HM Queen Elizabeth celebrates sixty glorious years on the throne of England next month, and we are all so very excited to be a part of this historic and momentous event.

For many of us, we have known her for all of our lives. The young Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen in Westminster Abbey on June 2nd 1953, one year before my birth. So she has always figured in my life - a "constant" in this ever changing, rapidly developing world that we live in. From my very earliest memories, I have always been fascinated by her enigmatic personality and faultless dedication to duty. We are all so very, very proud of her.

For those of us lucky enough to live in Great Britain, we can look forward to a host of celebrations planned to take place over the extended national holiday weekend of 2nd to 5th June. Details of all the events can be found at the official website of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebration.

So for my tribute to mark this remarkable occasion, I would like to share with you twenty amazing facts about Her Majesty that you may not be aware of. This will then be followed first by the original very famous recipe created by chef Rosemary Hume, for the Queen's coronation banquet in 1953 - Coronation Chicken. Then in case you would like a simpler and quicker recipe, that will be followed by "the cheat's version" by Felicity Cloake, food journalist of The Guardian newspaper.

TWENTY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II

1. Queen Victoria was the last and to date the only British Monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.

The current Queen, who was aged 85 on Accession Day in 2012, is the oldest monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. Queen Victoria was 77 when she celebrated hers in 1897.

2.The Queen is the second longest serving monarch. Only five other kings and queens in British history have reigned for 50 years or more. They are:

Victoria (63 years)
George III (59 years)
Henry III (56 years)
Edward III (50 years)
James VI of Scotland (James I of England) (58 years)

3. Over the reign, Her Majesty has given regular audiences to 12 Prime Ministers. They are:

Winston Churchill 1951-55
Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57
Harold Macmillan 1957-63
Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64
Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76
Edward Heath 1970-74
James Callaghan 1976-79
Margaret Thatcher 1979-90
John Major 1990-97
Tony Blair 1997-2007
Gordon Brown 2007-2010
David Cameron 2010 - present

4. The Queen has answered around three and a half million items of correspondence.

5. Unusual live gifts given to The Queen on foreign tours include: two tortoises given to The Queen in the Seychelles in 1972; a seven-year-old bull elephant called "Jumbo" given to Her Majesty by the President of Cameroon in 1972 to mark The Queen's Silver Wedding, and two black beavers given to The Queen after a Royal visit to Canada.

6. In an average year, The Queen will host more than 50,000 people at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace.

7. Over the course of the reign, almost one and a half million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland.

8. The Queen launched the British Monarchy's official website in 1997. In 2007 the official British Monarchy YouTube channel was unveiled, swiftly followed by a Royal Twitter site (2009), Flickr page (2010) and Facebook page (also 2010).

9. The Queen's real birthday is on 21st April, but it is celebrated officially in June.

10. The Queen has 30 godchildren.

11. The Queen has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. A good proportion of these have been direct descendants from Susan. Her Majesty currently has three corgis - Monty, Willow and Holly.

12. As part of the main celebration for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June 2002 the spectacular fireworks display which took place from the roof of Buckingham Palace required 2.5 tons of fireworks, with some rising as high as 800 ft into the night sky. The light and sound display also involved 50 searchlights on the Palace, and fountains of water over nine metres high and a sound track.

13. The Gold State Coach was used twice during the Golden Jubilee, making its first appearance since the Silver Jubilee in 1977. The first time was at "All the Queen's Horses" equestrian spectacular and the second in the procession to St Paul's Cathedral on Jubilee Day, 4th June.

14. The Empire State Building shone purple and gold on the evening of Tuesday, 4 June 2002 in honour of The Queen's Golden Jubilee.

15. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have sent approximately 45,000 Christmas cards during The Queen’s reign.

16. The Queen has given out approximately 90,000 Christmas puddings to staff continuing the custom of King George V and King George VI.

17. The Queen has launched 21 ships during her reign.

18. The Queen has sat for 129 portraits during her reign.

19. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have been married for 64 years. They were married on 20th November, 1947 in Westminster Abbey. The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited in Dunfermline, Scotland, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle.

20. The Queen was born at 17 Bruton St, London W1 on the 21st April, 1926, was christened on the 29th May, 1926 in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace and was confirmed on the 28th March, 1942 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The original famous Coronation Chicken recipe was created by Rosemary Hume, founder of Le Cordon Bleu cookery school, for the Queen's coronation banquet in 1953. Originally called "Poulet Reine Elizabeth", the dish was designed to be a compromise between exotic spices and inexpensive ingredients. It is excellent eaten with a rice salad or served as a filling in sandwiches.

CORONATION CHICKEN
The original recipe by Rosemary Hume
Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 medium chickens
1 carrot
Thyme, bay leaf, parsley and 4 peppercorns to flavour
1 dessertspoon curry powder
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp tomato purée
1 glass red wine
Juice of ½ lemon
450ml mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp apricot purée (made from soaked and boiled tried apricots)
2-3 tbsp whipped cream

Method:

Poach two chickens for 40 minutes in water with the carrot, a splash of wine, thyme, bay leaf, parsley and four peppercorns. Cool in the liquid then remove the meat from the bones.

To make the sauce, heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add two tablespoons of chopped onion. Cook gently for three minutes then add a dessertspoon of curry powder. Cook for a further two minutes. Add one teaspoon of tomato purée, a glass of red wine, ¾ wineglass of water, one bay leaf, and bring to the boil. Then add a pinch each of salt, sugar and pepper, the juice of ½ a lemon and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Strain and cool.

Slowly add the cooled sauce to 450ml mayonnaise, then stir in 1-2 tablespoons of apricot purée. Season again - the sauce must not be too sweet. Finish by adding 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream. Add only enough sauce to coat the chicken lightly.

....or for those in a hurry....

CORONATION CHICKEN
The "cheat's version" by Felicity Cloake

Her previous attempts at coronation chicken have always involved Sunday's leftovers, so she's back on familiar ground using cold cooked chicken.

The dressing is simplicity itself:

2 tbsp "good spicy fruit chutney" (she uses mango, in keeping with the Anglo-Indian theme), mixed with 1 tbsp "good Madras curry powder" and equal parts Greek yoghurt and mayonnaise and tossed through the chicken, which is then left to marinate for a couple of hours. This is then finally garnished with toasted almonds and chopped coriander.

If you are planning a celebration to mark this very special occasion, you may want to check my suggested menus for:

Tea Party

Picnic

Barbecue 

Viareggio to Bagni di Lucca

The Tuscan sun was up early casting its warming glow over the seaside city of Viareggio.  From the balcony of our hotel room we enjoyed a view over the city and up to the mountains of the Garfagnana which were soon to become part of our day's trip as we travelled "from one meal to the next".  First however, it was time for breakfast and a final review of our travel plans for the day; an adventurous ride across the mountains of the Garfagnana, lunch in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, a visit to the two tiered aqueduct in Barga and completing our day's travel at the Albergo Corona in Bagni di Lucca.

As we departed Viareggio our route took us through side streets of the city and past a number of marble works whose yards contained some of the most enormous pieces of marble we have ever seen.  Beyond these huge blocks of marble, rising to the sky, stood our challenge, the mountains of the Garfagnana .  Slowly, the road narrowed and soon we realized that there was no more straight road.  We were headed into a section of mountain roads filled with "S-turns" and "switchbacks".  Coming out of one of the turns, we looked up to the mountain peak and were treated to a magnificent view of a wide swath of white cascading down the mountainside.  Our first reaction was, "Oh wow, were going over a snow covered mountain!"  A few more "S turns" closer and we realized, the "cascading white" was a vein of marble

which was being quarried.  How the quarry workers were able to move all the cranes and cutting equipment to the top of the mountain is something we still have not figured out.  Nor, have we been able to figure out how they get the marble down off of the mountain!

As we approached the top of the mountain we entered a tunnel.  One and a half kilometers later, we came out the other side of the mountain and began our descent to the village of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, our chosen place for lunch.  Just to the left of the main gate of the village, we located L'Aio di Piero, a delicatessen of sorts.  Once inside the shop we were treated to a visual feast

of meats, cheeses, sauces, preserves and pastas

To the left side of the shop was a small room with stone walls, wooden beams and small rustic tables and chairs.  There was a pleasant excitement about the room as people visited and shared the joy of good food and wine.  We were seated at one of the last remaining tables and after ordering a carafe of the "house red" we began to study the menu.  In short order, we decided to order a platter of prodotti tipici.  Soon, we were enjoying a feast fit for a king, including: caprino, scamorza and pecorino fresco (all tasty cheeses), salumi, prosciutto, capicola, bresaola (cured Tuscan beef), slivered radicchio, olivi, pickled cipolla rossa, calamari wrapped anchovi, bruschetta with red pepper pesto, stuffed peppers, fried fiori  di zucca con ricotta (squash blossoms with ricotta) and fried zucchini.

Following a relaxed time over lunch, we enjoyed a walk through the narrow medieval streets of this beautiful little walled village.   Our next stop...the village of Barga and a search for a Roman aqueduct.  Arriving in Barga, we stopped for an espresso and a visit to the tourist office for a map and some help with directions.  With their help, we were able to locate a bit of Roman history without difficulty. 

Marveling that it still stands today, we could not help but think what a proud testament it is to Roman engineering. 

As the sun began to set, we headed to Bagni di Lucca and the Albergo Corona, our home for the next two nights.  Settling in for the evening, we could not help but to begin to anticipate the next eating adventure.  Suffice it to say, it involves wild mushrooms and a visit to the Ponte Sospeso.

Dave and Edie www.fototoscana.com

Simonetta  www.casabellavista.it

Has anyone ever written a book on business travel? Maybe Business Travel for Dummies? Perhaps Hollywood can help us out here. If you’re in the mood for some tips (funny ones I might ad), check out this article on The 10 Best Movie Scenes About Business Travel. From hilarious Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and Lost in Translation to George Clooney racking up travel points in Up in the Air, there’s a tip or two for us all. And if you don’t find a tip, you’re guaranteed a good laugh!

Scoping through magazine articles awhile back, I am came across one with a pastry challenge…for anyone visiting Paris and I immediately thought of my friend Colleen, who authors this week’s blog.

Colleen Watson- Guest Blogger

She was headed off to Paris and I didn’t know if this Pastry challenge would be of interest, but she immediately was excited about the opportunity and the result….well read and find out…as Colleen accepts the Paris patisseries challenge. Take it away Colleen.....

Pâtisseries délicieuses …
Stepping off the plane to unseasonably cool weather for a June in Paris, I’m already craving those items I think of as being the best of French food. A freshly-baked baguette, wonderfully rich and creamy cheese accompanied by a glass of Bordeaux.

I could be happy sitting in a café all day watching the Paris world pass by with only my drink order changing from café crème to a vin rouge.

But this trip, my good friend and frequent traveling companion, Mark Stine (yes, the very same blogger who generally graces this space) sent me a list of several of the top pâtisseries in Paris. I decided I was up for the challenge.

So, on one of the warmer days toward the end of my trip, I set out with my traveling companions to begin the adventure. From where we were staying near the Tour Eiffel, we decide to go to the furthest away and work our way back. We took the metro, conveniently located a couple of doors down from our hotel to the Métro République. We followed our Paris map a couple of short blocks south of the Pl. de la République off of the busy Bd du Temple to Jacques Genin.

For years, Jacques Genin, self-taught pastry chef, sold his chocolates and caramels to high-end Paris restaurants and hotels, but finally opened his own space in the hip northern edge of the Marais at the end of 2008. And thus, his delicious goods were made available directly to the public.

 
His beautiful establishment is warm and welcoming, a combination chocolaterie, pâtisserie and tea salon, with its beautifully designed white walls, extraordinarily lovely orchids well placed by the entrance, and its pristine hard wood floors begging us to take the few steps down into the heart of the shop. Awaiting us were deliciously appealing pastries and glass cases filled with delicate freshly made chocolates.

Standing behind the glass cases, Arthur Dieupart motioned us over and gave us our first taste of the best chocolates in my memory. Smooth and creamy ganaches, we purchased several of the small lovely boxes, each holding nine squares of the most interesting flavors with herbs and spices (jasmine, ginger, mint, tea) and others equally interesting (grapefruit, rose). Even the more typical kind was not of a typical taste.

But, we did come for the pastries!

Jacques Genin has a delightfully inviting tea room on the other side of the circular stairs that lead to the loft kitchen where all the pastries, chocolates, jellys and caramels are made fresh each day … and throughout the day to replenish what has been sold. We decided on the Saint-Honoré, a surprise from the typical that featured a delectable, flaky pastry topped with vanilla whipped cream alongside three cream puffs of chocolate, caramel and vanilla. It was a perfect selection with the café crème (oh, and more chocolates).

jacque genin, fondeur en chocolat - paris
133, rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Tél +33(0)1 45 77 29 01
http://jacquesgenin.fr/

Pulling ourselves away from the inviting ambience, friendly staff and delicious smells, we left to walk to the next shop on our list, Pâtisserie Pain de Sucre.

Located on rue Rambuteau, also in the Marais, just three blocks northeast of the Centre Pompidou, this shop is owned by Nathalie Robert and Didier Mathray. These two met each other at Pierre Gagnaire's three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the pastry kitchen, of course. They opened Pain de Sucre together and continue to work as a team, creating wonderfully fabulous confections.

The bright, well-appointed space is just what you’d imagine when thinking pâtisserie. As we enter the shop, the first things we notice are the cases filled with inviting pastries and macaroons. We quickly notice the ornate and amazingly fairy-tale ceiling perfectly suited to the space. The shop is busy with customers unable to make decisions because everything is so well presented and looks so inviting, concoctions so well appointed they looked like artwork. Even the marshmallows are tempting!
We decide on their tarte au citron, which is apparently pretty famous. We leave the pâtisserie and stroll down to a café for an afternoon espresso. The tart is all we anticipated, delightfully creamy with a hint of lime. Definitely a winner!

Pain du Sucre
14 rue Rambuteau, 75003 Paris
Tél +33(0)1 45 74 68 92
http://www.patisseriepaindesucre.com/

We move on toward our final stop of the day, La Pâtisserie des Rêves located in the posh 7th arrondisement and created by chefs Angelo Musa—a winner of the Pastry World Cup and a Meilleur Ouvrier de France—and Philippe Conticini, partnering with hotelier Thierry Teyssier. (They have another shop in the 16th arrondissement, 10-minutes from the Palais de Chaillot, which includes a salon de thé and an atelier des choux.)

We step into a small space crowded with late afternoon shoppers clearly picking up pastries for after dinner pleasures. Everything in the shop is artfully designed, from the color-coordinated walls, fixtures and packaging, to the interesting glass domes under which contain deliciously appealing delicacies.

 
If you are looking for only one treat, the word in this "Pastry Shop of Dreams" is to try the Paris-Brest, for which it has won raves, and rightly so. The original Paris-Brest was created in 1891 to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race and was popular with riders because of its energy-rich calorie content and its circular shape, which was easy to eat on the ride.

True to their creativity, Phillipe Conticini’s Paris-Brest is different than most, with six small puffs of pastry (choux) nestled together in a circle, each containing rich chocolate-praline. The addition of the chocolate adds a wonderful flavor to the smooth crème and goes way beyond the typical. Definitely one to try!

La Pâtisserie des Rêves par Philippe Conticini
93, rue du Bac, 75007 Paris
telephone: +33 (0)1 42 84 00 82
http://www.lapatisseriedesreves.com/

And so, with a sugar over load and a desire for some substantive food, we walked back to our “neighborhood” and stopped at a corner bistro that offered us our customary glass of Bordeaux and the special of the evening, a fresh fish in … wait for it … puff pastry!
Apres:

We woke up the next morning, our last day in Paris, and decided we couldn’t go home without at least a dozen more boxes of chocolates from Jacque Genin. We made our way over to the shop, which, on this day, was teaming with customers. By the end of it, we (and all the others) had nearly wiped them out. We met Jacques, a most sincere, warm and charming host, and had another pastry and café crème. This time, the lime … divine!!

......And so the Paris patisseries challenge was met by Colleen and her bonvivant friends…I however was a lucky recipient of one of the boxes of chocolates from Jacque Genin…two words...tres’ magnifique! I am not ashamed to say…I ate all of the chocolates in one afternoon...I did however recycle the cute chocolate tin and filled it with a necklace that I gave to my daughter. If you can’t make it to Paris anytime soon..may I recommend the internet..make a list of all of the pastry shops in your area..and spend an afternoon in Pastry pursuit! Bon appetit!

Most Moms probably wish we would celebrate Mother’s Day every month. Why not? Just think about it. A typical American Mom of two prepares about 84 meals every week. Mom, Dad, two kids, 3 meals per day, 7 days per week. That’s 84! OK, so maybe it’s a little less if the family goes out to eat once or twice a week. But you get the idea.

Some GourmetStation patrons allow Mom to celebrate every month with our Dinner of the Month gift. Moms receive gourmet dinners delivered directly to her doorstep every month for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. Plus the menu is not one we presume Mom will like….she gets to select her own menu from our Parisian, Tuscan, Cajun, Fusion or Americana menus. Delicious.

So whether you decide upon a dinner of the month program, a dining gift certificate for a dinner for two delivered, or our Taste of Tuscany Mother’s Day Brunch, you won’t go wrong. GourmetStation – your provider of the most exquisite Mother’s Day food gifts.

After enjoying a satisfying breakfast at Albergo Scilla in Sovana, southwest Tuscany, we loaded our luggage into the car and traveled westward toward the Mediterranean.  Our drive through the winding back roads of Tuscan countryside provided us with a kaleidoscope of sights…cypress trees, wild flowers, farmhouses, vineyards, olive groves and an occasional flock of sheep dotting the hillsides.
When we reached the sea, we headed north toward Viareggio, interrupting our journey with a delightful detour.  We had read about the village of Bolgheri, its reputation for fine wine and Giosue Carducci's poem describing the cypresses along the approach to the town. 

The latter, symbols of Tuscany, greeted us.  For five kilometers these majestic cipressi (cypress trees) stood tall like sentinels, guarding the entrance to the village.  The village itself is a medieval town with shops and places to eat, offering visitors prodotti tipici (typical products).  Whenever this sign appears one has the golden opportunity of tasting local specialties. 

And we did, sampling a variety of delicacies:  liver pate, olive spread, tomato topping and red pepper, all served over grilled bread, along with prosciutto, salami, several slices of different cheeses, pickled onions, olives artichokes, vegetables with olive oil, cannellini and the largest, tastiest sun dried tomatoes ever. Accompanying all this was a glass of extraordinary red wine produced by Donna Fittipaldi.  We were so impressed by the wine that we bought a bottle to take to Guido and Simonetta, our friends at Casa Bellavista.

After lunch it was back through the tunnel of cipressi and on to Pisa.  As we approached the city we followed a couple of tour busses and let them escort us to a parking lot near the Campo dei Miracoli.  After walking past vendor upon vendor upon vendor of Leaning Tower souvenirs, we passed through an arch to the Campo dei Miracoli and a breathtaking view of a triple treat, the Duomo, Baptistery and Tower.  The sheer vastness of the space, the magnificent architecture and the amazing decorative and symbolic details of each building made the walk along “vendor row”  worthwhile.

Following our visit to the Campo dei Miracoli, we drove to Viareggio, a delightful city, which hugs the Mediterranean Sea.  It is clean and beautiful, offering its visitors an interesting panorama of art nouveau architecture, pines and palms.  

 
We checked into the Tirrenia, a charming boutique hotel, managed for forty seven years by the same man and his wife, who mixed with the guests and added cordiality and great customer service to the comfortable, colorful surroundings.  We drank a glass of wine on the balcony of our room and watched the sunset until our evening passeggiata lead us down the promenade past beautiful art nouveau buildings and interesting shops. 

We reached Gran Caffe` Margherita and our much anticipated dinner.  The Caffe` itself is a work of art.  Its ceilings, balcony and walls feature beautiful ceramic decorations with magnificent patterns and colors in yellow, green and blue.

We opted for alfresco dining so that we could enjoy the warm evening.  We sipped wine leisurely as we studied the menu.  At last we made our decisions...for me, spaghetti con frutti di mare,  which was a wonderful blending of shrimp, clams and calamari in a hearty broth.  Edie ordered a maccheroni con verdure e funghi in salsa di vino (small squares of pasta with vegetables and porcini mushrooms in a delicious wine sauce). We were equally pleased with our choices.  Then we selected verdure alla griglia (grilled vegetables), which were perfect.  To put a cap on our dining experience we concluded with caffe` correto, one with amaretto and one with grappa. 

After a pleasant night’s rest, we packed our bags and headed downstairs, where we were greeted with the most abundant presentation of breakfast foods we have ever seen:  meats, cheeses, cereals, a variety of breads and pastries, a fruit compote, a basket of fresh fruits, eggs, juices, coffee and more. 

Our trip to Viareggio had been fun…a special dinner, a fantastic breakfast.  Today’s travels would take us past the many marble works of Viareggio and over the mighty mountains of the Garfagnana to our next adventure as we travelled Tuscany “from one meal to the next”.

Dave and Edie www.fototoscana.com
Simonetta  http://www.casabellavista.it

Heading home to Las Vegas after a long work week in the NYC area generally means a five hour flight...and my preference is to try and rest. For me, Las Vegas is home…Red Rocks Park…desert vistas, skiing on Mt Charleston and a laid back life in the Summerlin community. But to most passengers on a Friday night flight… out of the Big Apple…well Vegas means party time!

A recent flight of mine got out of the gate on time…started down the runway at JFK and just before lift off speed the front of the aircraft shook violently…we slowed then sped up again…followed by another shuddering jolt. Dismayed looks among the passengers conveyed our understanding that maybe…just maybe we weren’t supposed to take off. Our pilots wisely took us to a side runway and back to the gate. An hour and a half delayed ensued with the announcement that no ascertainable problem could be found and we would try it again. Confidence…not so much!

While we waited, I did not suffer. I was in an exit row...not exactly first class…but with plenty of leg room and a sleepy couple from India zoned out next to me I made the most of it. In the delay at the gate, a new passenger boarded…a somewhat animated individual who was seated across the aisle in the opposite exit row and I think she had already started “Vegas festivities.” The couple sitting in the two furthest seats opposite had been quiet…but once “Laura”, as I later learned her name; entered…well the party seemed to get off the ground even though the airplane hadn’t initially!

Once airborne and the beverages started flowing…many of the passengers started their Vegas experience in mid-flight. As the energy of Laura and her seatmates Katie and Chet ramped up they kept the flight attendant busy with drink orders and I couldn’t resist their enthusiasm. So much for resting! I learned Laura was a teacher of 9th grade algebra and 11th grade calculus and Katie and Chet were young Manhattan attorneys…who as the night progressed offered up all kind of amusing legal musings! Let’s just say they became the “trusted exit row passengers!”

Laura, Katie and Chet enjoying the trip to Vegas!

Their questions about Las Vegas put me in the position of talking up the latest Vegas hot spots. Being a local , I don’t usually hang out on the strip, since I am more into the desert lifestyle… but I thought…Advice…hmmm...well the recently opened Cosmopolitan is an action spot…great restaurants and the only strip front elevated pool. See and be seen!

The newest hotel on the strip – The Cosmopolitan

As to restaurants, The Cosmopolitan features an eclectic blend and my favorite is Jaleo, where I have dined with my friend Isabelle from France, who attends conferences in Vegas each year. .

The website detail provides this background, “Culinary mastermind José Andrés and his ThinkFoodGroup brings the authentic flavor of a Spanish tapas restaurant to Las Vegas with the award-winning Jaleo restaurant re-imagined to include the excitement and spectacle of Las Vegas. A perennial favorite in Washington DC, Jaleo restaurant was one of the country's first successful tapas restaurants, setting the standard for Spanish cuisine in the U.S. for almost two decades.”

Check out this link for a full listing of the Cosmopolitan restaurants.

Another suggestion I had for the trio was the Aria Hotel based in the City Center complex. Connected to the Cosmopolitan by elevated walkways, City Center is the anchor for the “Internationale moderne style” that blends the two complexes.

City Center…the future today

So…hotels and gaming…check…dance clubs. ..check…great places to eat ..check… About this time the young couple from India woke up from their 26 hours of flying and started to join in the conversation. They were flying half way round the world for a wedding and were arriving just in time for a reception. As a tired business traveler, it was actually fun on this trip to pick up the excitement and energy of this weekend party crew… At one point I though the flight attendant had become a cocktail waitress…one whole tray was for my three compadres… mixers and min bottles for all! Bottles and mixers made for an interesting flight Strangers when they met on the plane...Laura infused enthusiasm and energy…Katie and Chet bonded with everyone and as I walked up the ramp when we landed, I had a good feeling they would be up all night and contributing to the Las Vegas economy. You can too…give it a try!

Thanks to Catalogs.com for featuring GourmetStation in their recent article, Love Is A Verb. The nice folks at Catalogs.com are letting their readers in on a little secret. You don't have to make restaurant reservations, wait in line and deal with all that stress. Just let GourmetStation send a 3 or 4 course Valentine dinner directly to you. Chosse from Parisian, Tuscan, Cajun, Fusion or Americana menus. Then just heat and serve in about 30 minutes. Enjoy estaurant quality cuisine in the the most comfortable place on earth....home.

A recent but brief 36 hour trip to Atlanta allowed me to tour my daughter’s college campus, Kennesaw State University, catching up on how her studies were going and to lay the groundwork for her last year, which entails a 6 week summer session in Montepulciano, Italy. I of course will be visiting her…another opportunity for travel /food blogs! Finally getting the chance to see where she has been spending her time on her studies was a fun experience and it was pleasantly mild early December day in the greater Atlanta area.


Lauren at Kennesaw University

An added bonus to the Atlanta trip was joint schedules coincided with long term friends Byron and Cheryl being in town and finally connecting in person for the first time in almost 4 years.
There was also another reason to celebrate at our dinner that night….Facebook.com had been abuzz for weeks with Byron’s exploits of making a “hole-in-one” on a recent golf outing. Some of the more humorous postings included:
I had a doctor's appointment this morning and when I checked in at the front desk, the receptionist asked me if there were any changes since my last visit. I pondered the question for a moment and then responded, "Why yes, there has been. I recently made my first hole-in-one!"

The famous shot at rest!

Yeserday I got an email from a wealthy man in Nigeria.wanting me to help him move his fortune out of the country and offered a big payment for my part in the plan. I replied and asked him how he got my name, and he said he heard about my hole-in-one!
For those of you who are not major golfers, suffice it to say this is one of the Holy Grails of golfing…and always a reason to celebrate. One thing I learned is that the lucky golfer who makes his or her “hole in one” has the privilege of paying for drinks for everyone in the club house bar. Byron’s good fortune continued…there were very few people in the bar!

Cheryl and Byron

Dining with the Galways is always a pleasure. Dinner that night was Moroccan Beef…wonderfully seasoned with great sides. Now just a little history…both Byron and Cheryl are major gourmands…even back in the early 80s (or was it the late 70’s??) Cheryl would pull a recipe out of the latest Southern Living magazine each month and whip up excellent dinners or desserts. I always looked forward to a new Southern Living magazine coming out!

Over the years Cheryl has amassed quite the collection of family (I think there are even some in there from Cheryl’s “Big Momma”) and personally acquired recipes from friends and other sources. With the computer age…and online websites like http://www.epicurean.com/ , keeping a recipe book or collection has become superfluous as chefs and amateur chefs alike digitize their collection.
Cheryl, who I might note works for Whole Foods in a marketing capacity, was concerned that her collection and recipe folder might ultimately fade from existence. So while scanning some of her cherished recipes, she happened on the idea of using the recipes and the recipe holder artwork as a “super graphic” art backdrop at selected Whole Foods.

First you scan….

Then…. a perfect back-drop for Southern Dining
Great ideas that can be implemented in your on home or kitchen…and if you stop in an Atlanta Whole Foods that features these recipe inspired back-drops ,,,now you know where they came from.
But back to our dinner…it was exceptionally tasty …with a great wine selection … and food inspired conversation.

Byron’s dinner Inspiration – Moroccan Beef

The Galways even had a custom spice cabinet built into their kitchen…a good investment for a couple that loves to cook.

The “deluxe” spice cabinet and yours truly

It was a memorable evening that brought “family” back together again and as we enter the early part of 2012 , I hope that you have an enjoyable year filled with family and friends and good dining. I was very pleased to have the chance to be with my daughter and Byron and Cheryl as the year came to a close. However, 2012 gives each of us the opportunity to create new adventures…try new recipes and dining spots and explore the world ! Happy New Year!!

Our trip to Tuscany began as all our trips have, with research and more research. Experience has shown us that a thorough plan with a trip itinerary provides the foundation for a more enjoyable and relaxed trip. However, this year our research took us "outside the box" of traditional tour guide books to books such as” A Culinary Traveler in Tuscany" by Beth Elon among others.

As we read and studied our books, we noted with particular interest the author's mention of local osterias and trattorias in the many hilltop and seaside villages of Tuscany. As our research continued, we found that our itinerary was being developed based on places where we thought we might like to eat. The more we researched, the more anxious we became to start our trip. Our taste buds longed to savor the flavors of authentic traditional Tuscan cooking. And so begins this, the first in a series of blogs designed to share with you our joy as we ate our way through Tuscany "from one meal to the next".

The flight was smooth and we touched down at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport right on schedule. Having cleared customs and picked up our rental car, we headed up the A -12 on our way to Sovana, a medieval village in southern Tuscany. The village itself is small and is home to two interesting churches: St. Maria and the cathedral of Santi Pietro e Paolo. These are a "must see" if you visit this wonderful village. Sovana is also home to the first eating stop on this year's trip, Taverna Etrusca.

But, before the long anticipated evening meal, a riposo was in order to be followed by a visit to the neighboring town of Sorano, an ancient Etruscan settlement sitting high on a tufa ledge. The drive to Sorano was a welcome challenge, with breathtaking roads cut through tufa rock complete with Etruscan tombs and arched niches for urns and ashes. It was well worth a few "s" turns to visit this very beautiful village of arches, alleys and flowers.

Returning to Sovana, we enjoyed a walk around the village ending with dinner at the Taverna Etrusca.

Facing the Piazza del Pretorio, the Taverna welcomes its visitors to a warm and comfortable dining area. Though renovated, the charm and authentic atmosphere of the medieval period of history has been maintained. The restaurant participates in the '0 km" project, which means they buy local food stuffs whenever possible, assuring freshness and the best local ingredients.

Having been seated at a comfortable table for two, we began our perusal of the menu as we enjoyed a delightful puree of potato served in a martini glass. Blended with tasty herbs it was a delightful preparation for the marvelous culinary adventure we were about to take. The menu provided a multiplicity of choices. Our waiter demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the menu as he answered our questions about various selections.

Our decisions were difficult because there were too many good items from which to choose. After what seemed like forever we were ready to order. Edie chose gnudi con tartufi neri. Gnudi is considered by some to be a type of gnocchi, while others describe it as “the filling without the ravioli”. The ingredients in this gnudi were ricotta cheese, spinach and a little flour. A delicious sauce of delicate herbs completed this fantastic dish. I ordered pici (farro) al maremmeno served con ragu al cinghiale e scorza d'arancia caramellate. Pici is thick rolled pasta sort of like fat spaghetti, made with faro flower and in this case served with wild boar sauce with caramelized orange zest. This dish is considered to be a local variation of pasta con cinghiale served in the Maremma region of Tuscany. To complement our dinner choices, we ordered a bottle of a bianco di Pitigliano (a white wine from the nearby community of Pitigliano). The perfectly cooked al dente pasta was showcased in sauces which featured tastefully combined herbs and spices. For the contorni, we shared a serving of spinachi con bianco uva passa and pinoli (spinach with white raisins and pine nuts).To satisfy our sweet tooth, for dolce, we concluded diner with crema cotta con cardamom agrumi con carmella crocante; an absolute delight for our taste buds.

We capped the evening with a relaxing stroll through the village as we listened to the singing of the birds and the tolling of the church bells. It was a sweet serenade to the end of a perfect day in Tuscany. The adventure would continue the next morning with a trip over country roads through the Maremma to the coast and then north to the city of Viareggio on our way “from one meal to the next”.

Buon Appetito
Edie and Dave
www.fototoscana.com