A Day in Napoli

After our beach time, we were ready to get back to a city.  With our schedule tightening up, we decided we could only spend a day in Naples before moving onto Rome.  We arrived via train on a Sunday, and for me there was only one place to go once we got settled. 

The shrine to all things Sfogliatelle!

Sfogliatelle Attanasio!  I believe I read Mario Batali gushing about it in some food mag or online, and what got me curious was that this place serves these incredible pastries still warm, or even hot, from the oven.  I can't say I have much experience with these "lobster tails", other than a New York version that's been sitting in a case for 3 days.  My mouth was just watering for the original!  So we made our way through the busy city and into a smelly alleyway to find a small bundle of locals & foodies huddled outside this tattered and revered bakery.  Nudging my way through the crowd to get my ticket and order in was a little intimidating, but I managed to make myself understood with my barebones Italian.  After about a 30 minute wait for my number to be called, I finally got to the front of the counter.  I had ordered 2 sfogliatelle and the man behind the counter asked me if I wanted "1 crispy, 1 soft".  I didn't know there was a difference, so I just said yes.  Upon leaving and opening the bag on the sidewalk just outside the bakery, I admit I was a little disappointed to find I only got one of the signature flakey sfogliatella, also known as "riccia".  The soft one encased the same fragrantly orange scented ricotta filling, but looked more like a bread bun.  We tackled the riccia first, and it was everything you could want in a pastry!  Warm, super crispy, sweet and creamy with little bursts of candied orange bits!  My husband got us a coffee while we were waiting in line, and it made the perfect pairing.  Moving onto the "frolla', or shortcrust version, I had little hope that it would be as good.  It was surprisingly just as divine!  What it lacked in ultimate crispiness, it overcompensated in pure buttery (or lardy?) tenderness!

Dive right into those layers!

As soon as we cleared the crumbs from our shirts, the day's rain started pouring down.  We found ourselves under a bus shelter wondering what to do next.  We were still hungry from our morning's travel, so pizza was the only logical option!  We were a little annoyed to find that many pizza places that were recommended to us were closed on Sundays.  50 Kalo was the only one on the list that was open, so we got in a cab and waited yet another 45 minutes under an umbrella outside for a taste of Naples' most popular dish.  Pizza! 

Surprise! It's pizza!!

Admittedly, I wasn't as blown away by this pizza as I was with the one in Pompeii.  The flavors had a bit less pop and the dough was a bit soggy.  Overall though, the vibe in the restaurant was cool and the appetizer of fried bucatini was delicious... like fried mac n' cheese! 

The rest of the evening became a dud, as I managed to catch a slight cold while standing in the rain for pizza.  Such is life!  The next morning, I mustered the strength to get out of bed early to to try out another famous bakery one of my cooks recommended.  Pasticceria Angelo Carbone!  They were also serving warm sfogliatelle, so I couldn't resist ordering one.  So so good!  I'm almost afraid of eating one of these outside Naples, because I feel like nothing will ever come close. 

Breakfast, Italian style!

Amalfi Magical-ness.

I am hereby adding myself to the long list of people who will gush endlessly about the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.  There is really no photo in the world that can capture this part of the planet in all its awesomeness.

After leaving our rustic beach town of Puolo, we drove around the coast of Massa Lubrense and started our journey towards Salerno, the eastern end of the Amalfi region.  In our little and mighty Fiat, we wound up and down and around the narrow highway carved out of the cliffs, stoppinga couple times along the way to take in scenes of pure coastal magic.

Our first of three stops along the 3-hour drive was Positano, that picture postcard place of prettiness!  I previously had my doubts about how great it could be, especially knowing what a tourist magnet it is.  Once we parked up and started walking down the many steep steps through charming stucco homes, and sneaking peaks through gates of the residences, I had a feeling my doubts were about to be wiped clean.  We quickly got to the beach and into the water.  Turning our heads up and inland, we were just stunned by Positano's impossible cliffside architecture set against more mountains towering above and a late summer sky.

How did they get those buildings up there??

Feeling hungry after our swim, we got back on the road and stopped off again in the much quieter town of Praiano, which also had no shortage of breathtaking views and winding steps along the mostly white-stucco homes.  With more of the afternoon to spare, we started to make our way east to the town of Amalfi, also a jewel along the coast.  About 10 minutes into the journey, we came to a complete standstill on the road for about half an hour.  It seemed that up ahead, two large tourist busses going in opposite directions were fighting for space on the very narrow road.  We crawled for another 30-40 minutes, guided by the Italian highway patrol, and by the time traffic cleared, the sun had gone behind the clouds. 

One glimpse at Amalfi traffic.

We decided to bypass Amalfi, and take one more stop in Maiori, the penultimate stop before the end of the famous coast.  As we walked along the emptying beach, we got our feet wet in that blue-ass water one more time before leaving that magical place.

A Little Town Called Puolo

A short flight from Palermo to Naples, a long and traffic laden drive down through Sorrento, and a mini battle with Google Maps later, we arrived at a little beach village called Puolo.  Pronounced "polo", it rests just southwest of Sorrento in the province of Massa Lubrense.  I can't say it's all that pretty, but it was our shanty little ocean paradise for 5 days and we loved it!

We slept in the only hotel in town and throughout the course of our stay, had at least one meal in each of the 3 restaurants/snack shops along the pebbly beached strip.  To tell you the truth, the only reason why we settled on this tiny town was because it was the cheapest hotel available on Expedia, and seemed a close enough drive to places we wanted to hit. 

Spaghetti alla (the freshest you can get) Vongole!

Fritto Misto, aka deep-fried yumminess from the sea!

Our only touristy mission for the next few days was to spend an afternoon roaming the archeological sites of Pompeii, the ancient town devastated by Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.  Of course all that walking around worked up an appetite!  And because Pompeii is so close to Naples, the pizza capital of Italy, we figured this town would have good pizza too.  We were not disappointed!  I always order my margherita pizza with arugula, or rucola, because I tend to crave some element of freshness with my hot food.  It might also be a way of convincing myself I'm being healthier while consuming a plate of dough and cheese.  And oh, what dough it was!  I was besotted with the fluffy and perfectly charred crust that was soft, chewy and not doughy at all.

Pizza Margherita DOP con rucola.

A short walk from our pizza place was a well known pasticceria called Da Vivo, with an impressive variety of cakes, pastries and gelato.

One of Da Vivo's many cases filled with whole cakes.

Only part of Da Vivo's large array of classic Italian pastries.

The long walk back to the car was made easier by this delicious cone! Pistachio & melon flavors.

The rest of our time in Puolo was just about enjoying the beach, the calm sea and each other's company.  Oh, and eating more seafood!  Thank you, Expedia!

The whole family.

Cefalù, Sicily

I can't say I gave Sicily the best shot.  This huge island deserves more than just a 6 day visit.  That being said, as our first Continental stop on this European journey, we did the best we could with our time. After missing our flight from London-Palermo, we caught the next morning's plane to meet my mom, who was waiting for us at her hotel.  We got directly on a train east to Cefalù,  an old  seaside town an hour from the capital.

With our huge backpacks in tow, we trecked up the steep stone steps to our building, then another couple flights to our 3rd floor walk up rooftop apartment.  We were rewared with the most amazing view and charming apartment we could ask for.  The 3 of us were so excited to be calling this place home for the next few days.

After dropping our bags, we quickly set back out to walk the town's narrow, cobbled streets.  Admittedly, we were 3 of many many tourists browsing and shopping, but we didn't care.  We were in a new place in the world, walking under the local residents' laundry hanging from what seemed like every window above.

The little bodegas that dotted the streets provided us the alimentari to make simple and delicious breakfasts and dinners, of which I only took 1 photo!  Just call me a bad blogger. 

Antipasti, anyone?

One of the most memorable experiences was taking a cooking class with my mom one afternoon.  We made up half the class, with another couple from England joining us.  Set in a converted convent is a villa which houses some modernized apartments as well a little space for cooking classes.  We made traditional Sicilian fish croquettes, called polpette di broccoli, fresh pasta with tomato sauce, as well as fish rolled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, almonds & herbs and then baked.  Of course, we got to eat everything we made al fresco, and take a dip in their pool afterwards!

My mom and I signed up for a Sicilian cooking class.

Unsurprisingly, I was always on the look out for great pastry.  I found it in one of the oldest pasticcerie a short walk from our apartment, called L'angolo delle Dolcezze.  I arrived a little late, so the selection was a little sparse.  I still think I got away with some decent goodies though!  Actually, for such a small town, I was surprised by the amount of pastry shops and gelaterias that abounded.  Cefalu is my kinda town!

Mini treats after a home cooked dinner.  I think we had grilled fish that night.

My mom doing her thing in our rooftop kitchen.  La Rocca looms overhead.

London Times

You will never hear me say "no" to a trip to London.  Ever since I visited with my family as a teenager, this city has grabbed my attention and never let go.  At first, it was probably the typical Brit-American differences that made me fall in love:  the accents, the old architecture, the "smallness" of everything from cars to sinks to front doors, the Tube, the boys, the fashion, the Spice Girls, etc.  When I moved here in 2002 to study, I was fulfilling a dream to live in another country and I couldn't wait to immerse myself in what I was soon to realize was a completely different culture.  I've only been back a couple times since moving to New York 11 years ago, so this first stop on our European excursion was a must.  Always on my list is to check out one of their many markets, interesting pastry, have a curry, and just walk this wonderful city.  Sadly, I didn't get a chance to photograph the utmost delicious Indian food I had at this little hole-in-the-wall place near London Bridge.   I highly recommend Mango Tree just off Southwark Street!

Banana Cake, Chocolate Cookie, Blondie and a coffee from Violet Cakes. Not all for me! I shared with @theboywhobakes.

The counter of goodies at E5 Bakehouse. I forgot to take a pic of the bread, ugh!!

Too many Scotch Eggs at Broadway Market in Hackney.

Delicious looking sourdough doughnuts at Broadway Market, by Crosstown.

The cutest ever butcher shop in Hackney.

Lovely looking bread.

A leisurely walk along the canals.

Pure pastry artistry at Yauatcha. And lovely meeting the pastry chef, Sarah Frankland!

Chocolate Starburst at Paul A. Young, suggested to me by @theboywhobakes. LOVED the Bakewell Tart flavor!