tulipano's Profile
Is there an acceptable substitute for sour cream?
thanks so much for all these great ideas...
Quark sounds like something I might be able to find if I lived in Milan, but not so much here in the South.
The area I live in has spectacular local stuff, but (maybe because of that) they're not real big on trying new things.
Driving through Puglia (Apulia)
One other thing re: tipping. It's not really done here, at all. If you leave even an extra 50 cents they'll be appreciative, but it's not necessary, nor expected.
However, bear in mind that most waiters/waitresses here get paid a straight salary of about E30 a night, and it's under the table, with no benefits to boot. The service (coperta) charge on your bill does NOT go to your waiter/waitress. And the cost of living (at least in Bari) is more or less what you find in a mid-size American city.
So you don't have to tip, but if you do, you make your server's night MUCH better.
Is there an acceptable substitute for sour cream?
I want to have a Mexican themed party, and tacos are really not the same without sour cream. Where I live sour cream simply doesn't exist. Neither does buttermilk.
Greek yogurt, and all other forms of dairy goodness are easily findable.
Driving through Puglia (Apulia)
I've lived in Bari for three years, and while I don't really have the budget for the high price places, luckily it's a city where you can eat exceptionally well even for cheap.
da Donata in via Lattanzia is excellent to try antipasto alla Barese, which basically means super-abundant mixed appetizers. Just ask for the antipasto della casa, and they'll bring you plate after plate after plate of different appetizers. It's in theory a pizzeria, and the pizza is pretty good as well, but everyone goes there for the antipasto. The one negative thing is that it's the only place I've ever been in Italy that has tried a bit to rush me out. There's always a big line outside, so they kind of try to keep the tables moving. (nothing exaggerated or anything, you just can't sit and talk for two hours like in most places)
Le Travi in Bari Vecchia (the old part of the city) is excellent authentic traditional food, and is a huge bargain as well. (i.e.- antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce, vino E25 a person...and it's all excellent) Make sure you include the self-service style antipasto, which has the best zucchini sott'aceto I've ever tasted.
For pizza, there's Bari-Napoli in via Piccinni, which has both pizza napoletano (a thicker style crust, more similar to what we get in America) and pizza barese (much thinner crust). Also order the patatine fritte, which are home-made potato chips.
This has nothing to do with eating, but stop in Ostuni and in Polignano al Mare, which are both incredibly beautiful towns, that are not particularly touristy (outside of Puglians themselves). Everyone who has come to visit me has insisted on seeing Alberobello and been disappointed, and then thrilled by Ostuni and Polignano. There's a famous restaurant in Polignano la Grotta Palazzese, but the prices are a bit out of my reach. http://www.grottapalazzese.it/english/index.html In any case it's supposed to be amazing.
Hope that helps!
Edited to add...one more thing. Don't go to Vini e Cucina which is recommended in quite a few guidebooks. It WAS really good, but is now dreadful.
