Traveling

We enjoy traveling in the US and Europe. If we would just do it, we would enjoy other locations as well. Not being especially willing to spend time on detailed planning of our itinerary, we tried a tour to Spain over 20 years ago. It wasn't great. Not long after that tour we discovered a guide called Europe through the Back Door by Rick Steves. We liked what he wrote and did a couple of trips using his itineraries. We became aware of Rick's guided tours, but didn't get around to booking one until about 6 years ago. We went to Ireland, then Scandanavia, then northern Italy, and last southern France. While no tour is the ideal means to explore a place, we have found the Rick Steves Tours to be a reasonable compromise.

Our most extraordinary meal on any of these trips was in Orvieto, Italia at L'Asino d'Oro [which was translated for us as the Golden Donkey]. The tour group ate there one night in Summer 2004. We had a multi course meal composed of:

Fava bean bruschetta with pecorino
Lardo on chestnut polenta
Red bell pepper coulis on chick pea puree
Red bell pepper salad with capers
Chicken, pinenut, raisin, and red bell pepper salad
Sausage and grapes in a wine sauce
Pecorino cheese and wine jelly
Caramelized onions
Pork cheek [baffo]
Beef and red peppers
Panzanella [bread salad]
Cannellini bean soup with rosemary
Eggplant and chocolate
Ravioli with turkey and lamb in a wine sauce
Bread and vegetable lasagna
Cocolate, chili, and rosemary
Goat milk pudding

And lots of wine.

Pawley's Island, SC & Vicinity
In the US, our most frequent destination has been Pawley's Island, South Carolina. In May and June 2006, we made our most recent visit there. During that visit we ate at Frank's Outback, the Rice Paddy [in Georgetown], Roz's Rice Mill Cafe, Orobosa's Low Country Cafe, Louis' Fish Camp, the Tuscany Bistro, Nibil's [Surfside], the Litchfield Restaurant and in Murrel's Inlet at Creek Ratz, Drunken Jack's, and the Hot Fish Club. We also bought take out meals at Perrone's Market and the Krazy Krab. In many ways the standout meals were at Orobosa's although the old reliables [the Rice Paddy, Frank's and Roz's] were excellent.

We ate twice at the Tuscany Bistro. The first time we had a seafood sauce over ricotta filled ravioli that was superb. The second visit resulted in good food, but it was the stand-out ravioli from the first visit that we remember. We asked for a red gravy with the seafood. It was spicy and rich with fresh basil The ravioli were tender and simply filled with very fresh tasting ricotta. The simplicity was delightful. The dish was a result of my partner's allegies. The chef created a variation on a regular item that made it deliciously edible for her. If you like Italian and are in coastal Carolina, the chef can create a great meal for you. Tell him what you want.

Orobosa's saw us three times. Each time we had fish or seafood, including grouper, shrimp and crab cakes, and salmon. The fish and seafood were fresh, moist, flavorful, and usually served with a small salad and a starch. The portions are smaller at lunch and you get a small piece of cornbread. The larger dinner portions come with a tasty bread. Both at lunch and dinner the entree had a flavorful herb infused sauce. We had an absolutely delectable 17 layer caramel cake for dessert. On another occasion we had a rich pecan pie. June 15, 2006.