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Naples: A City Well Lived In

11/5/2016

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Continuing the Journey on the Amalfi Coast/Puglia Tour:

Naples is really a city like no other. I always call it a "city well lived in". Why? Well, it has a reputation for many things; chaotic traffic, petty crime, chaos in general...all somewhat true. Rome has all those things too, but Rome always feels so touristic, while Naples feels like you're just witnessing life happening. 

Here, the group is posing around the famous Pulcinella statue. Pulcinella was a classic character from Italian theatre. Represented as a "fool", the character in fact rather thumbed its nose at government rules and bureaucracy...I guess that explains a few things right there.

Lest you think Naples is all negative connotation, nothing could be further from the truth. Its streets are simply fascinating; filled with history, great food and traditions, and beautiful art. Naples is full of things to see and deserves any amount of time you can afford to spend there. 

​Here are a few things I found while wandering:
Turns out we were in the nick of time to help the city finish celebrating the Miracle of St. Gennaro (This occurs on Sept. 19, and we arrived on the 20th). Here's a link to an explanation: 
​https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/09/19/famed-blood-miracle-san-gennaro-unfolds-naples/
We were visiting the Church of St. Gennaro and got to see the liquified blood! The priest below is holding the ampule and people were welcome to come and give it a kiss. Also notice the shape of San Gennaro's hat...below on the right, on the bronze bust.
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Of course, because it was such a special time, the pastry shops were also creating something special to help celebrate. I tasted a San Gennaro hat-shaped pastry....it was delicious! There was even an explanation of what was in it.
A lovely tradition in Napoli is called Caffe' Sospeso, or "Suspended Coffee". What it means, is you can pay ahead for a coffee for someone who will need one and not have the money. So if a coffee shop advertises this service, I can pay for a coffee for someone in need. At any time, someone who can't afford one, or forgot their wallet can stop in for a "free" coffee....not on the house, but on whoever chose to pay for one. So civilized.
We saw many sights on our walking tour with our officially licensed guide, but what better way to take in the traditions of Napoli than with a pizza lunch?

And to end the evening? We made our own karaoke party!
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Oh those knuckleheads! Maybe everyone was a little rummy from having just arrived to Italy yesterday. Or maybe, this is just a fun-loving group! 

You'll see in the days ahead.....

Next stop: Pompei and then the true Amalfi Coast begins!
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A Farm to Table Day

11/8/2014

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(Still trying to catch up on blogging my most recent tour....)
Today was simply all about food. That’s not bad, is it? Seeing as this is billed as a “food and wine tour”, that’s actually pretty, darn good in my book.
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We start the day at Granarium. This is a place I have blogged about before. It’s a place I love, and will continue to return to. Granarium is a farm, flour mill, bakery and storefront all rolled into one. It’s amazing isn’t it? In order to create delicious bakery products, the folks at Granarium start with growing the wheat. It’s kind of like the story of the Little Red Hen….they grow the wheat, turn the wheat into flour, use the flour to make fantastic doughs for pizza, cookies and cakes, and then sell it all in their tiny little shop.  Notice our shopping bags :)

Tiziana is our tour guide today, and she explains to us how the process works. 
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After she shows us how the flour is made, she opens their amazing oven so we can have a look. This is the biggest wood-fired oven I have ever seen. Yes, it is wood-fired! Can you believe it?! Every day, they churn out a huge array of delicious products from this oven; the only oven they have in the place. 
At the end of our tour, we find that Tiziana has set out a huge variety of samples for us to try. And then we all cram into the tiny shop and make so many purchases because it’s all simply so good. Their whole wheat biscuits are my morning go-to staple with a cappuccino. When I eat one, it holds me until lunch, it’s so filling, and just so darned tasty. (That's them in the upper, right hand corner of the photo.)

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After good-byes at the mill, we are off to our next food destination; cooking class! Yes, this is our second cooking lesson after our earlier wood-fired pizza making lesson. Today, we’ll be cooking an entire classic Umbrian meal under the tutelage of Wendy Aulsebrook and her local helpers at Antonelli winery. 

We have so many dishes to prepare, it’s nearly mind-boggling, but the group is so excited for today, and everyone is ready for our hands-on lesson. Here's our menu:
We start with appetizers: We make focaccia bread with fresh rosemary from scratch. On the right, you see the finished focaccia bread. It's served with local cheese and the winery's own jam made from Sagrantino grapes. In addition, we've made our own liver pate which you see served on some crusty local bread. This first course is served with Antonelli's white wine. 
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Next comes the classic first course. Our "primo" is homemade pasta with a basic tomato sauce. The table is set for pasta making.....and everyone works hard for their lunch!
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Of course, our pasta has to have a sauce, so we are taught how to make a basic, fresh tomato sauce:
For our main course, our "secondo", we're taught how to make a classic, Umbrian roasted chicken.
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This chicken is amazingly flavorful and tender. It has been rubbed with a garlic and fresh herb mixture. Fresh lemon juice and liberal amounts of olive oil are poured over the top. Then it is baked in a convection oven. We can't get enough! 

Our side dish, or "contorno" is a roasted combination of potatoes, zucchini and tomatoes. So delicious...especially the little bites of tomato!
And what meal would be complete without dessert? We get to have two! First we make panna cotta with a chocolate ganache topping and also some delicious red wine cookies. We are so lucky. And it is all paired with the fantastic wines from Antonelli vineyards.
As usual, it has been a full and productive day. We are so grateful to Wendy and her helpers for showing us how to cook classic Umbrian cuisine. Everyone declares it.....truly delicious!
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Making our Way into Umbria

10/27/2014

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Time to leave the slow life at the agriturismo, and pick up the pace a little bit as we continue deeper into Umbria. Heaven forbid we should pick up the pace too quickly though. Before we leave Fontanaro we take a stroll past the grape vines, past the bee hives, and on to the olive oil mill. 
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Fontanaro processes all of its own olives on the premises. We take a quick peek at how it is done, before saying our good-byes.
After lots of olive oil purchases, and lots of hugs, we load up the van and say a final farewell. 

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But we don’t get far. It’s already lunch time, so we stop in the tiny town of Paciano for a really delicious lunch. 




This is the appetizer plate for one! We eat fabulous dishes like a cold salad made from locally sourced beans and perch from nearby Lago Trasimeno. Someone orders pasta filled with local greens and herbs, and their grilled meats are delicious. Okay, now….....we’re really going to hit the road.

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We’re on our way to Spello, but first we make a quick stop at one of the loveliest churches I have ever seen. It’s not the church itself that impresses as much as what is hiding inside of it. Inside this gigantic church is a tiny gem called the Portiuncula; the hut-like, but heart-stopping tiny church that St. Francis rebuilt himself as a gathering place for his ever-increasing number of followers back in the 1200’s. 

(Note: This photo was taken on a previous trip. Photos of the interior of this church are not allowed.)

Finally we arrive to Spello with plenty of time to settle into our individual apartments before our big wine tasting dinner tonight. Spello is one of my favorite Umbrian hill towns and holds a special place in my heart. For some reason, I find this town very relaxing. For its tiny size, it holds an inordinate number of delicious restaurants and cute shops. Yet, it retains its very small town feel. Meals here seem to go on forever just like the panoramic views seen from the medieval walls. I love it here.
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Tonight we dine and taste with Roberto and Irene Angelini, the father/daughter team of Enoteca Properzio. Our group has a private room to ourselves. Food begins to arrive, wine begins to flow…. As each course arrives, Roberto and Irene pop back in to pour a new wine and tell us a little about it. Then we are left alone to enjoy our meal until the next item arrives. The food is wonderful and the wines are fantastic. The evening continues on with lots of laughter, conversation, jokes…..no one is looking at a clock. This is how a meal should be enjoyed.

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And so ends another day of the tour! Tomorrow we’ll be spending the day in nearby Assisi. Stay tuned…

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Food, Wine and Romance

10/20/2014

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Our first stop today was at a sheep farm near Pienza in Tuscany, where they make fabulous Pecorino cheese. Antonietta did a wonderful job of explaining her family’s cheese making operation to us. We got to tour the facility, see the cheese in the aging room, and then (best of all….) taste it! 

She had set a beautiful table for us, in a lovely cottage, with four kinds of Pecorino cheese, delicious yogurt, honey and jam, bruschetta w/olive oil, and house made wine. It was all so delicious, and the group made many purchases before heading to our next stop.
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Stop number two was in the lovely town of Montalcino. The group met up with local relatives, and had a fun time at lunch together. 



I, in the meantime, let them have some private, family time and headed off with the group’s translator to explore a new restaurant. What a find…..a future tour stop for sure! These beans were sooooo delicious, the view stupendous, and the wine…..sigh.
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Now, comes the Romance part! One of the gentlemen on the trip had wanted to renew his wedding vows for their 30th wedding anniversary. It was to be a surprise for the wife. Everyone in the group was “in on it”, except her! Arrangements were made to have the event at a beautiful medieval abbey in the countryside outside Montalcino. It was a simple, heartfelt wedding vow renewal. We all cried….then drank Prosecco!

And speaking of drinking…..after the abbey, our next stop was a wonderful winery in the Tuscan countryside.  Two very exciting things happened here, which were new experiences for everyone in the group….including me. One; I got to barrel taste Brunello! I had never experienced barrel tasting before. The cellar master, Agnes, used her special equipment to extract aging Brunello for us to taste. What a treat! And Two; we got to see where corks come from! I knew corks came from the natural bark of a cork tree, but I had never really envisioned how that actually happened. Most corks come from Sardegna or Portugal, and we got to see a sample of where they come from. Maybe I should organize a trip to Sardegna to see an actual cork production facility…..what do you think?
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Uccelliera Winery is owned and operated by Andrea Cortonesi and his family, pictured to the left. On the right side of the photo, you see Agnes the cellarmaster who was so helpful during the surprise wedding vow renewal and then again as she gave us a fabulous tour of the winery.
As I said, today was all about Food, Wine and Romance. What a great day! What’s in store for tomorrow? Food, Wine and Birthdays! This group loves a party!

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Rome: Where It All Begins

10/16/2014

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Note: This blog post is being written while I am in Italy with a wonderful tour group of seven people. I’m writing behind schedule because I’m having too much fun with my group to stop and write every day. So, here, I play catch up……

What would a journey to Italy be without a few days in Rome? If you've never been to Italy before, then trips to see the top two sights are a must-do. Our group took in two half day walking tours (on two different days) of the Coliseum/Roman Forum and the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel/St. Peter’s with a wonderful licensed guide. Stuart made history come alive for us; telling us stories of the past while pointing out the remains in the present.
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We spent a fabulous morning with our guide at the Coliseum followed by entry into the Roman Forum. Our private tour got to skip the line and go right in, and with the headsets we wore, we could hear his every word. To top it off, the October weather is fantastic! 

Days of walking do build up one's appetite and thirst! Not wanting to deprive ourselves, we always make sure to stop for plenty of food and wine. On this particular evening, we go to a serious wine tasting dinner. Look! Placemats made just for our group!
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Here are a few more miscellaneous shots from our first couple of days spent in Rome:
Learning to drink from an Italian water fountain.
On the Spanish Steps
In awe of St. Peter's
A group -rated favorite dessert from one of our group meals.
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And we also managed to fit in a trip to a great local food market! This photo (on the right) was taken at a stall where locals can fill up their own containers, or buy empty 1 liter containers for their "house"wine. The group decided to give it a try and bought a liter to take back to their hotel. They loved it!

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Somehow, the market butchers always love the camera when they have knives in hand :)
What better way to end evenings in Rome than to stroll the streets, basking in the golden glow of ancient monuments. Our time in Rome is over, but this is just the beginning really. Tomorrow, we head out into the countryside, going north into lower Tuscany. More adventures, food, and wine await us!
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Rome, Day 2: Begins Exactly How it Should

10/1/2014

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My second day in Rome begins exactly how it should....exactly how I had hoped it would....with a wonderful cappuccino, a beautiful cornetto, and the company of a great friend. Though I had a million things to tick off of my "to-do" list, there is no more civilized way to start the day than to welcome it the Italian way. And so rather than stand at the bar for a knock-it-back espresso, we took to a table to start the day with sips, munches, and conversation. Ahh......

Next stop, the fabulous Trionfale Market. Every time I'm in Rome I love to stop in here, not only to make purchases.....which I did, but just to soak up the local flavor. I mean that quite literally as I had samples of porchetta, olives, wine cookies and mozzarella cheese while shopping! Speaking of mozzarella cheese....the hubster will love these photos. I couldn't bring home these fascinatingly shaped cheeses, so he'll have to settle for the giant package of wine cookies I bought for him instead.
Recycling! I love the clever use of empty wine bottles to display the sausages.












More market photos:
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You know I'm all about the food and wine, so it seemed appropriate that after the food market, I should make my next stop one of Rome's best wine shops.

I'll take you inside in a moment. First, notice the young man's head in the bottom right side of the photograph? It appears that his head is resting on the sidewalk. How can that be?

It was delivery day. When that happens, they open the metal "storm doors" in the sidewalk. Installed underground is a slide. One young man climbs down into the hole and places boxes of wine at the top of the slide. Inside the store, in the lower level, another young man is receiving the cases at the bottom of the slide. Genius!

Now, let's go inside! It's beautiful, isn't it? The photo on the left is all liquors, grappas, etc. The photo on the right is just one of the many aisles downstairs filled with wines from every region of Italy!
Unfortunately, my lunch photos didn't come out very well....though the lunch itself was delicious. Instead, I bring you post-lunch photos. The best way to finish lunch is with a great macchiato or espresso. Today, I discovered a great new coffee place in my old neighborhood. Oh my goodness, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
Though my lunch photos didn't turn out, my dinner photos did. This evening Rome was hit with an amazing thunderstorm. The rain was torrential, and lightning strikes and thunder abounded. It was the kind of rainstorm for which waterproof clothing was invented....and for which, it doesn't work. And to top it off, I was hungry. I was hungry at the peak, most rainy, lightning-ish, thunder-y part of the storm. Go figure. I ventured forth, down the slippery Spanish Steps, slogging my way to the pizza-by-the-slice place I meant to go to yesterday. Odd, hardly anyone else in the city was out at all. The shop was nearly empty and they were eager to tell me about all the different kinds of pizza available this evening. I chose two types: one with truffles and porcini mushrooms (so decadent!) and the other with artichokes (love them!). Torrential rain, crackling thunder, lightning spikes, shoes soaked. Worth it!!
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What Makes Wine Taste So Good?

5/29/2014

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We can spend a lot of time talking about all the variables that go into the making of a good glass of wine. Does it have more to do with a good vintage year or with the person making the wine? Does it have more to do with which side of the hill the grapes grew on, or how much water they received….or didn’t receive? What if the barrels were made from different kinds of oak? What if the wine had aged longer?


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There are so many things that can affect the flavor of the wine. But to me, there is something else that is important to the taste as well. It’s much more subjective and much more emotional. It is the memory of where I had it for the first time. I love thinking back……. “Remember when we had that Sagrantino in Todi? We were eating those crostini with melted gorgonzola and honey and that wine was perfection, wasn’t it?” Or, “Remember when we were in that restaurant in Montefalco, and that guy kept bringing us all this great stuff we hadn’t ordered and telling us it was ‘on the house’? And then he poured us that huge glass of passito? It was so delicious, we bought a bottle to take home, remember?”

I have been lucky enough to have had some incredible winery experiences in Italy. I’ve seen the amazing diversity of Italy’s wineries; from small, rustic operations to architectural beauties to technological wonders. They have all been family-run, with most still having multi-generations living on or near the winery. I’ve tasted some truly beautiful wines, poured by people who are passionate about their product. 
On many occasions, my “first time” with a wine has been at the winery. After a deep whiff, I take a sip, let it roll around in my mouth, swallow, savor the after taste, and break into a smile. My eye meets that of the winemaker, and he breaks into a smile as well. He doesn’t have to tell me all about how he grew the grapes, where he grew the grapes, when he harvested the grapes, he just has to know that I loved his wine. In the end, it makes us both happy. 
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Join me, won’t you…..on an Italian wine trail? Let’s meander the rolling hills of Tuscany or the hearty Umbrian countryside. Let me take you through lesser known areas like Lazio and Campania so you can discover something new and wonderful. Every, and I do mean every region of Italy has great wines, and most of them are not sampled outside of the country. You will find wines to fall in love with, and you won’t care how they were made, when you meet the eye of the winemaker.


Drop me a line at:

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Let's start planning your next wine experience!

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Day Four: Only in Italy....

10/21/2013

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Day four had me picking up my rental car to begin my journey away from Rome. I made my way to Zagarolo, a charming little town only a half hour or so south of Rome where a friend of mine lives. I must say, I was enjoying every minute of driving a stick shift again :)
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We started the day together at a winery (why not?). I was in search of cesanese wine, made from local Lazio grapes and a recent discovery for me, that I was eager to try more of. We arrived at Fedrici winery at 12:45 asking if we could taste a few wines. “Certo!” (Of course!), was the reply. We were led to the tasting room where the gentleman began to pull new bottles off the shelf.  “Wait!” I exclaimed. “Don’t you have bottles already open? Are you opening new bottles of everything just for us?” He glanced at his watch, and explained they hadn't had anyone in for wine tasting yet today, but he was happy to open bottles for us.  He glanced at his watch again. “In fact”, he said, “why don’t you just take these three bottles home with you and taste them there. You can always come back if you like it.” My friend and I glanced at each other. Was he offering us three free bottles of wine? When we offered to pay for the wine, he glanced at his watch again. “No, no. Please. Just take the wine, really. I’m happy to offer it to you. Come back if you want more.” And off he went, out the door, into his car, down the driveway…..and home to lunch; where I’m sure his wife was waiting with a hot dish of pasta…..much more important than wine sales. Only in Italy!

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Our goal for the afternoon was to visit the monastery at Subiaco, a place I’d always wanted to go to, but somehow never managed to get to. First however, like the gentleman from the winery, we needed lunch. As we wound our way up the mountain to the monastery, we pulled off at a roadside restaurant. Our pasta portions with porcini mushrooms and another with meat ragu sauce were very filling. The amazing part of it though was the price. Have a look at the check. Our ¼ liter of house wine (cesanese at a cost of .80) was cheaper than our bottle of water (2.00). Only in Italy! 


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And finally, the true highlight of the day;  the monastery at Subiaco. The drive there is filled with lots of twists and turns as we navigate our way higher and higher up Mount Talèo. Upon arrival, one must pass through the gate.........


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........and stroll the path of trees growing surreally from the rocks. 

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At the end of the path is a set of winding stone steps.........

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.......and when you come to the top, you finally get your first phenomenal view of the monastery built into the side of the mountain. 

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And what a view it is….breathtaking, truly.

The interior of the monastery is nearly indescribable. It is a rabbit warren of rooms, each connected at odd angles by series of steps. The frescoes are beyond amazing. The colors, scenes, and stories told are simply incredible. Large sections of the mountainside create interior walls in some areas. To think, St. Benedict lived as a hermit for three years in the “Sacro Speco” or Sacred Cave which visitors are now allowed to enter. 
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Our trip to the monastery has been not only the highlight of my day, but in the end, a highlight of my entire trip. I am moved to speechlessness by the beauty and serenity of this place high up on the mountainside. A handful of white-robed Benedictine monks still reside here, and I think, maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad place to live. Only in Italy.


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Day One: A Resurrection in Rome

10/3/2013

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Rome was calling me. No, I don’t have the pope on speed dial, but Rome was calling. Once you have lived in Rome, regardless of whether you tossed coins in that beautiful fountain, you will return. Rome gets into your blood, under your skin, into your pores like no other city on earth to me. Yes, it is chaos and noise and bureaucracy, but it is also infinite beauty, and a way of life that is simply so…..simple. And so I find myself back in Rome, ready for a resurrection, eager to return to a city where a new discovery is around every corner. Join me on a little pictorial trip of Rome: Day one.

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Lucky me, I have arrived in Rome just in time for lunch. Never one to dilly-dally where food is concerned, I toss my bags in my room, take the quickest of showers to refresh and revive myself, and head out the door to find good food. It’s Rome; I don’t have to go far. Not long into my stroll, I discover a new pizza-by-the-slice place called Grano. I wander in to see if it looks good, and……well, let’s just say it was so hard to decide which kind to have….so I only picked three.  Pizza-by-the-slice is weighed in Italy.  Isn’t that a great concept? You merely point out how much of each kind you would like, they cut off your piece with a big pair of scissors, weigh it, and put it in the big oven to reheat. In the meantime, you get your receipt, take it to the cashier, pay for your pizza, adding a drink if you’d like and by the time you get back to the pizza counter, your hot pizza is ready. This new place had some really interesting and delicious combinations:
1)      Radicchio with gorgonzola and walnuts
2)      Porcini mushrooms (They’re everywhere because they’re in season now!) with truffles
3)      Eggplant with tomato sauce
Not only will I be returning to Rome; I will be returning to this place!

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Jet lag is beginning to set in. Time for a pick-me-up, and I know just the thing.  I head over to my favorite building in the whole city, the Pantheon. Nearby is one of my favorite treats in the whole city; a granita di caffe con panna from the coffeehouse Taza D’Oro. They squeeze some unsweetened whipped cream into the bottom of your cup, add in two scoops of sweetened coffee flavored icy granita, and top it off with more whipped cream. The strong coffee is tempered by the sweetness of the granita mixture which is tempered by the unsweetened whipped cream. It is perfection. It is THE cure for jet lag….in my opinion.


With a full belly and a nice jolt of caffeine, it was time to take in a little culture.  And what could be more apropos than a viewing of a fresco by Rafael.  Tucked in a little out of the way corner, not far from Piazza Navona, is the Chiostro del Bramante. The Cloister of Bramante is attached to a church called Santa Maria della Pace.  In this church is a most beautiful fresco by Rafael commissioned in 1500.  And from the upper reaches of the Cloister, if you look out a certain window, you get a bird’s eye view of Rafael’s fantastic work of art.  Looking at it makes me……sigh.
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Next stop is one of my favorite markets for some food shopping to bring back to the U.S. This is one of many cases where the internet is simply misinformation. The market is not open late on this day as I had read on-line. Most of it is closed. Most, but not all. The fresh pasta shop is open. No, I will not be bringing fresh pasta back to the States, but the lady who makes the fresh pasta happens to also love making red wine cookies, and she has a fresh plate sitting out! When she sees me eyeing them, she hands me the plate and tells me to have one. Not wanting to offend her in any way, I help myself. They are SO good; better than the ones I've been trying to make at home which need more work. I’ll take a dozen please. For the equivalent of $4.00, I get 12 huge, delicious crispy cookies baked with red wine and glistening with sugar crystals.

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With not much of the market open, I realize I will have to return another day to finish my shopping and so I head out. Glancing at my watch, I realize, it’s “wine time”. This is perfect!  Nearby is a wine bar I’ve been wanting to try out. The little bar has a few tables and chairs out on the sidewalk. Securing a spot on this beautiful day, I pop my head indoors to let them know I’m out there and find an adorable basement wine bar filled with music paraphernalia and legs of prosciutto ready to be hand-carved. Passaguai prides itself on its use of local products, and so I order a wine from the Lazio region. Ever in need of a little munchie, I also order a plate of mixed bruschette and a bowl of olives. The olives are incredibly buttery and when the bruschette arrive, they are beautifully plated and delicious. The wine, a blend which includes the cesanese grape, is one I hope to learn more about on this trip. It is wonderful. My bill amazes me when I ask for it. Not by the expense of it, but by the lack of expense. Welcome back to Rome.

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As I head back to my dear friend’s apartment, I catch a glimpse of the sunset over St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. What truer sign is there that I am in Rome? I have been resurrected. 


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Who's up for some Chicken Wine?

9/10/2013

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I know….it doesn’t sound very appetizing, but thankfully I’m not talking about wine made from chickens.  (That would just be gross.)  I am talking about chickens on the label and chicken jugs. Okay, maybe I’m not making sense yet. Let me start over.

I drink a lot of wine. Am I making sense now? And coincidentally, two recent wines I really liked both featured chickens on the label. One was from Italy, and the other from the state of Washington; two of my favorite places for fantastic wine. And all that chicken labeling made me think about chicken jugs; one of my favorite ceramic pieces from Italy.
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Let’s start with the wine. The first one was a primitivo from Puglia, Italy. It comes from Primaterra Wines.  I consider this a real bargain find; one of those wines I call a “case buy”.  No, I haven’t bought a case though I probably should have, as we’ve gone through several bottles already, and I must admit to having a couple more waiting in my wine rack. It was about $10 and for that price, it really delivers. It’s nicely balanced making it an easy sipper. It goes well with food, but doesn’t Need food for it to taste good. I taste the bold and dark berry flavors I love; but it’s not too fruity. It has an alcohol content of 14.5%, so watch out, but really, it’s just delicious and at this price point, it could be my “house” wine.


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The second wine with a chicken (well, on second glance, it’s actually a rooster) on the label was a syrah from Jones of Washington http://www.jonesofwashington.com.  It was one of the wines I poured at The Bite event in Portland last month and was featured by The Pacific Northwest Wine Club http://www.pnwc.com. It’s a nice bold wine with lots of dark berry, oaky, and leathery flavors.  It too has a 14.5% alcohol level. (I seem to lean toward these for some reason.)  Its winery won the 2012 Winery of the Year award for Washington State. I love this wine for its complex flavor and lingering taste.

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Now as I said, these “chicken wines” made me think about my Italian chicken jug. Italy, widely known for its ceramics is home to the chicken wine jug. Supposedly the chicken wine jug came about way back in the mid 1400’s when the Medici family was the ruling family of Florence. One of the members of an opposing family wanted to murder one of the members of the Medici family.  When the assassins made their approach in the dark of night through a small village where the Medici family member had been attending a festival, the local chickens were awakened. They caused such a ruckus that the assassins were captured and received the fate originally intended for the Medici family member.  The end result is that the ruling family member was so pleased with the chickens that he ordered ceramic chicken jugs made to commemorate the event.  Since then, chicken jugs have been traditional gifts of good fortune and safekeeping……or so the story goes.

Do you enjoy Italian wines? Do you love Italian ceramics? Me too! Join me on a tour of Italy featuring food, wine…….and even chicken jugs if you’d like. Booking now for Spring/Fall 2014. Drop me a line and let’s talk about your trip: [email protected]
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    Italophile......
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    According to Webster's, if you are "friendly to or favoring what is Italian", you are one! Interested in Italy?  Me too! Follow my ramblings and recipes if so inclined.  I'll try to visually capture memories of Italy and share some of my favorite recipes.  Want the real flavor of Italy though?   Then.....let me take you there.

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