"Non riesco a sopportare quelli che non prendono seriamente il cibo." ~ Oscar Wilde (I can't stand people that do not take food seriously.)

While visiting Edinburgh last week,

I was finally able to experience

the family run Italian delicatessen,
Valvona & Crolla 
which turns its bookshop and gift shop area 
into a venue for the Fringe festival 
and some days becomes a Yakety yak Language cafe 
where you can practice your foreign language conversational skills.


The main event, always, is the food.
The smoked mozzarella enjoyed in the Caffe' Bar 
still taunts my taste buds...
the chocolate tart with creme fraiche on the side was heavenly.




However, it was this lovely discovery...

that I brought home to share with Ren Man.
According to my research...

this beautiful, slightly bitter vegetable
is treviso radicchio (pronounced rah-DEE-kee-oh),
 an elongated version of the radicchio rosso.
It turns out...
radicchio is a chicory known for its medicinal benefits, 
one of them being an aid for insomniacs.  

It does not take many ingredients

a little olive oil, a splash of sherry vinegar, chopped chives, a sprinkle of sea salt

to prepare as a side salad with a kick, 

or soaked before using, for a milder taste.
 I am on a mission to find more...
so that I can try it roasted with a little olive oil and parmesan. 


Fortunately...
we are headed back to Edinburgh this very Friday.


Happy Tuesday!