Cafe Sapore in Burlingame brings you back to Italy

Caffe Sapore in Burlingame is a great quaint cafe that brings a taste of Italy directly to the bay.  Full of delicious Italian inspired sandwiches, Italian wines, homemade pasta sauces/soups, homemade gelato, and an amazing Italian imported hazelnut bomboloni. 

I met the owner Lisa Root when I was traveling in Florence and she told me about her cafe.  She's really cool and her food did not dissapoint. 

To start we had their delicious parma prosciutto panini which was awesome.  Accompanied with an Italian danasi coffee, it was a great way to start off the day.  To breakup the day we had a glass of Montepulciano Italian red wine which was quite nice.  To end the lunch, we finished with their famous Italian imported hazelnut bomboloni with their hazelnut gelato.  When the bomboloni came out it was warm and had an amazing hazlenut aroma.  As you cut in it oozes out with delicious hazelnut filling.  It was a great way to end the lunch.  I would recommend caffe sappore for a quick dessert break, a solid parma sandwich, or an unpretentious local Italian dinner while enjoying some good Italian wines. 

TTT approved.

Florence Italy brings good chianti wine, amazing beef, and awesome gelato

I love Florence.  It is full of awesome sites, delicious beef, and some great gelato.  The people are chill and it's my favorite place to spend a few days in Italy.

Duomo

Arno River

My first meal in Italy was at Trattoria de Giorgio.  What a great value restaurant as you get a primi, secondi, vegetable, wine, and water all for 13 euros!  Most places charge 13 euros just for one pasta dish!  It's full of locals and families.  They don't pick up the phone for reservations and you will just have to wait in line by the door until someone invites you in.  I ordered handmade truffle pasta with mushrooms to start, braised porkshank in tomato sauce as a second, and swiss chard as the third.  Both were pretty good and are probably the best meal in Florence you can get for 13 euro's. 

Trattoria Da Giorgio http://www.trattoriadagiorgio.it/

Address: Via Palazzuolo, 100, 50123 Florence, Italy

Handmade truffle pasta with mushrooms

A huge braised pork shank!  I couldn't finish it all

After dinner it is a must to try Gelato in Florence.

Ricotta Cheese and carmelized fig gelato

Seared Day Boat Scallops over Spring Vegetable Risotto

Seared Day Boat Scallops over Spring Vegetable Risotto

Ying loves scallops, so for our second year anniversary I cooked her seared scallops over a spring vegetable risotto.  The risotto consisted of sweet corn, carrots, asparagus, fava beans, and finished off with pea tendrils  and parmesan cheese!  The sweetness of the scallop worked really well with the risotto.  As for the scallops this was the first time i cooked them correctly.  The trick is to make sure they patted dry, season with salt/pepper, and sear on high heat for 2 minutes each side with a high cooking temp oil.  Finish off with some lime zest and pair with a good botte of chardonnay!