Savoring Italy {Part Two}
The first time I visited Italy was at age fourteen. Even back then, I was obsessed with food but not in a cook it, write about it way. That was about twenty years ago but I remember almost everything. At the time, my father was still alive and I remember weaving through the arm-wide streets with him looking for pizza. Everywhere we asked, we were told pizza was American and they didn’t serve it. This summer’s visit had me surprised because pizza was everywhere. Whether my memory is cheating me or more and more restaurants have started making pizza to cater to the great number of tourists requesting it remains a mystery to me. My memory is probably to blame.
I missed my father so much while doing almost the exact same itinerary again.
This time around, I mostly loitered in cafés. I’m inspired to do that every time I’m on that side of the world. I ordered cappuccino and even dessert sometimes. I people-watched and dreamed of a retirement home in a small Italian town. One of those times, as I was finishing my last sip of coffee and a tiramisu, I saw the waiter making what I thought was heaven on earth. He placed a scoop of ice cream in a serving coupe and poured a shot of espresso fresh from the machine over it. I wanted it. By then, I was coffee-d out and dessert-ed out but I promised myself to make it once at home.
The ice cream he served was white. It could have been vanilla or amaretto. I made almond ice cream. I thought it would be perfect drowned in espresso. Not that vanilla or amaretto wouldn’t have. They would all taste fabulous as they start slowly melting upon contact with the coffee, which will instantly take over and become the predominant flavor anyway. Try it, it’s delicious. Start with store-bought ice cream just to see I mean. You’ll love the contrast of hot and cold, bitter and sweet in this dessert, I promise.
My obsession with photographing windows (and doors) resurfaced while I was there.
Ice Cream with a Shot of Espresso (Affogato al Caffe)
I found this was a great way of eating coffee ice cream without actually making coffee ice cream. When the coffee and ice cream start blending, you really have the impression that you’re eating coffee ice cream.
1 serving
1 scoop white ice cream (vanilla, almond or amaretto)
1 shot (1 ounce) hot espresso or strong coffee
Place the ice cream in a dessert coupe. Pour the hot coffee over it. Watch it melt. Enjoy!
Almond Ice Cream Recipe
4 to 6 servings
1 (14-ounce) can full fat, unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
A pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze in a lidded container until set.
![IMG_2781[1]](http://www.dinnersanddreams.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/IMG_27811-150x150.jpg)
![IMG_2261[1]](http://www.dinnersanddreams.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_22611-150x150.jpg)
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We Are Not Martha — 07/01/2011 @ 2:35 pm
What an incredible trip. I'd probably be loitering in lots of cafes, too :) And ice cream with a shot of espresso?! Such a great idea!
Sues
Stamatia — 07/02/2011 @ 2:53 am
This is called "affogato", which means "drowned" in Italian.
foodwanderings — 07/02/2011 @ 3:50 am
Love this documentation of your trip to Italy Nisrine. Isn't it brilliant a shot of espresso with ice cream. Never thought about almond one:).
Julia — 07/02/2011 @ 7:32 am
Great photos again. Loving your Italy posts! And a lovely story about searching for pizzas with your father – I wonder if it is your memory tricking you or of they're more widely available now. Interesting.
Joanne — 07/02/2011 @ 10:15 am
Your trip sounds more and more amazing with each subsequent post about it! I definitely remember having pizza when I was in Italy…maybe it depends on which town you're in?
Either way, this affogato sounds delicious and I especially love that you made your own ice cream!
Ann — 07/02/2011 @ 12:02 pm
Your trip looked amazing! I've had that exact dessert in Italy…love it! It's funny how you remember things. In Sicily, pizza was everywhere but when Americans ordered it, they made sure they knew it was ITALIAN pizza – which is actually quite different….and tastier!
Nisrine — 07/02/2011 @ 1:57 pm
Ladies, thank you for contributing the Italian name. I'm going to add it to the title. It sounds so romantic. I love it. I can't stop saying it. Affogato, affogato, affogato…
Kulsum@JourneyKitchen — 07/03/2011 @ 7:08 am
Looks like an amazing trip. Italy is my dream destination and I hope to visit soon! And then make this? Sure it sounds romantic
Ilke — 07/03/2011 @ 9:40 pm
Enjoy your time! I was in Rome last September and loved every minute of it. We would love to go back and travel more along the coast.
Are you bringing that 5-kilo Nutella back? :)
Nisrine — 07/03/2011 @ 10:08 pm
Ilke, I'm already back. And, no, I didn't bring back the 5-kilo Nutella jar. I would be too dangerous around it.
Bria @ West of Persia — 07/04/2011 @ 1:12 pm
Loitering in cafes, enjoying dessert, pizza, espresso, photographing windows and doors, all while remembering your dear father, all sounds so beautiful. Thanks for sharing your impressions, and this lovely dessert.
Nuts about food — 07/05/2011 @ 8:25 am
As Stamatia mentioned, that kind of ice cream is called 'affogato' (drowned). It is usually made with crema (custard flavor) or fiordilatte ice cream, which has a very milky, subtle flavor. It is also made with a typical semifreddo called torroncino (made with torrone).
I have been living in Italy for over 30 years and pizza has always been big and considered an Italian thing (not just for tourists I mean). It is true however, that you get pizza in pizzerie or restaurants that are also pizzerie and not in just any restaurant. They need to have a pizza oven.
Dallas Shaw — 07/06/2011 @ 1:20 pm
great photos on your blog – off to see the rest
dallas
http://dillydallas.blogspot.com