The Salted Pepper

10/19/2025

We loved the food in Italy, but I have to say this version of stroganoff and Jeff’s steak and potato is the best food of the trip! Way to go Austria! 🥰

10/19/2025

We are on our way to Austria for an overnight stop before heading to Frankfurt to catch the train home and we almost had the perfect train seats!
Jeff and I both had window seats with empty seats beside us. Then, some lady decided she didn’t like her booked seat and sat beside me. 😭

Since all seats are reserved ahead of time for this particular train, I’m not sure why she just didn’t book the seat she wanted unless perhaps an aisle seat wasn’t available and she figured she’d just find her ideal seat next to me! 😂

Anyway, we booked the quiet car and as soon as she sat down, she rustled bags for 10 minutes, talked on the phone for another 5 minutes and now that she’s quiet… I have use the bathroom! 🤣 Why didn’t she sit by Jeff!

I hate to inconvenience anyone and because she isn’t following the “rules,” I have to ask her to move and I feel bad!

Yes, I’m a weird one, but I believe in following the rules and I sure hope popping champagne on a train is rule abiding, because it’s happening! 😂

10/17/2025

When you miss lunch in Italy, you have two choices… starve until 7pm or find a bar/ bakery with a back room full of people gambling! 🤣

10/17/2025

We decided to spend the day train hopping in Italy and will end up in Livorno for views of the Ligurian Sea, but the first stop is for coffee and a pastry in Empoli

10/16/2025

This should be interesting! We are letting the chef/owner of a small restaurant called Cafè Bijoù in the small Italian Hamlet of Barberino Val D’Elsa create our dinner menu and you should have seen Jeff’s face when the lovely server told us Salmon tartare was the appetizer and then mentioned Salmon again for the second course.

Jeff doesn’t like fish and the only thing he likes less then any other kind of fish is Salmon! 😂

Truth be told, I’m not a fan of salmon either, but we are open minded and willing to try!

We started off with an amuse- bouche of a chicken meatball that was amazing! I’ll keep you posted! 🥰

10/15/2025

A room with a view! That is our bedroom window and it’s perfect!
Our VRBO for this last part of our Italy adventure couldn’t be any better 🥰

We are in a walled city with VERY FEW people and it’s so relaxing and beautiful!

10/15/2025

🍎🍔 One of my absolute favorite quick weeknight meals that the whole family LOVES! These Turkey Apple Sloppy Joes are such a delicious twist on the classic - they're healthy, flavorful, and come together in about 30 minutes!
📝 Recipe is in the first comment! 👇

10/15/2025

It’s wine-0’Clock in Italy 🍷Saluti 🥰

10/15/2025

Italy Day 8: Lunch with a view

We pulled over for some photos in Panzano In Chianti and saw this food truck selling sandwiches and decided to split the pastrami special. Best decision of the trip! It’s one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten! The bread was perfect, the pastrami was perfect, the pickles were perfect and the horseradish was perfect!
Now we are off again heading to Barberino Val D’Elsa where we will spend the next 4 days inside of this walled medieval hamlet.

10/14/2025

Italy Day 7: Pelago
We finally figured out how to “lunch” in Italy! 😂
We went to two places!

Winery: Enoteca Il Quartino di Marchesi Frescobaldi
Local spot: I’ Pepolina Trattoria

Most places, especially small local restaurants are open from noon-3pm and then don’t open until the next day or they open again at 7pm for dinner.

We are apparently old and are ready for bed by 7pm, so I’ve been making dinner or we skip it. Today, we tried something new!

We went to a local winery (more upscale and less of a local vibe) I ordered the white onion soup. The soup was amazing and I’m definitely going to try to recreate it when I get home! Jeff ordered the burger, which was good, but not exactly what we want to experience while in Italy. So, we drove to a local spot and had a second lunch! 😂

Usually there are two courses served, the pasta as the first course and then a meat dish. We ate our “first” course at the winery and the “second” at the local place.

I have been wanting to try the Tuscan bread soup which is called Ribollita and Jeff has wanted pasta with bolognese sauce. This local trattoria had both!
The vibe was so much better than the “fancy” winery and although the bread soup was a bit too thick for me, it was very good. Jeff’s homemade ricotta ravioli with bolognese sauce was amazing! The flavors were perfect and exactly what we thought authentic bolognese sauce would taste like! I specifically like the smaller ravioli.
We had some wine and finished up with dessert. I ordered the torta and Jeff ordered the panna cotta, but I think he ended up with their homemade ricotta cheesecake which is an uncooked dessert and unbelievably delicious! Both were topped with an apricot sauce that was not too sweet and perfect in every way!
We finished with an espresso and even that was good in Italy! They are usually too bitter for me.

So basically we ate a ton of food between 12-3pm and now we are done eating for the day! I should also mention that there is a lot of walking, hills, and steps, so we are more active in Italy for sure!

I don’t think we will continue double lunches, but we leave this area tomorrow and didn’t want to miss this local gem!

I will be working on that onion soup recipe, bread soup recipe, and cheesecake as soon as I get home! 😁

10/13/2025

A little evening cocktail of peach juice and Chardonnay Sparkling Wine with lemon and chocolate filled Pâte à Choux

10/13/2025

We haven’t seen this dish on the menu yet, but I hope to try it while in Italy.
If you want to try my version of Osso Bucco, click the photo below to print the recipe.

Fall-apart tender beef in a rich gravy served over mashed potatoes, made right in your Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot!