A_Broad

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I read occasionally and can't even begin to tell you how much I miss Italy! Hathor, I'm so happy that everything is going so great for you! I'm making an Italian style dinner this week for friends and am going to try the pork in milk. I remember eating "maialino" in Ravenna, but don't think I can find young pig here. Marcella recommends pork butt, which I'm going to do for a test run. Also, I imagine I'm going to have to braise this the night before and am not sure how it's going to reheat. Any suggestions or tips, as I haven't done this before and it's unknown territory for me.

Back from our trip and here are the brief details of our five days by car in Slovenia, entering from the south by way of Trieste, Italy Predjamski Grad - fascinating castle built in the rocks (drive past and skip the Postojnska Jama, which are caves). If you're into castles, it's a must. Kobarid - cute town and on the gorgeous Soca River. Eat lunch at Restauracija, which has incredible trout and potatoes smothered in garlic Lake Bohnij - great small lake and perfect to canoe for a couple of hours or bike around; great fish restaurants Lake Bled - more of a tourist spot, but beautiful with a great castle - both lakes will be gorgeous in the fall Ljubliana - stayed at Hotel Mraku, which was a great deal at I think $100; don't remember where we ate, but go to Movia, the wine bar Ptuj - known for the Terme (thermal baths), but also picturesque town on the river; ate a traditional Slovenian meal at Amadeus and my husband couldn't get over how incredible his steak was. Enjoy!

We're still on the road (currently in Romania) and I promise I'll put more details when I return in the beginning of September (I saw you aren't leaving until October). It's probably best if I e-mail you, as it's more trip-oriented than food, but yes, we did spend a lot of time in the countryside on the western side along the river and stayed at a couple of lakes and visited some great castles. It will be gorgeous in the fall. We camped, but hotels are definitely plentiful. And the trout is amazing! Let me know if September is too late for your planning.

We were in Slovenia last week and I highly recommend going to Ljubljana. It´s absolutely gorgeous, especially at night. Go to Movia, a wine bar that also makes their own wine, which is one of Slovenia´s best. The winery itself is located on the Western border and is pretty much as close to Italy as you can get. Anyway, she will be more than helpful about pointing you into the right direction. Have a wonderful time and definitely explore the countryside - so green and lush and rolling. Beautiful country!

I like wine and it likes me. We're fortunate enough to be living in Italy for a bit and it's hard not to have a strong relationship with wine here. So here's the million dollar question...How do I know what to drink now and what to save? We have the Wine Spectator Ultimate Guide and it's only confused me more in some ways. Prior to purchasing the guide, we bought some nice (and by "nice" I mean pricey) '97 and '99 Brunello's (most likely because of the consumption of too much of it). Now I am trying to learn more about wines and don't understand why it's saying to "drink until 2006", for example. How do they know it's good only until then and how do you know when it won't be at its peak anymore? And how come I wake up every morning with a headache and don't remember the night before?

The taste test... This is the food in question In the oven Draining a little fat A Sunday morning American breakfast Definitely not bacon. At least American style. Good, though very salty and a lot firmer than the American counterpart. I'll have American bacon by the end of the week (I have access to American food in Italy...ribeye, Franks Hot Sauce, Starbucks anyone?!) and will post the results happily.

Thank you so much, Marco_Polo. That clears up a lot for me. I was pretty sure I've been eating pancetta crudo for antipasti, but I've been proven wrong...many times before! I love it. And I live right near Colonnata - I never thought I could love fat so much. As for the the cubetti di pancetta, I keep those on hand for last minute and easy cooking (pasta, with beans, with eggs, etc.), but now I'm wondering if I bought a block of pancetta, how long would it stay fresh in the fridge? If I know what I'm cooking I buy it fresh, but I am still American and we do love to stock our shelves and fridge with items to make things in a rush and for convenience! I am learning and getting better and do try to go to the market daily (patting myself on the back)! Didn't know the pig could be so complicated!

Okay, so if they are both cured and some/some not smoked, why do Italians eat the pancetta sliced (in the salami style) crudo and we wouldn't touch "raw" bacon in America? Thanks for the insights! Oh, and I'll look again for guanciale, but I couldn't find it last time. Is it regional?

I know it seems basic and obvious, but the term "Bacon" on the package really threw me off. Maybe it's Italian marketing the pancetta as a new and great American product...bacon slices! I'd never seen it packaged like that here before (in strips like we do in America). I guess I can go on with my life now. Thank you.

I was in the grocery store yesterday looking in the meat section for pancetta in the cubes, as I love having them available for everything. I was starting to understand the difference between all the different kinds and their uses in Italian dishes - specifically affumicata and dolce (i.e. for carbonara and amatriciana, respectively, I think!) - or at least I thought I understood. I came across a package that says "Bacon - pancetta affumicata". Now I'm confused. They look exactly like strips of bacon and since they are smoked, I know I can eat from the package. But to see "bacon" and "pancetta" in the same description confuses me - is the term bacon just used to describe the way it is cut? Can someone please explain to me the major differences between American bacon and Italian pancetta?! Thanks. Signed, A former vegetarian who was reintroduced to bacon and never looked back...

Gambero Rosso doesn't mention the times, but my Time Out Venice Guide says from noon to two, Tuesdays through Saturdays. 041 522 7220

Ciao! We are going to Bologna this weekend and while I’ve heard it’s hard to have a bad meal there (in my opinion that’s anywhere in Italy), I’d love to have your thoughts on two nights of great meals there. While I don’t mind spending a lot for dinner in Venice, for example, I don’t feel that we need two super nice dinners out in Bologna. I’ve researched a lot on this, but am curious to hear where you would dine. Grazie. Oh, and we’re planning on coming to Locanda della Tamerice at some point (we live in Italy for the time being) and am wondering if you are taking a ferie at all this winter.

Since I was just there, I'll answer some of the questions to the best of my ability. There are "two seatings", but not all at the same time. We had reservations for 9:30pm (I assume as the second seating of that table), and the table next to us had gotten there at 9pm. Two seatings refers to that there is a two table turnover, as Joe H mentioned. As for the "low" score on the wine list, I'm not an expert, but I do know that Luca had already gone through sommelier school and Bruno had one month left. We didn't look at the wine list and had them recommend a bottle of wine to compliment our initial course choices and they brought out a glass for our cheese course. I found both of them wonderful, but again, I'm not an expert. Finally, as for "traditional" food, it is not. When I was speaking with Luca and Bruno about the high number of foreign customers, they commented that it was a good thing. They feel that the use of certain ingredients (specifically the coriander and dill used in our dishes) are not only not traditional Venetian, but not Italian and some Italians do not enjoy it. Foreign palates tend to be more approving. I would say that the food itself is traditional Venetian (crabs, razor clams, sepia, etc.), but the delicate sauces are what make them so unique.

Friday night, by the recommondation of most, we tried Alle Testiere in Venice. It did not disappoint and I have to say that it was one of the best meals I've had in Italy thus far. All of the dishes were notable (moleche - soft shells, zuppa di pesce, ravioli con zucca e gamberi, tonno in salsa fragole, triglia - red mullets), but mostly the folpeti (baby octopus) with a light coriander sauce. The cheese course was also notable, as the blue cheese made with goats milk was outstanding. We met some brilliant people there and in good spirits were the last ones to leave. Luca and Bruno (as well as the rest of the staff) were absolutely incredible and when asked how I learned of the restaurant, I mentioned eGullet. I felt like I was a walking advertisement on how much I've learned about food, cooking and Italy itself and encouraged them to check it out. As I promised them, I've posted the picture and hopefully they'll come on and join the cult, as I feel as though I could learn a lot from them (wines!) and they could learn a lot here.

Ciao! I have only been in Italy for eight months and am fortunate to live on the coast with easy access to incredible fresh fish. My question for you is how to make grilled calamari like the restaurants do? I have never tasted anything quite like it - such a light texture (not rubbery at all) and full of flavor with little ingredients. One restaurants told me to marinate it raw with lemon, garlic, oil and salt and freeze for two days. I tried it and it just didn't taste the way they made it. High heat and less time or low heat for longer? And the flavor wasn't even as good. I guess that's why they have a restaurant and I don't! Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Ristorante L’Ostu dij Baloss. Yes, Saluzzo is a really great town and I'm glad we planned dinner there because I'm not sure if we would've gone otherwise. I posted the menu on Salone Coverage and will add more about the Salone, but I was only there for about five hours and probably drank for two of it! Of course it was amazing and I'll write up something about the different things we tried.

I participated in one of the Slow Food sponsored dinners in Saluzzo (about thirty minutes south of Torino) at L'Ostu dij Baloss. A fun, good, long meal. The menu was as follows (those fluent in Italian feel free to correct my attempt to simplify and translate in English...I'm still learning!): Ristorante L’Ostu dij Baloss, Saluzzo Chef Davide Testa I Cibi Frittura di tinca gobba dorata di Ceresole (fried dorato) Girello di fassone piemontese (Presidio Slow Food), marinato al sale con crema di tomino di Melle al pepe (raw round of beef with a thick creamy cheese sauce…honestly, in a good way, tasted like black peppercorn salad dressing) Tonno di gallina Binaca di Saluzzo (Presidio Slow Food) su cerdure d’autounno con zabaione al rafano (tender shredded pieces of hen with boiled turnip, beet, fennel in a white sauce) Ravioli di coniglio grigio di Carmagnola (Presidio Slow Food) con il suo tistretto al rosmarino (incredible grilled rabbit in ravioli in it’s own light sauce with rosemary) Agnello Sambucano in tre cotture (lamb braised, grilled and roasted) Castagnaccio con “martin sec” al vino rosso (dense chestnut cake with baby pears poached in wine) I Vini – Castello di Ama, Gaiole in Chianti Al Poggio Cahrdonnay 2003 Chianti Classico Castello di Ama 1999 Chianti Classico Bellavista 1997 Chianit Classico La Casuccia 1995 Vigna L’Apparita Merlot 1993 Chianti Classico Castello di Ama 2002 A photo of the end of the night... http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/10992750..._1099317656.jpg edited to correct "lamp" to "lamb". yeah, well my mother tongue isn't great either!

I zoomed in on my picture and it looks like 480 grams. This was just a regular table set up on the packed street during the festival. I am no expert on this "bank breaker" and have no clue what quality it was. I just know that we had to walk around a lot before we drove home because we were absolutely stuffed. Ah, the pleasures of a Sunday lunch in Italy! I also went to Salone del Gusto for one day and a sponsored dinner in Saluzzo the following night. I don't have any pictures, but will post the menu if anyone is interested in that type of thing.

Coming out of lurker status, I figured I'd post some pictures of the truffles I recently had in Alba. First time experience and inspired by all of you...thanks. The shavings were more than the actual meal itself... http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/10992750..._1099307316.jpg But oh, so yummy... http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/10992750..._1099307261.jpg The big one was 2700 euro. I understand the rarity of these, but still can't get over the price! http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/10992750..._1099307417.jpg A great lunch.