Welcome to the Tuscan Nights Travel Italy blog! We're excited about how this will keep all our clients up to date with our journeys in Italy, including travel tips, new restaurants, great side trips and so much more! Visit often to see where we are!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
An Authentic Florentine Trattoria!
Trattoria Sostanza - don't miss it on your next trip to Florence!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sunny Springtime Sunday
I awoke to sunshine and light winds last Sunday, a perfect day to spend in the Tuscan countryside. I had been invited by my friend Daniela to join her and a group of friends from Arezzo for a luncheon at Poderi Sanguineto, a lovely winery just east of Montepulciano. The event was organized by Eliana, the owner of Arezzo's famous Formaggeria, a small shop that specializes in yummy cheeses from Italy and France.
After a coffee at Daniela's favorite place in the old city of Arezzo, we were off in a caravan of cars to find Poderi Sanguineto, about an hour's drive from Arezzo. The weather, while a bit cool, added to our relaxation and anticipation of a special day together. We arrived just before noon, and were welcomed by Dora and Patrizia, our hosts for our luncheon.
Dora's family had settled the land many years prior, and the vineyard now consists of 3,700 hectares under cultivation producing over 30,000 bottles of wine a year. The pride of the production is an incredible Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Reserva, an intensly beautiful wine of ruby color and a delicate aroma. The wine is aged in small oak barrels for 2-3 years in their spotless cantina next to the room where we were to dine. We all were quite excited at the prospect of enjoying their wine for our luncheon!
Two long tables were set for us, and as Patrizia and Eliana prepared the plates of fresh cheeses and meats, we wandered the property around the cantina to enjoy the views of the countryside and Montepulciano on the hill in the distance. Fruit trees were in blossom as were the lilacs that bordered the field where geese and chickens grazed. The family dogs watched us all from a terrace at the top of the house, wanting to join in the fun. Then, it was time to eat!
Lunch started with the lovely cheeses, sliced salami and the most incredible small sausages I've ever tasted. The meats were produced by Dora, who is the leader of the local hunting association, and her commitment to pure ingredients and simple methods of production was evident. We then enjoyed an unusual soup of ground venison in a broth, followed by cinghiale with polenta - a traditional Tuscan preparation of wild boar and warm cornmeal. The meal was prepared entirely by Dora and Patrizia, and it was clear they had welcomed twenty of us into their home for a special event. Flavors were deep and pure, the food fresh and natural, served with enthusiasm and smiles.
After the main meal we wandered outside to walk off the feeling of full stomachs and to get some fresh air and sunshine. The children who were part of the group played, and the rest of us just leaned back in the sunshine to visit with one another. I would have been quite content to have had the meal end there, but of course there were cakes offered, filled with fruit in a lovely butter crust. A mere single slice was left at the end, a testament to their homemade goodness!
Daniela and I bid our goodbyes, and made our way back home along the back roads of the area. I felt fortunate to have had this experience, and so enjoyed meeting new friends inspite of my limited Italian. Everyone was kind and patient with my attempts to communicate! And it was indeed a reminder that sometimes being out of one's 'comfort zone' provides the most memorable times.
After a coffee at Daniela's favorite place in the old city of Arezzo, we were off in a caravan of cars to find Poderi Sanguineto, about an hour's drive from Arezzo. The weather, while a bit cool, added to our relaxation and anticipation of a special day together. We arrived just before noon, and were welcomed by Dora and Patrizia, our hosts for our luncheon.
Dora's family had settled the land many years prior, and the vineyard now consists of 3,700 hectares under cultivation producing over 30,000 bottles of wine a year. The pride of the production is an incredible Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Reserva, an intensly beautiful wine of ruby color and a delicate aroma. The wine is aged in small oak barrels for 2-3 years in their spotless cantina next to the room where we were to dine. We all were quite excited at the prospect of enjoying their wine for our luncheon!
Two long tables were set for us, and as Patrizia and Eliana prepared the plates of fresh cheeses and meats, we wandered the property around the cantina to enjoy the views of the countryside and Montepulciano on the hill in the distance. Fruit trees were in blossom as were the lilacs that bordered the field where geese and chickens grazed. The family dogs watched us all from a terrace at the top of the house, wanting to join in the fun. Then, it was time to eat!
Lunch started with the lovely cheeses, sliced salami and the most incredible small sausages I've ever tasted. The meats were produced by Dora, who is the leader of the local hunting association, and her commitment to pure ingredients and simple methods of production was evident. We then enjoyed an unusual soup of ground venison in a broth, followed by cinghiale with polenta - a traditional Tuscan preparation of wild boar and warm cornmeal. The meal was prepared entirely by Dora and Patrizia, and it was clear they had welcomed twenty of us into their home for a special event. Flavors were deep and pure, the food fresh and natural, served with enthusiasm and smiles.
After the main meal we wandered outside to walk off the feeling of full stomachs and to get some fresh air and sunshine. The children who were part of the group played, and the rest of us just leaned back in the sunshine to visit with one another. I would have been quite content to have had the meal end there, but of course there were cakes offered, filled with fruit in a lovely butter crust. A mere single slice was left at the end, a testament to their homemade goodness!
Daniela and I bid our goodbyes, and made our way back home along the back roads of the area. I felt fortunate to have had this experience, and so enjoyed meeting new friends inspite of my limited Italian. Everyone was kind and patient with my attempts to communicate! And it was indeed a reminder that sometimes being out of one's 'comfort zone' provides the most memorable times.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Pelle and Pecorino - Visit Pienza!
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| The well in the center of Pienza |
So,with map in hand, we ventured out. Pienza is an easy drive from Siena - about 30 minutes or so - along good roads. From where we live, there are two ways, one more scenic than the Siena route, but it depends upon from where you start. Our goal was to enjoy the hamlet and buy some of their native, famous pecorino cheeses. Who knew we would be surprised by yet another delightful 'find'!
Pienza was actually the seat of the Pope Pius II back in the mid-1400's. It is small, intimate and very easy to discover. You can visit the Palazzo Piccolomini and Pienza's Duomo, but what makes this hamlet most famous is its cheeses and the views from behind the Duomo onto the Crete Senese, the hills of Siena.
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| Which variety??? |
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| Incredible Leather! |
Then it was off to the trattoria that Riccardo recommended, around the corner to the left of his shop. Homemade pastas that feature the area's famous products - porcini and tartufo, of course, only in season. This family-run restaurant is full of Italians (always a good sign), and is friendly and delicious.
As we make our way back home, we smiled, laughed and imagined where we would 'strut our boots'!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunny Spring Saturday in Florence
A glorious morning with clear skies and warm temperatures greeted me on Saturday, so I decided it was a perfect day to make the one hour drive to Florence. The Spring, or Primavera season in Tuscany is a feast for the eyes on sunny days, as the fields are beginning to show incredible shades of green colors, the rust-colored earth is freshly turned over in the vineyards between the rows, and the neatly-pruned olive trees and grape vines display their natural shapes.
Upon arriving in Florence, I parked at the Sant Ambrogio market, where hundreds of Florentines were enjoying the beautiful displays of produce outside, and inside standing in line at the various food counters to get provisions for the weekend's meals with friends and family. I am particularly fond of this market, as the shopkeepers are friendly and the banter with customers always lively and proffered with a smile. The variety of fresh and locally-grown products is mine-boggling - I always stop in regardless of whether I need to shop or not. It's just something one does when in Florence!
My next stop was a visit to Sbigoli Terrecotte located at Via S. Egidio, 4r, where my dear friends produce ceramic products right there in the shop. The Adami family purchased the shop after the 1966 floods, and have built a great business offering beautiful products of various patterns, and doing so with warmth and true Italian spirit. Sbigoli was instrumental to my starting Tuscan Nights, and have remained fast friends since 1998. They were kind enough to invite me to join them for lunch at the home of Antonella, the matriarch of the Adami clan. We enjoyed her beautiful outdoor garden just beginning to show the spring blooms, and dined on a simple pasta with fresh Tuscan zucchini and a salad of fennel, fresh purple artichokes, tomatoes and olives. Of course, dessert was fresh strawberries lightly dressed with sugar and lemon juice - my favorite!
Following lunch I had plans to go to a friend's flat for a visit, but of course I had to find that 'perfect bottle of wine' to share with her on her beautiful terrace. That errands led me to find a new wine shop right on the way to her place - Enoteca di Andrea Amadei, located at Borgo Pinti, 8. There I selected a bottle of Rose Sparkling wine from the Trento area of northern Italy. But Andrea would not let me buy the bottle until I tasted it, so he opened a new bottle and we sat and enjoyed a taste of this light, fruity wine with a clean, long finish. I decided it would be perfect for the sunny afternoon.
So, off to Jennifer's flat, where I found her planting the pots on her lovely terrace. The view from her place is amazing - the Duomo framed perfectly on the horizon. The wine was poured and of course the necessary 'salute' clink of the glasses to toast her terrace and our friendship. The time, and wine, slipped away from us as we caught up with one another's activities. The flowers were in beautiful contrast with the majesty of the Duomo, and I am once again reminded of the incredible beauty of this city.
As I drove back home after saying goodbye to Jennifer and her lovely terrace, I had a smile on my face as I looked across the Tuscan hillsides in the waning early evening light. Mother Nature indeed created a beautiful painting of this region of Italy!
A glorious morning with clear skies and warm temperatures greeted me on Saturday, so I decided it was a perfect day to make the one hour drive to Florence. The Spring, or Primavera season in Tuscany is a feast for the eyes on sunny days, as the fields are beginning to show incredible shades of green colors, the rust-colored earth is freshly turned over in the vineyards between the rows, and the neatly-pruned olive trees and grape vines display their natural shapes.
Upon arriving in Florence, I parked at the Sant Ambrogio market, where hundreds of Florentines were enjoying the beautiful displays of produce outside, and inside standing in line at the various food counters to get provisions for the weekend's meals with friends and family. I am particularly fond of this market, as the shopkeepers are friendly and the banter with customers always lively and proffered with a smile. The variety of fresh and locally-grown products is mine-boggling - I always stop in regardless of whether I need to shop or not. It's just something one does when in Florence!
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| Sbigoli Terrecotte So many beautiful choices! |
My next stop was a visit to Sbigoli Terrecotte located at Via S. Egidio, 4r, where my dear friends produce ceramic products right there in the shop. The Adami family purchased the shop after the 1966 floods, and have built a great business offering beautiful products of various patterns, and doing so with warmth and true Italian spirit. Sbigoli was instrumental to my starting Tuscan Nights, and have remained fast friends since 1998. They were kind enough to invite me to join them for lunch at the home of Antonella, the matriarch of the Adami clan. We enjoyed her beautiful outdoor garden just beginning to show the spring blooms, and dined on a simple pasta with fresh Tuscan zucchini and a salad of fennel, fresh purple artichokes, tomatoes and olives. Of course, dessert was fresh strawberries lightly dressed with sugar and lemon juice - my favorite!
Following lunch I had plans to go to a friend's flat for a visit, but of course I had to find that 'perfect bottle of wine' to share with her on her beautiful terrace. That errands led me to find a new wine shop right on the way to her place - Enoteca di Andrea Amadei, located at Borgo Pinti, 8. There I selected a bottle of Rose Sparkling wine from the Trento area of northern Italy. But Andrea would not let me buy the bottle until I tasted it, so he opened a new bottle and we sat and enjoyed a taste of this light, fruity wine with a clean, long finish. I decided it would be perfect for the sunny afternoon.
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| Jennifer's Terrace |
As I drove back home after saying goodbye to Jennifer and her lovely terrace, I had a smile on my face as I looked across the Tuscan hillsides in the waning early evening light. Mother Nature indeed created a beautiful painting of this region of Italy!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Castelletto Montebenichi opens today for the 2011 season!
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| Castelletto Montebenichi |
Each November the Castelletto closes for the winter months, which can be challenging with snow and winds typical of this area. Then, as Spring begins to warm the earth and air, the Castelletto comes alive with flowers beneath the incredible blue skies of the Chianti hills. The hamlet of Montebenichi transforms itself into one of most picturesque of the mountaintop villages in this area of Tuscany as the residents plant their flower boxes, prune the olive trees and vineyards that surround the area, and clean their terraces to prepare for summer.
Visit the website of Castelletto Montebenichi at http://castelletto.it/ to see photos of the hotel and details about its history and offerings. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday at il Borro
Just outside of Arezzo you will find the delightful, restored hamlet of Il Borro, owned by the Ferragamo family. You can stroll along the several narrow stone streets and visit some of the workshops of artisans who demonstrate the authentic crafts of Tuscany. A lovely restaurant is right adjacent to the hamlet and provides a quiet respite for your visit.
A Sunday in Casentino!
Just east of Florence you'll find the area of Casentino, a lovely region of Tuscany full of incredible vistas, lovely rolling hillsides, and delightful small villages full of character. You reach the Casentino within an hour of leaving downtown Florence. Stop at the top of the first mountain pass to have a coffee at a little log lodge that is a favorite of the Casentino travelers.
Don't miss some of the Casentino's lovely towns of Poppi and Stia. Along the river in Stia you'll find the famous woolen mills of Tessilnova. And when approaching Poppi, stop at the imposing stone gazebo as you drive up the hill to the village. The views off the side are lovely!
The Casentino gives as much as your are patient to receive through exploration. Have fun!
Don't miss some of the Casentino's lovely towns of Poppi and Stia. Along the river in Stia you'll find the famous woolen mills of Tessilnova. And when approaching Poppi, stop at the imposing stone gazebo as you drive up the hill to the village. The views off the side are lovely!
The Casentino gives as much as your are patient to receive through exploration. Have fun!
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