theStearns

Vespaio restaurant in Austin combines great Italian food, friendly staff, and a casual atmosphere (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Last weekend we visited Vespaio, an Italian restaurant on South Congress at Milton. Three of us shared a bottle of wine, appetizers, a mid-course, entrees, and dessert including house made mozzarella, risotto with pulled lamb, oak fire grilled prosciutto-wrapped jumbo Gulf shrimp, cioppino, and traditional (not soggy) tiramisu. We enjoyed a cozy corner of the restaurant with a quiet street view. The authentic Italian food and attentive service exceeded expectations. We highly recommend you give Vespaio a try.

Oak fire grilled prosciutto-wrapped jumbo Gulf shrimp with haricots vertsi, suppli and red chile pesto (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Ripassa della Valpolicella, 2007 Zenato, one of the 70+ wines available at Vespaio (photo by Kenn Stearns)

A popular brand of organic milk in the Tuscany region of Italy (photo by Kenn Stearns)

This popular brand of organic milk sold throughout Tuscany in Italy comes directly from cows reared and fed on natural products according to organic farming methods. Mukki also includes cream, yogurt, butter, mozzarella, and cheese – mascarpone (triple-cream cheese made from crème fraîche), stracchino (a type of Italian cow’s-milk cheese with a soft, creamy texture and mild flavor), and ricotta.

The dairy plant was originally built northwest of Florence in 1954. The brand “Mukki” was launched in 1966 by Centrale del Latte – the first Italian company to begin offering fresh whole homogenized dairy products. Today the company has new packaging and commands a dominant market share in the region.

Ducati shop in Bologna, Italy airport (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Known as the “land of engines,” Bologna, Italy motor mania means Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, and Ducati. Pride associated with Italian engineering and sports cars even extends to the airport where Ferrari and Ducati have shops. The Ducati Airport Store includes “clothes, books, gadgets and all sorts of other cool souvenirs.”