My Top 5 Restaurants in Florence

Although there were many delicious restaurants that I got to try out, these were my five favorites...

     5. Il Gatto e la Volpe - Such a fun atmosphere! I went here several times with many of my friends. They have a special deal for 15 Euro where you get unlimited wine, appetizers, and pasta. Perfect for college students who are studying abroad.

     4. Acqua Al Due - The setting of this restaurant was more modern than most of the others in Florence. My favorite meals included the blueberry filet mignon and strawberry risotto. Unique and worth the visit. 


3. Golden View - I discovered this restaurant when my mother and aunt were visiting. The ambiance was spectacular. We enjoyed listening to the live jazz music while gazing at the Arno and the lit-up Ponte Vecchio. The meal was pricey, but worth it. 

The cheese platter with different fruit mustards was one of the best appetizers that I have ever had in my life.

     2. La Giostra - This restaurant, owned by the Princes of Hapsburg, had a warm and romantic setting. My favorite meal was undoubtedly the Pear Ravioli. Taste it, and you will understand. Definitely my favorite pasta dish in Florence. 

     1. Il Teatro - My second home. My absolute favorite place to eat. I seriously ate here at least once a week. It is very inexpensive, but the quality of the food was amazing and the service was outstanding. The sweet woman who owned the restaurant, Mirella, constantly made sure that our food exceeded our expectations and she frequently brought over complimentary dessert, which was always a nice addition. They had an appetizer (we called it the tuscan cutting board) which had prosciutto, fried dough balls, and burrata cheese... I still dream about it! The pasta dishes were very affordable at around 7 Euro and were so fresh. 

My friends and I with the fabulous owner.

Interesting Food Discoveries in Berlin

My brother Matt and I spent two full days exploring the city of Berlin, Germany. We tasted more traditional German foods, such as pretzels, bratwurst, pork knuckle, and gulasch soup from various stands and restaurants. However, on the day of our departure, we tried some more modern German food.

We found ourselves in a time crunch (what else is new) at Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Our train to Prague was leaving in about 30 minutes, so unfortunately we did not have time to try out another German restaurant. So, we had to resort to fast food. I can honestly say that this was the only time during my whole study abroad experience that I bought fast food. Hey, at least it wasn’t McDonalds....

Matt noticed a tiny shop with a sign that read ‘Currywurst’. He recognized the name from a History Channel show and suggested that we try it. I previously never tasted curry, so this was a completely new option for me.

The sausages were boiled then fried and sliced into inch thick bites. They were basically hot dogs smothered in a curry ketchup and they were surprisingly delicious. I chose to add a layer of fried onions and jalapenos below the thick layer of red goodness. I also got a side of creamy potato salad that refreshed my palate from the kick of curry and jalapenos. 

We also sampled Schnitzel Hawaii from a fast food stand. The thinly sliced veal was deep fried and topped with broiled pineapple, ham, and havarti cheese. It was not my personal favorite, but I also do not have a liking for warm pineapple.

After munching on some unique combinations of spices and fruit, I then naturally craved dessert. We walked by Kamps bakery and I eyed down a crumbly, gooey, cookie looking treat. I discovered that this mystery baked good was known as streuseltaler. This one in particular was about the size of a slice of pizza.

It was a thin layer of doughy, moist yellow cake that was topped with streusel, which is reminiscent of the crumbles from an American coffee cake. The whole treat was then covered with a sticky white icing glaze. For once in my life, I did not finish this dessert in one sitting because of it’s extreme abundance of sugar. This is a dessert that I’ve searched for back home in Philadelphia, but still have not had success in finding it. One day I will attempt to re-create this yummy treat.

Have you ever tried any of these German foods?

Beer, Brezeln, and Brats in Berlin

My brother Matt and I landed in Berlin after a quick 45 minute flight from Munich. Four salty German pretzels, a few Advils, two massive bottles of water, and a brief 30 minute power nap was a necessary start to the long day ahead of us. It was only 6 am and we had about an hour of sleep from the night before, so we relied on pure adrenaline while touring this new city. 

Here's some evidence that you learn to nap anywhere while traveling.

When I tell people that I studied abroad in Europe, they constantly bring up how jealous they are that I was able to eat homemade pasta from Italy and fluffy crepes from France. Germany is not typically brought up... It is not usually thought of as a country with rich culinary delights... yet I personally have a strong affinity for the cuisine. I mean, I guess it makes sense as I am an avid sausage and pretzel lover.

       During the day, we stumbled upon a quaint winter carnival at Potsdamer Platz. There was an open air ice skating rink and Europe’s largest mobile ice track in the middle of a modern public square. 


Wooden tents housing traditional German delicacies lined the intersection. It was early November and there was a strong bite in the air, so I immediately went for a steaming mug of hot chocolate to help defrost my frozen bones. We sampled more pretzels (naturally), apple strudels, crunchy, sugar-coated beer nuts, and bratwurst. 

After taking a much needed nap and warming up from the 20 degree weather, Matt and I trekked to Alexanderplatz for some dinner at Brauerei Marcus Bräu. A male worker from our hostel recommended the brewery for it’s well-known pork knuckle. Matt was the adventurous one and ordered this German classic. The pork knuckle was roasted in a dark beer sauce and formed a crispy skin, known as “crackling”. It tasted like a hard and unpleasantly chewy piece of bacon. I gnawed at the skin incessantly until my jaw was sore. Somehow, my brother seemed to enjoy it.

I kept it more simple and ordered gulasch soup. This particular version had tender meat and soft peppers and onions in a brown broth that had an underlying taste of hops and paprika. I also order käsebrot. Based on my prior knowledge of the German vocabulary, I assumed that this meant “cheese bread”. Instead, it was a strange medley of raw onions, cucumbers, olives, goat cheese, bleu cheese, butter, and lard. Unfortunately, I did not realize that the congealed, dense white slab was, in fact, lard until after I spooned a heaping tablespoon into my mouth. Lesson learned.

Back to Munich!

After wandering the magical streets of Amsterdam and Paris and staying a few short days (spending our time primarily gorging on pasta) in my study abroad home base, Florence, my brother Matt and I traveled to our homeland - DEUTSCHLAND. Throughout our whole lives, we fantasized about going to Germany together and celebrating our native roots. I was excited to go back to Munich and show my brother the city and the cuisine, especially after my successful weekend at Oktoberfest. Matt took the role as tour guide in Paris, but it was now my turn to utilize my somewhat extensive German vocabulary and attempt to navigate the country.

We explored the German countryside to the South of Munich and hiked in the Alps where the picturesque Neuschwanstein castle - the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s fortress - hides. Oftentimes in high school, I sat at my sturdy, uncomfortable desk in AP German and gazed at the shiny poster of this majestic castle, instead of listening to the harsh jumble of words spurting out of Frau Stile's mouth. I hoped that one day I would be able to see this beauty with my own eyes. Though a dense layer of fog masked most of the castle, it's scarlet brick facade still bursted through the hazy white blanket. Matt and I ate käse breze and drank Glühwein at the foot of the castle. The cheesy pretzels and hot mulled wine were comforting in the chilly, gloomy weather. 

Later that evening, I brought Matt to the original Hofbräuhaus, which was founded in 1589. I introduced him to my favorite foods from Oktoberfest - juicy bavarian roast chicken with homemade potato salad and spaetzle noodles with grated cheese and crispy onions.

Matt also ordered traditional German weisswurst. The whitish gray sausages were floating in a porcelain pot filled with lukewarm water. Though the presentation was not the most elegant, the smooth, delicate sausages were surprisingly delicious, particularly when paired with the sweet, grainy, brown mustard. 

Ein Maß turned into many..... 75 Euros and five hours later, I found myself dragging my brother out of a circle of dancing Germans to catch our 5 am flight to Berlin.

To be continued....

Snowy Days in Philadelphia

I woke up this morning to the awaited text from St. Joseph's University, declaring that classes were officially cancelled. As I laid cozy in my bed, I brainstormed ideas of what I could do on this snow day. Typically, I spend hours on Pinterest, drooling over recipes that I will most likely never make, and dreaming of exotic places that I hope one day I will explore. I decided combine these common searching habits and create a list of my future culinary adventures. It is invigorating to think about the massive world and how it is brimming with endless possibilities of gastronomic delight. 

I started with an accessible location: Maine. Well, also because this cold and snowy Philadelphia weather has got me craving fresh summer seafood more than anything. I have been talking about visiting Acadia National Park for over a year now, so I researched some food joints that I could stop at along the way. Portland popped first into my mind and after searching for some time, I realized that it would be in my best interest to stay there for a week... at least. However, the restaurant Hugo’s seemed like the perfect starting place for me. The offering of different local fish intrigued me, but the description of the homey peanut butter cup reeled me in. I am completely and utterly obsessed with peanut butter.

After spending some time in Portland, I would continue up Route 1 and experience the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland. There was a decent span in my life, between the ages of 13 and 18, where all festivals seemed unappealing and boring. Now, going to food festivals is one of my favorite things to do. Moreover, I still have yet to taste a succulent lobster roll, so stopping in Rockland is a definite necessity. 

It's going to be hard to make it through these next six months. I guess I will just have to imagine myself enjoying a buttery lobster-filled roll in the sticky, salty Maine breeze, when in reality, I am cooped up in snowy Philadelphia, slurping on canned chicken noodle soup.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last year I spent my Thanksgiving with friends from St. Joseph's, new acquaintances from Florence, and eight of my best friends from high school. Though I was definitely missing my family, we had such a memorable time. We cooked a traditional Thanksgiving meal with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, but replaced the turkey with rotisserie chicken... we made it work and it wound up being delicious.

I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to study abroad and was beyond thankful for all of the amazing places that I was able to explore. I felt blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by so many incredible friends in the most beautiful city.

Bonjour Paris!

Adventures with Matty Part II

     After spending some time exploring the canals of Amsterdam, Matt and I took a train to Paris. The vibe instantly changed and I could immediately feel the energy of the city. It was everything I had expected, and more. Paris was truly magical. 

     My brother lived in Paris for a few months, so he knew exactly what to show me. I would have been lost without him. We had chicken and cheese crepes and then ones packed with nutella as we gazed at the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. We climbed to the top and took in the breathtaking view of the city. I did not realize how massive it was and I wish I was able to experience all of the districts and their own unique nuances. For the rest of the night, Matt guided me around and we hopped on and off the metro. The metro line was almost like another city underground. Everyone was moving so quickly without saying a word. It was fascinating to hear all of the different languages and to notice the diversity of the city. Ultimately, we saw the Arc de Triomphe, walked along the Champs-Elysees, passed the Hotel De Ville, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, Fontaine Saint-Michel, and the hip Latin quarter. I could not believe how much we accomplished in only a few hours. 

We woke up early Saturday morning and got a Pain au Chocolat and a savory quiche from a local Boulangerie. The city felt endless and we walked for miles, passing so many famous landmarks along the way. We stopped at Chateau Gregorie for lunch and we sampled some fondue. We had steak with an onion sauce, herb aioli, and a creamy red mayo and another with different cheeses. As Philadelphia natives, we naturally made mini-cheesesteaks. We also had stretchy French onion soup and paired our meal with a sweet, fruity, and refreshing white wine. We finished the meal with a quintessential creme brulee. 

The Parisians know how to do it right. 

 

We spent the rest of the day wandering around Paris and worked up an appetite once again. It took us a long time to find the perfect restaurant, but when we saw the sign “cozy and jazzy”, we knew it was the one. At Les Pre aux Clerks we had fresh French bread, a salad with salmon, poached eggs, and avocados, and Ratatouille. The atmosphere was quaint and was exactly what we wanted.

After spending our last day in the extravagant Versailles, we sampled many macaroons: my favorite dessert. We shortly arrived back in Florence and we were headed to Munich, Berlin, Prague, and Milan at the end of the week.