Fagiolini Verde

May 11, 2017 by Joanne Bartram in Cooking, food, Italy

I admit it, I'm a food nerd. I love reading recipes. I find mountains of purple artichokes or eggplant stunningly beautiful. The scent of good (some might say stinky) cheese is like perfume to me. And the first salty bite of a fresh focaccia is a sensual delight. Yes, I'm a food nerd.

One of the things I love most about Italy is that it is heaven on earth for food nerds like me. The "slow food" atmosphere, the focus on quality over shelf life, the regional specialties, the artisanal bakers, cheese makers, and producers of salumi - all these things contribute to the fact that I love shopping, cooking, and dining here. It's also one of the reasons I like to have an apartment - apartments come with kitchens and kitchens are the pathway to experimenting with the use of local ingredients to make simple, seasonal, and tasty dishes.

My favorite place to buy fruits and vegetables in Lucca is the Ortofrutta in Piazza Salvatore. I love the eye-catching colors of the produce, the artful way they are arranged, the changing selection based on season and freshness, the friendly staff, and the whole process of purchasing here - pick out the fruits and veggies, put them in little paper bags, bring them to the counter to be weighed and priced, and then take your receipt to the cassa (cash register) to pay. No grocery store can compare!

Another view of the Ortofrutta, so much more charming than my local grocery store at home!

In addition to produce, the Ortofrutta has flavorful foods to go (think homemade pesto and other sauces, cooked spinach, little trays of lasagna, olives), along with basics - milk, eggs, dried pasta, jams, olive oils, canned tuna, wine.

Recently I went to the Ortofrutta without a clear idea of what I wanted to cook. I found beautiful, tiny fagiolini verde (the kind of green beans we would call by their French name, haricot vert) and pretty lemons. Together, they inspired me to make marinated green beans - a perfect accompaniment to the chicken I roasted for dinner.

Here's how I prepared them (amounts are approximate and based on kitchen spoons, not measuring spoons). Experiment!

Marinated Green Beans

Start with 2 big handfuls of fagiolini verde (using tiny green beans is key), cooked in boiling water until just fork tender (about 6 - 7 minutes). Rinse in cold water, let cool a few minutes, and then toss with marinade while beans are still warm.

Marinade:

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (use more or less to taste)

Juice of 1/2 medium lemon

A few shakes of good sea salt and black pepper (taste finished marinade and correct to taste)

Whisk well and slowly drizzle in about 4 tablespoons of good olive oil, whisking to emulsify

Pour half of the marinade over the cooked green beans, toss, and let sit at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours. Toss again before serving.

Save the other half of the marinade to use on a salad or to pour over steamed asparagus - that's what I did a couple of days later when I found beautiful asparagus at the market.

That's it! When you start with great ingredients and blend in a little creativity, you end with great taste.

-post by JB

Italy Remembers

May 08, 2017 by Joanne Bartram in Italy, Lucca, History

One of the banners carried in the Liberation Day Ceremony, Lucca.

When I visit Europe I am always reminded of the deep and lasting effects of the Second World War. From hedgerows in France, to the bombed cities of England, Italy, and Germany, the landscape here still echoes of a war that ended 72 years ago. Somehow, war feels closer here. One important benefit of travel is learning about the history, causes, and effects of conflicts, as well as standing in places touched by war. I feel fortunate to have visited war-damaged cathedrals in London, the American Cemetery in Normandy (where I searched for the name of my father's childhood friend, killed on D-Day), the outstanding Peace Museum in Caen, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and the site of the Nuremberg trials. All were emotional experiences; all taught me something.

Because I love Italy, I'm especially interested in the Italian war experience. In Pienza, I've visited an Etruscan cave, later a hermitage, and later still a hideout for the partigiani (Italian partisans or resistance fighters). Twenty years ago I stumbled across a still war-damaged building in a small village near Milan, overgrown with the most beautiful hydrangeas.

I was moved by Iris Origo's diary War in the Val D'Orcia and a visit to La Foce, where she lived during the war. I've walked along the river Serchio, of strategic importance during the war. I was horrified to learn aboug the massacre at Sant'Anna Stazzema near the end of the war, and pleased to know the story of the American Buffalo soldiers who participated in the Liberation of Lucca. I've been inspired by accounts of the partigiani and their role in fighting for, and liberating, the country they loved. These are fascinating and important pieces of the story of WWII in Italy. Though I've absorbed these experiences, the war is not my story - it belongs to the people here who lived it or have lived in its aftermath. To them it is both history and a part of daily culture.

Ceremony honoring the liberation of Bologna.

This year I was able to experience the Liberation Day celebration twice. First, in Bologna where a ceremony takes place on April 21, the day the partigiani liberated the city, and again in Lucca on April 25, the national holiday. Both cities had moving ceremonies, of remembrance and celebration. In Lucca there was a procession with representation from military, civilian, and civic groups; there were school children waving Italian flags, a band, speeches, and a solemn wreath laying ceremony.

I am thankful that my language skills have improved enough to allow me to understand much of the ceremonies - the sacrifices of the partisans, the hardship of the people of Italy, the abject poverty during the war, the terrible damage to infrastructure and industry, and the value placed on freedom and peace. The celebrations focused not only on the past, but also on the present and future. The people here remember, it's in their DNA, and they continue to honor those who fought, those who died, those who suffered, those who liberated Italy, and those who work today to maintain peace and prosperity. post by JB

Children gather in Piazza San Michele, Lucca, for the Liberation Day ceremony.

An Ordinary, Extraordinary Day

May 04, 2017 by Joanne Bartram in Italy, Travel, Cooking, Lucca

"What do you do for six weeks all by yourself in Italy? Don't you get bored? Lonely?" I have to laugh when I hear these questions, because nothing could be further from the truth. It might help to describe a "typical" day here in Lucca.

On a recent morning I had breakfast at my apartment and then headed off to my morning class at Lucca Italian School (LIS), which starts at 9:15. The next four hours were spent studying Italian with my small class of five students (one New Zealander, one Australian, one Brazilian, one from the US Virgin Islands, and me).

A class in session at Lucca Italian School with my wonderful instructor Silvia.

Though we are different ages, nationalities, and have somewhat varied linguistic skills, we all feel that the lessons are "fatto su misura" (tailor made) for us. That this is true is because our instructor, Silvia, is perceptive, flexible, and very, very talented. We have quickly coalesced into a friendly and supportive group and today, over "pausa" (break) we made plans to go out to lunch together one day next week.

After a break of a couple of hours for lunch, I returned to school for an afternoon olive oil class with Antonella, who is both a language instructor and a Maestrod'olio.

We learned about the history of olive cultivation and oil production in Italy, especially in Tuscany and the area around Lucca (Tuscany is the No. 2 olive oil producing region in Italy, second only to Puglia). We talked about methods of olive oil production (both traditional and modern), the characteristics of a superior oil, as well as how to taste oils and evaluate color, scent, flavor, and uncover possible defects.

We did a comparison tasting of three oils (with apple slices to cleanse the palate between tastings) and then sampled all three in a typical Tuscan dish, accompanied by local wines, of course. The class was informative, fun, social, and we got to practice our Italian!

Although I usually eat dinners at home during the week, which gives me a chance to shop the local markets and experiment with preparing simple meals full of local flavor, this night I enjoyed dinner at a nearby restaurant - Osteria da Pasqualino Gubitosa (commonly known as da Pasquiale).

I'd heard wonderful things about the restaurant but this was my first time eating there, joining another student from LIS. It wasn't a typical Lucchese menu; the chef and the owner are both from southern Italy. It was fun to try something new, the pesce (fish) appetizer and risotto were exquisite, and the company was great.

Three-bite dark chocolate dessert at da Pasquale

Walking home, the sound of a jazz band playing at an outdoor cafe followed me as I wandered through quiet streets. A perfect end to an ordinary, extraordinary day here in Lucca.

Lonely? Bored? Not a chance!

-post by JMB

contacts:

dapasquale-lucca.com

luccaitalianschool.com

Primavera

May 01, 2017 by Joanne Bartram in Lucca, Travel, Italy

Statue of the goddess Spring, Palazzo Pfanner

If I were a musician, I would compose a song about primavera (spring) in Italy. I'd sing about the colors, the light, the scent of rain, the feel of the sun on my face and about a gentle season that brings both rain and warmth to nurture landscape and people. But I'm not a musician, and I can assure you that singing is not one of my talents, so I'll just try to describe a Lucchese spring with written words and pictures.

In the past couple of weeks I've watched trees sprout new growth and move into full leaf, lavender flower, and the ginestra (which we call Spanish Broom back home) bloom. Wild buttercups have bloomed along Lucca's wall and figs have appeared on trees along the Serchio river.

A field of wild buttercups along the wall in Lucca.

The most dramatic sign of spring here in Lucca is the appearance of the glicine (wisteria), which seems to go from dormant branch to full flower overnight. It spills over arbors, walls, terraces, and bridges. For me, wisteria will always be synonymous with spring in Italy.

Glicine, Piazza Parigi, Lucca

First to bloom was a beautiful wall of white wisteria just outside the church of San Giovanni - the scent was delicate and sweet, just like spring itself. Next came waves of violet wisteria throughout town, less scented but every bit as pretty.

Now, I've watched the wisteria blooms fade, replaced by the first roses, wild yellow buttercups, and pretty pots of flowers appearing on windowsills and terraces throughout Lucca. Though it's always a bit sad to see the wisteria go, I know that Lucca will continue to blossom throughout the spring and summer. I look forward to seeing the first hydrangeas in the gardens at Palazzo Pfanner, lemon trees in flower, and the jasmine on my patio bloom. It's hard to mourn the fading wisteria with all that promise ahead. -post by JB

The Breathtaking Beauty of the Cinque Terre

April 27, 2017 by Joanne Bartram in Travel, Italy

Too often, the word I need in Italian escapes me. But today I have exactly the right word to describe my visit to the Cinque Terre - mozzafiato. That first view, of colorful houses tumbling down hillsides toward the rocky coast and the blue, blue sea beyond is nothing short of mozzafiato, breathtaking.

I had just a single day to visit this unique part of Italy. The Cinque Terre lies along the eastern edge of the Ligurian coast where the sea begins to curve along the top of the Italian penisula toward the French Riviera. A century or so ago these were five remote fishing villages but today they are connected by boat, train, and scenic walking paths, making them a popular tourist destination. I was lucky to be there on a sunny spring day just before the season when the biggest crowds arrive. One day is not enough to thoroughly explore each of the towns that make up the Cinque Terre but it was definitely enough to give me a flavor for the area and convince me that I need to return!

I arrived in Manarola on a Saturday morning in early April with a full day free to explore. I chose to spend some time in Manarola, go by boat to Vernazza, and then return to Manarola for further exploration and to meet up with my group (from Lucca Italian School) for the return trip to our home base of Lucca. The other three towns, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, and Monterosso al Mare, would have to wait for another visit.

Rose Window in the Church of San Lorenzo

Manarola is one of the smallest Cinque Terre towns. It rolls down a steep hillside from the upper town square with the gothic Church of San Lorenzo and its bell tower across the central piazza. From there, it's a downhill stroll through a street full of charming and colorful houses, flowered terraces, streets lined with small fishing boats, terraced hills covered with grapevines, and small cafes and shops.

The main street in Manarola., lined with fishing boats.

The small shop Burasca is a good place to sample the arancello (similar to limoncello but made from oranges) and to shop for local wines and products.

There are many restaurants serving fresh local fish, even take-away places selling paper cones filled with fritto misto (mixed fried fish). Further down the hillside is the landing dock for the battello (boat) to the other Cinque Terre towns. An all-day "hop on, hop off" boat pass costs 25 euro, less for single tickets between just two towns.

The boat is a great way to see both the towns and the dramatic coastline. The approach from the sea provides those mozzafiato views - sheer cliffs, colorful houses dancing down the slopes, ancient towers, tiny harbors, a glance at Corniglia high up on the bluff, and views of the sea beyond. As the boat pulls into Vernazza there is a spectacular view of the castle ruins and an ancient tower, perched on high. It's not hard to imagine the pirate raids that occurred along this coast - the reason these defensive structures were built.

The sea approach to Vernazza and the remains of a defensive tower, now housing a restaurant.

Just around the corner from the boat dock lies Vernazza's small harbor with its fishing boats, a small spiaggia (beach), and a square full of cafes with brightly colored umbrellas and inviting patios.

Wandering through the town there are green shuttered houses on the hill, the intriguing church of Santa Margherita with its domed bell tower, a passage through an arch of rock to a small beachfront (marked with a "danger" sign, which didn't stop many people from entering), a tiny street side chapel, cafes, gelato spots, and many other shops. Near the train station is a billboard showing the damage done by the landslides and floods of October 2011. As mud and water came roaring down the steep hillside, the lower town and harbor filled with mud and debris. The damage was extensive and it's no small miracle that the town was rebuilt in a matter of a couple of years; today there is little obvious evidence of the destruction, though some of the trails between towns remain closed.

A table with a view at the Belforte restaurant in Vernazza, Italy

Returning to Manarola I had just enough time to walk back up the slope, buy some arancello, sample a local white wine, visit the church of San Lorenzo, and climb up to the parking lot to start the trip back to Lucca. Days like this I just have to pinch myself and feel so fortunate to have the opportunity for one perfect day in the Cinque Terra. Mozzafiato indeed. -post by JB