Life in Cagliari

Life in Cagliari has been abound with adventure! Every day, my palette expands as I try flavors I could never have before imagined. One of my favorite food discoveries has been in the San Benedetto market. Past the produce in a far back corner of the market, a Sicilian couple serves some of the best arancini and cannoli i've ever tasted! Most memorable was the arancini alla norma: a mixture of eggplant and ricotta salata enveloped by a deep-fried creamy risotto.

(Arancini alla Norma: San Benedetto Market)

(Pistachio Cannoli: San Benedetto Market)

In Piazza del Carmine, I found the most amazing gelato at Gocce du Gelato e Cioccolato, which surpassed all previous gelato I've consumed on this trip. Despite not containing milk, the ice cream achieved a rich ganache flavor that stirred memories of my first trip to Italy.

(Tiramisu & Ciocolatto Senza Latte: Gocce du Gelato e Cioccolato)

Craving seafood pasta one night, but unable to get into the always packed Anticca Cagliari, I turned on a new street and stumbled upon the inconspicuous Pomata Bistro. After some exchange, the waiter swayed my inclinations toward the tuna: la specialita della casa. The tuna from Sardinia is world renowned. Later this month, Carloforte, a town on an island in the southwest of Sardinia, will host the twelfth annual Girotonno festival. Food critics and gourmands alike will congregate to celebrate and promote the ancient tradition and culture of tuna, historically linked to the territory. The festival culminates in a demonstration of the "tonnare" a traditional tuna trap and the only active one in the Mediterranean. Another focus of the festival is the "World Tuna Cuisine Competition", which brings in chefs from around the world to compete in both raw and cooked preparations. Braised for hours in tomatoes and zucchini, the tuna at Pomata Bistro was rendered tender and succulent. I didn't for a moment put down my fork. The wine pairing, a crisp white from the south of the island, augmented the sweet notes of the tomato. It is no surprise that the dish won the world competition at Girotonno in 2007!

(Tuna dinner from Pomata Bistro)

After weeks of constantly eating rich meals, a stark change from my previous diet, I began to feel lethargic. To offset some of my food intake, I recently started going on runs. Doing so has allowed me to see places in Cagliari and its surroundings that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. On my first major run, 13 miles in total, I ran along the harbor to the beach near Calamoscas, where we went on a hike as a group last week. I didn't intend to run for such a long distance, but the sea breeze and fresh air so captivated me that I lost track of how far I had run. At the harbor's end, a beautifully paved two way cycle track begins, which follows along a canal until the road forks: you can either head to the beach or continue along the canal. On this run, I made the former decision, but later in the week, my friend Phil and I rented e-bikes and followed the canal. The canal lead us to a former salt mine and lagoons at Molentargius Saline National Park, where we able to get in extremely close proximity with the flamingoes!

(Flamingoes at Molentargius Saline National Park)

The walls abutting the path have been adorned with street art. I've noticed several distinct street art styles in my wanderings; finding a new mural always imbues me with a sense of excitement. Upon finally reaching the shore, I ran along the sea wall to watch the sunset from a rock beach overlooking the Faro di Capo Sant'Elia, a lighthouse on the cape.

(Street art from my run along the canal)

(View of Faro di Capo Sant'Elia from the rocky beach below)

Though little time on this island remains, I will continue to appreciate the food, friends and everyday moments of beauty and serenity.