Ok.. so the French didn't always surrender!

One thing the French are known for... well, on a positive topic, what they are known for is their commitment and love of food. Even in the 17th and 18th centuries other royal families, such as the British and the Austrians, were serving not their own local cuisines - but French during their formal state dinners.

So.. forward to present day - Matthew and I found ourselves on a TGV train from Geneva to Paris which we sat in first class... and our tickets apparently included dinner.... on a train.... which is a lot like a plane......

Battle: Swiss Chocolate

Whose Chocolate will reign supreme!?!
**crunchingly bites into a lindt chocolate bunny**

Swiss Fondue

Phew, now that Italy is over, we can move onto some more exciting foods from different countries!

The next stop on our trip where we indulged on a fun foodie night out was in Switzerland - this was our most expensive meal for the whole Europe trip! And I doubt that it'll be capped by anything in Asia!

Welcome to the rich and beautiful world of authentic Swiss fondue...

La Prosciutteria - "Happy Porker Indeed!!"

La Prosciutteria was our best meal out in Florence for several reasons:

1. It was DELICIOUS - and I am not a meat lover
2. It had this AMAZING wine
3. It was CHEAP food and wine
4. It was FRIENDLY and they treated us the same as their local customers

Here's a few more pictures and a little more detail on my #1 place in Europe for a night out!

Pizza Cooking Lesson

While in Florence, Matthew and I decided to do a cooking lesson to learn the Rome/Northern Italy style thin crust pizza.. it was surprisingly fun! There were some ladies from NY State who also participated, but we lucked out since there was only 5 of us total...

When we get back.. Matt's cooking us all a pizza party!
Check out Matt's skillz ;-)

Italian Pudding Hot Chocolate..

Hot Chocolate in Italy since really so much the milky beverage sweetened with chocolate, its more like melted chocolate made loose by heat and a little milk...

Naturally, we had to experience this...

Home Made Italian

So.. after settling into our long duration in Florence (waiting for our Indian Visas in Rome) and trying to allow me to get over my annoying lingering cold...

So we made our own welcome dinner of Italian!

Coming Soon!

Heidi and Peter with go head-to-head in the showdown of the year – Battle Swiss Chocolate! Who's chocolate will reign supreme?!

Do the Schnitzel Haus

As many of you know, one of our favourite restaurants back home is the “Schnitzel Haus” located in a secret location I can not reveal here since it is becoming much too popular and if you don't have reservations you're lucky to get in lately...

So, while in Vienna, we decided to see just how close the “real thing” compared to our “real thing” back home!

Sugar Rush

Very rarely do I join Matthew on a sugar indulgence.. I am firmly in the potato chip camp.. however, Italian Gelato is one of the few exceptions…

Ah...Roma

While Paris may be the city of love, Roma should be known as the city of love for food... which, if you speak to numerous people - love of food is way more satisfying than other types!

And I have to confess, I am definitely having an affair with the food in Rome...

Bavarian Beer Hall

So fans... a Bavarian Beer Hall.

Not very hard to find in Munich, although harder to read the menu! Despite the fact that we went to one of the most famous beer halls in Munich - there was no English anything. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't put off because they chose to only print it in German - I am the visitor.... its just that it added somewhat of a risk when placing your order!

Pannenkoek

So... aside from Weed and Red Lights in Amsterdam, there is also the chance to stop in and have a dutch pancake called pannenkoek (literally, pancake in dutch).

Belgium Chocolate

Every country has a claim to fame... England has fish and chips, France has the baguette, Amsterdam has weed, and naturally, Italy has hairy men... but Belgium is famous for clock towers and, even more so, chocolate....

Blending methods for Ethanol across Europe....Part 1

Mmmmmmmm beer.....also, 4 days late... shhhh.... nobody will know....

Miranda's doing snack foods, I get to showcase beer! No, I won't be finding out how many it takes to forget the evening.

English Snack Food Challenge!

While in London, Matthew and I decided to each pick a bag of crisps (potato chips) and a Marks & Spencer's chocolate bar and see which ones were best - this began the "English Snack Food Challenge!"

**cue wrestling announcer voice**

ROUND ONE: BATTLE CRISP!

In the North East Corner of the Arena - We have Sugar Rush Matthew!
His selection this evening consists of "Flamed Grilled Steak and Onion" Crisps

And in the South West Corner of the Arena - We have Hard Rock Savory Miranda!

Her selection this evening consists of "Red Leicester Cheddar and Onion" Crisps 

We had two technical judging categories:

1. Most like the advertised flavour 

2. Over all yummy

Grilled Steak with Onion:

1. WINNER (Creepily just like Steak with some Onion after taste)

2. TIED (Miranda didn't like at all - Matt loved it)

Leicester Red Cheddar with Onion:

1. LOST (The Fritos (aka Lays) brand of regular Cheese & Onion did a better job)

2. TIED (Miranda like it, Matt thought they were "meh")

ROUND TWO: BATTLE M&S CHOCOLATES!

Still in the North East Corner of the Arena - We have Sugar Rush Matthew!
His next selection this evening consists of "White Chocolate Lemon Bar"

Still in the South West Corner of the Arena - We have Hard Rock Savory Miranda!
Her next selection this evening consists of "Milk and Dark Chocolate Praline with Almonds Bar"

We had two technical judging categories:

1. Best texture/presentation

2. Over all yummy

White Chocolate Lemon Bar:

1. LOST (No real texture - just mousse like)

2. TIED (Lemon was DELICIOUS - however I found it too sweet)

Milk & Dark Chocolate Praline with Almonds Bar:

1. WINNER: (Super awesome - a little crunch and a silky smooth hazelnut praline filling...)

2. TIED (Epically DELICIOUS - however Matt liked the Lemon just a little better)

:)

M&M

Skyr

To answer a question:

Skyr (that dairy product of Iceland, which resembles a VERY thick yogurt) comes just like yogurt does. Lovely little cup packaging - although this brand came with a built in spoon in the lid. This was our favourite flavour too - Raspberry and Peach :)

P.S. No, we didn't have time to do anything other than a quick google on it -
but the Skyr.is is likely their website!

Chocolates of Iceland - Lava Bar

The last chocolate we tried was the poster child of Iceland (in our minds anyways) **cue music**

It is the Lava Bar - wrapped in gold and red foil, we were anticipating gooey or oozy filling in with some kind of crunchy texture to remind you both of the lava and the rock which forms with cooling molten rock.

Check out the Lava (Complete with Super Lava Cape)

Well, we just proved that we're some sort of over the top crazed foodie people - cause we WAAAAY over-thought this chocolate bar experience!

Crunchy, but no flavour...

It was merely wafer and rice pieces wrapped up in milk chocolate - it was our least favourite, by quite a bit!
Lesson of the story - just "say no" to Lava unless crunchy, un-oozy floats your boat!

Action Shot!

Cheers till next time! :)
M&M

Icelandic Sushi

In the age of Globalization it is, in no way a surprise, to run into sushi restaurants in Reykjavik - and while hardly related to the area, we wanted to try the sushi since we knew the fish would be fresh!

It didn't disappoint, and Matt got to experience the revolving sushi by plate and the art of pulling it off quickly! Below are just a very few shots of what we enjoyed:

Tuna Sashimi

Salmon Roll - note the fun seasoning they rolled it in!

Chocolates of Iceland - Nizza

Sooo.... The second type of Icelandic Chocolate we tried was a bar named: Nizza

Nizza - Kid Friendly with COLOURS!

It was made up of the sweet, malty milk chocolate which is common across Europe and had miniature smarties packed into it. After eating it, Matt and I thought it was kinda fun in the sense that it was a crunchy chocolate bar that somehow wasn't too sweet.

Icelandic Tapas

A couple of nights ago, when it was cold and rainy with no hope of seeing any northern lights, Matt and I decided to cheer ourselves up with a dinner out on the the town to try some of the more icelandic regional foods.

We opted to go to a well reviewed Tapas restaurant - rather un-creatively named: Tapas Barinn