Adjusting to New Life...

Once again, I have neglected my commitment to blog..... Time goes by so quickly when things change.

But at least I have an excuse! After a few months of worry and job hunting, I am employed (at least for now) and we will see what the future holds for 2014! Either way, I love my new job and am grateful for the experience it has given me already.

Adjusting to full time working life is no easy task. I am slowly finding my rhythm, and with that hopefully I will find the time to do those things that I love and miss.

Thanks for visiting, I am glad to be back!

Cheesecake Factory's Vietnamese Tacos, At Home!

Earlier this week I was slightly overwhelmed by stress, and decided to drop everything for a tried and true stress reliever - tackling a new (and complicated) recipe. Its was pure kismet that I had all of the ingredients at my house already, including leftover pulled pork that my dad had slow-cooked on his Big Green Egg a few nights before. It was just begging to be used.

I had been totally craving Vietnamese pork buns, which I've had at a few restaurants recently as an appetizer. Most recently, I had them at none other than the Cheesecake Factory, which far from being traditional Asian, were still downright delicious. I know I've had similar buns in other Asian restaurants, but the ones I made at home were directly inspired by the Cheesecake Factory's "Vietnamese Tacos."

The Inspiration: Vietnamese Tacos, from Cheesecake Factory

This was a learning process, and I still need to perfect it. I have very little experience with cooking Asian dishes but I really want to learn. I was very proud of my first attempt, and they passed with flying colors with the whole family. I adapted two recipes that I found online to make my recipe. Jaden from Steamy Kitchen made a version with Pork Belly, and I took the recipe for the buns here at Use Real Butter, but I cut the recipe in half. Both sites have some delicious recipes!

My Homemade Pork Buns!

The steamed buns are what MAKE this dish. Soft and pillowy, they were tricky to make and absolutely delicious. I have never attempted steamed buns before and was thrilled to discover I could make them, and not have to get them store bought and pumped with preservatives. I know you will love them as much as I did!

The August Rush

I am still adjusting to balancing daily life and fitting in time to blog. Its a gradual process that I am trying to commit to, but I think the habit will take a little time to develop.

My radio-silence has been mostly attributed to a feverish rush to build a presentable portfolio for job applications, job hunting, and a huge influx of family coming to stay with us over the last few weeks after a death in the family. After two weeks of madness at home, I escaped for a very last minute vacation to Florida, which was paradise. Things are now slowing down a bit.

So, now I'm back!

Florida!

In the Kitchen: Fresh Tomato Sauce

In Italy, I ate a lot of pasta.
I love cooking, and since I'm half Italian much of what I cook at home is inspired by Italian dishes. Surprisingly, even though I'm home now I am not tired of pasta and I was anxious to make one of my favorites.

This is a dish I love to make - pasta with a fresh tomato sauce along with chicken cutlets. It is comfort food thats easy and delicious. I have to say that the measurements are estimated because I do everything by "look" and "feel"... yes I'm that type of cook! But the beauty of it is that the sauce cooks slowly and it is easy to spice to taste. So be liberal with the spices, you won't regret it! My recipe makes enough for 4 people with leftovers. Just play around with the amount of tomatoes you use if you want to make more or less. Also, a quick disclaimer, this is different from the traditional pomodoro that you will find  in Italy, there are many that are similar but this is my personal take on when I make it at home. (I promise its just as delicious!)

1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
1 package of cherry tomatoes OR about 4 normal sized tomatoes
1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (optional addition if you don't have a lot of fresh tomatoes)
2-3 Tbsp each of basil, oregano and parsley
2 tsp salt
creme fraiche to serve

Start by finely dicing an onion and a few cloves of garlic. Then dice the tomatoes and set aside. You can use any type of tomato, I used cherry tomatoes here. I prefer slicing them up so they will cook faster.

Heat up olive oil in a deep skillet and saute onions on low. When they are translucent and add the garlic. When they onions are garlic have cooked, turn up the heat and add the tomatoes. Let them sizzle and they will begin to break down. As they cook, add basil, parsley and oregano to taste, and then more olive oil and some salt. Keep in mind that this sauce will be chunky and the olive oil is an essential part of the sauce, so be liberal. If you wish, you can add some canned whole peeled tomatoes to the sauce at this time to add a little more flavor. Stir often, and as the tomatoes break down and the sauce cooks, bring up to a boil. Once the tomatoes have cooked, lower the heat to a simmer. Allow to continue to cook as you prepare the rest of the meal. The longer it simmers, the better the flavors will develop. Remember to cover and stir occasionally, so that the sauce doesn't loose too much moisture.

Boil the pasta while the sauce simmers. You can also take that time to make the other stuff - cook your chicken or meatballs or sausage, whatever your heart desires! I made breaded chicken breasts, greens tossed in vinaigrette, and fresh garlic bread! Just remember: prep the pasta sauce first, the "other stuff" next and make the pasta last so its fresh and hot when its time to serve.

When the pasta is done, drain, and then you are ready to serve! I used a very thick, ribbon-like pasta with ruffled edges, called mafaldine. Put a few large spoonfuls of sauce on top of the bowl of hot pasta and then add a dollop of creme fraiche. It will add so much creaminess to your pasta, its delicious! We made chocolate chip cookies for dessert, a perfect finish for Sunday night dinner.

Through The Lens: Monte Bianco

Spent our last weekend in the mountain town of Courmayeur, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, or Monte Bianco in Italy! It was quiet and quaint, with a lot for visitors - including spa lodges, hiking, and outdoor sports. 

The Journey Home

The past few days have been a whirl-wind and travelling has made it difficult to update. We spent our last weekend in the Italian Alps, in a tiny mountain village called Courmayeur, located at the foot of Mont Blanc (or Monte Bianco as the Italians call it.) After a beautiful weekend there, we went home to Milan to pack! Tuesday morning we flew out of Italy and spent a long day flying, finally reaching my home outside of Philadelphia, PA on Tuesday evening. It is crazy to think that my trip is over. I do, however, feel like I was gone for a long time. I am happy to be home and I am ready to start the crazy and scary process of job hunting! Wish me luck........

Afternoon Lunch with Fresh Italian Specialties

In Italy my lunches in usually consist of fresh bread, cheeses, meats, fruit and wine. 

I prefer softer, more spreadable cheeses like mozzarella or brie. They are best spread on fresh bread with a drizzle of honey or mixed with some jam. I usually have fruit, such as an apple or peach with it as well. Sometimes we will make sandwiches with prosciutto or other cured meats to go with the cheese. Everything is so fresh and delicious. Its a simple lunch that I will never get tired of. 

Oh, and a crisp white or rose wine is a perfect pair for this light lunch!

Travel Tips: Renting through Airbnb

During the month that we have spent traveling in Italy, my family decided to try out the website Airbnb as an alternative to hotels. Overall, we had a very positive experience with this service. Since there are four of us, we usually rented a two bedroom apartment, which ended up being much cheaper than a hotel for 4 adults. Since we rented apartments rather than hotel rooms, it was definitely a less conventional way to travel and a bit of a learning process.

Here are some quick tips for renting through Airbnb when you travel.

Beauty: Secrets to Surviving a Sweltering City Summer

I've lived in Europe two summers in a row, and both times, have been so excited about the prospect of going away for the summer that I always forget one small detail............ Living in Europe during the summer also means living without AIR CONDITIONING.

Through the lens: An Italian Meal

We had a delicious Roman-style dinner at a restaurant in Milan for my best friend's birthday. Numerous courses, shared family style, outside with a beautiful view of the square and Roman ruins. It was a perfect summer evening meal.

Review: AirBnb.com

After the past few weeks of almost constant travel, I have felt the need to do something different from my previous posts and write a quick review on our experiences with the website AirBnb. 

For those who have not used Airbnb, it is kind of like Expedia or hotels.com, but for travelers who wish to rent from private owners and avoid hotels. Basically its a service that connects travelers all over the world to people renting out their extra living space. It is geared towards travelers who are on a budget, and it is possible to rent anything from a bed or single room to an entire apartment. Most places can be rented anywhere from a night to a week or longer, and is usually cheaper than staying in a hotel.

Through the Lens: Lago Maggiore

While our college friends were visiting, we took a day trip to the lake town of Stresa, located on Lago Maggiore. 

It was beautiful there, a quiet town on the lake. We even took the boat to visit a few of the island towns that dot the lake's center. 

Through the Lens: Rome, Italy

Rainy Roma and Stairways to Heaven

We left Sorrento early Tuesday morning and headed back up north to Rome. I am the only one out of my family who has not been there, so I was excited for them to show me the city. We got to our little apartment, through the strangest door and up 4 flights of winding stairs, in the early afternoon. Its located close to the river, and not far from the Vatican and Colosseum. My dad picked it for its central location, which made it super convenient to walk around. We walked a lot around the city, last night and today. I can't believe how twisted and confusing the streets are... I was able to get my bearings on the main roads but the little streets make it easy to get turned around.

The city is lively and full of tourists. I got to see most of the major sites, but its been a quick visit. It turned out that our apartment was located in the exact area of a huge nightlife spot. Throngs of people, mostly Italians under 30 and college students from all over, would come over the bridge to the many bars and restaurants that are all around our building's square and tiny streets once the sun starts to set. I am constantly amazed with the nightlife during the week.... there are so many people out at night, no matter what night of the week.

It rained a little both afternoons, but they were quick storms and didn't hinder our travels.

Vesuvious and Lemon Fever

My family packed up at the last moment on Friday and headed south from our apartment in Milan. We spent a night in a small castle town, Montepulciano, and then stopped in Sorrento for three nights. Sorrento is a beautiful coastal town outside of Naples and across the bay from Pompei. They are famous for their lemons, and the groves go on for miles up the cliffs of the mountains. From the shores of Sorrento you can see Mount Vesuvious, grey and quiet in the distance and rather indistinct from the other mountains and cliffs that surround the coast.

The food here has been (predictably) excellent. That is one of the many reasons I love eating in Italy. Even in the touristy towns and areas you can still find good food. The best is a little bit harder to find, of course, but I have yet to have a bad meal here.

Of my many, many food obsessions, one of my top top favorites happens to be fish and seafood. Therefore, whenever I am visiting a beach, no matter where in the world, I feel morally obligated to eat some form seafood at every meal. It's just so fresh, why any one would order anything else while sitting and looking at the beautiful ocean is beyond me.

Tonight was our last night in Sorrento, and I ate accordingly. We split an antipasto with cheese, meats, and pickled fish and grilled cold veggies. I panicked when ordering because I can never make hasty decisions and I ordered the fried mixed fish (you never know quite what that will be until it comes to you) and a simple primi pasta of spaghetti pomodoro, just to be safe.

When my meal got to the table, I was glad I played it safe. I had a selection of fried whole fish and some calamari thrown in too. I have never experienced eating a whole fish before, so it was a new experience to check off the list. I didn't mind the fact that they were whole, but my fish were small so picking out the tiny bones became timely and a little arduous. And I don't think I'll ever fully get over having my dinner stare at me while I'm eating it.

The fish was, however, extremely fresh and cooked perfectly. I liked the taste and flavor but it was definitely work. The pasta was also amazing. I usually avoid boring old spaghetti in restaurants because, well, I can make it at home!! But the menu was limited and I didn't regret my decision. The sauce was extremely flavorful and light, it had a lot of olive oil and some cherry tomatoes thrown in for texture.  Overall, simple and delicious.

A Flurry of Friends

After our first week in Milan, the excitement started picking up. My best friend from college flew out to stay with us for the week as a graduation gift from her parents. Immediately after she arrived, we headed to France for the weekend to spend the weekend at the beach (see my post on Nice and pictures of the trip). We came back Monday morning, and that night my sister's friend from college came to visit for a few days as well. We planned busy days so that Sarah and Emily could get the most out of their short visit. We spent Tuesday visiting the lake town of Stresa, and Emily's birthday was on Wednesday so we went shopping around Milan and went out for a big dinner at a Roman-style restaurant. Thursday we went to the Italian amusement park, called Gardaland. Then the girls had to leave, fly back out Friday morning, and we (my family and I) headed out in the afternoon for a week of traveling, to Montepulciano, Sorrento, and then Rome.

Through the Lens: Milan, Italy

Photos from my first week in Milan. To read more about it, click here.

To see even more photos, check out my Flickr!

Milanese Living

I've decided to to a few retrospective posts to catch up on everything that has been going on since graduation. The first week in Italy was spent mainly in our apartment in Milan, spending time sightseeing, enjoying amazing cheese, and lots of wine.

Heading to Milan wasn't a completely random decision.. My parents moved to Italy temporarily for my dad's work in January 2013. My sister and I were unable to come with them, since we were both still at school, so we had to wait until we had finished with our semesters to visit them.

The first week in Milan was definitely relaxing. As I mentioned before, life this year has been pretty hectic, so  by the time we made it to Italy I was ready for a bit of a break. The amazing thing about spending a significant amount of time traveling (I am here for a full month) is that you can pace yourself, and you don't feel like you have to do as much touristy things as possible in a short amount of time.

My dad is at work all day so our days the first week passed by pleasantly. Mornings would consist of a breakfast of fresh fruit, bread, and cheese from the market that my mom would pick up before I woke up. Then we would set out to explore the city. Since my mom has been here since January, she has gotten to explore a lot and has wanted to take us to all of her favorite places. We did a lot of shopping, as well as pastry and pizza eating!

I've eaten so much cheese since arriving, but everything is so amazing it never feels like too much!