The Dining and Travel Adventures of a wandering Buddhist

Living in the culinary "now" with no attachment.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Capri and Hawaii

After my afternoon stroll I am relaxing before dinner.  Sitting on the sofa I begin to think about my day yesterday on the Isle of Capri.  It is a truly beautiful place and I begin to think of home.  I recall standing at the very top of the island and looking down at the village of Capri, sprawling around and above the very busy harbor.  I could see Sorrento in the hazy distance.  I moved to the other side of the mountain peak to consider the upper village of Anacapri spread about what appeared to be a mountain plateau.  Those two places looked like the only that would be suitable to make a village.  The remainder of the island was a series of stone plates jutting about in different directions.  I considered the violence which must have occurred, perhaps millions of years ago, to cause the earth's crust to rise up and form this now breathtaking place.

As I was riding the taxi up to Anacapri from the harbor and, hopefully away from the throngs of visitors, I noticed that much of the flora was just like Hawaii.  This must be a sub-tropical climate.  So, I was already thinking about this place and comparing it to home.  While on the top of Capri I began to consider the great difference in the very shapes of the islands.  In Hawaii, there were no such violent eruptions but just the slow, unforgiving flow of hot lava.  Rising from the same earth's crust that exploded here in Europe, over those same millions of years the inexorable flow of lava gradually formed the enormous mountains of which the Hawaiian Islands are comprised.  My revelation, while new to me, was certainly not new.  However, the two quite disparate beauties gave me pause.  It is interesting to, occasionally, consider the greater scope of "things."  I smiled as I recalled that "the miracle is not walking on water, the miracle is walking on earth."

I shall, of course, generally focus my attentions upon the simple vagaries of my pitiful life.  The "mana" of food and drink will continue to intrigue me, as will the eccentricities of the people I encounter.  However, from time to time my mind wanders to greater heights, but, I digress.


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Departing Montepulciano

It was a sunny day but the air was brisk.  A fog hung over the valley below.  I packed the car and returned to the house for a bit of breakfast.  As I drank my coffee and munched on a piece of torte, I chatted with Lorella and her mother.  The men had already departed for work.  We agreed that our time together had been good.  I thought of last night.  Lorella had made a dinner of the dishes she knew I enjoyed.  We ate her excellent food and we laughed.  We drank good wine and we laughed.  We had extra servings of grappa after the dinner and we laughed.  They took me to see the apartment attached to their home that I could use next year.  It was a very nice evening and they were such lovely people, but, now I was leaving.  I hugged the ladies as I had hugged the men last night and I turned to begin my trip south.

As I rounded the city I passed the school.  My time there was very rewarding in many ways.  I thought of the teachers, Sara and Cinzia.  I looked forward to spending time with them each day.  They were so lovely and in such different ways.  Sara had a classic, haughty beauty, yet her eyes and her smile were warm and reassuring.  It was always a pleasure to catch her smile.  Cinzia was an elven beauty.  Her laugh and her smile were alive with an enthusiasm for life.  She had a twinkle in her eye and a spring in her voice.  It was such a pleasure to watch and to learn from them.

I thought of the students I had known.  We developed a camaraderie that, while probably transient, was very nice. It certainly had been a pleasure to share that time with each of them.  There was one to whom that I seemed to have been especially drawn, but that is another story, or, possibly, no story at all.  I had considered sharing the Japanese parable "I know that I have a limited amount of time in this life and I am happy that I have spent a portion of that time with you (them)" with the family and the teachers and some fellow students but elected not to share that thought.  However, that very succinctly reflected my feelings for them.

I drove south along now familiar country roads to the autostrada.  I sped along the autostrada past Orvieto and past the Spoleto turnoff.  I drove well east of Rome and on toward Naples.  Approaching that city the road narrowed from six to four lanes and the traffic increased.  I was required to drive through Naples to get to my destination, Sorrento.  The drive had become rather ugly.  There was much road construction and the part of the city through which I traveled was not pretty.  I was battling traffic and dodging road construction and trying not to miss a turn.  My focus was good as I pounded ahead.  Suddenly, something to the right caught my eye.  I glanced and, to my amazement, casted my eyes on a most beautiful sight.  Past the ugly buildings lay the quite lovely Bay of Naples.  I glanced when I could but traffic required a lot of focus.

Again, suddenly, I entered a series of tunnels.  Upon exiting an especially long portion of tunnel I  faced a formidable wall of stone on one side and the sea on the other.  I rounded a sharp bend in the road and there it was, Sorrento, perched on cliffs high above the sea, basking in the afternoon sun.  It was so beautiful from a distance.  I eventually reached the rather hectic city, fought briefly with her one-way streets and finally arrived at my hotel.  I was greeted, shown my room and I immediately planted myself on the balcony overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Bay of Naples.  My shoulders relaxed and I knew I was going to have a few very nice days.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Weekend near Siena

As a weekend getaway I wanted to spend time in Siena.  However, there were no hotels available in the central city so I elected to stay in a renovated monastery just 5 minutes from the central city.  As I drove to my weekend destination a weariness came over me.  One of my Italian teachers, the quite charming Sara, recommended a small trattoria in the village of Rapolano Terme for a luncheon stop.  It was just off of the autostrada so I ventured over to the only eating place in that small town.  I was late for lunch and I can say that they did not appear pleased to see me, but, they gave me a table and served me an excellent spaghetti with ragu accompanied by a very nice carafe of red wine.  I ate rather quickly but still enjoyed each bite.  Shortly I was on my way to what ended up being my retreat.

Deep in the countryside, overlooking Siena I found this walled enclave that was very charming.  I recalled reading that there was a spa.  Massage was on my mind.  However, no massage times were available.  Maybe a dip in the pool would be good.  However, the pool water, although heated, was quite cold.  So, I retreated to my room, poured a hot bath and prepared myself for dinner.  Also, I recall reading that this was one of the 100 best restaurants in the world.  Sure, I thought.  Every one's got a list.  We'll see.

At the appointed time I waltzed across the stone courtyard and into the anteroom of Ristorante Il Canto.  I was enveloped by elegant yet subtle classical music.  I was greeted by a beautifully charming but stoic staff.  I was escorted to my table in the smaller of two dining rooms.  This room had just four tables.  As it ended up, one table held a quite lovely French couple from Brittany, while another table held a very nice couple from northern California.  The fourth table was vacant.  As the evening progressed I talked with the couples and very much enjoyed their stories.

Almost immediately I was brought a sparkling wine, Malvasis Giorgio 2007,  along with a small serving tray of powdered pumpkin seeds, a slice of grilled onion and a fruit gelatin.  The serving was excellent finger food and the wine was refreshing.  Shortly the wine list was given to me (it was a rather thick book) and the matron of the dining appeared at my table with a very large menu.  She began in Italian but soon switch, first to French because she heard me talk to the French couple, then, finally to English.  I was sorry that I could not understand the Italian.  However, the menu explanation was too complex.  On the menu there must've been 200 items.  However, as I came to understand, while the menu was fixed, the items available changed every day, depending upon what products were available from the countryside.  So, I listened carefully and came up with the dinner that follows.

My wine was a 2004 Santo Stefano Barbaresco.  I love Barbarescos.  However, while the wine decanted, I was served a vegetable consomme with mussels.  The broth was very light but quite rich and the mussels were tender.  The taste was very nice with the refreshing sparkling wine.

Second came a most beautiful serving.  It was a raw egg yoke accompanied by small pieces of bacon, a cereal bread divided into small pieces, capers and a sweet mustard.  The items were presented separately and spread very nicely across the plate.  As I pierced the egg yoke it flowed into the bacon and the bread.  A bite was composed of a piece of soft bacon atop a piece of bread which was then dipped, first into the yoke and then into the sweet mustard.  The taste texture combination was outstanding.  Occasionally I would add a caper, which added a nice salty spice.  I was thinking that this will certainly be the highlight of this meal.  Little did I know what was in store for me.

I did not drink with the prior serving but now it was time to introduce the Barbaresco, which is an excellent, soft wine.  The next serving was a risotto with capers and olives and pine nuts.  Herein rested the most amazing part of this dinner.  My server, the lovely Elena, said that there would be pine nuts in the risotto.  However I saw no pine nuts.  But, two wafers had been placed atop the risotto.  As it turned out, those wafers were made from pine nuts and the wafers dissolved into the very warm risotto. I had never seen such a presentation and was quite awed by the mind that came up with the idea.  The risotto, which was made in water, not broth, was perfectly textured.  The taste combination of the olives and the capers was very nice, especially when combined with the pine nuts.  I lingered over this serving.

Next came a surprise serving.  The dish was a very rich cream of garlic soup covered with a layer of crystallized sugar.  It was a very nice surprise and an excellent taste/texture break from the risotto and leading to the meat course.

The third serving was another beautifully presented combination of perfectly prepared fillets of young deer (capriolo) with pane integrale, a bowl of pepper consommé, pieces of candied quince and pieces of  salted, sauteed porcini mushrooms.  It was a colorful plate.  There was the red of the meat, the orange of the quince and the deep brown of the mushrooms, all encased in the rich aroma of the consommé.  The process of enjoying this serving unfolded like this:  a small piece of meat was dipped into the rich broth, swirled and eaten.  After a moment, a small piece of sweet quince was enjoyed.  Lastly, a small piece of the earthy mushroom with its slightly salty taste was allowed to cap off this portion.  At the very end a sip of wine would prepare the pallet for the next tasting.  It was great fun and so enjoyable.  This meal was lasting a long time for it had been consumed very deliberately.

Now, for the final serving to help in finishing off the wine, there was an excellent selection of cheeses.  I enjoyed the aged sheep cheese, the soft goat cheese and a very nice bleu cheese.  Finally, the wine is finished, the cheeses have been enjoyed and I sipped a coffee.  I sat and reflected in amazement at the quality and surprises in this feast.  This may be one of the best restaurants in the world.  It is certain to me that Chef Paolo has an amazing talent.

I retired to my bed, not rising until midday on Saturday.  I wandered about the grounds and gradually elected to have a do-nothing weekend.  I read.  I studied.  I thought.  I relaxed.  I departed mid-morning on Sunday after a quite large American style breakfast.  The drive back to Montepulciano was slow.  I wandered and was very happy to have had such a relaxing and delicious weekend.

Ristorante La Porta a Montecchiello, Italy

To fully appreciate the total ambiance of dining at this wonderful restaurant, one must travel via the "Strada Bianca" from Montepulciano to Montecchiello.  When one takes this most direct route and when one arrives at this most beautiful small village, the mind is appropriately set to enjoy the atmosphere of this special place.  I cannot tell you exactly why this is true but I have come to believe it.  Also, it is important to arrive early for dinner so that there is sufficient time to stroll about the village.  Perhaps the purpose of the stroll is to settle one's mind and to relax one's body so that a sort of total enjoyment may be realized.

Entry into this rather small restaurant is directly into the dining room.  One is immediately confronted with a sort of controlled enthusiasm.  People chat softly but may laugh heartily as a refection of their enjoyment.  The aromas of Chef Moreno Motterle creations surround each diner.  Each time I have eaten here (this is my third time) I have immediately had the sense that this is a wonderful place to be.  The hostess and owner greets each person.  She is warm and engaging.  Her touch as she guides one to their table is reassuring as one passes among the tables.

Seated on the upper balcony, overlooking the lower dining area, I watched my fellow diners and their enjoyable contact with the staff.  With each table the staff seemed to be old friends.  Soon my menu arrived and the special servings for that evening were explained to me.  For me, for this final dinner here before my departure, I selected items that I had enjoyed previously.  I wanted to confirm my enjoyment and to check the consistency of the Chef.

The wine I selected was a 2006 Brunello Poggio di Sotto.  This wine was soft but rich with dark fruits and great on the tongue.  I was brought a tasty serving of ricotta cheese with a nut butter and local bread.  It was a nice beginning.  My first selection was a Tortino di Funghi con creme di Porcini e Tartufo fresco.  The Tortino was firm on the outside with smooth and rich on the inside.  The Tartufo sauce was unbelievable.  This was one of those "hold each bit in your mouth and let it dissolve" dishes.  Each taste was followed by a sip of wine.  This first serving last for a time.  My memory was correct and I was very happy that it was prepared the same delicious way I had remembered.

Next came the Gnocchi di Patate e Cannellini al Cacio e Pepe.  This, too, was delicate and rich.  The spices were very nice and the cheese was smooth.  Each piece of gnocchi was allowed to simply melt and was followed by another sip of wine.  The texture was similar to the first serving but the spices made this portion a totally different experience.  Again, I allowed this dish to last for quite some time.  Eating two such rich servings is a challenge and one must linger as not to be overwhelmed.

Lastly, the Filletto di Maiale ai Funghi con crema di Pecorino.  The pork was tender and ever so slightly juicy.  The cream sauce was an excellent compliment to the slight licorice taste in the meat.  The owner had warned me about having three such rich dishes but my objective for this meal was set.  However, at the end she was correct.  The richness of this feast could not be sufficiently offset by the dry wine.  I was stuffed.  I reclined in my seat and lingered over a coffee.  I refused a dessert and a grappa.  I was so content with this meal.  What I would've really liked to do was to simply roll into bed but I had my trip back down the "Strada Bianco".  At the end I knew that, each time in Montepulciano would certainly include a trip to La Porta.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A Wonderful Weekend in Firenze

I departed the school as quickly as possible and strode down the hill.  I stopped at Bar del Corso for a piece of pizza to avoid passing out from hunger.  The service was surprisingly fast and the pizza was warm and thick with cheese.  However, I did not dally but soon arrived at the house where I finished packing my bags, loaded the car and motored into the countryside.  The morning had been rainy but the rains had passed.  The air was clear and crisp.  The puffy white clouds rose above the rolling green hills.  The sun shone brightly to highlight the brilliant colors.  The view was breath-taking.  I would occasionally slow to look but I was intent on getting to Firenze.  Soon I left the country roads and was on the Autostrada.  Now I was really on my way.  There was no more attention to the countryside but the focus was on zipping along at 100mph and on avoiding slower traffic.

I arrived in the old central city and wandered about the one-way streets for a bit before the hotel's doorman stepped into the street to ask if I was searching for his hotel.  As a matter of fact, it was his hotel for which I searched.  I had driven past it three times.  Their signage was not too good and, in this case, GPS had its limitations.  No matter.  I gave him my car and was escorted to a lovely room overlooking a small courtyard.  Before long my luggage arrive and I began to settle.  I soon met my companion for the weekend, Dina.  We strolled about the nearby streets, enjoying the views and the people.  We discovered a quaint little shop and purchased snacks for later.  After a time, I returned to the hotel for a shower.

Just before dinner Dina joined me for a bit of wine and our snacks.  As the time for dinner arrived we sauntered down to the hotel restaurant.  The entry to the restaurant was a very nice bar.  We were greeting in the bar and asked if we would like a drink before dinner.  We agreed.  We were escorted into a most grand "Salon di Musica".  We situated ourselves in large leather lounging chairs.  Our aperitifs arrived and we chatted softly under the lovely music floating about this stately room.  The ambiance of this elegant place gave pause to our chatter and we simply basked in the grandeur of the moment.  In my melancholy, I looked at Dina as she closed her eyes to the music.  Her flowing locks and her linen gown draped over long legs caused me to wonder what this moment might have been like twenty years ago, for Dina was many years my junior.  I quickly pushed such thoughts from my mind and allowed myself to simply appreciate this moment.

After a time we were escorted to a fine dinner complimented by a delicious wine.  The dining room was elegant and the service was warm and attentive.  After we had completed our several courses we were, again, escorted to the music room for a cognac.  We lounged and, at least I fell in love with the moment.  The room was so lovely.  The music was so soft.  Dina was so delicious.  For me, it was a perfect combination and I basked in its intensity.  I'm not so certain how often such moments come in a lifetime.  I shall not soon forget these moments.  From that moment on, each time Dina and I met, we met in the Salon di Musica.

The next morning I arose late, no doubt effected by the sizable amount of wine and cognac consumed.  We had a large American breakfast and began a long, relaxed walk about the city.  We visited piazzas crowded with tourists and walked slowly down nearly empty side streets couched in lovely ancient buildings.  I recalled a past visit to this city.  I did not like this place.  This time was different.  I loved each part of this place.  Dina shopped a bit and the shopkeepers were friendly.  There were many tour groups but we avoided them.  It was just a rejuvenating experience for me.  I could live in this place.

In the afternoon we stopped for a sandwich at the "Alle'Antico Vinano" just off of the Palazzo Vecchio.  The cibo, a focaccia panino, was warm, large and delicious.  There was a long queue but we were served quickly and ate sitting along the street.  Munching and watch the tourists was great fun.  Later we made a rather quick trip through the Uffizi Gallery and retreated to relax before another dinner.  I took a long bath and a short, much needed nap.

The dinner for the second evening was quite an event.  The restaurant was Enoteca Pinchiorri.  The dinner was 13 courses accompanied by six wines.  I would detail the dinner but it was simply too complex.  Needless to say, it was quite a "degustatzione."  The restaurant was very nice, our fellow diners were interesting and the service was perfect.  An interesting thing was that our primary server was a young Japanese man (who was surprised when I greeted him in Japanese) and, quite honestly, it was often difficult for me to understand his explanation of each serving in Italian.  But, despite the unclear explanation, the servings were lovely and delicious so, we didn't hesitate nor question but simply enjoyed.  The day had been full of exercise and the dinner was very long.  The full but not hectic day was finished with another very long sleep.

I arose late, again, and we met for a cappuccino and a pasta.  Again we strolled about the city.  We chatted.  We munched a bit.  We drank a bit.  It was a beautifully sunny day and Dina was enticing as she seemed to flow above the street.  It was such a pleasure to spend a weekend in the company of such a lovely young woman.  However, my time here was drawing to a close.  I picked up my car and bags from the hotel, dropped Dina a her B&B and departed this beautiful old city knowing that this will not be my last time in Firenze.

As a cap to this wonder, as I drove down the Autostrada, over the nearby hills I saw an extremely colorful double rainbow.  The top rainbow had seven distinct colors and the bottom rainbow, while more faint, had four colors.  It was a beautiful sight and the perfect finish to a beautiful weekend.  As I drove past the rainbows I reflected for, Dina will be off on her own adventures and I'll be off on mine.  It will be interesting to see if our paths cross again.

A Day In The Life Of...

As I began my day in Montepulciano I thought it might be good to record how each day during these five weeks has unfolded.  I'm an old man and I'm certain I will not remember it correctly over the coming years so, for the historical...or hysterical...record, this is how each day began.

The alarm on my telephone would sound at 7 am.  The alarm sound would be soft at first but would build in volume until I would be required to jump from my warm bed to silence the noise for fear of awakening the entire household.  Each time, immediately after silencing the alarm, I would ponder returning to my warm bed.  However, each time I would turn to fetch the items for my morning shower and, thus, I would begin my day.

After preening myself for the day, I would pack my school items in their bag and descend the stairs to the kitchen.  Often, Adriano would be sitting with his breakfast and would greet me.  I would make my coffee and select one or two biscotti, or perhaps a piece of last night's torta, as my sweets to begin the day.  There would be little chit chat but there was always a sense of bonding.  It was a sort of mano-a-mano thing.  Often I didn't understand his Italian and he certainly didn't understand my English but we understood each other.  It was always a reassuring beginning to the day.

Departing the house, I began the walk up the steep hill to the school.  The walk would take around 20 minutes but the hill was very steep.  I would pass a bar outside of which the same men always sat and talked.  Occasionally they would acknowledge me but not often.  At the first plateau I would encounter hundreds of young students marching to their school just down the hill.  They were brought by bus from the countryside to a main bus station and from that station they would walk a few blocks to their school.  Their chatter and laughing and smiling was always refreshing.  Soon I would arrive at a rotary and, crossing the rotary I would find a seat on the ancient stone wall which formed the approach to the gate that formed the entry in the the old city.  I would always find a seat where the morning sun shown on the wall.  Sitting in the sun, a bit winded from the uphill climb, I would catch my breath and watch the students who lived in the city wander down the hill to school.  They were always in twos and threes.  Their conversation was always quite lively.  I enjoyed that time on the wall.

After a few minutes I would rise to complete the remainder of my journey up the hill to my school.  Although there were always a few administrative people at the school, I was generally the first student. We would exchange greeting and I would retreat to my classroom where I would check e-mail, spread my school materials out for the day and relax my mind for the coming deluge of foreign materials.  This is the story of how I began each of my school days.  I will leave the after-school portion for later.


Saturday, October 6, 2012

Osteria del Vignaiolo

I departed the hotel at what was for me quite an early hour.  I traveled west along rather empty country roads.  Initially I was in dire need of a gas station.  After a time I found a station.  As an aside, it is interesting how the need for gas when traveling can totally dominate one's thoughts.  I paid little attention to the countryside but constantly looked toward the gas gauge.  Anyhow, I was very pleased that I could tell the attendant to fill the gas tank and he understood.  Unconcerned about the gas, I turned my attention to the sunny day and my trip into the deep forests of the foothills.  There were few villages and not that many homes.  After an hour of driving west I rounded a curve and the road suddenly emptied into a beautiful valley.  The terrain changed from deep forest to rolling green hills dotted with villages and vineyards.  There, to the front of me, perched on the side of one of those hills, was the quite beautiful village of Barolo.

Arriving in Barolo, I strolled a bit, then took a coffee.  There were some tourists but not too many.  Most of the tourists seemed to be northern Europeans.  There were a few Americans but not too many.  My time here was pleasing.  I sat at a cafe overlooking the hills and vineyards, sipping my coffee and relaxing in the late morning sun.  Time seemed to pass quickly.  I noticed that it was time for me to take my lunch.  I departed Barolo for the paese of Alessandria, just outside La Morra.  There I found the Osteria.  In a rustic stone building, the inside was very small but the covered terrace overlooking the countryside was perfect for an early afternoon lunch.  As I sat awaiting my menu I noticed my fellow diners.  There were two German men and an Italian man discussing some sort of business deal.  There were four Scandinavian women, probably enjoying a holiday.  They appeared to be a mother and three older daughters.  Their conversation was not too lively but focused, as though they had been traveling together for a bit too long.  A table of Italian men sat behind me and two sets of Italian couples completed the crowd under the canopy.  Two American couples sat in the sunlight.  There was much to observe but I focused on my lunch, for I intended for it to be grand.

My wine would be a 2004 Barolo from La Spinetta, now my favorite vineyard.  It was nicely dry, a bit smokey and full of dark fruit.  As has seemed to be the habit here in the Piemonte, the starter was a very smooth tuna salad, but this time with salmon added.  My first selection was a tartare, Carne Cruda Battuta al Coletto con Porcini sott Olio.  The very high quality meat was nicely presented and the lettuces were fresh and crisp.  Each mouthful was delicious as the meat just seemed to melt away.  A small sip of Spumante set each taste off perfectly.  The Spumante came with the starter but lasted through the antipasto.

Next came the Risotto Carnaroli con Zucca e Taleggio.  The broth was rich and smooth.  The rice was perfectly done.  The seasoning was excellent.  Now wine began to follow each tasting.  I basked in the glory of the risotto for a long time for it was so rich and so smooth.

The second was Scamone di Vitello Scottato con Pane alle Erbette Aromatiche.  The vegetables were firm and had very nice taste but the scalloped potatoes were simply delicious.  The meat was tender and well spiced.  A small piece of meat combined with a small piece of potato followed by a sip of wine was a perfect tasting.  Again, I languished over this serving.  Lunch was lasting for quite some time.

But, with this last taste, it was finished.  The Osteria was nearly empty as I sipped my coffee and munched on the tray of sweets they brought me.  I sat back for a moment and thought of my long drive back to the hotel.  Possibly I would take a faster route.  I smiled and was off, across the strada, into the car and off down the road.  One day I will come here again.

Ristorante Violetta

The early evening drive through the country was relaxing and beautiful.  The rolling hills topped by the setting sun were magical.  I passed through a small village and turned down a country lane.  I looked closely but could not see a sign for the restaurant. I drove a bit further and then turned back.  It must be nearby.  Suddenly I saw a small parking area.  I turned in and parked.  The place that looked like a simple farm house.  There was no one about.  I waited in the car until another vehicle entered.  A couple got out of their car and entered the building.  I soon followed them in and was greeted by a lovely older woman.  She spoke no English but we figured out who I was and she escorted me to a table.  At this point it was only me and the aforementioned couple for dinner.  That would soon change as two other couples and a large group of Germans arrived for dinner.

For this evening my fellow diners were very interesting.  I chatted briefly with an English couple, the original couple, and discovered that they owned a home near the restaurant, spending half of their time in Italy.  Across the room was a middle aged Italian couple involved in an intense conversation about something that seemed very important to them.  Next to them was a young Italian couple who seemed deeply in love.  The warmth of their smiles and the tenderness of their touches was so nice to see.  However, next to me was the most amazing couple.  They must have been in their 80's.  Listening to them order dinner was a joy.  Hearing their chat, even though I didn't have a clue what they were saying, was very entertaining.  Finally, after we had all finished our meals, we made an attempt to communicate.  For some reason they had become interested in me.  It was just fun.  The only interesting things about the large group of Germans were their body paintings and the fact that several times during dinner a few of them would go outside to smoke.

My dinner was quite an experience, too.  This was a small, family owned and run restaurant.  The atmosphere was very homey.  The owners, the older woman who greeted me and her husband, provided excellent service.  The chef, a rather large, older woman, must have been a relative judging from their interaction.  While finding this place was a small challenge, the greater challenge was that the menu was verbal.  The lovely older woman came to me and began to tell me the items available for dinner.  I listened closely and when I heard something I recognized I order that item.  It all worked out and was delightful.  During the menu presentation I noticed that the older couple next to me had taken an interest in my predicament.  Several times they smiled at me as a strained to figure out what I was having for dinner.

The wine I selected was easy.  It was a 2003 La Spinetta Vigneto Barbaresco "Starderi".  Dinner began with an antipasto that was essentially an open faced ham sandwich.  The prosciutto was fresh and excellent.  The turkey was freshly roasted and nicely spiced.  The veggies were al dente.  The mustard was very nice.  Each bit was composed of a bit of each item and was a great start to my dinner.  The part I recognized in the menu delivery was the word for ham.  I didn't touch the wine with the antipasto but allowed it to sit and breath.

The first course was a stuffed Agnolotti that was mouthwatering.  Here I recognized the word for garlic.  Now I began to sip the wine.  The pasta was stuffed with sage, garlic, meat and covered with a delicious, seasoned olive oil.  The pasta was petite and the stuffing was very nicely spiced.  A single piece of pasta left to dissolve in my mouth to be followed by a sip of wine was full of wonderful sensations.  This course lasted for quite some time.

As for what was to come next, I was not certain.  I didn't understand the ingredients.  As she was repeating the selections for the second time I simply motioned for the second choice.  As it turned out, it was my great fortune to have tripe.  I love being lucky.  I love tripe.  It was prepared Piemontese style in the most delicious broth and accompanied by nicely spiced sausages.  The dish was really quite ugly but excellent for my final course.  A piece of tripe accompanied by a bit of sausage washed down with a sip of wine was perfect.  It may have been better than the tripe I had in Paris.

After nearly three hours of eating and watching and listening I departed this lovely experience.  The couple came to shake my hand as I left.  We all smiled and were very happy.  The drive home was languid.  My bed was very welcome.

Settling In

My third week of studying Italian has been complete and the time has been very rewarding.  During the second week one student departed and was replaced by another.  The class size of eight remained the same but became quite different in tone.  The change in dynamic was very interesting.  The departing student was a quiet, unassuming man from Utah.  The new student was an outspoken man from Louisiana.  Reflecting upon the difference it gives me a smile and I shake my head.

During the second week I attended a cooking class at the Cantina Gattavecchi.  There were nine of us, lead by the chef, Lillian, in a rather small kitchen.  Lillian, a Brazilian, was quite an actress.  She was outspoken, emotional and very animated.  All of us were directed to perform different jobs as we made fresh pasta (there was flour everywhere) with an amazing mushroom, tomato, garlic, red wine and heavy cream sauce.  Our second was a pork roast stuffed with seasoned sausage.  Our contorni was roasted potatoes.  The dinner was surprisingly tasty given the number of hands involved in the making. It was simply an outstanding experience.  Picture nine people plus the chef plus the dishwasher pushing and shoving their way around a space that would be comfortable for two or three.  All were drinking wine and laughing while they spread the flour or rolled and sliced the pasta or pounded the pork or massaged the spices into the sausage or sliced and oiled the potatoes.  For me, however, there was a sadness here for, as I stood for a moment in a back corner of the kitchen, separating myself from the crowd, my thoughts turned to the one person who would have loved this so very much.  I must admit that a tear came to my eye but I quickly brushed it away, hoping that no one noticed.  I stood back for a moment longer and then jumped back into the madness.

Also, during the second week there were many lunches with fellow student and many dinners with the family.  It was a whirlwind of activity.  It became quite exhausting so, as reported in another piece, after a Friday gathering to say goodbye to departing students, I retreated to Norcia for some quiet time away, "far from the maddening crowd."

The third week began with a largely new class.  The level of the new students was higher than the students who remained from the prior two weeks.  The man from Louisiana, an Australian man, a young woman from New York and I remained.  We were all about the same level.  We were joined by another woman from New York, a Canadian man, an Australian woman and a woman from Norway.  All of the new classmates spoke and understood Italian better than those who remained.  The level of instruction accelerated.  My weariness returned quickly.  Also, the student lunch and dinner gatherings increased.  More of my time was spent eating and drinking and less time was spent studying.  So, as the level of study increased my effort decreased, adding substantially to my weariness.  Another weekend away would be necessary.

During the third week there was a nice trip to Pienza and a trip to Cortona, which included a tour of an ancient monastery.  However, the energy of my fellow students, at least the ones who had been in school for three weeks, began to dwindle.  At the end of the third week the vast majority of the fellow students departed for various and sundry places.  For me, weariness of both the intensity of the learning and the intensity of the interaction with others caused me to make a quick escape from the school on Friday.  I was off for a weekend at a spa just outside of Siena.  Along the way I stopped for a very nice lunch at the only trattoria in Rapolano Terme...spaghetti with ragu sauce and a mezzo of wine.

Until next time ciao a tutti.