{"id":7278,"date":"2019-09-10T11:27:07","date_gmt":"2019-09-10T17:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/?p=7278"},"modified":"2019-09-10T11:27:07","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T17:27:07","slug":"cooking-in-tuscany-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/10\/cooking-in-tuscany-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking in Tuscany #9: Farewell to Tuscany"},"content":{"rendered":"

September 10, 2019<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

More than a week has passed since I drove from Tuscany to Calabria.\u00a0 It was an uneventful drive.\u00a0 I only missed one turn, very early on.\u00a0 Google Maps was indicating an upcoming right turn on the outskirts of Lucca.\u00a0 I began to slow down as the GPS system indicated I was nearing the turn but it seemed to me that the positioning was not quite right on the GPS system (as happens sometimes) and I didn\u2019t slow down enough.\u00a0 Just when the map indicated I should turn right, there appeared a narrow two-lane road cut through a field that was not visible until I was on top of it.\u00a0 It was too late to turn.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Looking down from Zia Fidalma’s terrace on part of the village of Benabbio below.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The disembodied and calming voice of my Google Assistant said I should make the next right turn (which was visible from a distance).\u00a0 Less than a minute later, I was back where I needed to be.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The only Medieval arch in Benabbio is now the entrance to a cantina in the building that contains Zia Fidalma’s house and that of her niece Emiliana.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nine hundred sixty-nine kilometers.\u00a0 That\u2019s how far Google said the drive was.\u00a0 It took 9 hours 45 minutes, including a few quick stops.\u00a0 There was no traffic as I drove from north to south.\u00a0 The bumper-to-bumper traffic was from south to north as many Italians end their summer holidays at the beaches of southern Italy on August 31st, the day I was traveling south to Calabria.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A parting view of Bagni di Lucca from the Piazza.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I never did manage to get lunch that day.\u00a0 I stopped at an AutoGrill<\/a>, just over 50% of which is owned by the Benetton family.\u00a0 I looked over the offerings in the display case, some of which were labeled but many of which were not.\u00a0 There was a flock of Italians all talking to the staff behind the counter to determine what was on offer among all the unlabeled items.\u00a0 (Everything in Italy involves interaction and negotiation, including driving, where drivers subtly\u2026or not so subtly\u2026negotiate with you how you and they will occupy the road.\u00a0 Lane markers are viewed as decoration or, at best (from an American standpoint), as are mere suggestions of where cars should be.)<\/p>\n

\"\"
This wheelbarrow appeared inside the front door of my building one day with a sign reading “For Sale or Take Away \u20ac200.”\u00a0 One wonders if it should read\u00a0“For Sale andTake Away \u20ac200.”<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But back to the AutoGrill.\u00a0 I decided that I would order a panino, many of which were labeled, as opposed to the calzone and other dough-encased items, none of which was labeled.\u00a0 The next step is to go to the cashier to pay, after which one returns to the display case to turn in the receipt and get one\u2019s food.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Fidalma making Pappa al Pomodoro.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are several issues with this system.\u00a0 For non-Italian speakers, it means negotiating with the cashier what one wants to purchase.\u00a0 There is no list at the cashier so it requires remembering the item from perusing the display case and being able to describe it sufficiently that the cashier will understand and ring up the correct item.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sedanini with Eggplant and Tomato at Zia Fidalma’s.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After negotiating the second flock of Italians circling the cashier, I realized I couldn\u2019t remember any of the specific panini on offer so I couldn\u2019t actually pay for anything as I couldn\u2019t tell him what I wanted.\u00a0 Had my grasp of Italian been better, I could have engaged in a lengthy (always lengthy!) conversation with him about what panini were available that day before making a purchase.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sauerkraut and Wurst at Zia Fidalma’s.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rather than fighting my way through the now growing crowd at the display case to actually commit the contents of a panino to memory before returning to the cashier, I left without eating.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Polenta made from blue corn from New Mexico.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another issue with this system, however, is that one might pay for an item that is no longer on offer when one gets back to the display case to turn in one\u2019s receipt.\u00a0 On an average day, this might not be a big risk but on one of the busiest travel days of the year it seemed otherwise, as many panini were represented by only one specimen which could easily have been scooped up by a previous customer.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Making spezzatini at Zia Fidalma’s.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have no idea how to negotiate a situation where one has paid for an item that is no longer available. \u00a0My general experience tells me it wouldn\u2019t be easy, especially for someone with limited Italian proficiency.\u00a0 Luckily, I had been eating so well at Zia Fidalma\u2019s that I wasn\u2019t really hungry\u2026that, and the bagful of taralli that I brought with me!<\/p>\n

\"\"
A view from the Piazza of Bagni di Lucca to the park.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the biggest drama of my drive to Calabria, this wasn\u2019t bad at all!<\/p>\n

\"\"
A passageway in the town of Barga.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I arrived at the Italian Culinary Institute at 4:45 to find Chef Juan and Mariana in the kitchen.\u00a0 I was about to start the second month of my cooking adventure in Italy but first, let me recap what happened during my last few days in Tuscany or, more accurately, what I ate during my last few days in Tuscany.<\/p>\n

\"\"
The amuse bouche of mozzarella, truffle and extra-virgin olive oil at Ristorante Piazzangelio in Barga.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Monday, August 26th had been my first day alone with Zia Fidalma without the intercession of a translator.\u00a0 As noted previously<\/a>, it went pretty well.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sedanini con Salsa di Funghi at Ristorante Piazzangelio in Barga.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Tuesday, I got to Zia Fidalma\u2019s shortly before lunch.\u00a0 For lunch we made crunchy crostini slathered in olive oil that sat on top of a bowl of her Minestra di Fagioli.\u00a0 I made a salad of radicchio, tomato and onion.\u00a0 We finished the meal with Formaggio Fresco and Mortadella.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Fidalma’s Pappa al Pomodoro.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The previous week, friends brought goodies from Germany, where Zia Fidalma lived for many years.\u00a0 Dinner started with pasta, sedanini specifically, with a sauce of eggplant and tomatoes.\u00a0 The second course was sauerkraut cooked with apples and spices, served with German wurst and mustard.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Spezzatino is traditionally served with polenta.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zia was really looking like she needed a rest so I decided to come to the house late on Wednesday so she could have most of the day to herself.\u00a0 I had my default lunch at the apartment then got to Zia\u2019s about 3:00 to assist with (well, really to watch) dinner preparation.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rosticciana e Patate Arrostite at Ristorante Piazzangelio in Barga.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our first course was Pappa al Pomodoro.\u00a0 Pappa al Pomodoro starts with Pomarola, a classic sauce of fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil that Zia made frequently during the month.\u00a0 When the sauce is cooked, large chunks of day-old bread (whole-grain at Zia\u2019s house) and a good dose of olive oil are added.\u00a0 The whole thing is cooked until it resembles a thick porridge.\u00a0 Given the humble ingredients it has a truly amazing flavor.\u00a0 Because Massimo, Zia\u2019s son, and I both like spicy food, she added peperoncino to her Pappa al Pomodoro and left out the basil.\u00a0 This was followed with Spezzatini di Maiale and Polenta.\u00a0 Spezzatini are small cubes of meat, pork in this instance, browned in olive oil then braised.\u00a0 The polenta was made from blue corn that I had brought from New Mexico.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Il Bonet Cioccolato e Rum, a traditional dessert from Piemonte, as prepared by Ristorante Piazzangelio in Barga.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thursday I had lunch at the apartment, deviating from my default lunch for the first time.\u00a0 I had a panino of sfogliata (admittedly a flat bread a lot like piadina) with speck, scamorza, and the ever-present peperoncini sott’olio.\u00a0 For dinner we went to Ristorante Piazzangelio in the town of Barga.\u00a0 We each made different choices but the meal was truly wonderful.\u00a0 The restaurant is on the Piazza (hence the name) and quite serene.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Farfalline con Pomarola at Zia Fidalma’s were part of my “Last Supper.”<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were served an amuse bouche of mozzarella with a thin slice of truffle.\u00a0 Following this I had Sedanini con Ragu di Funghi.\u00a0 Sedanini (literally, little celery) are like Penne but slightly longer and without diagonally cut ends.\u00a0 The next course was Rosticciana e Patate Arrostite, another version of what Zia Fidalma had made a few weeks earlier.\u00a0 Dessert was a wonderful traditional Piemontese dessert, Il Bonet Cioccolato e Rum, which tasted like a cross between chocolate flan, chocolate pudding, and molten chocolate cake (with a hit of rum).<\/p>\n

\"\"
Tomato and Onion Salad prepared by Zia Fidalma.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After dinner we stopped in Fornoli so that Massimo and I could get our hair cut.\u00a0 We had appointments at 10:30 PM!\u00a0 One night per week, the shop stays open until midnight.\u00a0 Probably predictably, all the customers that night were men who might otherwise find it difficult to get to the shop during the workday.\u00a0 I was very pleased with my haircut and surprised that the wash, cut, re-wash, and blow-dry cost only \u20ac18!<\/p>\n

\"\"
Phase one of getting my hair cut in Fornoli.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Friday, August 30th was packing day.\u00a0 I repeated my lunch from Thursday then went to Zia Fidalma\u2019s for my \u201cLast Supper.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pancetta appears frequently in dishes cooked by Zia Fidalma, as does Mortadella.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Massimo picked me up in Bagni di Lucca so that I could eat and drink without concern and so that I wouldn\u2019t have a self-imposed curfew based on darkness.\u00a0 Zia was at a funeral mass when we got to the house around 5:30 PM but she had left us an antipasto of Grissini wrapped in Bresaola.\u00a0 Massimo and I polished off the last of the bourbon before sitting down to a dinner of Farfalline con Pomarola (little butterfly pasta in tomato sauce) followed by Pollo e Piselli (chicken breasts cooked with abundant peas and herbs), whole-grain bread, a tomato and onion salad, and Pecorino.\u00a0 Massimo and I finished off the last of a bottle of Passito that I had bought early in the trip.<\/p>\n

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A selfie after my haircut, sometime around 11 PM. The photo does not do the haircut justice!<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After we finished dinner, cousin Francesca came to wish me good-bye.\u00a0 She offered to drive me home since she had to drive by the front door of my apartment on her way home.\u00a0 With packing done, I made it an early night.\u00a0 The next morning, I got up at 6 AM and was on the road by 7 AM:\u00a0 destination Calabria and the Istituto Culinario Italiano.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Farewell to Tuscany: Bourbon on Zia Fidalma’s terrace.<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

September 10, 2019 More than a week has passed since I drove from Tuscany to Calabria.\u00a0 It was an uneventful drive.\u00a0 I only missed one turn, very early on.\u00a0 Google Maps was indicating an upcoming right turn on the outskirts of Lucca.\u00a0 I began to slow down as the GPS system indicated I was nearing … Continue reading Cooking in Tuscany #9: Farewell to Tuscany<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7302,"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-7278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-and-places"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7278"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7312,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7278\/revisions\/7312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}