Italy, Turkey, Greece or China I wanted to write a quick little blurb about where the meatball originated and post a great recipe. But there doesn’t seem to be a cut and dry answer. It seems like every country has their version of a meatball and a few like to say they invented it. This […]
Chanterelles – Fungi Gold
Chanterelles have long been one of our favourite mushrooms to forage for and eat, so when Dave Stephenson asked to write a guest post on the subject for A Cook Not Mad, we just couldn’t resist. Chanterelles Wild mushrooms are a delicious feature of many dishes, and golden chanterelles (cantharellus cibarius) – with their striking bright […]
4 Things To Do In Cologne Germany
Your Own Personal Brew House Crawl Cologne is the place for Kölsch. In fact there are over 20 different types of Kölsch brewed in Cologne. With that many beers, served in 0.21cl stanges, you could literally end up crawling back to your hotel room. Try some of our favourites: – Brauhaus Sünner im Walfisch, Salzgasse […]
HUNGARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS (or are they Turkish?)
We didn’t do much research into Budapest before arriving other than finding a place to stay. But once there we were schooled in its rich history, its amazing culture and its cuisine. Foods like goulash soup, the huge variety of cakes and pastries and the stuffed peppers are comforting and delicious. Peppers so flavourful they […]
Reverse Wedding Crash
Borgo Garibaldi Tucked away in our quiet apartment in Borgo Garibaldi. We were quite relaxed and comfortable. The owner mentioned to us that the agriturismo that runs the palazzo next door also has a restaurant, only open on the weekends. “You should make a reservation”, she said, “but I think they are catering a wedding […]
Near The Banks Of The Mighty Po River – BASIC RISOTTO
Po River Glad to be out of the madness of Genoa, we made the drive North to our next destination, Brusasco. A small town about an hour outside of Torino near the banks of the mighty Po River. Our apartment for the week was actually in a small Borgo sitting at the top of a […]
The Best Bakery in Italy – Forno F. Casali
Lucca Lucca is a lovely little-walled city about an hour and a half drive from Florence. We were lucky to have visited frequently last year when we were based only ten minutes away in Massarosa. This trip we were based in Barga for the week, with Lucca just over a half hour away, and even […]
Return To Barga – PORK TENDERLOIN WITH A BALSAMIC SAUCE
Barga We visited Barga last year with only enough time for a couple of hours of exploration but that was enough to ensure our return. There is something about this little walled village sitting on a hill looking out over the Serchio Valley that wants you to slow down, breath and stay a while. The […]