Giving the Gift of Italy

It’s the week before Christmas and if you have an Italy lover on your list, here are some great last-minute items you can easily order online.

Music

Italy means many things to me, with music being high on the list. Native Italian Andrea Bocelli recently released his first new album in 14 years, titled “Sí.” The album features ballads and songs of love and includes the beautiful song he recorded with his son, Matteo. If you have not heard “Fall on Me,” you’ll find a video of it here. You can find "Sí" where you typically buy music.

Olive Oil

An easy-to-give and unique gift is to adopt an olive tree in Italy on behalf of your gift recipient. I adopted a tree in Umbria several years ago and in addition to the wonderful olive oil I received as part of my adoption, this simple act has allowed to feel I truly own a piece of Italy (I renew my adoption every year). You can find numerous olive oil farms to choose from by searching on the Internet for “olive tree adoption Italy.” Choose the farm, choose the tree, choose to whom you want to send the gift, and pay – all online. You’ll be giving a part of Italy to someone you love and helping Italy continue to produce some of the best olive oil in the world.

Lotion

Speaking of olive oil, my favorite lotion and soap is made in Italy and derived from organic olive oil and extracts of olive leaf. I first bought the products while in Italy but discovered after returning home that I can buy them online. The website emporioitaliano.com carries the Erbario Toscano products I enjoy, along with a host of other items from Italy. I have found the service to be great and I re-order my lotion and soap solely online now so I don’t have to worry about fitting them in my suitcase any more.

Books

The list of books about Italy or set in Italy is long. Whether it’s mysteries (try authors Donna Leon or Andrea Camilleri) or romances (“Letters to Juliet,” “Italy: My Beautiful Obsession” are two) or philosophy (Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” is among my favorites), you can find something to fit almost any Italophile’s tastes.

Food

For “Two Parts Italy” readers in Albuquerque, I highly recommend the food of my friend Michelle. She offers community-sourced meals that include fresh pasta, ravioli, sauces and other prepared food each week. The quality is high, the taste is scrumptious and the love put into the preparations is Italian. You can find her website here.

Buon Natale to you all! -post by JG

A Home in Lucca

Back in September I returned to Italy with a big question on my mind. Did I want to move to Lucca, making it my home for the foreseeable future, or did I want to continue to maintain a home base in the U.S., and remain a part-time visitor to Lucca? Not an easy decision - there are trade-offs and compromises either way (but then that’s life, right?). 

I heard from several readers after that post. Some offered encouragement and others asked me to please share my final decision, as well as some of the details involved in searching for an apartment and obtaining residency. I get the feeling that many of us “of a certain age” are day dreaming about making this type of life change. 

The front door to my new apartment in Lucca

Key to my decision was finding a reasonably priced and suitable apartment. Luckily, I have worked over several years with Debora del Sonno of Lucca Holiday Homes and she very patiently searched available apartments and showed me a number of options. 

A terrace was high on my priority list and this small one is perfect! (photo from Lucca Holiday Homes website)

The entry has 38 steps - good exercise! (photo from Lucca Holiday Homes website)

Just as when looking for a home in the USA, it is important to remember to set priorities but also to stay flexible and be prepared to compromise. That was particularly important for me to remember when the owners of my first-choice apartment decided they didn’t want a long-term tenant after all and so my search had to begin anew. The apartment I eventually chose met my big priorities – central location, a terrace, nicely furnished.  The compromise was the number of steps up to the apartment (38). I also increased my budget a bit to afford a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment with loads of Italian charm. 

I did find an option for a much smaller and less expensive apartment, but it had no outdoor space or views. To make a final decision I had to balance budget, amenities, and space. The apartment I chose has slanted old wood ceilings, a view of the Torre Guinigi from the terrace, and one of the clock tower and Campanile of San Michele from the bedroom - those views were pretty seductive and definitely influenced my choice.

The clock tower and the bell tower of the church of San Michele as seen through a small bedroom window

I was able to live with the decision for several days before meeting with my new landlords to sign the contract. This was a good test of my confidence in the decision to make this move. It also gave me a chance to doublecheck my finances and make sure my budget was realistic. In the end, I signed on the dotted line without hesitation and started planning my move. There were a couple of complications, mostly related to the process of applying for citizenship on my return to Italy (rather than beforehand at an embassy in the U.S.) and whether I needed to first obtain an elective residency visa in the U.S. More on that process in a later post.

Brick and beam ceilings in the mansarda (attic) give the bedrooms a rustic Tuscan feel

Based on my experience, here are a few things to consider when thinking about a long-term rental:

1. I was glad that I had a good agent. Debora provided me with information about the process of long-term rentals, answered my many questions, and also provided a copy of the contract (in Italian and English) well ahead of signing. She promptly registered the contract and provided copies of the signed lease and the registration. Having her help took much of the stress out of the process. It was well worth the agency fee to have her assistance and advice.

2. A common form of rental contract in Italy is the “4+4,” which means the lease is for four years, during which time you can keep the apartment on the initial terms. The four-year term protects the renter (no rent increases, you cannot be forced out of the apartment except for non-payment or not adhering to the terms of the lease) but the renter has the ability to cancel the contract with written notice (usually three months). At the end of the initial four years, the renter has the option for another four-year contract.

3. Budget for significant upfront costs, including an agency fee (of about one month’s rent) and the first two to three months’ (or even more) rent at the time the contract is signed. There is also a security deposit (mine was equal to two months’ rent, refundable at the end of the lease). These costs add up to about six months’ rent and I was glad I had set aside enough funds to cover them. On the plus side, in December when I move in I will have already paid rent for December, January, and February so won’t have another payment due for three months. Even better, I was able to put the upfront costs on a credit card which means I earned a lot of airline points!

4. Most landlords will want rent paid via bank transfer directly into their accounts. Not all U.S. banks will do online bank transfers (in fact, the bank I use in New Mexico would not, insisting that I had to physically come into the local branch to make an international bank transfer - not very practical). It took some time to investigate other banks and other methods of transferring money. TransferWise looks like a good option with low costs to transfer money internationally and good exchange rates from U.S. dollars to euros. I felt I also needed a back-up method, and so also arranged for an account at a bank that will do online transfers, though the cost is higher than TransferWise. The U.S. banks I found that do online transfers include Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and TIAA bank. 

5. Renters in Italy are responsible for utilities (gas, electric, water, trash, internet, TV) as well as everyday small repairs and upkeep (for example, routine boiler checks, a dripping faucet, etc) while the landlord remains responsible for major mechanical repairs. In my case, Debora provided me with the average utility costs for the past 18 months so I could budget appropriately. To keep utility costs reasonable, it’s important to realize that Italians do not heat and cool their homes to the same extent that Americans do. If you like your home at a constant 72 degrees, prepare to pay a lot in utility costs! (Note that the above information is based on my experience and applies to 4+4 rental contracts negotiated through an agency / real estate company.  When renting directly from a landlord or on a shorter term contract, terms and costs will vary.)

With the apartment contract signed, I headed back to New Mexico for one month to finish up some part-time work, make the needed arrangements for a move to Italy, and spend Thanksgiving with my family. But I will spend Christmas in my new apartment - and for the first time I can say that I have truly come home to Lucca.    - post by JMB

A Taste of Chianti

Chianti. Ask someone to name an Italian wine and this is often the first wine they will think of. Chianti is a wonderful wine, a blend containing mostly Sangiovese grapes. Chianti is also the name of the region in southern Tuscany where the grapes are grown and the wine produced. The Chianti region stretches south from Firenze (Florence) toward Siena and includes some of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy. Exploring the Chianti region is best done by car, driving slowly along the narrow, winding roads and stopping whenever the road widens enough to pull over to enjoy the view and snap a few photos. I recently had the chance to do just that, spending a perfect autumn day driving the back roads of Chianti with a trio of friends. And since I wasn’t doing the driving (lucky for me!) I had plenty of opportunity to watch the passing scenery.

On the Via Molino Nuovo, between Castellina in Chianti and Greve

And there was so much to see - vineyards, olive groves, stone villages, farmhouses. The hill crests provided spectacular wide views over the valleys, and the valleys provided views along creeks and wooded areas, of vines just beginning to wear their early fall color, and of entrances to gravel roads leading uphill to stone farmhouses. With our time limited to a day, we focused on visiting two of the many villages and towns in the region. Our first stop was Castellina in Chianti, one of the three original Chianti villages (along with the villages of Gaiole and Radda, the only ones allowed to use the “Chianti Classico” appellation and the famous Gallo Nero or black rooster on the seal).

Castellina in Chianti

The word charming isn’t sufficient, so I will just say that this village is truly incantevole (enchanting) with its cobbled streets, central piazza strung with overhead lights, beautiful small church and bell tower, remains of a fortress, and many shops, cafes, and restaurants. Add to that the views of the surrounding valley that peek out from alleyways and streets and the opportunities to sample good wine produced in these old vineyards and you will see why I found this town so appealing

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

After spending most of the morning in Castellina, we were off toward Greve. The road between these two towns offers more stunning landscapes and some good scenic view points with space to pull over, explore, and take photos. 

A most appealing spot was just around a bend in the road. It looked at first glance to be a stone farmhouse across from a smaller stone building with a sign saying molino nuovo (new mill), situated next to a small creek. A closer look revealed the “farmhouse” to be a beautiful B&B with a large terrace, pots of flowers, and a very peaceful vibe. I would love to book a future stay here at the B&B La Fiaba - it looks like the perfect place to spend a few days exploring this area.

B&B La Fiaba

Crisp flat bread piled high in La Cantina, Greve

We arrived in Greve ready for lunch. We had done little advance planning for this day, preferring just to choose a restaurant by look (crowded with locals) and aroma. The restaurant La Cantina hit both of these and we happily waited for a table. It’s hard to mind a long wait when you are greeted warmly and with a complimentary glass of prosecco! The staff was great - friendly, fun, quick to laugh and the outdoor setting was pleasant and the food delicious. Placed on the table was a basket of a unique crisp flatbread (a change from the more commonly served basket of bread). It was baked in-house and there were stacks of this simple yet delicious bread piled on the counter inside the restaurant.​

Our shared appetizer was a mixed plate of crostini - slices of toasted bread, with pate, mushroom, melted gorgonzola, and tomato. Delicious! Between the four of us, we tried two pasta dishes - a pici with tomato, onion, and cinghiale along with a pacchetti (wide tubular pasta) with ricotta and pancetta.  Very different flavors, but both were delicious. Also delicious was the wine, a Chianti Riserva (aged longer than other Chiantis, at least two years). Lunch finished with an apple cake topped with gelato and caffè macchiato. This was one of those classic two-hour Italian lunches full of good company, good conversation, and plans for future days exploring this region.

Heading home we drove through another lovely village, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, but we left exploration here for another day.  This day of exploring the Chianti region was perfect - but provided just a taste of what the area has to offer, both scenically and gastronomically. I am already looking forward to a return visit.   -post by JMB

A Ligurian Pasta

A market in Porto Venere, Liguria, selling pesto and trofie along with other local specialties

How many pasta shapes can you name? Spaghetti, linguine, tagliatelle, fettucine, farfalle, pici, pappardelle, fusilli, lasagna, and orzo all come to mind - and those are just some of the many solid pasta forms. In Italy, there is a seemingly endless variety of shapes and sizes of pasta. One shape that is found in northern Italy, especially in Liguria, is trofie. I was less familiar with this type of pasta, but recently encountered it at a market in Porto Venere. When I saw it again a few days later in a restaurant in Lucca I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try it. 

Trofie is a simple eggless pasta, made with just three ingredients - flour, salt, and water. After mixing, a little kneading, and a short rest, the dough is rolled into long thin strands (as if making pici) and then cut into smaller pieces. It's the shaping of these small bits of dough that is key to making trofie. Each small piece is rolled between the palms of the hand in a downward motion, allowing them to fall off the end of the hands (picture a good Ligurian cook doing this in one very quick motion). This gives them their characteristic shape - short thin twists of pasta, a bit thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends.

Trofie are best when fatto a mano (made by hand). The commercial varieties have a more structured twist to them, and are more dense than the lighter, roughly shaped hand-rolled ones.

In Liguria, it is typical to top trofie with pesto (another local Ligurian specialty). In Lucca, my lunch was trofie with tonno (tuna), fiori di zucca (squash blossoms), pomodoro (tomato) and pan grattato (toasted bread crumbs) .

It was a light and tasty dish, perfect with a glass of local vino bianco di Montecarlo (white wine from the Montecarlo region). Delizioso!   

I'm looking forward to making some trofie at home in New Mexico  - I think my grandchildren will enjoy trying to hand shape them with me.                                  -post by JMB

A Stylish Italian Wedding

I marvel at the style that Italians have, that timeless "bella figura." Even as day-to-day style has become increasingly casual over the past decade or two, Italians still achieve (seemingly effortlessly) a look that is stylish and classic. And when an occasion calls for dressing up, well, no one does it better. This is true throughout Italy - from grand cities to smaller towns. 

This style was certainly evident at the matrimonio (wedding) that I saw in Italy recently. The large crowd, gathered outside the Church of San Michele in Lucca, was elegant and beautifully dressed. And oh - those hats! The hats were a surprise to me, as hats are something I always associated with the British, but this group of Italian women wore their hats with great style - the hats were as varied as they were beautiful.

The men were just as well dressed, especially the wedding party in gray pinstripped pants and jackets with tails. Even the young boys were fashionable!

And of course the bride was stunning and the groom handsome.  This is, after all, Italy!           

-post by JMB