Thoughts on Sorrento, Amalfi, Capri

My entry into Sorrento was memorable for the city is couched in a very beautiful place.  The old city of Sorrento was very nice, much like many other cities in Italy, but distinguished by its place overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  However, as a result of the wondrous environment, this city might be a bit more crowded with tourists than most in Italy.  The surrounding expanse was similar to most every city in the world, overgrown, overcrowded and noisy.

The food in Sorrento was very good and will be discussed with each restaurant.  Dinner at the only Michelin starred restaurant (Il Buco) was very nice but the only place I revisited was L'Antico Trattoria. 

Driving the Amalfi Coast was astounding.  The coastline was so beautiful.  Trying to look at the steep marble cliffs dropping into the deep blue sea made it difficult to negotiate the narrow, curvy roads.  Couple the narrow roads with countless tour buses and one has the potential for serious driving adventure around each bend in the road.  The countryside was, even in late autumn, full and lush and green.  Orchards of olive trees and lemon trees were everywhere.  While the countryside was breathtaking, the villages were, if they were scenic, very overcrowded.  If the villages were not rustic and well maintained, which many were not, then there was no traffic and few tourists.  So, I concluded that taking a quick look at the beautiful spots was sufficient but for a coffee, I'd stop in a poorly kept village.  There were fewer tourist, better service and better coffee in the plain, out-of-the-way cafes.

My trip to Capri Island was, I'm sorry to overuse this word, breathtaking, too.  The ferry ride, while crowded and very noisy due to the utter excitement of the hordes traveling to this unique island, made a lovely cruise along the coast and then out to that most amazing place.  I must admit that I've seen few islands more beautiful.  Once again, the wonder has drawn many people.  They seemed to wander about in groups around the marina and in the city of Capri.  However, in the upper city of Anacapri, the congestion was much less and the overview was spectacular.  I really enjoyed strolling about Anacapri.  My mind was set to determine if this would be a good place for me to write my novel.  However, the tone was a bit off for me, so, despite its beauty, and a quite inspiring beauty I'm sure it would be, I don't believe this will be the place.  Perhaps next year's visit to Sicily will solve that riddle.

My conclusion regarding my week in the Amalfi area was that the time was well spent.  The beauty was memorable, I was very happy that I visited those places but it is not a place to which I will need to return for a few years…and I am not a young man.  So, it's off to the next adventure, Torino and the Salone del Gusto.

Il Buco, Sorrento

I had scouted the restaurant, the only Michelin starred place in town, and it seemed very unpretentious.  As I dressed for dinner I wondered if just a sweater would be correct but, finally, elected to wear a jacket.  As I was ushered into the lower climes of this deceptively beautiful place I was happy to be, at least somewhat, well dressed.

The lower dining area was elegant and subdued.  The service was attentive and friendly.  Before the menu arrive I was served a very large Campari with Prosecco.  Also, a serving of thinly sliced polenta with salumi, spiced tomatoes and dried tomatoes arrived.  I settled into the evening, watching and listening to my fellow diners.  However, in this place they were difficult to listen to because of the stone ceiling.  I relaxed.

The menu arrived as I was about halfway through my Campari.  It was quite large.  I perused.  The waiter watched and then returned.  I asked if I could have the wine list.  When it arrived I again perused.  After a time, my Campari finished, I signaled for the waiter, who had been waiting patiently.  We came to an Italian/American understanding.  We would speak Italian when I was capable and he would switch to his excellent English when I was above my level.  We both smiled and I showed him the wine I wanted, a 1999 La Spinetta Gallina, a Barbaresco.  He agreed that he would serve me those things that the chef was making this evening that matched my wine.  We nodded to each other, shook hands,he turned and was off.  I sat back.

I would not labor over the extensive details of this fine repast, for there were many servings.  There were Prawns and Calamari and Tuna and Lamb and Sea Bass.  Each serving was unique in taste and texture.  Each was beautifully presented.  Each serving was not presented until it was clear that I was prepared for that portion of the meal.  Each serving matched the soft, delicate wine very nicely.

However, there was one portion that has been frozen in my memory.  The Risotto with herbs, cubes of encrusted tuna, black truffles and a dollop of outstanding but very light ricotta cheese.  The risotto was tender and sweet.  The tuna,encrusted with caraway seeds, was firm on the outside but moist and tender on the inside.  I tried several combinations before I arrived at the one I enjoyed most.  That tasting involved cutting a small piece of tuna and combining it with a bit of black truffle.  I would allow that to rest in my mouth for a moment, until the truffle began to dissolve.  I would closely follow that with a fork full of the deeply rich risotto swirled in the light ricotta cheese.  A sip of the dark fruited wine was a perfect cap to each tasting.  The range of tastes and textures was vast, so vast that I cannot recall a greater range of single tasting.  I was very happy and, in the end, very full.

My dinner finished, I ordered a coffee with grappa.  The waiter took my order but asked if I would come with him.  He took me deeper into the caves and into the kitchen.  He explained that he wanted to introduce me to the people who had prepared my dinner and to the chef.  The chef and I had a nice chat about his combinations and how difficult it was to get the best ingredients.  It was a very nice gesture.  I returned to my coffee with grappa.  I drink it slowly and as I strolled out of this very fine restaurant the chef came again.  We shook hands and agreed to meet again for another dining experience.

Pictures of this meal appeared on Facebook.

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.

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.

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.

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.