Category: Italy

Italy: Eating Out in Tuscany

JWF 1 Comment

PASTA

Pasta with truffles

If you like pasta and/or pizza, you’ll never go hungry in Italy.  We have been enjoying the pastas in particular and the fresh truffles.  The Chief Penguin is truffle-obsessed; I’m just very fond of them.  Consequently, we have both had tagliolini (the thin spaghetti-like pasta) with black truffles and a couple times with some early white truffles.  The white ones are supremely delicious, with the best ones later on in November and even into December.  

Handkerchief pasta

My favorite pasta dish thus far, aside from those with truffles, was the fazzoletti (handkerchiefs) stuffed with a bit of sausage covered with a light film of cheese.  They were thin and green and oh, so delicate and delicious! 

Raviolis in Florence

 I also loved some ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach served in Tuscan meat sauce.

BRUSCHETTA

Overloaded tomato bruschetta with pesto

When tomatoes are really ripe, there is nothing quite like a bruschetta to start your meal.  Chopped fresh tomato on good toasted bread with a bit of olive oil can be sublime.  We’ve had many renditions, but the best one so far was in Florence with an under layer of pesto.

Another day, we had a bruschetta variation we hadn’t had before, and that was a thin layer of sausage with slices of black truffle on top.  Super yum!

Sausage bruschetta

CAPRESE

By now, most Americans are familiar with the salad of sliced tomatoes and mozzarella with fresh basil called caprese and usually topped with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  We’ve had several versions of it on this trip.   We had an especially pretty plate in Cortona at Bar 500.  

Caprese in Cortona

Another caprese was the wonderful one we had in Florence with a bit of dried oregano on top.

Caprese salad, Florence

STARTERS

A surprise starter was some beautiful smoked Scottish salmon with burrata that we also sampled in Cortona.

Scottish salmon

In Florence, the Chief Penguin began with a light asparagus soufflé topped with shaved black truffle, something different.

Asparagus souffle

One lunch, the CP and I shared a starter called Pop and Cool, and yes, it was listed in English on the Italian menu.  It was prosciutto, melon, and some focacacia.  Pretty to look and refreshing to eat.

Pop and Cool

RISOTTO

I’m a big fan of risotto, but given that we haven’t really been in northern Italy, have only seen it on a few menus. A  properly made risotto is a creamy rice dish that can be as simple as when rice, good stock, and Parmesan cheese are combined in stages, or a more complex dish with the addition of vegetables, meat, or seafood.

I ordered a veggie risotto with zucchini at a local eatery in Arezzo, but it was on the dry side and not a true creamy risotto.  The first one I had this trip (in Rome) included smoked cheese, and it was very satisfying.  I tried again in Florence. Here my risotto with asparagus, shrimp, and melted provolone on top was the right consistency and tasty.

Risotto with shrimp & asparagus

OTHER DISHES

We are in Tuscany and beef dominates many menus. At home, we are not frequent beef eaters, and consequently, have not (at least not yet) indulged in steak Florentine or any other steak options.  I did enjoy a veal stew Tuscan style in Arezzo which I thought might include carrots and onions, but it was simple cubes of veal in a rich dark sauce.  

And I’ve treated myself twice now to vitello tonnato.  Traditionally, this dish of thinly sliced cold veal topped with a tuna mayonnaise is garnished with a few capers. One I had was, but the most recent version had sliced fennel on it and no capers.  The fennel was a sweet alternative to capers, and the dish was great with the addition of fresh cracked black pepper.

Fennel on vitello tonnato

The Chief Penguin opted for a calzone one night with ham and cheese, probably enough for four given its size.  

Calzone at Cavour 42

And on another night, he opted for a starter of salami and burrata with shreds of black truffle, again a very large portion, and a bit surprising in an Italian restaurant.  Perhaps Americans were their target audience.

Salami starter

PIZZA, JUST BECAUSE

Pizza is available everywhere. You could easily have a pizza twice, if not three times a day. Here’s a rustic pizza with spinach, sausage, and Gorgonzola cheese that the Chief Penguin ordered. And no, he didn’t eat all of it! Italy is carb heaven, and what good carbs they are, but one has to exercise a tiny bit of restraint. Bon Appétit!

Rustic pizza

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.).

Italy: Arezzo to Pienza

JWF 2 Comments
Arezzo at night

Yesterday was our last full day in Arezzo.  We’ve enjoyed being here and have had some of the best meals of the trip so far.  That’s partly the result of seeking out trattorias rather than cafes or pizzerias.  In Cortona, we had lunch in town, but took advantage of the tasty appetizers followed by cookies and vin santo offered at our hotel each evening.  They were a satisfactory substitute for dinner (one night augmented by a plate of meats and cheese) and spared us the steep walk up the hill and back in the dark.

FRESCOES IN ARREZO

Crucifix, chapel behind

In the morning, our enthusiastic guide Debora, native of Arezzo and a big booster of her city, took us to see Piero della Francesca’s marvelous frescoes in the Basilica of Saint Francis.  Created in the mid 15th century, the frescoes are in a small chapel named for the Bacci family tucked behind the sanctuary’s massive 13th century crucifix. They tell the Legend of the True Cross and are “read” beginning at the apex of the ceiling.

Frescoes on ceiling

The side walls relate to each other with some symmetry; there is a battle scene depicted on each side at the lowest level.

Battle scene close-up

The annuciation on the left rear wall is matched by Constantine’s dream scene on the right rear wall.

Annunciation
Constantine dream scene, depicting dawn light (previously thought to be a night scene)

There are missing patches on the images, but overall they are quite complete. It’s noteworthy that frescoes in churches were often whitewashed over; only much later, did restoration work reveal the art underneath.

For serious lovers of Renaissance art, these frescoes are worth a trip to Arezzo. Add in the duomo and the other historic architecture, and you can easily spend a day or two.

VAL D’ORCIA

Cypresses lining a driveway

Val D’Orcia, an extensive valley in southern Tuscany, is a protected park and since 2004, a World Heritage Site. There are olive trees and deciduous trees in this valley, but its hallmark are the tall pointed cypress trees. These cypresses appear on postcards and are a feature on several of the winding roads outside Pienza and elsewhere.

On our way to the Renaissance town of Pienza, birthplace of Pope Pius II, we made several stops along the road to take photos. The day was a mix of clouds and sun, making for pretty late morning light.

Greens and browns of Val d’Orcia landscape

PIENZA

Pienza main square

Pope Pius II returned to Pienza and remade the city into the architectural gem it still is today. With its beautiful Renaissance center, it became a UNESCO heritage site in 1996. It is a small town with one main thoroughfare between two city gates with narrow passageways branching off in both directions.

Pienza street view
City gate, Pienza

There are good views of the valley below from the city wall.

View from wall to valley

After our ride and our rambling through town, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a Pienza trattoria. Besides olive oil, cheese is a local product, especially pecorino. There are several varieties and we sampled three, plus I had a lovely dish of gnocchi.

Gnocchi in Parmesan cream

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo taken in Pienza.

Italy: Surprising Arezzo

JWF 1 Comment

ARREZO’S PLACE

Panoramic view of historic Arezzo

We arrived in Arezzo yesterday for three nights.  Arezzo is not as much on the tourist circuit as Siena, Cortona, and other Tuscan towns.  In fact, Debora, our lively guide today, described Arezzo as “the ugly duckling.”  It’s a real city and much bigger than Siena or Cortona, but it has not had the same influx of tourists until recently; consequently, it isn’t as prepared to receive them well.  Hotels in the central district, not far from the magnificent duomo and other ancient buildings, are scarce and even a bit tired.

Monaco statue & city beyond

 Our hotel is in a great location opposite Guido Monaco’s statue with a view up Via del Corso toward the cathedral. Its rooftop terrace provided the wonderful panoramic view above.

Music theorist and monk, Monaco, who lived in the 10th century, was responsible for inventing the names for the notes on the scale: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do.  Arezzo today celebrates music with festivals and the like. 

Town hall facade, Medici coat of arms in center

After many predictions of severe weather and rain, we had some spritzing followed by a steady real rain.  But we were able to enjoy a couple hours with Debora walking up the hill by the town hall to the impressive duomo. Later, we skirted a large park on our way to Piazza Grande with its mix of architecture from the medieval era to the Medicis to the Renaissance.  Arezzo was an Etruscan town, then Roman, then Medici and so on like others in Tuscany. 

DUOMO

Duomo from the rear

The Duomo was started in the 1300’s, but has had additions and renovations dating through the centuries up to the early 1900’s. It sits so high above the rest of the city that its sheer size as well as its position mean that it dominates the piazza.  It is dedicated to St. Donatus and in the interior is a 14th century arch named for him.  

Marble Arch of St. Donatus

There are also some lovely early 16th century stained glass windows whose intense reds and purples are still radiant today.

Stained glass, Arezzo Duomo

Pope Gregory X died in Arezzo in 1276 and there is a funerary monument to him from the 14th century.  The Chapel of the Madonna del Confort, about the size of a small church within the cathedral, offers a more intimate place for meditation. It was built beginning in 1796.  When we went in, the cathedral organ was playing, and it was peaceful and restful.  

Also of note here is a work by Pietro della Francesca, Mary Magdalene, from the 15th century. In bright colors and small details, she is portrayed with loose hair suggesting a prostitute, but also with a container of oil to wash the feet of Jesus.

Mary Magdalene

ROMAN ROOTS

Debora described the architecture of several buildings as being like lasagna, many layers of different styles.  It seemed an apt description, especially when later we popped into the Sugar Gallery through a 16th century archway and then walked on glass floors where only a foot below us were some beautiful stone mosaics. They belong to the Roman period. 

I liked this duck with its orange beak

 Lovely and preserved, over 2,000 years old, these mosaics looked fresh and contemporary. 

PIAZZA GRANDE

Piazza Grande

Piazza Grande is a true mix of styles with a row of flat medieval facades, the rounded apse of a church, a and a three level building with a clock tower whose layers span from medieval times to the Renaissance period. It’s a great slanted space with, of course, a café or two on the side.  

Medieval houses
In Piazza Grande
Santa Maria della Pieve

Twice a year, a jousting festival takes place in this piazza with participants on horseback from the four neighborhoods of Arezzo, competing against one another to hit a target. The piazza is called grand, and it is a grand and appealing space.

Tomorrow we will go into the Church of San Francesco to see the frescoes by Piero della Francesca.

Note:  All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Italy: Wandering Historic Cortona

JWF Leave a comment

SETTING

View from Cortona to mountains

Cortona is a town in Tuscany built on a hillside at an elevation of 2,000 feet. Some of its original walls remain and the architecture is primarily medieval. It was an Etruscan kingdom, then a Roman colony, then independent, and in the 15th century part of the Medici holdings. When Italy was united into one country, Cortona became part of Tuscany. At the highest points, there are good views toward large Lake Trasimeno.

Interesting arches and windows

We stayed at hotel down the hill from the town, a short walk up a fairly steep street to Garibaldi Piazza. From then on, this main thoroughfare is pretty flat and it’s a short walk past shops and eateries (wine bars, pizzerias, trattorias, and restaurants) to the Piazza della Repubblica, site of the town hall with its simple bell tower and clock.

Piazza della Repubblica

CHURCHES AND ART

Today, our guide was Giovanni, a proud native of Cortona whose family goes back to the 1300s. He was both funny and knowledgeable about the town’s history and its famous art and artists. In his spare time, he’s also a cabinetmaker.

On our walk before the town center, he spoke about the medieval buildings we passed. He pointed out the large doors for what were shops next to a narrow door, perhaps no longer a door, for entry into the house. The buildings have a flat surface and are often painted in the ochres, greens, and mustard shades one associates with Tuscany.

Our first stop was the Catterdrale di Santa Maria Assunta or the Cortona Cathedral, where we admired the Romanesque sanctuary and looked at an altar carved out of the softer Italian walnut.

Romanesque cathedral interior
Carved walnut altar

Next stop was the Diocesan Museum, a small museum of paintings by artists associated with Cortona. Of especial note are two works by Fra Angelico which I thought were stunning in their use of colors. One is the Annunciation and the other a Madonna grouping. There are some marvelous details in these paintings which my photos don’t show.

Annunciation, 1434-1436
Mary with infant Jesus

Another noteworthy artist is Luca Signorelli, a native of Corona, renowned for his rendering of human anatomy. One painting of his here is The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary painted between 1519-1521. Giovanni asked us to note the delicacy of the hands and the folds in the golden robe. In the lower half, Mary is surrounded by the apostles. Here is the painting and then a close-up of part of it.

The Assumption… 1519-1521

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)