Not really a recipe today, this is one of our most popular bruschetta in La Cucina so I thought I’d share it with you. It’s perfect for an antipasti or light lunch and very simple to put together.

what you need:

bruschetta bread or ciabatta

parma ham

buffalo mozzarella

rocket

pesto(optional)

olive oil

what to do:

toast your bread on both sides.

top with pesto and cheese and melt under the grill

serve with parma ham and rocket on top and drizzle with a little olive oil.

ciaoxx

Una buona Tapas dal produttore al consumatore, questo è quello che si può trovare al Mercato de San Miguel. I “banchi” vendono sia i prodotti da cucinare, sia esso pesce o altro, sia prodotti cucinati e preparati. In pratica potete scegliere un bel pesce e chiedere un Sushi, oppure una ostrica con Champagne.

Tante golosità in un luogo che nelle ore di punta diventa una super “movida”.

Leggi anche: http://viaggimadrid.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/mercado-de-san-miguel/

ciaoxx

This article was eye-opening and challenging to my mind (and stomach). Here is an excerpt:

We ought to start by looking at the great food cultures of the world. The traditional cuisines of Asia and North Africa, not to mention France and Italy, are based on rice, wheat, spices and smatterings of all cuts of meat. In just about every other cuisine, protein plays second fiddle to grains and vegetables. When meat appears, it does so modestly; it takes up less space on the plate, and more often than not it’s a piece of the animal–tripe or oxtail–that Americans so willingly discard.

Ecco qua

The Hostel (Pfefferbett Hostel) I’m in is ace in every way except there is no kitchen which is a bit of a pain when I’m here for 4 nights.

So I had a quality salami pizza last night at a little gaff called La Cucina in the Pfefferbett area. The thing was huge and bloody gorgeous, only 5 Euros for it too. What I would like to happen is a repeat of the same for the next 3 nights but then that’s not exactly what one would consider a balanced diet is it.

Crazy Oscar is the fella working behind the hostel counter, he’s a full-on type of guy and never stops talking about something utterly off the wall while getting on with whatever task is in hand. A nice chap and certainly preferable to Oscar the grouch which it’s not always that uncommon to get in these places.

I know I’ve alluded to this many times already and it probably holds about as much interest for you as a Colleen Rooney (are they married? Who cares actually) column, but proper geared Vespas (not just PXs either) are everywhere in this country, it’s great. Well done Germans.

I’m about to go on a completely free tourist walk of Berlin, not generally my sort of thing but it covers loads of things I was interested in seeing anyway and did I mention it’s free. It’s provided by Sandemans and supposed to be one of the best in the Europe apparently, though they are hardly like to say that it’s bobbins are they. Seeing some of the sights in this manner will give me more time to explore the large amount of alternative stuff the city has on my own.

I’m making more of an effort to include the actual names, websites etc. of places I talk about as if some of my stuff is gonna be on the Lonely Planet site it may as well be of use to any fellow travellers foolish enough to click through to it. Here’s how my blog comes through on the LP pages, in this case, for Ottawa.

Most annoyingly, I’ve just discovered that I’m missing my iPhone earphones. Some times I’ll listen to stuff before going to sleep as I did last night. So in the morning they will generally be loose in the bed but I can’t find them anywhere. The other 5 people in my room all checked out this morning so I reckon they must have fell on the floor and one of them snarffled them either by accident or on purpose, whichever it was makes little difference to me. Scoundrels.

The tour was excellent, I’d recommend it profusely to anyone, especially if you like your history. The guide was a well to do and slightly eccentric St Andrews student who presented things in an over the top thespian sort of style, but it worked and she clearly knew her stuff. A tip was optional but it was one of those kind of situations where it’d be awkward not to and I didn’t mind anyway as she was good, so 5 Euros it was.

Even at 3 and a half hours long it was pretty action packed. Here’s a selection of what we took in: Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (also known as the Holocaust Memorial), Hitler’s underground bunker spot (where he spent the last few weeks of his life as the Russians closed in on Berlin), Goering’s Luftwaffe offices (later to became the main goverment office of the GDR and post Cold War a tax office!), a small stretch of the Berlin wall, Checkpoint Charlie (actually a tourist trap re-creation of), Bebelplatz (where years prior to World War II the Nazis had burned 25,000+ books of basically anything not the Nazi ideology) and the Fernsehturm (iconic TV Tower Eastern bloc balls up).

The Holocaust Memorial (also known as The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) was quite errie and impressive, it’s quite hard to visualise but it’s basically a large series of blocks at different heights creating a bit of a maze. It doesn’t sounds like much but I liked it. The architect (Peter Eisenman) leaves the thinking behind the structure ambiguous for you to interpret what it means yourself but he has said he was inspired by the Jewish Cemetery in Prague and having been there also, I can see a connection.

I did go back to The Reichstag after the tour to have a look at the interior but there were huge queues even at 20:30, I’ve still got 3 days here though so there will be time again.

By this time I realised I’d not ate for donkeys and was starving so I went over to The Sony Centre (which I’d planned on visiting anyway). It’s just an entertainment complex with restaurants and a big cinema, but the building is really modern and unusual. I had a look at a few healthy and different options but then I was that hungry and tired that a disappointing meal would have made me want to lock myself in Hitler’s bunker. Wings and ribs with fries.

With regards to the picture, obviously some Berliners think it funny to take a pish in a Dunkin Donuts cup, put the straw back in (as if to suggest help yourself) and leave it at the side of a U-Bahn entrance. If I’m honest, so do I.

Se volete sapere cosa succede a Madrid, non potete far a meno di acquistare la Guia del Ocio. In questa pubblicazione del costo di 1€ che potete acquistare in tutte le edicole, troverete tutte le informazioni su cosa succede in città, dove andare a mangiare e cosi via.

Scoprire i segreti di Madrid sarà molto facile.

Yes, I have caught the culinary bug, as I’ve realized that I am leaving the nest of adolescence and venturing into the beautiful chaos of adulthood. Within that chaos, preparing meals serves as a palpable reminder of our roles and capacities as creators–who are wonderfully and fearfully made in image of the Creator.

I wonder though, what does “create” really mean, anyway? As I’m getting older–and not that I’m very old to speak with much authority–I’m realizing that the simpler questions are the most important ones to pose and poke at, over and over again. Even after probing and re-probing, these questions remain slippery in our hands. So, back to the question on our hands right now: what does “create” mean? I checked the etymology of “creation” and came up with an awesome Old English word: frumsceaft. The word breaks down into fruma and sceaft, which mean “beginning” and “created (shaped) thing,” respectively. Maybe we can say, then, that to “create” something is to shape a thing from its beginning, whether that beginning is a diagram, an instruction manual, or a recipe.

I’ll stick to food, since it kick-started my thought stream here. As you might have read in my previous entry, I recently prepared this yummy, cheesey bread. I took great joy in making it, as I realized how gratifying it is to mix ingredients with your hands, to feel them course in and around your fingers (wet batter is best for this). I would dare say that every act of creation, especially food creation, can be a form of worship. After all,  we make food  for the express purpose of it being enjoyed in community (Who wants to cook and eat alone?!).

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God, as Trinity,  represents a beautiful picture of  joyful communion, and Who invites us to partake in an eternal love feast. I wonder what will be on the menu…

While at home, I have been delving a little bit into cooking and baking. Today I made peppered cheese bread, using a recipe found in the Delights and Comforts section of the June print issue of Comment. Here’s how it came out!

Originally posted at Azalea City Food Blog on May 25, 2009.

In 2007 I did an article for ‘Zalea Magazine entitled An Ode to Sandwiches. It was a tour of some of my favorite sandwiches in the Mobile area. Due to restraints on the page a few of my favorites were yanked by the editor so I thought I would drop them off here with a few of my new favorites.

I’ll start with the Mellow Mushroom at the corner of Old Shell and University. Yeah, I know it’s a chain and as a rule I don’t eat at them but the ‘Shroom has an impressive list of hoagies with the Tempeh being the most interesting offering: Tempeh is unfermented, marinated tofu and it is offered on your choice of French or whole wheat bread with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, Teriyaki, Balsamic vinaigrette, feta, grilled onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and sprouts. The flavors are strong and pungent.

The Roast Duck Panini at the Royal Scam is amazingly decidant while still holding true to the comfort aspect of a sandwich. Along with the duck breast you will find spinach, applewood smoked bacon, Gorgonzola, herb/garlic cheese and balsalmic vinaigrette. Oddly enough, it is not the best sandwich I have had at Dave Rasp’s swanky tapas bar. At one time they offered a vegetarian panini with goat cheese that was hands down the best sandwich I have ever had.

Regency Shopping Center (Airport and University and now Schillenger’s Road) offers two of the best sandwiches starting at Orleans ‘Po Boys which has been kicking out Mobile’s favorite sandwiches for 10 years now. They have award winning traditional ‘Po Boys, but their most popular is not exactly traditional. The Joe Don includes roast beef, ham, Swiss cheese, gravy and LTO. The bread they use is absolutely perfect with a light, crunchy crust and a soft, airy middle.

Fifty yards or so away is La Cucina home of the Tortas Tampiquena which is tailor made for carnivores. This huge sandwich is stuffed with Chorizo (a Spanish sausage), chicken, and a grilled hot dog. They also pile on the cheese, mayonnaise, and LTO.

Looking for an excuse to visit the small Baldwin County community of Crossroads? Stop by the Hurricane Drive-In and try one of the best BBQ pork sandwiches you will ever eat. Thick, tender cubes of slow smoked pork tossed in a sauce that is neither too sweet not too tangy on a large fresh bun. Try it with the world’s best onion rings and a chocolate malt.

The Spot of Tea on Cathedral Square also boasts a healthy list of sandwiches with its two crown jewels being Jeromeo’s Hot Pastramio (pastrami topped with pepper jack, sliced pepperoncini, and Dijon mustard on New York rye) and the best Monte Cristo you will likely ever try.

At the risk of sounding biased, I have to admit that the TuscanWrap at my place, Mars Hill Café, is really tasty. Inside the 12″ whole wheat tortilla you will find homemade pesto mayo, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, grilled chicken and wilted spinach. It is packed with flavor and healthy to boot. It also pairs well with the pesto pasta salad.

In 2007 I did an article for ‘Zalea Magazine entitled An Ode to Sandwiches.  It was a tour of some of my favorite sandwiches in the Mobile area.  Due to restraints on the page a few of my favorites were yanked by the editor so I thought I would drop them off here with a few of my new favorites.

I’ll start with the Mellow Mushroom at the corner of Old Shell and University. Yeah, I know it’s a chain and as a rule I don’t eat at them but the ‘Shroom has an impressive list of hoagies with the Tempeh being the most interesting offering:  Tempeh is unfermented, marinated tofu and it is offered on your choice of French or whole wheat bread with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, Teriyaki, Balsamic vinaigrette, feta, grilled onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and sprouts.  The flavors are strong and pungent.

The Roast Duck Panini at the Royal Scam is amazingly decidant while still holding true to the comfort aspect of a sandwich.  Along with the duck breast you will find spinach, applewood smoked bacon, Gorgonzola, herb/garlic cheese and balsalmic vinaigrette.  Oddly enough, it is not the best sandwich I have had at Dave Rasp’s swanky tapas bar.  At one time they offered a vegetarian panini with goat cheese that was hands down the best sandwich I have ever had.

Regency Shopping Center offers two of the best sandwiches starting at Orleans ‘Po Boys (Airport and University and now Schillenger’s Road) which has been kicking out Mobile’s favorite sandwiches for over 10 years now.  They have award winning traditional ‘Po Boys, but their most popular is not exactly traditional.  The Joe Don includes roast beef, ham, Swiss cheese, gravy and LTO. The bread they use is absolutely perfect with a light, crunchy crust and a soft, airy middle. 

Fifty yards or so away is La Cucina home of the Tortas Tampiquena which is tailor made for carnivores.  This huge sandwich is stuffed with Chorizo (a Spanish sausage), chicken, and a grilled hot dog.  They also pile on the cheese, mayonnaise, and LTO.

Looking for an excuse to visit the small Baldwin County community of Crossroads?  Stop by the Hurricane Drive-In and try one of the best BBQ pork sandwiches you will ever eat.  Thick, tender cubes of slow smoked pork tossed in a sauce that is neither too sweet nor too tangy on a large fresh bun.  Try it with the world’s best onion rings and a chocolate malt.

The Spot of Tea on Cathedral Square also boasts a healthy list of sandwiches with its two crown jewels being Jeromeo’s Hot Pastramio (pastrami topped with pepper jack, sliced pepperoncini, and Dijon mustard on New York rye) and the best Monte Cristo you will likely ever try.

At the risk of sounding biased, I have to admit that the Tuscan Wrap at my place, Mars Hill Café, is really tasty.  Inside the 12″ whole wheat tortilla you will find homemade pesto mayo, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, grilled chicken and wilted spinach.  It is packed with flavor and healthy to boot.  It also pairs well with the pesto pasta salad.

A Madrid sta per riaprire, dopo una enorme riqualificazione il Mercado di San Miguel, spero di potervi dar presto info su cosa realmente potrete trovare al suo interno. E’ una stupenda struttura in ferro e vetro che si trova a due passi da Plaza Mayor. Al suo interno cibo e non solo credo a breve.