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Enoteca Giampiccol0: A Charming Wine Find in Rome

4/22/2015

I love writing about the person behind the product. In this case actually, it’s not so much the product, but the business. The person is Fabio Giampiccolo, and the business is his charming little enoteca on a tiny Roman side street.

Is his stock of wine the largest in the city? No, not by a long shot. So why feature Fabio? Simply put, because his enoteca is stocked with great wine, and he wants to talk to you about it. His selection is curated by him, representing his picks for the best regional wines in Italy. We are not talking about the most popular wines, but the wines, often from small producers that just simply taste good.

There’s something else you get at Fabio’s enoteca besides good wine. You get Fabio. Fabio loves to talk wine, and has the knowledge to back up the talk. So if you go, I suggest planning to stay for more than a few minutes. Fabio can speak to the wine because he drinks the wine, and with a small collection, he’s able to speak about each one.

For thirteen years, Fabio was a chef in London and Rome. During that time, he studied and worked hard to become a sommelier. He got his certification in 2002, and that lovely, hard-earned diploma hung in the dark of his closet for 10 years. Fabio in the meantime was patiently waiting…and dreaming…of the day he would have a place of his own where he would be able to showcase his passion for wine.

That dream came true about three years ago when he and his family took over the current space and made this shop their own. This has to be one of the easiest little shops to overlook in Rome. It’s on a very quiet, tiny side street (Via dei Cappuccini, 29) between Via Veneto and Via Sistina. Its small cork-lined entrance is actually the top of a short flight of stairs which lead down into the shop/cellar.

And what do you find down there? A tiny shop filled to the absolute brim with Fabio’s picks of wines and spirits. It’s amazing that such a tiny space can have so much to offer. While I was there recently chatting and sipping an excellent offering of small production pinot grigio, we were interrupted frequently (good for Fabio!) by customers. Along with selling wine and spirits to them, the various customers were also given: plastic wine glasses so they could enjoy their wine in their hotel room, offers of his favorite limoncello, and restaurant recommendations for tasty meals nearby. So, you see Fabio is much more than a wine-seller. He truly loves talking to his customers…about everything.

I asked him if he had a wine cellar at home. A big sigh emerged from his lips. “No. It’s like a driver of a Formula 1 racecar….who goes home to a simple car. The Italians have a saying about how the son of a shoemaker goes around with no shoes. That’s me. I know I should, and I want to, but….”

One of the reasons Fabio has not made the investment in his own wine cellar is because of the family’s next business venture. They have just acquired the very small space directly next door to the wine shop, and hope to open it any day now (in fact, it may be open by this time). The space is going to feature the best meat and cheese platters and wine by the glass. With Fabio’s background as a chef, he’s equally picky about the food he’s planning on serving.

Making this investment of time and money in this economy has been very stressful. “Why do it?” I asked. “To help people find a good product; good and real food products. Sometimes people don’t have time for a long lunch. I want to let them spend 30 minutes or an hour in another world. It’s like making love with food. Life is emotion; sometimes we cry when we see a work of art. Sometimes, food reminds us of our childhood. I want people to make a relationship, in that moment, with the food.”

The new space is not going to be a high-brow wine bar. It’s meant to be a space where locals who work nearby can pop in for a quick and delicious lunch. In the evening, a pre-dinner or light dinner nibble and nosh will be available. There’s no touristy piazza to hang out in. There’s no bubbly fountain nearby. Just delicious cured meats, local cheeses and fabulous wine….and very few tables. Sounds pretty wonderful, don’t you think?

Next time you’re in Rome, I highly recommend you stop by the charming enoteca and chat with the charming Fabio. Tell him I sent you. Or better yet, let’s go together. Join me on a tour, and we can stop in for lunch and a tasty glass. We can meet Fabio and see that lovely hard-earned sommelier certificate which has come out of the dark closet to hang proudly above the cash register. Drop me a line at irene@bellagiornatatours.com and let’s start planning your next wine adventure in Italy.

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Meet Claudio Riso

4/17/2015

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One of my personal passions is seeing how things are made. Regular readers know I love food and wine. Nothing pleases me more than spending an afternoon at a winery or an olive oil mill or with a cheese producer. But I love seeing how anything is made; whether it be a pencil or pasta. And this is one of my favorite things about Italy: It is so easy to see how things are made! A walk through one of my favorite neighborhoods in Rome will take me past an upholsterer, a man who makes custom picture frames, some fabulous seamstresses, jewelry designers and artists. What is so wonderful is there they all are, sitting in their shops, actually making their products. A casual stroll becomes a learning experience. It’s like a living museum. This isn’t true to just Rome. It’s true to all of Italy.

I was recently in the beautiful town of Lecce located in Puglia, the “heel” of the “boot” of Italy. Lecce really has it all: Beautiful archaeological ruins located in the heart of the town, elegant Baroque buildings, delicious food and wines, and wonderful people. A stroll through the historic center took me past several artisanal shops. One in particular caught my eye.

I was enticed in by the display of disembodied body parts, and the interesting statue, made of straw in the entry. I was about to enter into the world of Claudio Riso. Claudio’s workshop is where he creates amazing works of art from…..paper. Paper Mache to be more precise.

Claudio and his small crew of artisans make two distinctly different types of sculptures, but they all start the same way. Firstly, he makes large religious statues which are ordered by churches and others who simply want a sacred figure in their presence. When I was there, they were packing up a life size figure of Christ on the cross in a specially built crate to be sent to a church. When I realized how prevalent his Paper Mache figures were, I started taking a second look at all the “statues” in Lecce’s churches. Sure enough, so many of them were actually Paper Mache!

The second type of sculpture he creates are small figures from everyday peasant life. These figures are often placed in a diorama type setting, and represent the history of the area. Every bit of the diorama is made by hand, and often by corresponding art specialists. For example, a kitchen scene might have real miniature ceramic pots and little brass cooking pans all made by local artisans. A fishing scene will have fishing nets made by area fishermen. Wood carvers are employed to make certain bits. Everyone and everything has its place.

Whether he is creating a large religious sculpture or a small diorama scene, the human figures begin the same way. A core of iron wire is lined with straw, and wrapped tightly with string. This “figure” can be posed as need be. Someone’s job is to make nothing but little terra cotta heads, hands and feet which are mounted on the figures. Now, we are finally ready for the Paper Mache to clothe the figures. Special paper soaked in flour glue is wrapped, pressed and formed to create the main body of the figure. After a drying process comes the painting and coloring. Voila! A very realistic human form has been created.

At one time in the history of Lecce, there were an abundance of Paper Mache artists. But as with many things, over time they disappeared. Claudio was apprenticed as a youngster to study this special process of Paper Mache, and now he has apprentices working with him. Claudio and his staff work hard not only to make these charming figures, but also to maintain this dying tradition.

It’s fascinating, isn’t it….to see an artisan at work….to witness the creation of something special by someone who is passionate about what they do? I can’t get enough of it. Come with me to Italy….to Puglia….to Lecce. There is so much to see and do there. We can go meet Claudio, watch him work, even have a lesson if we want to get our hands dirty. Drop me a line at irene@bellagiornatatours.com and let’s start planning your next trip to Italy.

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Puglia-First Impressions

3/16/2015

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I arrived to Puglia late at night, and upon arrival in Bari, we drove for an hour in darkness to finally arrive at the spot where we were to stay for the first portion of our trip. I was so excited because I had booked three nights in a trullo; a beautiful conical-roofed dwelling, typical to this part of Puglia. But when we finally got there, it was pitch black, and out in the countryside, there is very little in the way of street lighting. I would have to wait until morning to actually see my surroundings.

When morning came, it was such a pleasant surprise. The “neighborhood” was simply adorable. Our trullo was surrounded by others and each owner’s property was ringed by low walls made from the white rocks that had been cleared from the land. It being mid-March, winter was on the wane. The back patio was warm enough to have breakfast on, and from our private little terrace, we could watch the goings-on of the local people who were up much earlier, and hard at work long before we were.

Mid-March means spring is on the horizon. Animals are being born, gardens need tending, olive trees need pruning, and fields must be plowed. In fact many gardens were already in full swing, unbelievable compared to NY which I left still buried in snow. There were fields of cabbages, many leafy greens and artichokes galore growing nearby.

So, what were my main first impressions?

1) The trulli houses are simply amazing. The architectural style is just so unique. Someone told us the interior high ceilings acted like “dream catchers” to ward off nightmares. Some of the roofs are marked with mystical symbols, as it seems people from the area are quite superstitious. They remind me of little “hobbit” structures, and I have to keep pinching myself to remind myself that I’m not in some sort of fantasyland.

2) It’s incredibly green in March. Maybe it’s because I’ve come from snow coated New York, but it is amazingly green here. Field upon field of green is lined out with the never-ending white rock walls and pockmarked with the cones of the trulli houses. Beautiful.

3) As incredibly green as the fields are….the evening sky is just as incredibly blue. Sometimes, I see colors in nature, and think to myself this is what makes nature….nature. It’s the fact that there are these colors that are simply one-of-a-kind, uncopiable…..is that even a word? If I could have a sweater of that color, I would, but one doesn’t exist.

4) The parts of Puglia I have seen so far, are filled with the biggest (oldest) olive trees I have ever seen. They are heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and I can’t stop taking photos of them.

5) Food. Have I had good food yet? Please. It’s me talking. Of course, I’ve had good food. I’ve been impressed with the basic country-style of the food I’ve had so far. I’ve eaten a lot of beans and hearty greens. Some of the pastas have been brown with whole wheat, or green with spinach or basil. The texture of the pasta so far, has been a little heavier than I’m used to, and dishes have been really filling. I feel like I’m still eating winter fare. In addition, down by the ocean, I've had some Amazing seafood!

6) Wine. Have I had good wine yet? Please. It’s me talking. Of course, I’ve had good wine. I’ve been partaking of primitivo, negroamaro, aglianico and salice salentino (a blend), and falanghina, a lovely white. The only problem is I keep forgetting to take pictures of the bottles. Sorry.

So those are my very first impressions of Central Puglia. There is some much more to come. Every day brings new beautiful moments, more delicious food, and great wine. Stay tuned......

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A Special Dinner in Siena-Girogustando

12/15/2014

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This past October, I was lucky enough to stumble upon and attend a wonderful special event dinner in Siena. Girogustando basically means "tasting tour", and it is a very apt description. Local restaurants, invite chefs from other regions of Italy to cook a quattro mani or "with four hands". If you think having a dinner prepared by a great chef is wonderful, just think what it is like with two great chefs!

I already had plans for my tour group to have a wine tasting at Uccelliera winery, owned by Andrea Cortonesi. I love his wines, and knew my clients would enjoy them as well. When his cellarmaster, Agnes told me the winery also had a restaurant in the town of Siena itself, I knew I had to pay a visit.

Upon contacting Enoristorante Casato for a reservation, I was told, yes, there was room for me on the requested night, but that it was a special dinner with a set menu, and set price. Chef Cornelio told me all about Girogustando, and I realized I was one lucky girl to have called when I did. I was going to be in for a real treat!

Once there, I was in for three surprises:
One, when I knew two chefs would be collaborating, I assumed I would get one dish which the two of them had joined minds and hands on. But this was not to be the case. There were two appetizers; one prepared by each chef. There were two first courses, followed by two second courses.....you get my drift. Yes, I had to eat two desserts!
Two, as luck would have it, the chef who had been invited to join Chef Cornelio in the kitchen was from the region of Lazio; one of the areas I am most familiar with, and offer tours to. The pairing of wines meant I would have the opportunity to drink not only a lovely Brunello from Andrea Cortonesi, but also a wonderful Cesanese del Piglio.
And Third, Girogustando is more than just food as it turns out. It is not only about two chefs in the kitchen, it is about the meeting of culture and cuisine. On hand, to give little talks between the courses were an author and a painter. To be honest, I had a hard time catching it all with the language barrier, especially from the author. But the painter had his work on display that night, and it was quite lovely.

So, it begins.....We start with the appetizer on the left from the Lazio's Chef Oliviero. It's a skewer of cheese and pear wrapped in pancetta on a bed of fried, grated pumpkin with a sauce reduced from Cesanese wine. On the right, is the appetizer from Siena's Chef Cornelio. It's a tartare of Chianina beef with crunchy bits on top. Whew. (And there's so much more to go.)

I'm already feeling a bit full, so it's nice to have a few moments respite while the author gets a little interview from a local personality. Okay, here comes the first courses......

On the left, from Lazio are gnocchetto lungo or long gnocchi (but not potato based) with a ragu made from buffalo meat, and a pesto from wild chicory. The second pasta, on the right, is pici, a typical thick Tuscan pasta with a housemade hare sauce. I suppose the portions are a little smaller than usual, but it is still TWO portions of pasta. Okay, now I am officially full, so thank goodness we get to hear from the artist for a bit, before we move on to the second courses......

On the left, from Chef Oliviero is a lamb dish with cauliflower stewed in red wine and roasted potatoes. And on the right, from Chef Cornelio is a filet of Cinta Senese pork with porcini mushrooms. Seriously? I'm expected to eat both of these? Well, sometimes in the name of journalism, and business, one must make sacrifices. And....it's all so delicious. I don't really want to eat any more, but on the other hand, I can hardly stop myself.

I know dessert is coming, and it's hard to stifle my groaning. We get a little longer break here so we can have yet more wine, and a chance to get a closer look at the artwork.

Painting by Massimo Stecchi

Dessert arrives, and I have a moment of panic until I realize both desserts have arrived on a single plate to finish the meal. Thank goodness a second plate of dessert is not coming.

On the left from La Trattoria Consolare in Ferentino, Lazio is a tart made with ricotta cheese and chocolate with a pear caramel. And on the right from Il Casato Enoristorante, Siena is a layered pastry and cream dessert with white chocolate.

This is seriously the most full I've felt in a long time, and honestly, it takes away from the joy of the meal a little bit for me. However, having said that, the meal was absolutely stupendous.

I think both chefs did a fantastic job. The appetizers were so delicious, and I loved how in both of them, there was a great juxtaposition between sweet and savory, and crunchy and creamy textures. The sauces on both first courses were divine and neither tasted gamey at all. The texture of both pastas was perfection. The meats of the second courses were both so tender. I don't get to eat lamb or Cinta Senese pork very often, so it was a real treat to get both in one meal!

Chef Cornelio center, Chef Oliviero on the right.

I loved how the food was not only local to the regions, but also seasonal. The use of pears, pumpkin and porcini mushrooms was perfect for the time of year. Serving Cinta Senese pork and Chianina from Siena and buffalo meat from Lazio made perfect sense. And it was such a treat to have the meal paired with two regional wines. Cesanese wine can be so good, but in my opinion, it can also be hit or miss. It's a rising star, and this version of Cesanese del Piglio superiore from Perinelli was really delicious, especially for the pasta courses. Come time for the second courses, the Brunello from Andrea Cortonesi really shone bright; a perfect pairing.

This really was a meal made in heaven, and I was so lucky to be able to be a part of it. If you are ever in the regions of Lazio or Tuscany, I highly recommend you partake in a meal prepared by Chef Cornelio and/or Chef Oliviero. Or better yet, drop me an email. I'll organize a tour for you and be sure to include these restaurants as stops on our itinerary! Email me at: irene@bellagiornatatours.com

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All Good Wine Tours Must Come to an End, Unfortunately.

11/17/2014

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Well, what can I say? Today is the last day of the tour. How did this happen so fast?! We have seen, done, and tasted an amazing number of things. But....today is the last day of the tour!

We pack up the van for the last time, and make our way back to Rome. But as per usual, I want them to see and experience just a little bit more before they go home. It would be a shame to leave Umbria without a stop in Spoleto, and to top it off, it is simply a gorgeous day!

As usual, my goal in having my clients trek around these charming hill towns is to make them hungry for lunch, and today is no exception. The historic center of Spoleto can be very vertical. Combine that with the fresh air, sightseeing and shopping....and yes, we are ready for lunch! Good thing too, because we're in for a real treat. Today is our Farewell Lunch (sob, sob), so I've organized an elegant and fancy affair at Ristorante Apollinare. We will be in the hands of Chef Michele, who never fails to make me swoon with his delicious menus. Here's our starter. It is beyond amazing.
In Italian, Michele calls this, Tortino di zucchine con salsa di zucca gialla e fiore di zucca farcito di formaggio e tartufo, or in other words: Zucchini pie with pumpkin sauce and squash blossom stuffed with cheese and truffle. Yes. I know. You can't believe it either! The zucchini pie was so tender, the pumpkin sauce so flavorful, the zucchini blossom so fresh, and then you get hit with the cheese and truffles.....swoon. All I can think is, "This is only the beginning; please don't let it end."

I apologize for the poor pictures, but from left to right, we had, Frascarelli della nonna con crema di pomodoro e pesto di basilico, Filetto di vitello al timo con millefoglie di verdure and Crescionda spoletina agli amaretti e cioccolato con gelato alla vaniglia fatto in casa. So what does all that mean?
The first dish on the left is pasta with grandmother's cream of tomato and basil pesto. Then comes the most delicious and tender veal fillet with thyme and layers of vegetables. It was Amazing with a capital "A". For dessert, we had a local specialty of amaretti and chocolate with homemade vanilla ice cream. That one made my eyes roll back in my head. Seriously. Delicious. I think I simply will never be able to go to Spoleto without paying Chef Michele a visit.

And now that our Farewell Lunch is over, and we make our way back to Rome....it really is time to say goodbye. They take final pictures with our driver Christopher who has been by our side for the last ten days.

This group has been SO amazing. They have been funny and fun. They have appreciated everything they see, do and taste. It has been my honor to escort them about Italy. I will miss them; they were such a joy!

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Sausage and Black Celery Festival…..a great evening in Trevi

11/10/2014

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My clients have long come to realize that when they travel with me…..they eat well. Sometimes, I admit we eat too much, but we do eat well. Today, is no exception. We have a couple of great treats in store; a lovely lunch, a riotous wine tasting, and finally the unique treat of a Sausage and Black Celery Festival. Whew! But first, we need to build up an appetite. And what better way to do that, than with a few hours of shopping for ceramics!

We are in luck today because Marco, a member of the Gialletti Pimpinelli family is in the shop today and very willing to give us a tour. Though the artisans are not working (as it is a Sunday), he explains all the phases of ceramics making to us and shows us about the factory. He and his sister are the 3rd generation to be involved in the factory. His grandfather, (Gialletti) founded the company and his father, Graziano is the master ceramist.

True to form, shopping has made us hungry. We have an appointment for lunch at a lovely restaurant on the main piazza of the charming town of Bevagna. So many times, I have come here to find a fun event happening in the piazza, and today is no exception. There is a little craft and antiques fair going on, and I purchase a fun necklace. I love this town! It’s so small, but I always find something good to eat here, and best of all, it has one of my favorite wine shops. Today we’re dining at Ristorante delle Mura, recommended to me by Fabrizio Antano….of my favorite wine shop.

Lunch is delicious! Each person gets their own appetizer plate…..tooooo much! But so good. Then comes gnocchi. But this is no ordinary gnocchi. The sauce is made from Sagrantino wine, my fave! Again; too much, but so good. And lastly, three big silver tureens arrive to the table. Each is filled with the house recipe for wild boar stew. Oh. My. Goodness. I was wondering what that little special something was in there, and upon close inspection, I find a few tiny grapes in the stew. Unique and wonderful.

After lunch, we only have a short distance to stroll to reach my favorite wine shop. I’ve blogged about Fabrizio Antano’s shop before. It’s a great combination of truly wonderful wine, Fabrizio’s generous pours, and his wonderful personality. Today, we’re in for a special treat as Fabrizio’s friend Pino has decided to pay a visit as well. Pino is a great photographer whose most recent subject matter are the flowering fields of the plains of Castellucio. These fields of lentil plants in Umbria erupt into riotous color at certain times of the year. You can see Pino’s photos on canvas in the background of one of the photos.

After a little more time to explore the booths in the piazza in Bevagna, we load into the van and head to Trevi for a really unique and special treat. We happen to be in the area during the time of the annual Sagra di Salsicce e Sedano Nero, or the Sausage and Black Celery Festival. Everyone knows sausages are incredibly delicious in Italy, but Black Celery? In fact, the celery itself is not black; but the seeds that it grows from are. This particular celery, indigenous to this area, is quite hearty. It has a stronger flavor than the celery we are used to, and is denser, with less water content. The celery farmer below is the first place winner for this year's celery!

But there is more to this festival than sausages and celery. Though the festival goes on for the whole weekend, we have come on a special night. It is the night of the Scene Medievale or Medieval Scenes. The townspeople have cordoned off certain cobblestoned streets, and local actors dressed in period costumes, re-enact the history of Trevi in the streets. Though we have a hard time understanding the Italian actors (our translator is working madly in whispers), we are nonetheless entranced by the emotions displayed on the candlelit cobblestoned streets.

And when we have finished the nightwalk, we are just in time for our reservation at a pop-up taverna. These little restaurants aren’t open for the bulk of the year, but at special times, open up and serve delicious local food. Tonight, we have reservations at one that has received awards for its food. It’s a boisterous atmosphere. People are flush from watching live enacted battle scenes, and from drinking local wine.

We order toast covered in fresh ricotta drizzled with the famous local olive oil. Another toast arrives which is slathered in a sausage spread (This is the sausage fest, remember?) And best of all, we order stuffed black celery. It’s a little hard to describe, but the local celery is packed with a sausage, vegetable mixture, then baked and lastly slathered in a delicious, yet simple tomato sauce.

It is just so good, and the local wine served in terra cotta cups flows. The crowd is loud and casual. We are loud and casual. It is: So.Much.Fun. These are the experiences that simply can’t be replicated in the U.S. Everyone around us is speaking Italian; we are the only tourists in the building.

I’m dying for one of the adorable terra cotta cups and ask if I can buy one. “Just take it”, says the owner with a smile.

I don’t know about my clients, but I am so happy. (Actually, I know my clients were pretty happy too.)

It's been a long day, we've done so many fun things, and had lots of wonderful food. But.....this is a sausage festival after all.

So on our way out of town, a couple of my clients decide they really must taste a grilled sausage sandwich from Trevi's piazza.

Good for them. My kind of people!

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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.

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.

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.)

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.

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!

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.

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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A Wild Way to Start the Day....

10/31/2014

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Yesterday, I let everybody off the hook easy. Today, we're going to ramp it up a bit. In fact, we're going to get everyone's juices flowing by starting the day with a wild cage ride!

The beautiful hill town of Gubbio has had these "birdcage" rides forever. They are so fun! There are two circles painted on the platform. One person stands in each. As the cage approaches the first circle, the attendant swings open the door, and the first person hops on while the cage is still moving. Then the second person hops aboard, the attendant slams the door shut, and you're off!

The ride takes you up the mountain side for spectacular views over Gubbio and the surrounding countryside. The trip is quite vertical, and today, it's quite windy. But my intrepid crew is ready for the adventure!

Ok, we're all on board. Up, up and away we go!

The ride up is exciting and exhilirating and the views are spectacular!

The view on our way up.

The view of the historic center of Gubbio.

We're about to arrive at our destination at the top of the mountian.

It's a blustery day, so we just take time for a few photos and a look about before heading back down.

Back down to earth from our ride, our driver drops us off in the historic center of Gubbio. The group now has a little free time to walk around and explore this beautiful hill town before we meet up for lunch.

The troops begin to gather....it must be time to eat! We are trying out a new lunch spot today, and we are so glad we did!

Lunch was outstanding and the service was really grand. We fell in love with our waiter Marcello who was just such a nice man. And to top it off, the owner of the restaurant himself, Ulise, came out and spent a lot of time talking to us about truffles. He was so passionate about his ingredients, his food, his restaurant....really lovely. And...the food was delicious!

Gubbio has been so fun and treated us well, but it is time to move on. We're on our way to the Eurochocolate Festival (Yes, can you believe there even is such a thing?!) in Perugia, but we have a quick stop to make on the way.

We'll be stopping at Frantoio Trampolini, an olive oil mill where we will have a chance to see how the oil is made, as well as have a taste. Antonio Trampolini, the patriarch of the family shows us an old mill stone, explaining how the olives used to be crushed in years past. Then he takes us inside to see the modern equipment used today.

And now it's time to taste the oil. First we are offered a taste of the oil from last year's harvest. It's delicious, but then Antonio gives us some great news. Though it is early, just yesterday, they crushed a small amount of olives. So......we are so lucky to be able to test the freshly pressed oil! You can see (and taste!) the difference between last year's oil and the new oil. Delicious!

Luckily, we arrive early....on the first day of the festival, really just as it is getting underway. I have been to this festival in years past when it has been so crowded as to be nearly unbearable. But this evening is perfect...we go our separate ways, strolling, ogling the chocolate, tasting the chocolate, buying the chocolate......

After lots of purchases and hugs goodbye, we pile back into the van and make the very short trip to Perugia for the EuroChocolate Festival.

We're headed back to Spello now to end our day with a lovely dinner and more fantastic wine from Umbria. So I leave you with this final photo of the day, taken from the top of Perugia looking back over the countryside as the sun is going down.

We've had a long and very productive day. The back of the van is filled with olive oil, chocolate and other purchases made during the day. Ahhh.....Italy. Sigh.

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A Day in Assisi

10/28/2014

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After last night's gigantic wine tasting dinner, I thought it best to start off slow this morning :)
Everyone gets a chance to sleep in if they'd like, or to explore their new town, Spello on their own for the morning. There are no committments until noon when it's time to climb back into what has become affectionately known as the "clown car". You know what "noon" means, don't you? Yes, that's right....it's time for lunch!

Our lunch today is at a favorite place just outside of Assisi. The building itself used to be used to house animals way back in the day. It's very rustic and delicious. Just take a peek......

On the left is polenta topped with a sausage ragu along with delicious beans, and sandwiched between the two are some ricotta and spinach dumplings. On the right is the mixed contorni plate filled with veg either done on the grill or in the ashes. What ashes you ask? These ashes...! So many delicious meats are done on the grill here, and potatoes and onions are buried in the ashes to cook as well.

Now that our bellies are full (yet again), we have the stamina to head off for the sightseeing portion of our trip to Assisi. We are joined by our official guide who escorts us through the famous and lovely Basilica of San Francesco. We are thrilled to see the beautiful frescoes and awed by the crypt of St. Francis.

The group has the remainder of the afternoon to explore Assisi on their own, stopping to see whatever they would like to take a closer look at.

Personally, I'm always amazed by the number of bakery/sweet shops in Assisi. People from this town seem to have an crazy affinity for sweets...my kind of people.

We have a very full day ahead of us tomorrow as we ramp up the schedule a bit. So this evening, everyone gets to relax, have dinner on their own back in Spello and enjoy each other's company. Tomorrow.....wild cage rides! Stay tuned!

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.