Lardo e Formaggi

I feel that in the BMW I cannot get lost. Hope I am not jinxing myself. Just seems easy to cruise around in. I also feel very safe in it and free to drive like a true Italian - quickly and aggressively. I feel so invulnerable driving it, I seriously considered picking up a couple of girls hitchhiking today. I quickly came to my senses and passed them by. Quickly. And in low gear.

I landed in Siena for a couple of days to relax in my cute windowless room just off the campo. I figure it should be dark and quiet. With so much driving this past week, I am looking forward to leaving my macchina parked for a day and a half while I walk around and pretend I am interested in something cultural. Besides eating, there is shopping to do. Including a big weekly market in the morning at the fortezza that I can't wait to check out. I understand there are shoes there.

Going the antipasti route tonight because I am not that hungry. Nancy, Sue and I have been 'eating responsibly' this last week but I don't want to get burned out. Now I have to choose only 3-4 dishes to try instead of 6 plus. A glass of wine usually helps the decision making process. And I love antipasti. I have also discovered the 'mezza porzione' - half portions - more opportunities for me!




Crespelle di Baccala


I hear only female voices in the kitchen and I ask the waiter about it. He told me there are only women and one girl tonight and that they run a cooking school for foreigners. I may introduce myself. I ordered crepes stuffed with baccala and olive tapenade, and they are huge. Forgot the mezza. They are light and fluffy.,perfect with the salty olive purée and crunchy salad. I like baccala but I don't really want to make a meal out of it, especially after last nights fish parade.





Carciofi & Lardo


My second antipasti is marinated baby artichokes with a crostone of lardo. I have been trying as much lardo as possible. I justify this by matching it dish for dish with insalata verde and remembering my unlimited yoga membership awaiting me when I get home. Spell check does not like the word lardo, it keeps trying to shorten it to lard. I guess that is what it truly is but it sounds so much sexier with the 'o' on the end. The paper-thin sliced lardo melts on the toasted bread and is the perfect balance to the slightly acidic artichokes. It helps the normally wine-shunning artichokes go with the glass of Verdicchio I am drinking.




Crostone di Lardo


Lardo is traditionally served on warm crostini. I have enjoyed it a few times this way. I had it wrapped around porcini and roasted earlier today. But the best presentation I have seen was in Panzano at the maccelieria xxxxx where it was simply piled high on a plate on a buffet table next to the porchetta for all to sample. I tried a bit and it melted in my mouth. The owner/butcher runs a restaurant as well, and I plan to go back there for lunch later in the week.

I am full but the night is young and I feel like I am being short changed if I only order two antipasti. I am seriously considering crossing the street and ordering more wine and antipasti. I cannot end the night with Verdicchio when I am in Tuscany.



Pecorino Tasting


Armed with the waiter's recommendation and a map as small and unobtrusive as possible, I make my way across the Campo to an enoteca, Campagnia del Vinattieri. I am seated at a table where I order the most expensive wine by the glass for 7€, an '03 Brunello and a small cheese plate. I wish there was a bar here. Why can't cool little places like this have bars like Spain or the US? I love chatting with other people. I'm not usually into cheese with wine. I love them both but usually not together, but the 3 types of Sienese pecorino (fresco, mezzo stagianato and stagianato) and Brunello are a fantastic combo and finishes my night off right.


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Location:Siena

My Own Rental Car

Sitting in traffic on the way to the car rental company took a bit more time than we all anticipated. The weekly market was blocking the streets and I couldn't get the GPS on my phone to read where we were with all the large stone buildings. The rental car office closed for lunch in less than 20 minutes and I did not want to sit outside the office waiting for 3 hours for the office to reopen. Suddenly Nancy saw signs and we were in front. Stress averted.

I knew I had an upgrade coming at Autoeurope but I didn't really understand what that meant. I figured I'd move up 2 horses and get a flashier color on the fiat panda that I had booked. The agent behind the desk said I had an upgrade, but actually said it would actually be 5 upgrades and that was going to be driving a bmv. I was a little confused but recovered quickly upon seeing the blue BMW logo. I quickly loaded my bags from the trusty Peugeot, tried to figure out the key system, and said a few brief and inadequate thank yous to Sue and Nancy. I Instinctually drove out of town without any hesitation. I could not make a wrong turn. The car handled nicely on the beautiful roads to the hill town of Volterra. Now this was driving.





Porcini & Pecorino wrapped in Lardo & Zucchini (which is a green vegetable, by the way!)

Parking spot found, I picked a restaurant out of the guide book, tried to memorize the map and I was off into the town. Found the Trattoria del Sacco Fiorentino easily. Again no wrong turns. This was getting too easy. I wanted everything on the menu so I ordered a glass of vermintino to enjoy while I thought about it.




Pecorino & Radicchio al Forno

I decided on two antipasti, the roasted squab (or piccione in Italian) and an insalata verde. The server knew that one glass of Rosso di Montepulciano would not be enough so he brought a 1/4 litre. Am I that easy to read?




Piccione & Radicchio


After another macchiato, it's back to the car and back to Siena! Maybe I'll try to find a cord to plug my phone into the car... a little music might be nice.



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Location:Volterra

Midway Through the Trip

One week of the trip has already passed and we have eaten so much! Seems all the time is spent eating or looking for the perfect place to eat. Understand that looking for the perfect place to eat involves asking for recommendations, getting lost along the way, finding the nerve to ask for directions, listening, nodding and trying to decipher one or two words, figuring out how to park, deciphering the menu and then ordering.



Strozzapreti with Lamb Ragu - perfect with 03 Brunello




Stuffed rabbit leg with roasted peppers and zucchini blossom purée



Breakfast: Figs picked off the tree at Podere Ciona





Reminder of home - arugula, radicchio & parmigiana - my special request I ordered off the menu.



I have been designated the official interpreter trying to mesh my kitchen Spanish with the dozen words of Italian I recognize. I'm also an expert parking goddess - 10 years in San Francisco with a stick shift gave me lots of practice. Picking up my rental car in an hour or so - depends how lost we get! Time to head out solo. With driving skills born on the East Coast, I should fit in nicely with the Italians. I should have a bit more time to write about more of our meals in the next few days.

Andiamo a Siena!





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Location:Sasseta

Finally! Two Meals in Italy

Feel like I have been eating since I arrived three days ago, but that was the plan if I remember correctly. Enjoying the perfect weather by the pool over looking one of the many valleys in the Chianti region. Feeling a little foggy from the Chianti Festival yesterday and last night's dinner with an '03 Brunello. Trying to recall all of what we have eaten in the last three days. Six meals does not sound like a lot, but this is Italy and we have limited time so we have been trying everything.

Some highlights from the first two meals--



A few days ago, finally off the plane, I was starving and in need of some comfort food. Nancy and Sue met me at the Pisa airport after my expected travel time had doubled. After figuring out how to pay for airport parking, we drove to Lucca the long way (read: we got lost) then we got lucky and found a parking place kind of near our hotel, dumped my bags in the huge hotel suite and headed to Trattoria Da Francesco, a small family place I had eaten at on my last visit 6 years ago. Menu looked the same - I have one hanging on my kitchen wall. We shared antipasti of crostini, cheese and salami, house made tortelli Lucchese, half moon shaped ravioli stuffed with ricotta and tossed in ragu. Braised pork ribs over delicate polenta and bright red carpaccio with rucola and parmigiana filled us up. Drank an inexpensive bottle of Banfi Chianti. My belly full of Tuscan food I slept like a baby.



The next morning I was anxious to break my 6 month hiatus of coffee. Don't get any ideas that I've been saintly, I drink plenty of black tea every morning. Nancy and I headed to the nearest shop where I quickly downed a cappuccino and brioche ... and I was back!! Now I was ready to get in the car and head to Chianti. Our appointment at San Felice was in two hours.



Plenty of maps, one driver and two navigators got us there safely. What a beautiful winery with a fabulous four star hotel and restaurant. We got the full tour and lunch at San Felice. And when I say full, I mean 5 hours worth. Roberta showed us all around the estate and the chef, Luca, made us a special 6 course tasting menu. We sampled 7 of their wines with our lunch.



Lunch included papp'alla pomodoro, the Tuscan tomato bread soup, stuffed zucchini blossoms, steak tartare, baccala ravioli, veal cheeks straccoto and a pecorino cheese tasting with house made marmalades. And more cafe, of course. We left pleasantly full, lightly buzzed and armed with lots of restaurant recommendations from Roberta. Now we were ready to wind our way further into the hills of Chianti to find Podere Ciona, another winery and our place of refuge for the next few nights.



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Location:Lucca & Chianti

Cancelled Flight

So the first part of the journey has a not gone exactly as planned. Trying to see the bright side of a 6 hour layover in London. My flight out of Boston was cancelled so I did not make the connection out of JFK. I spent hours choosing the most direct flight to Italy. All in an effort to minimize travel time. This rerouted flight with a horrendous layover was exactly what I was trying to avoid.

Instead of JFK to Pisa direct, I flew to London and am waiting 6 hours to fly to Pisa. I am so early for my next flight, a gate has not yet been assigned. Hoping to be greeted by a terrific glass of chianti (or two) this evening instead of the perfect morning cappuccino. I'm missing a great day in Lucca but will catch up with this walled town at the end of my trip.

What I've been eating is typically disappointing since it's been at the airport and on the plane. The imperial pint of Bass ale is undoubtedly the highlight.

In an attempt to be healthy and cash in my meal vouchers (especially since they would not allow me to use them toward the beer) I ordered an overly sweet blueberry smoothy and a salad that had been made 5 days earlier. However, these were infinitely better than the 'chicken and mashed potatoes' served on the flight to London by American Airlines.

At Giraffe, a fun, lively, casual luncheon spots in Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow airport, I snacked on some scrambled eggs with roasted tomatoes. The classic British breakfast. Not exactly sure if is breakfast time for my stomach but after a trans-Atlantic flight, eggs seem the mildest thing for my confused body. How I miss our just-picked heirloom tomatoes. We are so spoiled in Oregon! And not surprisingly, I could really go for a BLT. Although the hot cup of tea really hit the spot. Which is to be expected since it is English breakfast tea, and I am at Heathrow Airport.

3 hours down, 3 more to go. Time for some people watching. Dodging people as they walk on the wrong side of the hallways and trying to guess their nationalities before they speak. Their shoes usually give it away.

Really looking forward to some good meals in Italy. For now, I guess I'll do some shopping. I will eat well later.

Repacking

I know I should be thinking about where I will be traveling to and more importantly, where I want to eat. But the actual truth is I keep thinking about shoes. Specifically, which pairs to bring Not that they don't have shoes in Italy, I just need to show up prepared.

So I'm repacking. Just flew across the country to visit my family for a few days and realized my suitcase is too full. Feeling like I may need to travel a bit lighter and I figure I would like some room for the 'treasures' I may find. (Read - shoes)

Truthfully, my mind has not been entirely focused on shoes, I have considered all the BLT sandwiches I have been eating every day for the past few weeks. They are two napkin sandwiches, not the kind you eat in front of polite company. Complimented with rosemary chips and dill pickles. Beautiful slices of heirloom tomatoes, crispy salty pancetta, arugula sylvetta from Dancing Roots farm and garlicky aioli all stuffed into some focaccia. Of course, I added some burrata to make it creamier and dreamier.

Yes, its tough to make anything that has bacon tastier, but the burrata managed. Normally, I pair this fabulous fresh mozzarella stuffed with cream called burrata very simply -- with the best ripe tomatoes, sea salt and basil. And a good dose of the best olive oil, of course. But adding burrata to bacon is divine. Burrata may even make bacon better.


Two whole days without a BLT... Although, I did enjoy a tasty burger with all the trimmings today. Perfect Labor Day BBQ fare made complete by terrific potato salad with olives and, you guessed it, bacon. Together with a few glasses of Chilean Cabernet, it was enough to push the shoes and BLT to the back of my mind.

I'm leaving in a few hours and need to finish packing. I am hoping to sleep some on the plane, probably with dreams of a BLT.   I wonder if I can find a one in Italy....

Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata

Blood Mary with Dungeness Crab & Pickled Romano Beans

First post...where to start?  Lets start with tomatoes.   


The Tomato Supper at Lucca this past Thursday.

270 pounds of freshly picked tomatoes.

80 people.

14 dishes featuring tomatoes.

5 Italian wines.

Crostini

Lucca joined up with Small Vineyards and Garden Fever  to host the Second Annual Tomato Supper to benefit the non-profit Growing Gardens. After a cool summer, Mother Nature finally warmed up some so I could get 270 pounds of tomatoes from 5 local farms.  I managed to throw in a few cherry tomatoes and basil from my back yard as well.

Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes. Eggplant, Zucchini & Pine Nuts

A sample of the things we made -

 - Bloody Marys from Beefsteaks, served with a Spicy Salted Rim, Pickled Romano Beans & Dungeness Crab

 - BLT Crostini with our House-Made Pancetta & Fontina

 - Eggplant & Sun Sugar Tomatoes with Bella di Cerignola Olives & Pine Nuts

 - Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata - the tastiest mozzarella you can imagine.

 - Wood-Fired Brandywine Tomato Pizza with Walla Walla Onions & Oil-Cured Olives

 - Roasted Painted Hills Sirloin, Scallions & Sun Gold Tomatoes

 - Basil Panna Cotta with Tomato Syrup & Tomato Jam Shortbread

Brandywine Tomato & Oil Cured Olive Pizza

Everyone enjoyed themselves and left with full bellies. The food was fantastic and epitomized summer.  The wine poured was from the some of the wineries I will be visiting in Italy in the next few weeks:  Perazetta,  Podere Ciona and Antonio Sanguineti.

Expect to hear more about my upcoming travels as I eat and drink my way around Tuscany. Meanwhile, I'm off to figure out what to do with 120 pounds of leftover tomatoes.

Buon appetito!

Tomato Jam Thumbprint Cookies