As anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to cook, and more importantly I LOVE to eat good food. I have never been interested in ‘fancy’ foods or pretentious food, which seems to be so popular today and I never thought about it that much until I came to Italy. Here there is a term, ‘Cucina Povera’ which translates as ‘poor cooking’ and is often used to describe Italian food. Lou’s grandmother’s sister, Angie was the most humble of women, modest and shy but a fantastic cook, who practiced Cucina Povera…cooking with the most basic fresh ingredients and creating wonderfully tasty and healthy dishes.
I loved that woman; she would say ‘come on Peg, let me show you my basil” and we would go to the garden, she in her housedress with a big smile on her face.
By definition, poor people’s food is local, seasonal and carefully crafted to ensure maximum flavor with minimum ingredients. Lucca’s food is epitomized by one of the town’s most typical dishes, tortelli Lucchese. A simple egg pasta served with a rich meat sauce, often cinghiale or wild boar. The food is not complicated, not pretentious, and not served in huge portions- Cucina Povera for sure!
As I write this, it seems so long ago that we arrived in Italy and that we have done so much. We continue to explore Lucca and study our Italian. I can now say proudly that I now have the competency of a one-year-old and the looks some merchants give me confirm that my ‘Italian’ must sound like baby talk to them! We have found our favorite spots, [at least for now] to shop for vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, pastries & bread. This time of year mandarin oranges are in season shipped from Sicily, and we can’t get enough of these sweet delights. They are like candy! Another sensory pleasure is the smell of the bread shops every time I enter. So many types to choose from – all so good and every Forno [bakery] has their speciality. My caro marito [dear hubby] has made it a habit of stopping by Cioccolateria Caniparoli a wonderful small chocolate shop. The owner/chocolatier/clerk is an always classically dressed attractive older woman who you can tell by her demeanor is proud of her chocolate creations and rightfully so.
Our friend Amanda left this week to head back to the states. She was sad to say goodbye to Lucca, and we were sad to see her go. We enjoyed her company and had some good times together. We enjoyed an excellent meal with her the night before her departure at Osteria Baralla.
The shops are now starting to show signs of spring with the after holiday sale signs being replaced by “Nuova Collezione” (new collection) signs in the windows. And there are indeed signs of spring as flower boxes are being planted with pansies and primroses, roses have buds, and new growth is sprouting from the trees. Lucca has a Mediterranean climate with warm summers and a mild short winter period, and as a result, there are lots of palm trees throughout the region as well as the iconic cypress.
Speciality….chickens!
Cioccolata calda – Italian hot chocolate, can sometimes be almost impossible to drink without the aid of a spoon it is so rich and thick….Hot chocolate in Italy often has an almost pudding-like texture – lightweight espresso spooons sometimes even stand upright in the cup. Instead of water and powder, it’s made with real pieces of chocolate, sugar, and milk. It’s melted in special machines that mix the chocolate constantly to avoid burning and lumps.
What a novel idea to actually put down your phone and have a REAL conversation!
No matter what time of day or type of weather there are people walking or biking on the wall. What a peaceful way to spend some time!
Monday, Jan. 22
Italy is a country full of wonderful surprises and adventures, and it is easy to be overwhelmed at times by the history and beauty of the country and the warmth of the people. But as you walk along the streets and narrow alleys you cannot help but admire the beauty of the doorways. Each is so different and unique and surrounded by the equisistely designed carved framework. They are too beautiful to be called doors for they are works of art crafted by men who took pride in their work and one can only imagine the life that is and has been lived behind them over the generations. I hope you enjoy these entryways as much as I do!
More to follow…..
Tues, Jan 23
Today was a lazy day, just spent exploring more of Lucca, meandering down the vicolo [alleyways] and narrow streets.
[In Italy there are different designations for the type of road one is on. For example, in the U.S. we often use a classification such as boulevard, avenue, road, court, etc. This gives us some indication of whether we will be traveling down a large street, small road, dead-end street, or maybe even a country road.
The same is true in Italy: Via (means way) is used for most roads and streets. Vicolo (means alley) refers to streets barely big enough for pedestrian or scooter traffic. Corso describes a main street, an avenue. Largo (means wide) may be used for a wide, broad street.
Street signs are often abbreviated: “V” for via; “Vc” for vicolo.]
We discovered a tiny tapas bar, Burro & Alici, which means ‘butter & anchovies’. The restaurant is named appropriately as the butter used in their dishes and for the bread is delicious, and the anchovies are the star of the menu. A lovely young couple greeted us. I think they have three tables in total. We had some delicious small dishes: A baccala [cod] mixture, the consistency of mashed potatoes, served in a crunchy corn taco; shredded pork with aromatic white beans; Lou’s favorite, marinated anchovies, and sardines. After a lovely relaxing meal, we walked home on the wall
The wines in Tuscany are excellent, and there is no need to fuss about ordering the right wine. Just request the ‘vino della casa’ or house wine, and you will not be disappointed.
Lucca is very near the sea and shares its northern boundary with Liguria, famous for pesto and its anchovies. A specialty in many of the seaside towns is marinated anchovies, which are different from the anchovies one finds in the small tins in US grocery stores. Served very simply, these are delicate white pieces of lemony flesh often served with olives or capers and a good loaf of bread. Buon apetito!
Wed, Jan 24
Today we climbed up the Torre Guinigi 250 stairs. This tower is one of the few remaining within the city walls. Its main characteristic is its garden in the sky on the roof of the tower. The tower dates from the 1300s when a number of wealthy families were building bell towers within the walls of Lucca as status symbols. It was a perfect day for this; it was a beautiful bright and sunny day. Once on top of the tower, you can see for miles all the way to the Apuan Alps. For a time, we were the only ones up there. What a spectacular view! Below is a photo [not mine] of the tower which shows the forest planted atop the tower.
Our friend Amanda said that she wanted to try all the gelato within the walls of Lucca before she had to head home. Her favorite place is Grom so naturally, on the way home we “just happened” to pass by and try it for ourselves. However, there is always a problem when going into any gelateria in Italy! What flavor do I get as they all look so wonderful? It is always displayed so beautifully, and as always it was delizioso. Now we know that Amanda has good-taste, BUT our vote for the best gelato so far has to go to Gelateria La Crema Matta. They top each cone or cup of gelato with a sweet biscuit half-covered in vanilla or chocolate which flows freely from a spigot, yum! Stay tuned as we are on a mission to sample all of the gelaterias we can.
What’s the Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato?
Ice cream is a frozen dairy dessert made of milk, cream, sugar, and (typically) egg yolks. Traditionally, French-style ice cream contained egg yolks and was richer than American-style ice cream, which didn’t initially contain eggs. However, American ice cream has now evolved to also include the yolks.The ingredients in ice cream are first cooked together into a rich custard. After the custard base is cooled, it’s churned at a fairly high speed to incorporate air and increase its volume (cheaper ice creams tends to have more air whipped into them).
Ice cream is served at a fairly cold temperature that makes scoops hold together, and the finished product is smooth, light-textured, and creamy.
Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. It starts out with a similar custard base as ice cream, but has a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all). It is churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream.
Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so its texture stays silkier and softer. Because it has a lower percentage of fat than ice cream, the main flavor ingredient really shines through.
On our outing with the language school to Pisa, several weeks ago we didn’t have an opportunity to explore the city, so we decided to return and discover the city on our own. Pisa is only a short train ride away, about 25 mins and the cost is around 7 Euro or $8.60. One of the many things I love about Lucca is that it is a very walkable city and no matter where you are the train and bus stations are close by and thus all of Italy and even Europe can be reached without the hassle of driving or having to deal with airports and the never-ending hassle of security and delays.
Traveling in Italy via train is interesting. You buy your ticket from one of the ticket machines in the station or from the dis-interested ticket seller who is stylishly dressed and in no hurry to dispense your ticket and even may delight in staring at the line forming as the minutes tick down for YOUR trains departure. Once you buy your ticket and board, you MAY be asked, by an equally stern looking conductor to see your ticket. One word of advice, DO NOT forget to get your train ticket validated in one of the machines haphazardly placed throughout the terminal or on the train platforms before boarding. This little detail is never revealed to the traveler by the ticket seller. Failure to do so can result in at the very least a cross look and reprimand from the conductor or being kicked off the train into the arms of the local polizia. Ask me how I know! And by the way tickets are checked only sporadically and lucky us on our first train trip by ourselves the inspector was on board checking them. “In Italy, you must have your ticket validated,” he said with all the authority he could muster and a look only a civil servant knows how to give. We certainly didn’t need another fine, after having to pay full price for our lost parking ticket in Monterossa last weekend! But lets not rehash lessons learned!
Lou and I both love to take long walks and most Italian towns are made for this and Pisa was no exception. We strolled, window shopped and people-watched. Pisa is a larger city than Lucca and there are several schools and universities here, so there are lots of young people on the streets and tourists from all over, even during the cold and wet month of January. We found a cozy place for lunch whose name escapes me and had another excellent meal. I have to laugh as Lou keeps telling me it is not polite to take pictures of all of my food dishes, so I wait till he is on his second glass of wine or distracted checking out some signorina’s outfit to sneak a few!
.
Friday, Jan 26
In the evening we went to a friend’s apartment for dinner. I took an antipasto platter over. The quality of the meats and cheeses that you can buy just a few steps from our apartment are just amazing, and the shop displays are beautiful. It is hard to decide what to buy. We all had a hand in making some fresh pasta, a tagliatelle. We used a wine bottle for a rolling pin, but first, we had to empty it! Our sauce was olive oil, garlic, cherry tomatoes and slivered fresh artichokes. We topped it all off with fresh parmegiano cheese, of course. Desert or Dolci was delicious chocolate from a local shop that I mentioned earlier. Yum! It was a little brisk walking home, but we didn’t have far to go. It is so nice to take a walk after a hearty meal. What a great way to end the evening. We certainly don’t have to worry about not getting enough exercise!
Is Parmigiano cheese the same as Parmesan cheese? The rind of the cheese is actually labeled with Parmegiano Reggiano. Parmesan cheese is a less expensive, less flavorful version of the real deal. It’s made in a similar manner as Parmigiano Reggiano, but not in the appropriate region in Italy or with the same recipe and procedure.
Saturday, Jan 2
We traveled by train with our friend Amanda to the nearby coastal town of Viareggio for Carnevale. The “Carnevale di Viareggio” actually takes place over an entire month with five days of processions each year. These are held on four Sundays and the last one on Fat Tuesday. The parades take place between the end of January and the fours weeks that precede Lent (which is the forty day period before Easter). It is one of the best-known events in Italy, and over 600,000 people attend. It is similar in some respects to the Carnival in Rio, Mardi Gras in New Orleans or Fantasy Fest in Key West with one notable exception; there are no drunks, fights, rowdy teens or girls exposing themselves. Had this been Key West or New Orleans, it would have been a very different experience, I am sure. This is a family affair, and I must say I have never seen so many well-behaved people having such a good time!
This Saturday was the kick-off parade. Every float is made out of papier-mâché and boy are they huge! To give you an idea how large they are, there were people on their 4th-floor balconies watching and the floats towered above them! The floats and people paraded around the very long promenade that parallels the beach, and each float had a theme and appropriate music playing; some were political in nature and others allegorical. On the way back to the train station we stopped off at a pizzeria for a late night dinner. What a great day.
7
Sunday, Jan 28
We packed a picnic and took a lovely bike ride (our apartment came with 2 bikes) in the countryside along a river. I think we road about 35 km (21 miles). It was a beautiful clear sunny day. I know that Lou was worried about me on a bike again (after my little mishap in Denmark) but I did great even riding thru some heavily traveled roads to get in and out of town. We road past an area where a man was herding his goats and another area where someone was farming and his field was full of beautiful winter vegetables. We could see snow capped mountains off in the distance. We also saw several hang gliders on a nearby mountain. What a view they must have had. We were out all day and when we returned to Lucca, we stopped off for a beverage at a nearby cafe. The streets of Lucca were packed. It was such a lovely Sunday, just about everyone was out walking and socializing.
Our picnic spotA view of the Apuan Alps in the background…Blue sky, snow capped mountains the background and a clear cold stream…
Well, here it is …week 2 of language classes and trying to soak it all in as this is the last week that we signed up for. We realize that we were not going to be fluent in 2 weeks, but we thought it would give us a good start. We can study at home……AND we are in Italy!!!! We can learn by speaking to shopkeepers etc.
These are just a few observation during my first week here:
Lucca is very clean and safe. AND it is so very quiet. Not only in Lucca, but we have remarked about this in other areas as well. I love how you can actually talk in a restaurant without blaring music to compete with.
You can get “lost” in the maze of small streets and alleyways, but we can always find our home as we are located near one of the “Portas”, Porta Jacobo, leading in and out of the city.
The Italians love their dogs! You see all kinds; big, little, they’re everywhere and they are allowed in shops. For the most part, dog owners are respectful and clean up after their pooches.
You need to plan for your shopping. Most of the shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday. Some small shops are closed on Wednesdays. Hours are 9 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm in gerneral but thern again it is best to check before going as the schedules are flexible. There are a few large grocery stores (closed on Sundays), but I prefer to shop at the local specialty shops for most things.
Separating your trash is very important. There are days for organic waste, recyclable items, and non-recyclable items.
You don’t need to buy bottled water. Water from the tap is ok however, there are many fountains throughout the city which have even better water without chlorine added or other chemicals used in water treatment. You’ll see many people carrying a supply of empty bottles for filling to these fountains.
Monday 1/15
Excursion…There was a guided tour of the city, different high points were pointed out from last week’s tour and of course, we ended at a cafe/bar. After chatting with the instructor and a few of the other students who joined the group, Lou and I went with our friend Amanda to another cafe/bar for some prosecco. Most places give you small sandwiches or small appetizers with your drink in the early evening. Dinner is usually no sooner than 7:30 or 8 and if you go to a resturant before then you will be the only patrons.
Tuesday & Wednesday 1/16 -17
Although it was raining off and on we walked around Lucca. In fact, the afternoon excursion was canceled due to the rain. We saw an interesting shop filled with beautiful meats, cheeses, and some prepared/marinated vegetables, and we just had to go in. The husband was sitting at the end of the counter and Lou didn’t realize that that is where he should have gone to pay, but rather handed his coins to the woman standing in from of him. Well, for you Seinfeld fans; do you remember the one where Kramer hands Jerry a Jr. mint in an operating theater while watching an operation, and in the handoff, it gets flung into the air only to fall into the patient? It was almost like a replay, except it was Lou’s coin that bounced off the glass countertop when trying to pay. The woman had walked away from the counter as it bounced and went directly into the marinated peppers! Oops…we looked at each other as he told the man and woman “Scusi, mi dispiace cosi tanto” and pointed to the coin in the oil. The woman retrieved the coin and wiped it off and the husband shook his head They were probably thinking stupid Americans. Oh well, things happen. Lesson learned. Here’s the scene of the crime.
Thursday 1/18
The day has finally arrived! A cooking class is offered after the language study. I have been looking forward to this day since I found out that Eva, our language instructor would be giving a cooking class! I encouraged my friend, Amanda to rearrange her schedule so she could take the class too. Eva did not disappoint. Eight students from the school participated. It was held at a local vineyard and Agriturismo just outside of the Walled City of Lucca, Fattoria Sardi. http://www.fattoriasardi.com/?lang=en
We were given a brief tour and history of the vineyard – All In Italian. I learned that thefarmers plant rosebushes at the end of the row of the grape vines to aid in the detection of insects. It seems that the insects will attack the rose bushes first before going after the grape vines. We also saw the cellar where the large wooden vats held the wines. Then off to the kitchen! It was so much fun, not to mention delicious. I made the cantuccini and some of the lasagne noodles. Here’s the mouth-watering menu:
Crostini con salsa di fungi (Crostini with porcini mushrooms)
Lasagne con carciofi e noci (Freshly made lasagna with artichokes in a béchamel sauce with walnuts)
Polo al limone ere aromatiche (Chicken with herbs and lemon)
Cantuccini col vin santo (this is like a biscotti – some were made with pistachios and some with chocolate chips – served with vin Santo: a traditional typically sweet dessert wine made in Italy, predominantly in Tuscany. The wine is loved for its intense flavors of hazelnut and caramel. When paired with biscotti, Vin Santo becomes “Cantucci e Vin Santo” which is inarguably Italy’s most famous welcoming tradition.
After making all this we sat at big Tuscan farm table to enjoy the fruits of our labor. I can’t wait to try making the lasagna but sadly it will have to wait as I do not have an oven in our apartment!
Friday, 1/19
Graduation Day!!! LOL
The last day of class doesn’t mean I have advanced! It simply means I got a tote bag with the school emblem on it and I am a little further along than 2 weeks ago. Now we are on our own to learn and study on our own. It was a great experience and we met some lovely people. The extra activities that the school provided certainly added another dimension to the whole experience. I said ciao to my friends.
Saturday, 1/20
Lou decided that he wanted to do a road trip. I guess he was feeling his Italian urge to drive…so he rented a Fiat 500! We invited our friend Amanda to join us for a day trip to Bagni di Lucca (in the 19th century, it was one of Europe’s most fashionable spa towns). We passed through Carrara, which is world famous for its white marble, with queries dating back to the Roman times. Our first stop along the way was at Ponte della Maddalena, or “Devil’s Bridge” – a humpbacked ancient bridge and a nice coffee break at a little local cafe. We stopped later in a small town, Barga. https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/a-day-trip-to-barga/
We found a restaurant for lunch and we almost didn’t make it before closing time. L’Altana did not disappoint. The bread was some of the best we have had! Lou had a wonderful bean and vegetable soup with farro. In Tuscany and Umbria, they often add farro or polenta to soups giving a lovely thickness to the soup. Amanda and I both had fresh pasta with speck, chicory, and gorgonzola. It was all sooo good. We drove to a hilltop castle town, Castelnuovo Garfagnana. What a view from this mountainous village. We saw a group of children playing in front of an ancient church. I often wonder, what life is like in these small villages and will the young kids remain there when they grow up. It was getting very cold on that hilltop as the sun was starting to set. Off in the distance, we could see the snowcapped mountains. What a beautiful sight to end our lovely day. We headed home with our minds full of lovely vistas and our palates more than satisfied.
Sunday 1/21
We decided to keep the car until Monday morning, so we headed out for a peak at the Cinque Terre region. Sometimes that darn GPS just doesn’t cooperate. We got lost. In the end, it was a good thing because we ended up in an area with a breathtaking view that we would have never seen otherwise. We were high up on a hilltop looking down on the town of La Spezia. We want to explore that area soon. We realized we weren’t where we wanted to be, so we winded back down the hairpin turns to “recalculate” and get back on our original path headed toward Monterosso, the largest village of the Cinque Terre. It was a lovely sunny day and we saw lots of hikers who had been walking along the trails. It was so nice to see the sea. We parked the car and strolled along the pathway for a bit and we realized that not much was open so we returned to a cafe we had passed earlier and had a nice lunch. Lou had his favorite, marinated anchovies along with a pasta course. I had a ‘pasta alla vongole’ clam pasta. We finished off the meal with some espresso and stopped at another place for gelato. We strolled along the seaside taking in the beautiful view. It was a great day until we returned to our car. Neither one of us had the parking ticket! We searched and searched, but nothing! Lou went to the machine where you pay and came back to the car with a sad face…..50 Euro he said…look again! Needless to say, it was an expensive lunch! I guess it could have been worse, but it kind of ruin the mood. We headed home remembering the beauty of the area. We will return again.
No matter what time of day or type of weather there are people walking or biking on the wall. What a peaceful way to spend some time!
Tutti Giorno 