What to Eat Around the World | Page 65 of 70
Pardulas: Sardinian Ricotta Pastries
Pardulas are small Sardinian pastries of pinched dough, filled with sheep's milk ricotta flavored with saffron and citrus zest and baked golden. Originally an Easter sweet that children were given on All Souls', they are baked in Sardinia all year round today - and the name and the filling change with every part of the island: in some places they are filled with fresh cheese, in others raisins go in too. What they are named after is still anybody's guess.
Crostata: The Italian Lattice Tart
Crostata is an Italian tart of crumbly pastry with a layer of jam or custard and a lattice of pastry strips on top. At home it's baked on Sundays, in a bar it's served with coffee, and in a bakery you buy it by weight. It is named after the crust, not the filling, and it appears under that name in 15th-century Italian recipe books. Its closest relative is the Austrian Linzer Torte.
Pizzeria Cerere: A Family Pizzeria with Five Tables in Cagliari
A small family pizzeria in the center of Cagliari: five tables, he works the oven, she works the room, and a name borrowed from the Roman goddess of the harvest. Pizzeria Cerere stays open on Sundays and Mondays, when most of the city shuts, and alongside its twenty pizzas the menu keeps a Sardinian classic with pecorino and cured sausage. Plus an unfiltered Ichnusa from nearby Assemini.
Costedda: The Sardinian Focaccia Made Without Water
In Villasimius on the southeast coast of Sardinia they bake a focaccia whose dough never sees a drop of water - the juice of a kilo of crushed tomatoes takes its place. The second traditional version goes with stewed onion. Sa costedda is sold by weight, cut from large sheets, and outside this corner of the island you won't find it. For me, the contest between the tomato and the onion version had a clear winner.
Gueffus: Sardinian Almond Balls in Colorful Wrappers
Gueffus are Sardinian almond balls: ground almonds, sugar and lemon zest are simply cooked in a pot, rolled, coated in sugar, and each ball is twisted up in a colorful fringed wrapper like a sweet. They're made all over Sardinia under several names, and they belong at weddings, christenings and Christmas - and the legend about the battlements on the wrapper was invented by a novelist.
Mirto di Sardegna: The Sardinian Myrtle Berry Liqueur
Mirto di Sardegna is a Sardinian liqueur made from the berries of the common myrtle: the berries are picked in winter in the macchia, the dense Mediterranean scrub that covers half the island, steeped in alcohol for several weeks and sweetened with syrup; the result is around 30% ABV and is drunk ice-cold after a meal. Corsica and a few corners of mainland Italy know myrtle liqueur too, but only the Sardinian one carries the protected name - and it was made at home long before anyone started bottling it.
Sardinian Wine: Vermentino, Cannonau and Other Bottles from the Island
Sardinia has exactly one wine with DOCG status, its most widely planted grape is identical to French grenache, and its vernaccia ages under a layer of yeast like sherry. I'll explain how Vermentino di Gallura differs from Vermentino di Sardegna, why archaeology and Aragon still argue over where cannonau came from, and I compare six bottles from a supermarket near Villasimius.
V Zátiší Restaurant, Prague (2): Lunch Menu
V Zátiší Restaurant is an elegant Prague establishment offering a unique combination of Czech and Indian cuisine. On weekdays, they prepare a two or three-course lunch menu at an unbeatable price. I recommend booking a table in advance due to high occupancy.
La Table 101: Bistronomy in Lyon's Part-Dieu District
I found my best Monday lunch in Lyon not in a bouchon in the old town, but among office workers in the Part-Dieu business district. La Table 101 is a bistronomy restaurant the Delbergues have run as a husband-and-wife team since 2012, and the Michelin guide has given it a Bib Gourmand. A lunch formule, a free amuse bouche and a soufflé worth paying extra for.
Tain-l'Hermitage: A Wine Village on the Rhône
Less than an hour by train from Lyon lies a village overlooked by one of the most famous wine hills in France. The Hermitage appellation covers just 135 hectares and was ranked in the first class as early as 1816 - and yet the village below it pours free tastings with no appointment. I'll add the legend of the hermit and a tip on how to save with Crozes-Hermitage.