{"id":6988,"date":"2019-08-06T13:08:37","date_gmt":"2019-08-06T19:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/?p=6988"},"modified":"2019-08-09T02:58:06","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T08:58:06","slug":"cooking-tuscany-2-sleep-is-elusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/2019\/08\/06\/cooking-tuscany-2-sleep-is-elusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking in Tuscany #2: Sleep is Elusive"},"content":{"rendered":"

August 6, 2019<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The morning of Saturday, August third started early, \u2026especially early for those of us who live around the piazza that, mere hours before, was vacated by the Friday-night-into-Saturday-morning karaoke\/dance party.\u00a0 Saturday is market day in the piazza and the vendors start setting up quite early.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Vendors setting up in the early morning for the Saturday market in the piazza of Bagni di Lucca.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apparently, karaoke\/dance party occurs every Friday.\u00a0 I think this means there won\u2019t be much sleep heading into Saturday mornings for the rest of this month!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Fidalma surveying the produce at the market in Bagni di Lucca.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia Fidalma and Zia Ida took a taxi from Benabbio to Bagni di Lucca and we met up at the market.\u00a0 We stocked up on vegetables for the next few days\u2019 worth of cooking: green beans, long beans, leeks, and tomatoes, among others.\u00a0 After a stop a small grocery store\/butcher for pork ribs and veal shanks and a few other items we stopped for coffee and chatted with one of Zia Fidalma\u2019s nephews who had just come back from a fishing expedition that had started at 4 AM.\u00a0 He must have gotten up just about the time I was falling asleep after the pulsating dance party.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Ida and Zia Fidalma hauling groceries up the steps (hey…I had just hauled up 40 pounds of water and coudn’t get down fast enough to help).<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After coffee we headed along the river walk to Conad (an Italian grocery chain) for more produce, cured meats, and general grocery items (including 18 liters of bottled water weighing 18 kilos or just under 40 pounds!).<\/p>\n

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A section of the river walk in Bagni di Lucca.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were passing the time until our lunch reservation sitting on a park bench when one of the staff from the local pharmacy walked by and reminded Zia Fidalma that there was a prescription waiting for her; one of the many charms of being in a small town.\u00a0 After a quick stop at the very quaint pharmacy we were at Ristorante Circolo dei Forestieri, a wonderful restaurant in a refined space.\u00a0 The rear terrace has a peaceful view of the River Lima which flows through the valley.<\/p>\n

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The dining room of Circolo dei Forestieri in Bagni di Lucca.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia Fidalma and I had a classic lunch of Tortelli al Ragu followed by Cotoletta alla Milanese and Finocchio Gratinato accompanied by wine and good bread.\u00a0 Zia Ida passed on the Cotoletta and just had the Finocchio for her second course.\u00a0 After some leisurely conversation (and a quick coffee) I went off to my apartment to pick up the items from the morning\u2019s shopping, get the car, and head back to the restaurant to pick up Zia Fidalma and Zia Ida.<\/p>\n

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Tortelli al Ragu at Circolo dei Forestieri.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We dashed to the Conad which had held the groceries we bought there before lunch.\u00a0 They kindly rebagged everything after we had left so they could put the perishable items in the cooler.\u00a0 We then wound our way up the mountain to Benabbio.<\/p>\n

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Beautiful miniature pears and cherries in liquor in the shop at Circolo dei Forestieri.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I put a pot of broth on to be used for risotto the next day.\u00a0 Since we had been out all day and had consumed a large lunch, we had a simple supper of fresh rustic whole grain bread, the most incredible mortadella, fragrant pecorino cheese from Garfagnana, and a salad (oh, and the odd piece of sformato di zucchini left over from the day before!).\u00a0 The torta di frutta made what I believe will be its penultimate appearance.\u00a0 I have, however, requested that we add it to the list of recipes for the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

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Cotolleta alla Milaese at Circolo all Forestieri.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia Ida has taken charge of the list.\u00a0 Despite efforts to be more prescriptive, the best the three of us can muster is to figure out at dinner what we are cooking the next day from the supplies at hand.\u00a0 Truthfully, we start the conversation at lunch, make some initial decisions, then finalize the plan at dinner.\u00a0 I\u2019m all in favor of inviting friends and family for dinner because the more mouths to feed the more different dishes we can cook.<\/p>\n

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Finocchio Gratinato at Circolo dei Forestieri.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Sunday, August 3rd, Zia Fidalma was in the garden by 6 AM planting cabbage and then doing prep work in the kitchen.\u00a0 I got there a few minutes after 10 AM (not having gotten to sleep until after 3 AM when the last guests cleared out of the pizzeria\/bar directly below my apartment).\u00a0 Just as I walked in, she was cutting apart the spareribs that we had bought the previous day.\u00a0 She arranged them in a baking dish with cut-up potatoes, halved garlic cloves and plenty of fresh rosemary and sage (good for upset stomachs, she says).\u00a0 After being showered with salt and pepper and doused with a healthy amount of oil, the whole thing went into the oven at 11 AM.\u00a0 It came out at 12:15, ready for a 12:30 lunch accompanied by boiled green beans served at room temperature dressed with large-ish chunks of chopped garlic and olive oil.\u00a0 The garlic provided a really nice bite contrasting with the plush green beans.\u00a0 Then came the fruit\u2026and cheese\u2026and coffee!<\/p>\n

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Pork ribs, potatoes, garlic and herbs (Rostacianna) ready to be put in the oven.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia Fidalma took a much-needed nap.\u00a0 Zia Ida boned the chicken from the broth I had made the previous day to be turned into soup for the next day\u2019s lunch with a bit of pasta and some of the broth.\u00a0 We had decided that dinner would be Risotto ai Porri (risotto with leeks) that I would make and a salad of radicchio and tomatoes that Zia Ida would make.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Risotto ai Porri (Risotto with Leeks) that I made for Zia Fidalma’s “night off”… (right!).<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia Fidalma was supposed to have the night off.\u00a0 When I walked into the kitchen at 5 PM to start preparing the leeks, Zia Fidalma was saut\u00e9ing thinly sliced turkey breast (fettine di tacchino) in butter to round out the meal!\u00a0 The turkey was reheated at the last minute and deglazed with a bit of milk which was boiled away but added a hint of creaminess to what might otherwise have been dry turkey.<\/p>\n

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Thinly sliced turkey browned in butter and deglazed with milk (Fettine di Tacchnio al Latte).<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a turn of events, Zia Fidalma took notes while I made the risotto!\u00a0 We also had a bit of a contest about how much rice to cook.\u00a0 Zia Fidalma pulled it out by the fistful.\u00a0 When I weighted it it was exactly what I had planned to prepare!\u00a0 That round was a draw.<\/p>\n

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Zucchini flowers (fiori di zucca) on the terrace at Zia Fidalma’s.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once again, sleep was elusive till well after 2 AM with several tables of revelers arrayed at outside tables at the pizzeria fronting on the piazza below me.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Chopping vegetables (peppers, onions, and tomatoes) for Peperonata.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I got to Zia Fidalma\u2019s just after 10 AM, having made a much-needed run to the Enoteca (wine shop) for some wine (Sagiovese from Tuscany, to be exact).<\/p>\n

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Zia Fidalma arranging pork ribs for the start of Rosticciana.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cooking plans from the night before were already upended as a neighbor had delivered a pile of extraordinarily sweet plums (susine) that Zia Fidalma had already washed and pitted, ready to be turned into jam (Marmellata di Susine) once I got there.<\/p>\n

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Plums ready to be turned into jam.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few minutes later, the phone rang, Zia Fidalma briefly disappeared and reappeared with a bagful of beautiful squash blossoms (Fiori di Zucca) from another neighbor.\u00a0 These were battered and fried for lunch, along with the previously planned chicken soup.\u00a0 Zia fried the small amount of leftover batter into blini-sized pancakes that appeared on the lunch table, making a great foil for mortadella!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Miniature apples in liquor in the shop at Circolo dei Forestieri.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before lunch, however we made Peperonata (saut\u00e9ed sweet peppers, onions and tomato) to be served the next day.\u00a0 We also assembled a tray of Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan).\u00a0 Zia Fidalma floured the sliced and salted eggplant while I fried it.\u00a0 It was layered with the Pomarola we had made two days earlier and Parmigiano.<\/p>\n

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Zia Fidalma layering Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan).<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At lunch, fortified with red Tuscan wine, we made the decision to go to the market in Fornoli (a nearby town) the following day rather than waiting till the day after for the second weekly market day in Bagni di Lucca.<\/p>\n

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Floured eggplant ready to be fried for Melanzane alla Parmigiana.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When I had driven into Bagni di Lucca the previous night there were signs on the main street, around the park and in the piazza indicating that parking was not permitted from 7PM until Midnight on Tuesday, August 6th.\u00a0 While sitting at Zia Fidalma\u2019s late afternoon on the 5th, we were told the main street to Bagni di Lucca was blocked off for an event, though what it was was unknown.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Me frying eggplant for Melanzane alla Parmigiana.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We quickly made the decision that I should drive to the apartment and pick up what I needed to spend a night or two in Benabbio as it seemed that parking would be a challenge for two consecutive nights.\u00a0 Zia Ida drove with me in case I needed to negotiate traffic instructions from the police.\u00a0 Luckily, were were able to make it to my usual parking space near the park as the main street was blocked off just at my apartment.\u00a0 There was a sound stage set up in the street immediately in front of my bedroom window.\u00a0 The speakers were being tested.\u00a0 Clearly this would have been another sleepless night.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A bowl of zucchini flowers cleaned and ready to be battered and fried.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After hastily packing a bag, we stopped in the bar to see if we could determine what was happening that night as well as the next night.\u00a0 Monday night was to be the Signorina Toscana contest.\u00a0 Tuesday, August 6th was Musica Ballo nella Piazza (Dance Music in the Piazza)\u2026clearly another sleepless\u00a0 night.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Fried zucchini flowers.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Safely back in Benabbio, with a bottle of bourbon in tow, and not having to brave \u201cThe Road\u201d that night, I had a cocktail (well, two) and wine with dinner.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ribs, potatoes, and garlic await a showering of salt and pepper, along with rosemary, sage, and oil before being roasted.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I slept for eleven hours and got up only because Zia Ida knocked on my door to tell me that we had no water and we were late in leaving for the market in Fornoli.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Fidalma cutting Melanzane alla Parmigiana.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another day\u2019s adventure awaited.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

August 6, 2019 The morning of Saturday, August third started early, \u2026especially early for those of us who live around the piazza that, mere hours before, was vacated by the Friday-night-into-Saturday-morning karaoke\/dance party.\u00a0 Saturday is market day in the piazza and the vendors start setting up quite early. Apparently, karaoke\/dance party occurs every Friday.\u00a0 I … Continue reading Cooking in Tuscany #2: Sleep is Elusive<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":["default"],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[363],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-and-places"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6988"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7064,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6988\/revisions\/7064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}