from Sicily to Sydney

Behind with the blog as usual, there will be a flurry of posts in the next few weeks.  Or maybe not.  Time will tell. The Torino tourism office hosts "Made in Torino" tours which highlight unique products from the city.  In October, I visited the Leone candy factory which has been producing sugary treats since 1857.  What an awesome behind-the-scenes look at a happy workplace! They were cranking out strawberry and rose flavored hard candies, violet pastiglie (chalky candies shaped like pencil erasers), chewy orange slices, jelly fruit cubes and a smattering of other delights.  In the Chocolate Room, cocoa beans were being ground by granite wheels.  Talk about a Willy Wonka experience!  Throughout the tour we were offered handfuls of freshly made candy, some still warm from production.  "The strawberries taste like strawberries, the snozberries taste like snozberries!!"  Leone uses only real fruit, spices and flowers in their candies...

Food festivals are a big deal in Italy.  There is always something to celebrate when it comes to food here.  Some weekends we have to make a tough choice between 2 equally solid options.  Yup, I can hear the strains of the world's smallest violin playing just for us. In the past few weeks, we've enjoyed 3 different food festivals, starting with CioccolaTò in Turin.  This 10 day event celebrates all things CHOCOLATE, with demonstrations, chocolate carving, and delicious chocolate in all possible forms from dozens of Italian chocolatiers.  The roots of European chocolate production are here in Turin, dating back to 1560, with wannabes coming to the city from Switzerland, France, Germany and Belgium to learn the tricks of the trade.  I must say, they know what they're doing here, and we felt a bit guilty for having this all to ourselves!   Nearby Alba is famous for white truffles (fungus, not chocolate).  Truffles gro...

I don't know a lot about wine, but over the years I have learned that Barolo and Barbaresco are two of the most famous names in Italian wine.  Both are big red wines with plenty of favor and character.  They go well with hearty food.  Last weekend Peggy and I spent a day in these two regions learning about these famous wines and the land that produces them. In preparing for our trip we took a wine class on these varieties and Jason, the instructor, hooked us up with a guide in Italy to give us a day of viticulture, you know, wine stuff.  Robert, it turns out, is originally from Stillwater, Minnesota but has lived in Italy for 13 years, following his wife Leslie there.  She was a wine buyer in Minnesota who represented many big name Italian wines in the US market and is now working in Italy. We took a train from Turin south to Asti. (Yes, it is a town and yes someone from here once sold Spumante, you may remember this from years ago. "Spumante" is jus...

picnic at Porta Palazzo With its location near the alps, the food in the Piemonte region combines French refinement with rural comfort cooking. This region gave birth to the Slow Food movement, and is rich in white truffles (fungus, not chocolate), cattle for beef (commonly eaten raw), happy dairy cows that produce incredible cheese, wild boar, hazelnuts, chestnuts, rice for risotto, corn for polenta, grapes for world-class wines, and countless other delights.  I feel like I've died and gone to food heaven.  Last weekend we did a fantastic Torino food tour with chef Abram and bubbly Giada.  Our tour started with coffee as a way to welcome us and break the ice.  I am not a coffee drinker, but I played along.  This was a revelation and THE BEST coffee I've had in my life.  It set the bar high for the tour and for future cups of coffee.  waiting patiently for a treat from the butcher Our next stop was the crazy, sprawling Porta Palazzo...

Palazzo Reale We love Torino!   From 1861-1865, Torino was the capital of the newly unified Italy.  The capital then moved to Florence and finally to Rome.  There's plenty of deep history here; countless palaces, museums galore, a castle in the middle of town, theaters and music venues, historic cafes, the largest outdoor market in Europe (with 800+ stalls!), 2 professional soccer teams, several universities, and a very lively   vibe .  It's a fascinating city and not very touristy.  The 5th floor apartment is fantastic!  It's cozy and we've got friendly neighbors.  From our shared terrace, we can see the foothills of the alps and the Mole Antonelliana, a landmark in the city.  The Mole was originally built as a synagogue, but when the architect got carried away with his elaborate design, the local Jewish community was not thrilled.  It was never used as a synagogue and currently houses the Museum of Cinem...

dinner at Piera's - Fabio's fabulous Sicilian pesto After leaving Sicily, Eric and I went our separate ways.  Eric headed to Athens for a conference and spent a few bonus days there, thanks to a transportation strike in Italy.  Meanwhile, I visited my friend Piera in Belfiore.  We had a fantastic time getting caught up, reminiscing and eating!  Piera and her friends Fabio & Cinzia introduced me to the wonders of  pagliata  -- a unique and surprising dish.  If you're curious, please google it! Piera and I visited beautiful nearby towns Pale and Rasiglia. Rasiglia was once a center for textile production, using water from nearby springs to generate power.  It's a magical place! Piera and our tasty rosemary focaccia pagliata -- no... it's not an apple fritter magical Rasiglia the Parthenon and Eric both glow at sunrise Eric's students, the conference, and a looming deadline kept him busy in Athens, but he did take...