Il Gusto d’Italia

AT QueensLander Tours, our travel experience focuses on discovering local traditions and regional cuisine paired with the perfect wine and an insight into the authentic Italian way of life. Part of the fun of eating in Italy is discovering dishes that are la specialità della casa. Buon appetito!

Tuscan cuisine is famous for giving new life to leftovers. Ribollita actually means ‘re-boiled’ in Italian.  It’s an industrious way to use yesterday’s minestrone soup. Slow cooking is the secret.

At our favorite restaurant in Cortona, we can count on Paula and Franco to serve traditional Tuscan dishes with enthusiasm and flair. After a long day of enjoying the Tuscan countryside, her steaming bowls of Ribollita are the perfect Primi.

RIBOLLITA

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups white beans
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced into half-inch rounds
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried hot chili pepper
2 peeled plum tomatoes, ripe or canned
1/4 head cabbage, shredded and chopped.
1 small bunch spinach, shredded and chopped
4 zucchini, sliced into half-inch rounds
1/2 tsp each dried rosemary and oregano, 1 bay leaf
3 cups chicken stock
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind. This adds a nice,
salty flavor to any soup or sauce; rinds can be kept
in the freezer until you need them, no need to thaw,
just drop it in.
1 pound stale Italian bread, sliced
extra virgin olive oil

SOAK the beans in plenty of water for 8 hours. Drain and rinse.

In a large casserole or cast iron or cast aluminum pot, with a cover and a thick bottom, heat the olive on medium heat. Saute the pancetta for just a minute then add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, leek, garlic and chili pepper, stirring often until the onion has turned translucent in color.

ADD the tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, zucchini, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf and beans, a dash of olive oil, and stir well to mix the ingredients.

ADD the chicken stock to cover the ingredients by about 1/4 inch. Add the Parmesan rind.

BRING to a very slow simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours or until the beans start to soften. Add stock as necessary to keep the ingredients just covered. (for a ‘soupier’ soup, keep the liquid level a bit higher). Longer cooking softens the ingredients and intensifies the taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover, cool and refrigerate the soup overnight.

The next day, layer the soup in a deep baking dish with small chunks of the stale bread and bake until bubbling. Serve in crocks and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Venice...Day 2 of Your Trip

by Tour Captain Dan Dieckhaus, CITM


This day can be challenging for you as you have just completed hours upon hours of very demanding travel to get here. Now that you are settled into your room, take time to relax, and rest assured that everything is in place and that for the entire duration of your time with QueensLander Tours, everything has been organized and prepared.

Your health is imperative to your enjoyment of your time in Europe. Drinking plenty of water will not only help you stay hydrated, but will even help ward off the jet lag that you may be experiencing. Although you will see bottled water served at every meal, the tap water in Italy is safe, and I drink it all the time. Venice's water comes from the area of San Benedetto, the same area from where the bottled water comes. Remember that both caffeine and alcohol tend to dehydrate you, and since we may be sampling a bit of both of these wonderful Italian temptations, just remember to balance it with your water intake.

A power nap is certainly not out of the question and can be very helpful as well…….Buona Notte! We will reconvene on the 4th floor terrace of the Hotel Saturnia at 7:15 pm, for welcome drinks and an opportunity to meet our fellow travel partners. Our first night welcome dinner will follow this reception, and is a brief three- minute walk from the front door of the hotel. If the weather is on our side, we will be seated outside next to the canal. You might consider a light jacket or wrap if you think you have a tendency to get chilly. Remember to bring your wonderful sense of humor, your charming personality, and above all, a hearty appetite.

Here is a thought to ponder as you settle into your magical surroundings of Venice. There are tourists, and there are travelers, and there is a difference! “The traveler is active, going inquisitively in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects things to happen to him. He goes sight-seeing.”

I want to welcome you to Italy, to Venice, and to your adventure. I invite you to join me as a traveler, opening you heart and your mind to this fascinating and intriguing country. Welcome to what I believe will be a journey that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

Venice……..Day 3 of your trip

Thought for the day;
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is Unaware.”

Venice is full of twists and turns, with a seeming endless array of alleys, canals, bridges, churches, and squares. Secret Destinations are at every turn, and so are opportunities to experience this floating city in elegant decay. Don't be as concerned where you as much as you are about what is going on around you. What may have gone on here before?  Stop at times and look up, look down, and realize that you are walking in the very places that people like Casanova, Verdi, Vivaldi, and Marco Polo most likely walked hundreds of years ago.

This afternoon is for time on-your-own, to do as you would like to do. Shop, eat, walk, relax - it's up to you. Let me know if you have questions, and I will be happy to help you. Remember to follow the signs that say: PER RIALTO, SAN MARCO or ACCEDEMIA, and know you are on the right path. You are on an Island (actually over 117 islands), and you can‟t really get lost for long.

Tonight at 6:30 we meet in the lobby for a short walk to find our Gondolier for a wonderful float through side canals, accompanied by some great traditional music and song. Don't forget the camera, and maybe place the wrist strap on while getting into the boat.  You are on your own for dinner this night, but as on any such non inclusive night, you are welcome to join me at one of my favorite haunts. I will have a reservation for 8:oo, so I will meet you in the lobby of the Saturnia at 7:45 if you're interested. If you want to venture off on your own and need a suggestion for a romantic spot or just a pizza, let me know.

Tomorrow morning I'll need your bags just outside your door at 6:45 am so we can get them to the lobby for identification before we head out. Breakfast promptly at 7:00, and we meet our Private water taxi at 7:30 for our transfer to the train station. We have a Eurostar to catch, as we make our way to Florence, the Birthplace of the Renaissance.

A WAKE UP CALL MIGHT NOT BE SUCH A BAD IDEA!!!!


Day 4……….Venice to Florence

“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo”

Mark Twain said that from his observations of Italy during one of his many journeys abroad in the 19th century. He also said that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

The Renaissance came about as a result of forward-thinking men, no longer content with living in the fear of the dark ages. Ancient knowledge that had been lost at the time of the Roman Empire was rediscovered in the Middle East, and was being studied by the wealthy merchants of the Florence area. The Renaissance artists saw themselves as an extension of this knowledge and had the perfect medium by which to express it.

The Renaissance was expressed in many forms, including Literature, Poetry, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and Science. Today, as we meander the narrow medieval lanes and the busily traveled avenues of Florence, we will encounter a multitude of the most magnificent works of that time. Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Da Vinci, Dante, Machiavelli, and Brunelleschi have all left their mark on Florence, as well as influencing the world for generations.

This afternoon, following our group walking orientation, lunch, and our check-in to the 5 star Hellvetia-Bristol Hotel, you once again have the opportunity to take time to experience this storied city at your own pace. You might like to take in the sights along the Arno River, or shop for Gold and Silver Jewelry on the gorgeous Ponte Vecchio. You may wish to head towards Santa Croce to see why Florence is revered for it's fine leather crafting, or you may want to sit at one of the many sidewalk cafés and enjoy a fine glass of Chianti.  I know that whatever you chose to do, Florence will work her magic on you as she has on me.

This evening finds us meeting in the hotel lobby at 7:45 for a short walk to one of the finest culinary experiences of our trip. We indulge our taste buds and have our first encounter with the fabled Tuscan Cuisine at Baroncelli's. Tonight's dinner is inclusive, wine and all!

Buon Appetito!

Welcome to QueensLander Tours and to our family of travelers.

Tour Captain: Dan Dieckhaus +39 347-605-8217 (cell phone)