8 November 2010
14 November 2009
Colletalli in Radicondoli | Tuscany | Pure
15 October 2009
Recipe of the week: "Pappa al pomodoro"
Pappa al pomodoro, a Tuscan bread-and-tomato porridge, sounds like kid’s food, and it is – for kids of all ages. In the past it was also very much a homey dish, a tasty summer way to use up leftover bread that no housewife would have dreamed of serving to a guest. Now it’s on the menus of Florence’s trendier restaurants.
Serves:
8 – 10
Ingredients:
- 8 whole garlic cloves
- ripe tomatoes
- 1 pound loaf of stale bread, sliced (or unseasoned stuffing mix)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced, only white part
- 6 cups water
- 1 bunch basil
- Salt
- Chili pepper
Preparation:
The night before slice the bread and leave it out to get stale.
(This does happen in Tuscany with our unsalted bread.) You can force the drying in a warm oven.
Sauté the whole garlic cloves and leek in olive oil with the chili pepper. When the garlic has lightly browned and the leek is just getting golden, add the tomato sauce. Season with salt. Add half the basil leaves torn into tiny pieces. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon and stir. Cook until the tomatoes fall apart.
Tear the bread into small pieces and put into the sauce. The bread will soak up the sauce and get quite thick. Add enough water to soften the bread and to make it liquidy. Add the remaining basil and cook until the bread becomes a “mush”: PAPPA!
Enjoy this thick stew-like soup on a cold day with a drizzle of extra virgin oil on top. I like to reheat it the next day by sauteing some sliced garlic and more chili in oil and then reheating. This gives it an extra kick!
This traditional Tuscan soup is robust enough for red wine, but its summery flavors taste particularly good with rosato (rosé), especially ones made from Sangiovese; the wine’s cherry-berry fruit seems to intensify the already sweet flavors of end-of-season tomatoes. One of the best Tuscan rosatos comes from Castello di Ama, the noted Chianti producer; the 2006 is especially fresh and lively.
12 October 2009
Tuscany Accommodation
Accommodations in Tuscany are classified to the type of accommodation: villas, apartments, B&B, agriturismo, castles. The price are displayed in weeks and they do not always include breakfast, but should include service charges and taxes. In same areas, the local APT ( azienda si Promozione Turistica ) can supply information about Villas amd Hotels, but in others tourism is coordinated by an AAST ( azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo ).
It is also possible to obtain a list of accommodations from information offices in stations and airtport. If you arrive in a town without having reserved beforehand, go directly to the APT or to the AAST for help. Leaflets will be available in English, and usually at least one person there will speak English. B&B or agriturismo breakfast consist mainly of a brioche or brad, butter and jam, and coffee or tea. Some Tuscany Villas may provide a full breakfast on request.
Venice Marathon – 25 October 2009
One word is enough to describe Venicemarathon course: spectacular.
However, if you are running the Venicemarathon not to gaze at the landscape, but to improve your personal best, don’t worry: the race track is mainly flat and fast. Moreover, meteo conditions are usually perfect to perform at high level.
Start takes place in Stra, a small town a few kilometers east of Padova, in front of a magnificent mansion, Villa Pisani, built in the 18th century, which is the first and the largest of the beautiful mansions of the Brenta riverside.
You can take a short break in our precious pearl:
Course follows National Road N.11, leaving the river on the right, and running through the small towns of the Riviera : Fiesso d’Artico, Dolo, Mira (10th km) and Oriago. Then, the road and the river turn right heading to Malcontenta (20th km).
Runners are now near Marghera industrial area, which is quickly passed to enter the center of Mestre (25th km). After running for 4 kilometers in the heart of the city, course enters San Giuliano’s Park, a vast green area located on the edge of the lagoon, between Venice and Mestre.
Venice skyline, with its countless bell towers, already appears on the horizon, at the end of the never-ending five-kilometer-long Ponte della Libertà (i.e. Bridge of Freedom). Probably, this is the most challenging section of the entire race, where athletes’ psychological strenght is heavily tested, and where leading runners usually make their moves to win.
At the end of the bridge there are 2 kilometers inside the port-area, then begins the most spectacular and exciting stage of the race. From here there is no more tar: you’ll be running over cobblestone, overpassing, one by one, the 14 bridges which created the Venicemarathon legend.
You face the long Zattere stretch, keeping the Giudecca Canal on the right and taking advantage of the slope of the bridges – there are 6 of them in this section – to speed up your run. All of a sudden, the course turns left, among the houses and in a moment you are in front of the Grand Canal, while going round S. Maria della Salute church. You head to Punta della Dogana and climb the short ramp leading on the pontoon bridge.
On the other side of the Grand Canal, new energy pushes you between two wings of crowd, as you take a quick look at St. Mark’s Square, on your left. At the end of Palazzo Ducale is time to climb the large steps of Ponte della Paglia – the only bridge without ramps – always spurred by the fans’ cheers.
There are only 5 bridges left, but nothing can stop you now. You follow the gentle bend rightwards of the Gran Canal, leaving Riva degli Schiavoni, Riva Ca’ di Dio – where the finish line was between 1991 and 1995 -, and Riva San Biagio behind you…
…then you run downhill the last bridge, trying to increase the pace, asking an ultimate effort to your body, your eyes stuck on the time under the finish banner, at the center of Riva dei Sette Martiri.
11 October 2009
Chianti Ecomarathon, Italy
What?
The Salomon Ecomaratona del Chianti is a trail marathon in the splendid landscape of Tuscany. A 9 km walk and a 17 km race will take place as well for runners who would like to enjoy the local food and wine over the weekend.
Where?
The trail marathon (just 2kms on a road) starts from the square of Castelnuovo Beradenga and continues into the Chianti hills and vineyards until you reach Campi . Then back to Castelnuovo Beradenga on a different route.
Follow the link below and explore some charming holiday accommodation in Siena where you can stay during this event:
Vacation rental in Siena
When?The 3rd edition is planned on Sunday, October 18th 2009 and the race must be completed in less than 8 hours.
Why?
October is a great season to run in Tuscany (10-18°C) and the trail is not too technical: the Ecomaratona del Chianti offers wonderful views on the Chianti hills, crossing beautiful medieval villages like Monteaperti, Montegiachi, Poggiobonelli, Calcinaia, Pagliarese and San Gusm. An autumn weekend to enjoy trail running, historical towns, a stroll in Piazza del Campo in Siena and (as the name of the race suggests) some great local wines.
How (much)?
The registration fee, €26, is a bargain. And for the first 400 runners there is a free T-shirt as well. Most runners arriving by plane will land in Florence or Pisa: Pisa is a main hub for Ryanair flights with destinations including London, Barcelona, Paris, Dublin, Brussels, Berlin, Stockholm; Florence offers flights with Lufthansa, Alitalia, Meridiana and Swiss. Bologna – 2.5 hours by bus – is one more option to grab a cheap ticket. By train, you can get to Pisa through Genoa, Florence or Milan. Need a bed? You can stay in one of the many agriturismo nearby or sleep in Siena (check Apt Siena, www.terresiena.it), only 15km away. You can travel to Castelnuovo from Siena railway station by bus, for more info write to info@mondochiantiviaggi.it.
Contacts
Comitato Ecomaratona del Chianti
Associazione Polisportiva La Bulletta – Via Turati n°1
53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga
Siena (SI), Italy
tel. +39 331 2109253
www.ecomaratonadelchianti.it
9 October 2009
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5 October 2009
Recipe of the week: "Panforte di Siena"
Panforte dates back to at least the Middle Ages, some believe back even further, and originated in Siena (or at least Tuscany). It literally translates to “strong bread”, referring to its piquant flavor. Being so densely packed with dried fruit, nuts, spices, and honey I’m sure the Crusaders referred to it as their energy bar.
Many regard Siena as the Panforte capital of Italy. While there are various recipes for panforte most Senese believe it should contain seventeen ingredients to represent the seventeen contrade (subdivisions) of the walled city.
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray, for pan
- 3 cups whole blanched almonds
- 1 3/4 cups whole hazelnuts, skinned or unskinned
- 2 cups diced candied orange peel
- 6 ounces dried apricots, diced
- 5 ounces dried figs, diced
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups honey
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Generously spray a 9-by-2-inch heavy-bottomed, nonstick round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with a parchment paper circle, spray parchment paper circle with cooking spray. Coat bottom and sides of pan with flour, tapping out excess.
Using a sharp knife, roughly chop almonds and hazelnuts and place in a large, wide bowl, along with orange peel, apricots, and figs; toss to combine.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper. Add to bowl of nuts and fruit and toss until well combined.
Place sugar, honey, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture until it reaches 217 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and quickly pour sugar mixture into nut mixture. Using a heatproof spatula, stir until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared cake pan, smoothing surface with a spatula.
Transfer cake pan to oven and bake until entire surface is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool completely. Wrap well with parchment paper, and then again with plastic wrap. Store in a cool, dry place up to 3 weeks.
If you’re making panforte follow the traditional Italian way by baking it in small 4-inch disks. Wrap it in wax paper, then brown butcher paper. Tie it with string and, if you want to get really fancy, seal it with red embossed wax. Che bella! A little slice is perfect in the morning with a cup of cappuccino, or after a meal with a nice glass of vin santo.
1 October 2009
New holiday rental listing in Castelnuovo Val di Cecina
Il collonzolo in Castelnuovo Val di Cecina – Tuscany Holiday lettings: Il collonzolo in Castelnuovo Val di Cecina – Tuscany Holiday lettings in Italy
From the Etruscans to Sodoma: A Day in the Sienese Countryside
The Etruscans left few written records, and nobody knows what the complex at Poggio Civitate, a hill near the town of Murlo (southwest of Siena), was. However, the footprint our man left in the roof tile is dramatic proof of the suddenness with which destruction came: Life size terracotta statues of gods and sphinxes, roof tiles, frieze plaques with horse race and banquet scenes, pottery, jewelry, all was smashed and buried.
And so it remained until Mr. Phillips, who hoped to find an Etruscan town, began excavating Poggio Civitate in 1966. The first day a wall was discovered, but instead of being part of a house, it proved to be part of a huge, fabulously…
…decorated building dating to the early 5th century BC. Over the years an earlier, Archaic complex (which appears to have simply burned down) emerged, as did kilns, a foundry, and tombs. 
Though many archaeologists have interpreted the site, by analogy with modern Tuscan estates, as the palace of a prince, Mr. Phillips thought otherwise. In ancient times princes had armies of both slaves and soldiers, and he could see no traces of either at Poggio Civitate.
He finally decided the hill was the meeting place of a North Etruscan league of some sort. This would explain the site’s wealth, because each member city would have contributed to its construction, and the absence of a garrison, because there would have been no need to defend what was owned by all. It would also explain why the hill is named Poggio Civitate, the hill of the cities, and the ritual nature of the complex’s destruction, which my father suspected was carried out by Chiusi, who wanted to eliminate a political rival. 
The site is open to the public: Take the Cassia (S.S. 2) south from Siena and turn off for Murlo shortly after Monteroni D’Arbia, drive though Vescovado, bear left at the fork about a half mile out of town, turn right after another half mile, up a little dirt road that leads to an abandoned quarry, and follow the footpath up the hill. To be frank, you won’t see much – all that remains in the excavated areas are foot-high dry mortar walls that are slowly being reclaimed by the forest.
However, there’s lots to see in the Etruscan museum in Murlo, the walled town perched on the hill (turn right, rather than bearing left, at the fork). The reconstruction of the roof of the more recent building, the one that was ritually destroyed, is especially impressive, and you really will feel like an Etruscan as you look up at the sphinx on the ridge pole, or shrink back from the row of gorgon antefixes that hang off the ends of the tiles. There are also dozens of smaller objects, everything from delicate Greek vases to coarse earthenware colanders, bronzes, and tiny, exquisitely carved jewels, including a griffin that would look just fine in Cartier’s. Once you’ve seen the museum, take five minutes to explore Murlo (it’s small), which was once a fortress of the Bishop of Siena, and is said to have “hosted” Galileo for a time before he made his Retraction.
If you’ve taken your time in the museum and come from farther afield than Siena, it will likely be time for lunch. There’s a pizzeria in Murlo proper, and a nice restaurant in Vescovado, across from the tobacconist’s at the upper end of town. For the afternoon? During the summer, when the excavation’s in session, you can stop in at the laboratories where students will be at work, cleaning shards and restoring vases (you’ll have to ask where the labs are).
If you would rather a complete change of pace, on the other hand, visit Monte Oliveto Maggiore, one of Tuscany‘s most important and spectacular monasteries. To reach it via the back roads, bear left at the fork mentioned above (as if you were going to the site) and follow the signs for Buonconvento. It’s about 10 kilometers, over dirt roads, through extremely pretty countryside. Once you reach Buonconvento cross the town and follow the signs for Asciano.
The monastery is about 8 km up the road. Park outside the gate and walk down the cypress-lined lane to the monastery. Though the present buildings are more recent, their seeds were planted in 1310, when Henry VII, Emperor of Luxembourg, crossed the Alps on his way to his coronation in Rome. Things went drastically wrong and he spent three years besieging the Guelf cities of Tuscany. The wave of bloodshed and vendetta that followed his death in 1313 so sickened Bernardo Tolomei that he withdrew to the most God-forsaken of his family holdings with Patrizio de’Patrizi and Ambrogio de’Piccolomini, and founded Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The monastery prospered under his direction, which came to a tragic end when he and 81 omonf his brother monks went to Siena to help the victims of the great plague of 1348: They all died. However, the monastery survived and thrived; in the following decades Olivetan monks were sent to Montecassino (the original Benedictine monastery) to reform it, and also established Olivetan monasteries throughout the land.
Because of the monks’ influence and success Monte Oliveto became a major cultural center, as you will see when you enter the Great Cloister, which is beautifully frescoed with scenes from the life of Saint Benedict. Luca Signorelli painted some of the panels in the middle of the fresco cycle (they’re easy to spot because their compositions are simpler), but Sodoma then took over the job and did the rest, producing one of his masterpieces. The cycle begins on the far side of the cloister, with Benedict leaving his home to study in Rome, and proceeds clockwise, with Benedict performing miracles, resisting temptations, and finally founding and running his monastery. The most interesting scenes are perhaps those in which he deals with rebel monks, who either try to poison him or try to smuggle “naughty women” into their chambers. Sodoma once remarked that he sweated seven shirts in doing the frescoes (i.e., he’d worked very hard), and in the last, Benedetto releasing a bound farmer with his gaze, he painted a shirt hung out to dry in the window of the building to the right.
Sodoma and Signorelli were not alone: Fra’ Giovanni Da Verona, the monk who did the inlays of the choir stalls, was an inspired artisan, and the panels show everything from a view of the ruins of the Coliseum to lutes, complete with strings, that look like they could be picked up and played. Finally, don’t miss the library, with its beautiful illuminated manuscripts.
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