My trip to research new itineraries for my clients continues into southern Tuscany. Pienza will be my home base for the next three nights as I return to favorite haunts and explore new discoveries the area has to offer. Between Rome and Pienza, there is a lot to see. My first stop was at the Parco dei Mostri or Monster Park in Bomarzo. This fascinating little side trip, seemingly in the middle of nowhere is only an hour north of Rome, and makes for a great spot to stop and stretch your legs. The “garden” is a shady stroll through a “sacro bosco” or Sacred Woods. Around every turn of the path, appear gigantic statues and sculptures carved from the local stones. These mythological and fanciful creations are amazing in proportion and number. The garden was created in the 1500’s, fell into disrepair and the monsters lay in wait, hiding under overgrown greenery for 300 years. It was rediscovered in the 1930’s and developed into a park in the 1950’s. Today, an entry fee ensures its upkeep. It is an interesting and surreal stop. Next stop: Bagnoregio, a city like no other. Bagnoregio has been called a dying town, but really it is far from that. It is uniquely situated on a rocky promontory which can only be reached by footbridge. (Be prepared for an uphill trek.) The city is now charging an entry fee, as they should, to help pay for the work (such as retaining walls) to keep this town alive. And alive, it is. Though it is very small, on this beautiful, cool fall day, several eateries were operating and filled with lunch time patrons. We in fact, had a really enjoyable lunch with sausages and veg cooked over the open fireplace, along with a mixed bruschetta platter to start. So delicious. After lunch, a stroll was in order. It doesn't take long to stroll the short side streets and take in the beautiful views to be had from nearly every dead-end street, and in a town like this, yes, they are all dead-end streets. Pienza is one of my favorite places in all of Tuscany. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the way the city was designed back in the mid 1400’s. The hotel I love to stay at has windows which open to a stunning panoramic view of the Val d’Orcia. When I wake up here each morning, the first thing I do is throw the windows open and lean out the windowsill. The view is the definition of Tuscan countryside. Small, and completely walkable, Pienza’s tiny side streets are charming and filled with eateries and great shopping. Pienza is Cheese Central; home to Pecorino, one of the most delicious and essential of Italian cheeses. This is also Honeyland, with so many varieties to choose from, it makes my head buzz. (Get it? Buzz….bees….honey?) Pienza is also located between Montalcino and Montepulciano, two of the best known towns for wine. It never ceases to amaze me in Italy; no matter how small a town is, there is never a shortage of great food and wine. What better place to stay while exploring this area of Tuscany? Join me, won’t you….on a future trip to Italy? Let’s explore lower Tuscany together. The towns prominently listed in guidebooks are wonderful, but so are all the great places off-the-beaten-track. Let me take you there.
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Every time I see the Amalfi Coast, it never fails to take my breath away. There’s something about the small towns which seem to rise out of the sea and climb their way up the side of the mountain, the crystal clear waters dotted with colorful fishing boats bobbing about, the waves of beautiful purple bougainvillea clinging to the sides of precariously perched buildings. Everything is clinging; hanging on for dear life……kind of like me, while driving on the Amalfi Coast. Driving on the Amalfi Coast is not for the faint of heart. It’s more for the thrill-seeking personality. There are wonderful local buses which can transport you between the charming little towns. I have been on them. They can be crowded and carsick-inducing, and I’m just impatient enough to not want to operate on their schedule so, the car it is. The drive is best done with two people. The passenger becomes adept at quickly rolling down the window and pulling in the side mirror moments before it scrapes a rocky outcropping or another car half parked in the lane of traffic. The passenger’s job is also to disembark and stop traffic so the driver can maneuver into an impossible parking spot whereby the passenger then uses ridiculous hand signals to “help” the driver. It’s a lot of work, but this coastal drive is so worth it. It has the most amazing views. The serpentine coastline winds its way around vertical towns; the sparkling ocean ever-present in the background. And once you arrive at each little town, there is so much to see. Even if you are not there during beach-going season, there are still lots of things to do. There are beautiful churches, adorable shops, little museums, pretty piazzas, and miles of potential walking to admire the view. And of course there is always the food….. Naturally, seafood is at its best here. There are amazing mixed grill platters, and pastas made with all sorts of fish. But don’t forget to have some locally made Limoncello; the sweet lemon liqueur the area is so famous for. Actually, you won’t be able to forget, as it is offered most everywhere you go! Best of all, you never gain weight as there is no way to get around all the walking you’re going to have to do. There’s very little flat surface; you’re either going uphill or downhill.....all the time. The Amalfi Coast is a stunningly beautiful place, worthy of a portion of your trip to Italy. You won’t be able to get enough of the scenery. When you set eyes upon it for the first time, be sure to drink it in because once you see it, you won’t be able to forget it and you’ll want to return again and again and……. Drop me a line at irene@bellagiornatatours.com Let’s talk about your future trip to Italy. I can’t wait. Can you? After two days “off” for cooking lessons (which I will blog about another day), I’m on the road again, (Oct. 7) eager to explore the archaeological site of Paestum. I am on a mission to develop new itineraries in Campania. I have a lot of territory to cover in an amount of time which increasingly seems to be not long enough. Paestum is located at the southern end of the famed Amalfi Coast. During the years I lived in Rome, trips to the Amalfi Coast were frequent treats, but somehow a visit to Paestum eluded me. Today, that error is thankfully rectified. Founded by the Greeks around 600 BC, Paestum (then called Poseidonia) had an ideal position. Located near waterways, trade routes and fertile soils; it thrived and three stunning Doric temples were constructed. In later years, it was taken over by the Romans who renamed it Paestum, and added many more features such as baths, an amphitheatre and a forum. In AD 877, the city was destroyed by invading Saracens and its citizens fled to escape not only the invaders, but also malaria. Flash forward to the 18th century, when the overgrown city was rediscovered, and today its isolated setting makes for a wonderful and very special sightseeing destination. Above, on the left is the Temple of Ceres. On the right, you see the Temple of Neptune in the foreground and the Temple of Hera in the background. We visited Paestum on a day which threatened rain that never materialized. Regardless of blue sky, or cloudy, it was hard to take a bad picture in this most beautiful of settings. I would hate for you to think that I went a whole day without indulging in some delicious food and wine. And so I leave you with a few pictures from lunch: Lunch today is a simple meat and cheese platter. I am after all, in the land of Buffalo Milk Mozzarella and you can see by the milkiness of the cheese how fresh it is. As luck would have it, I am also in the land of Aglianico wine; a new found favorite of mine. This inexpensive "house wine" is perfect for the moment. And every meal should be topped off with a perfect espresso. We found one at nearby Bar Museo where the excellent barista also gave us a free sample of fig liqueur. Ahh......Italy. Join me in 2014! Let's explore the Amalfi Coast together. Stay tuned for upcoming blogs as I make my way up the coast...... 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 :) 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! 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! 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......... ........and stroll the path of trees growing surreally from the rocks. At the end of the path is a set of winding stone steps......... .......and when you come to the top, you finally get your first phenomenal view of the monastery built into the side of the mountain. 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. 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. At this point, I know you think all I do is eat. You would be wrong. I also love to shop for food and take pictures of food. The most popular food market in Rome is at Campo dei Fiori. It is a lovely market, very centrally located, but quite touristic and on the expensive side. The food market I take you to on my tours, on the other hand, takes a bit of knowledge to get to, but is cheaper, bigger, has much more variety and is shopped mainly by locals. This market is a little bit out of the way, thereby not really making it onto the A-list of tourist activities. However, EVERY time I am in Rome, I am careful to leave enough time for a stop here. Not only do I have favorite booths to return to for my personal food shopping, but I am also sure to capture some really wonderful food photos. It is early October after all, so pumpkins and porcini mushrooms are all over the place. Porcini mushrooms have a relatively short season, so when they’re ready, everyone is mad for them. They have a rich, deep, earthy flavor and are delicious grilled. At this time of year though, you will find them on everything including pizza, in pasta sauces, and in risottos. Tis the season for mushrooms and they are for sale in every market and along many country roadsides. I love buying pumpkin or zucca in Italy. What is so wonderful about buying pumpkin you ask? It is the fact you don’t have to buy the whole darn thing! Every veg vendor sells pumpkin by the piece. He proudly displays a beautiful pumpkin and you tell him how much you want by weight, or better yet, with hand gestures to say you want a piece “this big”. Pumpkin here is grilled, or chopped to make risottos and to fill pastas among many other recipes. This way, you can make a pumpkin recipe, but you don’t end up eating pumpkin for every meal for the next two weeks. You buy just the amount you need. Genius. Another food item often sold by weight, is salad. Italian food markets are great about doing some of the prep work for you. They sell artichokes already trimmed, green beans already stringed, veg chopped for minestrone soup, etc. But these items are not pre-done and shrink wrapped. There’s someone in each booth doing it as the day goes along. Your purchases are freshly prepared. Such is the case with salad. Mixtures of various greens, and in this case carrots and radishes are prepped just ahead of your purchase. You choose how much you would like to buy. You can ask for a certain euro amount, or you can ask by weight. Genius. There are lots of items which can be purchased by weight. This particular booth sells all kinds of beans and lentils. In addition, they sell a wide variety of rices. It’s like shopping the bulk section in a U.S. grocery store. The difference is they can tell you where every grain comes from and if it was grown organically, as well as give you ideas for preparing them. This is the joy of having a real person who is completely knowledgeable about the items they are selling rather than making your bulk purchases from a spigot. There are so many items at this market that I Love. There is a man who offers tastes of porchetta or pork roast. One of my favorite booths has such a bargain on pecorino cheese. For me, it’s worth bringing a whole wheel back to the U.S.! On this trip I also bought delicious cookies baked with red wine, yummy slices of candied ginger, and dried chestnuts to add to my soups and stews when I return home. I could spend a whole day here. But, I do have other things on my agenda. Like visiting with old friends and meeting for a fabulous lunch. Welcome to my old neighborhood; Monti. It’s such a familiar haunt to me; I love just strolling the streets stopping in at favorites spots and looking for new changes. In fact, I had invited my friends to join me at my favorite pizza spot, only to disappointedly find it closed for the day. No worries. Monti is filled with fantastic eateries. We find another just a very short distance away and have a delicious lunch filled with seasonal favorites. We all decide to order several appetizers rather than having the usual pasta. My first appetizer is grilled pumpkin topped with a slice of grilled prosciutto which is garnished with a creamy gorgonzola concoction. With each bite of pumpkin and prosciutto, I have a little nibble of gorgonzola. The combination of slightly sweet pumpkin, salty meat and the strong gorgonzola is really delicious. Next up are small local peppers which have been grilled, sliced open, and filled with a creamy mixture of fresh ricotta and pancetta. Smoky, crunchy, creamy, Heavenly. Last of all a deep fried combo of artichoke pieces and calamari. The breading is very light and very crispy. Inside, the artichokes are perfectly cooked and the calamari tender. I will return. Yes, I will. Once again, I know you must think all I do is eat. But as it happens, after lunch comes dinner. What's a girl to do? This is the cycle of life….thank goodness. There is a restaurant I have been dying to try and somehow when I want to eat out, there is always a good friend willing to accompany me. My friend and I share three dishes: 1) An incredible pasta made with pistachios and guanciale. Seriously intense, seriously delicious. I will be trying to recreate this dish once I return home. It will be a matter of rendering the fat from the guanciale which is the cured jowl of a wild boar, and adding ground pistachios and ground pecorino…something to that effect. When I get it right, I’ll write a blog post about it. Until then….it’s a lovely memory. 2) A lamb stew. My friend, who is of Italian descent, proclaims the dish just like the one her mother used to make. Hurray for authenticity! 3) And last, but not least, cicoria ripasatta. Cicoria is simply chicory. And I do mean simply. The beauty of Italian contorni or side dishes lies in their simplicity. The chicory has been boiled to tenderness, then cooked again on the stovetop. It is sautéed with garlic, a fair amount of olive oil and maybe a bit of red pepper flakes. Chicory can be bitter, but cooking it this way mellows it; the olive oil makes it tender; the garlic and red pepper flake give it a little kick. Simple genius. And so ends Rome, Day 3. I have two weeks to go. More food, more wine, more beautiful sights on the horizon. Stay tuned......Day four is filled with art. Day two of my trip to Italy is devoted to old friends who like me, share a passion for food. My dear friend Wendy Holloway runs a bed and breakfast/cooking school called Flavor of Italy. Whenever I’m in town, my friends and I gather in her wonderful kitchen in the countryside of Riano outside Rome for a day of cooking and camaraderie. Holly Magazzino and Thelma Gambino join us for a full day of cooking, laughter, eating, joking, drinking, yakking and more eating and drinking. But before catching the train to Wendy’s house, I must have the classic Italian breakfast; a cappuccino and a cornetto. When breakfasting at home, most Italians make a stovetop espresso and add hot milk sans foam. But when having breakfast out, a cappuccino is a must. And if one is indulging in a fancy cappuccino, why not include a lovely cornetto? These pastries are usually brushed with a light sugar coating, and good ones are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and served warm and fresh. Sigh. At Wendy’s, we plan on making three dishes: Ravioli Caprese, Torta Caprese and Cacio è pepe. To start we make the Ravioli Caprese as it is a little time consuming to make the dough and filling. Wendy makes a basic tomato sauce that is so flavorful and simmers atop the stove while we take turns rolling out the dough until it’s so thin we can see the pattern of her marble counters through it. We make a filling of two kinds of cheese combined with lots of fresh marjoram, and make what seems like an overabundance of ravioli (though we manage to consume most of them). In addition to the ravioli, we also make Cacio è Pepe. This is one of my favorite classic Roman pastas whose preparation has simply eluded me. Wendy shows us how to “toss” the cheese into the pasta rather than stir it in as I have been doing. Last of all, we create a most delicious and decadent Torta Caprese; a cake made with ground almonds rather than traditional flour, and lots of deep, dark chocolate. It has crispy edges and a gooey innards. We all moan as we take our first bite. Eventually, after much chatting and laughter, we decide we can finally indulge in some dinner. But it is going to have to be a light dinner after such a heavy lunch. We head to a nearby restaurant where we order nothing but vegetables cooked expertly over wood-fired coals. We start with tomato bruschetta. The cook creates wood coals on the right side of his grill and shovels them beneath the cooking grate as the evening wears on. He grills our bread, drizzles it with olive oil, and tops it with nice fresh tomato slices and a sprinkle of salt. So simple. So delicious. We also order grilled radicchio and grilled porcini mushrooms. The in-season vegetables are smoky, tender/crispy and oh-so-delicious. Again….So simple. So delicious. Day two comes to an end after twelve hours in each other’s company. We are tired and full, but rejuvenated by our time together. The four of us realize for the first time that we span four decades, and yet somehow, we have so much in common and enjoy each other’s company immensely. Another day in Rome; another day well spent.
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. 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! 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. 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. 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. 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. What can I say? Sometimes, I am just a lucky girl. Recently, I was given the opportunity to observe, taste and pour wine at two cooking demonstrations given by Chef David Burke. And to top it off…it was my birthday! It was really a wonderful way to start my special day. During the first demo, I was given a beautiful taste test of each dish Chef Burke created. His first dish was scrambled eggs with lobster served in an egg shell. In his restaurants, he serves this dish in giant ostrich egg shells but for the purposes of this demo, and to show us what an appetizer portion looks like, he served the dish in regular egg shells. After showing us clever ways to remove the tops of eggshells, he spooned in a mixture of lobster meat and eggs which had been scrambled with chives and tomatoes. The finished dish was topped with crème fraiche and a dab of caviar. The presentation was beautiful and the dish itself absolutely delicious. There’s nothing like lobster, and it paired perfectly with the eggs, caviar and crème fraiche. Dish number two featured his housemade Gravlax. He cures the salmon with molasses and spices. Thin slices were wrapped around pretzel sticks to make for ease of eating. The crunchy sticks with the soft melt-in-your-mouth salmon was really heavenly. Alongside was a little frisee salad which had been drizzled with mustard oil, mustard seeds and most interesting of all….fried capers! Then came the main course, and oh, what a course it was: Braised short ribs on a bed of polenta. The polenta was different than any I had eaten before in that he adds fresh corn kernels along with lots of pepper jack cheese. The fresh corn gave the polenta great texture, but the cheese gave it a nicely seasoned, slightly spicy flavor. This polenta definitely had an American flavor rather than the Italian flavor I’m used to. He seasoned his boneless short ribs with coffee and unsweetened cocoa powder before pan searing them and then braising them in an Asian inspired marinade for several hours. When served, they were moist and so tender. They made me swoon…..really. And last, but not least, dessert. We were treated to a grilled pepper pineapple tort. It was very unique, interesting and bursting with flavor. He seasons pineapple slices with freshly ground black pepper before grilling them. Then he creates a tower of fresh strawberries sandwiched between two grilled pineapple rings. He fills the center with either ice cream or whipped cream. But here’s the best part: Chef Burke made an incredible syrup from fresh red bell peppers! What?! I know….I was amazed too. In a saucepan, he combined diced red bell peppers with lots of sugar and apple juice. This reduces down into a delicious and beautiful syrup which he drizzled over the entire dessert. Perfection. After consuming all these wonderful dishes, and receiving a cookbook signed by Chef Burke, I moved on to a second demonstration. At this event, Chef Burke was preparing similar dishes for a different, bigger audience. The wine shop I work at was responsible for providing and pouring wines to pair with each dish. For this audience, he made a gazpacho soup which Stu Levine, our owner paired with a choice of rosè or dry sherry. Chef Burke then served his braised short ribs with polenta again (which I ate again…don’t tell), and we poured one of my favorite wines in the shop; the Arcangelo primitivo. Lastly, we served a sweet dessert wine with the pineapple/strawberry dessert. All the featured wines are available from Vino 100 http://www.vino100whiteplains.com The audience really enjoyed themselves (as did I!), and lapped up all the food and wine. Thank you to Chef David Burke, Stu Levine, owner at Vino 100…..and Happy Birthday to me! Chef David Burke puts the finishing touches on his Grilled Peppered Pineapple Torte. Ah, summertime….time for fun in the sun, time to head to the beach. If you are in Italy, watch out! You might get run over trying to get there. Life on an Italian beach is distinctly different from beach time in the U.S. in many ways: For one thing, Italians tend to head to the beach in droves during the summer. Sun worshipers all seem to get vacation at the same time, and peak summer months mean peak crowds at popular beach destinations. When I lived there, I enjoyed quiet beach time by going in late May through the first week of July and again in early September; times when the weather was still fantastic, but the crowds significantly thinner. When the rest of Italy headed to the beach for the bulk of July and August, I would head to the hill towns of Umbria for cool breezes and cool evenings. Another difference is that many Italian families stay at the beach for long periods of time….as in the whole summer. As long as the kids are on break from school, many Italian moms rent summer apartments along the beaches for extended stays. Dad comes and joins the family on weekends and for the couple of weeks he can get off for vacation. One of the joys of beach life in Italy is not only can you rent a beach apartment; you can actually rent part of the beach! Families reserve and pay in advance for the requested number of chaise lounge chairs and beach umbrellas in a specific “row” of sand. The beach is sectioned off into parcels, each managed by different (usually family) businesses. Each beach manager has different colored umbrellas and offers an array of services. When you pay for your chaise lounger and umbrella, you also get to use that particular beach parcel’s restroom, changing room, outdoor shower and have access to their restaurant/bar. When you reserve a beach spot, it’s yours for the day. If you want to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch, or go back to your apartment and cool off for a while, no problem. You can leave your towels and other non-valuables, as the beach manager knows this spot is reserved for you, and will not allow anyone else to take it. I have been to beaches which appear nearly empty, but there are no spaces available. It’s because maybe its lunch time, and everyone has gone off to eat, but the beach spots still belong to them. In fact, some families rent these beach spaces for the whole summer, ensuring they will always have a spot even if there are days they don’t go to the beach at all. Beach shopping. Who knew there was such a thing? But yes, in Italy the shopping comes to you…..on the beach! What can you buy? All manner of items and services. For starters, you can get a nice back or leg massage. Soon, someone pushing a cart with an incredible array of beach toys will come ambling along. Before long, someone else will stop by, selling beach towels and various swimsuit cover-ups in case you've forgotten yours or just want a new look. Then of course someone wants you to buy sunglasses. Or how about some pretty jewelry? And we are talking about Italy, so there is food for sale as well. Really refreshing things like watermelon slices or freshly cracked coconut meat. If you see a man carrying a bucket and yelling “cocomero!” grab some coins and run after him! And speaking of food……as I mentioned earlier, each parcel of beach has its own bar/restaurant. I have had some incredible meals at these places. There’s one in particular I love on the Amalfi Coast. When the sun has become too much to bear, dart over the hot sand, rinse your feet in the outdoor shower, and have a seat in the open-air restaurant. There’s always amazing melon with prosciutto which is so refreshing. If you’re lucky, mama’s in the back today pulling her delicious eggplant parmesan out of the oven. It. Is. So. Good. Or maybe you’d like some incredibly fresh fish, or a seafood salad. Everything is served on beautiful ceramic plates….on the beach! The house wine is delicious (and comes in an equally charming ceramic carafe) and the people are so, so nice.
As I said, these are mostly family affairs. Dad’s over in the corner playing cards with his buddies. Mama’s in the kitchen. Two brothers are serving food and drink. One of their sons is putting umbrellas up and down and setting chairs out on the sand. And every one of them has a smile on their face. They love their jobs. Please. We’re on the Amalfi Coast. The sun is shining. The water is sparkling. Tan bodies flip like fish in a frying pan. Smell ripe melons, salt air and sunscreen. There is fabulous food and wine on the table. And all around you happy people are speaking Italian. What’s not to love? Travel with me and Bella Giornata Tours. Let’s experience a sparkling day on the beach somewhere along the Amalfi Coast. Join me in 2014. You set the dates. Early summer and early fall are best. Let's go alla spiaggia! A friend of mine recently told me about a great dinner he had cooked for him and his wife that was so delicious, yet simple. Though he is not Italian, his basic list of ingredients had so many familiar Italian components to it; I decided to give it a try. He basically used onions, peppers, sausage, chickpeas and tomatoes. I changed the recipe up a bit based on what I had in my refrigerator at the time. Here’s your list of ingredients: Olive oil 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 2 sweet Italian sausages 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed A glug of white wine 1 28-32 oz can of whole Italian plum tomatoes in puree Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning Bread slices and a garlic clove (optional) Let's get started! Set a large skillet on the stove and add a swirl of olive oil to it. Set your burner to med/hi. Add the chopped peppers, onions, celery and minced garlic. Sauté to wilt the vegetables. With your knife, make a slit through the casing of the sausages, enabling you to quickly remove and discard the casing. Crumble the sausage meat into the skillet with the vegetables and continue to sauté to brown the sausage. Season with a little salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Add the drained chickpeas to the skillet when the sausage has browned. (I always rinse and drain my canned beans. This washes away the salty liquid, enabling me to season the dish to my liking.) Add a glug of white wine, and let the mixture cook to evaporate the wine. Add in the tomatoes, giving each one a good squeeze to release its juices. (I love this part! Yes, sometimes, I squirt the stove, or me…but that’s why they make cute aprons.) Taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Simmer the whole shebang for about 10 minutes, and you’re done! At the last minute, I decided to serve my “stew” over bruschetta. I quickly toasted some bread, rubbed it with a raw garlic clove, and placed it in the bottom of my soup bowl. I drizzled some good olive oil over the bread before ladling my stew over the top. It was a wonderful, hearty and delicious one-pot meal. My delicious dinner came out the consistency of stew. When my friend, Zvi makes it, it’s more like soup. You could certainly add more tomatoes and some water. You could also change this up with whatever you have in the frig. I think it would be great with chopped spinach, diced carrots, leeks, or even cubes of zucchini. Thanks for the idea Zvi!
Oh, and don’t forget to wash it down with something delicious. In this case, a lovely bottle of Aglianico from Villa Matilde Rocca dei Leoni in Campania, available from www.vino100whiteplains.com Sigh. |
Italophile......
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