Prahaha (Spring Break, Part 3)

Prague was unlike any city I’ve been to thus far. Right in the heart of central Europe, Prague is the perfect blend of west and east: beautiful, historic, and seriously cold. After arriving in Prague really early in the morning, we checked into a hostel that was…interesting…to say the least. Run by a crazy Czech man who loved to yell at his computer, and wore heavy metal t-shirts, the hostel was definitely an experience. On the bright side of things, it was in an amazing location: right in the center of Old Town Prague and only a two minute walk from the Charles Bridge.

So, after a quick nap, we decided to explore Praha for ourselves…

We crossed the Charles Bridge…

and hot wine helped to warm us up while we walked…

which we payed for with Krowns (a.k.a. Prague Monopoly money)…

and then went to a traditional Czech restaurant where I tried some Goulash.

On day 2…

it was time to be real tourists, so we headed across the river to Prague castle…

where we checked out St. Nicholas cathedral…

which was absolutely stunning inside…

and saw the red roofs of Prague from above…

Then, we headed back to Old Town (and saw the Charles Bridge in the distance)…

where there was an Easter festival…

with tons of people, music, and food stands…

so we tried Trdlnik (a sweet bread, rolled in sugar, cinnamon, and nuts), which tasted like heaven…

and saw the Astronomical clock in action.

On Day 3…

we checked out the John Lennon wall…

and I was obsessed…

then, saw more of the love locks that are all over Europe…

and enjoyed some more Czech Pilsner before it was time to go back to Florence.

And just like that, spring break was over (read about my time in Paris here and here). As of today, I only have 28 days left in Florence, and I never thought I’d be so sad to leave. So, it’s time to make this last month count. Did I mention Florence is absolutely beautiful these days?

I never want to leave!

Tomorrow, I head to Cinque Terre for the day, and on Wednesday, I’m off to the Amalfi Coast to enjoy a long weekend on the beach! Posts to come!

Ciao for now!

An American in Paris (Spring Break, Part 2)

After an amazing first day in Paris, and a night’s sleep in an absolutely horrifying hostel (yes, horrifying), it was time to take on the rest of la ville de l’amour.

On day 2…

We went to Versailles, where we waited in the freezing cold forever…

to go inside where everything was dripping in gold…

and to admire the sprawling and perfectly-manicured grounds…

Then we headed to the stunning cathedral of Notre Dame …

where we saw the Gargoyles from The Hunchback of Notre Dame…

After, we walked along Pont l’Archeveche…

and were wowed by all the beautiful locks left by people in love.

On Day 3…

It was finally a beautiful day, so we walked up to the Sacre Couer church…

and beyond it to the adorable village of Montmarte, where painters were all over, selling their artwork…

then sat on the steps of Sacre Couer, listened to some great live music…

and checked out some crazy aerial soccer tricks below…

We ended the day at Lafayette, the world’s largest department store. Reason #832953 I need to be a millionaire? So I can shop here.

After seeing all of these amazing sights, eating a few crepes (and a few macaroons), and becoming even more obsessed with Paris, I didn’t want to leave! But just like that, my visit to Paris was over and it was time for an early morning flight to Prague. Stay tuned for my final spring break post!

Ciao for now!

An American in Paris (Spring Break, Part 1)

Spring break was a total whirlwind. I finished my midterms on Thursday and right away my week was crammed with places to go and people to see.

That Friday, one of my absolute favorite Germans arrived in Florence! Bettina was one of my most beloved au pairs when I was growing up, and I was lucky enough to have her and her boyfriend come visit me here in Florence. We went to a delicious dinner at Trattoria ZaZa, a restaurant only feet away from my apartment that I’ve been dying to try due to a recommendation from one of my favorite blogs (Aspiring Kennedy). The ribollita was to die for and I can’t wait to go back and dine outside once the evenings warm up a little more! While the meal was delicious, it was even better to spend a few hours catching up with an old friend who I haven’t seen in almost seven years!

That same weekend was my best friend Margo’s 21st birthday, and while 21 is not as important in Europe as it is in the U.S., we were determined to celebrate it right! On Saturday we went to a mouth-watering dinner with Margo’s family who had flown into town for the occasion. I’m telling you: if you want a fantastic, over-the-top, phenomenal meal, go to La Giostra. While we indulged and ate multiple courses for the special occasion, I know that if you only ordered one dish, you would be just as impressed. If you want to die and go to heaven in just one bite, my recommendation is: order the pear and pecorino ravioli. I’m not kidding.

Happy Birthday, Margs!

Then, I was off to la ville de l’amour: Paris! If you ask my mom, or anyone in my family, they will tell you that I have been unusually obsessed with Paris my entire life. Unfortunately, until this point the closest I’d come to Paris was the promise of a new Parisian wall calendar for Christmas each year or watching (and crying over) old movies. To say the least, I was thrilled to be in the city I’d dreamed of going to for so long.

I did a ton while I was in Paris, so I’m gonna give you a nice photo summary of the trip, broken into two posts.

On day 1…

My friends and I started at the Louvre…

where we saw some great art…

and took a few pictures…

Then, we walked through Le Jardin des Tuileries…

(where I got my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower…)

and along the Champs Elysees…

until we made it to the Arc de Triomphe…

and then La Tour Eiffel…

where we climbed to the top & checked out the view…

took some more pics…

and ate some crepes at the bottom!

Stay posted for my upcoming posts about the rest of my Spring Break in Paris and Prague!

Ciao for now!

When in Rome

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of best friend visits, midterms, and spring break. So, as always, I’m fashionably late on my posts. Better late than never right?

Three weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have two of my best friends from UNC travel across the pond to spend their spring break with me in Italia! After spending a weekend in Venice, Emma and Jasmine took the train south to Florence. When I met them at the train station, I think it’s safe to say that I basically attacked them in excitement. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing it was to see some familiar faces from my second home in America. We spent the next four days catching up, eating at some great Florentine food (and desserts), and while I was in class, E and J spent their time discovering the city. On Thursday, we left for a long weekend in Roma! I couldn’t wait to see the grand and historic city, but more importantly, I couldn’t wait to see it with my best friends!

ZTA takes Florence!

While our hotel wasn’t in the best location, it was pretty awesome, and definitely a step up from the hostel-life I’ve grown accustomed to. That night, we went to a restaurant with typical Roman cuisine, and it was amazing. After, we spent the evening in traditional slumber-party-style, drinking wine, having girl talk, and listening to Rihanna and 90s music. Could we be more cliché? On Friday morning our first stop was Vatican City. Since il Papa nuovo had only been announced days before, we were afraid the Vatican was going to be a zoo. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by how manageable the small crowd was. We spent hours inside the Vatican, admiring the jaw-dropping artwork that covered every inch of the holy site. I was astounded by the detail in the Rafael rooms and the ornate design in the various chapels we explored. The only downside was that, because the Papal Conclave had just ended, the Sistine Chapel was still closed to the public. I know I’ll get back there eventually though! After lunch, we checked out St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica to pose for a few pics (as per usual).

Casually posing with St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Square

Next, we hopped on the metro to see the Spanish steps. While I was so excited to see the Spanish steps in person, they were probably my biggest let down of the trip. They were crowded and smelled like pee (I know, ew). But, any disappointment I had was erased when I set eyes on the truly stunning Trevi Fountain. All I needed was to be mistaken for an Italian pop star, and I swear I could have been straight out of The Lizzie McGuire Movie (hey now, hey noww)!  A million pictures and a million wishes later, we were ready to head back to the hotel to take a nap.

Trevi Fountain

I’d tell you what I wished for, but I’d have to kill ya.

Saturday was dedicated to Ancient Rome. After a kind of late start, we walked from our hotel to the Colosseum where we waited in line with what felt like every rude tourist and crying baby in the entirety of Rome. Luckily, the wait was worth it! The Colosseum was everything I imagined: fantastic and colossal. We took in the architecture and soaked up some sun before we walked on over to explore the nearby Palantine Hill and Roman Forum.

Il Colosseo

Here comes the sun!

It was crazy to see structures that have been standing for nearly 2,000 years. The top of the Palatino offered amazing views of the Foro and Colosseo. We then took in some more ruins, street performers, and wandered into some back streets to find (obviously) some gelato. When in Rome, eat as the Romans do?

Jump around (the Palatino)!

Exploring Roma

That evening, we headed to the Trastevere area where we ate a phenomenal dinner, drank lots of wine, and headed out to Campo de’ Fiori, a square surrounded by tons of bars. We went to several different bars and clubs, met tons of new people, and, thanks to my fabulous (blonde) company, I had the most fun I’ve had in Italy yet!

Just bein’ cute

The next day, we packed, ate lunch, and then it was time to go. Seeing Emma and Jasmine definitely made me miss Chapel Hill, especially since they will be graduating this May. I was extremely sad to say goodbye, but I know if they made it all the way to Italy just to see me, we’ll be seeing lots of each other in the years to come! Love you guys more than you know!

Ciao for now!

P.S. Stay posted for my upcoming posts on my spring break trips to Paris and Prague!

And thank you Emma for letting me steal some pictures!

(Obviously I forgot to bring my camera charger to Rome)

Nicer in Nice

Remember my traumatizing-turned-beautiful school sponsored trip to Venice last month? Well, I recently went on my second trip through my host university, and thanks to some good weather, it was far more successful than the first. I am so grateful the school put this trip together, because the destinations (Monte Carlo & several cities along the French Riviera) are far too expensive for a study abroad student’s budget.

We began the day with a long bus ride to the lavish principality of Monaco. While the ride had been sunny, I was horrified by the sudden downpour that occurred as we pulled into the harbor. Like I mentioned before, I was scarred from a day of freezing rain in Venice. Luckily, the rain didn’t last long, and warmer temperatures made the short-lived precipitation far more bearable. Upon our arrival, we were met by a tour guide (with some strange French/British/Gibberish accent) who took us through the historical district of Monaco, stopping at Princess Caroline’s pink house, the principality’s main cathedral (where Princess Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier are buried), and finally the Prince’s Palace. I think it’s safe to say that Monaco is comparable to the Magic Kingdom in Disney world. The buildings are decorated in a multitude of pastel colors and the lawns are perfectly groomed. Cinderella would fit right in.

Monaco’s Cathedral

Told ya it looks like a fairytale!

Then we headed over to the other side of the principality, luxurious Monte Carlo. Here, we saw the winding and treacherous track of the Monaco Grand Prix and the world famous Monte Carlo Casino. The Casino was surrounded by a multitude of expensive cars made by Bentley, Lamborghini, and Rolls Royce. Inside, the Casino was filled with infinite slot machines and tables for card games. In honor of her 21st birthday, my roommate treated herself to a 16 euro cocktail (totally worth it).

View of the harbor

Monte Carlo Casino

After leaving Monte Carlo, we headed to the city of Nice, located in the South of France along the Mediterranean Sea. Nice seemed to be a perfect blend of a beach town and an urban city. After checking into our hotel, we walked around the city enjoying the beautiful weather and taking in the picturesque squares that were filled with French people drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, and being all-around fabulous.

Aerial view of Nice

Blue skies & Apollo

On Sunday, we took the bus to the medieval town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. I was immediately obsessed with the cobble stoned streets and medieval walls that encircle the charming town. From the apex of the hill-top, I was able to take in stunning views of the Alps and the breathtaking Cote d’Azur. I also enjoyed my first (yep, it’s true) macaroon. Now I’m dying to go to Paris and have another one!

Adorable church

Chillin’ on the medieval walls

Chocolate macaroon

Our next stop was my absolute favorite part of the trip. It’s now extremely clear that I must become, or at least marry, a famous celebrity so that I can once again return to Cannes. Home to the renowned Cannes Film Festival, this coastal city is surrounded by crystal blue water, yachts, and sailboats as far as the eye can see. Cannes: with your luxurious shops, phenomenal waterfront restaurants, and fabulous inhabitants, you have stolen my heart.

Boats on boats on boats

Delicious salad with fresh seafood (that stared at me)

A great pic to end the day!

So there you go, an overview that does no justice to my time in the breathtaking French Riviera, a destination I would recommend to all. And in light of my new love for la France: Au revoir mes amis!

Take me back!

Ciao for now!

Adventures in Amsterdam

Due to my incredibly busy schedule the past few weeks, this post about my trip to Amsterdam is very delayed. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to tell you all about my time in the capital city of the Netherlands!

Amsterdam, I love you

My friends and I left Florence early on Thursday to catch a train to Rome, where we hopped on a flight to Amsterdam. Due to our last minute planning, all of the decent hostels with a good location were booked for weekend of our trip, so we were forced to stay at the Marriott (poor us, right?). I can accredit some of my obsession with Amsterdam to this wonderful hotel. My bed was literally a cloud, the staff was extremely helpful, and our room looked out on the Leidseplein, a busy square surrounded by bars, clubs, and restaurants. We spent most of our time in this quaint hub of the city. Our first night, we went to an Indonesian restaurant off of the Leidseplein where we shared a traditional Rijsttafel (rice table), which is a medley of dishes from all over the Indonesian islands. The food was to die for, and totally different from any cuisine I’ve ever had before.

On Friday, we began our day with a delicious brunch at the famous “Pancake Bakery.” This restaurant has a never-ending menu of different types of Dutch pancakes: sweet, savory, and everything in between. I decided to try something different and had an apple and cheese pancake!

Yum yum yum

Apple & cheese pancake

We spent the rest of the day walking around and exploring the city. Amsterdam is absolutely adorable. Walking through Amsterdam would be a photographer’s dream, with so many beautiful bridges and quaint buildings. It has often been called the “Venice of the North” due to its abundance of canals throughout the city; there are over 100km of canals, and about 1,500 bridges (thank you, Wikipedia)!

Canals for days

Clog life

An aspect of Amsterdam that’s impossible not to recognize is the insane amount of bikes. Everywhere I turned, I saw bikes parked along bridges, trees, bike racks. I was almost killed on several occasions thanks to a few of them. I’m pretty sure people on bikes have the right of way rather than walking pedestrians in Amsterdam. I was later told that there are about 800,000 citizens in Amsterdam, and 1.6 million bikes…that’s twice as many bikes as people!

Bicycle heaven

Bikes on bikes on bikes

We eventually maneuvered our way through the city’s canals and treacherous bike paths to the Red Light District, an experience unlike any other. There I was, strolling through the cobble stoned streets, when I looked to my right to find a prostitute a foot away from me, with only a pane of glass between us. I was shocked to see the infinite glass-fronted rooms with prostitutes trying to attract customers inside. I don’t know if my friends and I could have been anymore awkward than we were, unsure whether to laugh or grimace at the scantily-clad hookers. It was crazy to see how far the “anything goes” rule works in the Red Light District, where the Prostitution and “Coffee Shop” businesses blend seamlessly into every day life.

Entering the Red Light District

Coffee shop

We ended the day with a canal cruise that took us throughout the city by boat and told us about the history of the old city. Later we experienced an Amsterdam-style night on the town and danced until we died of exhaustion with some new friends on the Holland rowing team. Did I mention how really, really, really, ridiculously good-looking people are in the Netherlands? To sum things up, it was a great day.

Canal cruisin’

Saturday was dedicated to our dear friend, Heineken. My friends and I headed to the Heineken Factory for an interactive tour and became instantly obsessed with the Dutch brew. After spending hours in the “Heineken Experience,” we enjoyed several free glasses of beer, and even went on the Heineken boat cruise to their gift shop. Like I said, obsessed.

A frew brews

Too much love for Heineken

Heineken’s latest & greatest fan!

On our last day, we headed to the Rijksmuseum for a little culture, and saw works from many famous Dutch painters such as Rembrandt. Afterwards, we had a (semi-embarrassing) photo shoot with the i amsterdam letters before it was time to head to the airport!

Chaos

i amsterdam

While Amsterdam doesn’t have an overwhelming number of monuments or attractions to see, it is definitely a city you experience. I’ve already begun to try and figure out when I can go back to this beautiful, and wildly entertaining, city. So…I’ll get back to you on that. Until then,

Ciao for now!

Deutschland Dreamin’

Guten tag y’all! I just got back from my latest Euro-excursion in Berlin, Germany. Watch out Jason Bourne because I might just be the newest European jet setter. I had an amazing time this weekend. Berlin is unlike any city I’ve ever experienced; a melting pot of complicated history, antique architecture, modern innovations, and trendy neighborhoods.

I met up with my friends, Margo and Maria, at the Santa Maria Novella Train Station in Florence on Thursday afternoon to catch our train to Milan. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with the Italian rail system. Unlike the New York trains I am used to riding, the train was clean, spacious and even had Wi-Fi (a necessity to my happiness #FirstWorldProblems). On the way home they even had a refreshments cart (like in Harry Potter)! Upon arrival at the Milano Centrale Station, we took a shuttle bus to the Milan airport where we caught our flight to Berlin. Then we took a cab to our hostel, where we arrived around midnight. Talk about traveling on planes, trains, and automobiles.

I never thought I would say this, but…our hostel was awesome. I couldn’t have been happier with my first hostel experience. Not only did they have everything we needed, but also a sky-bar that looked out over the city of Berlin. On Friday morning, we were lucky enough to meet up with a native Berliner and my old au pair, Angie, who acted as our tour guide and took us to all the important sights in Berlin! I hadn’t seen Angie in about 7 years, so it was great to catch up with her (in Germany, no less)!

Reunited with Angie!

Our first stop was the Berlin Wall Gallery, where we stopped to pose for pictures (obviously). Then we headed to the TV tower and experienced a 360 degree view of the city. From above it was surprisingly easy to see the separation between East and West Berlin.

TV Tower

We spent the rest of the day walking around, seeing famous buildings and monuments, and posing for pictures throughout the city. One of my favorite places to see was Checkpoint Charlie, the best known Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War.

Posin’ at the Brandenburger Gate

Stunning Berliner Dom

Checkpoint Charlie

It was so cool to actually be in a city that I have been learned so much about since I was in middle school. Berlin has been affected by a lot of controversial history, from both World War I & II as well as from the Cold War. It was hard to believe that the Berlin Wall was torn down so recently when Berlin has emerged as such a modern city. It was also incredibly moving to go to the Typography of Terrors, a museum located on the site where the Nazis did all of their planning of concentration camps during Holocaust as well as to see the many Holocaust Memorials throughout the city.

Maria & I with remnants of the Berlin Wall

Holocaust Memorial

For dinner, we went to a Vietnamese restaurant near our hostel. I never thought I’d be sick of Italian food, but it was nice to have a meal at a restaurant that wasn’t pasta or pizza for the first time in over a month! Then we went to a highly recommended, and super trendy club called Watergate that had walls made of glass and was surrounded by water on three sides.

On day two we headed to the Hackescher Markt, a beautiful area with many courtyards, cafes, and adorable boutiques (it took some serious willpower not to go inside). There was also an adorable outdoor market with handmade jewelery and artwork, and traditional German food and desserts. Maria and I decided to share an Original Berliner Currywurst (a curry sausage), which was very different from anything I’ve ever tried and surprisingly delicious. Then, we walked throughout the city, exploring Monbijou Park and many other quaint parks and trendy neighborhoods. Then we headed to the DDR Museum, an interactive museum that lets everyone experience life in Eastern Germany during the Cold War.

Enjoying our currywurst

Exploring

Driving at the DDR Museum

We ended the day with a phenomenal dinner at an American-fusion restaurant called White Trash. The atmosphere was awesome and I ordered a delicious Blackened Cajun Fish Salad that blew my mind. Later, we went to a rock concert in the bar beneath the restaurant, right next to the restaurant’s tattoo parlor (weird right?). It was an experience I would recommend to anyone traveling to Berlin.

One more reason Berlin is awesome: they have STARBUCKS.

Reunited with my first love

All in all, my experience in Berlin was fantastic. I don’t know if I could have repeated how much I loved the city more than I did (I think Margo and Maria were ready to kill me). By Sunday, I was exhausted and ready to get back to Florence. This weekend I’m off to Amsterdam, I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to travel all over Europe. Stay tuned!

Ciao for now!

A Taste of Tuscany

In my Food of Italy class this week (the greatest class of all time), we focused on the cuisine of Central Italy. In particular, we discussed the history of food and cooking in the Tuscan region. Then were able to put our new knowledge to use by preparing four traditional Tuscan recipes.

Our menu for the week:

Pappa al pomodoro

A bread and tomato “soup” that has a consistency more comparable to that of mashed potatoes. Made using sliced (and stale) Italian bread, canned and liquid tomatoes, chicken broth, and herbs, this was a dish that looked strange to me, but ended up being suprisingly delicious. Serve with drizzled olive oil, salt and pepper.

When in Tuscany, eat as the Tuscans do!

Arista al forno

Roasted pork loin stuffed with crushed garlic and rosemary, rubbed down with extra virgin olive oil, cooked in white wine over an open flame, and sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste. It was great to finally have a meal with protein as the main dish, instead of the carb-based meals I’ve grown accustomed to. Our professor also gave us some Chianti that paired perfectly with this dish.

Roasted pork loin served with peas and prosciutto

Heaven in a bottle

Piselli al prosciutto

This effortless yet delicious dish, is simply peas with prosciutto. First we sauteed diced onions and prosciutto in olive oil, then added peas and let the mixture simmer in chicken broth (from the soup). Finally we topped it with chopped parsley and added salt and pepper to taste.

Definitely making these again!

A perfect side dish to the pork

Schiacciata alla Fiorentina

This Florentine cake is very popular in the Tuscan region, especially during the Carnevale season which just ended last week on Fat Tuesday. This light and fluffy cake uses no butter and is dusted with powdered sugar before serving.

Look at all that powdaaa

Nom.com

Now do you see why I love this class? And the best part is that all of the recipes come straight from our professor who makes them all simple to follow. Plus it doesn’t get more authentic then self-taught Italian cooking.

Ciao for now!

Monthly Musings

And yet again, another amazing week in Firenze. I can not believe I’ve been here for a whole month already! This weekend, I had a friend from Chapel Hill come into town, so there was an incentive to get out of bed and explore my host-city even more. Friday we spent the day strolling around the city, taking a closer look at what felt like the entirety of Florence. This was probably the best workout I’ve gotten in my entire time here. We ended up across the Arno River taking a very long and rural road along the ancient city walls to the Piazzale Michelangelo where we spent the rest of the afternoon taking in the gorgeous weather (sunny and mid-50s all weekend!).

Love locks on the Ponte Vecchio

The Berlin kids take in Piazzale Michelangelo

That night I treated myself a mouthwatering meal (complete with unlimited wine) at my favorite spot, Dante’s, with my friends Margo and Maria and then headed out for a night on the town!

Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms and truffle sauce

You can find me in da club

UNC takes Firenze

Saturday, I toured the Boboli Gardens, which could easily be my new favorite spot in Florence. I could not believe that such a beautiful gem was hidden behind the Palazzo Pitti, and getting in for free with my museum card, made it all the better! The massive gardens seemed to never end as they continued higher and higher, offering sprawling greens and amazing views of Florence.

Entrance to the Boboli Gardens

Even the statues were happy about the weather

Bellissimo!

Saturday night, my roommates and I decided to have a yummy family dinner (how cute are we?) complete with a gourmet salad (with pears, gorgonzola cheese, and…wait for it…avocado!), spaghetti (topped with an onion, mushroom, tomato, and basil sauce), and some vino. The meal was delicious, and we had fun cooking and eating together before we went out for the night!

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, and although I am currently experiencing the side-effects of exhaustion, it’s well worth it!

Oh, and oneee more reunion #DF

On an entirely unrelated note: I am newly obsessed with the ABC show Scandal. My latest aspiration in life is to become a sassy crisis communications expert in the nation’s capital where I can use my intellect and instincts to protect the government’s secrets…a girl can dream right?

Watch out Olivia Pope, here I come!

Look out for a new post tomorrow about my latest Food of Italy class, you won’t want to miss it!

Ciao for now!

Florentine Livin’

While I haven’t done anything I find to be especially blog-worthy lately, I have been thoroughly enjoying my everyday life here in Florence. Classes began last week, and so far I really like all of my professors and have been enjoying my classes. It’s nice to be taking so many courses that relate to Italian culture and history because all of my course material tends to overlap. My favorite class without a doubt is “The Food of Italy,”  which I have every Monday night from 6-8:30 pm. Each week, we begin the course with a short lecture about the history of Italian cuisine and why it is so important to the Italian way of life. Then we split into groups to prepare a 4-course meal (that we get to eat for dinner) from our professor’s personal recipes!

Our menu for the week:

Pasta alla carbonara

A pasta dish with a spicy cream sauce made with eggs, pancetta (Italian bacon), garlic, dried chili pepper, white wine, and grated pecorino romano

Pasta alla carbonara

Croquette di Pollo

“Healthy chicken nuggets” that are baked instead of fried. Ingredients include: ground chicken, provola cheese, prosciutto cotto, egg, and parsley, packed together and rolled in a mixture of grated parmigiano cheese, bread, bread crumbs,  and nutmeg.

Pure di patate con cipolle caramellate

Mashed potatoes made with butter and milk and topped with caramelized white onions. A delicious, and simple, classic.

Chicken croquettes & potatoes with caramelized onions

Torta di ricotta

My group was responsible for making this light and fluffy ricotta cheese cake. Made from ricotta cheese, separated eggs, flour, sugar, rum, cinnamon, and lemon zest, this cake is completely different from the New York cheese cake we’re accustomed to eating at home.

Ricotta cheesecake (the picture doesn’t do it justice)

Every February, Piazza Santa Maria Novella in Florence hosts a two week chocolate festival called Fiera del Cioccolato Artiganale where local chocolate-makers are able to display and sell their artisan chocolate. I went today with some friends and took in (ate…) all of the amazing chocolate delicacies the festival had to offer
(God bless free samples).

Because who needs Fat Tuesday when you can make your own Fat Wednesday right?

Every kind of chocolate truffle…ever

Amazing tools carved from chocolate!

One of the best things I sampled at the festival was a dark chocolate covered nocciola (hazelnut) from a stand that had chocolate covered everything. Naturally, I had to go back and buy some to take home with me.

Chocolate covered everything

I bought a mixture of dark and white chocolate covered hazelnuts. They taste  just like a rounded, solid version of Nutella in a bag! So, they should all be gone by…tomorrow.

Buonissimo!

While being constantly surrounded by amazing food and even better desserts can be distracting, I haven’t forgotten what day it is. Win or lose tonight, I’ll be cheering on the boys in Carolina blue all the way from Florence! GO HEELS, GO AMERICA, GO TO HELL DUKE!

Reppin’ my Carolina blue at the chocolate festival, y’all

Ciao for now!