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Keep the gravy train going baby! This past evening was another one for the books. I went to dinner with Giusseppe (my Italian manager as he calls himself haha) and the most famous chef in Norway, Gino Valente. Gino is originally from Italy but has lived in Norway for the past 50 0r so years. We dined at his restaurant in a wonderfully quaint and small town of Vasanello. Gino spends his time between Norway and Italy but cooks with famous chefs all over the world. He has produced 15 cookbooks and 2550 cooking episodes for TV.During the dinner we enjoyed fine Champagne, wines, seafood, pastas, focaccias and dessert. Sometimes I wonder if all these people I meet think there is something wrong with me due to the fact that I am sooo happy and excited about everything. Truthfully I feel as though I am living in a dream world most of the time over here…I think I am.(The stairway down to the wine cellar where we started the evening with Champagne and Parmesan…this area was carved out of the stone over 1200 years ago)

Now let’s bring it back a second and pull everything together. Some of you might be thinking that some of the food I’m eating and cooking over here is not very healthy…in some respects you are right. There is a lot more oil, cheese, fat, and in some respects salt than I would normally cook with or think is, to some degree, healthy. However, the point of this trip is for me to learn and be exposed to different methods of cooking and every kind of food I can come into contact with. I am learning cooking techniques and information about food that I will carry with me the rest of my life and that will help me help all of you live a healthier and happier life through better nutrition.