Life on the Farm....

A couple of weeks ago I went on a field trip for my Food History class. We were taking to a "slow food" farm out in the country side.

This farm was absolutely organic. They made wine, honey, various breads, meats and different fruits and vegetables.

While at the farm we learned about all the animals that were raised there. They believe that the animal should live a great life and not have to suffer in order to be eaten. These animals had a luxurious way of living. They were able to run around in the fields of Tuscany and live with their families until it was time for them to go. The animals included pigs and cows.

Touring the farm and the wine cellars we were able to taste the experience we just had. We had a tasting of 4 different wines. Their fine olive oil, pancetta (bacon), salami, tomatoes and honey, all on their fresh made bread. It was absolutely delicious.

After going to the farm we were taken to a typical "slow food" restaurant.

Background: Slow Food is an organization promoting the production of a slower way to eat. It is the total opposite of fast food. They want to promote the way of cooking at a slow pace and from all organic and healthy raised animals, fruits and vegetables.

This food was amazing. I have never tasted anything like it. We first had an antipasti (appetizer) of various meats and pates to put on bread, for the primi piatti (first plate) we had penne with a meat sauce, and for dolce (dessert) we had apple crumble made with fresh apples, raisins and pie crust.

Little Piggy's

Yummy Pancetta and Salami

Red Wine All Around!

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Oktoberfest: Betcha can't have just one beer....

This past weekend I ventured north to Germany for the one and only Oktoberfest. It was held in Munich and it was absolutely amazing.

The adventure went a little like this....

Thursday night we started off with some predeparture cocktails, which was possibly the best idea ever because we had a 9 hour bus ride a head of us. So we leave Florence around 11:30 p.m. I slept the ENTIRE way to Munich.

After arriving in Germany around 9 in the morning we went and settled in at our hostel and got ready for what was a head of us that day.

I don't think any of us really knew what we had gotten ourselves into. We finally got to Oktoberfest and the first thing we did was go to a beer tent, possibly the biggest one called Hofbrauhaus (HB). This one, according to our tour guide, is known to be the one where all the foreigners go for beer and a good time.

Each tent (a total of 10) has only one type of beer, being their own beer because each tent represents famous breweries in Germany.

In the HB tent we quickly found a table. We were there from about 10:30 till 2:00 hanging out and drinking beer. I am usually not a beer drinker but since I was there I had to try it. You were able to get a half beer and half lemonade which was actually quite good. I ended up drinking two beers each being one liter. After two beers I was definitely in my happy place. The beers themselves were 10 euro, but so worth it.

In the tent it was absolute craziness. Beer mugs clinking everywhere, a million different languages being spoken, drinking songs being sung, people standing on the tables and chugging while everyone would cheer them on, and of course there was not a soul who was having a bad time.

I really wish I could have bought an outfit to wear there. Everyone was dressed up. The girls would wear a Dirndl which is a dress that the German girls wear, the guys would wear lederhosen which are leather trousers, and everyone would have a Gingerbread hanging around their neck (also called a Lebkuchen) shaped like a heart with different sayings on them. I did buy a Gingerbread that said Oktoberfest and wore it around for a while.

I also had some of the best food there. I was able to have a bratwurst which they usually put on a hoagie roll, corn on the cob, crepes with nutella, and their potatoes were delicious. I was amazed at how good the food was. Definitely different than Italy, but reminded me more of home.

After our first day there we were extremely tired and ended up sleeping in the next day and then going back to Oktoberfest at night. This was the last weekend of Beerfest and so Saturday and Sunday are generally a lot busier. We were not able to get into a tent again, especially in the evening because people have reservations for lunch and dinner. At night it was beautiful. It is basically a huge carnival with rides and game booths and lights. I felt like a little kid. I was able to ride the Farris wheel and look down on the thousands of people that were attending Oktoberfest that evening. We ended up later being able to get into one of the beer gardens (which is like an outside tent) of the HB tent and met up with some people we had met from the day before. That is where I ended up getting my most prized souvenir, an HB beer mug. Let's just say I'm glad I brought my backpack :]

On our last day there, we got up early and headed to Dachau where the first concentration camp of Germany was. This camp was the first of all of the camps in Europe. It started as a prisoner camp for people who threatened the government when Hitler became chancellor.

This day had to have been the most eery day. When we got off the train in Dachau it was very foggy and dreary. We arrived at the camp and started walking around and it was just very creepy. I have been to a holocaust museum and it really doesn't compare to seeing some of the real things that went on there. We were able to go into a barrack where they slept, walk through a gas chamber and see the brick crematories where the dead bodies were burned. It was a very moving experience and definitely one of the things I have always wanted to do in my life. I have always been interest in the Holocaust and just trying to understand how anything like that could happen and this by far taught me a lot more than I had ever known.

So my trip to Germany was a complete success. I really did love it there and hope to go back again some day!

BEERS ALL AROUND!

Me with my cookie :]

Best Picture Ever

Great weekend!

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Pizza Making at it's Finest....

This post is long over due!!!

A couple of weeks ago I attended a pizza making class and it was so much fun.

We weren't able to actually make the dough to the pizza or the sauce but we were able to add any toppings they had and put our own pizza's in the oven and take them out.

We started with a small piece of dough and we formed the circle ourselves and hand tossed the dough (see video :]).

Then we spread some tomato sauce on top and got to pick from various toppings. I put extra cheese, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and olives.

The pizza only took about 2 minutes to cook in the brick oven that was provided.

It was the best pizza I have ever had, and to think that I was the one that made it!!

Hand Tossed Pizza :]

The Product!



Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Milano: Fashion Week.

Milan was the highlight of this past weekend and it wasn't necessarily what we all expected.

We took a trip for the day with a local student travel agency. We first got on the bus and didn't realize how long the ride was going to be. A total of 4 hours to get to Milan. When it is supposed to be about 3. We finally get to Milan and the first thing we do is go to the Duomo of Milan. Half of us were not allowed to go inside because you have to be covered up (In Italy if you are going into a sacred holy monument then you have to have your knees and shoulders covered up to enter.). Normally the church will give you something to put over yourself so you can go in, but this one did not. So we didn't even get to go inside.

After that we got to go into the Galleria which is considered the worlds oldest shopping mall. Has a giant glass dome ceiling connected to long rectangular ceilings made of glass as well, all leading to four arch openings. It was beautiful and had a lot of high end fashion stores inside.

We then were able to break for lunch and this is where the fun begins...

We ate lunch after we searched for about 30 minutes to find a place so that we could be quick and go shopping. I had the best gnocchi ever. It was so rich, but such a heavy pasta. It is a pasta made out of potatoes. After lunch we tried to do some shopping with what little time we had left. It was very hard to squeeze in what we wanted to do at this time.

Then we were taken to see one of the public fashion shows. These shows are normally for some of the less known designers. It was actually kind of cool, for a 15 minute show.

Shopping was a fail, so we met back up with the group and followed the tour guide to the street with all of the high end fashion designers such as, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, and many many more. It was great, except for the fact that we were not allowed to stop inside to look. We had to keep walking.

Along this walk we found out from one of the other girls something very surprising. Our tour guides for the day were not supposed to be our tour guides. A professor from the fashion school in Florence was bringing his students to Milan to learn about fashion business and they were just a long for the ride on our bus. We then found out that our tour guides (the ones we paid for) never showed up that morning. At this point we are a little perturbed.

This whole time we had been following an itinerary of a teacher instead of the one that we were given. We did think it was very strange when we did not stop in Milan's Little Venice on the way back for gelato and crepes.

Aside from that, the bus ride home took about 5 hours, with a stop at "rest area" for the best food in town. NOT. It was fast food, and I can get that at home.

Other than all that, I definitely enjoyed the company of my roommates and the little adventure we can tell our kids someday. All I know is, I will now go back to Milan on my own time.

Goofing off on the "rodeo drive" of Milan

Nennette fashion cat walk


Best Gnocchi ever.

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Cultural Differences....

I had been waiting to put off this post till the very end, but something very interesting inspired me.....

Outside across the street from my apartment is a community center with two soccer fields. Today as I was looking out my window I saw a ton of children running around and playing on the fields. There is no playground or toys or anything for them to play with. I noticed that every child had a smile on their face. Some kids had found a bouncy ball and made up a game using it, and other kids were playing a little game of soccer. The joy that was on these kids faces was so inspiring.

In America, children need something to occupy them. Especially technology.

Technology here isn't a big factor. I have noticed that I myself have paid more with cash than with a card here because no one uses debit or credit cards here. The Internet is not something they need to have. I feel like it is a luxury in a way. You walk everywhere. When I was walking home the other day I was paying attention to the cars parked a long my street, and not one of them was an automatic.

Last night when we went to dinner, we were treated like princesses. My roommate had been to this restaurant before and knew a couple of the waiters. We got our meal and we waited around a while, but while we waited they gave us a little bottle of free wine, a glass of Limoncello (which is a sweet lemon liquor, usually for an after dinner drink that you just sip on), and a drink at the bar when we left. I also took into account that Americans really do rush their meals. We waited around for a while after we had asked for the check three times, but that made me realize that we need to start enjoying the company we have and the time that we are given. Italians like to sit and just enjoy the food and the company around them.

At lunch time the other day, I walked to a cafe around the corner from my school to do some homework and have a panino while I was on break. I had an hour and a half. I sat down and ordered only expecting to be there for about 30 minutes. I was getting frustrated because when I was finished they didn't come over to ask if I wanted the check or anything. I now realize that you need to ask them. In America, people are so rushed. At restaurants they want to get you out of there as quickly as possible so that they can have the next customers come in and sit down.

For dinner, people tend to eat really late here. Sometimes we will go to dinner and they will start closing and right when we walk up they will tell us they are still open just to have the business. I have never seen that in America. It is hard here because you never know the hours of their businesses. From the hours of 1-3 a lot of businesses are closed for lunch and before and after those hours restaurants or cafes are not really busy because no one eats at that time.

In my Italian class yesterday, we got to have a conversation with two students from the University of Florence. I found out that they do not like to really go out to "clubs" or "bars". They like to spend time with their friends at a pub or a cafe. The perception of "getting wasted" to them is all an American thing. In Italy no one drinks to get drunk, they drink with a meal or with company and know when to stop. For how many times I have been out I have never seen an Italian drunk.

It's also really funny to hear American music all over the place. It is probably a couple of months older, but it is everywhere. They love American music. Which is great for us because we get to hear it in the bars and clubs when we go out.

I've noticed as well that because Florence is very touristy, every business you go to they will try and speak English to help you out. I feel terrible because they should not have to accommodate to us, we should be accommodating to them because this is their country not ours. I love the culture here and the language is beautiful, I did not come here to be a part of an "Italian-American" experience.

I will say that this city reminds me of the quieter parts of New York City. When it is calm it is calm, but there is always a restaurant or bakery or even your favorite store around the corner. People coming out of all different corners, from their houses. Gelaterias are how Starbucks is in the United States, they are literally on every corner.

Italians take a lot of pride in their food and culture, that is why it is so rich.

I am happy to say that I enjoy the differences. I think going back to the States may be a little difficult in the sense that the food will be so different to me, the people, and the lifestyle. I want to be able to take all these cultural differences and apply them to my own life.

I will be sharing more because I still have a few months to go, and I'm sure I will be experiences more of these cultural differences....

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Siena, San Gimignano, e the Duomo....

So this past weekend was a little relaxing one. Didn't do too much, except go to Siena and San Gimignano. They were beautiful. Not exactly what I expeceted but it is always fun to explore other areas of Italy and Tuscany.

In Siena we were able to venture to the Piazza del Campo which is a large plazza that there town hall is located. In July and August they have a huge horse race there which is extremely famous. I would love to go to that one day. After that we went to Siena's Duomo and climbed to the top and got too over look the whole town. It was breathtaking.

In San Gimignano we all were so tired because we did a lot of walking in Siena. So we went close and went to the central piazza and was able to have, yes, WORLD CHAMPION GELATO. It was delicious. I have never had gelato like it since I have been here. I wish I could go back and get some more. The town itself was really cool. It was very small and totally felt like you were in the middle ages. There were towers everywhere and the buildings were beautiful.

On Saturday I took an adventure with one of my roommates to Ikea. So interesting to see one in Italy, but none the less still amazing and I got a few things to liven up my apartment.

Today after all of my classes I got a chance to climb the Duomo in Florence. 463 steps later and I almost died. I think I have something wrong with my breathing because I was definitely weezing once I got up there. It was actually cold out today so I had a jacket on and it was extremely windy on top of the Duomo. It reminded me of the Empire State Building....with a better view (no offense New Yorkers).

As of now I am planning some more day trips and weekend trips with my roommates so look forward to some very exciting upcoming events....Oh you know like Milan this weekend for fashion week!

World Famous Gelato. I wasn't lying.

Me on top of the Duomo, such a happy camper after that hike.

Piazza del Campo in Siena.

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn

Trip to the market...

As I said before I am taking a History and Culture of Food class. Yesterday we took a little field trip to the central market in Florence. This market has absolutely everything you could possibly need for your cooking pleasures. Spices, meats, various cheeses, freshly made pasta and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. People reading from home (Florida) it was like a Red Barn flea market but all with food. I will definitely be making a trip back to do some shopping so I can cook with some fresh foods.

I have been doing quite a bit of cooking since eating out every night is not really ideal. A couple of nights ago I experimented with some chicken, zucchini and a tomato basil sauce. I salt and peppered the chicken then sauteed it in some butter to have a grilled chicken breast. Then I sauteed the zucchini and then added the tomato sauce with it to simmer it a little longer. The sauce was then put over a penne pasta. Along with that I cut some Italian bread and it was delicious. A big thing here to do with bread is to dip it in olive oil and red vinegar. Bellissimo.

A lot of you may know that I really enjoy cooking and I love trying to make new things and learning how to make new things.

A few of my goals while I am here:

-Learn to make fresh pasta

-Be able to make my own fresh sauces for pasta

-Learn how to make a pizza

-try something different every time I go out to eat

-Learn to make a delicious Italian dessert

Below are some pictures from the central market......Enjoy

Freshly made pasta
Fresh vegetables
Fresh breads

and yes, they sell this so you can cook it and eat it!

Ciao!

Chelsea Lynn