Dear Italy: "Grazie" for the Affogato

I was sorting through a box of some photos the other day and came across a picture taken on my trip several years ago to Italy. It's a photo of me smiling serenely, sitting at a street side Italian cafe. I'm most certainly smiling because of the delicious lunch I'd just eaten: a crisp, classic pizza Margherita with a cool bottle of water. Sometimes, the simplest ingredients make the heart (and stomach!) the happiest.

Dear friends: If your only experience of Italian cuisine up to now has been pasta, meatballs and red wine, you are sorely missing out.

Don't get me wrong; I love Italian food, but it has to be actual Italian, not the Americanized versions. The Italians are masters of basic, bold, and wholesome ingredients. Case in point: the Margherita, which exemplifies the Italians' love of simple, fresh, clean tastes and impeccable cooking technique. Pizza Margherita, if you're not familiar, is a beautiful presentation of the three colors of Italian flag in food form: white mozzarella, green basil, and red tomatoes. All of that is perched nicely on a perfectly crisped dough. It's almost too pretty to eat, although I usually get along okay. :)

So you think the pizza sounds good? Wait for this. I have two words for you: "gelato" and "espresso."

Wait for it...

TOGETHER.

The heavenly drink you see above is affogato, or more correctly, affogato al caffe, which means "drowned in coffee." And truly, if I could choose how to die, I'd probably go affogato al caffe, too. But thank God it's the gelato (the wonderfully smooth, decadent Italian cousin of ice cream) doing the affogato today!

To be fair, since good gelato is hard to come by in the Midwest, and since the good gelato you can find is expensive enough to make you cringe, I often opt for good old reliable ice cream. It does the trick just fine. You can pick whatever flavor you like best, but in my experience it's always best to go for a good quality, simple kind, like vanilla, chocolate, caramel, or coffee flavored. And since it's also pretty tough to find good, affordable espresso (and the fact that the only weapon I have now in my coffee-making arsenal is a four-cup Mr. Coffee), I like to go for good old-fashioned Italian roast. It's dark and bold enough (just make sure you get a good kind!).

My favorite ice cream to drown in espresso (or Italian roast) is Starbucks Java Chip Ice Cream. Just thinking about it makes my eyes glaze over with adoration. For the coffee, go with a good Italian roast (any brand you like will do, just be sure it's good and bold) or stay with the espresso (if you can stomach the cost and have a way to make it). Right now, we've got Trader Joe's Whole Bean Decaf, which is wonderful because it tastes great and is perfect for an evening treat. A word of advice: invest in a coffee grinder and buy only whole-bean coffee. Trust me, it tastes about a billion times better and fresher than the already ground stuff.

The recipe for affogato is probably the simplest one you'll ever see:



Affogato al Caffe
Serves: 2-4 (depending on how gluttonous you're feeling. Ours ALWAYS serves only two.)
Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

•  2-4 c. freshly brewed espresso or bold, dark roast coffee
• 1/2-1 c. gelato or ice cream, your choice
• 2-4 coffee mugs (depending, of course, on how many people you're serving)

Steps

1. Into each mug, scoop 1/4-1/2 c. gelato or ice cream.
2. On top of the gelato/ice cream, pour 1 c. hot espresso/coffee.
3. Enjoy!

I used my favorite Starbucks mug, found new with tags for 50 cents at a garage sale!.

I hope you enjoy! This is a great treat to have in your back pocket: it's easy, cheap, super tasty, and even has a fancy Italian name so that you can impress your friends and family. :)

Until next time!

-Betsey

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Easter from the Vatican

...well, sort of.

No, I'm not actually in the Vatican City (I am on my gross couch in Lincoln, Nebraska, actually), but since it's Easter I thought I'd share some memories of going there several years ago.

Although it's been eight years (yikes, already?!) since I went to the Vatican, I still remember how awestruck I felt by the entire experience. I remember the giant throngs of people speaking every language shuffling about, the nuns and priests chatting animatedly in Italian, and the overwhelming opulence of the Vatican itself. I wasn't Catholic then (in fact, I just became one yesterday!), but it doesn't take a Catholic to appreciate the wonder of the Vatican City.

It was especially moving because Pope John Paul II had died just a few months earlier, and the grief was still thick in the Vatican City. We visited his tomb, and although at the time I wasn't able to call him my pope, I was still very aware--based on the grief of those around me--that the world had lost a very important, special man.

St. Peter's Square

One of the most special things I remember from my visit to the Vatican was the Sistine Chapel. You're not allowed to take photos inside the chapel (sorry!), but I always like to tell the story from my visit there:

Two Italian guards were stationed at the front of the chapel, right in front of the Last Judgment. They were talking with each other, seeming relatively unconcerned about monitoring the visitors coming in. There were signs everywhere and in every language warning people not to take photos due to the very delicate nature of the chapel's Renaissance art ("The Creation of Adam," anyone?), but two tourists snapped a few photos, flash and everything. My gut cringed. I turned, expecting to see the Italian guards launching themselves at the guests and snatching up their cameras. Instead, the two guards simply turned to the tourists and very softly said, "No, no," shaking their hands. It did the trick, but I was floored. The only place I'd really ever gone prior to my trip to Italy was Washington, D.C., and if someone had snapped a flash photo of the Bill of Rights or the Constitution, guards would have those people booted on the spot! It makes me smile to think that, even around the precious art of the Sistine Chapel, the Italians are so easygoing.

My favorite thing from St. Peter's: the Pieta. Absolutely beautiful.

I didn't take many photos from inside St. Peter's, mostly because I was very conscious of it being a holy place. Again, not being a Catholic at the time, I didn't know exactly how to behave in a basilica, but I tried my best to be very respectful and quiet, and not be an obnoxious tourist snapping photos every two seconds. Instead, I walked around slowly, taking in every detail of the space and grasping the feeling that there was something uniquely different about this place. I'll never forget that feeling.

Inside the Vatican.

I hope that you'll all be able to visit the Vatican one day. You don't have to be Catholic to appreciate it all; just go in with a kind curiosity, an open and humble mind, and a good camera. :)

This week, we're going to GERMANY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC! We're going to be making Runzas (you Nebraskans truly appreciate this!) and kolaches, a very special family favorite.

From our home to yours, we wish you all a very Happy Easter!
 

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Amore Mio...it's Bacon!

In a complete break from the norm, I prepared a dish with bacon. Yes, bacon. Deal with it; you can always go to the health and fitness Pinterest board later. But for now, bow down to the bacon.

I used to be one of those people who absolutely abhorred anything with fat. Sugar-free? Diet? Light? Yes, yes, and yes! But now, I'm the complete opposite. I go for what gives me the best taste and most enjoyment. After all, if there's one thing our diet-crazed country should take from the Italians is that food (in proper portions!) is meant to make us happy. It's meant to be enjoyed together, at the table, with family and friends and memories and inappropriate jokes.

So that's exactly what we do at the Heidrick house. By the way, words cannot express the joy on Matt's face as he saw (but first smelled) the bacon crackling in the pan.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!


Linguini with Parmigiano, Bacon, and Asparagus
Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 package linguini (I used regular linguini, but I actually think I'd prefer whole wheat, so give it a try and let me know what you think)
• As many slices of bacon as you feel comfortable eating in one seating, diced
• Asparagus spears, sliced into three-inch pieces
• 1/2 Tablespoon pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten (I know it sounds weird. Just do it, okay?)

Steps:

1. Boil the linguini until it is al dente (boiled but not mushy). In the last 2 minutes of cooking, throw in the asparagus. Don't throw it in too early or you'll end up with mushy asparagus and green pasta. Not pretty stuff. You want it to be in just long enough to get nice and bright green, but no longer or it'll turn a dull green color. Sad.
2. Drain the pasta and asparagus and reserve some of the liquid!
3. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium high heat (don't put any oil or spray in it).
4. Place bacon into pan and dry until brown and crispy, or until your husband comes into the kitchen because of the smell.
5. Place the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate and let drain.
6. Drain off some of the bacon grease and reduce heat to low. Be extremely careful; hot grease is very, very hot and very, very dangerous!
7. In the remaining bacon grease, sauté the garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes about 1-2 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Remove pan from heat.
8. Place the drained linguini and asparagus in the pan with the garlic and shallot and turn to incorporate.
9. Add parmesan cheese and turn to coat.
10. Add beaten eggs and turn to coat and let eggs cook, about 2 minutes. If the pasta mixture is too thick, loosen it up with some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid.
11. Plate and buon appetito! 

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Living on Gelato

I'm not even kidding. I lived on gelato for two straight weeks while in Italy, not because I was unable to get actual food, but because I think I became somewhat addicted to the delectable frozen treat. Don't ask me how much weight I gained. Don't you dare.

Italy was my very first trip abroad. I went there as a scrawny 15-year-old, naïve to the world and certainly unaware of the delicious, dream-like nectar of the gods the Italians like to call "gelato." Whenever people ask me about it, all I can really tell them is, "It's a frozen custard somewhere between ice cream and frozen yogurt." I think it might also include some element of heaven particles.

Trust me, it's freaking delicious.

I attempted to make it once before, but I was unfortunately unable to replicate the smooth, velvety texture I experienced in Italy. In fact, all I ended up with was a gloopy-gloppy mess. Quite the disappointment to realize that heaven will forever be thousands of miles away in some Italian freezer. :( If you'd like me to try again and post the results to the blog, let me know in the comments and perhaps I'll muster up the courage to try again...maybe.

Sigh.

This week, to celebrate Italian cuisine, I'll be trying a linguini with bacon, parmigiano, and asparagus. We'll see how it turns out! People have this very unfortunate misconception about Italian food, as if every pizza is akin to the monstrously greasy American adaptations, and everything is covered in sickeningly sweet, watery marinara sauce. As you can see, I have an issue with Americanized "Italian" food. And I'm not trying to be a food snob, but Italian food has integrity, and when we reduce such a rich culinary tradition to lasagna noodles smothered in Prego, it hurts my feelings. That's why I've developed this linguini recipe, to show you that Italians can have a good time without marinara sauce. Plus, Matt's been pestering me about cooking with bacon, so I thought it's probably time to give in. Until we try the linguini recipe, though, I'll give you a little taste of Italy in photos.

The Italian Parliament, affectionately called "The Birthday Cake." Great. Now I want cake. Is Lent over yet?!

The Trevi Fountain. All you Lizzie McQuire Movie fans from back in the day will know this one. :)

The view from inside the Roman coliseum.

Florence, the most beautiful city I've ever experienced. I got lost in the city, eventually found my way back to Il Duomo, and spent the rest of the day people watching while lapping up my melting cone of gelato on the steps. Best day ever.

Italy has the most beautiful cathedrals.

My torso in front of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. And yes, if you were standing where I'm standing in the photo, you'd see plenty of people obnoxiously putting their hands up to mimic holding up the tower.

Next post includes bacon! That's all you really need to know. :)

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