Tuscan Villa Heaven - Part 2
On day 3 we embarked on our first of two big days out, firstly to Siena then Umbria. I had a guide booked at 10.30 and our drive was over an 1 and a half especially when you take in buying the ticket for a bus to be able to drop you off and pick you up. Siena is a gem – famous for the Palio horse race held twice a year in the Piazza but small enough to walk around easily. Our guide was Ok, but again didn’t read his group well, gave far too much detailed information and dwelled too long in some areas – like information on the head and finger of Saint Caterina !!!
It was a good day, the Duomo is a wonderful beautiful thing especially the interior and just to sit in the large Piazza is worth making time for.
The evenings are idyllic. Warm, calm and perfect for sitting around the outside dining table chatting or partaking in Italy’s favourite digestive – a small glass of Grappa.
Umbria sits beside Tuscany and infact within two hours we were in the heart of the Umbrian landscape with the hill towns of Assisi and Spello looking down at us. I had a planned visit to the Vineyard Castel Buono to taste their famous Sagrantino wines and visit the incredible sculptural winery called Carapace – which means turtle .The outside looks like the shell and the inside a unique detailed ceiling. All the winery work takes place down stairs. The harvest is on so it’s time to make wine which starts in stainless steel or terracotta before going into barrels. The wine tasting by Giuseppe was generous and we floated off to Montefalco – supposedly to have lunch but the tasting also included not only the wine but, cheese, salami, prosciutto and bread. Linen is famous here and most of us managed to find something we liked.
Philip asked Alessandro if he could make our favourite Eggplant Parmigiana. I think he ate 3 servings which gives you an indication how good it was. Many wanted seconds and Alessandro certainly excelled himself once again.
Using a bus company in Italy means after 7 days work you have to provide a free day where the bus cannot even be started. We chose it to be our day to Florence – since the bus expenses just go into the city is over 300 E.
Two delightful charming elderly taxi drivers drove 45 minutes to collect us at 6.45 am and transfer the 9 adventurers going to Florence to the Chiusi train station. We were in Florence by 9.30am. It was already bustling and by the time we met our walking guide an hour later by the Arno river, Florence had lines of tour groups everywhere – all with earphones and many looking pretty uninterested. I paid for “skip the queue” tickets to see Michelangelo’s ‘David’. I have been many times before and remember sitting down and walking around the sculpture, taking in the enormity of his most famous work. Now the gallery puts through 700 people an hour!! Even getting close was tough and you needed lots of time and patience. After emerging the queues seemed even longer and it would certainly be a long day of standing for some. We all loved our train travel and our trusty taxi drivers gave us a hug when we returned and deposited us back at the villa where Hannah and Judy had Aperol spritz’s lined up once again before flopping into the pool.
Alessandro had been preparing wild boar ragu for a couple of days, after buying the meat from a local hunter. The flavour had developed over those days and Alessandro tossed through the lightest thinnest pasta that he had made during the afternoon. Platters of prosciutto and melon and a green salad were prepared for an antipasto. Our table outside under the grapevine had become our favourite place – every night was calm and balmy and we had to pinch ourselves that we had been so lucky.
Last day – how quickly did that happen? Our week had beautiful weather, we have learnt to like the quiet Tuscan countryside and quaint Medieval towns in preference to the popular crowded tourist cities. It was a popular choice when I made the decision to visit the 6th century divine monastery of Saint Antimo and Montalcino, the home of the famous wine Brunello di Montalcino in the morning. Forfeiting a Brunello di Montalcino wine tasting but buying some instead, we returned for a long lunch at the villa followed by an enjoyable afternoon of swimming, reading and relaxing. It is such a heavenly beautiful place and taking advantage of the atmosphere was loved by everyone.
Alessandro provided a lesson in Risotto making as he cooked the best seafood risotto I have ever had. The stock was a work of art alone and the risotto included squid, prawns, mussels and baby octopus. There was nothing left in the pot tonight. Cream patisserie custard served in cups with strawberry wine sauce completed a week of stunning meals. Believe me we will all be watching the food intake for a while.
We all felt nurtured and spoilt with the attention and care Alessandro gave to his food. It was a lesson in simplicity but his professional skills showed in his fabulous loaf of bread he made each day, also the cakes for breakfast. However, Hannah did teach him how to poach a good egg !!! We all loved helping and being accepted in his kitchen. I need to thank my group for being the best and making the table setting, clean ups and dishes “just happen “ .
Daniele took us wherever we wanted and it was no trouble to change times and places. He always managed to drop us off close to villages and was always there waiting on our return., probably with a bike ride in between. I wish I was doing as well with Italian as he is with his English. Lots more practice needed.
So I started with I don’t know where to start and for all of us we don’t want our week to end. But memories are made to be kept so you can dip into them at any time and I am sure we will all be dipping into this memory forever.