HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

We were on David’s birthday tour … first stop, Milan. With no missed turns or major re-routing, amongst the usual mélange of Milanese motorists, we found the garage entrance to the SUNFLOWER HOTEL in the Bisvio district.

We had arrived in the limbo between lunch and dinner. When we asked the concierge where to get a snack, he mentioned Domino’s Pizza (really) around the corner. I laughed. He said there was a gelateria next door … and that’s where we went. No guilt when gelato IS lunch.

MISCIOLO GELATERIA offers classic flavors and a big selection of sorbetti. I enjoyed pistachio, stracciatella, and hazelnut … David savored bacio, pistachio, and coffee. Creamy and flavorful, we resisted the idea to share another flavor or two.

Back in the hotel room, we started looking for hotels in Barcelona … our Plan B when Covid canceled our 4-day visit with Leslie and Rich near Aix-en-Provence.

We decided on 3 nights in Spain, then adding a 2nd night in our final destination, Antibes. We narrowed our search to two hotels, and while neither included parking in the price, both said there was a public lot next door. This one!, David announced. And in a click, it was reserved. Then he called to ask about reserving a parking spot.

CLERK: We usually don’t do that.
DAVID: It’s my xxth birthday.
CLERK: OK, we’ll contact them, and let you know.

We would see our friend Raffaele in a casual concert that evening, and were getting together with him and his wife Elisabetta and son before the show. He suggested dinner at a South American restaurant across the street from the venue, and we were enthusiastic.

Navigation said it was an 18-minute walk. We gave ourselves 30 … since on foot, Navigation is slow to respond and too often confused at intersections. Not only was it not on the street shown in Google, people who worked in the neighborhood didn’t know where to send us. At least we were less than a block off-track … and then we saw Elisabetta at the corner.

The place was PUPUSERIA DON NELSON … a 2-room El Salvadorian restaurant, with colorful paintings on the walls. The kitchen was small and narrow, filled with women who were filling and frying the pupusa to order.

Raffaele said we order an assortment of flavors so we could taste a variety. My Spanish is good enough to know queso … pollo … mais. The small discs of finely-ground white corn were fried, then split and stuffed with chicken or pork, beans or vegetables. Or mozzarella. They’re served with a spicy tomato sauce and a vinegary “coleslaw” of white cabbage and carrots. And boy were they good. I can’t say that any particular flavor jumped out, but the blending was great … and the cool, crunchy slaw was great with the hot, soft pupusa.

Also … Elisabetta and Raffaele’s son is adorable! His dad’s Mini Me, he’s engaging and energetic, at the never-sit-still age. I asked if he was starting to show his father’s musicality or his mom’s artistry … not yet.

The concert was in a community center with a bar in the front and a large, multipurpose room (including a stage) in the back.

Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I’ve been to an accordion concert.

Like dancers who go from show to show, it’s a group of “gypsies” … musicians who play unusual instruments together. Accordion … wooden box … skin drum … singer … Raffaele on trumpet. Lively, bright, unusual. People … including me … danced, as Raffaele wandered among the audience. A good time was had by all.

During intermission, we went to the stage to admire the squeezebox which had glimmered in the lights. No traditional piano-style keys; rather, a beautiful myriad of mother of pearl buttons in black and white on both sides of the bellows.

Thank you for a fun evening of new tastes and sounds, cari amici.

After breakfast, we began our 5-ish hour drive to the French Riviera, heading south toward Genoa, then hangin’ a right along the coast. The sky was expansive and blue, the Mediterranean shimmering in the sun. As we drove by Imperia, David suggested we stop there on the way home. That was my idea, I said … Carli Oil is there, and we can go to their store.

The HOTEL LE CATALOGNE is in the Saint-Aygulf area of Fréjus, and a few blocks from the shore. Modern inside, it has a pool in a garden setting with lots of space for lingering and lounging. Up in our room, I immediately opened the large doors onto the balcony. Behold! This is where we should have an aperitif, I said. My brain had switched to française.

We walked toward town to find a small cafe for something to eat. I secretly was hoping for a sandwich au jambon. 13-year-old me still loved their simplicity.

There on Générale d’armée Jean Calliès was BOULANGERIE DU SOLEIL. Instead of a baguette or any croissant, we focused on flatbreads. Tomato sauce with ham and mozzarella … pissadalière (sautéed onions, olives, and anchovies). There was also a selection of irresistible patisserie. Mille feuille with apricots … tart du crème.

Back to our balcony, David opened a bottle of Etna Rosso that he had brought for such an occasion.

The bread was thick, toothsome but not doughy. The tomato balanced nicely with the cheese and ham … the sweetness of onions and saltiness of the anchovies showed why it’s a classic combo on this part of the Côte d’Azur.

And the desserts. OMG. Flaky, delicate puff pastry topped with apricots that had a seductively-charred edge glistening under a thick layer of not-too-sweet glaze was amazing. The cream tart (mis-identified at the shop, so I don’t know the real name) was addictive. A buttery, crisp crust with a filling that whispered “milk” suspended in a light, melt-in-the-mouth, ultimate flan texture.

We watched the swallows dip and dive on the wind currents of the L-shaped hotel, then soar and swirl around the palm trees. The sun was setting as we finished our foods and wine.

… to be continued …
WHERE YOU GOING / BARCELONA / OH

PEAR-TOPPED MARBLE CAKE

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1–½ cups flour
1–½ tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
⅓ cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup milk
½ cup chocolate chips
1 pear, thinly sliced

- Butter and flour a Bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C).
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip eggs until they start to thicken and get pale … then slowly pour in sugar.
- When thick, whip in oil and vanilla.
- Using a spatula, fold in flour (in 3 additions) alternating with milk (in 2 additions).
- Pour about ¾ of the batter into the prepared pan.
- To the remaining batter in the bowl, stir in the melted chocolate and the chocolate chips.
- Spoon/dollop chocolate batter into pan.
- Arrange pear slices concentrically around the edge of the pan … with the wider portion near the outside, narrow part in the center.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until very light golden.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan.
- Serve at any temperature.
Enjoy!