VittlesVamp

Artichoke Amore in Rome

Technically, it was still winter when I arrived in Rome, but the bright blue sky and budding trees seemed to argue with Mother Nature -- and so did the produce on display. Stalls were brimming with springtime goodness, from strawberries to asparagus to Rome's most beloved vegetable -- the artichoke.

Adore the snapshot above, taken during a tour of Testaccio Market. Isn't she lovely? Take a long lingering look at her.

Now, take a look at the artichoke in abundance...

Talk about abbondanza! Carciofi were piled high throughout the market and they appeared on every trattoria and ristorante menu I encountered.

Coratella Con Carciofi by that bar at Tram Tram in the bohemian San Lorenzo district? Yes, please...

Carciofi alla Giudia at the elegant il Marchese? Absolutely...

If a man wants to win my heart, bring me a full-on bouquet of these beauties. I'd call that romance Roman-style.

Artichoke amore.

Carciofi carnalità.

It's real. It's wonderful. And, it's best enjoyed in Roma.

Coffee Talk

While Mike Myers' SNL coffee klatsch character Linda Richman has a special place in my heart, there is a real world version that gets my entire neighborhood verklempt - or at the very least, gets Brooklyn Heights' intelligensia to line up.

There is a slip of a coffee shop in the Clark Street 2/3 subway arcade that is attracting coffee lovers who are also seeking some mental stimulation. The tiny stand - a branch of Drip - is often manned by a barista named Andrew (pictured above) who seems to spark the cerebral in locals, whether he is making a pour-over or pulling an espresso shot.

I recently stopped by for a latte, just as Andrew was wrapping up a discussion about Hegel with a customer who is getting a PhD in Philosophy. Didn't need to glom onto the chat about Hegel, but I did have a hankering to learn about how these types of conversations start in the moments between placing an order and getting your morning or afternoon brew. I asked him about some of his most interesting chats behind the bar - the coffee bar that is.

The most interesting?

Well, there was the fascinating Bangladeshi Jewish Zionist who shared thoughts on Central Asia and Middle Eastern politics, Afghanistan, Palestine, and more. Then there was the local celebrity that kicked off a deep discussion about self-actualization. And, there was the fintech executive that debated the merits of digital currencies.

Let's not forget about all of the neighbors who notice that Andrew has squirreled away a paperback at the back of the stall for when it gets slow - one of Robert Caro's tomes on LBJ - and then want to talk U.S. history and the lore of Camelot - or simply go down a bookworm rabbithole while sipping on a cortado.

Andrew says that knowing a little about a lot has been a big help in propelling highly-engaged discussion. While his college years were focused on biology and microbiology, he sees himself as a generalist: "I think Gladwell talks about this 'being general' stuff as being quite beneficial as a society, because then you can talk about several different things and people [admire that you have a level of] competency."

He recognizes that intellectual conversation can been seen as a valuable commodity these days, especially in a world where "most people want to talk about the Kardashians."

Moreover, he is genuinely delighted to have these sorts of exchanges - dialogue that is reminiscent of the rhetoric that we all imagined we'd have at that perfect coffee shop just off of the college green.

Well, the Clark Street subway stop isn't anywhere near a college green, but there is educational housing located right above. And, between the dorm, the aroma of espresso, and Andrew, I may be able to make out a bit of college green in the not-too-far-off distance.

I Finally Tried The Croissant Everyone Has Been Talking About

The amount of press that the Brooklyn Heights' bakery L'Appartement 4F has garnered has been undeniably significant. And, lines of people waiting for their wares have been undeniably significant too.

The big thing at the bakery? Croissants.

Yes, they even sell itty-bitty Croissants packaged as cereal -- but it is the full-size Croissants that locals are clamoring for.

In the bakery's first few months, I tried a few times to snag one. I refused to line up and quickly learned that arriving at 11am was way too late to snag anything except their Tahini-Chocolate Chip Cookies.

While I am sure the cookies are mighty fine, I bake a mighty fine version myself, so that was a hard pass.

The other day the stars aligned. I had an early morning appointment on a late August weekday near Montague Street. I walked by the bakery. Three people in line and I spied Croissants still in the case.

I was going to do it!

I purchased a Croissant of the Raspberry-Almond variety. Pictured above, it has a lot going on. A split, twice-baked lovely, it had the requisite layered, buttery crackle I require in a good Croissant. The raspberry jam filling was sweet, but not a bit cloying. The almond was present, but didn't overtake the jam. The topping was a little much in my book - the dried raspberry bits in particular. That said, it was yummy. Definitely yummy. Stand-in-a-long-line yummy? Nope.

So, there you have it. My review of the Croissant-of-the-moment. Is it my new favorite? Nope again. The location of my favorite Croissant in New York City is only given to a handful of friends that I can trust with that closely-guarded intelligence. I don't want to see L'Appartement 4F-type lines there. I need access. Croissant-access is some of the very best access to have!

Apero Hour Hits Paris

For those of you who aren't aware, not only did I fall down the pandemic rabbit hole of tuning in 6 days a week to watch cookbook author and former pastry chef David Lebovitz shake and stir up Instagram Live "Apero Hours" for several months - but I took it one step further. (Are you surprised? I think not.)

When Paris reopened from lockdown in late May 2020, David Lebovitz declared that he was putting an end to the regular "Apero Hour" series. I understood completely. But was still upset - not just about losing my daily fix of David himself, but because of the others that I had met virtually in the chat box.

Odd to think you can "meet" people in a chat box, but somehow we managed!

Well, when he declared that "Apero Hour" was coming to an end, I suddenly typed up an "Oh, no! We're going to need to set up an IG hub to keep this group together!"

I said it. Now I had to do it. And so, it was done.

I recruited two other "Apero Hour" regulars to join me: one from Portland, Oregon - Heidi, known as @UncommonMuse on Instagram, and the other from Olso, Norway - Judah, known as @StreetofTrees on IG. For 15 months, the three of us each posted one photo a week and a thought starter or such to keep the conversation going.

And so, it went.

We finally decided to have our own "Apero Hour Fans" handle come to a close in September 2021, vowing we'd start it up again whenever the three contributors were able to get together - in Paris.

Just a few weeks ago, we made that happen. The photo above is from our very first lunch all together at Les Rubis in the 2nd ARR. That's a Duck Heart Brochette if you're curious. It was delicious. But, much more importantly, Heidi, Judah and I felt like peas in a pod. In this case, the pod was the City of Lights. More specifically it was Sentier and the incredible foodie wonderland that is Rue Montorgueil...

and Rue du Nil...

Yes, there was pastry...

And, we even left the neighborhood a few times to imbibe...

Quite memorably, the above drinks were sipped at Sister Midnight. Other gorgeous cocktails were had at CopperBay, while bubbly Vouvray Brut was enjoyed at Le Bon Georges.

The pièce de résistance? It happened here...

A trip to Belleville to go to the much-lauded Combat bar. There, we raised a glass (okay, a couple of glasses!) with David Lebovitz and his husband Romain Pellas.

Yes, that's right. That's how we roll.

Tchin-tchin! And, considering the threat of variants still looms large, let me add a - Santé! - for good measure.

Mangiare e Bere a Roma Pt 2

In many ways I had two stays in Rome during my recent trip. First, I was the guest of my friend Tracy in Esquilino. Second, I absconded to a dreamy hotel - the Locarno - near Piazza del Popolo. Decorated in muted jewel tones with an air of the roaring twenties, the hotel made me feel transported. A perfectly made cappuccino in a sunny garden courtyard? That is a perfectly normal breakfast experience. Isabella Rossellini a few tables away? Par for the course at this magical spot.

The days whirled by with a mix of wandering Rome and working until dinnertime - conducting the latter from the Locarno's rooftop lounge.

Not too shabby, right?

And, yes, it is a perfect spot for a nibble. The kitchen wasn't serving upstairs one afternoon, so I took the opportunity to grab a Porchetta Sandwich for lunch and make a picnic of it, computer by my side.

Not a bad office lunch situation, right?

And, what did I do for a big finish? I nabbed a barstool at Il Marchese - a gorgeous bustling spot with a Michelin Bib accolade and an Amaro Bar with nearly 500 labels on offer. Needless to say, the cocktails were spot on...

So was the food - from a half portion of Carbonara to a luscious helping of Steak Tartare, dressed with the sunniest yellow egg yolks on the planet and thinly sliced, pink pickled onions...

And, for dessert? I did dip a spoon into a Pistachio Tiramisu, but the sweets after dessert were particularly sublime...

Così incredibile!

Mangiare e Bere a Roma Pt 1

So, that markets in Rome post was nice - but where is the rest?

I'm sorry to have made you wait. I promise it'll be worth it. Why? Because it was so damn good.

My first evening started with the clinking of glasses. The place? My friend Tracy led me to a spot for locals - Wine Art Di Tiziana Ciampetti E C.- where Tiziana herself presides over a minuscule shop bursting at the seams with bottles of wine. Makeshift tables and folding chairs take up the sidewalk by the store and Esquilino neighbors chatter, drink, and nibble away the evening. Tracy and I could have kept up with the crowd, but she had to run home for a late work event and I had to hightail it over to one of the hottest seats in town - a spot at a restaurant called Retrobottega.

Tracy had insisted that I go and embrace a whirlwind of elegant small plates accompanied by wine pairings. She was absolutely right. The tasting menu delivered a cavalcade of flavors and textures. Favorites included a dish of Sweetbreads with Cauliflower and a gorgeously lush helping of Tagliatelle with a Creamy Saffron-Chicken Ragu...

And, then there were the wines. Oh, yes...

That was a terrific way to cap off my arrival in Rome. And I still had five days to go! I filled them. I filled them with loads of chicories and other bitter greens...

I filled them with a second-hand shopping spree at Borghetto Flaminio Market. I also filled them with a visit to a seafood mecca known as Assunta Madre, where we dined on a sea creature that neither of us could identify...

I filled them with a trip to the "Brooklyn of Rome," a neighborhood called Testaccio, decked out with hipster boutiques and deceptively low-key exteriors to truly expensive apartment buildings. There was also lunch, a seafood lunch at La Torricella that included Tonnarelli with Shrimp and Zucchini...

There was more walking to follow. Thank goodness!

Needed to walk that pasta lunch off, so I could journey the next morning to the city's most beloved pastry stop - Esquilino's own Regoli Pasticceria...

Proof positive that this was the real deal? A real line in front of the place at 9am. A real long line. I waited for over 45 minutes before I was allowed through the door. It was worth it. So worth it. So good. So damn good.

I told you.

A Tale of Two Markets

First of all, let me say that I made it out of the country. Yay! Made it all the way to Rome. And, my first stop after the obligatory espresso? A market.

My stay started at a friend's place in the Esquilino neighborhood, a hodgepodge of ancient relics and vibrant community. That community includes generations' old Italians and immigrants from India, China, Morocco and elsewhere. At moments when passing through the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, I could breath in the aromas of coffee and curry all at once.

Unsurprisingly, the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino was buzzing. My senses were overwhelmed by stands filled with spices and olives...

And, then this seafood stall caught my eye...

I left empty-handed, since lunch at a local trattoria awaited, but I vowed to cook a little while I was in the city. Thankfully, the next day I journeyed to Circus Maximus and visited Campagna Amica. This market had a different feel from the one in Esquilino. The tip off? These at the entrance...

The man wielding a knife at a massive porchetta and loads of pork products vacuum-sealed, ready to go...

Then there was the verdure...

Magnificent! Bellisima! I pounced on some puntarelle, which is almost impossible to find in the States. Radishes were bought. A salad would soon be born. It wasn't major cooking, but with the additions of good Italian olive oil, a few chopped anchovies, and a splash of white wine vinegar, it was delizioso!

Snapshots of the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market

I did it. I got fully vaxxed. My goal: Grabbing an Amtrak down to Philadelphia to see Mama Vamp - to hug Mama Vamp.

I'm here. It is glorious. The weather is perfect. It's a perfect spring day.

I had to go to Rittenhouse Square. Flowers were in full bloom, people were milling about, and the weekend farmers' market was in full swing. I arrived at the tail end of the market day, but there were still some lovely asparagus...

An ample selection of baked goods...

Loads of olives, homemade pickles, and sauerkraut ready to go...

Eggs in several colors and categories...

And, vibrant bunches of tulips for a table centerpiece...

And, what about Mama Vamp? I hugged her. Hugged her again. Will likely hug her some more -- and then once again.

I'm not crying...

You're crying.

A Coffee Trip

Travel is a non-starter. So, being enveloped by something outside of yourself while still remaining in the borough is a distinct pleasure.

Pleasure. That was the sensation after one sip of Mofawar -- rich coffee with cardamom and cream -- at Qahwah House in the heart of hipster Williamsburg.

Williamsburg? Yes. Yemen by way of Bedford Avenue. Quite the trip, indeed. Hands warmed by fragrant, cardamom-laced coffee on a makeshift patio, I was a bit transported.

Then I took a plastic fork and tucked into a warm slice of...

...Khailat Alnahi, a honeycomb-inspired sweet. Small, soft pull-apart rolls stuffed with buttery cheese and drizzled with honey.

Totally worth braving the cold and sitting off a busy street to nibble on the pastry and slowly sip the hot coffee.

A warm breeze from Yemen suddenly hit. (Or was that backdraft from the L subway line?)

I knew full well that it wasn't proper travel. It was a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. But, right now an improper trip to the Middle East is welcome nonetheless. On a magic carpet or via a cup of coffee? I'm not quibbling over the specifics.

Francophile Brooklyn-Style

I wouldn't necessarily categorize myself as a Francophile, but boy was I disappointed when my March trip to Paris was cancelled. That said, I do recognize that the whole world was cancelled in March. My trip was simply a small bit of collateral damage.

Nonetheless, I've been mooning over photos of the City of Light and riffing on French recipes, watching Instagram Live sessions directly from Paris, and occasionally visiting a French restaurant here in Brooklyn with a garden out back -- all in an effort to try to reclaim a trip that never was.

A new go-to in this pursuit? A sliver of a shop in Carroll Gardens -- Le French Tart Deli.

The word "deli" throws it all a bit askew to me, but once inside this French gem, you are surrounded by foodstuffs and sundries that transport you to the Left Bank.

Think mustards. Many, many mustards...

Think boxes of popular French cookies and supermarche grab-and-go cakery...

And, then there is a refrigerator stocked with saucisson sec, jambon de Paris, duck rillette, and pâté. Did I mention the cheeses? Soft-ripened double cream cheese with a side of homemade fig jam? Yes, please!

Oh, and there is a freezer brimming with ready-made meals like Blanquette de Veau and Cassoulet Toulousain.

But then, there is this...

Le French Tart Deli makes a supremely good baguette.

And, if you like their baguette, you'll love...

...their selection of croissant, pastries, and macaron cookies -- all baked on premises.

France may seem very far away, but I am grateful that this new shop is close enough for the occasional shopping spree until I can once again break out my passport and put it to good use.

Mercí Le French Tart Deli!