Day 4 - Drop Ins

    Last night in Morolo as we were about to set the table for dinner a car pulled up to the gate and buzzed.  It was Linda’s cousin and their baby paying a visit.  They just dropped in, unannounced.  This is rural Italy.  People just visit one another whenever they please - unannounced.  Michael thought this was completely rude and inconsiderate.  “What if we were in the middle of eating?”  They wouldn’t mind, came the answer.  They would have just sat right down with us! 

Well all this was unacceptable – Inconceivable!  Such bad manners! – until after dinner we decided to go visit Mario, another cousin.  On the way, though, we thought we’d stop and say hello to the neighbors Giuliana and Berto who live 2 doors down.  (Giuliana had given us the chicken from her coop that we ate for dinner so we had to thank her.)  We walked up to the door, Jo cried “Yoo-hoo” and Linda knocked.  They were eating supper.  But the door opened, we were ushered in, and within one minute the plates were cleared and we were sitting at the kitchen table with a basket of homemade wine cookies and a ciombellone under our noses.  Berto popped out the door and came back wagging a green, unlabeled bottle of wine that he poured into a tray of blue water glasses.  And then – another knock at the door and 2 more people dropped in.  More glasses, more wine, conversation, hands flailing, laughter.  Nothing fancy, it all happened around the kitchen table.  We stayed 20 minutes and were off in a flurry.

Next stop Mario’s.  We buzzed at the gate, it opened, we marched into their living room and immediately had gelato, chocolate bars and whiskey to float the ice cream in.  More conversation, laughter, hands flailing.  News, politics, family gossip.  Before we left his wife Paola handed Jo a shopping bag with a load of prepared artichokes and half a rabbit.  Out the door we went with kisses, best wishes and good cheer.

Very merrily we headed home only to find a car in front of our gate.  Graziano, a friend from the next town had dropped in.  He was just leaving a bottle of wine when we pulled up.  Kisses, hugs, come on in for a minute!  So back in the house we visited with Graziano until 11:30 – conversation, laughter, hands, cookies.  And then he left after 15 minutes.  It seems that people in this area drop in for a visit the way we say hello to each other on Facebook.  It’s just a short visit, but in person, with food, wine and always the kiss hello and good-bye.  We’re wondering if we should try to do this back home in New York?  

Day 2

The lag has caught up to us! I did have a chance to make Acacia flowers tisana that I will chill and have ready for our guests when they arrive tomorrow. After traveling for hours the Acacia flower chilled water is a lovely refreshing and healthy drink to wake and sooth the senses.
Speaking of which our senses are weary and ready for sleep.
Ci vediamo domani we will be in Chianti and will have barrels of things to report.
Buona notte,
Linda e Michael

Our 17th Spring Season in Italy - May 5, 2011

Day ½

We arrived in Italy this morning and were whisked in a jet-lagged fog to Linda’s parents’ home in Morolo, in the hills about an hour south of Rome. As soon as we closed the taxi door her mother Josephine served us a plate of pasta with tiny, skinny wild asparagus and pancetta. Simple, bursting with flavor and just what we needed after 8 hours of plane food. A little red wine from her father Gene’s personal cellar relaxed us – or

more accurately turned us to jelly.

Jo then brought to the table a bright green frittata made with shoots of a spring vine the locals call tabbii. It is just the tendrils of an otherwise innocuous vine that is starting to tangle itself around all the shrubs. They are only tender enough to eat during these 10 days so if you miss them, that’s it.

Competition is fierce to claim your territory. “My cousin Marisa beat me to all the ones out here by the road,” said Jo, “but I have another spot I go to that no one knows about.” No one packages them to sell in a grocery store, you have to pick your own.

Jo harvested a pile of them this morning before we got there. Her right thumb and thumbnail turned black from pinching and twisting the vine tips. She sautéed them in garlic and olive oil and tossed them into an egg mixture for lunch. Tonight we’ll have them as a contorno (side dish) with rabbit simmered with white wine, rosemary and a smidgen of anchovy.

Today we landed here in full-blown spring. The fields are plentiful with delicacies popping up everywhere. Neighbors stopped by to drop off a newspaper full of pignoli mushrooms they picked from the forest and another bundle of reed-thin wild asparagus stalks. After a nap we are going out to see what else we might harvest. The acacia trees are just bursting with silky white blossoms, their heady perfume hangs in the air. Sambuco blooms trumpet towards the sky. Wild mint is like clover in the lawn. Tune in tomorrow to find out what Linda did with the harvest of local delicacies we discover right outside our door.

For now, buona notte!

Michael and Linda

Finally the Tuscany we know and love is showing it's sunshine face! The season here is behind 2 or 3 weeks so the flowers and vines are small but as the days warm you can see them getting ready to burst. I managed to find a couple of poppies that were courageous enough to come out in spite of the weather and unseasonal temperatures.

Fortunately the weather has not affected the wonderful flavors of the fruits, vegetables and the wild herbs we use. We have been able to pick Tabi which is a vine that grows wild and wraps itself around berry bushes. When blanched and sauteed with garlic is very green and a bit bitter, delicious on crostini.

One of the things I love about being here is the smell in the air. Now the acacia trees are in full bloom and the trees are fecund with luscious, sweet smelling flowers that I associate with honey. I made a frittata with the flowers and it was heavenly and aromatic. We don't waste a thing here in Toscana!

We are in full gear to embark on our 15th season of adventures and workshops in Italy!

Spring is showing it's face here in NYC but is in full bloom in Tuscany. I can't wait to see where we will find the most beautiful field of poppies for our painters or if they still have agretti (a vegetable that looks like chives but tastes like spinach) at the market. We have decent attendance in the workshops this season even with the turbulent economy....I think people's passion for travel, art and culture can no longer be put on hold. This is a good thing because the rewards of following one's passions far exceeds the cost. That's how this Il Chiostro adventure began in the first place. So as I begin thinking about packing my bags for the next 65 days I am wondering how many interesting folks will come through the gates of The Tuscan Renaissance Center and how many new friends we will make.