Welcome to Australia! – I lately hear this phrase pretty often. It is the beginning of my new adventure. I’ll be staying in Sydney here for at least a year or maybe two. In fact, after two full weeks here, I am optimistic about this idea. It all came quite unexpectedly, like many things and travels in my life, and I’m considering it a great opportunity to know better this far away continent. Let me share with you five things I found rather surprising in Australia. Everybody runs Jogging and running are extremely popular. The CBD from early morning throughout the day with a peak in lunch hours is full of runners. They are mostly heading towards Botanical Gardens which is a fantastic place to run. Not only the views are breathtaking but also the shadowed paths and the nature around you are very encouraging. I came with no running shoes because of the luggage weight restrictions which was a mistake but luckily for me I found great running shoes in one of the stores and bought it right after my arrival. The weather is just amazingly beautiful which makes the whole running in Sydney pleasant. Everything is sweet This is something I found awkward: most of the food here, including yoghurt, tomato sauces, drinks and even milk is really sweet. I am not used to the sweet foods thus this was striking. I now pay attention in shops and before I buy any food I check the nutrition information for sugar quantity. Also, when I have my coffee I specifically ask for no sugar in it. When you come to Sydney remember to repeat ‘no sugar’ phrase, unless you want it sweet. Every day is sunny I’ve heard a lot about the weather in Sydney but let’s be honest: after living in Italy for years I did not believe it. The last two weeks were extremely sunny. From the early morning until late evening the sky is blue and the temperature is way above 20 degrees. Thanks to its location there is a slight wind from the bay which makes his city so easy to love! Everyone is chilled out Obviously not everybody but in most of the cases, I found the Australians easygoing folks. Not only they sit and lay down on green grass in parks and gardens but they also finish working early so they can enjoy life by visiting bars, restaurants, spending time with their friends or simply exercising. The peak hours are pretty narrow and after 5:00 p.m. everybody leaves offices heading home or leisure spots. Every tourist will find something interesting here Sydney has a lot to offer. From high adrenaline activities, through the music and theatre events, up to craft beers. In last two weeks, I went to two museums, had a few drinks here and there, run in the park, watched the huge ferry cruises muring in the harbour, walked along the beaches, did shopping and had a few dinners outs. All in all, you will find everything in Sydney. A huge variety of activities, places and fun things to do awaits for the tourists here. Sydney, I have a feeling we’ll come along quite nicely! Keep coming back for more info about Sydney, Australia and adventures of a foreigner in the Antipodes.  

The post Sydney at First Glance appeared first on Null & Full.

A winter stay in Valpolicella would be incomplete without a few visits in the local restaurants. There is a lot to choose from! Even if the AirBnB house we rented is located in a small village there is a variety of places that serve a high-quality food. Italy is famous for its food and sometimes you might get lost is a variety of names. You might wonder what is the difference between ‘osteria‘, ‘trattoria‘ and ‘restaurant’ thus here is a simple explanation. Osteria The least formal of all places that offer you food in Italy. It sometimes is run by a family and offers you a place at the common table, shared with other guests. The food is always fresh, prepared from the local ingredients and often there is no menu: the owner of a waiter tells you what is served today and you choose from it. It serves wines, often produced by the owners (‘produzione propria‘), brought to the table is carafe rather than a bottle. Recently there is a new trend to make the osterie more attractive by using a modern design or hosting ‘aperitivo‘ in late afternoons. The one I visited here, in Negrar, was called Osteria del Bugiardo and it was fabulous! Trattoria Less formal than a restaurant more formal then osteria. It always serves local food but the main focus is on wines. The food is always simple, the choice is limited and the customers are in major part locals. It has been always an important place for the meetings of the residents and a common space for exchanging the ideas and gossips. Restaurant Obviously, there is a huge variety of the formality here. There are exclusive restaurants that serve a high quality, expensive food but there are also those less expensive and well connected with the area. It is true especially in Italy where many people visit a restaurant with their families, friends and colleagues. It is worth checking with the locals which restaurant is good but if you can’t do it just pass the restaurant in the evening (20:00-21:00) and judge it out of the number of cars parked in front of it. If the restaurant is not in the city centre, next to the famous touristic spots, this strategy works just fine. Especially in the countryside: good restaurants are always full of locals! Bar or pasticceria Pssst! I know that there’s a lot of people who love sweets thus I would strongly encourage you to visit bar or pasticceria in the morning. The best place to start a day in Italy is the one that bakes their sweets in situ, in their backyard. Fresh, warm sweet brioche in the morning will lift your spirit!  

The post What is an ‘osteria’? appeared first on Null & Full.

This winter is marvellous! I’m spending it in Valpolicella, a region of vineyards. Its location is special: from the west, it confines with Garda Lake and Monte Baldo, a relatively high mountain range. In the south, there is a large plateau with Verona town that is beautifully illuminated by night. The plateau expands into the south to meet the Adriatic Sea. In the east and north, further and higher mountain ranges expand. Therefore, the geology of Valpolicella makes this region very special. I was here before in a summer time thus read this post as the next episode of the same story. The house The house I’m renting through AirBnB is located high in the hills. It’s the first time in my life when I’m living at such high altitude and it changes everything! First of all, the view out of every window is breathtaking. Three different ranges in front of the house shaped in layers make a wonderful view. The highest one – Monte Baldo – is covered with snow and this is a picturesque background of the hills with vineyards. Right in front of the house, there is a large cherry grove. I can’t wait to see it flourish! The wine This is a wine region, no doubts about it. When I’m getting familiar with Valpolicella, either by car or by foot, it is covered with vineyards. The classic wine from here – Valpolicella Classico – consists grapes of five different varieties, therefore, the vineyards differ one from another. Currently, the local farmers spend sunny days on cutting the branches so the vine produces excellent grapes. Along every major and minor road, there are vineyards with large houses and wineries, where you can taste and buy the local wines. The weather As I expected, winter here is wonderful! The first three weeks of my stay here were sunny and dry. Watching the valley above and the peaks above out of my window raise my spirit. I was able to focus on brushing the final version of my book and get on with the process of publishing it. What I absolutely love about living here is the altitude that raises you above the clouds. So basically, in a small town of Negrar just 10km away there is have fog and rain while when you get up here there is a beautiful sun. You can watch the clouds from above and this looks spectacular. The running trails Last but not least, there is a variety of running trails. In fact, I was able to run regularly until yesterday, when a dog of my neighbour bit me! All in all, he only wore out my trousers but it scared me a bit. I am very happy though because of the change in running routine. Instead of a totally plain track, it is very steep here and this gives me an opportunity to practice and train alternative muscles. For the first couple of days it was really hard but after three weeks I got used to it. Feeling proud! The people Everywhere I go people are just fantastic. It is equally true for the people from Valpolicella. Not only the owner of the house is gentle and nice but also people I meet every day here. This looks like I picked up another wonderful location for winter to spend. Not only the weather is great but also the food, wine and people too. The overall experience is very positive so if you ever thought about spending winter in Valpolicella I would strongly recommend it.  

The post Valpolicella: above the clouds appeared first on Null & Full.

I’m pretty sure that you’ve heard about Valpolicella at least once in your lifetime. It is the name of a zone full of gentle hills near Verona and it gave a name to the Valpolicella wine that people appreciate around the world. I am not a wine expert but since I lived in Italy I tasted a variety of white and red wines. I participated in a wine tasting before and I am probably an average wine fan: love it with whole my heart. When we left the Dolomites, we decided to expand our holiday and stay for a little bit longer in Italy. Verona and Valpolicella seemed to be just perfect. Last week, we participated in two wine tasting and here is my review, so you could pick up your own way. Valpolicella Valpolicella Classico is made from five grape varieties: Rondinella, Corvina, Corvinione, Oseleta and Molinara. For an amateur, it is pretty hard to distinguish the grapes seen on the grapevines but to the experts, this is a piece of cake. The location of Valpolicella is stunning and just perfect for wine cultivation. From the top of the hills on a sunny day, you can see the Adriatic Sea. The quality of the soil is outstanding as it is of a volcanic origin. Local microclimate brings a fresh breeze from the sea and from the nearby lake Garda. The cantina here is well ventilated which makes the drying process of grapes possible. Out of the variety of grapes grown in Valpolicella a series of red wines are produced: Valpolicella Classico, famous Amarone, sweet Recioto and Ripasso. Wine Tasting in Cantina Fratelli Vogadori Although we all prefer white wines, we could not miss the opportunity of wine tasting in Valpolicella. In a sunny afternoon, we started our tasting in a cantina called Fratelli Vogadori. We entered the building, crossed a cellar following the arrows and were seated at the table with five bottles or red wine. One of the owners was our guide. We got a list of wines that we should taste, bread with olive oil and a spittoon. One after another, the red wine filled our glasses and through the story told by one of the owners we did our best to taste vanilla, cherry, chocolate, and tobacco. Cherry was the easiest to spot. One of the wines we tasted was especially wonderful: it smelled fresh and fruity and after we tasted it, our mouths were full of vanilla. An amazing experience that involved not only our senses of taste and smell but also our memories. Our guide explained that what we sense in a wine depends on our personal experience and memories. We bought a few bottles of wine there and went back home completely satisfied. But this was not over. Next day we went to a different place and the wine tasting there was a totally different one. Wine Tasting in Tenuta Santa Maria Valverde After the first wine tasting in Valpolicella we expected a similar thing but we were completely wrong. This time, we got caught by the owners full of passion, joy and proud. We booked a wine tasting combined with lunch and arrived at noon, in a very hot day. The old buildings and well-ventilated garden welcomed us with desired fresh breeze. Ilaria and Nicola, a couple who owns the place, took us directly for a guided tour around their property. We started from a huge room dedicated to grapes drying process. All grapes, collected manually, are stored for at least 100 days from November to mid-February, depending on the weather and harvest. The room was empty but watching the wooden boxes we could imagine how hard it is to keep them safe from mold until they are ready for a fermentation process. Ilaria explained that each variety of grapes used in Valpolicella wine gives a different taste. Rondinella tastes like plums, Corvina and Corvinone like cherries, Molinara like green pepper, and Oseleta like mulberries. From the drying room, we went down to the cellar, where the smell of mold was overwhelming. Old wooden barrels and modern metal ones were laying there, working hard to produce the excellent wine. Ilaria, a charming woman who laughed a lot, explained the whole process of wine making, including all difficulties, obstacles, and unexpected events. Then, Nicola came and are told us a story of the family. His family has been making wine for the last three hundred years! The expertise in the matter is the air they breathe from the moment they were born. Fascinating. We finally got seated under the white umbrella in a tranquil green garden. The silence was only intermittent by the sound of cicada and gently running water. What a relaxing place! Nicola brought us the local cheese and sausages and the feast began. The taste of wines along with the local specialities was amazing but the final was mind blowing. To fully enjoy the last wine, Nicola brought a block of dark chocolate. It is impossible to describe how incredible it tasted. The whole experience was just fantastic! It took us more than three hours and we had to run before Ilaria showed us the grounds, which was a shame. The owners told us that we could stay with them until the evening and I think that next time I will dedicate the whole day to stay in this marvellous place. Which wine tasting to choose? These two wine tasting experiences were picked up randomly. I had no previous contact with any of these places nor asked for suggestions to any of my friends. Obviously, each of these places has their own way of showing the excellency of the Valpolicella wines. It is up to you, what you prefer. I’d say that I should probably go back to Santa Maria Valverde because of the whole experience. I think that I tasted not only the wine there but most of all, what this region and the family business is all about. I deeply appreciate the...

The post Wine tasting in Valpolicella appeared first on Null & Full.

I normally skip this sort of activities: short stay over the weekend in a big city, but this time it was different. It was my birthday and I decided to organize a surprise trip for my husband so we could spend some time together. I wanted to make it special and, therefore, I chose a place that was new to both of us: Scotland. One of the things I took with me was a SIM card given to me by MTX Connect. It guarantees an access to the Internet in over 40 European countries including Scotland. I thought that for such a short trip there is no time to loose for purchasing a local SIM card. I decided for this handy solution to save some time and fuss. Thus, here is my story of a romantic weekend retreat with a short review of the MTX Connect services. Weekend Retreat It took me about 2 weeks to organize everything. This was a challenge as I started from getting a workshop organized in Warsaw so we had an excuse to leave the house. I bought a one-way flight from Warsaw to Dublin first with a late arrival at midnight. I booked a hotel at the airport so we could have at least 4 hours sleep before we flew to Edinburgh the very first thing in the morning. Travel Tip I shall never fly from Warsaw Modlin on Friday evening again! The line for security check was 1 hour 15 minutes long! It was unpleasant and highly frustrating. In fact, this airport is doing so badly in terms of security services there are rumors that Ryanair is leaving them (not confirmed information but I can easily believe it). Weekend in Edinburgh We arrived at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. The morning was glorious! I haven’t expected the sun and tranquility so we felt wonderful from the start. I got in touch with AirBnB host and he was kind enough to meet us at 9:00 a.m. which was great because we felt tired. The guy was polite and very welcoming. He gave us a few tips on how to move around and where to eat. We came back with a direct flight to Poznań which was a marvellous thing to do. Travel Tip Always contact your AirBnB host in advance. There is a good chance that they will accommodate your needs. Also, find a local person as a reference point and a good source of information. Super hosts are especially helpful. Food and things to do in Edinburgh I hate rushing, I dislike crowds, I loath quick guided tours. You might ask: what was I doing in Edinburgh over the weekend. Indeed, this was a tricky journey but even a person like me could find something interesting to do and do it with no rush. First, we walked a lot. We used tram only twice: a round trip to and from the airport. The rest of Edinburgh was seen by us on foot. It is a fantastic way to spend time actively, enjoy the good weather, feel independent and avoid the crowds of the public transportation. Edinburgh is a walkers’ friendly town! Second, we followed the advice of the host and ate in pubs and restaurants near the apartment. As our host said: “You can’t go wrong with food in Edinburgh”, and I must say I completely agree with him. All five restaurants and pubs we ate at were terrific! Further, we kept our restaurant budget tight with one exception: a whisky tasting experience. After all, this was my birthday, I like whisky and this was once in a lifetime opportunity to taste the real thing. This wasn’t cheap but I must say they are well prepared to accommodate guests who are not experts in whisky. Not only we felt welcomed and taken care of but most of all there were packages we could pick up with a profound comment of the waiter. We felt that even if we knew nothing about whisky we tasted the most characteristic ones. Last but not least, we visited the main attraction which is the Royal Mile only once and next day we picked up a long walk to the harbour. Crossing Leith was really nice! No crowds there and we spotted a military cemetery which was really interesting to visit. The harbour was also quite spectacular with a huge ship of the Queen Elizabeth II available for visits (the real Scots name The Queen Elizabeth the First, as the first one was not the queen of Scotland). True: we haven’t seen even half of the attractions prepared for tourists in Edinburgh so what is the point of such short visits in a city? For me, the main gain is the explorative activities. What I mean is that after 3 days I’m able to say whether I wish to visit a place again and stay there longer. Is Edinburgh a place I wish to go back to? YES! And I have a dream to expand the journey to the Highlands. A week long trekking around the mountains should do the trick! Travel Tips for Weekend Retreats Walked as much as you can. The major part of mid-size towns and cities have their historical sites located within a 2km radius of the downtown. It is best to see everything you want on foot. Visit the places that are not top 10 attractions. It’s OK if you don’t see the main attractions. Sometimes the suburbs or small villages near the main city are the most interesting ones. Spoil yourself even if only once throughout the journey! I’m so happy we tasted whisky in a proper way! Such birthday is memorable and very joyful. There are some things not worth being parsimony. Go back to a place more than once. It gives you a chance to fully know it. The MTX Connect Review Throughout the journey, I was using a SIM card sent me by MTX Connect. The card was working great. I logged in, in no...

The post It’s not ALL about whisky: Edinburgh, a weekend retreat appeared first on Null & Full.

This was a delightful day! Although in the evening I was very tired I had a great time. It is the middle of the summer here, in New Zealand so last Saturday I went to Waiheke. This is a popular recreational destination, not only for tourists but most of all to Aucklanders. It is easily reached by a ferry from downtown Auckland. A ride lasts about 35 minutes and a ferry goes every hour. Bike Not always, popular places are beautiful. It often happens I am disappointed with top touristic sites. But this was not the case of Waiheke. Although there was a crowd on the ferry the island is large enough to accommodate all visitors. First, I went by bike, which was a challenge itself. I’m not a great bike rider as you probably remember from my previous post on Aran Islands, but I enjoy recreational riding just like I did in Athens. Anyway, this was a different story because Auckland is very hilly city and Waiheke Island too. The great thing about this trip was that I could take my bike to a ferry for free. I was wondering why more people do not do this. After all I checked the price for bike rental on the island and 50 NZD daily rate seemed to me very expensive. But soon enough I knew why people rarely take bikes with them. Making the long story short: Waiheke Island is very hilly. I was not prepared for this! The first part of the trip – from Kingsland where I live in Auckland to harbour – was downhill but the moment I started my ride on Waiheke I thought I should get back home at once! First kilometer was uphill and I felt like my legs and lungs were burning. And it was no better further: up and down for next 9 km! Only because I was really determined I eventually reached my destination: a winery and restaurant “Wild on Waiheke”. Wine Waiheke is called the island of wine. There are as many as 25 wineries on this island and most of them offer wine tasting, restaurant, garden and a place to have your party in. I tasted few wines in ‘Wild on Waiheke’ and I can tell you this: if only for wine this trip would not worthy my effort. Now, I know this might be due to my previous experiences in Italy and my particular taste shaped by Italian wines (not luxury nor expensive but still). And I really understand people who go to Waiheke to taste wines. I do! After all, this wine was better than the one I had in Paris (shame on you!). What is really great about Waiheke and wine tasting is that you can have a very small glass with your meal for just 2 NZD. It allowed me to taste as many as 4 different ones and I did not have to spit! The more friendly version of professional wine tasting. Just for people like me and a million of Aucklanders who come here. Food and people If not wine than food! What else makes you determined enough to ride up and down for an hour? “Wild on Waiheke” provides high quality and very tasty food. Their garlic bread, salad and a variety of cheese and ham were excellent! Also, people who work there are friendly and helpful. When I arrived at noon all seats and tables were taken but they were still able to find a place for me. I had a look at ‘typical’ Kiwis having a great time. These people are chilled out beyond my imagination. They are not slobs, though. They keep their being chilled out well balanced so people who watch them do not feel embarrassed or disgusted. Kiwis chill out makes you relaxed and eager to share their state of mind. In this restaurant, I felt like being a part of a big party. Even though people did not know each other it still felt like somebody’s wedding. And let me tell you that the dress code was not wedding focused! Landscape The best part about this island is landscape. I was riding a bike and at some point I felt really exhausted but it did not prevent me from watching breathtaking views. Little bays, hidden beaches, gentle green hills, white boats on the water and blue sky over all of this was a reward for riding uphill. Just like elsewhere the middle of the summer makes a place colourful and smelly (in a good sense!). A variety of trees and flowers is delightful here and the whole island was like a big garden. New trend What I found most amusing was a popularity of this place. Yes, it is beautiful but often this is not good enough for people to come. Apart from a chill out of New Zealanders I can’t still well understand I think creating new trends works really well here. Wine has become a desirable and widespread drink recently. It is fancy to drink red wine instead of anything else. So people do. They have their favorite wines but also visiting a winery for a day became a great idea for a weekend. Waiheke would be still beautiful without wineries but for its beauty people would not come. If you are spending your summer in Auckland this is a great one-day trip. I think it is worthy to visit this island for its atmosphere, beauty and for people. I enjoyed my stay there very much and I hope to go back there soon. Travel Tip When you take a ferry don’t sit on the back lower deck. I did and after 15 minutes I was completely covered with salt and water. I looked like a wet chicken and for the whole day I had sticky hands. So make yourself comfortable inside the ferry.  

The post Waiheke Island: wine, food and bike appeared first on Null & Full.

Audrey Hepburn used to say that Paris is always a good idea. And some people might still think so even though many years has passed. I am a bit hesitant if you asked me whether I love it or hate it. I know that few days in a city like Paris is not enough to fully appreciate its particularity but this is not my first time here and I see that some things has changed and in a way I don’t like. Paris. A Home for Artists The most impressive thing about Paris for me is its rich and outstanding history. There was time when Paris was an unquestionable capital of Europe. It was trendy – if not necessary – to speak French, to dress like French and to listen to French music and to reading French books. This time has long gone but Paris still wants to impress its visitors. Paris shows off with its houses: if you look at the details of windows, balustrades, balconies or even chimneys you will understand how hard it tries to impress the tourists. Landmarks Paris has more landmarks per square meter than an average European capital. Tour Eiffel, Sacré-Cœur, Louvre, Notre-Dame to name only few world wide known touristic spots. People know it by heart and they come here to see it with their own eyes. It makes Paris one of the most visited places in Europe and in the world. Bringing all problems typical for touristic destinations along. Art Is Everywhere The number of paintings, sculptures and drawings made by the most famous artists is impressive. Count also the museum focused on art or houses with small inscriptions: “The famous X lived here”. Even graveyards of Paris turned into a touristic attraction because artists were so in love with Paris that most of them decided to be buried here. So, yes, Paris is a city of art and I am pretty sure that this is a real paradise for art lovers. Poor Quality For High Price Tourists in Paris get scammed! Yes, they do and yes I did! In only few days spent here I paid unbelivible high price for drinks and food. Now, I know that tourists’ destinations tend to be expensive and logically is Paris is one of the busiest touristic places on earth than you cannot expect nothing else. But what I do mind is the poor quality of the products you get for exceptionally high price. If you think about famous French wines don’t come to Paris and don’t drink it here. I have no doubts that you can’t taste excellent wine for a reduced price in every cafe of restaurant. But it is hard to believe that wine for 6 EUR a glass is such a poor quality! Seriously? Paris, you could do better than this! I would simply like to enter a cafe and have a decent (not outstanding!) glass of wine. Just decent. Especially when France is SO proud of its wines. It is hard to understand why this country serves such a low quality stuff to people who come here to enjoy and appreciate it! Habits Maybe this is my fault and lack of preparations to this part of my around the world journey but I find it very difficult to understand the habits of the locals. First, they seemed to get scammed in cafes and restaurants they share with tourists. There are many of French people paying exaggerated amounts of money for poor quality stuff. Then, it was hard to find a place to have a breakfast on Sunday morning. Either there were gloomy and empty bars opened with no locals inside, or crowded pastries with fresh bread with long queues in front. So I realized that it is not their habit to have their Sunday breakfast in bars. Fair enough. I bought a fresh brioche and ate it and it was delicious. I though it will be similar on Monday but – surprise! surprise!-  no, it wasn’t. My mistake. Some bakeries opened on Sunday are closed on Mondays and those open ones serves brioches baked the previous day. Paris, I do like you but some things I really can’t figure out. So I think I will just need more time here. Travel Tip Here is my advice: if you want to try the French cuisine and don’t go bankrupt try this place. Auberge de la Reine Blanche. It is located on the island of St. Louis (30 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île) and they serve very good food with decent wine. You can eat entree and first dish for less than 30 EUR. We went there in 4 and we shared a bottle of very good white Chardonnay. Highly recommended!   

The post 5 Things I Love and Hate About Paris appeared first on Null & Full.

I’ve just got back from Ferrara where a fabulous event took place: a Street Dinner. It was my second time and I must say that this event really met my expectations. This was really amazing and I’ll leave the pictures to speak for themselves. Just let me assure you that participating in this event is one of the best ways to visit this marvelous italian city. Ferrara seen and experienced through eyes of a participant of Street Dinner makes your travel experience memorable. In fact, memories and pictures from Street Dinner are really hard to beat. Being there, dressed total white and sharing the experience with friends and strangers makes this event very special. The second event in Ferrara that is similarly appealing is Palio. Although quite different it offers a fabulous opportunity to get known Ferrara. Do not hesitate any longer! You should experience Ferrara the best way possible. You can book today your stay in this Italian city: join I love Ferrara and let yourself immersed in Italian dolce vita!         Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

The post Street Dinner 2014 appeared first on Null & Full.

You are familiar with my love towards Italian traditional food a visit in an excellent restaurant Antico Furlo is not a surprise. For the first time, however, I had an opportunity to spent time in professional kitchen with a famous chef Alberto Melagrana. Although I am familiar with traditional italian food made in Emilia – Romagna this was a totally different experience. Previous episodes of my adventures in Marche are here. Truffles We started with in depth discussion on truffles. Acqualagna town and Marche region are famous for their truffles of high quality and huge variety. Chef Alberto who traveled around the world had a short anecdote about everything, starting with cooking in Italian Embassy in Washington ending with a perfect consistency of cream, so it took us ages before we started to prepare the main course. Watching Alberto working in his kitchen was amazing: I have never seen a professional cook before and I as I never watch TV series with cooking on screen this was totally new for me. Many of his tricks while preparing meat with truffles were astonishing and I hope to use it someday at home. His deep knowledge of tastes from around the world and genuine love for italian food is alive in every meal he prepares. Cooking Starting with raw meat we went through all stages of preparations. This was all accompanied with endless stories from Alberto’s professional life, his learning process and cooking for famous people in renown restaurants. In Antico Furlo Alberto created his own menu with his own recipes. I was thrilled to know that most of the dishes are not served elsewhere! Accumulation of his cooking skills was impressive: antipasto with truffles was excellent! And, most of all, the final taste was totally surprising! Restaurant The restaurant is very particular so if you are looking something extraordinary this is the right place. Don’t expect quick service, though! This is not a fast food or even an ordinary restaurant. So prepare yourself for waiting. I can tell you that you will not be disappointed! The composition of ingredients made by Alberto will surprise you! By all means! It is worthy to book a table in advance and have a dinner here. I enjoyed my time with Alberto very much and the food served was totally awesome! Menu Petto di pollo steccato al tartufo, olive, fili di carote con insalata di misticanza e balsamico. Passatelli fonduta di casciotta d’Urbino, pecorino di fossa al profumo di zafferano. Crema pasticcera profumata al limone e arancia con fragole fresche. Wine: San Michele, Verdicchio di Jesi, DOC. Priceless Try to imagine this: a guest who actually enter a restaurant carrying her own dessert! I did it and the face of other guests in the room was just priceless! After the main course I went back to the kitchen and assisted a creation of a spectacular dessert. When I got back to a table carrying it I felt SO privileged to have the opportunity to watch Alberto. This was a really nice experience and a very tasty meeting with truffles! Interested in wine story? Here it is! Disclosure: I was kindly invited and hosted by the owners of Antico Fulro restaurant which I am very grateful for. Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

The post Cooking Lesson: Antico Furlo appeared first on Null & Full.

Marche – one of the smallest Italian regions – is splendid! I neglected it somehow while I was living in Italy. And I deeply regret it!  Therefore, I was very happy to plan this trip and discover Marche. Slowly. With no rush. And with wonderful hosts from Marche Holiday: Giorgia and Laura. They were telling me all local stories and the things that the are most proud of. We were eating truffles, enjoying the sun and watching a fabulous landscape from every place we went. I can tell you this: Marche is beautiful and worth visiting by all means! Three highlights here as an introduction to the rest of my story: landscape, Urbino, and food&wine. Landscape Are you familiar with the famous Chianti hills? Well, Tuscany is right around the corner and some hilly areas of Marche are pretty similar but I think Marche is more interesting. It has a very mild and sweet coastline. Pesaro, for example, is a good place to appreciate the beach, the sun and awesome colors of the Adriatic Sea. Further west you will find the hills covered with olive groves, vineyards, fields and forests. Finally, the hills become mountains with spectacular canyons, rivers and passes. Marche has it all! And it is all gathered in a relatively small space which also make Marche friendly and easily reachable. Urbino It overwhelms me every time: an ancient history ready to be touched at every corner. Urbino – a UNESCO world heritage site – is a perfect example. I will tell you the story of Palazzo Ducale and show some fabulous photos from this city but for now I can tell you that Urbino is amazingly beautiful. It is captivating and seducing with its colors and history. Food and wine Naturally, Italy means good food and wine, which is especially true in Marche. Acqualagna – where I was staying at – is famous for the truffles. Many of the dishes I ate were prepared of truffles in a variety of ways. I also had an opportunity to hunt for truffles with the dog, which I find one of the best activity I have ever had while traveling! Moreover, truffle dishes were always accompanied by excellent wines: the ones from in.PU.t or the one tasted in cantina Terra Cruda. Truffles, cheese, wine and olive oil are the basic tastes of Marche. So, one after another I will show you what Marche is all about. I will take you with me for a truffle hunt and a guided tour in Palazzo Ducale of Urbino. I will show you some breathtaking scenery and will present you some wonderful locals. Here is Episode #2: Living Like A Local! And episode #3: A photo gallery Gentle Hills of Marche, and episode #4: Cooking Lesson. Disclosure: my travel to Marche was possible thanks to a kind invitation of a local company Marche Holiday. All activities and my stay in Acqualagna were organized by them for which I am grateful.  

The post Quick Look At… Marche! appeared first on Null & Full.