For three months this summer I was cruising through the Mediterranean experiencing life in Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, France and Monaco. I’m sure you have caught a couple of my posts while I was there. I could have done a lot more posts but there was so much food I encountered on my travels that it would become a full time job just to write them all. I put together this video to show you all the amazing food I either ate or saw and wanted to eat. The food in europe is so fresh and delicious it makes it really hard to stop eating. The company I got to enjoy the food with made it even better. The things that stood out to me were the multiple wine and olive oil tastings I went to. Not only did I taste the incredible wine and ridiculous olive oil but the food they served as well was equally delicious and authentic. I learned a lot about the different wines and the acidities in the olive oil. Many of the meals I ate each had it’s own uniqueness to it. From my company to the service to the food and drinks, the mediterranean had it all to make each experience a memorable one.

Forking Tasty – On a Farm Outside Rome from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

I took a tour and explored the catacombs just outside the city of Rome and after they brought us to a farm for some cooking lessons. We were making Gnocchi that day and the eatin was good. I had a lot of fun watching this Italian women make Gnocchi for us all. She eventually had a few of the guests come up to help out. I wanted to join but there was no more room at the table. When it was asked who would like to help make Gnocchi (she didn’t ask because she did not speak a lick of english) I was busy stuffing my face and missed out. Maybe next time.

A couple buddies and I were walking around Santa Marghrita looking for the perfect stop for some lunch. We literally walked around for at least an hour or two. Santa Marghrita is so small that’s all the time it took to walk the town. We stumbled upon a place called Da Nello. It was so close to my last name we had to try it out. We had an old lady that really did not know much english show us to our table which was right on the beach. I guess we are in her country, we really did not know enough Italian. She ended up being our waitress as well. After finding out that the two things we wanted on the menu they ran out of, she gave us some suggestions.
Great view of the water and what will eventually turn out to be a fantastic lunch. I’m still thinking about those mussels. Not one mussels I ate tasted fishy, they were perfect. I could have dipped bread in that wine and olive oil at the bottom of the bowel all day.

Forking Tasty – Sedef Bufe – Istanbul from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

One of the things I just had to do while in Istanbul was to eat a Doner Kabab. I was on the hunt to find one on my way to see some of the sites. Before I left the port I asked one of the local port information guys where he would go and eat. I was not sure if he would send me to his brother, cousins, friend place but I thought it was worth the risk. He told me it was not the cheapest place but the best quality. I don’t think he steered me wrong…

Forking Tasty – Bagatelle – Tunisia, Africa from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

After all the places I have visited I never once set foot in Africa. Well, that changed last week when we went to Tunisia. A couple buddies and I rented a cab for the day to have us go check out the sites but that is not what the cab driver had in mind. We paid to go and see 2 towns but he wanted to bring us back to the ship after 1 town. I had to be a bit of a New Yorker to get what we wanted without paying any more. Even in Africa the cab drivers are shiesty. It was hard to communicate with him but he knew English well enough to have a conversation. He said they speak English, French, and Italian there. Once I mentioned lunch the cab driver diverted the initial itinerary for the day and next thing we knew we were in Bagatelle Restaurant.

Forking Tasty Italian Ice Cream Sandwich, Palermo Sicily from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

A few posts ago Jay had a post about an ice cream sandwich called Literal Ice Cream Sandwich. Jay was not a fan at all. I’m a sandwich man and love making sandwiches out of everything. So I had to try the Literal Ice Cream sandwich. I went all the way to Palermo Sicily to try it out….

Forking Tasty – 5 Napkin Burger from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

My cousin wanted to meet up for some lunch and when my cousin wants to get together I know a burger is not to far away. He mentioned 5 Napkin Burger which I have heard a little bit about. I could not refuse so the southerner, my cousin and I headed to Hells Kitchen. In my head I was thinking this will be a small burger joint. I couldn’t be more wrong.

Forking Tasty – Side Street Cafe – Bar Harbor from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

The Side Street Café is a nice family restaurant that is just off the main strip in Bar Harbor Maine. They have a rockin Lobster Roll. I found it one day trying to explore around the town. Each week after the discovery, I spent my afternoon munching on one of their Lobster Rolls. Don’t miss out if you are ever in Bar Harbor.

Forking Tasty – Lever Farms South Carolina from Anthony Anello on Vimeo.

I went strawberry picking with the southerner this past week. It kicked off a week long road trip to Key West, more posts to come on that. We went over to Lever Farms on the opening day of picking. We ended up with five baskets of strawberries and one strawberry pastry. We ended up even using the southerners ice cream maker and made fresh strawberry ice cream and strawberry shortcakes later on in the road trip. Strawberries are the best.