Ciao a tutti!

It has officially been a month since my last shared recipe.  A dreadfully long time in the world of blogging, but a fabulously long time for the hubs and I.  Why precisely is that?  Because the majority of that month was spent in Italy!!!  Perfetto!

For almost three weeks, the hubs and I walked, ate and drank our way through five absolutely gorgeous cities.  Nary a flavor of gelato went untasted, with enough pistachio to fill the colosseum itself.  The walking and sightseeing was only interrupted for meals or an afternoon espresso.  The picture above is from fabulous Rome and below we have Parma, Florence and Chianti.  I considered including the pictures from Bologna and Milan, but that would be rubbing it in a it much.

 Me at the Mausoleo Ossario Gabrialdino in Rome

The view of Florence from the Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte

The hubs eying the ceiling of the Castello di Torrechiara in Parma

 An amazing wine and cheese shop in Greve, Chianti

The Parma baptistry and its stunning pink marble

At the end of our travels the hubs asked which city was my favorite.  And honestly, I can't pick just one.  My engagement ring loved Florence so much, it decided to fall off my finger and stay forever! (Take my advice ladies and gents and keep up on your insurance payments!)  I could have walked around Rome for another full week without ever growing weary of the sights, or spent several more days relaxing in the beautiful tranquility of Parma with our friends Francie and Pelle.

Our fabulous Parma hosts...we miss you both!

But this is a food blog so let's be honest...we all want to read about the eats!  Without a doubt, my stomach's favorite city was Bologna.  Our fantastic hosts from Air B&B told us we would have a hard time finding a bad meal, and they were absolutely correct. The decadent burrata I ate one day for lunch (a cheese made from mozzarella and cream) now haunts my dreams and I cannot wait until Francie sends me her recipe for this divine and chewy cornmeal flatbread that was just too good for words.  I plan to bring you several of my favorites over the next few weeks, but below are two of my absolute favorites from our travels.  Simple, gorgeous and amazingly delectable...true minimalism at its best.

 Fresh caprese salad with prosciutto and salumi

Tortellini en brodo

There is no seasoning or sauce in the world that can improve upon the flavor of quality fresh ingredients.  So until my feet are back in Italian soil, I will do my best to recreate the amazing food that captured my heart and stomach.  Stay tuned...!