One of the most inexplicable things is that I never really got into gelato. Even more strange, I feel like my taste for ice cream doesn’t have the same fervor it used to. I’m now into the fro-yos and fruits. But my history with gelato specifically was a rocky one. I remember the very first time I had it, must have been 12-years-old or so and my aunt and uncle kept saying we’re going to this fab place to eat gelatos. The concept was so foreign to me but in a good, exotic way. I had never heard of it before and had no idea what to expect. I pictured something lighter, like Italian ice. We ended up going to some small ice cream parlor in Jersey and I ordered a scoop of some strawberry variation, and was sort of underwhelmed. It tasted like ice cream, but not as sweet, and you know us Americans are spoiled with sugar. I guess I was more of a Baskin Robbins girl. Luckily since then, I’ve been slowly changing my mind starting from a trip in Rome. Not right away as you’d expect — the first couple gelatos I had there was also just OK. But we did find some places that had the most decadent flavors (I quickly realized hazelnut is one of my favorites).

I guess that’s why I really appreciate a really good gelato place, because in my opinion, not all are created equal. And the one we stumbled upon in a recent trip to Miami, 4D, fits the bill. We stopped by while shopping at the Lincoln Road Mall in South Beach.

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New Yorkers can’t do without our Sunday brunch — so when you have seven of us in Miami, we’re going to do it right. We decided on having our meal in the lush outdoor space at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in the Design District. Their focus is on serving in-season and local ingredients as much as possible so the menu changes often. The best part about this place though is that they recommend and encourage sharing plates. Most dishes are small tapas style (our sole male did not seem to love that idea…hi Faraz!), but tapas can be deceivingly filling. The waiter was kind enough to guide us through all the plates and recommended that we order two to three a person…so this is kinda what we ended up with:

I loved the carmelized onions in the sour cream and onion dip that came with the thick cut potato chips. The warm homemade doughnuts were also another fave, while my friend Sarah was salivating over the pop tarts.

The juices were so fresh and delicious. Caffeine is a must in the morning, and as for the juice, pineapple really stood out to me in taste.

We had so many egg dishes, but hands down, the Kimchi Benedict was the best. We also had an egg dish with lamb pieces, spanish tortilla, and an extra small fried egg sandwich, but the Kimchi just had a little more kick to it. Oh and the double egg yolk – it’s oven roasted and I didn’t expect to like it (especially since I generally like to avoid yolk), but it was surprisingly good.

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So yeah, as I’ve mentioned, we’ve been eating a LOT in sunny, beautiful, gorgeous Miami. The fancier of the places we’ve been to is restaurateur Shareef Malnik’s The Forge.

Yeah, I know, it looks like you’re walking into a palace. It kinda feels like that too. The grandiose exterior matches the opulent interior.

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When I was in Turkey, I saw little carts on the streets near where my sister was living with signs for something called salep but I never knew what it was. My friend Bunny, who was awesome at giving me a ton of suggestions of what to do and where to eat (she did live there for a few months after all), told me I had to try it while I was there. I didn’t know what was it in, all I was told was it was a yummy drink to have when it was cold. So I listened.

When I was there, I asked the waitress what salep is exactly. She was having trouble explaining it to me, only mentioning milk and sugar and that it was “OHhh so good.” I may have cheated a little and ordered a coffee/salep combination. The coffee on top was thinner than what I think was the actual salep on the bottom, which was thicker consistency and tasted (and forgive me, this is the only way I think I can describe it) kind of like egg nog? It was REALLY good though, and I tried looking up a more detailed explanation of what I just had.

I found out the hot drink is made from crushed tapioca root extract. Apparently, it has been noted not only for his health benefits (treating such conditions as dysentery, tuberculosis, and typhoid), but also for its aphrodisiac effects. In Greece, they flavor it with honey and eat it for breakfast; in India, it’s mixed with milk and spices and served to the sick; even in France, it’s served as soup or jelly. In Turkey though, it’s mainly served during the cold seasons. The tubers are collected in the summer and hung to dry. Apparently, the popularity of salep has led to a decline in the population of wild orchids so it’s now illegal to transport it out of the country. So if you want it, you’ll have to make a trip to Istanbul!

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Ok, so when you go to Istanbul (and you have to go at least once in your life), you will probably make a trip to the Spice Bazaar, one of the oldest bazaars in the city. It’s right off the Eminönü stop on the tram, next to the Yeni Camii mosque aka the New Mosque. Right near that mosque is a place I still dream about: Tatseven.

It’s nothing fancy. The first thing you’ll see is probably the rotisserie chicken being cooked out in front. I randomly get really intimidated when there’s rotisserie displays at any restaurant…something about it seems really…brutish to me? Is that weird? But my little sister insisted the chicken here is one of the best. She discovered it when my aunt and uncle came to visit her in Turkey right before I did. They needed directions and the owner (who was actually a Turkish guy who lived in Ohio for many years if memory serves me right) was so nice, my uncle insisted that they go back to eat there.

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There are so many things I miss about Istanbul, and one of them is that there was never a shortage of tea to be had. It’s a big part of Turkish culture. I love that it’s always served piping hot, fresh, and totally appropriate for any time of day. I still remember certain times when I could smell the aromatic, full-bodied drink in the air from people scurrying around on the streets, holding a metal tray with freshly-brewed Turkish tea. I was eating at Divane restaurant in Sultanahmet my second day there and after a delicious brunch, I got up to use the restroom. When I came back, this was waiting for me at the table:

Our waiter, I think his name was Mohsen, said we were his guests and wanted us to have some complimentary tea…a sweet reflection of the hospitality and friendliness we ran into so often during our visit there. This was the first time I’ve ever tried apple tea (Elma Çay). It’s so fragrant — I think my first reaction was that it reminded me of apple Jolly Ranchers if you could liquify it. I don’t know if that’s a good description or not, but I loved it. The way people drink and enjoy their tea there reminds me of life’s little luxuries — moments to bond with people or savor your drink. It’s the calmness after a meal or during the day that I feel we don’t get enough of in a bustling city like NYC.

One thing I also learned while I was there was, if you notice, the tea glasses are shaped like a tulip. The intentional shape represents Turkey’s national flower. If you ever have a chance to visit, you have to pick up some fresh tea leaves from their bazaars. The Spice Bazaar is a good place to load up on tea. I bought a few packets from there, and they seal it air-tight for you to ensure it stays fresh until you get back home.

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