Road Trip – Strasbourg, France

G and I spent Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

Many of you may already know that Strasbourg is considered the Christmas capital.

And there’s good reason for this.

You see, (spoiler alert), if Santa really did exist then Strasbourg is what he’d model his North Pole after.

The best thing about Christmas in Strasbourg is the palpable holiday spirit that envelopes the place.

And the fact that it’s in France is also a plus (A+), because that means loads of wonderful French food.

G and I stopped by this cheese stand to sample their specialty dish: tartine.

The cheese monger carefully cut a hunk of cheese, assembled the tartine on a paper plate with some bread, basil and garlic, heated it in a portable oven and …

Voila! Outdoor market food the French way.

But there is more to this city than food and its famed Christmas market. There’s the Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame, considered one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe.

A section of Strasbourg known as “La Petite France” is so special it is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The European Parliament makes Strasbourg its home.

As does the European Court of Human Rights.

After so much sightseeing it was time for some French-style fortification.

A couple of drinking bowls of hot chocolate warmed us inside and out, and prepared us for the next leg of our journey.

We hope you all had a lovely holiday. We look forward to seeing you all again (here or in the U.S.) in 2013.

Arrivederci!

 

Give a Man a Fish and He Eats – Ristorante da Giovanni

Ristorante da Giovanni is so unassuming we’d missed it all these weeks, despite the fact it is next door to our favorite pizza joint!

The restaurant specializes in pesce – fish.

But first there is bread, always bread.

Our antipasti: gamberi con verdure. The “verdure” was artichoke. Buonissimo!

It was difficult to stop in time for this final shot before the dish disappeared, but my desire to share this experience with you outweighed my lustful gluttony!

Originally, we’d hoped to avoid eating more pasta. Hence, the choice of a fish restaurant. Clearly, our attempt was misguided.

Seems neither of us possesses the resolve necessary to “just say no,” especially when spaghetti alle vongole veraci (spaghetti with clams – a personal favorite) is on offer.

As many of you know, pasta is typically served as a first-course in Italy. The idea is that you order a meat or fish for your second course. Many Italians still eat this way and it is very common to order this way in restaurants. Unfortunately, G and I are usually too full to order a secondi piatti. But the table next to us…

Giovanni himself brings out the ordered fish, separates it from the bone, and divvies it up for the table. Note to self: leave room for a secondi next time.

The atmosphere in the restaurant is relaxed and friendly. No doubt, this is due to Giovanni’s easy manner with his patrons. Gestures like patting you – the men – on the back and asking you what you’d like, in addition to prepping your fish for you at the table himself, lend an easy air to the entire dining experience.

At Ristorante da Giovanni, G and I watched with envy as everyone else in the room enjoyed an antipasti, primi piatti, secondi piatti and a sorbetto afterwards! For now, it is all we can do to drink wine, eat bread, pasta and cheese, while we live vicariously through the careful consumption of the tables around us.

Arrivederci!

 

 

 

 

My Kind of Grocery Store

I give you Gastronomia Mosca, the best food store in town and it’s conveniently located (for me) at the bottom of the hill.

As soon as you walk through the front door you are greeted by an elegant display of the most delectable selections in every category.

The cheese case above is a favorite of mine.

The dairy case – the smallest case in the shop – has a nice selection of locally produced butters. But if you prefer your butter from a place like Normandy, that is available by weight at the cheese counter.

I’m tempted to pop into the shop on a daily basis as part of my rounds. It’s contents promise so many delights I have yet to discover. And they even take my American Express card, something many merchants in Italy do not do. Alas, I try hard to limit my visits as the shop is a little pricier than the local grocery store.  So, the only way I’ve found to avoid the temptations of Mosca is to practice a little abstinence.

Arrivederci!

Due Cuori – A Love Affair

In an earlier post, I briefly mentioned one of our favorite local restaurants: Due Cuori (Two Hearts). So, today I want to share a bit more about this special little place tucked inside the arcade that surrounds the piazza (below).

Anna – the proprietress – has thoughtfully filled the space with so many special touches.

Immediately upon entering the restaurant, you encounter the old scale above, (a recurring theme in this tiny little space), filled and surrounded by antique silver, crystal, white linen, local baked goods, wine and greens. All hints of what to expect.

If you think the counter above or below has a certain French bistro flair, remember, we are in Biella, near the French border. These two cultures have no doubt informed each other over the many years.

The restaurant has an understated elegance, achieved, in part, by a sense one is dining among found objects collected over the years. I believe the fantastic chandelier below illustrates this aesthetic nicely.

The most wonderful jazz music plays in the background and accompanies the very sensory experience this restaurant offers.

The backbone of every Italian meal. Bread or pane. The bread sticks above are typical in Biella. They are fatter than the bread sticks we’re accustomed to and they have a faint hint of cheese, but still very airy on the inside.

The pasta below is filled with zucca (pumpkin) and sits in a bath of melted Toma cheese. One of the cheeses produced in Biella and found in many of the local dishes here. FYI: Anna sources all her ingredients from only three local farmers.

At the end of the meal, the sting of the bill is softened by its presentation.

Arrivederci!