“Remember when Zia made hot chocolate with real chocolate in it?” Alfie said. “She couldn’t believe we’d been making instant cocoa from packets!”
“It was so yummy!” Emilia added. “And it took us to Paris. That feels like such a long time ago.”
“I know,” said Alfie. “We’ve been to some amazing places and had some amazing food since then.”
“It’s pretty awesome,” Emilia agreed. “Remember when the La Salles invited you onstage to play at the jazz club in New Orleans?”
Alfie smiled wide. “That was the best.”
“And remember trying alligator tail at Delphine’s house on the bayou?”
“I really liked it!” said Alfie. “And remember—”
But Alfie didn’t get to finish his sentence.
Alfie stared down at the sandwich on the plate in front of him. He was confused for a moment, expecting to see the chocolate bars he had just been enjoying in Miami. That’s when he realized they were in the kitchen back at home.
Zia came in from the garage carrying a package of paper napkins. “So, what do you think?”
“Of what?” Emilia asked. Alfie could tell she was still adjusting to being home again, as well.
“Of the sandwich, sciocca ragazza.” Zia laughed. “Silly girl.”
“I thought you meant of Miami,” Emilia said with a knowing stare.
“Miami?” Zia said with a strange look, but Alfie could tell she was holding back a smile.
“You really outdid yourself this time, Zia,” Alfie said. “The food festival was amazing! We got to try so many different foods from so many places—especially from Caribbean countries.”
“Yeah, like Cuba and Trinidad,” Emilia chimed in. “The Spanish paella was my favorite, though.”
“No way! The ropa vieja from Chef Fernandez was the best. With those plantain chips? I could eat that every day!” said Alfie.
“And we got to help a junior chef,” Emilia continued. “Her name was Margo, and she won the competition—all thanks to you!”
“Thanks to me?” Zia asked.
“Thanks to your Italian Cubanos and telling us about putting your own twist on things,” Alfie explained. “We shared that with Margo, and she made this incredible tropical fruit dessert with crispy meringue instead of a regular old lemon meringue pie.”
“My goodness,” Zia said with a smile. “I thought I was only in the garage for a minute.”
“Zia!” Alfie and Emilia cried. It was the usual frustration they felt when returning from one of Zia’s adventures. She never wanted to confess that she’d sent them anywhere!
“Just admit it!” Alfie tried again. “You sent us to Miami with your amazing recipe and your magic touch.”
“Yeah, Zia,” Emilia pleaded. “Come on!”
“Don’t you kids have some homework to do?” Zia asked as she put away the ingredients from their sandwiches. “That way we can play a game or watch a movie later.”
Alfie and Emilia sighed and stood up from the kitchen island.
“My homework can wait,” Emilia said. “I’ve got a new dance routine to work on!”
“Oh yeah?” Zia asked. “What happened to your old one?”
“Salsa happened!” Emilia said, her face lighting up as she spoke. “Salsa music was everywhere in Miami, pouring out of every shop and restaurant. And we got to dance with real salsa dancers. They had an amazing demonstration at the end of the food festival.”
“You should have seen her, Zia,” Alfie said. “I think salsa might be her favorite dance yet.”
“It is! I can’t wait to incorporate my new salsa moves into my routine. It’s just like your sandwiches, Zia, or Margo’s tropical dessert—I need to put my own fresh spin on things. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before now!”
Zia grinned and touched the brightly colored stone necklace she always wore. “I knew you would figure it out.”
“And to think I was even considering copying Becky’s signature move. It was all about finding my own!”
“Brava!” said Zia.
“It’s all thanks to your adventures, Zia,” Emilia said. “We’ve learned so much!”
“I’m proud of you both,” Zia said. “My little world travelers.” And with that, she turned away toward the sink to start on the dishes.
Alfie and Emilia looked at each other with open mouths and wide eyes. Zia had actually admitted it this time! Alfie knew he should probably leave it at that and go start on his homework, but he couldn’t resist asking, “So now will you tell us where we’re going next?”
A Note from Giada
When I think of Miami, I think “AUTHENTIC.” It’s one of those special places in the world that has so much vibrancy for life that it’s reflected everywhere you look, from the beautiful, deep beaches and crystal waters to the streets lined with colorful art deco buildings that make you feel like you’ve just stepped back in time—and just in time for the party!
And the food . . . oh, the FOOD! Miami’s cuisine is as richly steeped in history as it is diverse in choices! Many of the country’s greatest chefs gravitate to this sunny food hub to set up shop because there’s not much not to like about this place.
Whether I feel like relaxing on the beach with my favorite magazines or dancing all night with my friends, Miami has me covered! That’s what makes it one of my favorite getaways, and I can’t wait to return!
When Alfie opened his eyes, he was on a busy city sidewalk. It wasn’t a tight, narrow sidewalk lining a cobblestone street like he’d seen in Naples. It was a wider concrete sidewalk with tall glass buildings on both sides and cars whizzing by. He could hear people speaking English around him. Emilia stood next to Alfie and touched his arm. Alfie knew she was also trying to figure out where they might be.
“Where are we?” Alfie heard behind him.
“What happened?” another voice added.
Alfie and Emilia whirled around to find their parents and Zia standing on the sidewalk behind them!
“You’re here!” Alfie cried.
“You came with us!” Emilia added. “Thank you, Zia!”
Neither of them could believe it. And by the look on Mom’s and Dad’s faces, they couldn’t either.
Zia smiled wide. “I thought it would be a fun surprise for Alfie’s birthday. One last adventure before I go—for the whole family.”
“This is the best surprise ever!” Alfie said, hugging Zia around the waist.
Mom held out her hands. “I still don’t understand what’s going on!”
“Are we in Philadelphia, Zia?” Emilia said.
“Yes, we are.”
“Yay!” Emilia cheered. “I’m so excited!”
“But how did we get here?” Dad asked, turning in a circle and staring up at the buildings surrounding them.
“Magic!” Alfie and Emilia cried together. “Zia’s magic.”
“Magic?” Mom and Dad repeated.
“Zia has sent us on a bunch of adventures using the magic in her cooking. But this is the first time we’ve all gone together!”
With Zia’s help, Alfie and Emilia quickly filled their parents in on some of the places they’d visited thanks to their great-aunt’s recipes.
Mom’s mouth dropped open. “I always knew your cooking was special, Zia, but I didn’t know it was this special!”
“Well, now you know,” Zia replied. “So let’s have a little family adventure in Philadelphia, shall we?”
Mom gave Zia a quick hug.
“Uh . . . sure. Yeah, okay!” Dad said, still getting his bearings.
“But where will we stay?” Mom asked, worry entering her voice. “What will we do?”
“Leave that to us,” Alfie said, motioning to Emilia and Zia.
“That’s right,” Emilia said. “We’ll tak
e care of everything!”
Mom’s face started to soften. “You’re so grown-up all of a sudden!”
And with that, they started down the sidewalk, taking in the heart of historic Philadelphia surrounding them.
Alfie squinted as the afternoon sun glinted off the glass buildings all around. The sun felt strong and warm for late spring—like summer was just around the corner. They walked down the busy commercial street. The sidewalks were wide and clean, with trees planted all along the way. After a few blocks, they ducked down a quieter, narrower side street and continued on for a bit before stopping to look around. That was when Alfie noticed the sign behind him: THE LIBERTY HOTEL. “Why don’t we stay here?” he asked, gesturing to the gold plaque on the redbrick building.
“The Liberty Hotel,” Zia repeated. “That sounds familiar for some reason . . . Let’s take a look.”
They entered the small lobby of the building and looked around. Old marble floors lined the space, with a few big plants in ceramic planters against the walls. A worn velvet couch sat off to one side, and a large polished wooden desk stood in front of them. There was a sign on the desk that read WELCOME TO THE HISTORIC LIBERTY HOTEL. THIS BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1826.
“Emilia, look,” Alfie said, pointing to the sign.
Emilia read the sign and smiled. “Whoa! That’s the same year Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died. They both died within hours of each other on Independence Day.”
“How weird,” Alfie said, looking around the room.
“I’ve been here before!” Zia suddenly exclaimed. “I knew it looked familiar. My friends brought me here for dinner. This is a very well-known historic hotel here in Philly.”
Dad tapped the bell on top of the desk. A minute later, a man appeared from another room. “Good afternoon!” he said. He had a warm, friendly smile and looked to be around Alfie and Emilia’s dad’s age. “Welcome to the Liberty Hotel. I’m John.”
“Hi, John,” Mom said. “I’m Arianna Bertolizzi. This is my husband, Mauricio, my aunt Donatella, and our kids, Alfredo and Emilia.”
Alfie bristled a little bit at the use of his full name, but he waved and smiled all the same.
“Nice to meet you all!” John said. “What can I do for you?”
“Do you have any rooms available?” Zia asked.
“Absolutely,” John replied. “How many would you like?”
“Three rooms would be ideal,” Dad said.
John nodded and opened a book on the desk in front of him. “We can put you on our Constitution floor. We have a single room and then two double rooms with an interior door that connects them.”
“That’s perfect,” Mom said.
“My pleasure,” said John, writing the Bertolizzis’ names in his book. “My family and I run the hotel, so you’ll meet my daughter and my wife during your stay. We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the hotel restaurant, and if there’s anything at all that you need, please let me know!”
“Thank you so much,” Dad said, handing John his credit card. He turned to Zia and whispered, “Good thing my wallet was in my pocket!”
“I’ve got money, too,” Alfie chimed in. “I always carry my allowance money with me now, just in case.” Alfie grinned at Zia.
Mom and Dad laughed. “That’s smart thinking, son,” Dad said.
John held out three keys. “You’re on the third floor. The elevator is just over there to the left of the plants. Can I help you with any luggage?” he asked, scanning the space around them.
“Oh . . . ,” Mom said.
Alfie could tell she didn’t know what to say, so he jumped in. “Our bags are in the car. We’ll get them later.”
Mom and Dad gave Alfie a look. Maybe his fib came a little too easily!
“Okay, great,” John said. “Enjoy your stay. And again, if there’s anything you need, please let us know.”
They walked over to the elevator. The door opened with a bit of a creak. They squeezed into the small space, and Dad pressed the button for the third floor. The elevator paused for a moment before it moaned and groaned and began a very slow climb to their floor. Alfie was a little unsure whether they would actually make it, but a minute later, they were stepping out.
“Whew!” Mom said. “Maybe we’ll take the stairs from now on.”
“No way!” Emilia said. “That was so cool. Elevators weren’t invented until the 1850s, so they must have put this in later.”
Alfie was impressed. “That’s crazy!”
Dad led the way down the hall to numbers 315, 316, and 317. He opened the door to 315 and then used the interior door that connected it to 317. Zia’s room, number 316, was across the hall. Alfie and Emilia walked into their room. Alfie thought it looked a little worn, and he could see some paint peeling near the ceiling. “It’s not as nice as the suite we stayed in when we were in Maui,” he said to Emilia.
Emilia covered her mouth and giggled. “That was pretty nice.” Emilia walked over and smelled the fresh flowers in a vase on the nightstand. “But I like it here. This building is much more interesting.”
Alfie noticed a framed child’s drawing on the wall. Emilia was right. Despite looking a little rough around the edges, this hotel had a cozy, comfortable feeling—like staying at a friend’s house. And it had a nice view. He could see between several buildings to one of the rivers in the distance.
Alfie and Emilia walked back into Mom and Dad’s room. Zia joined them from her room. “What a quaint hotel!” she said.
Mom nodded. “It’s very comfortable.” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “And it’s good that it’s the weekend—although I did tell my boss I’d be in for a few hours tomorrow. I guess I’ll just give her a call later on and try to explain . . .”
Zia shook her head. “No need,” she said. “I’ll make sure everyone gets back just on time.”
Mom’s and Dad’s eyes widened.
“Don’t worry!” Alfie added. “Whenever we get home, it’s like not a minute has passed since we left.”
“Wow.” Mom breathed, looking a little shocked.
Dad stood up and grinned. “Well then, let’s go see what Philly has in store for us, shall we?”
“Yes!” Alfie and Emilia cheered.
Zia's Italian Cubano
INGREDIENTS
2 whole-wheat kaiser rolls or other soft roll
2 tablespoons honey mustard
6 thin slices Swiss cheese, about ¼ pound
½ pound thinly sliced prosciutto cotto or other baked deli ham
2 dill pickles, sliced lengthwise into 4 strips
¾ cup arugula
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
MAKES:
2 sandwiches
PREP TIME:
5 minutes
COOKING TIME:
8 minutes
NOTE:
Make sure you have a parent or adult help you make this recipe.
DIRECTIONS:
Using a serrated knife, cut each roll in half horizontally. Spread 1½ teaspoons of honey mustard on the top and bottom half of each roll. Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on the bottom half of each roll. Add half of the prosciutto cotto or baked ham to each sandwich, making sure to separate the slices. Place 4 pickle slices on top of the ham, followed by the arugula, and top them with 2 more slices of cheese. Place the remaining half of the roll on top and press down firmly.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. When the butter is completely melted and the mixture has stopped bubbling, put the sandwiches in the pan. Immediately place another smaller, heavy skillet directly on top of the sandwiches and press down. Allow the sandwiches to cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Remove the top skillet and u
se a spatula to flip each sandwich in the pan. Place the smaller skillet back on top of the sandwiches, and continue to cook until the second side is golden-brown and the sandwiches are heated through.
Serve warm and enjoy a taste of Cuba!
Zia’s Fried Plantain Chips
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 green plantains
Vegetable oil, for frying
MAKES:
3 cups of chips
PREP TIME:
5 minutes
COOKING TIME:
15 minutes
NOTE:
Make sure you have a parent or adult help you make this recipe.
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Set aside.
Use a sharp knife to cut off both ends of the plantains. Next, score the skin from tip to tip in 3 different places around the plantain. Only score as deep as the skin is thick. Remove the peel by pulling apart the sections. Use your knife to slice the plantains into ⅛-inch rounds.
Pour enough vegetable oil into a medium skillet or shallow saucepan to come ½ inch up the side of the pan. Heat the oil on the stove over medium heat. You can test that the oil is hot enough by adding one slice of plantain to the oil. When you hear a sizzle, the oil is ready.
Working in batches, add enough plantain chips to the oil to fill the pan but not overcrowd it. Fry the chips for about 2 minutes, flipping occasionally with a slotted spoon, until they are golden and just beginning to brown. Using the slotted spoon, remove the chips to a tray lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the chips with the spice mixture while they are still hot. Continue frying batches of chips until all the plantains are cooked.
¡Buen provecho!
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