Tag - foodie holidays

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European sweet charm: Yummy desserts from Rome to Paris
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Purple Tips: Christmas around Europe
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In Pictures: World’s Weirdest Restaurants
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Foodie Corner: Where to find the best gelato Rome

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Our Purple Foodie buff explores the world-class sweet treats in a flavorful journey from ancient Rome to classy Paris!


ROME
Savory cornerstones of Italian Bliss

There are many reasons why you’ve been captivated by this city: It’s snacking alleys, enchanting piazzas, glorious ancient history, unbeatable style, but, come one, between us, we know why you could fell in love with Rome! These luscious goodies are torturing and torturing sweetly your mind…Is there any excuse not to be captivated with a flavorful tiramisu, a crispy creamy cannoli, a cornetti along with a tasty cappuccino, a fluffy millefoglie cake or a delicious frozen treat as the Italian gelato? Of course not!

Our ”Purple Wanderers”  have put together a list of  dazzling treats…The ”Eternal City” is calling you and it’s time for you to answer!

 

Pana Cotta: Holy Grail of Italian Creamy Puddings

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Place: Ristorante alla Rampa

This amazing lightly sweetened cream can truly blown your mind away! In Rome, every Ristorante serves the ”Italian Holy Grail”,  the creamy lady ”panna cotta”! Drizzled by everything from blueberries to fresh strawberries, raspberries or caramel sauce, it will be your perfect friend for a memorable experience after your dinner…

 

Tiramissu: Keep Calm and Espresso yourself

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Place: Bar Pompi

Visit the famous ”Bar Pompi” and you’ll see why its the best in Rome! Some espresso layers with soaked ”lady fingers”- little sponge cakes looking like a cookie – and creamy mascarpone, you will be swooning with joy by its unique taste! Spoil yourself trying one of these amazing non-classic flavors of tiramissu such as strawberry, pistachio, banana and Nutella!

 

Cannoli: The crispy Sicilian

Italian Sicilian Cannoli

Crispy yummilicious!

 

Place: Ciuri Ciuri

Piped with ricotta cheese, this combination of light sweetness and crispy feeling , its unbeatable! This one sounds to you a bit ”decadent”? If, yes, grab a bite from a smaller version, a lovely cannolini!

 

Cornetti: Wake-up calling from the ”Vienna-style” pastry

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Place: Barberini
As walking in Barberini’s cafe, you’ll be charmed in a flash by this savory work of art. Buttery and so ”wacky”, the cornetti it’s the perfect buddy for your morning cappuccino!

Purple Tip: Frankly, you should try the cornetti con crema!

 

Millefoglie: The creamy Italian 

 

Mille-feuille a la Italia

Italian can do it too!

 

Place: Cavaletti
You’ve already taste this touthsome cream-layered dessert in reams of versions around the world, but, surely, Italy, has been gifted at making pastry miracles so delightful! The millefoglie here will bowl you over!

 

Gelato: The frosty Italian miracle

Frosty Italian Treats - Gelato

Italian Gelato rocks!

 

Place: Gelateria I Caruso
We have shared with you the sweet tooth treasures in Rome, honestly, if we don’t tell you about Gelateria I Caruso, this mini guide would be imperfect! You can’t leave from Rome without seeing live the master gelato maker…Grab some scoops and don’t forget to spice it up with the famed zabaglione (marsala-famous sweet wine made in Sicily).

Purple Tip: Definitely give a try to pistachio & fiordipanna flavor

 

PARIS 

Délicieux treasures

Paris will always be a gastronomic destination full of surprises! There are so many sweet delicacies that you’ll not guess which one mesmerized you! Its truly hard to resist on those unbeatable pastries, delightful chocolate truffles, lovable macaroons, heavenly mini lemon pies or the splendid mouth-jolt eclairs! We have to remind you what Oscar Wilde wrote once about the world of desserts: “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” and we are utterly agreeable to it! So, sit back and get a load of our mouthwatering list, let’s explore the Parisian delights to die for!

 

Viennoiseries: Epicure Honoree on our breakfast

French Croissant for breakfast

Mini Chocolate Croissant

 

Place: Le Moulin de la Vierge, Blanquet Claude

 

 

Who wouldn’t be fond of these amazing cute pastries, known as ‘‘viennoiseries” such as the chocolate croissant or the favored ”crème de la crème”, ideal to hang out with our morning espresso! Heading to Le Moulin de la Vierge or to Blanquet Claude, both, claim to be the finest paths to our Parisian goodies!

Purple Tip: Pierre Hermé or as the Parisian call it ”The Picasso of pastry” is the top-notch place to start tasting the sweet side of life!

 

Cannelés: Little flavorful thieves

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Place: Baillardran & Eric Kayser

 

 

A sweet tooth in Bordeaux region is surely a must and we assure you that these little custardie cakes will be quite ”deleterious”, so tempting! Canneles are small with spongy custard centre and a caramelised crust, agreeing with everything from your breakfast to dinner, coffee to champagne!

 

Mille-feuille: Oldie Grand Napoleon

 

 

Place: La Pâtisserie des Rêves (“The Bakery of Dreams”)

 

 

The well-known creamy treasure has captivated our taste buds from the 17th century! Mille-feuille, also known as the ”Napoleon”, translates to a ”sea” of crispy layers, which have been folded many times. A gooey Puff pastry and a lovely creamy filling  glazed with fondant/icing will dazzle your palate, leaving you absolutely speechless! It’s ideal to go with a summer brunch or a romantic elegant dinner!

 

Lemon tart/pie: A sunny gentle Princess

 

 

Place: L’heure Gourande Cafe & Au Thé Gourmand Tea-House

 

 

Don’t you dare to leave the ”City of Lights” without tasting a savoring slice of a lemon pie! With silky meringue or sweetened lemon curd is a Paleo twist in the classic version of the Parisian dessert.

 

Macaroon: Colorful Liliputian Goodies

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Place: Pierre Herme

 

 

We’ve been hooked by these babyish round delicacies, a rainbow-gaudy dessert, which is emblematic for the French pastry art.
Pierre Herme is famed for its delicious picture-perfect macaroons known for their unusual flavors! What not to love: rose, macha marron -reminding us mont blanc flavor-, chocolat, mogador -which is passionfruit milk choc-, cafe & montebello -which combines raspberry with pistachio ganache-, just irresistible!

 

Eclair:  Mr McDreamy’s Charm

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Place: Traditional bakeries such as La Pâtisserie de l’Eglise, Le Moulin de la Vierge, La Pâtisserie des Rêves & L’Éclair de Génie

We came across with the latest pastry ”Queen” in Paris and that’s the ”wordéclair” (meaning lightning). Why they’ve translated it like that? Because this yummy French delicacy can be eaten in a ”flash of light”! The most revolutionary place to taste the French bonbon is at L’Éclair de Génie! Adam, the owner, features sweet masterpieces of art, a visual standout like never before! They transformed this classic dessert into a modern canvas with a high-end quality! Clingy high-gloss finishes with pop-art colors adorned with well-known digital images from famous paintings like ”Mona Lisa”, ”The Creation of Adam” or ”The Vitruvian Man”. The flavors ara enlivened with offbeat ingredients like fresh strawberries, salted caramel, popcorn
and much more!

 

+Must Visit in Paris:

Angelina, where Coco Chanel ate once, try this scandal amazing Mont Blanc

Ladurée, taste all these incredible desserts appeared on ‘’Marie Antoinette’’

Glacier Berthillon for a caramel-ginger gelato

 

Purple Tips: Christmas around Europe

GREECE

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Image via @ www.glikiazoi.gr

Decoration – The Christmas Tree is the most well known festive decoration. People use colourful lights, homemade decorations, a bit of tinsel and on top of the tree a big shiny star, symbolising the Star of Bethlehem that revealed the birth of Jesus. But, as always, the Greeks have their own particular traditions! Mainly, in the Greek Islands, the locals decorate a wooden model ship to show their love and appreciation to all the seafarers on duty during these special days.

Christmas delicacies – Apart from the sweet savoury pastries, such as melomakarona (honey cookies with walnuts) and kourabiedes (shortbread-type biscuit usually made with ground almonds – recipe), there’s another special treat made only on the first day of the year. It’s a cake or bread called Vasilopita, and on New Year’s Day families cut the pastry for a blessed and luck year. This is usually done at midnight on New Year’s Eve. A coin is hidden in the bread by slipping it into the dough before baking.

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In Pictures: World’s Weirdest Restaurants

In Pictures: World’s Weirdest Restaurants

This one turns pop-up upside down, way down. The Muru Pop Down in Finland is in a limestone mine 260 underground. Image via @ Yahoo News.UnderGround

The Modern Toilet Restaurant in Taipei offers a dining experience with a difference. Customers sit on loo shaped seats, food is served in toilet shaped containers and drinks in mini urinals. Certainly different, but probably not for everyone.

Modern Toilet

A few destinations are taking up the dinner in the dark idea, including in the USA and Switzerland, but Dans le Noir in London does it really well. Eating and drinking in pitch darkness is said to heighten tastebuds and give you an unforgettable experience. Image via @ Dans Le Noir.

Dinner in the dark

The Heart Attack Grill in legendary Las Vegas is an assault on your arteries, thanks to its double, triple or quadruple bypass burgers and chips, deep fried in lard. Yum, right?

Heart attack Grill

Japan seems to outdo itself with every new café it opens. Here’s the Reptile Café, the pictures are faily self-explanatory! Image via the Reptile Cafe on Twitter.

Reptile Cafe

Bucharest’s Count Dracula restaurant allows you to sit with the old bloodsucker and enjoy a night of frightening feasting. Image via @ Yahoo News.

Dracula BucharestA background check is required for entry into the Fortezza Medicea in Italy. It’s not just because the flavours and ingredients are dangerously good, but the staff are serving 25 years to life. A restaurant in a prison might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they’ll surely make you an offer you can’t refuse. Image via @ Volterratur.it.

Volterratur

Dinner in the Sky is exactly what it sounds like. A team of waiters and chefs serves your every whim at a delicious meal 50 metres in the sky. You are strapped in and raised by crane with 22 others to feel the earth move beneath your feet. Literally. Image via @ Dinner In The Sky.

Dinner in the sky

At the world famous Ayers Rock in Australia you can enjoy a Sound of Silence experience, where you dine under the stars, accompanied by a star talker, who’ll guide you through a tour of the clear skies as you indulge in the most delicious local food. Image via @ Ayers Rock.

Ayers Rock

Foodie Corner: Where to find the best gelato Rome

This is not simply going for ice cream, this is gelato. It’s a much richer and smoother treat that the ice lollies we’ve all had as children. It’s made by churning, it’s not whipped and the richness brings out the flavour for an intense ice creamy experience.

Oh, and it’s not just available in any old shop; you have to make a trip especially to a gelateria. It’s nice to go in the evening (but of course any time of day suits us!) Take a passeggiata stroll, choose your flavours and let your taste buds thank us later.

Gelato

Get licked with our 7 picks for the best gelato Rome

Della Palma, Via della Maddalena 19, 00186 Rome

With flavours you might not even know existed, Della Palma is a firm favourite amongst tourists and locals alike. It’s not just serving delicious gelato in a magnificent setting, but is an absolute feast for the eyes too.

San Crispino, via della Panetteria, 42, 00187 Rome

San Crispino’s delicious gelato incorporates diverse flavours like whiskey and meringue. So popular, it’s actually spawned its own franchise around the city, so this one won’t be hard to find.

Giolitti, Via Uffici del Vicario 40, 00186 Rome

If politicians in Italy stop for ice cream, this must be where they do it. A stone’s throw from the famous Pantheon, it’s practically next door to the chambers of the Italian parliament. Proudly open 365 days a year until 1.30 in the morning, you’ll be able to visit whenever you’re next in Rome.

Gelateria I Caruso, Via Collina 13/15

This might be Rome’s best kept gelato secret! You’ll likely find a queue trailing right out the door, even early in the morning when suited business men and women flock for the pistachio flavour, which gets rave reviews. It even had a visit from Michelle Obama when she took her daughters out for ice cream during the G8 summit.

Palazzo del Freddo Giovanni Fassi, Via Principe Eugenio, 65, 00185 Rome

Claiming the title of the oldest gelateria in Italy, the traditional shop first opened its doors in 1880. It’s well worth a visit for the great prices and generous portions. The ice cream is made in the traditional way and the memorabilia on the walls tell a great story as you wait your turn being served the best gelato Rome.

Al Settimo Gelo, Via Vodice 21a, 00195 Rome

This is usually included in lists of best gelato in Rome and it’s easy to see why. The staff are friendly, they roast and grind their own nuts and other ingredients on site and it’s all organic. You’ll find the usual flavours like strawberry and caramel, but we think the chocolate mixed with hot peppers is the one to go for.

Fatmorgana, Via Lago di Lesina 9/11, 00199 Rome

These gelatos pack a punch with their flavours. Not only have they perfected the traditional chocolate or vanilla ones, but makers at Fatmorgana go the extra mile with pear and gorgonzola cheese, or celery and lime gelatos.

So, when in Rome…

Gelato image via @ Fortes

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