhine, most of the locks were navigated at night. Hats off to the talented crew, who made the trip safely and silently.
The World War II cemetery in Luxembourg. Photo by Manos Angelakis
The towns we passed along the river were captivating with each laying claim to noteworthy historic, cultural, or artistic excellence. Overall memorable were the narrow cobblestone lanes and the ornate and/or humorous identification signage that dates back to a time when most people were illiterate and the only way to find the butcher, baker, or candlestick-maker was by visual iconography.
Even private houses were located by the visual cues of “blue door, 3 buildings down from the shoemaker.” Many of these creative signs are delightful and while no longer needed to mark a destination, nevertheless add great pleasure to exploring the old towns where originals still exist in great numbers.
Endlessly entertaining and mouthwatering were the ubiquitous pastry shops and the dried fruit stores with their luscious wares colorfully displayed to whet the appetite of a passersby. Another titillating feature common to all the villages were public fountains that ranged from artistic, classic, humorous, and modern to downright bizarre.
And always providing a must-have photo-op are the half-timbered houses which graphically mark the year originally built on their façades, and if necessary after the war, the year the house was restored. Wood was a cheap but highly flammable building material, and if one’s house were to catch fire, the whole town could go up in flames.
One way to overcome the fire hazard was to alternate wood with stone. Stone was an expensive commodity, so only the wealthy could afford to entirely construct their houses with it. If you could afford to build more than one floor of your house out of stone, you were considered “stone rich,” which gave rise to the well-known expression.
A view of Mosel from the River Queen. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Conversely, castles were often built entirely of stone to eliminate destruction by fire and of course, to make them – hopefully – impregnable. Many castles for noble families were built on the hills overlooking the river valley when money was no object. We visited one example, the 11th century Reichsburg Castle in Cochem. But for the townspeople, it was an impossible expense. Hence, the half-timber houses that now stand often askew, as they have settled over the centuries. An exampleis Spitzhäuschen in Bernkastel built in 1417.
In the 16th-century village of Ediger-Eller, which boasts the steepest vineyards in all of Europe, we were treated to a tour by the Mayor dressed in medieval robes and a wine tasting at a local tavern.
We crossed into the tiny country of Luxembourg, where the trip took a patriotic turn visiting the WWII American Cemetery and Memorial, where General George S. Patton still commands his Third U.S. Army. He is buried at the head of the 5,000 U.S. military personnel that gave their lives liberating Luxembourg.
Back to Germany and the oldest city of Trier, which in ancient times was the largest Roman settlement north of the Alps. Trier is home to St. Peter’s Cathedral, which is said to entomb the Holy Tunic, the cloak that Jesus was wearing when he was captured by the Romans.
The sacred relic is purported to have been donated by Emperor Constantine’s mother Helena and is housed under a magnificent sculpture depicting familiar biblical references. The cloak is hidden away, and like the Shroud of Turin, is not available for public scrutiny. A photograph is the only visual available.
We were, after all, in Riesling country, and until you have tasted the better German Rieslings, you have not tasted the Nectar of the Gods! This Riesling is not the sweet Blue Nun of my youth that was one step away from soda-pop. This is a sophisticated, elegant, complex wine that pairs with gourmet indulgences.
Bernkastel is at the very heart of the most prestigious wine estates, one of which is Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, where we were invited for another wine tasting. The top-rated Bernkasteler Doctor wines come with an ancient legend that recounts that one sip of wine from this estate “brought a prince back from the brink of death.”True or not, these wines are considered to be some of the best in Germany.
Slate is a contributing factor to the thriving wine industry in the area, which produces such extraordinary nectars. Thanks to ancient volcanic activity in the area, slate is abundant and holds warmth in the earth even in the depth of winter to nurture the vines from within. Our guide claimed that there are 100 known volcanoes in the area, all of them now extinct except for one that hiccups approximately every 2 years.
Back on the River Queen, and once again linking up with the mighty Rhine, we sailed through the 40-mile Upper Middle Rhine Valley, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its castle-dotted landscape and gracious scenery. There is where Lorelei lured sailors to their doom from her rock, and you can still catch a glimpse of her as you sail by.
We stopped at the charming town of Boppard, and inRüdesheim, we visited theSiegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments and spent a delightful time exploring the 16th-century mansion that houses the collection. It was great fun viewing these beautifully constructed works of art, some as old as 300 years, and hearing the tinkling sounds they produced.
After visiting Speyer, we passed into the Alsatian towns ofStrasbourg, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, and Colmar, considered by many to be the prettiest town in the world. Superlatives aside, Colmar is indeed as pretty as they come. To brighten the dark, dull days of winter, the townspeople painted their houses in light colors and adorned them with flowers.
You will find fanciful rows of pastel-colored, half-timbered houses fronting meandering canals with picturesque houseboats. Flowers are everywhere in Colmar until replaced by Christmas decorations and then returned in the early spring to once again grace the town with their color and fragrance. I was seduced by Alsace and can easily see why this area of the Rhine has been see-sawing between France and Germany for eons.
Colmar was the birthplace of Frederic Bartholdi, the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, and many of his works are scattered throughout the town. Colmar is also home to the Unterlinden Museum, originally a 13th-century Dominican convent. It’s one of the most visited museums in all of France, famous for Matthias Grünewald’s masterwork the Isenheim Alterpiece.
Sadly, we had just under an hour to see one of the most outstanding art constructions in the world and no time at all to visit the greater museum with its collection of artifacts from prehistoric to contemporary times. This world-class museum deserves a much longer visit, as does a stroll through the town. Alsace has stolen my heart, not to mention my stomach, with its local cuisine and wines. I look forward to returning to this tiny corner of the world.
Our cruise ended in Basel, Switzerland, where we boarded a Rail-Europe fast, comfortable, and always on-time train to take us to Zürich, the final stop on this journey.
*Editor’s Note: Moselle is the French spelling, and Mosel is the German spelling for the River.
The authors received a complimentary cruise, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Antigua, the “Land of 365 Beaches” is in the middle of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, a few degrees north of the Equator. Its culture has been strongly influenced by the British Empire, of which the country was formerly a part. I visited the island in April of 2019 to observe the annual Antigua Sailing Week; a few days of competitive sailboat racing off the rugged southern coast, and a fabulous party atmosphere ashore.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The sound of a canon announced the opening of the Sailing Week, when vessels in all sizes from 23 nations around the world, compete in different classes for the overall prize, The Lord Nelson Trophy. In most cases, the outcome of a whole week’s racing is decided by seconds.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The most interesting to me part of the regatta is the competition amongst the 80 to 100 foot, single mast boats with large crews. Many boats sail across the Atlantic and/or Pacific Oceans to participate in the event, while other crews fly to Antigua, Guadeloupe or one of the nearby Caribbean islands, rent a bareboat and compete after shake-down sailings.
It’s been more than 55 years since I have sailed competitively, but once you get the sea in your veins, it’s very difficult not to get excited when a sailing competition is at hand.
In my youth, I had cut my teeth on Star keelboats and Flying Dutchman sailing dinghies; 3-person, 23 feet (Star) and 2-person 20 foot (Flying Dutchman), Marconi-sloop-rigged, extremely fast racers.
I was attracted to the Star keelboats by the very high speed the boat can achieve and the radical hiking position adopted by the crew and the helmsman, who use harnesses to hang off the windward side of the boat. The Flying Dutchman was even faster than the Star and the crew (i.e. me) had to hang by a trapeze harness fastened to the top of the mast with only my tippy-toes holding on to the gunwales. The Flying Dutchman made its Olympic debut at the 1960 Olympics Games and was removed as a competitor after the 1992 Games.
Antigua Sailing Week is one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious regattas with more than 100 boats participating each year in classes 0 to 8, plus a multihull class and 2 bareboat categories.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Watching the sailing boats compete is absolutely thrilling, especially when you are in a craft inside the middle of the course. This time I was an observer, not a competitor.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The Sailing Week is also a good excuse for a giant party ashore, where locals and visitors, including the competing crews, spend time getting to know each other, dancing and drinking — Veuve Clicquot was one of the sponsors and English Harbour Antigua Rum was another — and in general, socializing in a very relaxed atmosphere. Or, as the locals call it, “liming”.
Late spring is a great time to be in Antigua. The temperature is not high, usually in the 70s °F, the water is warm and the throngs of tourists that come once the school year has ended have not yet descended on the island. The residents are friendly and the food is exceptionally fresh and flavorful, especially the fish and seafood. And the rum, both as part of a cocktail – rum-punch or rum-and-coke or any of the concoctions local mixologist invent – or as a sipping spirit, is particularly enjoyable and invigorating.
I saw a number of the crews taking part in many of the parties, but most left early in the evening, so they would be clear-headed for racing the next day. A “drunken sailor early in the morning” might be a great idea for a 19th century sea shanty, but can be an accident-ready-to-happen in competitive racing, where skill and pin-point timing are essential.
Prior to the prize giving at Nelson’s Dockyard, the America’s Cup Trophy is displayed. “The Auld Mug” is the oldest international sporting trophy in the world, originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight. At the end of the week the Antigua Sailing Week comes to a conclusion with the Final Awards Ceremony and a spectacular After Party.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
My sailing days are over. Yet, I could not resist the calling of the sea when I saw the multi-colored spinnakers while the vessels were racing with the wind. My heart skipped a beat!
The author received a complimentary cruise, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Switzerland is a small county tucked in between France to the West, Germany to the North, Italy in the South, and Austria to the East. Based on its geographical position adjacent to these other countries there are three official languages – plus English, that is wildly spoken.
Far from being an exotic destination, Switzerland is nevertheless ideal for the independent traveler who is looking for stunningly beautiful scenery; wonderful year long outdoor adventures; charming old world cities with striking architecture; clean streets and smooth byways; friendly people always willing to offer assistance; great museums and cultural institutions… and let us not forget, delicious cuisine!
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Plus Switzerland has the most amazing transportation system! It is surely one of, if not the absolute best, in the world. The transportation system is like a well-programmed dance, with modern, clean, frequent and punctual bus, tram, ferry and trains, following one after the other in a perfectly coordinated sequence. Here every major city is reachable from any other in an hour or less.
If the distance is greater than an hour by regular conveyance mode, a high speed train will whisk you to your destination in the allotted hour or as close as technologically possible. Another major plus is that all airports are reachable by train. Train stations in all cities are modern, well-lit, with necessary facilities that are clean and safe. In the larger towns the stations contain every conceivable type of shopping opportunity and convenience, with many connected to shopping malls.
They seem to be always filled with people but never congested, an amazing feat given the number of travelers that pass through on a daily basis. The signage is meticulous and readable in several languages for locals as well as tourists who are highly encouraged to use the transit system to cut down on vehicular traffic.
It is easy to navigate in Switzerland, especially if you have the Swiss Travel Pass. It provides local public transportation, unlimited train, bus and boat travel, including mountain excursions, and free admission to more than 500 museums throughout the country, including Travel Guide apps to self-guide you during your stay.
For Americans who have no concept of a public transportation system anything like the Swiss have, navigating in Switzerland may be somewhat intimidating. Switzerland, unlike America, was early on devoting resources to support public-use infrastructure rather than building a massive road system to support the automobile industry.
Of course, Switzerland is tiny in comparison, but America is the only major country without a network of high-speed trains or in fact a domestic, countrywide, well functioning, public transit system. A realization made all the more shocking by my most recent trip to Switzerland.
Whenever you ask directions the Swiss have a peculiar way of responding by indicating the number of minutes it will take you to get to your destination. They seem to know the exact number of minutes you need either by walking, bus, train or tram. It always amused me to be told it’s a 4 minute walk to my hotel or it’s a 12 minute bus ride to my destination or 7 minutes if I choose to travel by train instead of bus.
I don’t know of any other culture that counts directions in that manner and amazingly they were usually correct. Most likely because locals travel mostly on foot, by bike, or public transportation, consequently the cities are never clogged with cars or suffering from the nasty pollution byproduct.
But caution is still required as bicyclists give no quarter and speed past pedestrian’s hell bent on two wheels. Perhaps the safest place is in the street as vehicles come to a screeching halt to let pedestrians cross; a traffic imperative strongly adhered to. As a New Yorker, initially I found it a bit unnerving to step off the curb into oncoming traffic with total confidence that vehicles will stop until you have safely navigated the crossing.
I highly recommend that you pack lightly and choose hotels near transit hubs when visiting Switzerland because unlike many other tourist destinations, except perhaps Venice, there are less car services available and most people walk or take public transportation carrying their own suitcase.
Of course, you can make prior arrangements with your hotel for transport, usually 4- and 5- star properties can accommodate, but then you would miss out on the experience of “being” in the country as opposed to visiting it.
I also found that good walking shoes are an imperative.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
To explore the old quarters of alleyways and winding, meandering streets you need to walk – often over cobblestoned pavements – and seek out the special hidden delights each city has to offer. In Lucerne, serendipitously every corner reveals decorative paintings covering buildings; some new, but most hundreds of years old and still beautifully maintained. Outstanding also are the unique covered bridges connecting the two sides of the ancient city, with their ages old paintings on interior frames that support the ceiling.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Bern’s medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and from the Zytglogge (clock tower) all the way to the river, along the entire length of the main thoroughfare are decorated statues brightly painted adorning still-potable fountains, many dating back to the 16th century.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Its covered loggias (walkways) are the longest in Europe and provide protection to walkers from weather and traffic alike. Painted Statues are also attached to buildings from which colorful flags wave in the breeze. If you traverse the entire street, at the end, you will find the famous bear park honoring the animal from which Bern derived its name.
If Bern is considered the city of statues than Basel should be considered the city of art. Everywhere one looks are buildings decorated with paintings and sometimes figurines like those adorning the Toy Museum.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
There are art galleries and museums galore; from the world-class Kunstmuseum (art museum) with its impressive collection of impressionist paintings and unparalleled collection of medieval religious art,
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
to the Jewish Museum of Switzerland in Basel with 13th century Jewish tombstones on display in the open air courtyard. The tombstones are the sole survivors of the Jewish presence in the city during the 12th and 13th centuries.
In Zurich walking along its massive eponymous lake, we passed Bell Epoch and Art Nouveau buildings – one more spectacular than the next – a treat for anyone captivated, like I am, by beautiful architecture. An Old Town walking tour will take you up to the panoramic city view from Lindenhof plaza overlooking the Limmat River that separates the two sides of the city.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Not to be missed are the Chagall windows at the Fraumunster Church.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Our introduction to Geneva was our first chance to view the sharp jagged edges of the Alps piecing the clouds that are more like fields of deep snow than high flying atmospheric formations. Geneva is a modern thriving town positioned around its eponymous lake but it still holds ancient secrets such as the 800 year old St. Peter’s Cathedral which sits over an active archeological dig.
This site dates as far back as 2,000 years as a place of worship, first for Allobroges (a Celtic tribe), through pagan Roman, medieval Catholic, to current Reformed Church. And no visit to Geneva would be complete without a stop at the magnificent Patek Philippe {watch} Museum. Known as one of the premier watchmakers in the world this extraordinary collection is mindboggling. (link to Geneva story)
By all means take in the charm of the cities, especially their delightful Old Towns, but make sure to get into the countryside and the mountains. We chose Mt. Rigi out of Lucerne and wish we had more time to cable car up – or funicular down – or ferryboat across – to several more.
A short 10 minute walk from our hotel the Wilden Mann took us to the Pier 1 ferry slip opposite the main train station. The sleek, modern, well designed ship allowed for maximum viewing of the mountains that we passed on our short journey to the tiny town of Vitznau.
After a few minutes, the cog-wheel tram pulled in and we clambered aboard for the exhilarating ride straight up Rigi Mountain. On the way down we stopped for a horse and buggy ride along a mountain pass and caught the next tram back to Vitznau for the connecting ferry ride to Lucerne. It worked like clock-work… just like the other industry Switzerland excels in.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Switzerland conjures images of numbered bank accounts; exquisite watches; unparallel efficiency; alpine skiing; cheese fondue; extreme chocolates; and yodeling. And yes it is all of that but much, much more… a wonderful destination to explore and enjoy.
Some of the experiences mentioned in this article are based on complimentary stays, meals, or goods.But as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
The artistic programs held at the performance center at Lehman College always draws an eclectic crowd comprised of all ages, races and cultures… sporting all manners of formal, antique, contemporary or just plain weird, dress. The audience is a real conglomeration and a perfect representation of New York style which adds a bonus, people watching, to the evening’s performance.
And at last night’s event, this diverse audience was all abuzz in anticipation of the world-class State Ballet of Georgia’s program “Mostly B”. The triple bill included two out of the three ballets to be performed, choreographed by20th-century Georgian American choreographer George Balanchine.
World famous maestro Balanchine was known for his elegant flowing structures and Serenade, the first selection on the program, is one of his most iconic works giving full rein to the complex, but always graceful female movements, supported only periodically by male dancers.
The opening curtain rises to reveal the entire corps de ballet sublimely poised waiting. It is not long before soloist Nino Samadashvili leaps on stage and the dance begins. Intricate patterns weave in and out as the four movements of Tchaikovsky’s score give rise to different emotional expressions with the last movement evoking passion… and perhaps death.
While the choreography was clearly Balanchine, this production took liberties taking into consideration the classically Russian trained dancers whose athleticism is not normally supported by Balanchine choreography. So even thought I had seen this ballet performed many times, it appeared new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed the interpretation by this company.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The State Ballet of Georgia is led by Georgia native Nina Ananiashvile, a former prima ballerina at the Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. Her impressive career includes serving as the Artistic Director of the Zakaria Paliashvili Ballet Theater’s Ballet Ensemble and Director of the Vakhtang Chabukiani State Choreographic School in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.
The stunning costumes designed by Marilyn Burbank, President of Mirella Dancewear, seemed Balanchine inspired but unlike traditional elegant Balanchine dressed dancers, they oozed eroticism as the ballerinas twisted and turned to the lively musical score.
All of the soloists – Nino Samadashvili, Mari Lomjaria, Elene Gaganidze – were beautiful to behold, but Nino Samadashvili has a special quality and a gorgeous line which would have been much appreciated by Balanchine had he lived to see her dance.
The male soloists, Papuna Kapanadze and David Ananeli added tension and agility to the last two of the four movements ending by lifting Nino Samadashvili solely by her feet and ankles and carrying her upright off the stage as she lifted her arms to heaven.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
After a brief intermission the dancers once again took the stage for Balanchine’s ballet Concerto Barocco set to Concerto in D minor for two violins by J.S. Bach. The entire cast danced in this short piece and although it was well-performed, for me it lacked the magic of Serenade.
The female soloists were Mariam Eloshvile and Nino Samadashvile; male soloist was David Ananeli. Once again I could not take my eyes off Ms. Samadashvile whenever she was on stage. While the entire ensemble is first rate – beautiful, competent and highly talented – she just stands out with perfectly performed leaps and impeccable posture, with every position drawn out to its zenith and held before release… stunning.
The third and final piece of the evening was the company’s signature ballet Sagalobeli (i.e. a Canticle – a song or chant) which has been part of their repertoire since it premiered in 2008. Specially created for the company by Ukrainian-born internationally renowned choreographer, Yuri Possokhov, Sagalobeli is an abstract ballet set to an assemblage of Georgian folk tunes performed by the Changi Ensemble (Changi is a Georgian string instrument).
The ballet is performed in a series of vignettes, featuring different combinations of dancers expressing to the different folk songs.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Again the staging, lighting (Amiran Ananiashvili) and costumes (Ana Kalatozishvili) were spectacular and added immeasurably to the enthusiastic energy with which the dancers performed the combination of ballet, folk, modern and country traditional choreography. I loved this piece with its innovative movements, delightful music and opportunity for the male danseurs to strut their stuff.
I, along with the appreciative audience, delighted in the dramatic lighting and stylized hand and foot angles struck by the dancers. Female soloists were Nino Samadashvili, Mariam Eloshvili, Nino Khakhutashvili, and Elene Gaganidze. Male soloists were David Ananeli, Papuna Kapanadze, Efe Burak.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Kudos to the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts; it has once again brought to its stage an internationally acclaimed company at local community theater prices… in this day and age a much appreciated commodity by a wildly appreciative audience.
Ouzeri is the Greek equivalent to a Spanish tapas bar that serves ouzo – a potent distillate from grape or grain-based alcohol, which is distilled with anise, fennel, and other herbs and is similar to the French Pastis, only drier – to accompany a multitude of small plates featuring classic dishes beloved by the Greeks. It is a place to have a drink with savory food attached. Not a full meal, just bits of this and that. The difference is that, while Spaniards have tapas as a prelude to dinner, Greeks are content to sit and nibble on small meze dishes, and at the end call it a meal.
Once upon a time ouzeris, which originated as working class hangouts, served small helpings of simple fare such as bits of smoked herring or pickled bonito; perhaps a sliced sausage and a small chunk of kasseri cheese, olives, maybe a couple of fried or pickled peppers, and “village bread.”
Photo by Manos Angelakis
An Athenian ouzeri is usually a small place – many times described as a “hole in the wall” – but is the epicenter of Greek and especially Athenian meze culture, that is small plate cookery where customers stop for a quick bite. It is anathema to Greeks to drink without eating, so what an ouzeri offers is numerous appetizers as Greeks love to get together with friends or relatives at a local place for a quick drink and a few nibbles to discuss the political scandal of the day, family and friend’s news, a recent theatrical review or any other subject that comes up.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
At present, the small dishes can still be as simple as a plate of little fried meatballs; freshly grilled or fried or plain cheese wedges or small flame-grilled sausages with a mustard sauce or as elaborate as a piece of omelet stuffed with cubed potatoes and a paste of cooked skinless tomatoes with sautéed red and green onion and celery or a sandwich stuffed with crabmeat. A newer meze is roasted chicken wings in a spicy sauce. Then there’s puree of yellow split peas and olive oil known as fava. The pickled olives and cornichons are usually present as well as pickled or tinned fish in its many varieties. Small fresh fish (maridaki), floured and deep fried, plays a leading role as well as morsels of smoky charcoal grilled octopus, battered fried mussels in a garlicky sauce and many spreads such as taramosalata, tzatziki, eggplant salad and scordalia – a potent little dish of mashed potato with lots of freshly cooked garlic. And freshly baked, crusty bread is always part of the offerings.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
All these make the basis of meze, that is small eats, that can be as frugal as a small wedge of hard kefalotiri cheese, a slice of cucumber, a quarter of a tomato and a couple brined olives, usually considered part of the price of the drink or as elaborate as a large spread combination of all the above, and those dishes are paid for but are still fairly inexpensive.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
In addition to ouzo, bottled beer or a litter of wine are the beverages for the group of friends, known as the “parea”. It should be noted that teenagers are considered in Greece as adults-in-training therefore are allowed to drink alcoholic beverages to get used to consuming them without getting inebriated. There are very few alcoholics in that country as locals are used to drinking wine or harder stuff and will automatically stop before becoming fully intoxicated. A modern remnant of the ancient Athenian culture, prevailing nowadays throughout Greece is the idea that being seen drunk is a faux pas to be avoided at all costs.
The concept of meze dates back in Greece at least to the time of Aristophanes, who described as symposium appetizers a collection of radishes and olives, beans and cheese. There is even mention in ancient texts of sweet cheese pies, perhaps precursors of tyropitakia, the feta-in-phyllo triangles that are a quintessential Greek nibble.
During my last trip to Athens, I discovered a centrally located ouzeri that offers a good meze variety. It is called Ouzeri by Papaioannou and it is located on a street near Syntagma Square, Valaoritou 7, near the upscale Kolonaki neighborhood. I had an afternoon repast there with friends I had not seen since 1967 and it brought back memories of the good life in the Athens of my youth!
I’ll admit it! I’m a foodie… I love good food. I’m what my Greek family would call a “kalofagas” i.e. a great food eater.
Growing up I was a miserable eater, surviving on grilled lamb chops and French fries – though my mother was considered one of the best home cooks in Athens.
It was after I moved to Paris in 1959 that I developed a liking for great cuisine. Since then, I’ve traveled around the world in search of exceptional dishes. One of the ways I try to cook the best food is by duplicating in my kitchen recipes that I find in cookbooks. I have many volumes, both hard-bound and soft covered ones, with recipes from countries and regional cuisines whose dishes I have tasted in my travels and liked.
When I receive copies of cookbooks, I’m very eager to explore them.
My most current cookbook discovery is Özlem Warren’s “Turkish Table” with recipes from Southern Turkey and more specifically Southern Anatolia.
My mother, before marrying my father and settling in Athens, was born and raised in a Greek family in Istanbul. During the early 20th century, girls of affluent parents were taught numerous languages – my mother spoke fluently Turkish, Greek, French and English.
She was also taught the finer points of Turkish (Ottoman) and Greek cuisine, plus she was an excellent piano player and a gold award winning tennis competitor. And even though I personally was a miserable eater, in retrospect, her Turkish or as they are known in Greece “Oriental Dishes” were as good as any top chef’s creations. So I think I have a good basis to evaluate a Turkish cookbook.
Let’s talk about Özlem’s Turkish cookbook, from the ethnic cuisine with which I’m very familiar.
It is just short of 300 pages, has interesting food photographs and starts with a number of recipes on soups and dips, including soups I make at home like Mercimek Çorbasi – red lentils with carrots and potatoes – as well as Muhamara, a walnut and red pepper paste dip.
There are also hot and cold meze dishes, including a very good recipe for Arnavut Ciğer – spectacular, chunky sautéed calf’s liver cubes covered by a red onion, parsley and sumac salad, as well as Sebzeli Köfte i.e. small meatballs made from a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground lamb in a tomato and red pepper paste sauce.
In addition there are salad recipes; the Turkish kitchen uses only fresh, local, seasonal produce. There are a number of outstanding salad recipes including Kisir (a recipe made with bulgur wheat and pomegranate molasses), and a smoked eggplant salad with tomatoes, onions and bell pepper “Patlican Ekşileme.” Plus another salad made with roasted eggplant and cacık i.e. garlic yoghurt and mint sauce “Patlican Yoğurtlama.”
A very traditional Ottoman food pair is meatballs (Köfte) and Cannellini Beans smothered with fresh, skinless tomatoes and shredded red onion sprinkled with sea-salt and sumac; the salad is known as Fasülye Piyaz and it is featured in this cookbook.
There are numerous breakfast dish recipes that include a favorite: Menemen. The ingredient list and execution are slightly different than the way I make Menemen, but it is worth trying both ways.
There is a section that includes savory pastries i.e. börek and boat shaped, open faced, oven baked, cheese stuffed bread called Peynirli; the word means “with cheese” and depending on what the bread is stuffed with in addition to the cheese, you could have Peynirli Pasturmali (with thinly sliced pasturma or bastirma) or Peynirli Kiymaly, when stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, ground lamb and ground onion, smothered in tomato sauce.
There are numerous vegetable dishes stewed in olive oil that include another of my favorite dishes, Mücver, which is golden, shredded zucchini fritters sometimes mixing soft white cheese or feta in the batter.
Unfortunately some of the best olive stewed vegetable dishes made by Turkish cooks are missing from this cookbook. Most important, missing are Imam Bayildi and Artichokes a la Polita, mainly Northern dishes.
There are numerous meat, chicken and fish main courses. Some good ones are Fisticli Kebap i.e. grilled, ground meat and ground pistachios skewers and Patlicanli Kebap, chunked chicken thighs cooked on a skewer with eggplant, yoghurt and spices.
In the book, there is also a number of traditional meatless mains, such as Fasülye Pilaki (giant or cannellini beans in a tomato and shredded onion sauce, sprinkled with sumac).
The fish and seafood section includes Karides Güveç, usually a hot meze dish of baked large shrimp or prawns in tomato, onion, pepper and mushrooms and Mydye Dolma, i.e, rice, herbs, pine nut and raisins stuffed mussels. Also Balic Sis, fish kebaps with roasted vegetables – I usually have swordfish chunks cooked this way.
Because Turkey has a sweet tooth, there are numerous dessert recipes including the famous Revani, a sponge cake soaked in lemon or orange syrup, and Semolina Halva with pine nuts.
Overall it is an interesting book with some very good recipes but with many of the classic Ottoman dishes missing. I do not consider it a complete Southern Turkish cookbook, since the missing oil-poached recipes and a number of other classic Ottoman recipes are nowadays cooked throughout the country. To get your own copy of this cookbook:
Off the beaten track in the Veneto Region of Italy is the “something for everyone” picturesque medieval town of Treviso. This ancient walled city is replete with meandering canals, waterwheels, bridges and winding streets filled with picturesque photo ops at every turn.
Treviso’s abundant churches and museums are adorned with works from some of the greatest artists of the renaissance and for the unabashed shopper, the immediate surrounding areas have blossomed into a shoppers paradise with top-name Italian designer retail factory surplus outlets one after the other.
For the wine lover the area is the ne plus ultra terroir for growing “Glera” the Prosecco grape and is the DOC and DOCG for Prosecco, the delicious sparkling wine that has replaced champagne in the hearts of millions around the world. For the lover of sweets, Le Beccherie in Treviso is the birthplace of the delectable dessert tiramisu but mainly Treviso should be on your bucket-list because the area is a foodie’s dream with one wonderful dining experience after another.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Treviso is one of a number of small towns and villages in north-east Italy that is known as the industrial heart of Italy, producing machinery, food, wine, furniture, textiles, leather goods and assorted other products. It’s about half hour by train from Venice; along with the neighboring towns of Castelfranco and Asolo it should appeal to everyone that loves good wine, good food, fine shopping and a charming laid back quality of life. Family values are key to the warmth of the area where businesses and recipes are handed down from generation to generation.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
I, along with a small group of journalists, visited Treviso on a fact-finding mission that was not focused only on gastronomy, when I found myself overwhelmed by the variety and flavors of the area’s cuisine with one wonderful feast after another. These were not Michelin stared restaurants or palaces of Gastronomy but local restaurants serving the freshest available seasonal foods, cooked in traditional ways and appealingly presented.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
We began our food odyssey at all’Antico Portico, a modest local eatery at the corner of Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, where over lunch we were entertained by recently married couples having their wedding pictures taken in the picturesque square. Luckily I was traveling with other foodie’s and we quickly bonded, sharing dishes with each other so as not to miss tasting any of the delectable morsels placed before us.
We ordered a selection of Antipasti, Primi Piatti and Secondi Piatti that represented the food culture of Treviso; zucchini flowers filled with mozzarella and hot creamed robiola cheese with truffles; prawns with polenta (corn meal porridge); fried ricotta with marinated red chicory (radicchio); a beautiful salad freshly plucked from their garden; and pumpkin gnocchi topped with melted butter and poppy seeds.
Second plates were made in-house tagliolini with shaved truffles; Ravioli stuffed with basil, fresh tomatoes and cheese; baccalà (salt cod) with polenta. We each had our favorites but suffice it to say the quality and ingenuity of the dishes was a revelation and a forerunner of meals to come.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
After a short rest we continued our exploration of Treviso with a visit to the Piazza Duomo and the Cathedral/Duomo of St. Peter with its altar painting of the 16th C. Annunciation by Titian. After visiting the Duomo we walked under the ancient loggias that still retain remnants of the painted frescos that once graced the columns and vaulted ceilings of the public walkways, to the Piazza de Signori at the center of Treviso
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Dinner that night was at another local gem, Abitue San Parisio just off Piazza San Vito. Since we were still full from our copious lunch we ordered small plates instead of a full meal; forgetting of course that in Italy nothing having to do with food is ever small and our attempt at moderation turned out to be more than a meal in itself. My first plate was beef tartar made with prime Piemontese beef and was absolutely divine; sides of onion, chopped pickles, mustard and paprika accompanied the beef for mixing.
Predictably, I over-ate and consumed the generous portion only to be confronted with an unusual dish of prawns wrapped in pasta kataifi (similar to shredded wheat) served with glasses of spicy tomato juice and a grilled octopus salad that was like nothing I had eaten before. Huge chunks of tender fresh grilled octopus over ripe juicy tomatoes and greens fresh from the garden, a home-made dressing drizzled over all and I was in heaven… and there went my desire to eat modestly at dinner.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Osteria al Forno di Agnese in the village of Civita di Bagnoregio, is a no-nonsense Mom and Pop restaurant owned and operated by the Piol family. The kitchen was overseen by Chef Denis Possamai, whose tried-and-true recipes delight the eye and the palate. We began lunch with a lovely appetizer of poached pear on robiola cheese, and a chestnut and red cabbage pumpkin loaf with pumpkin cream, which was tasty, but a bit heavy for lunch.
Risotto with mushroom and pumpkin came next and although Risotto is not my favorite dish, it was one of the best I ever had; creamy and flavorful. Osteria al Forno is known for their hearty food, so for the entrée pork with liver sauce shared the plate with guinea fowl drenched in truffle cream and chestnuts over polenta.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
The dinner that night at Locanda da Lino was an extravaganza. Da Lino is located in the Trevigiana hills in the town of Solighetto, and is part restaurant, part museum, part hotel, with 10 rooms that have hosted celebrities that now carry their names.
Founded in 1961 by renowned chef Lino Toffolin who, with the help of his family, took an old farmhouse and turned it into a rambling eclectic fantasyland of artwork, antiques, elegant décor, indoor garden and outdoor vine covered pergola, lavish flower arrangements and to top it off… literally… a collection of copper pots hanging from the rafters that would make any archaeological museum green with envy. But that was just the eye candy.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
We were fortunate to be there on Thursday night for their weekly seafood menu of a bounty fresh from the Adriatic. We sat down, had a glass of Toffoli Prosecco (produced by Lino’s son Marco whose winery we had visited earlier in the day) and dishes began to appear.
The most delectable cubes of white fish marinated in olive oil, sardines topped by olives and tomatoes, grilled crawfish fanned out on a plate, fried filets of fish, mussels and clams in brodo, scallops baked in the shell, fried soft-shell crabs, home-made pasta with octopus, octopus salad, baby octopus in red wine sauce… the dishes were endless, creative and delicious.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Our outing the next day included a stop in the must-see historic town of Asolo known as the “town with a hundred horizons” due to its hilltop location with its 360 degree views.
Asolo is one of the most beautiful and well preserved hamlets of medieval Italy with a long tradition of hospitality, and was beloved by artists, poets, writers, and Heads of State: notably, American writer Ernest Hemingway, British poet Robert Browning (1812-1889), Italian actress Eleonora Duse, Venetian-born queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro (1454-1510) who chose to spend her years of exile in Asolo.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
We stopped at Albergo Al Sole, a 5-star SLH hotel for lunch in their famous restaurant La Terrazza. The restaurant was closed but they accommodated our small group for lunch in a recently restored frescoed grotto attached to the building. The menu consisted of quail breast salad with lima beans and pomegranate fruit; porcini mushroom risotto with Casatella cheese; filet of beef topped by a sauce made from local red wine and served with radicchio and rosemary potatoes; and ended with an apple and pumpkin strudel served over homemade vanilla ice-cream.
Photo by Barbara Angelakis
Sadly for me – but thankfully for my stomach – our foray into the cuisine of the Veneto was coming to an end. Our farewell dinner was at Odeon alla Colonna just at the edge of the Stile River in Treviso that meanders through the town creating one picturesque vista after another. Here I had the most unusual antipasti of black-pepper robiola (soft cheese) ice-cream with caramelized pears and decorated with pistachio nuts… unusual but absolutely divine.
Next came homemade tagliatelle pasta with pumpkin sauce and chiodine mushrooms. Our final meal in Treviso ended with Scomposto, their version of tiramisù made and served in a glass.
Some of the experiences mentioned in this article are based on complimentary stays, meals, or goods.But as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
I think the promotional slogan of Québec City should be “On mange bien ici” i.e. “We eat well here!”
Great food is at the pinnacle of gastronomy in Québec. Absolutely fresh, local, seasonal ingredients are starring in Québecoise kitchens, whether eating at home or in a renowned restaurant.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Classic cuisine Québecoise was developed towards the end of the 16th century. It is a reflection of agricultural ingredients available locally to the early French settlers in combination with game smoked or cooked in the cooking fires of the First Nations tribes of the area and the bounty of the sea and rivers of Québec.
Spices came from all over the world but the cooking technique is still mostly classic French with a soupçon of native ingredients and methods. We always loved visiting Québec for the food and in the past, when we lived in Manhattan, we were willing to drive for about 9 hours each way, to stay overnight during a weekend and eat in Québec City.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
On this trip, courtesy of Québec tourism, we had a chance to experience creative restaurant kitchens; the dishes were not a French grandmother’s cooking as it had been on our past visits but were closer to the molecular gastronomy that I have tasted and loved in Europe especially in Spain, Italy and Denmark.
Molecular cuisine combines chemically compatible ingredients in the preparation of delectable dishes. One would say that this culinary discipline examines the transformation of food in the kitchen when using modern cooking methods (souse-vide is the most popular one) and adding foams, gels, emulsions and other taste enhancers.
Salt and pepper are used very sparingly and in restaurants that practice molecular gastronomy in the kitchen you will never find salt or pepper shakers on the table. What comes out of the kitchen is considered perfect. Not that the dishes are bland! It is just that the technique and ingredients used do not require flavor enhancements such as salt or MSG.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Table d’hôte breakfast at the hotel Auberge Saint-Antoine, our Québec home-away-from-home, was a continental buffet with freshly baked breads, muffins and croissants, fresh yoghurt – which I took full advantage of drizzling it with aromatic honey – assorted cold cuts, cheeses and fruit, freshly squeezed juices and more.
You could also get eggs cooked in different ways and baconor, bread pudding or pain perdu (French Toast) and more from the a la carte menu. Melanie Bedard, our waitress that also attended us during our lunch, was one of the most knowledgeable and courteous servers we ever had.
We had exceptional dishes every time we ate.
A specially set-up lunch was organized for us by the fireplace in an alcove of the bar, to taste the kitchen’s creations as only breakfast and dinner are currently offered by the hotel and we were having dinners outside the property.
The three course lunch from Chez Muffy, our hotel’s restaurant, was impressive with farmhouse and ocean inspired courses. Muffy, is the nickname of the owner’s mother who, at 93, still comes every day to the hotel to make sure that the operation runs “comme il faut” i.e. as it should be! Using organic agricultural techniques, the owning family’s farm works in concert with the executive co-chefs to create signature ingredients for Chez Muffy’s cuisine.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The snow crab appetizer course with daikon radish matchsticks from the hotel’s garden, black and salmon caviar, a shoyu citric vinaigrette and Marigold flowers, was as beautiful to behold as it was to eat; a dish to die for!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The main; sirloin with a bordelaise sauce, caramelized onions that were filled with a different sauce and roasted potato roulades with touches of numerous other sauces on the plate was also exceptional.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
And the “Dessert Tidbits” a plate of little pastry rondelles, lemon cream with brown sugar and other bits and pieces, followed by a nice cup of coffee was not shabby either!
The wine pairings were very good, with a Grüner Veltliner from Slovenia to start and an exceptional Barbaresco paired with the sirloin dish.
I spoke with Alex Bouchard, the executive co-chef – there are three co-chefs operating the different food venues at the hotel — and I will attest that he knows very well what needs to be done to keep the kitchen at a very top level. He said… “We want to make people happy!”
Photo by Manos Angelakis
But that was only one of the remarkable lunches we had.
By a bubbling stream on a rural property in Ste-Brigitte de Laval at Bora Boréal, we had another mouth-watering lunch prepared by the chefs and staff of Tanière3, one of the top avant-garde Québecoise restaurants, starting with an amuse bouche of freshly smoked breast of duck (the smoking hardwood fire was still burning when we arrived) with braised confit onions and crusty farm bread, made that morning.
On a grating over the fire was also half-a-head of local hard cheese that was used as a Raclette. The cook scraped the melted cheese on fire-grilled toast and layered slices of the smoked duck breast over it; pure ambrosia!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
It was followed by a twig nest that had an egg filled with a creamy emulsion plus morels and spinach.
The fish course was halibut with erythrone stems and leafs, day lily and wild garlic.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
And that was followed by lamb chops with a side of Jerusalem artichoke and fiddlehead ferns in a Labrador tea sauce.
All were washed down with a sparkler and fruit-juice cocktail, almost like a Bellini.
And yes Mr. Shakespeare… they did gild the lily!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
A series of lunch nibbles were presented in a number of restaurants and shops on Av. Maguire, Main Street, in a Québec City neighborhood, organized by Le Canard Goulu (The Greedy Duck) and associated establishments on that street that included Brynd Smoked Meat, Pizza Mag, Café Castelo McGuire, Faks Café, La Maison des 100 Thés (in French the name is a play on words i.e. cent-thé is pronounced santé – health); Verre Pickl’ and a number of others.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
We just walked from storefront to storefront, trying such delicacies as a slice of foie gras torchon in a doughnut; fresh goat cheese in a jar; pizza slices; spinach-stuffed flaky dough; onion soup, etc. etc.
And then, of course, came the dinners. But those will be described in next month’s issue, as they will require much more space.
Some of the experiences mentioned in this article are based on complimentary stays, meals, or goods.But as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, with coasts fronting both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, lies the second largest autonomous region in Spain: Andalucía. It is best known for gifting to the world Flamenco, Bullfighting, and its own adaptation of Moorish architecture and arts that were developed through nearly 800 years of occupation by North African Muslim tribes. Andalucía’s gastronomy is internationally renowned for its distinctive wines, olives and olive oil, Iberico ham and cured pork products.
In the center of the area between the capital city of Seville to the west, Malaga to the south, Córdoba to the north and Granada to the east, lays the very heart of Andalucía. Here are towns that cling to steep hillsides and take fierce pride in their history and traditions.
My love affair with Andalucía started in the late 1950s, when I heard, for the first time, Andrés Segovia play Enrique Granados’ Danzas Españolas on the guitar and then Arthur Rubinstein playing Manuel de Falla’s Noches en los Jardines de España, a symphonic piece for piano and orchestra.
Ever since, my dream has been to spend some time in Andalucía and visit the gardens referred to in the de Falla work: Palacio de Generalife in Alhambra; an unidentified distant garden in which there is an exotic dance; and Los Jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Andalucía, the land of tapas and wine…
Unfortunately, the days of free tapas are almost completely over in Andalucia. Nowadays, the free bread-based tapas I remember from my earlier Spanish forays have been mostly replaced by charcuterie slices or small cooked plates; and the vast majority now costs money.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Tapas may be cold (such as mixed olives, tortilla Española, cheese wedges and quince paste or jamón and sausage slices or canned fish) or hot (such as ‘albóndigas’ small meatballs in sauce or ‘gambas al ajillo’, prawns in sizzling olive oil with garlic and chili peppers). In most bars of the larger towns in Spain, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated regional cuisine.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…bullfighting and dancing horses…
Flamenco has become a beloved dance form world-wide. In the west we are familiar with flamenco as a dance that includes heel stomping, hand clapping, finger snapping and lots and lots of Attitude… with a capital A.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…flamenco…
But what do we really know about Andalucía? September is the annual flamenco festival in the home of flamenco, and we were fortunate enough to be touring around the area courtesy of Spain’s Tourism Office and visiting small towns in the region.
For the flamenco aficionado, Seville is the heart of the action. We began with a visit to the Museum of Flamenco www.museoflamenco.com where we learned about the 7 principal styles. Alegria: happiness. Seguirilla: death, deep hurt. Soleá: loneliness. Tango: passion. Guajira: sensuality. Farruca: elegance. Buleria: seduction. We also saw films of famous dancers and some of the original outfits they performed in. At the theatre on the museum’s lower level we attended a live performance with singer, guitarist and dancers.
The author (right) raises a glass in Andalucia. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Andalucia is a land of warm, welcoming, people.
Iberia is positioned like a juicy piece of fruit hanging off the continent of Europe, falling toward the land mass of North Africa. It was a perfect plum for major ethnic groups along the Mediterranean to take a bite out of and leave their imprint upon. Phoenicians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, all left their tooth-marks and their influence.
Under the Romans, the Iberian Peninsula flourished but after the fall of the Empire successive barbarian tribes invaded and devastated the area until, in 711 CE, the Moors attacked across the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa.
When the Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula, as often happens between conquerors and conquered, the best of both worlds came together in a cultural mélange. The Moors named the conquered land the “Kingdom of Al-Andaluz” with Córdoba as its capital. Córdoba was the most opulent of cities known throughout the then known world for its culture and riches. At the time in Christian Europe when 99% of the population was illiterate, in Al-Andaluz the Moors had seventeen great universities. During this time the rest of Europe was going through the so-called Dark Ages; a time when ignorance, fear, superstition, and disease thrived under a system of despotic feudal rule. In fabled Al-Andaluz, where the Moors held sway for some 800 years, east melded with west. Around 822 A.D. one of the most famous Moorish singers, Ziryab (the blackbird) introduced the guitar and other string instruments to Iberia.
In fabled Andalucía, east melded with west in perfect synchronicity; here an exotic stew of Gypsy, Jewish, Moorish and Christian peoples became one integrated culture that existed in peaceful coalition for eight centuries and achieved extraordinary heights in the arts and sciences.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Alcázar, interior garden…
The Moors contributed stunning architectural monuments such as the Alcázar in Seville, originally constructed in the 10th century. Their ardor for interior courtyards filled with verdant gardens, fountains and colorful tiles with geometric designs lining the walls and floors is nowhere more breathtaking than in the Reales Alcázares i.e. the Royal Fortress.
Throughout Al-Andaluz palaces were sumptuous, while at the same time in Christian Europe the monarchs lived in big windowless, smoky structures of stone, with only a hole in the roof for a chimney to expel smoke. The creative heritage of Andalucía derives in good part from the 800 years under the control of the Moors but they were expelled by the Christian Kings after the “Reconquista” that is the Reconquest, along with the Jews in 1492. Gypsies were not expelled but were barely tolerated.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Cult of the Bulls…
Bull veneration has a long history dating back 15,000 years to Neolithic cave drawings with Mesopotamia, Samaria, Anatolia, Greece and Egypt all having traditions relating to bull worship and/or sacrifice. In Egypt the Apis Bull was associated with the moon and worshiped as a God. Slaying of the bull by stabbing it in the neck was an integral part of the sacrificial rite in many ancient civilizations.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Bull dancing was developed into an art form by the Minoan civilization of Crete, with acrobats leaping over the bull’s horns and using them to propel them safely to the ground. Young men and women chosen for their grace and dexterity would flip over the fierce animals and perform other feats of gymnastics. Scenes depicting this dangerous sport are found on frescos at Knossos in Crete and the Heraklion Museum. The cult of the bull permeated the Mediterranean basin with each area developing its own traditions. Andalucía took bull sacrifice one step further with bull fighting; a form of death and rebirth where man fights and hopefully overcomes brute nature.
…Plaza de Toros, Ronda…
For information on one of the oldest and most picturesque bullrings, its museum and chapel — where prayers for victory were offered before and, hopefully, thanks for success were offered after — visit The Plaza de Toros in Ronda www.rmcr.org
Ronda is a small typical Andaluz town with a fascinating history; it is only a short distance from Seville and well worth the visit. While there, stop for lunch at Pedro Romero, a restaurant honoring the legendary bullfighter. Romero is credited with inventing the “classic style” turning bullfighting from a killing sport into an art form.www.rpedroromero.com
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Dancing Horses…
Bulls represented a form of man’s mastery over animals; horses embody cooperation with another species.
The Royal Andalucían School of Equestrian Art Foundation or Real Escuela Andaluza Del Arte Ecuestre was founded in 1973 in honor of the equestrian heritage of Andalucía. The Andalucían pure bred has existed in the area for 20,000 to 30,000 years and cave paintings of the animals attest to their history in the peninsula. Here the horse and rider are as one. They train together and form a bond of trust that allows the horse to accomplish artistic moves that would not normally be possible.
The riders are adorned in 18th century costumes and the horses are dressed with classically braided mane and tail; together they perform a ballet to Spanish music in sync with other horses. Not all the horses are white, they range in color from grey to black although white is preferred as they deflect the bright Andalucían sun and tend to be cooler in the summer. The foundation is located in Jerez, a small town between Sevilla and Cádiz, and the horse show is a well-deserved very popular attraction requiring advance reservations.
Some of the experiences mentioned in this article are based on complimentary stays, meals, or goods.But as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
