Caballeros Pobres Recipe from our Yucatan Cooking Vacation
Filed Under Food History, Recipes
Keep that leftover bread, because, even though it's stale, it can still be turned into a delicious dish. In fact, nearly every culture has some sort of recipe to make the most out of what at first appears to be unappealing old bread. In the Yucatan, it's called caballeros pobres, which is similar to a bread pudding. In fact, according to the late Chef David Sterling, founder of our Mexico… Read
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Drinks of the Yucatán: Xtabentún
Filed Under Destination Features, Kitchen Tips, Wines & Spirits
Wine isn't quite so popular – in making and consuming it – in the Yucatán peninsula, in large part because the climate conditions make it hard to grow the grapes. So today we take a break from Wine Wednesday to talk about another drink of the Yucatán, and, no, it isn't tequila or rum, although both are highly popular here as they are in the rest of Mexico. Rather, it's… Read
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Discovering the Many Homes of Leonardo da Vinci on a Culinary Vacation
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips
As one of most well-known figures of the Italian Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci is most often associated with the country of Italy. Yet while da Vinci was born in Italy -- near the quaint town of Vinci in the Tuscan countryside to be precise -- and spent much of his adult life there, it wasn’t the only place he called home. Discover the Tuscan countryside on a cooking vacation. That’s… Read
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How to Pair Wine with Vegetables
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Wines & Spirits
Wine can be paired with just about any meal, whether sweet or savory, but vegetables can present a unique challenge in the kitchen. That's because the wine you choose to go with that vegetarian dish will depend on a number of things, including the vegetables you've chosen, the spices and other ingredients you've used, and even how you've cooked the dish. Learn vegetarian cooking in the French Alps. At the… Read
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Italian Recipe: Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis from our Bestselling Amalfi Coast Cooking Vacation
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Recipes
If you're looking for an impressive but simple dessert for your next dinner party, look no further than this panna cotta recipe from the chef of our cooking vacation Mediterranean Cooking Experience. The origins of this dessert are thought to hail back to northern Italy, particularly the Piedmont area, but it's also long been a popular dessert throughout the country, and that includes the Amalfi Coast. While achieving a good… Read
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Pizzoccheri Recipe from our Authentic Lombardy Cooking Vacation
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes
While pizzoccheri is largely considered a comfort food dish, it's popular year round in the Valtellina Valley, which is nestled among the beautiful Alps mountains in Northern Italy. Don't let the name of the dish fool you. This pasta dish has nothing to do with pizza. Rather, the origin of the word most likely refers to piz, which means piece, or pinzare, or "to press," which may refer to the… Read
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3 Reasons to Visit the Valtellina Valley on an Italy Foodie Trip
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips
Situated in the Alps near the Switzerland border, the Valtellina Valley has been a part of Italy since 1859. Once an important mountain pass, today its a remarkable region in northern Italy that is loved not only for its year-round skiing, but also for its natural beauty, wine, and cuisine — all of which are reasons that you should consider a culinary vacation to this stunning area. A Great Outdoors… Read
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Wine Lover's France - A Guide to French Dessert Wines
Filed Under Destination Features, Kitchen Tips, Wines & Spirits
Dessert wines abound in Europe, from the sweet reds and moscatos of Italy to the ports, madeiras, and sherries of Portugal. France too is well known for its after-dinner wines, considering nearly every region has their own sweet wine. All of these wines do share some commonalities, including that they pair well with dessert, among other courses. They also are made in a similar way; in order to keep the… Read
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Celebrating Carnevale in Venice: Masks, Debauchery, Food, and More
Filed Under Destination Features, Special Occasions, Travel Tips
It's a special time of year in Venice. For the two weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday, residents and tourists alike take to the streets wearing masks and elaborate costumes to celebrate Carnival. Or, as the Italians say, "Carnevale." The word comes from Latin, meaning "farewell to meat," and the celebration does just that — and more — as everyone celebrates by indulging in everything they're supposed to give up… Read
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The Islands of Venice: What to See and Do
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips
One of the best ways to get to know a city is by simply wandering around. But in Venice, wandering takes a bit of a different form, considering all of the canals and islands of Venice. Even so, you can spend hours walking around this beautiful city by foot, especially since so many alleyways and twisting, narrow streets are pedestrian-only. Many parts of Venice are also connected by bridges. But… Read
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