Binoy Nazareth and the Italian Connection

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Binoy Nazareth and the Italian Connection
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Are you consumed by the power of wanderlust which
takes you to places unknown, where you immerse
your soul in the ethereal fantasies of Nature and
discover the art of passion? I was led by my
intuitive sense of adventure which took me to
seek the treasures of history, culture and revel
in a journey of the most talked-about cuisines of
the world. With all roads leading to Rome, I was
captured by the spirit of wanderlust as I
ventured into the realms of Rome to seek hidden
treasures surrounded by myths, mystery and
mesmerizing facts of the much-visited tourist
destination of Italy. I was totally overwhelmed
by Rome which is the capital of Italy with a
history of almost 3,000 years of art,
architecture and a haunting background of the
Roman Empire. As a much-anticipated trip and a
dream vacation, I set out on my Italian
Connection tour by taking the sights and sounds
and sensations of Rome with St. Peters Basilica
which was first on list followed by the
eye-opening artistic Vatican Museums. The Sistine
Chapel was a glorious entrée into the
architecture of times gone by and an eternal ode
to the celestial and captivating art of the
1400s. After a filling and satisfying prima
colazione which consisted of fette biscottate,
caffè latte and cookies, I joined the merry band
of adventurers to explore the treasures of Rome.
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The City of Rome Makes an Offer You Cant
Refuse I just loved the atmosphere and the
warmth of the sun as it filtered through an
ambience of immortality and filled the travelers
soul with all things everlasting. I absorbed the
Roman environment at the Colosseum, the Pantheon,
the Spanish Steps, the Palace of Justice and the
Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II which
reverberated with the culture of a charismatic
time. I was just waiting to explore the taste of
a Roman holiday and revel in the much-talked of
Italian dishes. I enjoyed the famous Bruschetta
which is a popular antipasto or appetizer, Supplì
or fried rice croquettes stuffed with mozzarella
and beef ragout and a pasta dish called
Bucatini all'Amatriciana and of course, who could
resist trying out the delicious gelato, Tiramisu
and Panna Cotta?
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While Rome had cast a spell over me, I was still
raring to explore the romance and the dream-like
sequence of gliding through the canals of Venice.
Yes, I did try out the gorgeous gondola ride
which was every bit like the guide books said
they were. Being every travelers dream, Venice
unrolled spectacular sights and experiences as I
walked in awe through St. Mark's Cathedral, San
Marco Square and the Doge Palace. The islands of
Murano, Burano and Torcello held a special
interest for me with their incredible glass
making crafts while displaying the lifestyle of
the Venetians. Fascinating and ethereal, the
gorgeous canals of Venice rendered a surrealistic
feeling and it was natural to try out flavors of
seafood being surrounded by water. I relished the
delicious Sarde in saor, a sweet sour dish with
fried sardine fillets, Risotto al nero di sepia,
a seafood based rice dish and Baccala
mantecato or creamed dried cod including other
fabulous specialties which consisted of game
meats and the famous wines of Italy at the
osterias and trattorias.
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Delighting the Palate with the Flavors of
Italy Created for the fashionista, Milan as I
expected was as fashionable as ever and chock
full with famous boutiques and high-end designer
outlets. I had read extensively about the
historical sights of Milan and made it a point to
visit the much-talked of grand Gothic Duomo. My
gastronomic journey went on a flavorsome tour
with Risotto alla Milanese textured to
perfection, Cotoletta alla Milanese or veal
cutlet, Cassouela made with pork and Savoy
cabbage stew and many other delicacies. I
discovered tranquility and peace at the
picturesque and picture perfect, Cinque Terre
which means Five Villages and was transported
into an ambience that was centuries old with
colorful houses and vineyards clinging
precariously to the sides of rugged cliffs. With
harbors which were chock-a-bloc with fishing
boats and trattorias with seafood cuisine, I
marveled at the famous pesto which is a sauce
from the Liguria region.
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After visiting Pisa with its unique Leaning Tower
which is also known as the Piazza dei Miracoli",
or the "Square of Miracles", I traveled to
explore the tourist destination of Sorrento,
taste the famous Limoncello, relax at the  Marina
Grande and absorb the bustling downtown which
seemed like an everyday carnival. Being an
adventurer at heart, I had decided to explore the
ruins of Pompeii which had been destroyed by an
eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.   Crafting
the Art of an Italian Romance   Known as a
popular backdrop for films and a great tourist
destination, the Amalfi Coast delighted me with
its pastel-colored fishing villages, sheer cliffs
with lemon groves and dotted with appealing
beaches which stretched across a rocky shoreline
along the Tyrrhenian Sea. My taste buds were
raring to go and I sat down to experience a
combination of seafood and other great dishes
with Scialatelli, a pasta in seafood sauce,
Ndunderi, a type of pasta, Sarchiapone made with
stuffed pumpkin, Pigniatello all amalfitana, a
blend of seafood, Colatura di alici, a fermented
fish sauce and a delicious dessert, Sfogliatella.
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I just loved the dashing town of Positano with
its dramatic yet luxurious ambience. Painting a
picturesque sight with its cliff-side village
which cascaded with terracotta and pastel colored
houses, this great tourist destination displayed
fabulous shopping outlets, hotels shaded with
hanging wisteria and awesome restaurants.
Bringing the rich harvest of the ocean to satisfy
the taste buds, the restaurants in Positano
served an amazing array of the local dishes and I
reveled in a feast of seafood fit for Neptune.
Delighting the palate with a wide range of both
gourmet and local tastes, the cuisine of Positano
ranged out mouth-watering Spaghetti with mussels,
Boiled Octopus dishes, Tubetti with Totani which
squid, Linguine with Fresh Prawns, ravioli,
Gnocchi, pasta and spaghetti with flavors divine
washed down with Chianti Classico, Rosso di
Montalcino, Falerno del massico and other great
Campania wines. cheese and liquors.   As my
Italian sojourn drew to a close, I was determined
to bring alive the flavors of gorgeous Italy to
tickle the taste buds which you will be delighted
to read in my next adventure posting. Binoy
Nazareth Invites You to Delight the Taste Buds
with the Flavors of Italy