Comforts of a Rural Life and a Shredded Beef Pie

Comforts of a Rural Life and a Shredded Beef Pie

Looking out my window at a brilliant blue Australian sky I can’t help but smile as I read these lines:

β€œNor rural sights alone, but rural sounds,
Exhilarate the spirit,
and restore…”
– William Cowper –

Australian blue sky

As much as I love the rural beauties around me – weeds masquerading as wildflowers, fresh eggs nestled in golden straw, plump green bell peppers dangling from their stalks – it is also the sounds of the country that grip my heart and soothe my spirits.

Right now I can hear my chooks (chickens) clucking contentedly as they peck at apples and cucumbers I tossed onto the grass for them. Every now and then one of the little goats gives a plaintive bleat and I look up to see them all trying in vain to stand on the same log at the same time.

We’ve had some ripping thunderstorms lately. How I love watching the storm clouds build, seeing the massive streaks of lightning and hearing shuddering booms of thunder before that first whoosh of wind blasts through the gum trees and huge raindrops clatter on the tin roof of the back porch.

Australian stormy sky

I thoroughly enjoy exploring cities, delighting in the mad hustle and bustle, having a marvelous time attending concerts or plays and discovering great restaurants. But it’s in the country where my soul finds rest.

Whether floating along canals outside Amsterdam

Dutch canal

…wandering deserted cliffs on the island of Gozo

Gozo cliffs

…or sitting quietly in the courtyard of an Italian farmhouse.

Casa Scaparone tables

On such sunny, peaceful days in the country, I crave comfort food like homemade bread slathered with butter and honey. My favorite country, comfort food is a Shredded Beef Pie. It’s basically a savory beef stew tucked in pie dough and baked until the crust is flaky and beautifully browned. I admit I’ve been known to eat all the stew first then linger happily over the salted pie crust. Sigh. πŸ™‚ I like making personal pies in little ramekins. They go perfectly with a glass of chilled sparkling Shiraz (summer) or your favorite red wine (winter) or good stout beer (anytime).

Shredded Beef Pie

Where do you go to restore your spirits?

Shredded Beef Pie
(Adjust amounts to suit your needs. This makes enough for two regular pies or eight small ones.)

Ingredients:

small beef roast
2 onions, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
3-4 potatoes, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
flour or cornstarch
favorite pie crust dough (I love Julia Child’s blue ribbon pie crust recipe), enough for two double-crust pies
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

  1. Place roast, vegetables, rosemary, salt and pepper in crock-pot, cover with water and cook 8-12 hours until meat shreds easily with a fork.
  2. Prepare pie crust. Press into pie pans and chill until ready to use.
  3. Remove roast and let rest a few minutes. Shred roast and cover until needed. Pour remaining contents into a colander, saving juices for gravy. Cover vegetables until needed. Allow juices to cool 10-15 minutes.
  4. Pour juices into saucepan. Taste for seasonings and add salt or pepper as needed. Make roux of flour (or cornstarch) and water. Add to juices and turn heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1-2 minutes until it thickens to the consistency you desire (a thick gravy). Remove from heat.
  5. Combine shredded beef and vegetables in a bowl, pour enough gravy over mixture to coat. Should be like a thick stew.
  6. Remove pie pans from fridge. Pour stew into each pan, mounding it slightly in the center. Roll out top crust and place on top. Pinch edges to seal (use a bit of water if it doesn’t stick properly). Cut slits in top crust for steam to escape. Brush with egg and dust with salt.
  7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Serve hot.
An Italian Feast in Black and White: Casa Scaparone, Italy

An Italian Feast in Black and White: Casa Scaparone, Italy

It was a gorgeous autumn evening when my friend Margo and I headed downstairs to try dinner at our beloved and quirky agriturismo, the Casa Scaparone outside Alba, Italy.

In spite of ancient plumbing with water that needed to be heated by wood fires every morning, and a charming host who warned us frequently to prepare for the coming Changement (the technological meltdown of the world), we loved it.

We’d already spent many happy hours writing in the sun-warmed garret, going for walks through the tiny community, and visiting happily in the beautiful courtyard, but tonight would be our first dinner and we were excited.

Casa Scaparone table

We arrived far too early, as evidenced by the empty dining room inhabited only by staff members bustling about setting tables and creating a ruckus in the kitchen. But we didn’t mind. It was a gorgeous night and we headed outside to wait for our feast.

Casa Scaparone dining room

We found seats near the outdoor dance floor and waited contentedly under the glow of thousands of tiny lights. Slowly but surely local couples arrived out of the darkness, strolling through the big metal gates and greeting each other like the old friends they undoubtedly were.

Casa Scaparone at night

We heard music begin and soon our host beckoned us in. At last it was time to eat. With tummies rumbling we took our seats in a far corner where we could people-watch to our hearts content.

Soon the restaurant was filled to capacity, the babble of voices just audible over the jaunty strains of a local band playing Italian country songs. The mood was jolly and vivacious and we grinned as our sociable host made his way from table to table greeting folks with kisses and back slaps and hearty handshakes, welcoming one and all as if they were treasured guests.

Then the food began to arrive.

We started out with a basket brimming with flour-dusted fresh bread, copious amounts of local red wine and a glistening bottle of water. These were followed by:

  • a platter of warm, chewy flat bread
  • chilled asparagus frittata with fresh tomatoes
  • fork-tender slow-roasted beef with carrots and parsley
  • thin crust pizza with savory roasted garlic, tomato and eggplant
  • glossy strands of fettuccine with sausage and cheese
  • tender gnocchi with a rich cream sauce

Imagine our surprise when our waitress then asked us if we were ready for the meat course!!! Apparently we were just getting started. Alas, we were already about to burst, so we begged her to skip right to dessert. Such a choice captured the attention of our host who came to our table to verify that we really only wanted the “small menu.” I love Italy. πŸ™‚

Duly assured that yes, we were perfectly satiated with the small menu, our waitress arrived with dessert. All three of them:

  • heavenly dark chocolate studded with crushed cookies
  • silky custard cake with crumb topping
  • luscious caramelized apples with custard

Casa Scaparone restaurant

It was truly marvelous. We settled back in our chairs with one more glass of red wine, feeling warm, full, and contented.

light through a bottle

After draining our glasses we bid farewell to our host, assuring him once again that we had adored and were satisfied with every last morsel of our small menu. Choosing the teensy elevator over three flights of stairs, we collapsed happily into our beds and grinned as the band was joined by the crowd bursting loudly into song. Normally such goings on would keep me wide awake, but after such a feast, not even a restaurant full of raucous Italians could keep me from drifting off into luxurious sleep.

What is one of your favorite dining memories?

More from An Old Town by the Sea: Budva, Montenegro

More from An Old Town by the Sea: Budva, Montenegro

Returning vicariously to Budva, Montenegro in this post last week was so inspiring, that I have to linger a bit longer today.

Visiting in the spring was perfect. Glorious weather and hardly any tourists allowed us to wander the Old Town of Budva at our leisure. We clambered up stone steps, stood atop ancient stone walls and gazed out to sea, basking in delicious sea breezes, blistering hot sunshine, and the dazzling turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea.

Montenegro coastline

Although this ancient city – believed to be the oldest settlement on the Adriatic Coast – was destroyed by a a devastating earthquake in 1979, it has been almost completely restored to its original form.

Old Town Budva

I loved wandering the narrow streets, stopping to peer in glistening shop windows, pausing to wonder why all the stones on one wall were numbered in red paint.

Old Town Budva streets

One of my favorite parts was the library, housed in the building below. Filled with tufted, red leather sofas, the walls are lined with glass cases full of books on Balkan history. I could’ve spent days there.

Budva library

This doorway enchanted me. Hidden down a dark alley it led to a seaside restaurant that served up delectably fresh seafood under a shady awning.

 

doorway to the sea

My brother Ryan and I shared this enormous platter of goodness, and loved every last morsel.

 

recipes from Montenegro

The views from Budva are magnificent, taking in brilliant blue ocean, hazy green mountains, and rocky islands.

views from Budva

I’d love to return to Budva one day, and time to linger in that lovely old library, swim in the Adriatic, and explore nearby villages.

 

shuttered window with flowers

How about you, dear ones? Is there a place from your travels that you long to return to?

An Old Town By The Sea: Budva, Montenegro

An Old Town By The Sea: Budva, Montenegro

Before I traveled through the Balkans, I always pictured them looking like Communist-era Eastern Europe: dark, cold, and starkly utilitarian.

Perhaps this is why I spent the entire road trip agog, staggered by the pristine beauty of Bosnian lakes, Slovenian mountains and a Montenegrin coastline dotted with palm trees.

I know so many of you are in the icy grip of winter right now, so I thought we could all escape for a little bit to the sunny shores of Budva, Montenegro.

Montenegro beaches

Budva coastline

Montenegro islands

Budva tower

Budva city walls

 

Views of Budva

Wishing you a beautiful weekend, dear ones! xo

How to Choose a Great Place to Stay on Vacation

How to Choose a Great Place to Stay on Vacation

I grinned when Margo at The Travel Belles asked us this months Across the Cafe Table question: “How do you pick a hotel?”

I grinned because until my late twenties, I’d NEVER picked a hotel!

Although my childhood was very happy, we were dirt poor. Our vacations were spent camping in tents or, if we were feeling especially flush, Motel 6. I loved our little vacationing adventures, but admit I grew up thinking that only rich people stayed in hotels, that they were something reserved for Hollywood elite or posh businessmen. The thought of staying in a fancy hotel with room service was relegated to the glowing rooms of fantasy.

Since then I have been able to stay in β€œreal” hotels, and it still gives me a thrill every time: the weird paintings on the walls, pristine bed linen, fluffy white towels, unlimited air conditioning and wi-fi. It doesn’t bother me if the bathroom is so teensy I can barely turn around (Paris) or if my environs are invaded by friendly lizards (Fiji). I don’t mind being shoe-horned in with my family for a night (Rome) or hauling my luggage up three flights of stairs (Venice). It doesn’t seem to matter what catastrophes arise, it’s always such an adventure and I feel that I’m being spoiled rotten. πŸ™‚

When choosing a hotel I look for cheap, clean, and close to wherever I want to go exploring. Since my job requires access to internet, I also look for free Wi-Fi.

But to be perfectly honest, I’d rather stay almost anywhere than a hotel these days. They do their job well – providing a safe, clean place to sleep and shower – but they’re not overly interesting. And I’m rather fond of interesting.

For short stays I love bed and breakfasts. They’re quirky and unique and you never know what you’re going to get. The owners are usually cheery and helpful, providing invaluable information about local transportation, food, and culture. Bed and breakfasts generally take you off the tourist/hotel strip and into a real neighborhood, allowing you to see how the locals live, shop and eat. I love this.

My friend Betsy took me to my first bed and breakfast on a fabulous Girls Road Trip we took to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Beaconsfield Inn is located in gorgeous Victoria and had everything I could ever hope for in a lovely place to stay:

  • sherry in the library upon arrival
  • delicious breakfast in a plant-filled sunroom
  • enormous rooms with fluffy feather beds, a fireplace, hot tub, and cute little bottles of champagne to go with your chocolates.
Beaconsfield Inn, Victoria

above photos from http://www.beaconsfieldinn.com/

 

While secluded enough to be peaceful and quiet, it was within walking distance to downtown Victoria and just around the corner from a splendid little theater that was hosting the Victoria Shakespeare Festival. For a girl used to sleeping in a small tent with three rowdy brothers, it was heaven.

It did not fit my usual requirement of cheap, but oh, it was marvelous, definitely worth a splurge for one night.

If I’m staying in a place longer than a few days, I will always look for a house or villa to rent.

My love affair with such accommodation started in Italy when four friends and I stayed at the idyllic Villa Trotta near Perdifumo, Italy. I’ve already waxed long and prolifically about this wonderful place in previous posts, but I couldn’t possibly describe how I choose a place to stay without bringing it up again.

Villa Trotta

 

Villa Trotta is a massive stone house in the country, perched right on the edge of a hill that sweeps down through orchards and vineyards to the Adriatic. For just over $1200 a week it was a steal, especially since the cost was divided between five girls. Yes, just over $200 per person for an entire week. We had the whole place to ourselves and spent many hours sunning and reading on the numerous terraces, cooking up splendid meals in the kitchen, and taking day trips to wondrous places like Capri, Naples, and Pompei.

My love for such places continued this fall when I met up with my friends and fellow travel writers Margo, Katy, Kate, and Kathy in Vogogna, Italy. We stayed in a wonderful old home nestled down the narrow cobbled streets of the Old Town. With three-foot-thick stone walls it was a quiet oasis in the midst of town. I loved the clawfoot tub in my bedroom, the wide stone steps that led from one level to another, and the rustic little courtyard out back that provided so much inspiration during our brainstorming sessions. Once again, the price was much, much lower than any nearby hotel, and the ambiance was exquisite.

Vogogna rental house

So, how do I pick a hotel? I rarely do. I choose a villa or a rental house or a bed and breakfast, places with character and charm that don’t break my budget.

How about you, dear ones? What do you look for in a place to stay?