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Those rolls look wonderfu!? Would you post the recipe? ETA: nevermind, saw them on the bread thread!

I saw one of those famous Florence street food/ truck stands proudly displaying a sign reading "Cow Sandwich"...

Here in Tuscany (or even Milano): 1. Never seen any objections to hand held pizza unless it's a sloppy super cheesy or limp pizza. But that's just common sense. And I've seen people eat pizza both ways. In fact, we eat pizza both ways. 2. Most people I know drink beer with pizza. But I've seen plenty of people with carafes on the table. 3. Here in Siena, we have a couple of quickie pizza shops and you can find people-locals and tourists alike- walking down the street with pizza in hand. With pizza, I just don't think there are any rules that are strictly followed like with other dishes. Maybe there used to be or maybe in certain pizza-centric regions, but not anywhere I've ever been.

Do you speak Italian? I found this recipe, or I guess process. I have never tried it, so I haven't a clue if it works or not! http://it.answers.yahoo.com/question/index...19065241AAnmFdw if you don't, I can translate for you. If not, try BuonItalia in New York. Their retail prices are outrageous, but I think they should have normal pricing for wholesale.

Choose a (a minimum) four year degree program no matter what school or what major....My brother graduated from CIA with the 2 year and regrets it because he realized that standing up cooking in a kitchen was not for him after the fact...He absolutely does not regret the education, but the fact that he hasn't a full four year degree to fall back on.

Yes of couse, Oli

I guess I am lucky that in all my years, I don't think I've ever seen anyone cut their spaghetti up except for child consumption....I guess I live under a rock!!! However, I have seen Americans in the US and in Italy use a soup spoon to twirl....which here in Italy, in my experience, is considered odd/wrong and obviously foreign.

Funny, I was going to suggest pigs in blankets too...or pizza.... I guess there is no oven either....that dairy thing is a killer

There is a recipe called Fegato alla Veneziana....Supposed to be delicious....However, I don't have the recipe! I am sure you will find a million on the internet. I am not the biggest liver fan so the only way I like it is on Crostini Toscani which is like a really loose pate` that you spread on toasted rounds of baguette or chopped liver Jewish style- with the hard boiled eggs, the onions and the schmaltz!

OK, if this bakery was all that and then some.... can you please post the recipe for the chocolate one you have? Thanks! ← Yes Oli, could you? Or at least PM it? ← Just remember that my favourite wine does that mean it will be your favourite. ← Yes of course, I think that goes without saying At least we know we all love chocolate!!

OK, if this bakery was all that and then some.... can you please post the recipe for the chocolate one you have? Thanks! ← Yes Oli, could you? Or at least PM it?

Ciao Oli.... what kind of cake do you think it is? I am not a baker, so I am having a hard time even picking the right recipe, what would your guess be? The whipped cream topping recipe from above is right on. It's even better than Bene's. Thanks CanadianBakin' I will try to find a good chiffon recipe. Thanks Alana for the thread link!

I made the cake today...it was....wonderful..... I used the PH recipe posted above because Alana said it was the best and It was incredible. I do however think I need to use a better chocolate next time. I used bittersweet chips made by Perugina because that's what my local grocery had and maybe they were a little too sweet. It was either that or choose chocolate based on percentages, and I didn't know which percentage (60, 70 etc)...I had to fold in some plain whipped cream to balance it...especially since my yellow cake was so sweet. SO thank you so much everyone- it was sooooo easy. Can anyone recommend a good yellow cake recipe to use with the cream? It should be really light, cuz the cream is so rich. I didn't like the recipe I used today which was basically like an Italian Pan di Spagna- I just didn't choose the right recipe. Any suggestions? Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone....

Yes JF, your memory is right! And that is how I remember the bakery- on 3rd....and the Gelson's ones are not delicious, they still manage to make the Parisienne edible, but it doesn't compare...but the memory keeps me going! I guess it reminds me of my Grandma who used to get it. I usually only go to the Gelson's on Laurel Cyn and I have to special order it. Sometimes, It's good and sometimes its not. Thank you all, I am going to try the Ganache, no Gelatin.

This cake, from the bakery inside Gelson's is my all-time favorite cake. They call it a Parisienne. I call it Chocolate Whipped Cream cake. I grew up eating it only on special occasions but as of late-since I don't live there- I get one every visit. And actually, sadly, over the years the quality and deliciousness has declined. Basically, it's a yellow layer cake, or maybe a spongy cake. (Either way, very light cake.) With sweetened chocolate whipped cream "frosting" decorated with chocolate shavings.... I am no where near Los Angeles, 8 months pregnant, and nothing satisfies my craving for this cake. So I decided to try to make it myself. Can't be so difficult, right? Simple Yellow cake? Whipped cream with chocolate in it? Chocolate shavings? My question is this: Do I need to add gelatin to the whipped cream to stiffen it? So that it "frosts?" If so, how much? Their cake needs to be refridgerated, but it holds it's shape for quite some time outside the fridge... Any input will be greatly appreciated by me and my unborn son....

It's so strange how people's lists are soooo different. I made my list when I left NYC after a lifetime to move to Italy and it's completely different! However, my list consisted of food items more than restaurants though too... at the absolute TOP of my list was: Smoked Sturgeon, Smoked Salmon and Smoked Whitefish and then followed with: Good bagels Good knishes Good Hot Dogs (We do have good hot dogs (wurstel) here, but they are different!) Good Sushi (Boy do I miss it!) Authentic Ethinic food like Korean, Thai, Middle Eastern, Mexican Lobster Anyway, off your list...I think I would choose Masa! I regret not ever going!!! Really!! Good Luck with your impending move!!!

I would like to make french fries for the very first time in my life, but I don't know if I have the proper frying vessel. I know from reading that the pan should be heavy duty and the only really heavy duty pan that I have is a La Creuset. Can I use it? Or is the oil temp too high for it? I have a very large stainless steel pan that is heavy duty that I use for shallow frying, but the sides are not high enough for deep frying (...its only like 4 inches tall...) Thank you

I always bring oil. Wrap it in much plastic (usually bags) and roll the bottles in my clothes and I have never never had a problem. I have heard horror stories though. Siena Recs: Ricciarelli are wonderful! But in my opinion, they are not delicious everywhere. I particularly like Pierini's version, they are the lightest version I have tried. They are my absolute favorite and always a winner when I bring them back to family and friends in the States. Unfortunately, the bakery is outside the walls of Siena in San Prospero or on the way to Acqua Calda. Another great place for Ricciarelli is Sinatti. They have a bakery inside the walls, and the cookies are delicious but sweeter than Pierini. There are a couple of other good ones, but I forget the names- I can ask my husband later. To me, Panforte is an acquired taste, a taste I don't have! So no recs on my part. But I am sure Pierini and Sinatti have great versions. Sorry! If you don't like Ricciarelli, you can always bring back Vin Santo and Cantuccini! Some good restaurants are Taverna di San Giuseppe (good brick chicken, tableside cut steaks, wonderul pastas,) and Boccon del Prete (I had fish cooked al cartoccio which was to die for!) I like them both very much and have always eaten well. A good place for decent pizza is Nonno Mede. Let me know if you need more.... P.S. Divina's guide has great recs! When I first moved here, I used it alot.

Would you mind posting the recipe for the Kibbi Kebabs? Thank you!

What about Blue Ribbon Bakery? They have that open kitchen downstairs that you walk by on the way to the bathroom. Wonderful bread smells and racks full of bread... Don't they still do it? I hope so.

I'd bring it just to be safe. At least until you find them there! I recently moved to Europe and brought Baking Powder with me, just to be safe. It's cheap and small enough to not matter. When I got here, I realized they don't have it, so I was glad I brought it along. As for baking soda, they had it in the grocery stores where I live.

Yes, I guess that's it's main use. But it is called Gelatina which to me, meant Gelatin. -it says on the box, "gelatina (used for) torte." My Italian is fine, but not when it comes to things I don't use everyday!!! Anyway, the cream didn't set, so I won't be using it again. Thankfully, they have the sheets here which should make it work...

Just more proof that I am lame. lol. It turned out they were stuck together. (But really, really stuck!) Thank you for your help! I will use the 5-6 grams as you suggested. And thank you for the link gfron1!!

That’s what I thought too, but the directions read: Put the contents of the packet into a pot with 3-4 spoons of sugar and gradually mix in 250 ml of water. Bring it to a boil over a low flame for one minute- always mixing it. Let it cool down for about 2 minutes stirring it every once in a while. I only used the 2-3 spoons of water and I tried to let it bloom without heating it, but nothing happened. I’d post a pic, but I don’t know how and anyway, it’s in Italian. (I live in Italy.) It’s a product by Paneangeli and it’s all I could find besides the sheets. I didn’t wanted to because the sheets were like 1.60 euros for one, and a box of Panangeli Tortagel is 1.29 euros for 2 packets!! Plus, I didn’t know if an “Italian” sheet would be the same size as an “American” sheet as I’ve found that none of the other packaging is the same. I’m guessing this is the wrong product. Period. What does this teach me? DON’T BE CHEAP!! I had this same problem trying to make the no knead bread. The “instant” yeast they sell here, is nothing more than a bunch of weird chemical sounding names that I can’t even identify-but probably somewhere along the lines of baking powder. I tried it with fresh yeast, but I never did figure out the right amount. While edible, there is no oven spring. Actually, now that I think of it, can anyone tell me the size of the sheets there? The ones here are 24 grams. Oh well, thanks again.

Yes, that is about how much water I used. But it wouldn't bloom. So I read the directions on the back which said I had to heat it over the stove to make it bloom so I did, and most stuck to the bottom of the pot, I got most of it out. But anyway, I think there wasn't enough at that point and that is why it didn't set. Or it was just the wrong product. I told you I was lame. Anyway, I will use the sheets next time to avoid that problem again. I just hope the sheets are the same as they are in the US. The powder sure isn't! Also, thank you all (gfron1, Tri2cook, and HQAntithesis) for your advice. I feel better about re-trying the recipe again.