Loire Valley: Domaine des Hauts de Loire

The kings of France ditched Paris for the Loire Valley during the Renaissance, leaving the region littered with glorious châteaux. And who could blame them? This lush valley is a regal backdrop for elaborate castles, its fertile vineyards and farmlands supplying royal feasts. Local pears and goat cheese, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé still end up on restaurant tables in Tours.

Tuck yourself in at Domaine des Hauts de Loire, a fairy tale of a hotel whose antiques-filled rooms overlook 178 acres of forest.

Recipe of the Week: LAMB CHOPS WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

“Tender lamb chops flavored with rosemary, mint, and thyme are served with a savory shallot and balsamic vinegar sauce!"

It’s a sad day for me today. I’m craving one of my favorite meals knowing that it is out of my grasp…. Unless of course, I want to attempt to make it for myself, knowing it’s not the same as when someone makes it for you. Maybe you should try this recipe first and let me know if you like it :)

This recipe serves 4 people, you’ll need:

·         1/4 cup fresh rosemary

·         1/4 cup fresh mint

·         1/4 cup fresh thyme

·         Sea Salt

·         Ground black pepper to taste

·         4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)

·         1 tablespoon Olive Oil

·         1/4 cup minced shallots

·         1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar

·         3/4 cup Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth

·         2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, mint, thyme, Sea Salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.

2. Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lambs chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter.

3. Add shallots to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the Low Sodium Free Range Chicken Broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. Note: If sauce is removed from heat too soon, it will be thin. Remove from heat, and stir in butter. Pour over the lamb chops and serve.

MY ADVICE: Serve the lamb chops on a bed of homemade mashed potatoes and pour the jus over the meat and potatoes. One of my favourite meals!!!

Travel + Leisure’s 2011 World's Best Hotel - Singita Grumeti Reserves, Sabora Tented Camp!

Voted the 2011 World’s Best Hotel by Travel + Leisure’s annual reader survey, Tanzania's Singita Grumeti Reserves, Sabora Tented Camp, has the old-world allure of colonial Africa. It gives the impression of walking onto the set of one of my favourite movies - Out of Africa.

Soak up the scenery as lions lounge, zebra schmooze, and cheetahs stretch on the plains of the Camp’s 350,000 acres of pristine wilderness in the Serengeti National Park.

The palatial spread is airy and plush, lined with silks, antique mahogany chests, worn leather folding chairs and thick, beautiful Persian carpets. With Sabora, tent living has never been so sweet.

The stunning panoramas provide the perfect escape for romance and serenity. The Singita Grumeti Reserves, Sabora Tented Camp is definitely a place I want to visit in my lifetime.

For more information, visit Singita Grumeti Reserves.  

Enjoy!

Paris - City of Lights

I just spent the afternoon with a dear friend of mine enjoying warm, chocolate croissants, looking at the pictures from our last trip to Paris. It brought back so many memories for me… So in true Travelista73 style, I thought I’d share some of them with you.

Who knows, they may inspire some of you Travel Lovers to book a flight and go visit the City of Lights, also known to many as the most romantic city in the world.

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: ZUPPA DI FARRO - FARRO SOUP

As chilly, fall weather approaches I begin to crave one of my favourite soups - Zuppa di Farro. This soup holds a special place in my heart because the first time I ever tried zuppa di farro I was in a small restaurant in Tuscany in the company of someone very special to me. We shared this meal over a nice bottle of Chianti and had one of the most memorable moments in our lives. So perhaps I am a little bias when it comes to this soup, but either way, it is truly delicious!

Before we begin with the recipe, I need to make clear that farro is not spelt or barley. It is a relative of wheat, but absolutely not the same thing as a wheatberry. Farro is simply farro, and if it is from Italy, where labeling laws are strict, it will say FARRO on the bag, clear and simple.

The confusion among these noble grains began years ago when chefs outside of Italy had to substitute spelt or barley for farro in favourite recipes, because the real thing was almost impossible to find. But farro is riding that wave of Italian popularity these days, and while you may have difficulty finding it on all supermarket shelves, some Italian speciality shops carry it, but if all else fails you can always order it online.

Be sure to get farro perlato, which means the tough hull has been removed and the farro will cook to a tender softness. Soaking the farro for a few hours beforehand shortens the cooking time, so a big pot of soup doesn't have to take all day. You can soak the farro, drain and store it a day in advance. It is important to use a high-quality stock made with aromatics like celery, onion, and carrot. Homemade beef stock is my choice, but chicken or a roasted vegetable stock works too.

This hearty soup is especially common in the Garfagnana region, the mountains northwest of Lucca, but is popular in the rest of Tuscany as well.

This recipe serves about 5 to 6 quarts of soup, you’ll need:

·         2 cups farro

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 medium clove of garlic, peeled and smashed

·         1 medium onion, diced

·         2 ounces pancetta or guanciale, diced

·         1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme

·         2 or 3 crumbled sage leaves

·         1 bay leaf

·         1 cup canned plum tomatoes, crushed and chopped

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         6 to 8 cups of good-quality beef stock

·         Torn parlsey leaves, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and grated Parmigano-Reggiano or Grana Padano for garnish

METHOD

Place the farro in a large bowl and cover it with one quart of cold water. Let the farro soak for two hours, then drain it, discarding the water.

Heat the oil in a large stockpot and add the garlic clove. Let the garlic sizzle and cook in the oil until it begins to turn golden brown, then remove it. Add the diced onion and pancetta to the oil, stirring it well. Season this mixture with a pinch of salt and stir, sautéing on low heat until the onions and pancetta soften and turn translucent at the edges. Stir in the herbs and sauté for another minute. Do not allow the mixture to brown.

Add the tomatoes to the pot and stir, then add the farro, 4 cups of the stock, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover the soup and lower the heat. Simmer the soup covered for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. As the moisture absorbs, add more stock to the pot, a cup or so at a time, keeping the grains loose and suspended in liquid.

When the farro is tender, the soup is done. Allow it to cool for about 30 minutes in the pot. Remove about 2 cups of the soup to a blender container and puree it smooth. Stir the pureed mixture into the soup, and add more stock if necessary. The soup should not be thick or gloppy, but loose and liquid.

Return the soup to the heat before serving; garnish with parsley, a dribble of olive oil and a grating of cheese.

LEFTOVERS ADVICE: Store extra soup for up to three days. The soup will continue to absorb moisture as it sits, so you may have to thin it to the proper consistency with water or additional stock before reheating.

I'm so hungry now and have a BIG craving for Zuppa di Farro!!!!

Enjoy...

Property Rentals Abroad

How many times have you wished you could just pack your bags and take off to Europe or somewhere exotic for a year? Immerse yourself in a different culture and lifestyle.

• Enjoy simple things like sitting at a Parisian café eating a warm croissant as you spend your afternoon people watching.
• Go to a local market and buy the ingredients for lunch, accompany it with a great glass of wine and lover, followed by an afternoon siesta.
• Get up and go for a stroll, having no idea where the day may take you.
• Relax in a park or on a beach with a great book, snacking on fresh cheese and breads.
• Experience the adrenaline rush that comes from jostling your way through the labyrinthine medina in Marrakech.
• Sit in a courtyard and make friends with local neighbours.

Part of the allure of travel is experiencing something different and what better way to do that than to experience it like a local. Stepping into another person’s world for a moment and enjoying it to its fullest. There are so many things an experience like this can provide for your soul, your heart and for your overall well-being, but if moving away is not an option 'for now' then how about renting a home for a week or two, or even a month in Paris, Tuscany or North Africa to take time away from the craziness of life to just unwind and relax.

Here are some properties that I think will knock your socks off:

Baudon deMauny in Languedoc-Roussillon, France, is managed by Alain, the owner.

— Alain: “Within two minutes of meeting our guests, my wife loves them. It puts them at ease and they feel a personal connection rather than the generic greeting people usually receive at most hotels.”

Dar Darma in Marrakech,Morocco, is managed by Laura, Marketing Manager.

— Laura: “The atmosphere is very informal and there are no specific times for breakfast or check-in and check-out. I’ve seen a lot of guests feeling like at home. It’s very unique.” 

Alemanys 5 in Girona, Spain, is managed by Juan Manuel, Business Consultant

— Juan Manuel: “When my wife approached the old house, she did it in a modern way but also wanted a dialogue with the old. Like an evolution without breaking with the past.”

Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany, Italy, is managed by Aurora, the Owner.

— Aurora: “We are who we are. We did this place because we fell in love with it. We put all our energy into it, our past life, our experiences.” 

Below is a list of the villa rental agents whom I consider best qualified to match my readers with the appropriate property:

Lavish estates in Italy, thebestinitaly.com

Luxury properties in Morocco and abroad, ppaproperties.com
Properties in Europe and Argentina, hostedvillas.com
Properties in France, justfrance.com
Properties in Greece, fivestargreece.com
Properties in Hawaii, hawaiihideaways.com
Properties in Italy and England, villaeurope.com
Properties in Portugal, villaagency.co.uk
Properties in Spain, elsolvillas.com
Properties in St. Barts, stbarth.com
Properties in St. Martin, villasinparadise.com

TRAVEL WISDOM BY TRAVELISTA73

"A good traveler has no fixed plans,

and is not intent on arriving." ~ Laozi

1.   Be present. Don’t be on your blackberry or laptop all the time. Don’t always think about what you’ll be doing later, or work stuff. Be fully present, and you’ll have a great time.

2.   Eat lightly. Eat anything you want, but don’t eat to the point where you feel sick and heavy. You want to feel ready for anything that the day may bring.

3.   Find space to relax. Most people try to do too much, and rush around all day. Stroll casually, find good coffee shops or tea shops to relax in, or a good sidewalk cafe with good wine. Find parks and enjoy them. If it rains, walk in the rain. Read a lot. Stop and smell the flowers.

4.   Have no agenda. Read up on where you are going. Know what the best foods are, wine and special things to see, and then speak to locals to find out what ‘they’ suggest and set off on your adventure. This allows you to really feel like a local and get an authentic experience.

5.   Pack little. The less you bring, the less time you will spend unpacking, re-organizing and lugging stuff you don’t need around. Bring the essentials. If you forget something, you can always buy it!

6.   Read a great novel. Nothing is more relaxing than enjoying a good book!

7.   Rent an apartment if you can. It’s much more comfortable than a hotel and in many cases cheaper. It also allows you to live like a local.

8.   Smile at people. Talk to the locals. Ask for recommendations. Find out about their lives. Get to know the people behind the culture.

9.   Stay for a few days. If you really want to see a city, stay for a week or more. Instead of visiting 10 cities in three weeks, split that time among just two or three cities and really see and enjoy those cities.

10. Walk a lot. The best way to explore any place is to walk. Walk all over, with no set directions. Get lost. Some of the best things I’ve seen on my travels have been by accident. It’s sort of like love at first sight!

Romantic Meal À DEUX!

R-O-M-A-N-C-E   A word that means many things to many people. For some romance is showing up with a bouquet of flowers and a little box with a month’s salary in it, while for others it means going for a bike ride and enjoying a picnic lunch. Regardless of your interpretation, romance is still the single most important thing in a relationship and the surest way to declare your love for someone.

So what better way to reclaim romance than with a romantic meal à deux? Whether you’re looking for the cinematic allure of dining along the Seine or the serenity of an oceanfront dinner under the stars, a romantic meal is one of the best ways to show that special person just ‘how much’ you love them.

Here are some of enchantingly romantic places to dine.

Bon Appétit Mon Amour!

Roof-top dining at the Palazzo Manfredi - Rome, Italy

Outdoor dining at the Mahua Kothi - Bandhavgarh National Park, India

Rooftop dining at La Sultana - Marrakech, Morocco

Outdoor dining at Hacienda San Jose - Tixkokob, Mexico

 

Verandah dinner at Singita Grumeti Reserves, Sasakwa Lodge - Serengeti, Tanzania

Picnic on the beach at Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa - Maldives

Private beach dining at Banyan Tree Bintan - Bintan, Indonesia

Travelista73: Small Town Calabria

As you know from my last blog post, ETERNAL CITY OF ROME, I embarked on a vacation to Italy this summer with my little niece and nephew. My first post recounted their thoughts and experiences in the Eternal City, insightful and funny as they were, their experience in Calabria bordered on the Twilight Zone and so here their Italian summer holiday experience continues…

After filling up on espresso and brioche, we packed up our two vehicles, said “Arrivederci Roma” and headed off to sunny Calabria. I drove the vehicle that contained the Precious Cargo (our luggage) and spent the next 4.5 hours singing along to my favorite Italian oldies. It’s incredible how fast you can get somewhere on Italy’s infamous ‘two lane’ highway when you just follow local traffic. The slowest vehicle must have been going 150km/hr. I know it’s wrong, but as they say, “When in Rome!”

When we finally drove up the familiar road to our aunt’s house, the same home that had greeted me 23 years earlier (LA BELLA CALABRIA post), I was excited to see the children’s reaction. Let me just say that a child in small town Italy is the equivalent of setting a monkey free in the jungle after years of captivity. I’m not sure if it’s the lack of local traffic, noise or confined spaces, but the kids went wild!!!

My nephew’s first observation was that our summer home was big, “Zia, we’re staying in a castle!” No, not a castle but a very lovely villa with a massive terrace and wind around porch that gave the children a freedom they never experienced before. My nephew was playing soccer on the terrace, dangling from the statues that adorned our aunt’s home, jumping over railings, throwing balls into the fountain, poking holes into water bottles (which our aunt discovered when she picked up a case and found water squirting out all over the place and all over her!). They found trash from outside and formed a local band with children, needless to say, NO ONE slept during siesta or ever!

Small towns also provide children with a sense of empowerment and comfort, hence why my 4 year old niece thought she was old enough to walk to the local bar for ice cream, lemon tonic water and espresso. (Yes, did I mention her new fondness for an espresso with milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar?!) Or how she would walk up to us to ‘announce’ that she was going to visit her cousin because she knows how to go there ON HER OWN!

Italy is a country that allows children a freedom that North America does not. Italians believe that ‘bambini sono bambini’ and they will grow out of things just as the thousands of bambini (children) before them. Hence why they found it so entertaining when my niece entered a room one day holding a candy cigarette telling everyone to move away from her or they would get smoke in their eyes, and when I asked her in a not so friendly tone what she was doing, she answered nonchalantly, “Having a cigarette like Ema!”

Sweat Ema is their favorite 21 year old cousin; a stunning beauty with long hair and long thin legs to match. Always dressed so stylish, complete with hair and make-up, she made sure that her ‘Little Princess’ was just as adorable. Is it not every little girl’s dream to spend time in the presence of a ‘real’ princess? After all, Italian women are known for their style and beauty, and Ema did not disappoint.    

Curfews are also hard to keep in Italy. Being in bed at 9pm simply doesn’t apply! Children are out and about in cafes, restaurants, ice cream shops and bars until all hours of the night. Try explaining to kids why they have to go to bed when everyone else is out having a ‘good time,’ so on occasion curfew was as late as midnight, or even later…

Small towns also host many FESTAS; local festivities that usually include live entertainment, food and lots of vendors selling anything from candy and toys, to fashion accessories and cds. It is a time when townspeople come together to celebrate. The kids LOVED this experience! The highlight being when my nephew had our cousin buy him a BB gun (because Italians see no crime in giving an 8 year old a loaded weapon) and he shot his sister in the leg, as well as someone else in the butt; all to the other children’s delight! NOT ours!

Loading them up in the car also proved to be a challenge because they didn’t understand why ‘they’ had to sit in a car seat in the back when Italians children are allowed to sit in the front all the time!

Another thing the children loved was being able to go horseback riding and visiting local farm animals. I mean how often can you take a walk up the road to see pigs, chickens, hens, goats… However, when someone explained to them that the cute piggies are killed to make the delicious prosciutto and salami sandwiches they love, let’s just it left a bitter taste in their mouth :(

SHOPPING!!! Everyone knows how great shopping is in Italy, but what many people don’t know is that most Italian boutiques keep their goods behind the counter and it is ‘understood’ that you are NOT supposed to touch any of the merchandise. You tell the clerk what you are looking for and they slowly take out items for you to view. Well… my niece didn’t understand the logic behind this and would make her way through local boutiques trying on expensive shoes and purses, and touching all the ‘pretty things.’ The expressions on the salesclerks’ faces were priceless; it was a cross between, “Oh look how cute she is!” and “Tell your brat to keep her f@#&%n hands to herself!”

Fresh air and vast open spaces...the kids loved this, especially driving home and passing bulls roaming the hillside, or getting stuck behind a herd of sheep! Only in Italy!

I’ve come to the conclusion that in many ways what Italians say is true, children will be children, and they will grow out of things because the minute we stepped foot back onto Canadian soil they went back to their old way of thinking and being. Maybe there is more truth then we’d care to admit to the famous saying, “When in Rome!” If truth be told, I think the children lived by this philosophy while on holidays and that’s probably why they had such an amazing time!

Did I tell you about their experience at the beach… Stay tuned for more :)

Recipe of the Week: Osso Buco

As summer gives way to fall, I begin to crave one of my all-time favourite meals – OSSO BUCO! This version offers a French twist to an Italian recipe, so delicious you're sure to win someone's heart :) 

WARNING! Make sure you wear loose clothing because this meal will have you craving more and more and more… enjoy!

OSSO BUCO WITH RED WINE

Ingredients for 6 servings

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         Six 2-inch-thick meaty veal shanks

·         1-inch-thick piece of Italian pancetta, cut into 1/4 –inch dice

·         Salt and freshly ground pepper

·         2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 -inch dice

·         1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 -inch dice

·         1 celery rib, cut into 1/2 -inch dice

·         8 mushrooms, cut in half or whole

·         4 pieces of dried porcini mushrooms

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 cup dry red wine, such as Barbera or Chianti

·         1/3 cup Brandy or Cognac

·         1 cup chicken stock, or canned low-sodium broth

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 325°. Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until browned, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the shanks to a plate.

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, pancetta and mushrooms to the casserole. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the wine, brandy and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, dried porcini mushrooms and bring to a simmer over high heat.

Return the shanks to the casserole, nestling them into the vegetables; add any accumulated juices. Cover the casserole and braise the shanks in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the shanks, cover and cook for about 1 hour longer, until the meat is very tender.

PERSONAL SUGGESTION: Try serving this recipe with homemade Italian Pappardelle pasta. Cook the pasta in a separate pot/pan. When the pasta is ready, simply remove the cooked osso buco from the casserole and place in a separate plate. Then place the cooked pappardelle in the ‘jus’ (sauce) and stir. Serve the pappardelle with a piece of the osso buco. Simply delicious!

MAKE AHEAD The osso buco can be refrigerated overnight and reheated, covered, in a 325° oven.

WINE PAIRING:

Serve a red that echoes the wine in the osso buco and stands up to the mushrooms and pancetta. A good choice would be a Barbera d'Asti.

Buon Appetito or should I say, “Bon Appétit!”

L'Oustau de Baumanière

Travelista73: Moments

“We travel for many reasons, but above all we travel to escape the ordinary and experience something new and exciting. Made even more extraordinary by those we experience it with!”



Travelista73: Rooms with a View

Exotic Marrakesh!

Join my dear friend at EAT.PRAY.MOVE YOGA RETREATS for the Moroccan adventure of a lifetime. Sign up now for the March 4-10, 2012, retreat in exotic MARRAKESH!