A Southern Semester

Full of pimiento cheese, fried chicken and pickled okra, working as Rebecca Lang’s intern this past semester has been a Southern girl’s dream come true. She has opened her kitchen to me sharing recipe secrets and all sorts of “Quick-Fix” tips in the kitchen. There is truly something special about working with Rebecca.

As soon as she describes her grandmother’s fried chicken, mouths begin to water. When cooking class participants inhale wafts of the sizzling grease, their stomachs grumble with anticipation. Rebecca’s success as a cooking instructor comes from her talent to eloquently articulate recipes and culinary knowledge. Not only is she a successful chef and cooking instructor, Lang is also a cookbook author, contributing editor for Southern Living, and mother of two young children. In addition to all of that, she flies to Tampa every couple of months to shoot cooking segments for the nationally syndicated show Daytime.

I still am in awe of how she does it all. She is an inspiration and role model like no other. If people asked me years ago, or even today, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would say “Rebecca Lang”. She balances life between home and work, and always makes herself available to me, a student aspiring to make it in the competitive world of culinary journalism. She has invited me to listen to webinars with the founder of Saveur magazine, shared countless articles and food journals, and personally shared struggles and successes with her own career. I don’t think I will ever be able to thank her enough for everything she has done for me.

As her intern I was assigned various jobs, since her schedule changes week to week. One of my main jobs was managing all of Lang’s new media outlets. I was in charge of the upkeep of rebeccalangcooks.com and the Facebook page for Quick-Fix Southern. I also helped prepare for events; including picking appropriate recipes, grocery shopping, and prep work. I was often given tasks of running errands for the company. Mailing books, making copies of recipes, and picking up promotional posters were a few of these responsibilities. I formatted recipes for cooking classes and helped with photography to use on her blog. Keeping up with a multitude of tasks made the internship a constant learning experience.

After such a fabulous semester working together, I was sad to leave Rebecca last week. It never felt like work, just good ole’ Southern fun in the kitchen. Although I will miss hearing about her summer adventures through Texas and Daytime shoots with Southern Living, I am thrilled to return in the fall and help her once again. I love each second here in Italy, but I can’t help craving her White Pimiento Cheese. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, I highly recommend Quick-Fix Southern, not because I worked for Rebecca, and not because each recipe is delicious and timesaving. I recommend it because it is the epitome of modern Southern cuisine. It’s good food, fast with all the Southern sophistication and charm found in grandma’s cooking.

Il Bottaccio

I cannot believe that it has been almost two months since we were in Italy. What is even more amazing is that I will be back in 9 days! Knowing that I am about to have an amazing summer cooking in one of the most beautiful places on earth is making studying nearly impossible. Getting ready for two and a half months in a different country is no easy task, but could not complain. It is still surreal how this has all worked out.

A few months ago, Mom met Sara Merchanthouse, my ticket to Il Bottaccio, at a dinner party. Soon enough Mom shared my passion for food which is when Sara mentioned the internship. She had participated for two years, cooking in the Italian kitchen and living in the provided apartment. Before I knew it I was sending my resume and interest letter and getting emails from someone on the other side of the world! I never thought I would actually get the internship, all along it seemed like a far fetched dream- cooking in Italy all summer- one I never thought would come true.

While we were in Florence over spring break, Dad found that it was less than two hours by train to get to Montignoso, the tiny town where Il Bottaccio resides. Nino and Irina, who work at Il Bottaccio were kind enough to help us plan our journey and pick us up from the train station in Massa. With my two best friends, Lauren and Jenn, to travel with me I was anxious to find out more about the opportunity.

We had slept most of the ride to Massa, and once we arrived we looked anxiously for them to pick us up. Without a cell phone for communication it was difficult to locate one another. But just as we thought we might be stranded, Nino called my name. It was so nice to finally meet the faces behind the emails. They had a few things to do in Massa and then we would head to Il Bottaccio. We made several stops including them having a 30 minute meeting which allowed us to look around at a few shops and cafes. The town completely shuts down from 1-4, a sophisticated lifestyle.

Then they took us on a tour of Massa, showing us government buildings, the orange square, and the Duomo. The church was absolutely amazing. It had two side chapels and a basement where many famous people were buried. It was kind of eerie, but emaculate. The church also was adorned in tons of mosaics. After as last stop at the dry cleaners, they took us to Il Bottaccio, my new paradise.

Everything about it was unbelievable. From the pool dining room, to the rooms with enormous bathtubs, the spa, gardens, and stunning view of the coast and mountains made me instantly fall in love. Not to mention how kind they were to us. After being shown the entire property, they sat us at a chef's table in the kitchen. We watched in awe as they prepared a late lunch for us.

Marzia, the pastry chef, prepared a pizza according to Nino's request. It was by far the best we had on the trip. With four different types- margherita, seafood, bacon, and curry- each bite was divine. The pancetta was my favorite. They used a smoky cheese on the pizza that made it to die for. Next they brought out real Italian Parmigiano Reggiano. Nino said this is the best cheese you will find in Italy. To make it even better he paired it with 100 year old aged balsamic. Possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. Being in the kitchen eating with the staff was the most amazing moment, but then things got even better.

They offered me the internship.Just a casual nonchalant, "When you come in May...". It was completely unreal. Learning to cook in Italy while they provide an apartment and meals is too good to true. We chatted for a while and then decided to email about logistics and plan until they see me again in two months. Well those two months have flown by and now I am preparing for the summer of a lifetime. I plan to blog each day on my adventures while abroad, I can't wait!

Acque al 2

Best night of my life. Hands down. Eating at Acque al 2 was unbelievable, an absolutely life changing dining experience. Once we got to the restaurant we could tell it was going to be amazing. The smells were overwhelming. Salads on dispaly were mouth-watering. And with a line out the door, we were thankful for our reservation. Soon after we arrived, they sat us at a perfect table in the corner where we began the best meal of our lives.

We began with the caprese salad. I can't even describe the freshness of the tomatoes and the creaminess of the mozzarella. The fresh flavors blended into a harmony of scrumptiousness. They brought us bread in a brown paper bag that was devoured within second of reaching our table. We decided on ordering three of their specialties: the pasta sampler, the blueberry steak, and the balsamic steak.

It seemed as though they kept bring us plate after plate. The food was unending and completely divine. The pasta sampler included a spinach rigatoni, gorgonzola macaroni and cheese, bowties with a parsley green sauce, rigatoni with meat sauce, and a final pasta with spicy sauce. Each one uniquely delicious and memorable. Once the steaks arrived we had reached food heaven. The tenderness of the filets was out of this world. The flavor pairings complemented the steak beautifully, something that truly surprised me. Blueberry steak? I'd never think of that- but it was pure bliss, something I could eat every day for the rest of my life. The balsamic steak was also to die for, especially since balsamic has become my new favorite ingredient. With steak this good, it will be hard to compare now that we have returned to America.

Four hours and four bottles of wine later, we decided to complete our perfect ending with a dessert sampler of tiramasu and chocolate cake. Because we were the last customers in the restaurant, leaving at 1:30 am, we were able to meet the owner. He was fabulous, such an inspiration! He even let me peek into the kitchen-such a dream come true! Acque al 2 has two locations in the United States- one in San Diego and one in Washington DC. I will definitely be paying those locations a visit.

The Sweetest Thing

As much as I love a great scoop of ice cream on a hot sunny day, there was something about Italian gelato that took this cold treat to another level. Not knowing much about gelato to begin with, I originally thought it was more like sherbet. Well, I was wrong, it’s actually much more similar to ice cream. In addition to the amazing variety of flavorings, what makes this Italian dessert spectacular is the presentation. Gelaterias line the old streets of Italy and lure in customers at all times of day. Beautiful mounds of colorful gelatos fill coolers and are decorated in chocolate shavings and fresh fruit, making it completely irresistible. We made a point to get it each and every day. My favorite flavor was Nutella, a yummy chocolatey hazelnut combination that I ordered on multiple occasions. Italy certainly has mastered this fabulous afternoon snack.

The First Bite

What a shame to have a layover in Paris, France. Jenn and I strategically planned our 7 hour layover so that we would have time to see a few of the sites before making our final departure to Florence. Lucky for us, getting off the plane and storing our luggage was a piece of cake, people were friendly enough to point us in the right direction to the train station. After witnessing a pickpocketing on our train, we finally got off at the Eiffel Tower. Besides the airport, this was my first breath of fresh European air, what a delight. Overwhelmed by the Tower itself, we were awestruck by the city in general. We took in as many sites as possible walking down the Seine River and seeing beautiful chateaus and ornate buildings.

After we paid only 5 euros to enter the Museo d'Orsay and see all the great impressionists: Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Renoir, Degas, etc. we decided it was time to have our first European meal. We settled on this cute little pastry shop, Gosselin, tucked away in a side street. The smells from the street tempted us inside, and what a treat- every pastry known to man was there. From scones to croissants to sandwiches, this place had it all. We finally decided on a quiche lorraine, croque monseiur, and two croissants- one chocolate and one plain. We picked up two cafes on the way out and sat next to the Museo d'Orsay enjoying our lunch of carbs and cheese and swatting away unruly pigeons. The croque monseiur was by far the best part of the meal, although the fluffliness of the croissants and cheesiness of the quiche made it quite the competition. But the combination of different cheeses with a sweet/salty piece of ham a top homemade bread made the croque monseiur hit a homerun. It was the perfect introduction to my new found love: European cuisine.

Once lunch was done we hit a few more high points: The Lourve and Notre Dame and then headed back to the airport to fly to Italy and begin our tour of Italian cuisine!

The Perfect Pizza

I think I learned how to order a pizza by the time I was 5. If Mom didn't want to cook or a babysitter was coming over we'd pick up the phone, type in 7 digits and then 45 minutes later Papa John's, Domino's, or Little Caesar's would be knocking at our door with a calorie loaded circle of cheesey bread. This is what I used to think was good pizza. However, I don't mean to completely bash American pizza chains- as they still are delicious and great for an easy dinner. I just want to emphasize the fact that after eating genuine Italian pizza made from the freshest ingredients in the world, it is hard to come home to the greasy drippings found in the bottom of American pizza boxes.

I started anticipating my first bite of real Italian pizza the day we booked our flight. But, nothing could have prepared me for this moment. Shocked by the mere size of the pizza (an individual serving is the size of our medium at Papa John's) I was already intimidated by all of it's glory. The first pizza I ordered was the simplest of flavors- The Margarita. Dough, Tomatoes, Basil, and Cheese. Simple enough and similar to my American fav- Cheese pizza. The aromas from the pizza tantalized my nose and made my mouth water. As I tasted that first piece, I temporarily transported to heaven. How could anyone make something that good from so few ingredients?!? It truly is unlike anything I have ever tasted- warm and delicious. The crunchy crust accented by warm tomatoes and creamy cheese was the perfect combination. Such a delight, this first pizza was the beginning to many more fabulous pizzeria experiences.

From peppers to olives, curry, mussels, pancetta, you name it- we had it on our pizza! There are so many varieties it is hard to keep track. The best pizza we had was at Il Bottaccio- where I'll be working this summer (more on that to come!). We had such a great time sampling all of the delicious varieties it is hard to pick our favorite, all I know is pizza in Italy is unlike anything I have ever had. I can't wait to go back for more!

ITALIA

My Italian vacation was not an ordinary Eurotrip. I was not a paranoid tourist or a crazy spring breaker. I was a foodie on a mission: to eat anything and everything. I smelled, I tasted, and I savored. Every bite seemed to be more life changing than the last. From simple to extraordinary, we ate it all. In my next few blogs I will be taking you through some of the most incredible meals of my life in Paris, Florence, Pisa, and Montignoso. Having my two best friends Jenn Nelson and Lauren Richardson to share these fabulous foods, this trip was a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget.