Mangiare Bene: Osteria Al Guerriero

Al Guerriero (The Warrior)

This weekend we spent the day in a beautiful hill town called Arqua Petrarca. I will post more about this town because it is absolutely stunning and one of the jewels of the Colli Euganei (Euganean Hills). Our main objective was to go to Frantoio Colli del Poeta, a local olive mill, to get some freshly pressed olive oil. If you've never had freshly pressed olive oil, you are missing out - there's nothing better! Drizzle it over some toasted bread, sprinkle with salt and enjoy. If you find yourself in Italy around November, look for local olive presses - they usually give tours and tastings. It's something not to be missed.

Anyway, after we did our tour and bought our bottle(s) it was lunch time.  I had read about this little osteria on the web and decided we should stop and eat.  Osteria Al Guerriero is a tiny place right off of the main square of Arqua Petrarca and looks exactly like you would expect it to. A crazy old stone building, beautiful wood ceilings, fireplace in the back, clean white walls, glass and brass gleaming, holding about 8 tables total. The owner and wait staff are extremely friendly and though they don't speak much English are happy to give you suggestions about the menu and/or wine selections. I can't stress enough how pleasant and nice the people were. They are so welcoming and make you feel right at home.

Osteria Al Guerriero entrance

We were lucky and got there at the right time because when we left, people were waiting for tables (did I tell you IT'S SMALL!). The menu is written on a chalkboard outside the door as it changes frequently. It is a small  space and serves typical Veneto cuisine - some of which I personally won't eat, such as horse (cavallo) and donkey (musso). We decided to have an antipasto course and a primi which was:

Antipasto - slice of a zucchini frittata, slice of a torta salata (kind of like a quiche) with veggies in it, some ribbons of zucchini which were slightly pickled, and a caponata. All super delicious and the caponata didn't have bell peppers in it (most of them do, and I hate bell peppers) so I was happy - all served with a basket of bread.

Just inside the door

Primi - I had a bowl of mushroom soup which was really good (though needed a touch more salt) with big chunks of wild mushrooms and potatoes, and a good amount of parmesan cheese/crostini. S. had the house specialty, an onion lasagna - you should totally try that, it was hard for me just to have one bite. The onions are sliced thin and sweet, mixed with bechamel sauce and layered among thin sheets of pasta and parmesan cheese.

We decided against a meat or dessert course but I'm sure the offerings were good. It was a cozy, warm place to enjoy good food and get out of the cold wind.

Arqua Petrarca is definitely a town worth a visit. I will post more about it one day, but remember the name, you'll want to see it. And while you are there, stop in at Osteria Al Guerriero for warm Italian hospitality, good food, and a very "Italian" experience.

Name: Osteria Al Guerriero
Where: Via Jacopo d'Arqua 2
             Arqua Petrarca
Province: Padova
Phone: 0429.718376

More later...

Cultural observation - menus

There's a strange phenomenon that I have come across in Italy that I either never experienced as a visitor or took notice of. When Italians go to a bar they don't seem to need to look at a menu - they just know what they want and order. What? How do you know what you want to order? How do you know what they have to offer? Where's the menu???

This has happened to me on two occasions recently. One, S and I were out with his mom at a mall doing a bit of shopping and decided to hit up one of the bars inside for something to drink.  Within seconds of sitting down, they ask me what I am going to have. S will have a coffee, his mom a gingerino... they look at me expectantly. I don't know what I want to drink - I want to see what they offer then make a decision. Seconds tick by.... the waitress comes back a second time... looking at me expectantly... I am looking at a menu of drinks but feel pressured to respond so - I order a Shakerato (coffee/milk/chilled and shaken) - it's not really what I wanted but everyone was looking at me like I was from Mars not knowing what I wanted immediately upon sitting. lol  Whatever, I shook it off and didn't take much notice.

Fast forward to two weekends ago when S & I went back to Venice to see the rest of La Biennale offerings and as it was around noon when we arrived we stopped at a nearby bar/restaurant for a quick lunch. Same thing happened. within seconds of sitting down, waiter is there, S starts to order - they look at me expectantly. I am a total blank. I have no idea what they have to offer. How can I know what to order if I don't know what they have? So, I asked for a menu, feeling a little embarrassed that I needed to. It was very short  - basically 3 or 4 variations of sandwiches and beverages.

This time I took notice and it led to a discussion not only with my husband but also with my Italian teacher.  In my experience, this is not something that happens in the USA, unless its a place you know well and frequent often. When you sit down, menus are always offered and you enjoy your water while you decide what you want. Here, not so much. Most bars have menus if you want to see them and you should not feel embarrassed like I did by asking to see it. However, forewarned is forearmed - at least now you'll know what to expect and not feel like a idiot for not being ready to order on-the-spot. It seems the safe bet in bars is a panino (could be pressed or cold) with either prosciutto crudo/cotto or a local salami  and some mild cheese or a toast which is white bread with those same ingredients warmed up. Maybe they add some tomato or arugula in there, but that has not been my experience.

Am I the only one who has experienced this? Is this some common knowledge that I somehow missed? Ah the cultural learning curve when living in a foreign country....

More later...

PS - this weekend we're planning to go to a Christmas Market up north if the weather holds. Can't want to share!

Random Tip: Don't be scared of gas station coffee

In Italy most gas stations still have attendants that pump your gas and a great majority have bars where you can get a coffee, a panino, etc. Don't be afraid of these. In America, there is no way I would eat at most gas stations unless it was something pre-packaged out of a vending machine. But here, you can have a quick cappuccino and brioche (croissant) while filling up your car :)

If you're on the highway - Autogrill = delicious sandwiches and some pretty good last minute gift shopping. We have been known to drive to an Autogrill just to get a panino. (As do other big rest stops along the highways but I can't remember the names).  Small stations around towns may not have the panini but the coffee hits the spot!

More later...

A controversial statement...

I am about to open a whole big can of worms and here it is... you CAN drink cappuccino after 10 am in Italy! My native Italian and I do it all the time, though I will clarify there are a few caveats:

1) It is still not cool to drink cappuccino with lunch or any meal aside from breakfast. The thought of drinking all that milk with non-sweet food will freak them out for sure.

2) While it is not frowned upon if you drink it any time of day as a "break" kind of snack, the other sweet spot for having a cappuccino is between 4 and 5 in the afternoon. It is well before aperitif time so it won't hinder your early evening spritz.

3) If it is after 10 am - have it as a stand-alone drink or with a cookie/pastry. see #1

Ok, whew, I feel better.

I realize this is the exact opposite advice from every other expat out there, but this is my Italy. True, every region is different but Times, they are a changing. And I have yet to hear a barista lecture my native Italian speaker when he orders it.

More later...

Random Tips: Pizza

Learn from my mistakes.... :)

#1. Don't assume all pizzas come with a tomato sauce base. If you don't see the word "pomodoro" in the description, you're most likely going to get a white pizza. BTW - "pomodorini" refers to sliced cherry tomatoes. 

#2. "Peperoni" are bell peppers, not the spicy salami we get in the USA. If, like me, you despise any kind of bell peppers, you will not have a pleasant pizza experience. :) Look for "salamino picante" or some kind of similar wording if you're looking for the meat version.

#3. There are no doggie-bags. Most people get individual pizzas, though sharing is not frowned upon. Look around at the pizzas your fellow diners are eating. If it looks like more than you can eat, see if someone will share OR if they are willing to eat what you can't. It is not good form to ask for a box to take home leftovers. Italians just don't do that. But really... come on, the crust is uber-thin, toppings are not too abundant - are you sure you can't eat it all?

#4. No free refills or ice. If you're ordering a soda, water, lemonade, etc. don't expect it to contain ice. it will be very cold but ice is drinks is not "normal" here. (something about drinks being too cold & impeding digestion  i think? whatever) Also, there are no bottomless glasses , if you wan't a refill, be prepared to pay for it.


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Mangare Bene: Pizza

To eat well.

Eating well is definitely a perk when visiting Italy and it’s hard to eat better than a pizza! For a thin crust lover like me, Italy is a treasure trove of deliciousness. The pizzerias are plentiful (in my area they are HUGE spaces!) with a million toppings and cheeses to choose from. It usually takes me a good 10-15 minutes to decide which pizza I want from the 2-inch thick menu.

The other night we were craving pizza but didn’t want to make it ourselves and our favorite “da asporto” (take-away/delivery) pizza place was closed for vacation, so we decided to go out.  This time we went to a pizzeria called Hugel Keller in Montegrotto Terme (near Padova, in Veneto). The name Hugel Keller basically means “Cellar of the Hills” in German (there are a lot of German tourist in this area) and the name is fitting - from the expanse of wood used in the décor to the list of beers it serves. The menu is extensive with a ton of pizza options and a very friendly staff.  There are small intimate tables and HUGE tables that seat about 20, both indoors and outdoors. The atmosphere is casual and cozy, and the pizza is delicious.

On this particular night, I decided to get a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Chiodini mushrooms (don’t know the American equivalent to these but they are good), and salamino picante, which is kind of like pepperoni in America. S. got a pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, porcini mushrooms and speck, which is an air-dried lightly smoked ham.  Both pizzas came out bubbling hot and oh my, were they good. The crust is crisp and flavorful, the salamino spicy, the cheese abundant but not too much so - Italians are wizards at what I like to call “abundant moderation”; they put just enough ingredients on/in things without going overboard. I have yet to learn that skill. Accompany all that with an ice cold coke (or beer if you prefer) and the sublime is attained. (sorry the lighting is not great in the pics below)

My pizza

S. Pizza

The pizzeria has been open for 20+ years and was one of the first restaurants I ever went to in Italy, way back when S and I were dating. I remember the place clearly as it had a big “Don’t Mess with Texas” sticker on the front door, which was highly amusing for this Texan. It was such a random find, who would’ve thought? Sadly, the sticker is gone now as they have expanded and remodeled over the years. BUT, one thing still remains – the pizza is cheesy, hot and outstanding!

Pizzeria Hugel Keller
Via Caposeda 24
Montegrotto Terme, Province of Padova
049 793482

More later…

A Honey of a Day

Well, I’ve just completed my first summer in Italy. It was hot, but thankfully we have air-conditioning (and my Italian is not afraid to use it!). It was also much, much quieter as a mass exodus occurs when Italians flee the cities for umbrellas on a sandy beach or hikes in the cool fresh mountain air. We worked, but did enjoy the slower pace of our city. Now the vacationers are back and the city is bustling once again.

It seems that the end of summer opens up a whole new universe of activities, many (or most) of which are around food. If you know anything about Italians, you know that they are passionate about their food. Every region, every city, has their own unique local products and cuisine that they like to celebrate. So from now until the Christmas markets start up, there are a million and one events available, from tiny to huge - to explore the people/culture and see parts of the country (or region in my case) that you won’t find in the travel guides.

Festa del Miele, Bosco Chiesanuova

Local vendor

My first exprience of the season was going to the “Festa del Miele” (Honey Festival) in the town of Bosco Chiesanuova, which is in the province of Verona (region – Veneto).  Bosco Chiesanuova is a small town in the “Pre-Alp” mountain area known as Lessinia, in the northwest corner of the Verona province.  I was very excited about the event because 1). I love honey and 2). my husband S. was not familiar with the area – so it would be an adventure for us both.

Evidently, honey is one of the "prodotti tipici" of the area and while it was a small event, it was charming! Full of locals and not so crowded that you couldn’t take your time wandering around looking and tasting the different products. Before I met S. I was unaware that honey came in different flavors and forms (growing up, my honey came out of a bear shaped bottle) – the flavors on display varied from a mild light honey collected from bees who flock to wild flowers (millefiori) to the medium taste/colored one from dandelions (tarassaco) to a strong dark honey from chestnut trees (castagno). There were also blended honey mixtures like the two that we bought - strawberry jam/honey and a spread made from ground hazelnuts and honey (which almost has a chocolately taste).  There were candies, candles, and various creams/lotions all produced from local bee keepers.

Another perk is trying dishes that are particular to that area/town.

Local gnocchi

Evidently, the population of the Lessinia area is Cimbri, so their culture, food, even language are unique.  While we didn’t have time that day to explore the history of the Cimbri in depth, we did get to taste some of the food. Our lunch was a bowl of delicious “Gnocchi Sbatui” – what? I know, S. had never heard of it either, but let me tell you – it was DELICIOUS. Instead of the gnocchi being soft little pillows, they were flatter and irregularly shaped – kind of like a cross between standard gnocchi and spaetzle – made from smoked ricotta cheese (I think, my Italian is not great yet), tossed in melted butter, then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. YUM!!!  Talk about delicious! and it’s unlikely you would find it anywhere else in Italy. 

As we walked around we also saw that there was a film festival starting and while we didn’t stay to see any films, we did get to explore the theater and little book fair they were hosting. Italians are seriously creative and the event décor for the film festival was stylish and elegant - even a small local festival looks modern and cool. On our way out, we found a shop which sold Cimbri food and specialties so we decided to try some local cheese seasoned with chives and a pastry (can't remember the name) – which was a zabaglione-cream filled éclair type pastry. Both were very tasty, though only the cheese made it all the way home J

Before I close, let me just say that the Lessinia area is BEAUTIFUL. I fell in love with it. The mountains had wide expanses of green meadows and the towns were lovely – it is an area I look forward to further exploring and posting about.

More later…

EUREKA!

AHA! I have cracked the DaVinci-esque code of making a good tomato sauce!

If you had told me 10 years ago that pasta would be a staple in my everyday diet, I would not have believed it. I didn't like pasta then. too mushy. too much sauce. or bland. yuck. My family was not a pasta family so I hadn't really been exposed to the good stuff. Since meeting and marrying S. that totally changed, and I have been on a quest to make at least a comparable sauce to the one he makes.

And so here we find ourselves. What is the secret you say? Well, in my humble opinion it is two-fold:

1. Use good tomatoes.

2. Let the sauce cook. For awhile. As long as you can and still keep it "quick"

Sounds simple right? Well it is and it isn't. Let's examine the process, keep in mind its all variation on a theme depending on what you have in the pantry, or are in the mood for, or have time for.

Most Italian sauces begin with a soffritto. Soffritto is basically the saute of diced aromatic vegetables - onions, carrots, celery - in extra virgin olive oil. Add a little salt and let them soften. We usually just use onions in the soffritto, probably because we are lazy and don't want to chop all the other veggies. Then add the tomato.

Here I will digress to a more personal approach. We usually use canned organic strained/crushed tomatoes for our sauces. Fresh are good, but as we don't grow our own, when we get fresh tomatoes (in season of course!) we like to eat them with mozzarella, drizzled with ev olive oil, salt, pepper and basil. We never seem to have a surplus for sauce. From time to time we do make a fresh tomato sauce, but I leave that to the expert - S. Anyway, back to the cooking. Try out different brands of canned tomatoes (not the pre-made spaghetti sauce or marinara) to see what fits your taste best. (Currently, we are really enjoying Pomi strained tomatoes). And then, let it cook. stir occasionally. taste for seasoning. let it cook some more. You see, as it cooks out the water, the tomato concentrates and thickens - the flavor is delicious! Interestingly enough, tomatoes are one of the few fruits (or vegetables if you swing that way) that when cooked, have higher levels of lycopene and antioxidants. I know some recipes add sugar to the sauce. I don't do that. I don't really like a sweet sauce - I think the tomatoes are sweet enough on their own. But to each his own I guess.

Pretty much that is it. A basic sauce. Mix it up by adding different herbs (like rosemary and basil or even herbs de provence) or spices. I like black pepper, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika or crushed red pepper. [side note: add some red pepper flakes to your soffritto for more flavor] We also like to add a bit of vegetable broth powder (which comes from Italy) as it gives a bit of depth to the taste. If you want meat or mushrooms in the sauce, cook the mushrooms with the soffritto or add the cooked meat after the vegetables soften.

Now combine it with good pasta. Seriously, there are definitely some bad dried pastas out there. We have tried them all and DeCecco is our pick. There are other good brands but this one is the most accessible to us. (meaning I don't have to go to Whole Foods or Central Market to get it, my local grocery store has it) I just learned from S. that by looking at the cook time on the pasta box, you can tell if it is good or not (most of the time). The longer the cook time, the better the pasta. Who knew? And for God's sake DONT OVERCOOK THE PASTA! overcooked pasta is gross. It should be "al dente" and you don't need to throw it against the wall to see if it's ready. HA just get a piece and chew it. if there is a little bit of resistance when you bite it. firm but not hard, it's ready.

Once the pasta is drained we normally put in the sauce pot, stir to combine with sauce and add parmesan cheese. This technique helps dry the pasta a bit and helps the sauce adhere to it. I'm not sure but I think this is more traditionally Southern Italian. I say that only because there are so many different ways and variations of making "authentic Italian". This is how we do it, it's not even something S's mom ever did - it's our own kind of northern-italian-texan twist.

I don't mean to brag or anything, but S. has even said my sauce is as good as his mother's. High praise indeed! lol

More later...

On looking for chocolate

For those of you who might not be aware if it, one of my favorite foods is chocolate. Seriously, I think chocolate should be its own food group =) AND to make it even better, science now confirms what I've always known deep inside... it's good for you!

So, since it happens to be my passion (hehe) I love to try out and look for new, delicious, cutting edge candies or bars, as the case may be. Imagine my surprise when I went into a little market near my house and found this. Imagine those cartoons where the characters stop in mid stride when they see something. Oh yeah that was me. What is that?Bacon? Chocolate? are you kidding??? I mean these are 2 of my most favorite foods. but together? I am intrigued.... and of course, had to try it. I looked at the box. hmmm - there are directions of how to taste this. cool. and OH. MY. GOSH. heaven in my mouth. The chocolate was a "dark milk chocolate" (41% cacao) which had the deep flavors of dark but not quite so bitter. the bacon is in little pieces. smokey. salty. chocolatey. I am so not kidding - you have to try it. IT IS SO GOOD.

I was feeling pretty good. It was my new favorite chocolate bar. And as an added bonus, it is expensive. meaning - I can't afford to buy it often so I won't eat so much. lol maybe that is not a bonus but for me and my "dieting," price is a good deterrent. Plus, that just makes it all the more special when I do have it. Right? right?? well that is what I am telling myself anyway.

So, I go on living life. content in my new discovery and telling anyone who would listen how delicious that chocolate is. that is until I went back into the store the next week. you see, as I was so distracted and enamored of my bacon bar that I totally missed another tiny display of Vosges chocolate bars. So as I was checking out with my bread and freshly made mozzarella, my eye was caught on a lovely packaged bar. hmm.. what is this one? deep milk chocolate (well, I know I like that). smoked almond. good. grey sea salt. mmmm better! Just a little taste can't hurt. again OH. MY. GOSH. Barcelona bar, thy name is ambrosia. this is everything I love about life. sweet, deep chocolate. smokey from the bits of almonds. and salt. oh sea salt, that little crunch, that salty among the sweet. I decided to taste it like the box instructed me to. and let me tell you. Letting that chocolate melt on my tongue against the roof of my mouth, slowly giving way to the crunch and smokey saltiness of the almonds and sea salt. heaven. simply heaven.

You must try these chocolates. be prepared for a bit of sticker shock but hey its a "treat". feel free to send me as many bars as you'd like. haha and another tip, maybe you should try it once you get home or at least in the car. your murmurs of ecstasy could be a bit embarrassing in public. ::wink::

PS - I think I heard a rumor that this was "delurking" month in the blog world. I may be a month late (my internal calendar is totally screwed) but nonetheless I would really love to hear from ya'll. you don't even have to comment about my going on and on about chocolate - tell me what you'd like to read about? what can I do for you?

More later...

MIA

Hello? Hello? ::tap tap tap:: hello? If anyone IS still here - I greatly appreciate it though I will say, I sure don't blame you for not.lol I have been a terrible blogger, and for that I am sincerely sorry. I wish I had some interesting excuse like being pregnant or something (seems like that is usually the case with MIA bloggers.lol) but alas, you won't be getting any of those announcements from me!

Nope, the only excuse I have is that I've been MELTING in the hot Texas summer. A month of triple digit temperatures (or 40+C) has me basically shut down. As that only accounts for 1 month away from blogging, my only other excuse is that I am boring and have nothing exciting going on. Let's see what is new....

1. I started working for a small event company. I really like it and the staff (all 3 of us). It is alot of fun and interesting to be more on the special event side of things rather than corporate meetings. Here is a picture of one of my coworkers. Isn't she cute. The owner brings her to work some days and I love playing with her. Furry friends are always nice.

The drawbacks are that it is not full time and has no benefits. *sigh* I could totally be happy making a good living as a contract planner but without health care - how can I? *getting on my soapbox* I will be honest - I never really thought much about our healthcare system until I didn't have any insurance through a company. It SUCKS. and is practically impossible to get (or afford) an individual or family policy. I have spent years paying for premiums that I never used and while I am in good health (thankfully) you never know. then where would I be? Stuck with thousands of dollars worth of medical bills I can't afford to pay - that's where. *stepping back down before I really get going*

2. I have spent a lot of time shopping around in various farmer's markets, well when I venture outside anyway. I am in full tomato eating mode here. I mean who wants to cook in this heat anyway? The freaking salmonella-tomato-scare really put the kabosh on early summer tomato eating. And for some reason, my tomato selecting skills have really failed me this year because the yumminess has been a bit spotty so far. However, it has not made too big of difference as I am averaging 1 tomato each day. lol

3. The rest of the time I have either been a) reading or b) playing PacMan World 2 on the PS2. Most books have been of the romance/fun genre as I am not really up to real-world drama or sad stories at the moment. However, I am really excited about this book - my husband is reading it and I have just ordered me a copy. We've never read the same book at the same time before so it should be interesting. It sounds very interesting and timely since it is set in Asia.

4. I am looking forward to the Olympics. Aside from any feelings I have pro/con about China - I love the Olympics. And am dying to see the new Mummy movie set there but have promised my nephew to see it with him when he gets back from vacation. I know it didn't get good reviews but I like those movies, and I am 100% confident it will entertain me.

5. I am slightly jealous of everyone's cool and fun vacations. It's been awhile since I've had an actual vacation. (I don't really consider not working a vacation since I am stressed trying to find an income source) But good news! I am planning a trip to Italy this coming fall/winter. Either over Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday. I am leaning towards Christmas/New Years but airfare prices might rule that out. While I'm there I also plan on a side trip to Paris to see some sights and meet up with my favorite podcasters. So while that seems a long ways off, it will probably be here sooner than we think! At least it will make for some interesting postings. Hopefully, between now and then, these posts won't totally suck. hehe

See - nothing terribly interesting. unless you want a list of romance books I've read or 101 ways to eat tomatoes. lol

More later... (and thanks for coming back)

How does your garden grow?

Location: Sister/Brother-in-law's garden

Time: Arrived later in the morning than planned. DANG HOT and humid

Purpose of visit: Gathering delicious home-grown produce, of which it has just been learned that potatoes are the only things ready to be "picked" and all onions have been pulled. *sigh*

And scene...

City girl, hands on hips and already sweating, surveys the alternating rows of leafy green and ugly dirt brown. picks up the phone and dials...

Sister J. picks up the phone - "hello"

Me - "uhm, which ones are the potatoes?"

J. - explosion of laughter which lasts a good 5 minutes.

end scene.

My Cherokee and farming ancestors would be appalled.lol But hey, I've never had a garden. I had NO IDEA what potato plants looked like. I can identify tomato and squash but other than that - I am hopeless. My father just shakes his head and says "city girl."

hehe however, now I know. AND I know how to harvest potatoes. Can I just say - OUCH! gardening sure does remind you of muscles you did not even know you had. I have found I'm more of a "sit in the dirt and dig" gardener rather than a "bend over and make your legs scream in pain" kind of gardener. lol

But..BUT look what I have to look forward to... can you see it? Barely peaking through are TOMATOES! WOOHOO I wish I had taken a better picture but it was so sunny it was hard to see what I was shooting.lol They have planted a ton of tomatoes, mostly heirloom and I could not be more excited. Can you believe I used to hate tomatoes? This is what happens when you only taste those mealy yucky ones from the grocery store.

I also can look forward to some lovely squash - yellow and zucchini. I have already instructed J. not to get rid of the squash flowers as I am going to try filling them with cheese/ricotta and fry those puppies up. It's something they frequently do in Italy, but I haven't ever had the chance to try them. this time - OH YEAH.

I am already combing the internet for the perfect recipe. I'll let you know how they turn out.

So sorry the posts have been far and few between of late. Life is at it's normal mundane pace and pretty boring in Tx Espresso land. I will try to do better for those of you still checking in. hehe you never know, things could get more interesting soon! =)

More later...

Welcome to Texas Food

Now we come to the food portion of our Welcome to Texas (WTT) series. I must tell you upfront this section will have multiple entries as we have several "Texan" foods. But to start us off, I thought I would begin with our German/Austrian roots. Did you know that Texas had a lot of German immigrants back in the day?

Yep, primarily in Central Texas, also known as the Hill Country, you will find quite a bit of German influence - with towns like Fredricksburg, New Braunfels, Boerne, well, how could you not? And so of course with this migration, came the comfort foods of home BUT now with a Texas twist. So with no futher ado, I give you -

Lesson #2 - Chicken Fried Steak (aka, delicious goodness)

Chicken fried what you ask? Is it chicken? is it steak? well my friend it can be both! But traditionally it is steak. This has become a very southern food but according to Wikipedia, it originated in Texas. All because of our German settlers. In Germany (and Austria) they eat what is called Weiner Schnitzel. which is very good and traditionally made with tenderized veal. Well, beef is something Texas has a lot of and thus our chicken fried steak was born.

Normally, this dish is made out of cheaper cuts of beef which are then tenderized, battered and fried (like chicken). It is usually about the size of a big plate, served with mashed potatoes and covered with cream gravy. additional sides are beans (my favorite and the most common in my opinion is green beans) and a roll to sop up the unused gravy. I THINK in other parts of the south, they may use brown gravy, which is delicious in its own right, but here - its cream gravy with specks of pepper. YUM!

As you can see by the picture, I rebelled against the norm by ordering these fried potatoes, just because I wasn't in the mood for mashed. It's ok my friends - it can be done. and believe me those fries were GOOD. Other variations are chicken fried chicken or the CFS in sandwich form (yes, really. a sandwich). They are good as well and the chicken looks pretty much like the steak but it is not original. hehe

Now a word of caution - not all chicken fried steak is created equal. You must, I repeat MUST, purchase your first CFS by a reputable restaurant or a good home cook. There are some nasty CFS's out there and I would hate for you to miss this deliciousness by coming across them. So ask the locals or check things out on the internet cuz a bad, gristley CFS can scar you for life.

Beverage of choice with this dish - Beer. Wine? come on, really? look at that grease and gravy - beer, iced tea or coke (soda, for non-Texas speakers) are best.

Don't forget to sop up the gravy with the roll (which I didn't get, but whatever) and chase it down with some good pecan pie or cobbler. hehehe

Buon appetito ya'll

More later...