Kürtőskalács: Can't pronounce it, but I sure can eat it

Do whatever you have to in order to figure out how to say it, but Kürtőskalác is hands down one of the more delicious desserty foods I have experienced in my time abroad. This sweet treat comes from Budapest, Hungary, and is the traditional cake served at Hungarian weddings. There were no weddings I went to, but I was told by a very reliable source that despite the lack of occasion, I needed to try a Kürtőskalác. The process to make it is very simple: Roll some dough thin, slice it into thin stripes, then wrap them each around a roller and bake it. Afterwards it is rolled in your topping of choice (cinnamon...duh) and voila! Check the pictures below for the process. I had three over the course of my three days in Budapest (not by myself of course), although I had thought twice about sharing. They were outrageously cheap as well, with the conversion working out to just around 1.50 euro per roll. The fact that this delicacy is quick to make, easy to make, cheap to buy, and incredibly enjoyable to eat makes Kürtőskalác something I may return to Hungary for. My goodness. Wow. Just thinking about it makes me salivate.

Pollo, pasta, and...pegetables: A well rounded home cooked meal

I decided to take it upon myself this week to finally roll up my sleeves and do a bit of work for dinner. I went to the store and contemplated what various items would go together to make a hearty, yet nutritious meal. I have been eating in Italy for a while, so I knew that a starchy carb component was necessary...pasta check. I also wanted some protein to go nicely with the pecorino sauce that I made (purchased) with it, so chicken became that piece of the puzzle. Finally, I wanted to add a little extra pizzaz to the otherwise straightforward dinner approach, so I bought some zucchini and peppers to cook on the side. The prep time was not too long and the cooking wasn't too strenuous (although cooking all three portions at the same time on a stove barely bigger than the pots on it was a tad trying). After about 30 minutes, all of the puzzle pieces came together for a really nice, full meal. The different aspects, although majorly different from one another, all melded very well together on the palette and to be a bit cocky, I was quite impressed. I am thrilled to have succeeded in this endeavor and hope that I can carry this desire to cook full meals back to the states and make my family a nice, hardy meal.

Pizza Forte: Pizza to rival deep dish

As a Chicago native, one would assume that I am loyal to my hometown and its customs. One of those many customs is that of preparing pizza with a thick crust and often many ingredients. This is known as deep dish. My loyalty was challenged recently on a trip to the Cilento region, when in the town of Salerno I ate a pizza called pizza forte. The pizza was a polar opposite to the pie-style that I've come to love so much; however, this pizza gave even my favorite deep dishes a run for their money. It was topped with spicy salami, grilled peppers, chilis, basil, and a few sprinkles of parmesan. It was simple, but the execution was flawless and it was easily the best pizza I've had in my time abroad. Each bite was savored more than the last until the last one entered my mouth and i shed a single tear. Salerno, residing in Southern Italy is known for its quality ingredients (especially peppers) and of course the wood-burning oven gave the pizza it's signature crunch and texture. All in all I can say that I was surprised in the best way with this pizza, and that I hope to encounter it at some point or another again.

Bo de B: The best sandwich in the world

The title is not just hyperbole. I am a firm believer that the sandwich I bought (twice) at the Barcelona eatery Bo de B is barnone the best sandwich in the world. We were taken there by the study abroad students that we met up with when we arrived. They told us that it had become an instant staple for them and that it would be a crime not to get a sandwich from there. I agree fully with that statement. I ordered their chicken sandwich with everything. This means they filled a sandwich baguette to the brim with marinated chicken and then put all of the ingredients on top. It wasn't drastically different than other sandwiches I had gotten, but the quality and combination of fresh ingredients put Bo de B far above the rest. I liked it so much that I went back again on day two for another. It goes against what many believe Spanish food is, but in my time there it adhered strongly to two qualities of Spanish food that are not to be taken likely: high caliber and delicious. I hope to return to Barcelona for its beautiful weather, its majestic beaches, but mostly for Bo de B.

Risotto and Rigatoni Carbonara: FROM SCRATCH

You read that correctly. For my Food and Culture class, we have an instructor named Christina who is the head chef of a place called Glass Ristorante known for its amazing food and atmosphere. For our first lesson she taught us how to make Risotto the Italian way. I must admit, cooking is a lot easier than it seems as long as you have the confidence to do it. The Risotto way good, but I made the mistake of adding a little too much Gorgonzola cheese.

Afterwards we learned how to make Carbonara sauce which is particularly simple and incredibly delicious. I have yet to order it at a restaurant for fear that I can simply make it now much better than they can.

Tavuklu Pide: Turkish food in London-town

For one of our last meals in London my trip mates and I stopped into a restaurant called Tas Pide. We didn't really know what to expect, as none of us had ever been to a Turkish restaurant before, yet it's entry was covered in stickers displaying its critically acclaimed status. We figured we didn't have much to lose. It turned out to be quite thematic; everything from the tables to the pitchers had a Mediterranean feel to it. We ordered our meals based off of mainly pictures, and hoped for the best. As it turns out, we got what we hoped for. The dish was minced chicken and other select veggies minced finely and served in a dish of turkish-style dough or bread called Pide. It was totally out of the norm presentation, yet the taste was remarkable.

Chicken, Charleston pepper, red pepper, tomato puree, cheddar cheese & dried red basil

I would recommend this place to anyone travelling to London on a budget. Not only was the food They also gave us free soup, bread, and water; something that we Italy-dwellers are not accustomed to without a price.

Bewley's Goat Cheese Sandwich: An unexpected surprise

All I've heard from everyone who has ever been to Ireland was that the food there is utterly horrendous. From what I experienced, Dublin had a phenomenal food scene...at least for me. Our first night there we had a smorgasbord of food from a bar called O'Neill's. It was good, but the next morning was easily my favorite meal I had during Spring Break. I had a Goat's Cheese sandwich with rocket (salad), roasted red peppers, and a tomato pesto sauce. It was amazing and despite what everyone had told previous about Irish food. It could be that we ate at one of Ireland's oldest establishments on Grafton St. but it was truly a meal beyond contention. Dublin proved to be one of my favorite cities in part because of the meals. I cannot wait to go back and enjoy one of my favorite sandwiches ever yet again at Bewley's in Dublin.

Gnocchi Pesto: Dreams do come true

What happens when you take the best type of pasta that exists and combine that with the best pasta sauce there is? The answer my dear friends is to your left. That is the image of a perfect Gnocchi Pesto I ordered in Venice. I understand that Venice is the seafood capital of Italy, but some exceptions must be made. This was ordered as my first meal and boy did it satisfy. Biting into gnocchi feels like pushing down on a pillow with your teeth; nothing short of heavenly. The pesto held up its own as well. It was creamy and bold, but not overpoweringly filled with basil. Overall I couldn't have expected more from it. I would go on to have fish courses later on, but my vice took control of me in this instance and I'm glad it did.

Pastries: Boy do I love pastries

This little photo was taken after a dinner a group of us Americans had with a bunch of Italian students from a Rome university. We were walking home after the stuffing meal that was pizza and beer (clearly) when we were whisked into a little pastry shop south of Trastevere. They told us we could get croissants here with kinderbars inside, so naturally we didn't put up a fight. We looked up and down the windows of pastries and while I, among most of us, set ourselves on the kinderbar-croissant hybrid, the store was filled with other treats that were screaming to be eaten. We left most of the pastry shop unscathed, but we promised to come back and do some damage the next time. I can assure you there will be a next time.

Le Deu' Falafel: Parisians do Israeli food right

So my trip to Paris was filled with great food...just not your typical french cuisine. I was directed to the Jewish Ghetto of Paris by friends of mine who were studying there. They told me it was the home to the best falafel in the world. Naturally, I was skeptical (as a self-proclaimed falafel connoisseur) so I had to go and try them myself. We waited in a long line out the door where a very obvious Israeli man took my order and got me on my way in under 15 seconds. I got to the front window where the staff were doing parlor tricks, flipping the falafel in the air and catching them in the pita. They fill the pocket with all the goodies and gave it right to me fresh. I must admit, it put other falafel, even some from Israel, to shame.

It was moist yet full of flavor. I ruined my appetite for dinner at a nice restaurant to enjoy the love I received from this sandwich. As you can tell from the picture it was quite a delicious snack.

Pizza con Ricotta e Spinaci: Sweltering heat makes a pizza complete

This pizza came from Pizzeria di Nonno Mede, a recommendation from our Food and Culture instructor Federico. It was truly a great choice, and the view could not be competed with, looking over a horizon of tuscan residences. The only thing that trumped the scenery was the pizza. Covered with spinach leaves and clumps of fresh ricotta, the pizza tasted like it came straight from heaven's wood oven. The crust was cooked to perfection while its thinness helped to maintain its authentic Italian feel. I would definitely see this pizza coming home with me if that were in any way possible.

Farfalle Arrabiata: Simple, but free

My first run in with a typical "bowtie" dish as I thought it was called was at a restaurant called Miscellanea. We went there to watch the Super Bowl, but we were treated to much more than the game. As it turns out every Super Bowl the owner of the place, Micky, offers students like us a free dish. We graciously accepted and found ourselves with bowls of farfalle arrabiata. I had tried arrabiata sauce yet, but it looked delicious enough. The noodles were cooked al dente as we would come to expect and the sauce was homemade and fantastic. It was not our last time at Miscelllanea, although the food was never free again. I would have to say that the dish was one of the best bangs for my buck (euro) in Roma.

Onion Soup and Chicken Caesar Salad: A familiar meal "praguified"

I was getting a bit worn down by all the pizza and pasta Italy has to offer on a regular basis, so Prague was a great break. The majority of meals I had there were red meats; however, the best one bar none had to be at Nebozizek, a restaurant located on the side of Petrin Hill overlooking the whole city. Since it seemed to be out of tourist season, not many patrons were there. It was a fancy place, and the food certainly lived up to how we believed it would taste. The onion soup, although plain, was absolutely rich in flavor, and with a floating cheese in the middle it proved to be one of the better soups I had ever tried.

The caesar salad was adorned decadently with pieces of chicken and prosciutto in it with a tiny spinach-filled croissant ont he side, and was easily one of the best salads I had ever consumed. The chicken was cooked beyond perfection, and made me wish I could never stop eating it. Alas, the meal ended and I was sad, yet pleased that I had experienced such a fantastic platter.

Ravioli con Bolognese: Getting adjusted to Italy

For one of our first meals in Rome, the guys decided to put together a meal for just us, Italian style. We made ricotta and spinach Ravioli in a meat sauce with sauteed vegetables mixed in. On the side we served ourselves makeshift bruschetta, that is, crostini with tomatoes on top. Although it was a fairly simple meal, I had hoped it would give us a taste of what we would have in store for the next 4 months. It turned out to be very good. The sauce was not too strong and the bruschetta beforehand went well along with the pasta. In the end it probably could've been better, but for our first attempt at traditional Italian cuisine we could've done a lot worse.

Introduction

Welcome to Piu Piu Piu! In Italian, Piu translates to the word "More". Now you may be wondering, "Why would somebody name their food blog "More More More"? Well, I'm sure your second thought is grasping that idea; that is, in another cultural situation one cannot get enough of the novelties it has to offer, wishing to absorb it more...and more...and more for that matter. This will be a place for me to reflect in-depth on my culinary experiences, both within the confines of the city I will call home for the next 3 1/2 months (Rome) and in others I travel to across Europe and beyond. I hope to break down preconceptions I may have as well as touch on some key differences I find between the food I'm used to at home and the food I eat while abroad. Stick around and read on as I expand my horizons of taste and other elements of gastronomy through the consumption of delicious delicacies and less nutritious noshes (Yiddish for "snack")...that was for alliteration purposes.