La 'Strada' di risate
(La Strada di risate /the street of laughs)
I have never seen a waiter like this, they write novels about guys like this; a true Casanova who can work the whole restaurant and make every woman feel light headed while making every man try a little harder.

He was funny, dramatic, well built (wearing snug trousers and shirt) and had such flair for everything he did - it made you feel like you were in a small trattoria in Capri by the seaside instead of being at Strada restaurant in Clapham.

I think he must be an actor (or should be) as he floated around, flirted and flamboyantly served the meals like he was a dancer at an elegant ball. He was also funny; there were hilarious mini chats on love, age and food mixed in with jokes about who supported what football team in Italy as the table was full of the Italian gang.

Casanova is a true gem in the waiting profession, he embodied the spirit of a true restauranteur and maitre d. I think there are a lot of repeat customers due to Casanova's presence. I can't recall his name but it was hilarious to witness his antics at points, but most of all it was great to be at the beautiful Fiorani's bday party. She is the beauty in the pic - it was a great birthday treat for her to be showered with love, attention and champagne - all the things girls love!

Well enough about Casanova, the food was great too, the pizzas and desert were fantastic. I was very impressed, I never watned to go to Strada as I thought it would be a horrible chain with fake Italian food but was definitely surprised. Bravo for a great performance.

Buon Compleanno Cara!

£2The credit crunch is biting as you can buy this Pizza Express margherita pizza at Sainsburys for only £2. I can't remember what price it was selling for before, but this is really cheap! Made one yesterday for little Estellina and she loved it.

Pizza Nina
Why isn't Rexi fatter? If my mother made pizza like this, (note: she comes close), I would be a fat cow as it is so good and all you want is more! I think she should open up a pizza restaurant as I know a few customers who would definitely be regulars.

Her husband can still throw knives across the kitchen at errant wait staff (that was long time ago) and the place would be full of loud Italian family and friends. I could get my Momma Dolce to provide the tiramisu. What a winning combination, non?

Brie and cranberry pizzaApparently eaten down under in Kiwiland. It tasted delicious and is such a great idea! D made this along with some other clever pizza concoctions for a friend's baby shower.

She is now enjoying the NZ summer and similar pizzas, sailing around and getting tanned while the rest of us freeze, enjoy Dee!

x

Are you allowed to moan about the lack of authenticity at a restaurant? What is missing from this place setting?

Not on this side either...

Well there was a lot of garnish and frills but no chopsitx . At an 'authentic' Thai restaurant would you not expect chopstix? Even when we asked they said - 'no we don't have any.'
Not even for any customers who ask for it? I think this is what happens in the suburbs! (The restaurant is in St. Albans)
It was very strange as the owner and servers were all Thai. I think I am allowed to have a moan about that - albeit a shorter one than I did have, non? (Sorry Squirly) It would be like going to an authentic Italian restaurant and getting a pizza with pineapple and sweetcorn on it!

It is no match for Street Hawker.

Gelato glorious gelato!


All I wanted in Florence was some simple Italian pizza and some gelato. I didn't get either at the places we needed to visit as the restaurants were too posh for that. I did manage to cancel a lunch at a lovely restaurant in the wine region of Chianti and instead nip to San Gimignano to have a slice of pizza and a gelato... Ahh the simple pleasures.

Home made pizza for Frenchy's farewell dinnerPics of the pizza I made for Frenchy's farewell dinner Sunday night. She is moving back home to Paris after 6 or so years in London so we had a little dinner for her. I think she may be back sooner than we think so it wasn't a big farewell....If she does go back we are going to go visit her in France and do a culinary tour of the region around Biarritz which is situated on the Atlantic coast (and I will get to try surfing again!).The pizza bases were from Alimentari, where I got a ready made mix and all you have to do is mix the flour, water and yeast - let the dough rise and voila! - fresh pizza dough in 25min.
I think I need a rolling pin now as had to use the end of a wooden spoon to spread it out, which wasn't too flash.

We had lovely prosecco that 'the little purse' brought over when she was in town and some lovely Marks and Sparks apple puddings...mmmm. I think the 5lbs that I gained over Christmas is enjoying itself and not wanting to leave me!

Yogalates and more Pilates is on the menu for this week.

Mulberry and berry red bottoms
Pics from last week's outing with the Notting Hill set - they like their Euro-trash red trousers (B & J are twins with matching leg warmers!), champagne, fast cars and fast food - well the good stuff at least.

After a night out which started at the Prince Alfred pub in Little Venice (not the Prince Bonaparte in Notting Hill as I mistakenly had thought-sorry for the diversion B!) they ordered some very large pizzas from Mulberry Street Pizza on Westbourne Grove.

After a few drinks, some competitive tennis games on the Wii (which is my new fave - minus watching B&J play the air guitar game which is no fun for the spectator!) pizza was in order.

The two 'New York style' 20inch pizzas arrived and were eaten very quickly. They were good but could've been better - when you are hungry after a night out everything is really good, non?

I think they could've used a little more flavour/salt or something, can't quite recall what was lacking...I would definitely try them again and their restaurant also looks like a fun place to go with cute booths and a New York diner style feel. I can see how kids of today can easily get fat - why play tennis outside anymore when you can eat pizza and play tennis in your living room!

Bellas & bellinis at Terroni
It was a mini reunion with mommies and the teacher, only the politician was missing. We headed to Terroni at Yonge & St. Clair for a good catch up and a great meal; we got both! It was good to see the two mommies all dressed up and looking fab (no milk stains on their clothes or in their Lululemon 'home' gear) They ordered Bellinis - which is new to the Terroni menu - and were great fun.

Bellinis on the menu is quite shocking as I don't think southern Italians drink them and Terroni prides itself on being super southern Italian (e.g. no cutting the pizza, no deviations to the toppings etc). Bellinis originated in Veneto which is in the north of Italy and most people know that northern Italians dislike southern Italians and sometimes give them the derogatory name of - Terrone/i (which is where Terroni's name comes from) It is a rude word that northerners call southerners which when translated means people of the terra (land-farmers). Ask an Italian about the love-hate relationship that northerners and southerners have with each other. The Bellinis were made with Prosecco and peach sugo di frutta (fruit nectar) which are both very popular in southern Italy (even though Prosecco also comes from Veneto?!).
Will have to investigate this more...

I ordered the black ink spaghetti which was great but not amazing like the one at Grano (Yonge & Eglinton). The reason for this was that the one at Grano is actual white spaghetti with the black squid ink - which makes your plate, teeth and lips completely black and disgusting while the one at Terroni is a black squid ink pasta which is very easy to eat, you stay clean all over and don't turn your pearly whites into vampire fangs. The only downside to keeping clean / the Terroni version is the taste is half as potent and delicious as the black ink sauce...try them both and you will see what I mean.

We ordered the mushroom appetizer and the ladies ordered the amazing pizzas. I had a lovely glass of red too....mmmm, like most Torontonians, I never get tired of eating at Terroni.

(I have more pics but my laptop is acting up - will post when I get through to the Mac helpdesk)

FC bathing suit weather
Bathing suit weather is fast approaching am trying to get back into shape after a month of inactivity. Am trying to eat healthy and take vitamins to get back to normal after a busy and stressful month.

On my first weekend off I get a b-day gift of free tix to the Toronto FC game - thx George & Hellen!

Picture it -30+degrees the sun is shining down, smog is high, humidity is higher. We are roasting in the sun, sweating and sticking to the seats but admiring all the lovely men and the amazing atmosphere and spirit of the fans, it was great!

After about 40 min of sweaty viewing we ducked inside to get some water and food. As per the sporting venue stereotype the menu is totally not suited to anyone who is trying to be health conscious or to vegetarians.

What the new 'beemo' BMO field does have is great toilet facilities as there seems to be enough to go around without long queues of women wasting the whole break/intermission (what do you call it at a football/soccer match?) trying to make a nature call and to check their makeup. In our case to splash water on our red arms and legs!

Anyhoo back to the menu, as you will see from the pic lots of burgers, dogs, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, popcorn etc..but nothing remotely healthy. I asked if they had veggie pizza and the guy said that the 'supreme' is the veggie one. When it arrives it is laden with pepperoni and some green pepper (guess he didn't know what veggie was?!) Pizza Pizza must give these people a briefing.

But alas....as we ate our pizza we saw someone with fresh boiled corn on the cob, he told us that there was a stall only a few metres away! Next time I guess.

Get to a game it is great fun! Toronto FC won 2-1. I would love to see the Beckham game if anyone wants to get me a b-day gift still...ol' Becky in action with the LA Galaxy would be nice!

Circa 1991?<

Pics from the early 90s of a family visit to Sicily. Had pizza last night but it wasn't the same as home made pizza cooked in a wood burning stove in the countryside.

So thought I would dig up some old pics and show a little bit of Sicily...
In the pic, Franca's fresh pizza made with such few, fresh ingredients - tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper and perhaps mushrooms, home made olives or some home made salami. That is all you really need!

Westerners have add all kinds of toppings to pizza it is just hideous, my rule is no more than 3 toppings. One of the best pizzas I had in Italy was the marinara which had tomato sauce, basil, garlic and oregano..divine. Simple Sicilian cooking at its best!


My sis and I with our cousins way back when in 'campagna' their country house where the wood burning stove and orchards are... Oh how little we were...

Fresh out of the wood burning stove
These pizzas were made last week in in Sicily for festivities for Zia Concetta's 80th birthday. Happy Birthday Zia! Clara, Silvia, Mark and the gang went there for their gran's birthday and had a lovely time.

Apparently since they were the special guests they were served elaborate fare; grand dishes of fish & funghi(mushrooms must've been in season)and more Sicilian treats; but...poor Mark went all the way to Sicily and couldn't get a plate of pasta?! Poverino, so his mother in law made him a special meal when he got back to Canada.

Potato Pizza
A delicious twist on regular pizza. Use thinly sliced potatoes, a large helping of olive oil to cover the pizza dough, lay the potatoes on top, season with salt, pepper and oregano and bake in the oven as normal pizza. This version also has sliced black olives.

It is a quick and easy way to make a meal for a large number of people with a short timeline. Buy ready made pizza dough, let it rise for a few hours in a warm place and then stretch it, dress it and bake it for 20+ min / until crust is golden brown.

Voila, tasty pizza - quick!