moe & fred yummy food

GOING CLOCKWISE: From Germany, Poland, & Austria.

The story for the Austrian monk brewed beer is best. Moe & Fred encountered this beer in Salzburg, Austria during their winter vacation 2005. Neither knowing German, but insisting on going for a hike in the snow, they hiked into & up the forest on the edge of Salzburg. They didn't know what awaited them at the top (& there was no one around), but simply followed the signs to "Franziskaner." The trail was iced, thus quite slippery. But they continued to wandering around for about two hours in the late winter afternoon. When they get to the top, they found a little pub that served this beer brewed by the monks from the monastery at the bottom of the mountain. Too exhausted from their hike, they turned around & went down the mountain without trying their hard earned beer. All they have to show for their efforts is this emblem taken from the door to the pub. So silly.

The best part about travelling is the different kinds of food one encounters; not only getting to taste them, but the challenge of figuring out how to order, what to order, & even how to eat them. Whether in a restaurant or street stall, the flavor & character of the local community always shine through.		America, the country & culture, is a land created by the immigrants who brought with them their habits, traditions, & food. One of the exciting parts of trying these different kinds of foods was also recognizing the versions they have become in American cuisines.
(last revised 7 feb 07)
MEALS

		BUDAPEST The meals were GIHUGIC!! By our last meal in Budapest, we still hadn't learned. Perhaps it's Fred's fear of the smaller portions in Europe. All of our platters for two always had three meats, three vegs, & three starches.

		SPAIN. Overall, Moe was not very impressed with the food in Spain. That said, the best tapas in town were in this 'hole in the wall' tapas bar in Barceloneta. Frequented by the locals and tourists far away, this place had the tastiest seafood around. Thank goodness for the color photos in this menu outside. Here we have (from top left, going clockwise) caracoles, mejillones marinara (mussels in marinara sauce), navajas plancha (razor clams!! Moe's fav), and of course, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with hot sauce & mayo). BELOW: Of course there's paella. Left is with squid ink (arroz negra), Right is all veg.

			Lisbon is wonderful for seafood! They're tasty, fresh, & cheap. What a combo. Grilled sardines are a local favorite. Far LEFT is seafood with rice, which is just chock full of seafood (prawns, mussels, clams). There was also the revelation that Fred's "love" of seafood was pretty typical of most American's "love" of seafood. That is, it comprises of shrimp & fish, & the occasional lobster or crab. He's slowly discovering the bivalves (clams & mussels), gastropods (snails), & cephalopods (octopods & squids); though it's still a challenge to convince him that he actually likes them.
		LISBON, PORTUGAL

	CESKY KRUMLOV. Two words, pork neck!!! To date, no other has beaten this. An accidental find in a village that was practically shut down the day after X-mas. We were low on cash, & were about to share a meal. Lucky for us, they sat us next to the fire place where all the food was grilled. We pointed to a tasty fixing, which turned out to be the evening's special. We started with an amazing bowl of garlic soup (extra garlicky with mozarella), & finished with the most tender pork neck, deboned & not fatty but covered with melted camembert. All for £5 each!! Drooling yet?

			Goulash, dumplings, & garlic soup! (translation: last night's leftovers, wadded ball of bread, & bulb of garlic in bowl of chicken broth)

	Pancake, Dutch style
		One of Moe's favourite meals is Ethiopian (& Eritrean, similar but not the same) stews. These are eaten family-style with injera bread (made from fermented grain called teff, so a little tart). Different stews (veg & carni) are brought to the table & poured onto a platter covered in a sheet of injera. Using your hand & extra bread, you scoop up the stew & enjoy. This meal is from an Ethiopian restaurant in Hammersmith.
	ITALIA. We experienced many tasty treats during our 10 days in Italy - our Autumn vacation 06. Much of them in the form of antipasti of calamari & pulpo, pastas, prosciutto (crudo from Parma & San Daniella) , grilled meat, gelato, pizza, bread, tiramisu, flan, salumi, mozzarrella, cabernet franc, cinghiale, porcini, nero d'avolo ... just to name a few.

		ABOVE: Moe has made great progress in teaching Fred to understand the beauty in many foods he once abhored simply because it looked unfamiliar - like a tentacle, beak, eyeball, or toe. It can be a challenge to find good quality food that is not overpriced, or made for tourists. But be persistent because it's well worth the effort. I wouldn't rely on the guide books' recommendations too much - even when they indicate it's not touristy. Remember, if you can buy the book for this information, so can everyone else; and unfortunately even the best compromise quality for quantity when money is to be made.
	Good olive oil makes for good meals. This one was the best we had in Italy - at a restaurant literally just outisde the walls of San Gimignano. Trattoria il Rigoletto. The prices were fabulous for antipasti, a primi, secondi, & dessert each - all for under €45 including tip & a glass of wine. The best tasty bit was the paillarde al tartufo (top dish far RIGHT) - grilled beefsteak with truffle sauce & fresh truffles. Oh my gosh, it put the pork neck & camembert up for running as best dish in Europe.

		Close ups of some our favorite meals: spinach ravioli, roasted duck leg with carmelized pearl onions, tripe al romana, grilled cheese. Drooling yet?

		ROMANIA. We very much enjoyed the food here. There was a lot of polenta (mămăligă) & cream to be eaten, but we relished every scrumptuous bite.
			ABOVE: Breakfast feast in Saliste. Homemade sausage, bread, & cheese from sheep's milk. We packed up the leftovers for snacking the next couple of days.
Feasting at the stalls in Djemaa el Fna was one of our favorite evening events. There are roughly several kinds of stalls (kebabs, sweets, stew, snails), but hundreds of stalls serving up pretty much the same food. So the vendors work really hard for your business, and yet it all pretty much tastes the same ... YUM		MARRAKECH

	STOCKHOLM, SVERIGES Does this look familiar? If you've eaten in the cafe at Ikea, you'll know what we're talking about. Yes, that big plate is a good serving of Swedish meatball, mash, & ligonberry. Hmm. It's so much better here.



SNACKS	We found this was a great way to experience the local foods & culture at the same time, & also stretch your budget. When possible, we grazed on snack foods from local cafes, stands, & street cars during the day; and then saved our money for a proper meal in the evening.

This is langos with ham on top from BUDAPEST. Langos is fried dough; what culture does not have its version of fried dough?!! This can be topped with anyhing from butter & garlic to meats of your choice.		Waffles abound in BRUGGE. The batter is sweet enough on it's own, but if you have sweet teeth (like Fred) you might prefer to top the with sugar, caramel, whipped cream, chocolate, etc.
			CHOCOLATE! The Spanish brought cacao beans back with them from the New World, and thus began the scrumptious tradition of chocolate & churros. The chocolate in Europe is rich & creamy, but not too sweet (Moe finally understands the chocolate obsession). In SPAIN, it's best with crunchy fried churros. In PRAGUE, Czech Republic, it's so thick, it can hold up a spoon. In INNSBRUCK, Austria, just stir a bar into a glass of hot milk. Regardless of the method, it's still scrumptious.

	YUMMY!! We stumbled upon a carnival in Brussels our last day in Belgium. Carnival food includes ... yes, snails. It's tasty; boiled in a well seasoned broth. A little chewy, a little tender. No, Fred didn't try any; though he did have escargots in Paris. They were covered in melted butter of course.


		Christmas Market in PRAGUE. It can get a bit touristy & over priced, but the atmosphere & spirit make up for it all. Lots of food & gift items. CLOCKWISE from the top: There's roasted chestnut (pecene kastany), lamb kebabs, cinnamon pretzel (staroceske), Czech crepes (babiccina placka), mulled wine (svarene vino or gluwein), & kosher sausages.

	Hee hee., Fred enjoying some snacks in AMSTERDAM. LEFT: a lovely, foamy, latte. RIGHT: raw herring on baguette with onions & pickles. Yummy.
	ITALIA has some very, very lovely snack foods that keep the yummy & tongue happy. Top of the list, for Fred, is the hundreds of gelatto flavors. He thought he didn't like gelattos until he checked the dictionary & learned it meant ice cream!
		Pizza & cafe. Nothing could be finer than the Italian versions. For the pizzas, each region does it a bit differently. The Venetians make the ever familiar round pies with thin crust & little (but flavorful) toppings - sold by the slice. The Romans make rectangular sheets with heartier crust & loaded with all sorts of topping - sold by the gram.
RIGHT: Olives are wonderful snack foods, but as demonstrated by Fred, should not be eaten straight from the tree.		BELOW: Then there are the cured meats - pork, wild boar, & beef. Just three kinds of animals with one simple spice - salt - yet there are so many incredible variations. Always lovely with some good bread, cheese, & wine.






Moe & Fred's passions for food are often tempted & challenged at these fresh markets. There are many all over Europe; some more plentiful than others. One can usually find fresh meats, breads, fruits, vegs, breads, wines, cheese, sweets, & snacks at most markets.		MARKETS

This is a market in BARCELONA, Spain. LEFT: Here is an egg stand in the market. All sorts of different kinds of eggs from chicken to ostrich to quail are sold here. ABOVE right: Check out all this wonderful seafood at the market. I was drooling as I wandered through here, disappointed that I didn't have access to a kitchen. ABOVE left: Pitallya fruit. It's sweet and a bit tart. Lots of tiny seeds like in kiwis.
	PRAGUE. The Czechs have carp for Christmas Eve dinner, which is actually the more celebrated than Christmas night. On the 24th, carp stands are found all over the city. These entail several pools of water filled with carps, a table, & a scale. You pick your carp, the man fishes it out with a net, & weighs the thing (they are quite large). He then hands it over to the guy next to him, who proceeds to bash the carp's head in with a wooden mallet (at least until it passes out). Then he puts it in a bag for you & you take it home to clean & cook. The mallet is blurry because he's in mid swing.

		These 'shrooms weren't actually from a food market, but a health fair in BUDAPEST. We were on our way back to our hostel on our last day in town, & came across this great fair. Stands informing the locals about healthy eating, exercising, & lifestyle changes. And of course, there were basketball hoops, a dance stage, & even army recruitment.

	BURROUGH MARKET. Fred & Moe's favourite fresh market in London. Fresh fish, greens, fruits, 'shrooms, breads, pastries, cheeses, etc. Great place for lunch on Fridays & Saturdays.

		ITALIA Fresh markets packed with produce from local farms, and of course all the spices & herbs & mixes for making tasty Italian meals. It's always a wonderful treat to stumble upon one in a hidden square tucked between buildings & away from the noisy streets.
	Check out the cheeses. Oh Fred is in heaven, especially becuase they offer free samples. LEFT: A pecorino wheel coated in peppercorn.




LIBATIONS	More specificially, beer & wine (& the occassional spirit). We have a growing fascination for these drinks, & have made it a point to try the local yeast dependent concoctions (as well as visit breweries, vineyards, & distilleries when possible). Notice that Moe is featured in many of these photos. Do you believe that she can hold her own? If you do, then you might also believe the word "gullible" is not in the dictionary. But silly woman insists on trying every time.
BEER

		Budweiser from BUDVAR (or BUDEJOVICE in Czech), Czech Republic is the original (Anheuser Busch took the name). By far the better tasting of the two. This brew may now be found in the US under the name "Budvar" (while AB's brew is known as "Bud" on continental Europe). Try it, you'll see what we mean.
	Hoegaarden, Guinness, & Budweiser are Moe's favourite beers, & remember, these are stronger than American beers (at least 5% alc). They are distinctly different, & according to Moe's taste buds: HOEGAARDEN (from Belgium) has a blossomy taste to it. GUINNESS (from Ireland) is bitter & heavy, but also bit creamy. BUDWEISER (from Czech Republic) is lightly bitter, but some batches are also a bit sweet (weird). RIGHT: Eggenberg from CESKY KRUMLOV, Czech Republic LEFT: Heineken from AMSTERDAM, Holland. BELOW left: Guinness from DUBLIN, Ireland BELOW right: Hoegaarden from HOEGAARDEN, Belgium


GOING CLOCKWISE: From Germany, Poland, & Austria. The story for the Austrian monk brewed beer is best. Moe & Fred encountered this beer in Salzburg, Austria during their winter vacation 2005. Neither knowing German, but insisting on going for a hike in the snow, they hiked into & up the forest on the edge of Salzburg. They didn't know what awaited them at the top (& there was no one around), but simply followed the signs to "Franziskaner." The trail was iced, thus quite slippery. But they continued to wandering around for about two hours in the late winter afternoon. When they get to the top, they found a little pub that served this beer brewed by the monks from the monastery at the bottom of the mountain. Too exhausted from their hike, they turned around & went down the mountain without trying their hard earned beer. All they have to show for their efforts is this emblem taken from the door to the pub. So silly.

WINE

The makings of good wine begins with good grapes. Moe & Robin (her work mate) stumbled upon a wine festival in Spain. The local vineyards brought out their best bunches to advertise. There were stands to try the wines, & enjoy them with chorizos & other Spanish sausages. Neither Moe nor Robin drink much alcohol, & Robin is a vegetarian. So this find had some flaws.
	What can be said about Port wine (from Port, Portugal), except that Moe really likes it & can actually finish her own glass. But then again, Port is sipped a few ounces at a time. She finds it much tastier than normal wine (& smelling like her moms Chinese medicine wine), preferring the tawny over the late bottled vintages. Sounds like she knows what she's talking about, doesn't it? Port, like Sherry (which is exclusively Spanish), is alcohol infused so it's about 20% alcohol; & yet Moe can drink this without getting drunk & feeling sick after the third sip. Go figure.
ABOVE: Is not Port, but verde vino. Yes, green wine from LISBON; made from younger grapes. It's tart & kind of bubbly like Champagne or Cava. Quite refreshing on a hot afternoon.

ITALIA. Oh so many vineyards we passed as we drove through the Tuscan countryside. Each one making its own, well aged concoction. But also within the region there are different sections known for particular types of grape - most notably, vino nobile from the Montepulciano area of Toscana.
		And of course we sipped some with dinner, with a snack, on their own, & even in wine cellars. Each day there was at least two tasting. By the end Moe had developed an irritating rash as her body did not agree with the constant flow of alcohol into her system.



SPIRITS
	Our first Irish distillery visit; this one in NORTHERN IRELAND. Bushmills has been licensed since 1608, so it has a bit of experience in distilling. This triple distilled malt whiskey is smooooooth.