The Vacation: Capri, Positano, Naples, and Rome

It is said that travel broadens the mind. For me, travel also broadens the palate. I have not posted in a month because I got married and went on an amazing honeymoon to Italy. My wife and I didn't have a bad meal the entire two weeks we were there, but we also did not shy away from trying new dishes as well as traditional classics. 

Our honeymoon took us to Capri, Positano, Naples, and Rome, from the fresh seafood of the Amalfi Coast to the rustic classics of Rome. That is not to say that any traveler should be tied to only what the region is known for, as our best seafood dinner was in Rome and some of our favorite pastas were rich, tomato based dished eaten on the Amalfi Coast. Below you will find some of our favorite restaurants, foods, and ideas for anyone heading to Italy.

Capri

The Blue Isle. Capri was gorgeous. Its beaches, its water, its views, its cocktails, and its food were all amazing. It is also expensive (splurge on drinks at Hotel Quisisana's front patio) but definitely a must see, especially if you have already been to Italy a number of times and worn out seeing ruins, churches, and museums again, like my wife and I.

The dish most associated with Capri (Italians pronounce  it  Cah-pree) is, of course, Insalata Caprese, a recipe I will be covering in my next post. Fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, and olive oil always hits the spot on a bright summer day. We ate it at the pool for lunch on our first day and it was so good. Let's face it, fresh buffalo mozzarella really can't go too far wrong. Also, the restaurant at our hotel, Terrazza Brunella, was very good. My wife and I ate our last dinner there and the views of Capri and Marina Piccola were almost as good as the homemade pastas and fried zucchini flowers we ate before the Torta Caprese, a cake of chocolate, nuts, and flour.

There are a number of must dos while in Capri, including organizing a private boat tour with Gianni's Boat, but a beach club is on the top of my list. The pool is great, but the clear blue water of the Mediterranean off Capri is infinitely better. There are many beach clubs with good restaurants throughout the island, but our hotel got us free entry to Bagni Internazionali in Marina Piccola as well as its restaurant Ciro di Mare. We had a great lunch of really good marinated anchovies (I ate anchovies daily throughout the trip, no exaggeration as I am still drinking water to recover), grilled calamari, and white wine with peaches while looking out on the famous Faraglioni  It was so fresh, probably caught that morning and prepped an hour or so before we ate lunch. The perfect, light beach lunch on the Amalfi Coast.

Positano

Just look at that picture! Positano lived up to the expectations set by Diane Lane ... that's right I set expectations based off of Diane Lane existential discovery movies. So what?

Here in Positano I had a food epiphany, it wasn't that dramatic but still ... a food moment. Ricci. The riches of the sea. Sea urchin. Honestly, it was soooo good, it was like I was eating the Mediterranean with fresh pasta. Simply prepared with a light tomato sauce, parsley, and breadcrumb, yet one of the best things I have eaten in my life. I am so happy I went out of my comfort zone and tried it because it was totally worth the reward. This moment happened at Lo Guarracino after we ate a wonderfully fresh seafood salad.

One of our best dinners on the trip came at Da Vincenzo. It had one of those menus where you wanted to order everything. Great pastas including a very nice zucchini with tomato sauce pasta combination which we found to be something of a staple in the region. Also, the stuffed pepper filled with fresh tuna and herbs, was a nice finale to an incredible few days in Positano.

Naples

We had to stop in Naples for pizza. We passed through Naples twice on our trip and could not justify not making a stop to grab a bite of what makes Naples famous - pizza. San Marzano tomatoes are sourced a few miles outside the city on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius and are fresher here than anywhere else in the world.

We managed to get into the pizzeria that travelers and locals alike laud as producing the best pizza in all of Naples, Da Michele. My wife and I grabbed our number and waited outside with the lunch crowd for over an hour before sitting down to order the only two pies on the menu, pizza margherita and pizza marinara. Both, while certainly different, were great. The margherita was in a sweet tomato sauce with fresh buffalo mozzarella while the marinara was cheeseless, just a flavorful marinara sauce loaded with fresh oregano. 

It was definitely worth the wait and a must do when passing through Naples, which brings us to ...

Rome

I love Rome. I have been fortunate enough to visit several times now (who knew that throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain actually works!) and have loved it every time. The history. The museums. The food. The atmosphere. It is by far my favorite city to visit when I go abroad, and as we weren't tied down to seeing every sight, my wife and I were able to focus on eating.

One of our favorite places in Rome is the Campo di Fiori. My wife lived nearby on her study abroad and I love the buzz of the daily produce market. Fresh pizza bianca from La Carbonara Forno, any type of cold cut you want sliced in front of you at Ruggeri, and of course the vegetables, fruits, spices, pastas, and so much more offered in the open air market. We bought some prosciutto, mortadella, local cheeses and strawberries, bread, and a treat or two before we headed over to our reservation at the Borghese Gallery. After our visit to some of the best Bernini sculptures in the world, we sat under a tree in the Villa Borghese and had a lovely lunch. If you are looking for a perfect mix of food, culture, and atmosphere, planning a day like this in Rome is a must for any itinerary! 

Around the corner from the Campo is one of the best, if not the best, pasta restaurants in the city. We had lunch at Ditirambo during our first stay, a great cacio e pepe and a fantastic fresh pasta with spring vegetables, before circling back again to cap off our trip with one last perfect pasta meal in Italy. 

Finally, before I ramble on more about going to the Vatican or the Colosseum or some other site, I wanted to end with the best meal I ate on my honeymoon. I wanted to end on the best seafood meal I have ever eaten ... period. Tempio di Iside was a suggestion from my new father-in-law and it was amazing. They simply bring you seafood. First raw, then hot, then whole fish prepared to your liking. It was amazing. We had 17 different type of fish or shellfish in one meal. I know, I counted. Raw razor clams and lagoustines. The BEST oyster I have ever eaten in my life! Octopus and calamari cooked in a clay pot with a rich tomato sauce. The five other things I had no clue on what I was eating because it was all local to Rome. It was all delicious.

Looking back, the whole trip was delicious, the whole trip was amazing. Next time you are traveling to Italy remember to try new foods, have a negroni or two, and enjoy more than just the sites. Ciao!

The Deal: Best Pork Chop for Under $5

Don't think you can eat well for under $5 these days? Think again. I recently spent just under $5 on a great weeknight meal. A pork chop. A bunch of fresh parsley. A clove of garlic. A couple of plum tomatoes. A cheap meal that tastes anything but cheap.

The grand total for ingredients (all of which I purchased at my local butcher store) came in at $4.77, not too shabby for a Tuesday night dinner. I diced some parsley, garlic, and tomatoes (a 2/1/1 ratio) and added to a mixing bowl with a few teaspoons olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Once my dressing for the chop was ready, I made a rub from coriander, cumin, and sea salt and seasoned the pork before adding to a hot pan. I pan-broiled the pork chop until cooked to medium-rare then served topped with the parsley, oil, and tomato dressing.

Don't be fooled, good food does not necessarily mean expensive food. Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy an inexpensive calf's liver as much as an expensive steak. Be on the lookout for cheaper options at your local store and remember that good, fresh ingredients will always taste good and fresh when prepared properly. 

The Dish: Roasted Whole Trout with Blitva

A roasted fish with Croatian Blitva is a typical sight on the Dalmatian dinner table. The fresh flavors complement one another and the simple ingredients are available almost anywhere. The dish is simple to prepare and can be ready in 45 minutes or less.  

I prepped two 1 lb. rainbow trouts to serve two people. I rinsed the fish, patted dry, and then seasoned inside and out with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. I stuffed them with fresh parsley, garlic cloves, and lemon wedges and set them aside while the oven heated to 400 degrees.

I prepared some Swiss Chard and potatoes for Croatian Blitva as I let a pot of water reach a boil, adding the potatoes first then the greens. Five minutes after the potatoes went into the pot, I put the trout into the oven and roasted the whole fish for 10 - 15 minutes. Finally, I added some basil infused olive oil atop the fish before serving with the Blitva.

Roasted fish and Blitva made for a simple and flavorful meal. While not nearly as popular or famous as the cuisine across the Adriatic Sea, Croatian cuisine is something worth exploring. 

Suggested Sides:

• Grilled Panzanella 
• Zucchinni Sweet Potato Fritters
• Parmesan Peppers
• Heirloom Tomato Salad

The Technique: Roasted Whole Fish

Roasting a whole fish has become synonymous with summer for me. The fresh, yet simple, taste of fish paired with a chilled white wine is hard to beat as the temperature rises. Roasting a fish is so easy and, if hosting friends, an easy way to impress your dinner guests. Bronzino, red snapper, and rainbow trout are all perfect for cooking whole.

Here are some rules to keep in mind when roasting a whole fish:

• Make sure the fish is fresh. It should have clear eyes, not cloudy eyes. It should also smell like the sea, not smell like ... well, fish.

• Keep the bones in. Bones, whether in meat or fish, add flavor. Have your local fishmonger (great word) scale and gut the fish, but keep the bones in. If you are planning on filleting the fish before you serve, peeling back the spine should take most of the smaller rib bones with it.

• Don't overcook it. If cooking a fish that is around a pound in weight, it should have to cook no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Check the eyes. Once they turn white, your fish should be close to done. If your meat is still translucent, it is under cooked. If your meat is tough, it is overcooked.

There are so many examples and recipes available that walk you through the process until you get comfortable. I have found that this video from The New York Times as well as this tutorial from Chow.com are great references for first time whole fish roasters. I you follow the rules of thumb above, however, you really can't go too far wrong.

The first time I prepared fish whole I was nervous, and naturally scoured my cookbooks and cooking websites for help. The great thing is that there are so many examples and recipes available that walk you through the process until you get comfortable. I have found that this video from The New York Times as well as this tutorial from Chow.com are great references for first time whole fish roasters. I you follow the rules of thumb above, however, you really can't go too far wrong.

The next time your looking for a light, tasty meal, think about roasting a whole fish. It's easy. It's fun. It's summer.

Technique

1 Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Do not add fish until 10 minutes after it reaches temperature to ensure oven is hot.

2 Rinse your fish inside and out. Pat dry then rub with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Stuff the cavity with whatever you like whether it be breadcrumbs or, as I prefer, lemon wedges, crushed garlic cloves, and fresh herbs.

3 Add olive oil to baking tray. Then place fish on top. Add to oven.

4 A one pound fish should need between 10 and 12 minutes to cook. If fish weighs slightly over a pound, it should need closer to 15 minutes.

5 Let the food rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. If you are filleting, check out this great video on the the process.

The Cut: Rainbow Trout

Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/health/nutrition/13recipehealth.html?_r=0

Whenever I head to the store to buy whole fish, I always look for something fresh, sustainable, and portioned for one. Last time around, I bought some rainbow trout, the first time I have deviated from bronzino or red snapper, and I could not have been happier. 

A member of the salmon family, the fish is less fatty than salmon and has lighter flesh than arctic char. Most of the trout available in U.S. markets is farm-raised and those in stores can weigh between three-quarters and one-and-a-quarter pounds. 

Rainbow trout really is a great fish for baking or roasting whole and requires little addition to enhance its flavors. Just some herbs, olive oil, lemon, salt, and you have got yourself a fantastic meal.

In addition to its taste, rainbow trout is also a sustainable fish here in the Northeast. According to the most recent Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, rainbow trout rates as a best choice for sustainability.

Retrieved from http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?fid=64

Rainbow trout is high in protein and low in sodium, and it also contains less fat than salmon making the fish a nice alternative. However, rainbow trout is high in cholesterol and should not be eaten more than once or twice a week. Below is the nutrition card for a 2 fillet serving: