Travels

I’m going to give you snippets of favorite travel destinations and expand upon them later. Note that these are all food-related and most of the time, when not eating, I’m viewing art. Artists – I’ll get to you later!

My favorite destination is Italy, where I marvel at the people and way of life. Olives, olive oil, balsamico, simple impeccably fresh foods and herbs, and wine, make this food special. In Tuscany make sure to have ravioli with squash and sage butter, and never forget the Bistecca alla Fiorentina made from Chianina beef dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper. And gelato at Vivoli in Florence.

Remember that I went to a French cooking school and learned all the sauces and techniques. Simple and satisfying cuisines from southern France, Greece and Italy are my passion now. They are the best ingredients, fresh and perfectly cooked.

Next is Greece. The seafood and vegetables are incredible. We spent ten days traveling through the Ionian seas, and my Dad’s birthday party consisted of the meze -appetizers. Spanakopita, melizanasalata, tyroppita, keftedakia, taramosalata, risosalata, dolmades, octopus and many others.

Now we’re in the USA and today all eyes are on Buffalo with the untimely demise of a national treasure, Tim Russert. I’m a Bills girl and have been since a certain player who has since been disgraced joined the team and broke records.

Anchor Bar, hands down, for wings. Only with blue cheese and celery. No boneless wings live in Buffalo, nor does ranch or any other dressing to kill the heat of the wings. Beef on Weck, don’t know if it exists anymore but I grew up on it. Roast beef, thinly sliced with jus on a Kummelwick (salt and caroway seed) roll. And Ted’s hot dogs. Also one of my favorites is Swiss Chalet (Canada) and Chalet BBQ (US) where you can get chicken with potatoes, rolls, sauce, and what used to be a towel in a bowl with lemon to clean up with. Now it’s probably a wet-nap.

It’s been years since I lived there but there are some special things to remember. The seasons, the snow before it becomes cumbersome, and always the people. I still have folks there and miss the simple childhood times and memories of swimming in the pool, eating fresh fruit from the farm stand and grapes from Mr. C’s farm.

My thoughts are sent out tonight not to the networks or staff but to Big Russ and Mr. Russert’s family.

Respectfully, Dee