Category Archives: Travel

The Best Edible Souvenirs to Bring Home

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

As we prepare for another adventure, I got to thinking about the edible souvenirs that we bring home…

We all do it. Travel somewhere fabulous and want to bring home a little something for friends or ourselves to enjoy at home. When you travel domestically, it’s easy. A little maple syrup from Vermont, wine from Napa or the Willamette Valley, fun spice mixes and artisanal jams from craft fairs. It’s a different ball game when you travel internationally. There are limits to certain products and there are some BIG “no-no’s”.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has concrete rules about what crosses the border, and they change depending on the country of origin. The good news is that a wide category of shelf-stable, processed foods sail through with no issue at all. Here’s what to look for, and what to leave behind.

The safest bets: dry, packaged, and shelf-stable

Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@eprouzet?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Eric Prouzet</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-tins-of-food-sitting-on-top-of-a-table-3qzM77wpIyg?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash

As a general rule, if it’s commercially packaged, shelf-stable, and doesn’t contain fresh meat, fresh dairy, or fresh produce, it’s very likely fine to bring in. This covers a huge amount of the most giftable food in the world:

Spices and spice blends are classics for a reason. A tin of saffron from Spain, a bag of za’atar from Jordan, or a jar of Ethiopian berbere weighs almost nothing, keeps for a year or more, and instantly transports the recipient into someone else’s kitchen. Whole or ground spices are almost always permitted. I brought back bulk spices from a souk in Egypt and lovely paprika from Budapest.

Oils and Vinegars are always a treat, especially if you are in Greece, Italy or Spain. Exceptional vinegars can be found in nearly every country. Look for something unique that you have never seen at home. My SILs brought me a gorgeous Italian olive oil in a fantastic decanter. The oil is long gone, but I use the decanter every day!

Tea and coffee travel beautifully and buying direct from the source often means flavors you simply can’t find at home. When in London, go to Harrod’s to create your own blend.

Chocolate and confectionery Who doesn’t love chocolates? Belgian pralines, Swiss bars, Japanese Kit Kat flavors, and Mexican chocolate tablets for hot cocoa are all safe picks. Each country has their own specialties and craft houses. Seek them out for an unforgettable gift for a friend at home.

Honey, jam, and preserves are usually fine as sealed, commercially processed jars. A jar of Greek thyme honey or French fig preserves makes an elegant, low-risk gift. One of my faves to bring back is Bonne Maman Framboise Intense. I have never seen it in the states and it is truly amazing. It has less sugar than the original and tastes more like fresh raspberries.

Alcohol is technically permitted in your luggage in personal-use quantities (typically capped around one liter duty-free per person, though you can bring more and pay duty on the excess). A bottle of regional wine, mezcal, or amaro is a great gift as long as you pack it carefully and check state import limits for your destination.

Baked goods, cookies, and crackers without meat or fresh dairy fillings are generally welcome — shortbread, biscotti, and packaged pastries all travel well. I only recommend cookies and such if they are in a sturdy tin. You don’t want a suitcase full of crumbs.

What to leave behind

The riskiest categories are the ones tied to agricultural pest and disease prevention, not flavor:

Photo by Jacopo Maiarelli on Unsplash

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables are almost universally restricted or banned, since they can carry pests or plant diseases.
  • Meat products, including cured meats like prosciutto, chorizo, or jamón Ibérico, are banned from most countries due to disease risk, even if vacuum-sealed. If you find an outstanding product, many stores will ship for you and they will know all the restrictions. I do have a caveat on this one – tinned fish from Italy and Spain, tinned foie gras and pâté from France all sailed right through customs with me.
  • Raw or unpasteurized dairy, can be restricted; pasteurized, hard, aged cheeses are more likely to be allowed but still require declaration. I did bring back Gouda from Amsterdam with no problem.
  • Soil, plants, and seeds face heavy restriction, so skip that bag of “just a few” seeds from the market, however innocent it looks.
  • Anything containing ingredients from countries under specific USDA/CBP agricultural restrictions can be seized even if it fits an otherwise-safe category, so it pays to check current country-specific rules before you buy.

A few habits that save you trouble

I have never declared any food items because I am always under the limit.  If you’re unsure, CBP’s own online tool for checking specific food items by country is worth five minutes before shopping, especially if concerned about a specific item. Keep items in their original, sealed, labeled packaging, since a homemade jar of chutney from a stranger’s kitchen table is far more likely to raise questions than a factory-sealed one.

The best edible souvenirs aren’t really about avoiding a customs headache, they’re about picking things that hold onto a place. A spice you’ll never find in a regular grocery store, a tea that tastes like a specific morning, a bottle of something local poured out months later for a friend who wasn’t there: those are the gifts people actually remember, and happily, they’re also the ones that make it home in one piece.

When you are ready to travel, I do hope you’ll get in touch to allow me to help you plan a memorable trip. In the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram here and here, and Facebook, here and here.

The Best Souvenir Is a Full Stomach: On Food, Travel, and the Teacher Who Inspired Me

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Growing up, all I ever wanted to do was get OUT of where I was. I hated small town, country life, and I still do. I had always thought my love of travel and food started with want, or a lack of something. Digging deeper as I age, I discovered I was only partially right.

As I think back, I can trace my love of both food and travel back to a single classroom. Sixth grade, Mrs. Zant’s class. Mrs. Zant had traveled everywhere I had ever wanted to go and I thought she was the MOST glamorous teacher EVER. She used geography to mold her curriculum. We made passports which were stamped when we completed all of the assignments for each country. In that classroom, I never dreamt I would ever have a passport or get to go to any of those places. How delightfully wrong I was!

I don’t remember specific lessons. What I remember is the way she made the world feel edible. A country wasn’t just a shape on a map or a list of exports to memorize. It was a market smell, a spice, a dish with a story behind it. When Mrs. Zant was talking about a place, the room suddenly smelled like somewhere else entirely, at least in my imagination. She had a way of describing the world that made geography feel less like homework and more like an invitation. I think that’s the real gift good teachers give you, not information, but appetite. In my case, literally.

That has stuck with me. Food and travel have never felt like two separate interests to me – they’re the same interest, just approached from different directions.

Why Food and Travel Are the Same Journey

Listen to people describe their most recent trip. They don’t lead with the museums or the hotel sheets’ thread count. They tell you about the cool restaurants they found. “We tried Bangladeshi food for the first time in Brick Lane.” “What the Egyptians don’t know about bread, I don’t need to know!” Food is how we share our travels, because it’s often the most vivid, memorable, and sensory part of the trip.

street food in Aswan Egypt
Eating street food in the park in Aswan with Chef Hamdy and Sameh.

A photo can show you what a place looks like. A description can tell you what it’s like to walk through it. Food is the one part of travel that gets to live inside you, quite literally. You try a new dish, and something about that experience roots itself differently than sightseeing does. Maybe it’s because taste is tied to memory in general. I can still taste the fesikh I ate at the souk in Aswan. It’s what I call “food memories” – the way a single bite can transport you back to a specific table, afternoon, or event.

Eating Like a Local vs. Eating Like a Tourist

Anyone who travels seriously develops opinions about this quickly. The tourist-trap joint near the famous landmark, a laminated menu in six languages and the host out front, like a carnival barker begging you to enter. Fuck that! The best experiences happen down a side street, at outdoor markets surrounded by locals, the family-run spot that’s been making the same three dishes forever and sees no reason to add another.

That’s not snobbery, it’s just fact. A restaurant that needs to impress tourists once, versus one that needs to impress the same neighborhood every single day, are playing different games. The neighborhood spot wins on flavor almost every time, because they are in the business of getting it right. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with sitting at a tourist trap so you can have the perfect view of the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum in Rome, but do get off the beaten path!

Seeking out local restaurants often takes you places you wouldn’t have gone otherwise. It pulls you off the tourist strip, into neighborhoods and side streets, where people want to explain their menu because they’re proud of it. Food has been responsible for some of the best Happy Accidents of my trips. Following a smell down an alley, asking a stranger where they’d go for lunch, ending up somewhere far more memorable than whatever I’d originally planned.

The Souvenir You Can’t Pack

The thing about material souvenirs is most of them end up in a drawer. Food memories turn a single trip into an ongoing relationship. You don’t visit once; you visit every time you recreate that meal at home.

When we travel, either domestically or internationally, we eat local and support local. For me that’s the deepest connection between food and travel – both expand my world view. Great travel experiences make me feel more connected to the world, making me want MORE. A good meal from somewhere new does the same thing. Both are exercises in curiosity. Choosing to try something you haven’t experienced before and trusting that unfamiliar can be wonderful instead of just uncomfortable. Getting uncomfortable is part of the adventure.

Me and my second round pick at I'Girone de Ghiotto
Me and my second round pick at I’Girone de Ghiotto
Sausage roll at the Ginger Pig in London
Isn’t this a great pic of me? haha!
Halusky in Bratislava
Creamy, rich and decadent are three words I would used to describe this dish. I really need to learn how to make it!
Fried Anchovies at Hog Island Oyster Bar
Fried Anchovies at Hog Island Oyster Bar
This is a SERIOUSLY good burger! The beef is raised on property and is solely for the use of the Von Trapp property.
Our travels took us to Frankfurt and this amazing brandy with apricot ended up in my mouth
At Naïv in Frankfort – seriously one of the most surprising things all year.
Fried Chicken at Willie Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans
You don’t get much better than homestyle cooking and this fried chicken is right on target.

Passing Travel On

I think about Mrs. Zant sometimes when I’m standing in a market somewhere far from home, or trying to describe a dish to a friend. I’m sure she has no idea the impact she had. Teachers rarely get to see how far their lessons travel, but in a sixth-grade classroom, she planted a seed that turned into a lifelong pursuit of chasing both new places and new flavors, and treating the two as inseparable. Now, I work as a travel agent (yes, we still exist) and help people find their own food memories.

If you’re lucky, you had a Mrs. Zant – someone who made the world feel worth exploring, one way or another. If you’re really lucky, that curiosity is still with you, still sending you down unfamiliar streets in search of your next favorite bite.

Things I DIDN’T See in Paris

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

We have just returned from two weeks in Paris, and we weren’t ready to come home. While I did see a lot of things, there were a few things I DIDN’T see.

If you have been following my adventures and this blog for any length of time, you know I love to travel. In fact, I have often said if I won the Powerball you would never see me again because I’d be traveling all the time. What I love about travel is not only the food <duh>, but I really enjoy seeing how other people live their everyday lives. The Hubs and I will often just spend an afternoon hopping from café to bar to brasserie, sitting on the patios and watching the world go by.

Here is a list of things I didn’t see in Paris

  • There were no surcharges on the use of my credit card. The Europeans prefer cards to cash. Safer for the business if there is no cash on premises.
  • While there were dogs everywhere in Paris (LOVE THAT), I didn’t see people picking up their dog’s shit. So, to quote Emily in Paris – Mind the merde.
  • I didn’t see loads of children misbehaving in public…and when I did, guess what? Yep, they were Americans. And guess what else? The kids in Paris didn’t have their faces glued to a phone, iPad, or other device. They just fucking behaved themselves! Imagine THAT!
  • There were no signs in restrooms reminding servers and patrons to wash their hands. Apparently the French are smart enough to know to do that and don’t have to be reminded or given instructions on how to do it.
  • I didn’t see many people leaving the restrooms without washing their hands. And when I did, guess what? Yep, they were American men (at the co-ed sinks outside the restrooms).
  • I never saw a single mobility scooter.
  • Drivers in Paris don’t run red lights, except cyclists. They rode with reckless abandon!
  • In Paris, everyone smokes, so I didn’t see people waving their hands in front of their face or fake coughing while I am smoking outside. It happened once. The guy was a cranky old Aussie. I told him the non-smoking section was inside. The other French smokers smirked & agreed.
  • Cops with guns. They all had tasers and there were foot patrol officers in several of the areas we visited. And guess what? I never felt unsafe at any time in any neighborhood in Paris.
  • A Martini – an honest to goodness Martini was impossible to find in Paris. Yes, I know, I am supposed to be drinking wine and champagne, and I did. But sometimes I just want a Martini. I found a serviceable Vesper, and a had a decent Martini at the Hotel Particulier, but a resident chicken ruined it by stealing my olives!
  • I never saw a rude Parisian, contrary to what you have been led to believe.
  • And not once did I see Ranch Dressing – halle-fucking-lujah!

When you are ready to book your trip to Paris, or anywhere else for that matter, let me know! I would love to help you plan the trip of a lifetime. In the meantime, enjoy these few pics, and to see more, go to my Instagram.

Truffle Hunting – Italy – Part 3

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know you have waited a long time for this truffle post, but it was semi-intentional. I wanted to post this right before the Fancy Food Show here in Las Vegas.

Last year at the show, friends Cathy & Michael Stamm of MGP Specialty Foods and Cured & Whey introduced me to the family that owns Savini Tartufi, a family owned and operated truffle concern. When I said I was visiting Tuscany in the fall, they invited me to their home offices and took us on a truffle hunt. It was AMAZING!

For the record, I ate more truffles in 2 weeks in Italy than I had the entire previous year. Because they grow there, the Tuscans put truffles into literally anything you can imagine, up to and including dessert! Truffled mortadella (my fave cold cut), honey, charcuterie, cheese, pasta, and on and on! And yes, I did eat all of those things and more.

While I have had the opportunity to enjoy truffles before, I just didn’t know a lot about them other than the fact that they grow underground. Learning about them, seeing how they grow and are harvested is something entirely different.

Here is what I learned while visiting Savini Tartufi:

  • There are more than 200 different truffles, but only a few have true market value
  • They grow below ground, always
  • Age does not dictate size. Growing conditions have a big impact as well
  • The White Alba truffle is the rarest and most sought after
  • Black truffles should always be cooked
  • White truffles should always be served raw. They are typically shaved onto dishes or shredded onto dishes as a garnish. Check out the pictures from our lunch below!
  • When grading truffles there are many criteria – aroma, color, exterior, interior matrix, firmness and more.
  • Contrary to popular belief, pigs are no longer used to hunt truffles. They like to eat the spoils and can get very aggressive. They have been known to bite the human hunter’s fingers clean off in an attempt to eat what they found.
  • Dogs are the preferred hunters for truffles. Their keen sense of smell and trainability make them ideal for the task. Dog training begins at just a few months old, and the training at Savini Tartufi is done on site. When they find a truffle, they start to dig and then lay their head to the ground like they are listening to the earth.
  • Unlike “truffle farms”, as seen on Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, where the ground is seeded with the spores of truffles, everything at Savini Tartufi is wild truffle. All truffles are harvested in the nearby woods.

It rained like hell the day we went on the truffle hunt, but it didn’t dampen our spirits or our enthusiasm for the experience. The rain did, however, dampen our poor little dog’s ability to find a bunch of truffles. The rain messed with his sense of smell. Even with the downpour, he managed to find 2 white truffles, and you can see the pic of me holding them here.

Lunch was as Tasty as it was Beautiful

At the main building, we were served an incredible lunch that had truffles in every single dish. Some dishes had truffles more than one way. Be sure to read the captions on the pics for all the details. YOu can click on hte pics to enlarge them.

Luca and our Truffle Dog
Luca and our Truffle Dog
Truffled grazing board
The mortadella and cheese were stuffed with black truffle, and white truffles were shredded across the board.
Truffled pasta with shaved white truffle
The pasta itself was embedded with black truffles and the white truffles were shaved on top at service.
Eggs fried in olive oil with shaved white truffle
Farm eggs, fried in olive oil to get that crispy edge and topped with shaved white truffle
Ice cream with truffled honey
Vanilla ice cream with crumbled amaretto cookies and topped with locally sourced truffled honey
Truffled grazing board
Mortadella and cheese studded with black truffle, with white truffles shredded across the board. (I inserted this pic twice so you could really see the entire board – it was beautiful).

More about Italy soon! If you are in Vegas and can get access, I suggest you go to the Fancy Food Show and see what the upcoming trends are in the food world!

Focaccia = SandWISH from now on

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This is the second in a series of posts about our recent trip to Italy. There was so much awesome food and so many amazing experiences that I couldn’t fit it all into one without you all losing interest.

I’ll Never Look at a SandWISH* the Same Way Again!

We just returned from two weeks in Italy and to say that I ate my weight in carbs would be an understatement! Between the bread (not all of it good), the pizza, the sandWISHes, and the pasta, not to mention the local craft beers, I was in Carb-a-Palooza.

I’ve always loved a sandWISH*. From chicken salad to cold cuts to meatball subs, and so forth. Our recent trip to Italy has forever changed the way I will look at them. It’s basically about the bread! Instead of a roll, or a wrap, or basic sliced bread, each sandWISH we ate was served on split focaccia. Why did I never think of that? It’s not like I hadn’t had it before. In fact, I ate focaccia sandWISHes at by Ismael Romano inside Ellis Island Casino, but for some reason the concept resonated more for me in Italy…go figure!

Influencers Have NO Influence on Me

Like all good foodies, in preparation for the trip, we researched the amazing offerings in the cities and towns we planned to visit. Of course, All’Antico Vinaio popped up because so many “influencers” (UGH) had videos and pics on their socials. But, unlike many good foodies, we DO NOT take “influencers” seriously. So, we talked to bartenders, servers, other bar patrons and ALL of them said, without exception, to skip All’Antico and go for ANY other ‘WISH shop. The locals informed us that nearly any locally owned joint would have a ‘WISH as good as, or better than, All’Antico and we wouldn’t have to wait in line for more than 30 minutes to be fed. (If you know me at all, you know I don’t like waiting in line for food…or anything else really).

Focaccia Makes the World Go ‘Round

Around the corner from our rented apartment, we found a fabulous little place – I’Girone de Ghiotti. The porchetta was out of this world and the mortadella with pistachio pesto was insanely good. But, not only were the fillings amazing, the focaccia they were served on was incredible. Light airy pockets in the crumb and a crisp, but sturdy crust to hold all the goodness. In fact, both of our sandWISHes were so good that we went back a second time when we returned to Florence. We also had good versions at the Marketo Centrale at Massimiliano Parri’s stall with fantastic prosciutto and marinated artichoke hearts. And again, the focaccia was amazing. Admittedly the sandWISHes at the Marketo were more expensive, but it was to be expected since it’s a huge tourist destination and I am sure the overhead partially drives their pricing.

Back to Basics and Baking Focaccia

Upon returning home, I woke up my sourdough starter and started making bread again. I began with English muffins, in part because I enjoy making them, in part because I can easily share the bounty and I can use “unfed” starter. Of course, that includes trying my hand at focaccia so I can recreate some of the luscious sandWISHes I ate. So far, mixed results on the focaccia; it tastes good, but the crumb doesn’t have the big air pockets and lightness of the ones I enjoyed in Florence. Trial and error, practice makes perfection, and try, try again until I get it right. And don’t think for one second that I didn’t buy shelled pistachios to recreate that pesto either. Yes, there is mortadella, ham, and other fixings in the fridge and I will be eating all of it. I think I may never eat another sandWISH unless it is on focaccia. I said what I said.

*FYI – I always write SandWISH

Things I Learned While Traveling in Italy

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This is the first in a series of posts about our recent trip to Italy. There was so much awesome food and so many amazing experiences that I couldn’t fit it all into one without you all losing interest.

Take me Places and Tell Me I’m Pretty

In case you didn’t know, I became a travel agent right before COVID hit. Not my smartest business move ever, but after traveling to Egypt, I decided I needed a kickback on our travel. Since that time, we have explored different cruise lines, countries, and areas of the US in new ways. When you are ready to travel, be sure to reach out so I can share my experiences and expertise with you.

Italy was AMAZING!

We just returned from two weeks in Italy. While we had stopped in a few ports of Italy on a cruise, we had never really spent a lot of time in Italy. For me personally, two weeks was more than enough. We flew into Florence, stayed a few days, then drove to Cortona, then back to Florence on the way home. One of the things I learned was that I will never fly into Florence again, that airport is a shit show.

Here’s a run down of some of the things I learned:

  • Tuscan bread has no salt. It’s pretty awful. Except for the focaccia. More on that in the next post.
  • I don’t care for most of the red wine in Tuscany.
  • They take their food SERIOUSLY!
  • They take their coffee very seriously. John didn’t have a bad cup of coffee the entire trip. And don’t order a cappuccino after 11 am.
  • Pici is my new favorite pasta, and I am hoping a certain restaurant in my ‘hood will make it a special one of these days. More on that soon.
  • Wild boar ragu and Chianina ragu are amazing. I knew about the wild boar, but it was astounding in Italy! Chianina was a whole new thing for me. More on that soon as well.
  • In the center of Florence, the streets are so narrow and none of them paved (all stones) that the cars, bicycles, and pedestrians share the streets. The drivers honk or ring a bell to get you out of their way.
  • Michaelangelo’s David is truly marvelous.
  • The Birth of Venus by Botticelli made me incapable of speech it was so gorgeous.
  • I’ve got to learn to pack lighter! None of the places we stayed in Italy had elevators, and dragging suitcases up steps is my idea of horror. I think all of the accommodations we enjoyed were in buildings over 200 years old.
  • Getting back your VAT is a pain the ass and not worth the trouble unless you buy a LOT of high-end goods.
  • I ate more truffles in two weeks in Italy than I did the entire past year.
  • White truffles should only be eaten raw as a garnish and black truffles should always be cooked. More on truffles and our truffle hunt soon.
  • The Perugina chocolate factory MAY in fact be the first factory to have on site childcare! When the men were called to war in WWI, and the women went to work in the factory, childcare was set up on site. Even though the factory has a new location, the childcare center still exists on site.
  • Pistachios and Pecorino are good on nearly everything!

Stay tuned for more of our adventures. In the meantime, go check out my Facebook page or my Instagram to see pics of the adventures! Oh and BTW – did you know you can SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a spoonful? Well, you can…and I don’t share your info with anyone.

My Most Enjoyed Food of 2022

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

If you follow me at all on social media, you know I take a lot of pics of my food. Not all dishes are created equal. Some are miserable (and I don’t post those pics), some are just ok (and most of those don’t get posted either), then there are the REALLY good and the mind blowing. That is what I am sharing here. A recap of the most interesting or surprising or delicious things I ate in 2022. Frankly, there wasn’t a ton of that going on. I stuck to tried and true places, except when I was traveling, and a lot of this food is from out of town.

I sit down at the computer every day with the best of intentions of writing you something informative or fun or thought provoking and then I get distracted…The smart person in my brain knows that those who make “to do” lists accomplish more each day than those who don’t, so yesterday I sat down and made a list that included writing this for you (and me quite frankly). Enjoy this list of fantastic food in no particular order

Birthday Surf & Turf

The Lobster en Croute and a beautiful piece of wagyu made up the surf & turf for my Birthday dinner at Carversteak. Chef Dan Ontiveros always hits it out of the park. And this picture and the cover picture of the post say it all!

Surf & Turf at Carversteak, Las Vegas
My Birthday dinner consisted of beautifully prepared dishes by Dan Ontiveros and staff, including this fabulous version of surf & turf.

Coastal Margherita

On our spring trip to Portland, we hit up a bunch of breweries and a cool tiki bar (The Alibi). While we were there The Hubs gets a text from Chris Decker at Metro Pizza telling us we HAD to go to Apizza Scholls. When Chris says you HAVE to go, you go. And we are so glad we did! This was literally a life changing pizza for the Hubs because he normally hates anchovies on his pie. He is now a convert.

Coastal Margherita at Apizza Scholls
This pie is actually half & half – Coastal Margherita and Pepperoni & Mushroom. With Owner Brian Spangler

Farmhouse Tart at Pine Dining

The Pine Dining series was fantastic all the way around. They were single weekend events with outrageous menus and fabulous food. This dish was the one I embarrassed myself over and asked Chef Nicole Brisson if there were leftovers could I take them home…and there were, and I did. Flaky pastry filled with sausage, fontina, and walnuts. In case you are wondering, it reheated beautifully.

Farmhouse Tart by Chef Nicole Brisson
Farmhouse Tart by Chef Nicole Brisson with sausage, fontina, and walnuts.

Bratislavan Food Specialty – Halusky

Whenever we travel overseas, we attempt to try as much local food as possible and “eat like the locals”. We try all the local beer we can, and while at the bars ask the folks there where we should eat. In Bratislava we were told the national dish is Halusky (hal-oosh-key). They are little potato dumplings, somewhat like a cross between gnocchi and spaetzle, covered in a decadent sour cream sauce loaded with a local sheep’s milk cheese and topped with bacon & green onion. Incredibly rich and this plate was more than enough for The Hubs & I.

Halusky
Creamy, rich, and decadent are three words I would used to describe this dish. I really need to learn how to make it!

Mortadella Agnolotti

Chef Oscar Amador at EDO and Anima is a marvel! Pal Gemini invited me to lunch at Anima and we shared these agnolotti. They were so good I was speechless for a moment. I am sure my eyes rolled back in my head and a groan escaped my lips. Gemini laughed aloud because she had never seen me speechless over a dish before.

Mortadella Agnolotti at Anima by EDO
Mortadella is my fave cold cut, and this just put it over the top!

Tony’s in San Francisco

While we do have an outpost of Tony Gemignani’s here in Vegas (Pizza Rock), when my sister-in-law Gretchen says “go to Tony’s”, you go. I have only had coccoli twice and both times they were revelatory for me. If you are unfamiliar, they are like salty beignets. The ones at Tony’s were served with thinly sliced “Italian Beef” and horseradish. I was supposed to be sharing them and had to stop myself from hogging all of them. The salad is pictured just to prove I do eat healthy-ish food now & then.

Coccoli at Tony's in San Francisco
Both the beef and the coccoli were amazing. Add horseradish and giardiniera and you have a hands down winner.

Fried Food

I love fried food and I love all the fish (except catfish), but I have a special love for anchovies. These ones were whole, coated in cornmeal, and lightly fried at the Hog Island Oyster Bar in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The Hubs even liked them and as mentioned before, he is NOT a fan of anchovies. The aioli was the perfect accompaniment and we scarfed them down in a flash!

Fried Anchovies at Hog Island Oyster Bar
Fried Anchovies at Hog Island Oyster Bar

“The Crime Scene”

In February I went on a real vacation entirely by myself. I took a cruise with Virgin Voyages* and it was superb. We all know that the food on cruise ships is notoriously mediocre at best. That is NOT the case on The Scarlet Lady! Each meal was much better than any mass market cruise line’s meals and the Test Kitchen was the showstopper for the entire cruise. This menu changes regularly, so you may not ever see this when you travel with Virgin Voyages, but it was superb. I nicknamed it “The Crime Scene” because of the splashes of beet juice, but it was a perfectly cooked venison loin with a Vietnamese salted caramel sauce and pickled blueberries.

venison on board the Scarlet Lady
Venison loin “crime scene” on board Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady.

*when you are ready to try Virgin Voyages for your next trip, give me a call and I will happily help you book it.

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Best Bites of 2021

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Look, I know I am late with this. But c’mon…! I have been in the middle of renovation hell. Who has time to think about excellent food when they can’t create any of their own? Please enjoy this extremely late post and make time to hit up these places if you are in the Vegas Valley.

For several years in January, I have included the “best” things I have eaten in the past year. I recently read a piece where the writer said “best of” lists were stupid, and in many cases I agree. What is best for me, might be run of the mill for you, or on your “no fly” list. To that end, am trying to come up with a better title. Most interesting? Most intriguing? Most memorable?

In years past, many of my “best bites” or most interesting things I have eaten have come by means of travel and sadly, that has been lacking the past couple of years – thanks COVID. Still, I find wonderful things to eat, but fewer surprises. And I am stretching myself in the kitchen (see below). Admittedly there was a LOT of dining out this year due to the kitchen remodel, but many choices were Thai takeout, a walk to our fave pizza joint, take out Sandos from our new fave sandWISH place, or a walk in the ‘hood for beer & a quick bite.

Without further ado, in no particular order, here are my most memorable bites of 2021

Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home

I always pull out all the stops on VDay. We labeled it Amateur Night years ago, and rather than dine out with hordes of people, I go to extreme lengths to make a dish I NEVER make. 2021 had me laminating my own puff pastry and creating a Beef Wellington.

Perfectly cooked Beef Wellington with home made puff pastry (THAT was a pain in the ass!)

Thai Curry & Chorizo Mussels at The Shores, San Diego

In August, Mom came to visit, and we took a little drive to San Diego to see relatives. While there, I had to visit Vegas transplant, Chef Mike Minor at La Jolla Shores Hotel. This dish was so good, I drove out a second time to make sure I wasn’t just overly hungry when I ate it the first time. Pro Tip – order a side of rice on the side so you can get every luscious drop of the sauce.

Mangonada at Cream Me Ice Creamery

This hits ALL the notes for me for summer. Perfect mango sorbet, Chamoy sauce, dried chile coated mango chunks. Sweet, spicy, salty, cold all in one delicious mouthful. And while you are there, check out the groovy floor!

Parisian Lobster Gnocchi with White Asparagus at Sparrow + Wolf

Parisian gnocchi are different than Italian ones in a few ways. These are shaped like pillows without the telltale lines marking Italian gnocchi. And while Italian style gnocchi are soft through and through, Parisian gnocchi have a little bit of a crispy edge. Toss in some lobster and paired with sautéed white asparagus, this was a big hit for me. The most fun thing about Sparrow + Wolf is you never know what’s going to be on the menu!

Cappellacci “Oreganata” at Brezza

Chances are, if Nicole Brisson is in the kitchen, I am going to be a happy camper. No matter what she does, it is executed with the highest level of skill and is usually perfect. This dish was so unexpectedly good. The pasta itself is a marvel, combined with cauliflower, spinach, lemon, and crispy capers? Yeah…that. Photo by Sabin Orr, courtesy of Chef Nicole.

Photo by Sabin Orr courtesy of Chef Nicole Brisson and Brezza

Travel Egypt – Part 3 – It’s All About the Experience

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

When we travel, each of us is looking for an experience of some sort. We want to be made to feel special and treated like a valued guest. We want to be immersed in culture, or relax and listen to the waves, or expand dining horizons, or learn something new. All of those things are valuable, but for me I want to experience new things. I want to do things I have never done before and eat things I have never eaten before. I want to stretch my comfort zone and reach just a little further.

Stretch My Comfort Zone

When you cruise you have that opportunity to stretch, immerse, and relax regardless of your itinerary. With a river cruise it’s even easier to get immersed in all of the joys of travel. Touring around different towns, trying local food and beverages, and meeting the local people. I find on a river cruise I am more fully able to stretch my comfort zone than when I am on an ocean cruise because on an ocean cruise all the ports feel the same to me.


Typically with a river cruise, the smaller ship allows for more personalized service and attention to detail. What is great about Uniworld as a cruise line is that all of the ships are small and intimate. The staff gets to know you, and your preferences, and you are treated like you are the single most important guest on the ship. That was made even more apparent to me on our Nile River cruise.  I have a habit of making friends with chefs and bartenders. I had made friends with Chef Daniel on our Uniworld cruise through Europe and he clued the staff on the River Tosca that I was on my way. And the staff of the River Tosca made this trip a truly memorable experience.

Value Added Experience

From the initial welcome, to walking the souk with Chef Hamdy and Sameh to the experience that follow, I was made to feel truly special and like a little mini celebrity. And who doesn’t like that?

If you have been following along on Facebook or Instagram, you know that there was some fun with a scimitar and some fun with fire. Uniworld likes to kick off each cruise with a champagne sabering, or in this case a scimitar-ing. My husband just casually mentions to our butler, Abd el Salam, “Yeah. My wife knows how to do that”, so as we gather up on deck for the sabering things got a little weird. I had no idea of John’s conversation with Abd el Salam, so I was clueless as to what was going on. Sameh and the staff ask me to come over and explain what is about to happen and how it is done and then I did it. It was my very first time ever. No pressure or anything, it just happened to be in front of all the other guests and the staff. Thanks to Panche our butler on the Europe cruise for the lesson and tutorial.

Oui Chef!

If you are a culinarian and a Chef tells you to do something, the only appropriate response is “Oui Chef!” And that’s how the fire started…I am only half kidding. So Chef Hamdy asked me if I knew how to flambe, “Oui Chef, of course.” Then he says, “Good! Then you are cooking with me!” And I gave the only acceptable response, “Oui Chef!” I asked for a loaner jacket and hat because I didn’t bring one on this trip and the next thing you know, I am making bananas foster in the dining room in front of all the guests. Now this wasn’t such a problem because I have done over 1000 live cooking demos in my lifetime, so I was not intimidated in the slightest.

Pretty soon you will see a “Travel With Us” button on my site (which is being revamped as we speak) so you will be able to experience events WITH me. I have decided I enjoy traveling SO MUCH that I have joined the industry! Our first Travel With Us opportunity will be Cuba October 2020, giving you plenty of time to put it on your calendar and save up for it. So hold on to your hats, get your passports up to date, and stay tuned for more on travel, eating, cooking, and learning!

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Travel – Egypt – Part One – the Souk

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have often said if I won the lottery, I’d sell the house and travel and you’d probably never see me again. If money were no object, John and I would travel ALL of the time. In fact, I’d travel just to see new places and try new experiences and of course, EAT. ALL. THE. THINGS.

Do As the Locals Do

As I write, I am sitting on the sun deck of the Uniworld River Tosca on the Nile in Aswan (yes, tomorrow I am seeing the dam). Up until last night the cruise has been wonderfully packed with gorgeous history, monuments, ancient temples. Our Egyptologist, Ayman has been extraordinary in THE very sense of the word (more on that in separate blogs). But when I travel what I really crave is a “do as the locals do” experience as we had on our first Uniworld cruise, checking out the local markets and such. Because we are “repeat offenders”, and I have kept in touch with Chef Daniel from our first cruise, he suggested I chat with Sameh (the Hotel Manager) and share my desire with him, and lo and behold, last night we had the BEST night of the cruise so far. We had a private guided walking tour through the local souk and I ate all the street food Sameh and Chef Hamdy recommended.

What the Fuck was She Thinking?

Now there are some of you out there thinking, “What the fuck was she thinking?!” or “She ate stuff off street carts and didn’t freak about about getting sick?” or “Wasn’t she worried about food poisoning?” I am here to tell you this: if you are going to eat like you are at home, travel may not be for you. Stay the fuck home and watch a documentary! I am also here to tell you that none of the places I ate from would have passed “code” in the US and frankly I don’t care. If it was good enough for Anthony Bourdain (RIP) it is certainly good enough for me. Most, if not all, of the passengers on this cruise would NOT participate in this type of event and it is not offered as a scheduled excursion for that very reason. For me it was perfect! And what made it even more perfect is that there wasn’t a crowd of other people there from the ship. I had a one-on-one experience with just John and I. No question I asked was too stupid, all answers were given frankly and openly, and many great moments were shared. If this had been a scheduled tour, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. It was just me and 3 guys, walking around eating snacks, smelling the smells, and taking in all of it. Every lush moment.

Shopping Where the Locals Shop

When you walk into the souk, the first thing to hit you are all of the aromas. The smell is literally intoxicating, heady, and energizing all at once. Spices. Meat cooking. Bread baking. Fresh produce and herbs. The second thing to hit you is all of the action. Throngs of people of all ages, shopping, eating, and visiting LATE into the night. Egypt is full of night owls and shit doesn’t really start to go down until after the sun does. Up until now, all we had seen shopping-wise had been touristy knick knacks and cheap souvenirs, but this was different. I was shopping where the locals shop, so there was no haranguing, bartering, or hassling. In fact, the vendors didn’t even speak to me unless I stopped to look at their displays and ask what something was. Truth be told, I am not sure if this was because I was obviously with Egyptians (Sameh and Hamdy), or if it was because that’s how it just IS, but all the same, I was in hog heaven (though obviously there was no pork to be had).

Pita Being Freshly Made

First off, I want to mention the bread. ALL of the bread here had been out of this world and I was enthralled seeing all of the pita being freshly made. They come off the hot oven tiles puffed up like a football and deflate as they cool. Last night we had ones so hot we had to toss them back and forth in our hands because they were simply too hot to hold on to for very long!

Pita puffs up to football size and deflates while cooling.
Sameh holding the fresh from the oven pita

Let’s Talk About Food Baby

So let’s talk about the food. I told Sameh that I eat everything except pineapple (allergic), and he questioned me TWICE to make sure I was game for anything. First up was the sautéed beef liver sandWISH*. A skinny, airy French baguette filled with thinly sliced sautéed beef liver seasoned only with salt. Superb! Then on to a spleen – yes, you read the correctly, SPLEEN – sandWISH done the same way. Would I have tried it in the US? Would I have tried it if I knew what it was? Maybe, maybe not, but I’ll tell you this – I am glad that I did! In very much the same way that beef heart makes a tartare that is beefier than regular tartare, this was like liver that was both beefier and liver-ier than liver alone…if that makes any sense at all.

Spleen tastes like beefier and liver-ier beef but it is a different texture than both.
Sameh and I eating spleen sandWISHes

We made our way through the souk and Sameh and Hamdy wanted me to try several things so they talked amongst themselves and settled on shawarma with a garlicky aioli, falafel in pita (not as good as Hamdy’s and he gave me the recipe), crunchy salt brined pickled carrots that had very little vinegar to them, and this crazy salted fish called fesikh (pronounced fee-SIKH – the KH in the final syllable like the CH in Challah bread – in your throat). The shawarma is served like a “wrap” in a flatbread similar to lavash instead of pita, and much lighter. The meat shaved off a revolving spit like gyro meat by a wild knife wielding vendor.

I am not sure that fesikh would meet "code" in the US, but the umami packed flavor punch was worth it!
Picnic in the park – L-R – Sameh (the Hotel Manager), Chef Hamdy, and me eating the Fesikh.

Travel Makes You Try New Things

While the spleen was totally off my normal grid, let’s get to the fesikh. This is the most authentic, and off the wall, totally off my radar and special thing I have eaten in ages. In fact, I would say it was the single most interesting thing I have eaten in a decade. Not for the faint of heart to be sure, this is an umami punch in the face. Not a flavor bomb…an umami punch in the face. I ate it drenched in olive oil and wrapped in a pita, but it is also served pureed with tahini into a dip or served wrapped in a pita with veg like you would enjoy on a gyro. It is a celebratory staple for Ramadan. So…they take a mullet fish, gut it, and ferment it in salt. It’s not hard salt cured fish like bacalao, it’s soft, like an anchovy, with ten times the umami kick. As I ate it I could imagine all kinds of applications for it in place of anchovies. HAmdy said it was like being electrified, and he wasn’t that wrong. The Egyptians on staff were flabbergasted that I ate it and that I liked it. Apparently most westerners are too afraid to try it. I am not the usual westerner to travel here.

Fesikh is salted fermented mullet
Fesikh in part of the freshly baked pita
Fesikh on display in the Aswan souk.
Salt fermented fesikh in a display case. And yes…it is vertical!

While I have enjoyed nearly every moment of this trip so far (despite irritating fellow passengers) and the historic sites and sight seeing have all been amazing, for me this trip is now complete. I want to see, do, and eat like a local. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just authentic. And now back to our regularly scheduled programming…Stay tuned for more on this cruise coming up soon.

Notes:

  • I have, for years, typed sandWISH instead of the regular spelling
  • I know the header is fucked up, I’m still working on it.