From the Culinary Trail – Ciaoing Down in Italy Part 2

August 30, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

Cool Villages, Hot Hikes and Tasty Treats!

As I stand on an exposed ridge, under a blazing Italian sun, enjoying the vistas of the Ligurian coast, I couldn’t help but conclude that life in Cinque Terre is pretty superb! First, there are five charming villages, then there is the trail system that connects them, but best of all….wait for it…there is the food and wine! In this part 2 of 3 posts about my adventures with superfoods in Italy, I am delighted to share my perspective/tips on the hikes and my culinary finds in each of the Cinque Terre villages, plus a few train fiascos along the way.

Thanks to Trenitalia, our trip got off to a bumpy start. I landed in Pisa and my girlfriends landed in Milan. The plan was to catch trains and meet up in Monterosso al Mare. But, wouldn’t you know it, there was a nation-wide train strike on the one day we had to rendezvous. Thankfully, my train was unaffected; but my friends in Milan had to endure a 4 hour taxi ride (the only option in the train chaos) to reach Monterosso al Mare. Their train/taxi mishap was quickly forgotten when they arrived and were greeted with a sea breeze, coastal views and a bottle of Prosecco. Incidentally, it was not the only train debacle we had on this trip. That comes later.

When planning a trip to Cinque Terre, there are three main decisions about a stay – length of stay, village(s) for an overnight, and trails to hike. If you like small quaint villages, the seaside, rugged coastal terrain and hiking, then you should stay at least five nights. The five villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore (in order from West to East) and coastline are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were happy with our decision to stay three nights in Monterosso al Mare and two nights in Riomaggiore. It was the perfect blend of days, hikes and variety. But we also agreed that staying five nights in Monterosso al Mare as a base is another great option, especially if you find good accommodation like our groovy beachfront apartment!

Lemons of Monterosso al Mare

I thought Monterosso al Mare was the most hospitable of all five villages – great vibe, good dining options, quaint artisan shops, and interesting areas to explore in/around the village. It is also the only Cinque Terre village with a long stretch of beach. As if that wasn’t enough, it is the village of lemons! There are lemon soaps, a local lemon pie (torta al limone), lemon gelato, preserved lemons, limoncino and much more, but my favourite was lemons soaked in their own juice with a touch of sugar – super tasty and the rind practically melted in our mouths. Limoncino is a sweet liquor, like lemoncello, but made from Ligurian lemons. Lemons are superfoods. Like other citrus fruits, lemons contain vitamin C, folic acid and a range of phytochemicals (under the antioxidant family). These all support one another in anti-cancer activity, and strengthening cardiovascular health, along with other benefits.

Gelato from Vernazza

I cannot imagine a day in Italy without gelato. Based on a friend’s tip, we enjoyed possibly the best gelato in Cinque Terre, in Vernazza. To walk to Vernazza from Monterosso al Mare, hikers would take the popular scenic coastal trail no. 2. It took us about 1.5 hours with photo stops for the 4 km stretch. In the height of summer, the trail is pretty busy. Although Vernazza is cute, we’re glad we didn’t stay overnight because it was unbearably crowded and touristy. But, gelato at Gelateria Il Porticciolo (Piazza Marconi, 12) made the trip worthwhile. The chocolate, lemon, coconut and pistachio choices were phenomenal.

Basil in Corniglia

From Vernazza to the next village, Corniglia, the coastal trail no.2 is about 3.5 km and we hiked it in 1.5 hours with photo stops. Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre village higher up on the cliff and not by the water. This small village is a basil haven. There is even a basil festival! Pots of the herb hang or sit everywhere you look. At first, I thought they were for decoration but I later found out that basil grown by front doors and windows help to repel mosquitoes and flies.

Sciacchetrà near Manarola

If you’re an avid hiker, the two trails that I mentioned so far are not hard. However, they are narrow, at times rocky and there are plenty of steeper climbs and descends. You don’t need serious hiking boots; light weight hiking shoes worked well for us. The Cinque Terre trail system is quite extensive and impressive. We hiked between the villages on different days but I heard that some people hike all five in one day. The coastal trail no. 2 is the most popular because of its proximity to the water and vistas; but, sections of this trail have been closed for years because of landslides. When we were there, trail no. 2 was closed between Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Instead, we hiked alternate trails which are higher and in most cases, longer and harder than no. 2. As an example, we hiked from Riomaggiore to Manarola on no. 531. While it was not long (1.2 km), it was intense and challenging because of 32C temperatures with no shade, climbing up a steep mountain side and down into Manarola. It took us about 1.5 hours with photo stops and panoramic views. Manarola is as charming as the other villages but what stood out was the lovely harbour filled with sun bathers and swimmers. While visiting Manarola, we discovered the Sciacchetra wine, a sweet wine produced in Cinque Terre from Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino grapes. There’s a Cooperativa Agricoltura outside of Manarola where you can taste variety of wines, liquors, olive oils, jams, and other food products made from local food artisans. It’s a bit off the beaten track and worth a visit if you’re looking for a non-touristy spot.

Seafood Cones at Riomaggiore

As previously mentioned, we stayed a couple of nights in Riomaggiore. It is the fifth and most easterly Cinque Terre village. For me, the two memorable food experiences in this village are: i) our amazing dinner at Enoteca Dau Cila (located in the harbour), and ii)the fried seafood cones, filled with sardines, anchovies, calamari, shrimp and veggies, from Il Pescato Cucinato. Sure, it is deep fried and take out food but it was unique and tasty! And, in case you didn’t know, anchovies and sardines are superfoods. They have similar nutritional value and are a good source of protein, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, omega-3, vitamin B, and riboflavin. These properties are good for neurological, cardiovascular, digestive, skin, bone, muscle, vision and blood health. As sardines and anchovies are low on the ocean food chain, they also contain little mercury.

From Riomaggiore, I also recommend the epic hike to Portovenere (Unesco World Heritage listed) on trails no. 3 and no. 1 with a return boat ride to Riomaggiore. This 13 km hike takes between 5-6 hours and the last 1/3 of the hike is along steep cliffs with stunning views.

For non-hikers, the Cinque Terre villages are accessible by car, boat and train. By train, each village is connected by a 5 minute train ride with the exception of Manarola-Riomaggiore which takes 2 minutes. However, this brief 2 minute ride can turn into a 2 hour misadventure if you’re not careful. We had no idea that the Riomaggiore station platform is shorter than the length of the trains. There were no announcements. So, while on the train we got stuck in the last car which was nowhere near the platform. Because the trains were packed, we could not move to a car near the platform; hence, we couldn’t get off the train. Worse yet, the next stop was Portovenere – a 15 minute ride away, plus an hour wait for a train back to Riomaggiore! Luckily, we managed to jump on a train back without waiting but beware if you go!

If you haven’t been to Cinque Terre, then I hope you’ll get the chance one day. The hikes, the villages and the food will not disappoint!

Travel Far, Explore More! – {Kale}

From the Culinary Trail – Ciaoing Down in Italy Part 1

August 23, 2014August 28, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

The Trofie al Pesto Trail of Cinque Terre

You say pesto, I now say trofie! Let me explain. Despite all of us living in different parts of the world, my closest girlfriends from our university days continue to meet up whenever and wherever possible. I was thrilled when Italy was selected as the get-together destination this year. The land of ‘dolce vita’ is likely number one or two on my list of countries worth visiting umpteenth times. Italy feeds not only my travel photography appetite, but also a craving for my favourite cuisine. I adore all Italian food, but my best-loved item is pesto. It is simple to make, is healthy for you and produces a luscious flavour for so few ingredients. I add this bold green, fragrant sauce with nearly everything – from salad dressing, sandwich spread, to chip dip. With pasta, Pesto with angel hair pasta was my combo of choice; but now, it is Trofie al Pesto! This part 1 of 3 posts, covering my adventure with superfoods found in Italy, focuses on Trofie al Pesto from Cinque Terre.

Early this July, our group of friends met up in Cinque Terre which is a portion of the Liqurian coast (stretching from Genoa to Pisa) in north-western Italy. When people think of Cinque Terre, the popular perception is about hiking between the five colourful villages perched on the rugged coast. This was our main reason for going. And, lucky for me, I found out that Liquria is also a pesto paradise! Originating in Genoa, around the 16th century, the name is derived from the Genose word pestâ, meaning to pound or crush. The traditional pesto is made from fresh Genovese basil, garlic, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino cheeses. I’ve tried pesto after pesto variations – from sun dried tomatoes to kale, but I still prefer the classic Pesto Genovese. Below is the easy pesto perfect recipe that I use.

Pesto Genovese – makes 1 cup

2 cups fresh basil (add more as desired)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 t. sea salt (add more to taste)

Directions:

Combine the first four ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended.
Add the olive oil in a steady stream as the processor is running on slow. Blend until smooth.
Add sea salt to taste.

I have visited Italy on many occasions, but only discovered the wonderful trofie pasta on this trip. Trofie also originates from Genoa and is a small, thin squiggly pasta that is made from flour and water (no eggs). It is best accompanied with Pesto Genovese. I love the pasta’s texture and the way the pesto wraps around its twisted form. A popular version of Trofie al Pesto includes potatoes and green beans. We enjoyed adding tasty Italian tomatoes when we made it on the trip. During our time in Cinque Terre, I couldn’t get enough of Trofie al Pesto and ate it every day. It was already a dream to hang with my friends in Italy, but being on the trail of trofie and pesto was a special treat!

To my surprise, we didn’t see the trofie pasta again on the rest of the trip in Italy and I have yet to find it in Vancouver. However, it is easy to make.

Trofie Pasta – serves 4

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. sea salt
3/4 cup water

Directions:

Place the flour and sea salt in a bowl, then make a well in the middle.
Add the water in the well and create the dough by mixing the ingredients in a bowl with a fork then with your hands, adding more water or flour as needed to avoid the dough being too sticky or dry.
Place dough on floured flat surface, then knead it with your hand by folding and turning repeatedly until the dough is smooth.
Create a ball and wrap it in plastic. Let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
After the dough has rested, place a small portion (eg 1/4) of the dough on a floured surface and roll the dough into a 1/3″ roll or rope with your hands.
Cut the roll into 1/4″ pieces and sprinkle flour over them.
To shape, pick up each piece and roll it quickly between the palms of your hands, in one direction, to create a twisted tube with tapered ends.
Open your palms to drop the trofie piece onto a floured cookie sheet but pieces should not touch.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Cook fresh the pasta in boiling water (usually a few minutes for al dente) within 1-2 hours or refrigerate for later use. As an option, I like adding a bit of salt and olive oil to the boiling water.

Superfoods to highlight are:

Basil – Rich in vitamin C, A, K, Magnesium, potassium and calcium. Basil’s antioxidants are good for heart health. Loaded with beta-caryophyllene, basil offers anti-inflammatory benefits. It also has high anti-bacterial and anti-aging properties. Basil can help fight against various medical conditions. Its phenolics (specifically, vicenin and orientin) are a DNA protector. It is a great source of essential omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Garlic – The major player in the allium family ( includes, leeks, onions, shallots, chives, green onion) contains sulphuric compounds that may help with lowering blood pressure and destroy cancer cells. Allicin, one of these compounds in garlic is not only anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal, but research has shown that allicin helps your body to neutralize dangerous free radicals.
Olive Oil – The benefits of olive oil are extensive and best described on the Olive Oil Times website. To summarize, olive oil has been found to be effective against heart disease, cancer, stress, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis.
Pine Nuts – This seed has the highest amount of protein found in any nut. They are the only source of pinoleic acid, an appetite suppressant. They contain a high concentration of oleic acid which is good for heart health. Pine nuts are also rich in iron and packed with antioxidants.

Buon Appetito! Travel Far, Explore More! – {Kale}

No Grumble Blueberry Crumble

August 15, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

There is a delightful part in my favourite childhood book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when a naughty, gum chewing girl, Violet Beauregard gets her just desserts (pun intended). While at the factory, she deliberately pops an experimental piece of gum into her mouth after being warned against it. As she chews this piece of gum it takes her through a three-course meal ending with blueberry pie, then she turns into one humongous blueberry and has to be juiced to bring her back down to size. Not only was Roald Dahl a wildly imaginative storyteller, but his views on child rearing were tucked in there as well. After that, I am sure Miss Beauregard never put anything in her mouth that she wasn’t supposed to have.

The only blueberry issue I came across is really a non-blueberry one. I will explain. Once, when I was eating a store bought blueberry muffin, I discovered while reading the list of ingredients that no blueberries were in it at all. That was a big head-scratcher. Later, I realized there were more examples of this in the frozen food aisle when you pulled out a box of ubiquitous frozen blueberry waffles processed by one of the big industrialized food companies. There were no real blueberries. So what are these impostor blueberries made of? It turns out, some are simply artificial colouring chemicals, hydrogenated oils and liquid sugars, ewwww!!! All the more reason to read labels when grocery shopping.

With blueberries in season (at least in our part of the world), I’m taking advantage of eating REAL, fresh blueberries and making a variety of dishes. A blueberry crumble tops the list. I call my version the No Grumble Blueberry Crumble because it is super easy….after all, no one wants to be slaving in the kitchen when it is gorgeous outside. As a bonus, I’ve also included my Blueberry Waffle recipe at the bottom, so keep reading!

No Grumble Blueberry Crumble serves 8

Superfoods in the recipe are:
Blueberries – This little berry has a high amount of antioxidants. They contain anthocyanin, vitamin C, B complex, vitamin E, vitamin A, copper (a very effective immune builder and anti-bacterial), selenium, zinc, and iron
Oats – Oats is a good source of fibre, and oat bran helps to lower cholesterol.
Ginger – Anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiseptic.
Cinnamon – Diets rich in cinnamon can help counter the effects of a high-fat meal on your body. This spice may also balance blood sugar levels and can also help fight bacterial and fungal infections.

Filling:

4 cups blueberries
¼ cup gluten free flour
2 t. sugar
1 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Combine all of the above and place into greased 9” x 9” baking dish.

Topping:

½ cup butter melted
½ gluten free flour
1 ½ cups gluten free oat flakes
½ cup honey
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. grated ginger
¼ t. salt

Combine the topping ingredients and spoon over the filling. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

My bonus recipe – Blueberry Waffle recipe makes 6-4″ waffles

They really aren’t complicated. It takes me about 15 minutes from the time I start putting the ingredients together to eating the first waffle. And if you don’t have a waffle iron, just make pancakes. Here is a bonus recipe from my Fanny Farmer cookbook that has been engraved in my brain after probably making it hundreds of times over the years.

1 cup flour (can be Gluten Free)
1 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup milk (can be dairy free)
1 egg
*1 T oil or melted butter

Directions:

Whisk the dry ingredients together. Then in another bowl beat the egg with the milk, and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir the oil into the wet ingredients.
Combine until ingredients are just mixed, lumps are fine. Then cook waffles according to your waffle iron instructions.

*If making pancakes, then omit the oil. Spoon batter into preheated non-stick pan, or griddle and flip once when you see bubbles. Try not to flip more than once, otherwise they will not be fluffy.
Add whatever you like, of course blueberries, but consider sliced bananas, chopped nuts, and/or chocolate chips.

Eat healthy, live great! – {Kake}

From the Culinary Trail – Sailing and Savouring the Gulf Islands Part 2

August 7, 2014August 12, 2014 / Kake2Kale | Culinary Travel Adventures

Does kitchen size matter? In Amsterdam (The Netherlands), we lived in a small top floor apartment of a canal house that was built in the 17th century. My partner and I loved this cozy flat particularly for its location, that is – in the historic center of the city and overlooking one of the grand canals. It had a lot of nice features, such as a roof deck and a wood-burning fireplace. But, like so many small flats in the city, our place had a teeny-tiny kitchen. It measured roughly 3 x 4 feet and included a dual burner electric stove, sink, short counter, and mini-fridge. Only one person could squeeze into the L-shaped space to prep/cook; but we managed to make elaborate and gourmet meals….and, without an oven! I didn’t miss the baking…after all, I’m the {Kale} in this blog and prefer savoury dishes.

Typical sailboat galleys are no bigger than our old Dutch kitchen. There is a common misconception that the confined galley space limits your cooking to simple or camp-like meals. Not at all. In my view, the quality of our culinary creations has never been affected by the size of the kitchen or galley. Even though I am pretty creative with menu planning and provisioning for our sailing trips, I am always interested in cookbooks that focus on galley-friendly options. I recently discovered a cookbook that is fantastic and worthy of sharing with our blog circle. It’s a fairly new cookbook from Vancouver Island called “Sea Salt: Recipes from the West Coast Galley“. This cookbook has received rave reviews and won ‘Best Fish + Seafood Cookbook in Canada’ and ‘Third Best Fish + Seafood Cookbook in the World’ by Gourmand International. During our Gulf Islands sailing trip on the Amritha Catamaran, we had the pleasure of meeting two of the cookbook’s authors. We were sailing with a friend from a yachting magazine and because he was preparing an article about the cookbook and interviewing the authors, our group was able to experience a unique dinner prepared by the authors and based on the cookbook’s recipes. This part 2 of 2 posts is my recap of our spectacular culinary evening and includes a recipe of a dish that we sampled from the cookbook.

The mother-daughters collaboration behind this successful cookbook is made up of Lorna, Hilary and Alison Malone. They are a family of sailors and reside in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Alison, an accomplished lifestyle writer and editor, is one of the daughters but was not available to join us. We met Lorna, the mom and avid racer, and the other daughter, Hilary, a chef and an expert food styler. Both are incredibly down to earth and their passion for their project and the local food/wine scene shows when you meet them.

The award-winning Sea Salt cookbook is a collection of over one hundred sea worthy recipes which are fast and delicious, whether aboard in the galley or at home on land. I love that the eight chapters are logically organized by the time frame of a sailing trip. My favorite chapters include: i) Chapter one (Breakaway) highlights recipes with fresh ingredients on the first nights, ii) Chapter five (Entertaining: On the Dock and Rafting Up) showcases recipes for appetizers, dinners and desserts that are ideal for sharing, and iii) Chapter six (North) features recipes of food with a longer shelf life that can be used near the end of a trip. There is a lot more to enjoy from their cookbook, from stocking and provisioning tips, suggestions about markets to the stunning food photography by Christina Symons. But, what stands out is that the recipes are inspired by the freshest local flavours of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Products from twenty artisan producers of food, beer and wine are featured and stories of the producers are included with various recipes. Our 4-course Sea Salt dinner comprised of:

Balsamic Beets and Goat’s Cheese Crostini with beets from a Nanaimo farmers market, chive flowers from the Malone garden, goat cheese from the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company, and red fife sourdough bread from Bodhi’s Artisan Bakery

Seared Qualicum Beach Scallops with Sweetcorn-Basil Purée and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Qualicum Beach scallops from Island Scallops Ltd.

Pacific Cioppino with mussels from Island Sea Farms on Salt Spring Island and sea salt that is hand-harvested and natural from Vancouver Island Salt Co.

Cranberry and Hazelnut Coffee Cake with hazelnuts from Foote’s Hazelnut Farm

Four wines, handpicked by Lorna, accompanied this amazing meal. My favourites were the Averill Creek’s Cowichan Black and Joie Farms 2011 Pinot Noir.

There were so many superfoods in our Sea Salt dinner. Scallops, clams, mussels, salmon, prawns, beets, tomatoes, hazelnuts and cranberries were just a few of them. Go to our list of favourite superfoods to see the nutritional benefits.

I highly recommend the Sea Salt cookbook, whether you’re a sailor or not, and regardless if you cook in a small or large kitchen. I wish the Malones continued success with their cookbook and I look forward to trying all of their recipes! Thank you to Lorna and Hilary for an unforgettable culinary experience.

The Seared Qualicum Beach Scallops with Sweetcorn-Basil Purée and Heirloom Tomato Salad recipe and cookbook cover photo are courtesy of Sea Salt: Recipes from the West Coast Galley by Alison Malone Eathorne, Hilary Malone and Lorna Malone, with photographs by Christina Symons, Harbour Publishing, 2013, www.harbourpublishing.com

Travel Far, Explore More! – {Kale}