Thursday, May 12, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 6: Palmi to Scalea

Where are we? To the mainland, biking through Calabria from Palmi to Scalea.

Palmi: The Giro tells me that: The city of Palmi is set on a hill on the southern Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria. The many panoramic points allow you to enjoy the view of the Strait of Messina, the Aeolian Islands and Capo Vaticano. Protected on one side by Mount S. Elia, which is the most protruding spur towards the sea of the Aspromonte chain, founded at the end of the 14th century on a 10th century settlement of the Taurianesi, Palmi was the birthplace of many illustrious men, such as: Francesco Cilea, Leonida Repaci, Domenico Antonio Cardona and Nicola A. Manfroce. 
Starting from the white beaches of the Tonnara and proceeding along its 11km of coastline, we arrive at the splendid coves Marinella and Rovaglioso. The Scoglio dell’Ulivo (Rock of the Olive Tree), a unique and very rare rocky conformation, has become an icon of the city. All these coastal beauties are an integral part of the extraordinary “Costa Viola” (Violet Coast) area, characterized by crystal clear water and breathtaking seabed, a destination for diving enthusiasts. We also find cliffs overlooking the sea through which the “Tracciolino”, one of the most evocative nature trails in the Mediterranean, winds its way.

The Food: Oddly, the Giro has no food suggestions. 

Scalea: Scalea is one of the oldest cities in Calabria: it is the Heir of the Greek-Lucan city of Laos and the Roman Lavinium. From the wide coasts and the crystal-clear sea, you can go up through a gorgeous and picturesque street, that climb into a suggestive ancient village with typically medieval architecture.
Scalea is located on a stepped hill dominated by the ruins of the Norman Castle and is characterized by its narrow and winding alleys, the steps in living stone, and historic buildings. On the coast, there is the Ajnella cliff, full of caves and small bays, while the beach extends for kilometers to the south and it is interrupted only by the imposing reef on which it rises Talao Tower.

The Food: The gastronomic tradition of Scalea is based on modest recipes and dishes, handed down from generation to generation; however, they are often revisited in a modern way, even if they use local raw materials. It is a very simple seafaring culture that includes in the gastronomic tradition also the farmer culture; this is coherent with the landscape that is characterized by the mountains that meet the sea within a short walking distance.
The main element of the Scaleota cuisine is the blue fish: from marinated anchovies to stuffed ones, up to rosamarina. “Spaghetti alla scaleota” flavored with anchovies, tomato sauce and crispy stale bread passed in red pepper and enriched with hot pepper is a must in the menus of restaurants and trattorias. Among the first courses based on meat, it is not possible to miss the fusilli with meat sauce, made from mixed pork, veal and with the classic braciola or the more decisive goat meat sauce. Among the second courses a typical dish is the fried codfish stands out accompanied by browned peppers, dried in the summer sun and then fried for a few seconds in boiling oil to give crunchiness. 
Another important place is represented by cold meats and sheep and goat cheeses above all. There are many side dishes, from the classic pickled vegetables like aubergines, courgettes and dried tomatoes, to fresh ones like “pip ‘e patan”, peppers and potatoes stewed in a pan with a truly unique taste.
Very interesting are the reinterpretations of typical first courses of Italian cuisine such as carbonara transformed into a “marinara “version and the integration in the local cuisine, the use of the Santa Domenica Talao truffle.
The desserts reflect most of all the simplicity of the local gastronomy: the fichi secchi, the crocette, the Christmas roses, the Easter pizzatole and then all the various cedar preparations expertly proposed by the pastry chefs of the area.


The stage: Looks at the stage profile, goes to the gym for a spin class. Comes home, sees 80 kilometers remaining.
Indeed, everyone anticipates a sprint finish and the break consisted of a solo rider. A lot of kilometers for Diego Rosa to ride alone.
The Giro had a snack suggestion:
Forty six kilometers to go and the gap had gone down to 1:34. 
I laughed.
Twenty eight kilometers to go and there was the long awaited catch. Nice ride, Rosa.
Photo finish! Why not, after a dull stage. Demare with the win.

The wine:  Scala Ciro Bianco 2020
from Biondivino: In a nutshell, Scala’s Cirò Bianco, fashioned from the Greco Bianco grape, leads one to thoughts of gently crashing Mediterranean waves, warm sandy beaches and bowls of fresh-cut pasta with spoonfuls of home-made pesto and Calabrian chili. A little nudge beyond light-bodied, this wine is achingly fresh, clean and crisp in the mouth - meyer lemon, tangerine, bitter orange, and a faint wafts of both the tropical and the savory. Makes a case for drinking more whites with this kind of southern charm.

The food:

Carbonara alla Marinara

I was curious about the carbonara variation and found a recipe here.
Ingredients for 4
12 oz. long fusilli or bucatini
1⁄2 cup milk
3 oz. smoked tuna carpaccio
2 large egg yolks
salt-cured tuna roe (fresh or grated)
1 tsp. sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled
extra-virgin olive oil
salt – pepper

Cut the smoked tuna carpaccio into 1⁄4" strips. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar, a pinch of salt, and pepper.

Rub the surface of a 2 qt. saucepan with the garlic clove to impart aroma during cooking. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and return to the saucepan. 

Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until the cream begins to thicken. If using a thermometer, this happens at around 175°F.

Remove from heat and let cool, then add tuna carpaccio strips.

Bring water to a boil in a 6 qt. pot, season with salt, add the pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain with a slotted spoon to keep the pasta wet. Toss with the tuna-infused cream, and salt-cured tuna roe to taste.

Top with 1 Tbsp. oil and pepper, and serve immediately.
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Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 5: Catania to Messina

 
Where are we? Our second day in Sicily, heading from Catania to Messina.

Catania: Visit Sicily tells me that: Catania is the second largest metropolitan city of Sicily. Over the centuries, it has faced earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, it has undergone a variety of dominations and urban changing. 
In addition, they consider this the most important site: Palazzo Biscari. "It is the most important palace in the city. It represents, in fact, the most beautiful example of Catanese baroque architecture.
The building, after the earthquake of 1693, was rebuilt around 1700 by Ignazio Paternò Castello III, the fifth Prince of Biscari, and a great scholar, archaeologist and art lover, who as well as making it his home, he set up there the first major museum open to all, containing his large archaeological collection. In 1787 the prince received Goethe, who then reported in detail in his writings, the magnificence of the collections and the palace. History, charm and beauty are the words required to describe the building. 
The palace is accessed through a large portal in via Museo Biscari, which leads into the central courtyard, adorned with a large double staircase. Inside, there is the “feasts hall” in rococo style, with a complex decoration of mirrors, stuccoes and frescoes. The central dome was used to house the orchestra, and is covered by a fresco depicting the glory of the Paternò Castello di Biscari family. The dome is accessed through an ornate staircase decorated with stucco, that the prince Ignazio called “a trail of cloud”, within the large gallery overlooking the sea. Through the other rooms, the ones to be remembered are “the feuds room”, with large paintings on the walls representing the many feuds (large landed estates) of Biscari; the “princess apartments”, built by Ignazio V for his wife, with boiseries carved wood panelling and marble floors from Roman times; the “Birds gallery” and the “Don Quixote room” The interior décor is in rococo style: decorations, stylish furniture, crystal chandeliers, are the details present in the various rooms, which give a touch of sophisticated  atmosphere. 
Today, besides being the Biscari’s  family house, the palace hosts cultural and prestigious events. Also,  booking in advance, you can visit it and be enlivened by the stories of the palace and of the family memories, from the very descendant of princes."
The food: Catania cuisine is one of the richest and tastiest in Sicily. The great richness and ease in the redevelopment of raw materials and the love for “flavorful” cuisine, combined with the culinary contaminations fruit of the numerous foreign dominations over the centuries, make Catania a gastronomic reference point of the island. Famous is the sea salad with octopus, shrimp and ox eyes (molluscs typical of this sea) boiled; equally popular are marinated masculins (Ionian sea anchovies marinated in oil and lemon), salted anchovies, raw ox eyes seasoned with lemon or roasted on charcoal, peppered with mussels (suffering, with abundant pepper, lemon and chopped parsley) “u mauru” ( raw seaweed topped with lemon), “u zuzzu” (pork jelly), “u sangeli” (bloody).
Among the first dishes deserves the place of honor pasta alla Norma, which takes its name from a Celtic masterpiece by Vincenzo Bellini: tomato sauce, fried egg, basil and abundant grated salted ricotta. Other notable dishes are pasta with cuttlefish black, topped with a sauce prepared with tomato extract, cuttlefish and black of these tasty shellfish; pasta with masculini (fresh anicies in a sautéed onion, peas and fennel rizzu); pasta’ ncaciata, seasoned with cauliflower cooked in an onion pan and seasoned with salted anchovies, olives and caciocavallo. 
Meat and fish are served everywhere, with a fondness in the capital for horse-meat, often accompanied by side dishes that, in reality, are real unique dishes: Parmigiana (fried eggplant casserole), Caponata with eggplant and tomatoes, fennel salad, orange salad (sliced and seasoned with oil, salt and pepper), vegetable dishes and other typical vegetables. The rotisserie is one of the most renowned in Italy. The main pieces are the Arancini, crispy squabpy rice-filled, Siciliana (thin puff pastry filled with tuma and anchovies), salted crispelles (sweet dough pancakes, stuffed with fresh ricotta or anchovies), the shaded ones ( made with bread dough stuffed with plenty of tuma and anchovies, or vegetables, or cauliflower, baked). 
Typical desserts are ricotta Cannoli, Sicilian Cassata, but above all marten fruit or real pasta (soft almond-based pasta with multiple forms of colored fruit); rice-crystals or traditional “olivette di Sant’Agata”. The famous ice creams and Granita (tossed on demand with hand-crafted cream). Among the latter the most popular flavors are almond, lemon, coffee, chocolate, mulberry, peach.

Messina: Vincenzo Nibali's hometown!  Visit Sicily tells me that when the Greeks settled in this scenic land, they called it Zancle, which means sickle, for the shape of its natural harbour. Its current name comes from Messenia, the Greek town from which the colonists who inhabit it later came. They also suggest visiting the fountains, which sounds refreshing after a long day on the bike: At the left side of the Duomo’s bell tower, there is the most beautiful European fountain of the 1500s, as defined by art historian Berenson: it is the monumental Fountain of Orion, dedicated to the mythical founder of the city. It is one of the five historical Messina fountains built by a disciple of Michelangelo, the Florentine Montorsoli. Another work by Montorsoli, dating back to 1557, is the beautiful Fountain of Neptune, kept in the Museo Regionale. An exact copy of it is located at Piazza Unità d’Italia. An allegory of the waters of the Strait, the fountain reproduces the sea god with its trident, and Scylla and Charybdis, the two monsters guarding the Straits, chained at his sides. Charybdis was a voracious  nymph who lived in the waters of cape Peloro and was punished by Zeus for stealing Hercules’ oxen.  Scylla, was a very beautiful nymph and  Glaucus, Neptune’s son,  had fallen in love with  her but his love was unrequitted so she was transformed into a monster.
In Via Sant’Agostino we find the beautiful fountain realized by architect Falconieri in 1842: a sculpture of four sea monsters with heads of man, dolphins, griffins and lions. Don’t forget the two fountains in Via I Settembre, built in the 1700s and inspired by the sea: a circular pool with steles, tritons and sea monsters, with the Imperial Spanish crest and the city of Messina’s crest on top. Other two fountains of the same period are kept in the Museo Regionale.

The food: The Giro says: Messina has one of the oldest culinary traditions in Sicily, which mostly shows Greek influences. Fish and seafood are the staples of local cuisine. Traditional specialties also include sugar confections, such as almond paste and candied fruit, along with craft ice creams and slushies (the popular “granita”).
Traditional fry-shop specialties include the iconic arancini, the hallmark of street food – pointy saffron rice balls stuffed with meat sauce, peas, soft cheese and prosciutto or mortadella.
The city of Messina has many dishes in common with Calabria, on the opposite side of the strait, while meat and cheese are more common in the province. The importance of extra virgin olive oil, which is much widely used than in the rest of Sicily, also for frying food, speaks to the close relationship with Greek cuisine. In the Nebrodi area, where the farming tradition is stronger, there are three SlowFood specialty products (‘presidi’), in addition to the famous salame Sant’Angelo di Brolo: olio di Minuta (olive oil), Suino nero dei Nebrodi (pork) and Provola dei Nebrodi (cheese).
They also have the most extensive regional food list I remember ever seeing on their site. 


The stage: Another day in Sicily. An early start, as the race caravan had ferries to the mainland to catch. A sprint, but only if you can get over this big hill in the middle of the stage. Sure enough, not getting over the hill with the bunch Cavendish and Ewan, among others. Notably, Demare did make it.
Cavendish and team would chase for quite a while, but dod eventually sit up and give up on getting back for the sprint. 
Ahead: Bunch sprint and a not surprising win by Demare.       


The wine: I Custodi Alnus Etna Rosato
Another from Dig, because I like an Etna rosato and the producer description charmed me.
The producer says: Alnus is the wine we dedicate to hundreds of generations of Etnean winegrowers that have built what we are preserving. The original plan was to make a rosé. But it would be disparaging to just put this wine into a category. It is fresh and sharp-edged like a great white, and at the same time full and comforting as only a good red Etna can be. Only a few thousand bottles to share: too little for a rosé that is no rosé.






The food: Should I have done something from the Giro's very long specialty list? Probably. But I really love pistachio spreads. Plus, the pesto sounded fun. 
What do I do with the spread? Well, I have always thought it would be a great layer cake filling. Or perhaps on toast? But I generally eat it with a spoon. Learn more here. 
The Giro twitter feed at least supports my pistachio desires!



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Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 4: Avola to Etna-Nicolosi

 
Where are we? After a rest day, Italy! Sicily, to be precise, traveling from Avola to Etna-Nicolosi. 

Avola: The Giro says: The town of Avola, which nestles comfortably between the Ionian Sea and the gentle slopes of the Hyblaean Mountains, is the ideal place for travellers in search of multisensory experiences. Every year, our sea and beautiful beaches are crowded with thousands of tourists.
Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve, with its lakes, the necropolis and wild orchids, is a unique experience for nature lovers and archaeological enthusiasts coming from every part of Europe. The carnival of Avola is particularly well-known, as one of the best among others in Sicily and Italy, and attracts thousands of visitors every year. 
But, I am perhaps more excited about the almond museum! 

The food:The Almond of Avola has ancient origins and, together with its vineyards and lemon orchards, characterises its territory. During the first half of the 20th century, almond cultivation was the leading economic sector of the town. By the 19th century, the botanist Giuseppe Bianca (Avola, 1801-1883) had already studied the local varieties and encouraged the production of hard-shell cultivars such as Pizzuta, Fascionello and Romana.
In early February, the almond trees in full blossom are a spectacular sight. The variety most cultivated is Pizzuta, resulting in a quality product appreciated all over the world, chosen for its incomparable organoleptic properties. Nowadays, the processing and commercialization of the almonds of Avola take place in qualified local companies. Undoubtedly, Pizzuta is the most employed variety in confectionery, too. Its oval shape was praised by the writer Leonardo Sciascia, who compared it to the Annunziata’s perfect oval visage painted by the Sicilian Antonello da Messina. On such type of almonds, sugar assumes a flawless shape, without needing the addition of other ingredients. Thanks to the notable organoleptic properties of the almonds employed, the resulting confetti (sugared almonds) are a top-quality product, in high demand on the national and international market. Furthermore, if you happen to visit Avola, you must try almond granita and milk. Sicilian cuisine also combines almonds with local seafood in order to enhance its taste. To find out more about its history, you can visit the Museum of the almond and other typical products of Avola, in viale La Pira.

Etna-Nicolosi: Volcano time.  And now here we are at the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The Smithsonian Global Volcanism project tells me that: Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second largest city, has one of the world's longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BCE. Historical lava flows of basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano, whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. The Giro says: Nicolosi, a town on the slopes of Etna, was built around the twelfth century by those who lived in the areas surrounding the monastery of S. Nicolò La Rena, now the seat of the Etna Park Authority. It has been rebuilt several times. We remember the terrible eruption of 1669, which originated the Monti Rossi, reaching the city of Catania and the sea and the subsequent lava flows of 1776 and 1886. Despite the damage caused by the numerous lava flows and earthquakes, the city was able to be reborn and to offer visitors the extraordinary natural beauties and modern services, hotel facilities, typical restaurants and becoming a source of pride in the Etna area, so much so that it deserves the nickname of “Porta dell’Etna”. The healthy and temperate climate even in summer and the luxuriant pines make your stay enchanting. Nicolosi hosts events and events throughout the year that attract crowds of visitors. A pleasant holiday resort, the town has linked its name to tourism and excursions to Mount Etna. Today it is a town that, thanks to the will and initiative of its administrators and its inhabitants, represents a driving force for tourism in the Etna area.

The food: Nicolosi stands out in the Etnea area for a typical bread made with rye semolina: the black bread of Immanu which during famines, due to the rustic nature of the species, still managed to feed the population. Probably the first seeds were introduced from Germany by the Benedictine monks themselves who around the fourteenth century had founded the monastery of S. Nicolò. The traditional Nicolosita gastronomy draws its origins from the peasant culture and is based on “poor”, simple and genuine dishes based on local agriculture. Among the first courses, therefore, the pasta with legumes (pasta cch’i cicira, pasta with chickpeas, for the feast of San Giuseppe), with wild fennel, broccoli (vrocculi affucati), cauliflower, asparagus wild. Among the latter we mention the “aggrassato” veal (cooked slowly with onion and wine), ‘u fassumauru (meat rollé), roasted lamb and sweet and sour wild rabbits. Obviously, dishes based on mushrooms found in the woods surrounding the town are prepared. Typical almond and pistachio desserts, nougat and soft nougats, copper (a biscuit with a soft cocoa heart, covered with a dark chocolate glaze, delicately spiced) and skiers (sweet “cca liffia”: a chocolate), the substantial biscuit preferred by hikers departing or returning from Etna. The fried raviole stuffed with ricotta, cassatele, prickly pear mustazzoli, stuffed mustazzoli are linked to the Christmas tradition. Always typical of the Etna villages ù ciciliu or “cuddura” (probably from the ancient Greek κολλύρα (kollura) which means crown and originally emphasized the shape of toasted bread), linked to the Easter festival. In ancient times it was given to children as a sign of the risen Christ. In addition to traditional foods, Nicolosi boasts a huge variety of pizzerias and restaurants where you can enjoy excellent pizzas, and many varieties of fish and meat dishes, sushi, Mexican foods etc. etc. all accompanied by the excellent wines of Etna.


The stage: Always exciting to have an Etna stage. A likely doomed break? Of course. They would dangle out front for most of the stage. That group was:  Valerio Conti (Astana Qazaqstan), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Villella, Rémy Rochas (Cofidis), Rein Taaramäe (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Gijs Leemreize (Jumbo-Visma), Mauri Vansevenant (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo),  Diego Camargo (EF Education-EasyPost), Alexander Cataford (Israel-Premier Tech), Erik Fetter (Eolo-Kometa), Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix), Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën).
In case things would not be hard enough on the day, there was also a crash involving a motorbike. 
Plus cannoli: We also had the departure of a big name.
On they road, approaching the hardest parts of the stage.
Twenty five kilometers to go and an attack fro Oldani from the break. Time gaps were oddly challenging to find, but he was about five minutes ahead of the main bunch and about forty seconds on the rest of the break, which was rapidly growing smaller. At the front of the peloton, the Indeos team, clearly with plans. Way behind, the sprinters and others were out the back, including, as expected, our race leader.
Attacking from the break, Juan Pedro Lopez, who would catch and quickly pass Oldani. Under ten kilometers to go and he had a solo lead of about 31 seconds. 
Behind, it was a surprise to see Dumoulin dropping. Also dropping from the bunch, Nibali. Sigh.
Setting off in search of Lopez was Kamna, many's pre-stage favorite on the day. Even if Kamna were to catch him, Lopez was a very possible new race leader. A bit of a chat when they connected made one wonder if they were discussing you can have the stage, whereas I will have the jersey. Going into the final kilometer, they had about thirty seconds over the closest chaser.
Indeed, stage to Kamna, pink to Lopez.





The wine: Girolamo Russo Etna Rosato
Each year I say that I am going to do an entirely pink Wines of the Giro. This is apparently not that year, but it remains a goal!

From Dig: Russo is a favorite producer of Mount Etna reds, those elegantly smoky beauties made mostly of the Nerello Mascalese grape. Russo's rosato (or rosé) is equally delicious. Bright aromas of cherry, orange peel, and red flower unfold to a vibrant, high-toned wine with plenty of acidic snap and smoky earth on the finish.

The food: Had to be the almonds!
There is a lot more info to be had here, from Visit Sicily. 
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Sunday, May 8, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 3 Kaposvár to Balatonfüred

Where are we? Having a final, likely sprint day in Hungary!

Kaposvár: The Giro tells me The eclectic Secessionist jewellery box of József Rippl-Rónai: Kaposvár Only 1.5 hours by car from Lake Balaton, Kaposvár guarantees you’ll not have a moment without being surrounded by magical sights in its city centre. Considered one-of-a-kind throughout Europe in terms of architecture, the city boasts more than 220 eclectic and Secessionist buildings. It is unrivalled on the continent in terms of the number of fabulous historical edifices in such a small area. Visit one of the most significant towns of Transdanubia and admire the spectacular eclectic-Secessionist city centre.

Balatonfüred: Central Europe’s largest lake offers unmissable experiences all-year-round. Every summer, the nearly 200 km2 lake warms up easily, with its gradual depth attractive to those wishing to splash around.

The food: The Balaton cherry is a  sour cherry native to Hungary, where it was originally named Újfehértói Fürtös. It was introduced to the United States in the 1980s and is now grown here commercially.
The Balaton is a Morello-type sour cherry with a dark burgundy color throughout both the skin and flesh  and a sweet-tart flavor 


The stage: For Mother's Day, a sprint stage. Our break of the day, Mattia Bais, Filippo Tagliani and, Samuele Rivi, was not given a lot of rope.
Given how quiet the stage appeared to be, it was time for some reading on crimes against Italian cuisine. Approaching 100 kilometers to go and the gap was around three minutes.
Our first abandonment of the race: Tratnik. He had been injured on the opening day and clearly struggled yesterday during the time trial.
Meanwhile, it had been a very relaxed stage for most of the riders.
Some lovely scenery on the day: Sixty kilometers to go and the commentators were expressing concern about the turn very close to the finish. The good news: the road seemed to be drying out after earlier rain. The bad news: that sort of turn early in a grand tour is not always handled well by the eager bunch. Also, a delight to have Sean Kelly say, "this is proving to be a very boring day."
Forty nine kilometers to go and the gap was down to about 49 seconds. With about 25 kilometers to go, they finally caught the break. If you had not guessed by Sean Kelly's comment, they are behind the slowest estimated expected time for the day.
Sean Kelly again, "is a kilometer longer in Hungary?"
At the hill, an attack by Zabel and Eenkhoorn for mountain points with Eenkhoorn taking it at the top.
As expected, the bunch sprint. After perfect positioning, Mark Cavendish with the Mother's Day present I was hoping for.


The wine: 2018 Heimann & Fiai Kekfrankos Szekszard
From the importer: Typically harvested a week or two later than Kadarka, the Birtok (estate) Kékfrankos is sourced from younger vines in the Baranya-völgy and an exciting virgin vintage from the Csötönyi-völgy single vineyards. Similar to Kadarka, fermentation was in large (5000-8000 liter) wooden and stainless steel open vats (25% whole bunches), 20-25 days of maceration, twice daily foot trodden and/or pumped over, then aged 8 months (full malo) in used oak. With nearly twice as much maceration as Kadarka, there is far more texture and grip along with more fruit and earthiness to balance. This is a quintessential table red for the appellation in the best way possible.



The food: Kifli Almond Cookies, from Zingermans, with bonus Balaton cherries because I couldn't resist.

Buttery, almondy, wonderful. An Austrian and Hungarian favorite, kifli are small crescent moon-shaped cookies. They’re made with almonds, flour, butter, sugar, vanilla and a bit of powdered sugar. Each sweet cookie is perfectly balanced between buttery and almondy with a delicate, crumbly texture that practically melts in your mouth, similar to shortbread. They are, in a word, scrumptious.  Each cookie is big enough for about two to three dainty nibbles, or one big gobbling mouthful. Share them, if your will is strong enough. Zingerman’s Bakehouse makes these just one month of the year in February.


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Saturday, May 7, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 2: Budapest ITT


 
Where are we?  Back in Budapest for an individual time time trial.

The stage: An opening time trial which is not the opening day. To be honest, I'm more than a little confused as the the timing of this one. But, here we are.
I've explained time trials before, but the basics are very simple: one rider at a time sets off to get the best possible time against the clock. Of course there is slightly more strategy than that, with early riders often doing reconnaissance for later teammates and, particularly later in races, decisions by some support riders to take an easier day.
Just about halfway through and the leaders were:
1. Edoardo Affini (Jumbo-Visma) - 12:10
2. Owain Doull (EF Education-EasyPost) - 12:18
3. Jos van Emden (Jumbo-Visma) - 12:19
4. Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos Grenadiers) - 12:21
5. Alex Dowsett (Israel-Premier Tech) - 12:23 
It would not have been surprising had Affini stayed in the hot seat all day. Instead though, to the surprise of many, into the hot seat went Kamna at 12:07. 

Perhaps time for some sightseeing. 
Next into the hot seat, Sobrero in 12:03. With the gc riders on the course, the times would drop, with some big performances that could make a difference throughout the race.






The wine: 2020 Wetzer Kékfrankos Sopron
From the importer: Peter’s Kékfrankos ripens late and is often picked in late October and into November. Part of this is the way he farms and other is finding the cooler locations. The fruit is destemmed, open vat fermented, and then gets about 3 weeks maceration before being barreled down to used Hungarian Oak. It’s then bottled unfined and unfiltered. Despite the late pick, acidity is by no means compromised and the wine is impossibly bright even when carrying a few grams of residual sugar and just over 12% alcohol.







The food: Pride Of Szeged Hungarian Sweet Paprika
Imported from Hungary where it's a culinary staple, this authentic sweet paprika has an exquisite flavor. Packaged in a tin with convenient sifting and pouring tabs, this premium spice is a delicious addition to rubs and marinades, potatoes, classic chicken paprikash, traditional goulash and much more.
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Friday, May 6, 2022

Wine and Food of the Giro 2022 Stage 1: Budapest to Visegrád

Where are we? Hungary! Heading from Budapest to Visegrád. 

Budapest: Hungary’s capital, bisected by the Danube, which we would get lovely glimpses of during the stage. There are so many things to say about the city, so I'll opt for some trivia from the local tourist site.
Number of bridges: 11 (9 for road traffic: Árpád híd – Margit híd – Széchenyi lánchíd – Erzsébet híd – Szabadság híd – Petőfi híd – Lágymányosi híd – Deák Ferenc híd - the two latter connecting the M0 ring around the city and 2 railway bridges) 

There are 3 islands on the Danube within Budapest. The Csepel Island, whose northern tip protrudes into the capital, the historical Margaret Island, and the Óbudai Island in the North. The Szentendre Island, which is to the North from the capital, reaches all the way up to the Danube Bend.
Budapest's total territory is 525 km². It is surrounded by the administrative county of Pest, 81 settlements of which belong to Budapest's agglomeration. The city is 25 kilometres long in the north-south direction and 29 kilometres wide in the east-west direction. Its deepest point is the level of the Danube, which at normal levels is about 90 metres above sea level, and its highest point is 529 metres (Janos-Hill).

The food:Well, it is day one, so I will be remiss to not mention that Goulash is Hungary's national dish. Sarah Copeland has a great piece here.  

Visegrád is a small town in Pest County, north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube. It is famous for the remains of the Early Renaissance summer palace of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and the medieval citadel.
The Giro site tells me that: between May and October, scheduled cruise boats travel to the site from Budapest Vigadó Square, also visiting other important historical towns besides the wonderful Visegrád. . .  While in Visegrád, in addition to the old royal palace in the Lower Castle, the Salomon Tower and the nearby King Mathias Historical Playground, you should also visit the Court of Trades. Adrenaline-hunters should definitely go up the winding road to the 700-metre summer and alpine bobsled track next to the Zsitvay viewpoint on the tip of the Nagyvillám mountain. Speed lovers can even enjoy the sight of the Citadel when racing down the bobsled track and if you’re after more adventure, try the nearby adventure park, canopy or go-kart tracks.

The food: Visit Hungary has a great piece on Chicken Paprikash. They say "We dare say that this is the most commonly prepared dish in Hungarian households. It features all the typical ingredients of Hungarian cuisine: paprika powder, onions, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes, pepper, sour cream and meat. All this, accompanied by the uncrowned king of absorbing gravy: nokedli."

The stage: Here we go! Each year I say maybe it is time for a new hobby, yet here I am again. And in Hungary for a few days. Off we go with 176 riders on a fairly flat road stage, 195 kilometers with an uphill finish. Our initial break of the race consisted of Mattia Bias and Filippo Tagliani, who we may see again in future breaks. The pack seemed happy to let them dangle for many kilometers. They gave them a lot of road to start out with, but brought in down to just a few minutes and kept it there. One could say that it was a dull stage, but the scenery and the enthusiasm of the crowd more than made up for it. Plus, the ending looked to hold some excitement.
Fifty kilometers to go and the gap was around 1:27 and it was starting to come down quickly. 
I laughed. Twenty kilometers to go and the gap was down to just above twenty seconds. Not that much further down the road and they were all together. Hanging at the back of the bunch, Cavenidsh, having clearly decided the upcoming grade was too much for him to contest the sprint. As they closed in, a few small crashes before an attack by Kamna. One kilometer to go and they were closing on him.  Making it up the hill, Ewan! Ugly crash for him with the favorite for the stage coming through for the win: Mathieu Van der Poel.






The wine: 2020 Sziegl "Babel" Hajos-Baja
From the importer: Notes & Pairings: 2 grape varieties, 5 different vintage dates and different processing technologies. Between a light red and a rosé, this is a style of wines that the Hungarian called Shiller. The 5 different must fermented spontaneously together in a tank. After fermentation, the wine was on fine lees for 6 months. Bottled unfiltered with some sulfites added before bottling. The wine is dry, tart, spicy, grippy, and super refreshing.

The food: Goulash! See the recipe link above. 

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