We have a large extended family and without exception, we love to eat and dine out. The family is always a great resource for suggestions of places to try. A niece and I have been trying to find an available date to dine together at one of her favourite spots- Nicolino’s Cucina Italiana. She knows that I love well prepared Italian food. Recently, an opportunity came up for me to visit with a friend. I couldn’t resist and my niece was absolutely correct-I wish I had discovered Nicolino’s decades ago!

Chef Fabrizio Rossi originally hails from Rome and the family who own and operate the restaurant originate from Muro Lucano (making up the arch of the boot of Italy nestled between Campania, Puglia and Calabria). I cannot say that I have visited their hometown but have definitely been in the vicinity on a couple of occasions and I love the food from Rome and further south.

On this day, my friend and I were going to share our plates. She loves all Nicolino’s salads and decided upon the Feta. I looked over the extensive pizza selection but wanted to test a pasta.

Our helpful server suggested the spaghetti and meatballs and although I was willing to go with something more adventurous, my friend and I were blown away! The veal meatballs were a lovely consistency, tender and juicy. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce…oohh, the sauce! I could taste the rich tomatoes, garlic, basil and love in the sauce.

The Feta Salad was unique in that the feta had either been very finely crumbled or grated so that there was plenty clinging to each and every romaine leaf. Chopped tomatoes, purple onion and pitted black olives also dotted the salad.

We had plenty of just baked bread sticks to mop up our plates and then took to eating the rest of the basket with little specks of butter on each segment.

I cannot wait to return to Nicolino’s and hope to join my niece for that elusive dinner. Hopefully the construction in front of the building will be complete so that I will not drive past it as I did recently.

Kath’s quote: “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.”-Sophia Loren

Love never fails.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to once again style for and learn from Michelle Book the in-house Holstic Nutritionist with the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA).

Coming from every corner of the globe, the wonders that we displayed and she spoke of have been used for centuries in other countries to help with everything from soothing bug bites to achieving beautiful glowing skin. Although you may have heard of these natural health products you may not be aware of their secret benefits and how they can be used in our daily lives. We begin our tour in Asia.

Turmeric (Asia)

Across the globe, turmeric is used for its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to help alleviate joint pain and immune disorders and digestive aid. Michelle can demo a DIY turmeric face mask, as outlined below.

Arnica (Europe)

Stemming from an ancient plant, arnica has been used extensively to help strengthen joints and muscles. Often used as a topical cream, rubbing arnica on a sore joint or muscle can soothe and provide fast relief.

Tea Tree Oil (Australia)

This essential oil is a microbial that can be used to treat a number of skin conditions including dandruff and acne. It can also be used to soothe bug bites, making it a must to pack on the next family trip.

Argan Oil (Africa)

This rare oil boasts potent effects for improving skin elasticity in post-menopausal women and is proven to reduce the appearances of darkly pigmented age spots. Michelle can demo a DIY exfoliating argan face scrub, as outlined below.

Krill Oil (Antarctica)

These small crustaceans are found in the depths of the seas in Antarctica. For such a small species, it packs a big health punch. Rich in omega-3s, krill oil has been proven to help combat cardiovascular disease, and helps lower blood lipids and blood pressure.

Chia (South America)

This seed is prized for its dense nutritional profile. It’s a complete protein that contains all nine of our essential amino acids. It’s a rich source of omega-3s and fibre, which helps to slow digestion and maintain weight. Michelle can demo chia pudding, a replacement for boring breakfast oatmeal, as outlined below.

Ginger (North America)

Ginger is packed with phenolic compounds that help improve your digestive system, when consumed regularly. It is also able to reduce the feeling of nausea, and bolster your body’s immune system to combat the common cold, flu and other similar problems. A pot of water with ginger on your stove, provides your kitchen with a natural de-odorizer.

The recipes that Michelle shared for Tumeric Face Mask and Chia Pudding are both found at the Canadian Health Food Association Website.

Kath’s quote: “The greatest wealth is Health.”  ~Unknown 

Love never fails.

We left New York at approximately 10 pm. I settled in fairly quickly, took a sleeping pill and woke up as we were landing in Milan. The process of renting our car was a hassle as everyone arrived at the same time and they only had one clerk on. With patience though we were on our way. Navigating ourselves out of the airport and Milan was a fete in itself. I spotted the first of many Lambergenis on the Autostrada. In fact, D’s constant exclamation whenever we were on the highway was “don’t look now but there is a Mercedes up my ass”!

We stopped along the way at one of the many Autogrill Rest Stops along the highway and ordered delicious sandwiches for the road. I mean seriously fabulous-fresh bread, succulent meats and cheeses. It suddenly dawned on us-we were in Italy again!

When the scenery started to change and we spotted rolling hills and mountains, we knew that the Tuscan countryside was near.

The sun was starting to sink as we got more and more excited that our home for the week in the town of Montecatini would soon be in sight.

Upon check in at Hotel Puccini we were delighted that Patrizia, the owner of the hotel was able to keep her promise and put us in a room with a terrace. This was our view from the terrace

and this was the view of the terrace from inside our room.

We were hungry for some supper. I had done some advance research and had seen that a local recommended a couple of his favourite restaurants. We found out from Patrizia that La Cantina del Toscano was within walking distance of our hotel. Little did we know at that time that we would fall instantly in love with the food and our server Francesco and that we would return almost every evening of our stay.

Later we took a short stroll up and down the main street where our hotel was located to get our bearings.

We understood that we were actually staying at a different hotel closer to the town square but decided that we quite liked that we were on a quieter portion of the street.

This was a glimpse of our hotel lobby from the sidewalk.

This was the covered sidewalk patio outside our hotel. We were too pooped to stop for a drink that evening but did so a couple of nights later. Our bed was exceedingly comfotable and we had a good sleep to start our Tuscan adventure the next morning.

Kath’s quote: “Life offers you a thousand chances… all you have to do is take one.” ― Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun    

Love never fails.

Flour and water-something amazing happens with these two ingredients come together. We are the happy owners of an electric pasta maker and as long as we have these two ingredients on hand, we can throw them into a broth, sauté them with herbs and garlic or pour a sauce on them and always have a meal at the ready. The hand stretching of noodles is Chinese fine art and now there is a Winnipeg restaurant where you can enjoy lamian noodles.

The Dancing Noodle is an inauspicious little spot that I actually drove by twice before checking the address.  There are only a few tables and our strategy of visiting after the lunch rush was misguided. The place was packed with students from the nearby high school who knew the people lucky enough to have a table, so it was hard to determine the first come, first serve order. I negotiated with another couple to share the next four-top that became available but in the end we joined a long communal table when two chairs finally came available.

The menu is succinct and embellished by a couple of specials on a white board. We immediately ordered both the specials and then had more time to get caught up and peruse the menu. First up was a tasty and unusual two layered crepe. We tried to determine the ingredients but were left dumb-founded even though my palette is typically discerning and I was lunching with a home economist.

The ingredients of the second special of a cucumber salad were more obvious and equally delicious.

We chose a bowl of beef noodle soup to share. This was no ordinary soup. The thinly sliced beef which floated on the surface was delectable on its own and incredible when slurped up with the savoury broth and swarms of noodles. The latter had the most unusual texture, almost as though they had been soaked but not boiled. I understand that is achieved when the noodles are hand twisted, stretched and folded into strands. We oohed and aahed with every scrumptious spoonful.

Kath’s quote: “Ramen is a dish that’s very high in calories and sodium. One way to make it slightly healthier is to leave the soup and just eat the noodles”. -Masaharu Morimoto

Love never fails.

Drop into 2635 to wish them well and stay for cake. Imagine, a family business sill going strong after 40 years!