As you know, I am am Colombian. Born and raised in the capital, Bogotá. Nevertheless, I have spent half of my life in Cali, as my mom is from there. Cali is the salsa dancing capital of Colombia, making me the best mix in this world. Every summer and end of the year, I would spend at least two weeks. Embracing and honoring the life of a "consentida" or spoiled grand daughter.
As our master program began in March, we were right around the corner of Semana Santa or Holy Week, Spring Break, or Easter (however you want to call it.) Never did I knew, the Monday after a whole week long is a holiday in Italy. This holiday is called Pasquetta , and it is usually the day friends gather together, after being only with family, for a day party. As it is the starts of the spring, the tradition is to make a grill outdoor, and so as gastronome, we had to deliver:
It didn't take me more than a day to realize I had found my Italian long-lost sister. Her name is Leti, Leti Gualinetti. Truly a name hard to forget, as it rhymes, of course, and because she one of my little miracles. She grew up in Biella, a small town in norther Italy, and home birth of the iconic Menabrea beer. I came with her this weekend, to get a full Gualinetti master class, and so we did.
Back in 2019, before the infamous Covid-19 pandemic took over our lives, I had the privilege and honor to tour my home country's Caribbean before moving to Switzerland. Approximately two weeks soaking the sun, eating fried fish by the beach, drinking piña coladas, and wandering the most beautiful country in the world: Colombia!
Alba, the historical and economic capital of Langhe region, is located in the Piedmontese region of Italy. Its wine-growing hilly landscapes crossing the south and east of the Tanaro river are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it a great region to enjoy the view wile drinking the highest-quality glasses of wine. Apart from the amazing wine, Alba is also known world wide for its production of white and black truffles. Every year during the fall, the city hosts a truffle festival allowing producers to show-off their goods, and for visitors to get truffl-immersed.
Personally, one of the things that excited me the most about going to class in the University of Gastronomic Sciences was, you guessed it, lunch time! The cafeteria, also called Academic Tables (or Tavole Accademiche in Italian) is an innovative project aiming to educate and offer the UNISG community haute cuisine (like fine dining) with local produce and fair prices to students.
I can still remember the day I took a bite of my first Shakshuka. I was back in Colombia, having brunch with my family, in some cute café. I was the only one who ordered a "weird" brunch item. My parents and little brother love the "all time staples", "the classic", "the simplest one", whereas me... Oh man, I am the queen of extra when it comes to food. It took me a while to embrace my own curiosity and hunger, which nowadays makes me who I am, and I love it.
This cilantro avocado and lime crema is a must whenever you want a tangy, spicy, and smooth dipping sauce in your meal. It goes great with chips, patacones, arepas, potatoes, roasted vegetables, and even schmeared into a sandwich.
I am might be obsessed with RiSophie, sorry, Risotto.
Patacones are my Tita's favorite food in this world. Growing up and even now, she demands her patacones on the table for lunch everyday. Although they are not quite the super food, as they are double fried and generously salted, they are crispy and so satisfying to enjoy with any meal.
Back in Colombia, having two last names is the norm. Your first last name is your father's, and your second is your mother's. Growing up, I would avoid telling people what my last name was, because it would lead to silly name-calling. With time I grew up to realize its uniqueness and powerful meaning. That's why now, I don't stop myself from showcasing and celebrating it.
The more I learn about South Korea and its food, the more curious I get to travel there. It was through my sister and Chef, Lisa that I first experience homemade South Korean traditional food. She had the fortune to live in South Korea for a couple years and of course, became a master in making some of the most iconic foods from there.
More and more we learn the importance of mindful and intuitive eating and cooking. It refers to a mindset that respects and empowers your physical and mental health honoring your time, desires, satisfactions, lifestyle and even budget. It is the liberty to decide what to eat, when to eat it, where to buy it, how to cook it, and how to eat it. It is a very important subject we many times dont consider due to societal rules. What we don't realize is that being more in tune with this intuitive actions, we will be happier and healthier.
The first time I left Colombia to live abroad, I was 16 years old.
Although new year resolutions are kinda not my type of thing, simply because we should not wait for a new year to try to better ourselves, this year I will try to follow a more plant-forward mentality.
Pocapaglia, Poca Poca, or Pocapulco is a small town in between Bra and Pollenzo. Although secluded from the busy Città di Bra, many students from the University of Gastronomic Sciences live there for foraging opportunities, more green than grey, and maybe for its (open to the public) wood fire oven. If there is something you must know, I am someone committed to have her own wood fire oven, even if that means settling on a city to live in 😂.
Its crazy how we don't realize how much we will miss something, until we can't have it. This is what happened to me the first time I moved out of parent's house. I was 16 years old, and decided to do an exchange year with a French family in the south of France. I was young, yes, but I was so ready to feel some sort of independence. I still remember the morning after I arrived, I had to wake up in this unfamiliar house, and try to find my place in their routine and lifestyle. The goal was for me to master the French language, and with the little I understood and spoke, it felt extremely intimidating. Breakfast was the only meal of the day we would enjoy on our own, so we could decide at what time, or what to eat. That first day, the only thing I wanted was my Arepa with butter, salt, cheese, and a fried egg on top, my staple breakfast back home. Now that I could have it as easily, I realized how much it comforted me.
After being in Italy for a couple months, and studying about Gastronationalism (or culinary nationalism), I couldn't stop thinking of ways to Colombianize Italian food, or Italianize Colombian food. In order to make it possible and avoid any controversies (or deportation), I needed to do it with a group of Italian Gastronomes. And so we did, and honestly it was the night Italy and Colombia came together and made magic!
My friends from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland wanted to bring us over to the alps for a night to enjoy some of their staples. I lived in Switzerland for two years and something that I truly miss is their impecable bread selection. Even in gas stations you will find some of the freshest, softest, and delicious bread. I was so happy to realize we were going to enjoy some Zopf throughout the dinner, it is this breaded breakfast bread, slightly sweet but crunchy in the crust.
10 months ago, I packed my bags in Colombia after moving from Switzerland, the country that became my home during the hardest times this generations has been though, the Covid pandemic. Even though I hadn't been able to see my family for close to two years, I knew my future was in Italy. I had decided to embark into a more specified career, one related to food culture, communication, and marketing, and so I applied and got accepted into a program offering that
