Trento

On Sunday Cecilia and I (plus some other friends) went on an ODR (Outdoor Recreation) trip to the Dolomites. First we stopped at a distillery that makes grappa. They showed us the barrels where the grappa is aged in different types of wooden barrels: cherry, oak or walnut.


After the tour we got a tasting. Then of course we got to browse the shop. I bought some grappa crema di nicciolo. It's a creamy grappa that's hazelnut flavored. I'm thinking a treat in coffee after dinner? Or a necessity in coffee before going to work with the kids?


This is a before picture. That's why I'm smiling. This stuff was no joke. It was 85% alcohol and my sinuses have been clear ever since I drank this glass. It's a good thing grappa is for sipping, not for shooting.


Next we went to Trento where they have a cute little castle.


More importantly (to me anyway) they had a cheese tasting and brewery. I bought some of this yummy cheese that is local to Trento. I asked the lady what it's called and have no recolection of the name. But trust me. It's tasty.


We ate lunch at the brewery and all got pasta typical of the area. Except for Brooke, who got french fries. I'm not sure that she knows we live in Italy.


This is spaetzle allo speck. The green pasta is made with flour, peas (I think), and melted butter. The white pasta is made with flour, potatoes and melted butter, much like gnocchi. The butter flavor was really strong in this dish and really tasty. It made the texture different from gnocchi in a good, buttery way.


After lunch at the brewery we stopped into a little gelateria called "la Delizia" and picked up fresh crepes. Cecilia got nutella and banana and I got cream of chestnut. It was the first time I ever had that spread before, or even heard of it, and man. Delizia for sure.