ExperiencePlus! Blog


recipe

  • Half and Half – Mushroom and Beef or Elk Burger

    Adapted from this New York Times recipe, I’ve always wanted to perfect the home made hamburger. Especially since I often had elk meat to use which is hard to work with as it is so lean.  You can make this… Read full article

  • Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas and Asparagus

    We know it’s spring when asparagus and sugar snap peas hit the grocery stores! We have the perfect recipe to combine these two treasures. Ingredients: 1 pound farfalle pasta prepared per instructions. Garlic 2 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons olive oil… Read full article

  • Recipe: Packing the Perfect Mid-Ride Picnic

    Lunch on the Roll Ride until your hungry … or can’t get enough of the view Cycling can certainly kick one’s appetite into gear, and a picnic lunch is a great excuse to take a break and enjoy your surroundings.… Read full article

  • Recipe: Picnicking On a Bike Ride

    Lunch on the Roll Ride until your hungry … or can’t get enough of the view Cycling can certainly kick one’s appetite into gear, and a picnic lunch is a great way to take in local scenery and local specialties… Read full article

  • Squash Blossom Quesadillas

    Squash Blossom Quesadillas

    Along with the bounty of zucchini and yellow squash, the blossoms of these plants are delicate, colorful and oh so delicious. If you do not have a garden, make friends with a gardener or head to your local farmer’s market. … Read full article

  • Spanish Tapas

    Simply Spanish Tapas: Entertaining Made Easy The first time I traveled to Spain I ordered a glass of wine in a bar and along with it came a tiny assortment of bite-size appetizers. I did my best to explain in… Read full article

  • Recipe: Insalata Di Farro (Cold Farro Salad)

    Umbria’s Great Grain A versatile and easy addition to summer meals. Walk through a farmers market in Italy and you’ll experience the country’s deeply rooted passion for fresh food. Noses plunge into bunches of basil and against melons as shoppers… Read full article

  • Cycling The Italian Lakes District

    Manzo All’Olio Di Rovato or Rovato Beef

    Manzo All’Olio Di Rovato Or “Beef In Oil” A tip of the “Priest’s Hat”  from the Franciacorta Region of Northern Italy An Italian alternative to a classic Sunday beef roast, try this long stewed beef dish from the Franciacorta Region Of… Read full article

  • Cappelletti - from Romagna

    Cappelletti in Brodo

    Thanks to my parents’ crazy idea that maybe – just maybe – people would want to travel the world by bike, I grew up spending May through September in Italy from when I was 9 months old until I was 23.  In… Read full article

  • Recipe: Paczki or Polish Donuts

    In between the rolling hills of Sierockie, Poland, Grandma Zoisa lives quietly in a tiny village with a population of around 500 residents. The Tatra Mountains watch over her small cottage and encourage a crispness from the morning air. Grandma… Read full article

  • ExperiencePlus! cyclist in the Dolomites

    South Tyrolean Apple Soup

    Don’t you love South Tyrol and its unique mix of Italian and Austrian culture, languages, tradition and cuisine? On top of its cultural fascination, to me South Tyrol is the embodiment of sophisticated Alpine food and drink, which manages to… Read full article

  • Romesco Sauce - photo courtesy of wikipedia

    Romesco Sauce

    Tour leader Joan Escosura shares this recipe for Romesco Sauce which is a specialty of  the Catalonia region of Spain where he lives (and leads bicycle tours!) Joan also wisely points out that giving a recipe for a sauce is… Read full article

  • Melon with Black Pepper and Mint

    Melone Ghiacciato con Menta  or Melon with Black Pepper and Mint This refreshing dish comes to us from Bea Tassinari, our Country Coordinator in Italy, who also helps coordinate lunches at “the farm” our headquarters in Italy. Join us on… Read full article

  • Cucumber, Radish and Parsley Salad

    Cucumber, Radish and Parsley Salad

    This salad is always a hit as we jump into the spring and summer growing seasons. It is crunchy, nutritional, easy to make and attractive to serve. Many simple variations are available making this salad a go-to recipe. Try adding… Read full article

  • Flavor Your Olive Oil

    Flavor Your Olive Oil

    ExperiencePlus! tour leader Yorgos Paraskevopoulos is from Kalamata, Greece and has been leading tours with us since 1999. He lives in Kalamata, Greece where he harvests and cares for his family’s olive trees. This month he offers suggestions on ways… Read full article

  • Winter Vegetable Soup

    Here’s a toasty winter vegetable soup to keep you warm as you wait for spring to finally arrive. Serves 4 1/4 cup diced carrot 1/4 cup diced celery 1/3 cup – 1/2 cup diced onion 2 sage leaves (or 1… Read full article

  • Riserva dello Zingaro Sicily

    A Sicilian Feast

    I just came back from an hiking trip on the eastern side of Sicily that included Catania, Siracusa, Val di Noto, Ragusa, to name just a few of the gorgeous places I visited. Inspired by my travels and the wonderful… Read full article

  • Creamy Chickpea Soup

    Zuppa di Ceci (Creamy Chickpea Soup)

    This tasty recipe is a typical “peasant” soup from the Umbria region of Italy. The perfect companion on a chilly night. Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 pound dried chickpeas 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 medium onion peeled and diced 1… Read full article