how was genova? it was good!

Here is your promised Genova post, everyone. I did quite a few things there, including buying a cute new top from H&M to match with these yellow heels I bought that one time with Alex.

The city was charming, safe and the only thing I regret is coming here before the basil season is in full-swing because the pesto would be other-worldly. Paolo, a Couchsurfer I met here said that everyone in Genova swears by their own family’s recipe. These silly Italians! How many pesto recipes can you possibly make from olive oil, pine nuts, basil and some parmesan? Apparently lots, because there is an annual pesto contest held in the hallowed walls of this city every March.

Let’s examine some pictures, shall we? (This includes nearly all food consumption.)

Something about some guy named Christopher Columbus who discovered “America” or something?? They are about 90% sure he was born in Genova.

This is Piazza de Ferrari, a central spot in the city.

Check out this little guy, CROSSING THE STREET ON A RED LIGHT. Arrest it.

Here is the picture that made me sigh and go, “I’m in Italy.”

They look like jewels on the Genovan hills.

Genova has one of the most aged population in Italy. Gives a whole new meaning to the term “slow-paced lifestyle”

Check this out! A tube and Mohandas, chilling by the sea at Porta Antico. Didn’t expect to run into my brethren here, but I did.

They look like jewels on the hills of Genova.

Your completely gratuitous shot of some cute tables that would probably be too uncomfortable to sit at anyway. TOURISTS *rolls eyes*

Not your innocent cappuccino. Those devils generously laced the cup with Nutella before pouring in the coffee. Then they topped it off with whipped cream and biscuits.

I suffer so much judgment at the hands of strangers, especially as a lone traveler, taking pictures of her vegan desserts. That’s right, vegan. No eggs or flour in this cocoa marmalade (?) cake, but you wouldn’t really miss it.

Bread and wine at Da Maria’s, a mostly working-class joint I hit up because Mark Bittman, food writer at the NYT told me to.

Me and some new Couchsurfing friends near the sea. They were fantastic!

Oh, and just because you ASKED, here is what I made for lunch:

You may not believe this, but I don’t think I have had egg salad since I was a child. You may be surprised to hear that I replaced the yucky mayonnaise with some plain yogurt. Also, some chili powder, chopped celery, parsley, salt and pepper. It made a great, low-fat lunch.

Oh, and check out what I made for dinner last night. Can you say “fusion?” I made a corn curry, because I had all the ingredients lying around and then thought “Crap, crap, what do I eat it with?” I had kids’ pasta lying around, but they’re shaped like stars and moons and are ideal for soups. I also had risotto, but it was already quite late and a 25-30 minute wait was too much. So I pulled out my bag of fresh gnocchi that I had bought at Carrefour that morning and pan fried it. A winning combination, folks! I will certainly experiment with curry and gnocchi again, but maybe next time the gnocchi will be part of the curry.

I also usually make a quick vinaigrette with my salads, but I wasn’t in a vinegar-y mood last night. So, with some inspiration from Heidi from 101Cookbooks, I mixed some plain yogurt with a bit of curry powder (going with that Indian theme), chopped parsley and sea salt. An eclectic meal, if there ever was!

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