February, A Month That Isn't Spring

February, just 28 days long, is the shortest month of the year. Why then does it feel so long?  So very uninspiring? It’s not that I hate winter.  I enjoy brisk winter temperatures, the chilly beauty of winter holidays, and snow dusted trees. Paris in December was cold but wonderful, a recent quick trip to Colorado with its snow covered mountain peaks was fun, and I have had some wonderful winter experiences in Italy over the years.  But come the last weeks of February I grow tired of gray skies, cold air, and wintertime. 

February in Lucca, 2019. Cold and definitely not spring.

These little blossoms are the first hints of spring along Lucca’s walls.

As I write this, I am watching snow fall in New Mexico. The clouds obscure the mountains, it’s cold and gray. Spring, and Italy, seem very far away. But it is only three days until I board a plane and head back to Italy. I am hoping that the earliest signs of spring will be present when I arrive - delicate bulbs and tiny flowers sprouting along the walls and the earliest magnolia blossoms. I am even looking forward to the colorful umbrellas that accompany spring rains.   

I will spend the next few days dreaming about soft Italian breezes, spring blooms, lengthening days, and walks on Lucca’s walls. In the meantime, these photos will remind me that Spring is just around the corner and that warmer weather and Italy await.   

Camellias in Sant’Andrea di Compito in March 2019. The annual Camellia Festival is a sure sign of Spring!

Taking Tea

While visiting, and now living most of the year in, Italy I have learned to appreciate good coffee – a foamy morning cappuccino, a fragrant afternoon macchiato.  I have even learned to drink a straight espresso on occasion, providing it is laced with plenty of sugar.  

A breakfast tea in Florence at the hotel Morandi alla Crocetta

But, thanks to an Irish mother and grandmother, I was raised on tea. They firmly believed that there was no problem in life that was too big to be solved over a cup of tea, especially when served with sugar, milk, and a side of something sweet.

 They left a lasting legacy - I still love a good cup of hot tea.  It is the way I begin every morning.  When I travel I love to find a hotel with a good morning breakfast tea service. It starts the day off right. 

But “taking tea” is so much more than just a way to start the day.  Tea is an event! One thing to remember - it is nearly criminal to order tea without something sweet to go along with it because, as a British transplant to Lucca once told me, “without some cake your tea is just too wet”.   Words of wisdom!

While Italy does not have as much of a tea tradition as some places, there are several spots where, in addition to great coffee, pots of tea are served along with a pastry or a slice of cake. One such spot is Cafe Manon Lescaut in Piazza Cittadella. When my British friend Judy came to visit she was delighted with the afternoon tea there (pictured below).

These days one of my favorite places to take tea in Lucca is the H&G Coffee Lounge.  Don’t let the name fool you, it isn’t all about the coffee.  At H&G they also brew lovely pots of tea and describe tea as a “perfectly codified ritual”.  The loose leaf tea comes in a stoneware vessel alongside a little timer so that the brewing time is just right.  And they have a selection of tasty cakes to go with.  Best of all tea is served in a pretty room with comfy chairs and quiet music.  Unlike the Italian habit of quickly downing a coffee, here you can linger with your pot of tea. Sitting at H&G on a rainy afternoon, with a good book to read and a hot cup of tea, is a joy.

 One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to find a place, simple or elegant, to have tea.  I’ve taken tea in various US, Canadian, and European cities. Below are photos of some of my favorites. Top row: Lauduree in Paris (left and middle), Cassandras Cup Tea Room, near Jane Austen’s cottage in Chawton, England (right). Bottom row: Gilli Cafe in Florence, souvenirs from The Empress in Victoria, Canada, and (bottom right) the very elegant tea room at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest. Each place had its own character and charm.

One of my all-time favorite teas was on board a Viking Ocean Cruise.  The ship had a bright and welcoming tea room that served a daily high tea.  Taking tea in their beautiful tea salon definitely made me feel spoiled! I could have gone every afternoon on the cruise, but oh the calories!

  When I return to Albuquerque to visit my family you can bet I will spend one afternoon at the Saint James Tea Room. They serve a high tea complete with savories, scones, lemon curd, and sweets.  The Saint James ranks right up there with the best tea rooms in Europe. The setting, with cozy alcoves, beautiful china, and a sweet gift shop, is part of the fun.

I am trying to introduce my granddaughters to the concept of tea.  I started with a simple home tea party a few years ago - complete with hats and Oreos. Tea manners were definitely in the infancy stage.

They’ve now graduated to the Saint James.  Let’s just say that dressing up for tea, using soft voices, and appropriate tea conversation is still a work in progress.  This was tea with giggles.

Do you have as favorite tea spot?  I’d love to see photos on the Two Parts Italy facebook page!

Tea and a Marionberry scone on the coast of Oregon

Pontremoli: A Walk, A Castle, and Prehistoric Rock Carvings

The Lunigiana region reaches from the northern part of Tuscany into Liguria, all the way to the coast. It is a unique area, quite different from the classic images of Italy. No grand cathedrals, huge museums, or rolling vineyards here. The region is mountainous, forested, and crossed by rivers. There are no large cities to be found, instead there are small medieval hamlets, many with ancient towers and castles. Some of the castles lie in ruins, complete or partial, but a few are remarkably well preserved.

Castello del Piagnaro, Pontremoli

One such castle is the Castello del Piagnaro in the town of Pontremoli. The castle dates from the 10th century, with cycles of expansion, destruction, and rebuilding over the ensuing centuries. Some components of the Castello have been lost to time, a drawbridge for example, and some elements are as new as the 15th century tower (if something that old can really be called new).

Today the restored castle compound stands guard high above Pontremoli and welcomes visitors to both the castle interior and the Museum of the Stele Statues of the Lunigiana which is housed within its ancient walls.

Half the joy of seeing the castle is the walk to it from the historic center of Pontremoli. The walk begins from the small main street and winds up even smaller alleys to the castle. Along the way are small shops, medieval buildings, arches, gates, views, and the occasional cat.

This sign marks a steep little alley that leads to the castle.

The walk winds uphill, but it is not terribly steep. For a less inspiring, but less strenuous, way to the castle take the elevator from Porta Parma at the north end of town directly to the castle grounds. I found the hike up to be definitely worth the effort. With stops along the way to admire the ancient buildings, chat with local residents, and enjoy the views to the town below it was a walk I would not have missed!

There is a ticket office just inside the castle gates where a combined ticket for the museum and castle can be purchased for 7 euro (4 euro for those over 65). From the ticket office you can enter the museum directly or cross to the castle entrance.

The museum is fascinating. Stele (not to be confused with the similar Italian word stelle which has a different meaning all together) are prehistoric carvings, representing human figures, found throughout the Lunigiana region. They have been housed in the castle museum since 1975 and are truly a treasure.

Both male and female figures are represented. The males seem to be warriors, armed with knives. The women, bare breasted, are adorned with necklaces. The dark rooms and dramatic lighting show the pieces off perfectly.

After the stele, it is time to wander through the castle. And I do mean wander - there are many rooms, courtyards, staircases, and roof top terraces to explore. Amazingly, there were no guards or “keep out” signs to be found, just freedom to explore and to wonder what life must have been like for the people who occupied this building over the centuries.

Perched high up on this hill, the castle offers spectacular views down the hill to the city and river below. Walking back down to the village, along a different small alley than on the way up, provides for another scenic walk through the oldest portions of Pontremoli.

A visit to Pontremoli, and a hike up to the castle, provides a wonderful contrast to the more touristed places in Tuscany and Liguria. It’s a special experience!

Wrapping Up 2022 A Year in Pictures

Easter Celebration in Florence. April 2022

I don’t make new year’s resolutions. Probably because they are too easy to make yet too easy to abandon.  I already know that I should exercise more, eat healthier, be more patient, study Italian much harder, work on personal growth, etc, etc.  No once-a-year resolutions required.

 I do however set goals and make plans. In 2022 (hard to think of that as last year yet) one of my goals was to get back to traveling, something I was itching to do after two years of COVID restrictions. 

As a bonus, several friends planned trips to Italy in 2022 and sharing travel with friends as they discover Italy, and as they see just what it is I love about living here, is fun for me.   Looking forward to their trips gave me months of pleasure. And their arrivals in Italy made for lots of fun this past year.

Villa Torregiani, Lucca. April 2022

So, before I move on to my plans for 2023 (you can bet travel is still on the list), I am taking a few moments to think back on this past year - the new places I’ve experienced, the favorite places I have revisited, and the Italian adventures I have shared with friends and family.  It was a great year for Italian adventures and I have some photos to prove it!

Above: A good friend introduced me to Florence’s Iris garden, which sits high above the city and is open for only a few weeks each spring. May 2022

Above: Exploring Liguria, including Camogli and Portovenere with my daughter and 2 oldest grandkids. June 2022.

Below: Ravenna and its spectacular mosaics. October 2022

My wish is that these photos, along with the past year’s blog posts, will inspire our travel goals for 2023.  January can seem like a long and somewhat dreary month after all the excitement of the holidays, that makes it the perfect month for travel planning. Let’s get started!

Sunrise at Agriturismo Cretaiole, Pienza. October 2022. A week long stay at my favorite agriturismo with good friends from New Mexico.

Pontremoli, November 2022.

 Buon Anno !    Happy New Year !    Happy Travel Planning !

Making Pici at Cretaiole

One of the highlights of any week spent at Agriturismo Cretaiole is the Pici class. Pici are strands of hand-rolled pasta, a sort of fat spaghetti, common in the part of Tuscany in and around the Val d’Orcia. At Cretaiole, be prepared to don an apron and participate! And bring an appetite for the big group dinner that takes place after the work of pici making is done.

Nicco teaching us how to make pici

Nicco Moricciani is the grandson of Luciano, Cretaiole’s founder, and the son of Carlo who tends the vines and olives. Nicco has recently taken over teaching the pici class from his mother Isabella. Isabella is quite proud of Nicco’s pici making skills and for good reason. Not only is Nicco an experienced pasta maker but he is also a fun and interactive teacher, sharing information and family stories throughout the class. Under Nicco’s guidance pici making is fun, rewarding, and occasionally hilarious. Let’s just say that there was a lot of laughter and good-natured teasing among the participants as we honed our skills (or lack thereof).

Class began with a demonstration of how to make the dough the way the family has done for generations.

Flour (type 00) is spread out on a big wooden board and then arranged volcano style in a circle with high sides to contain the wet ingredients. Some pici recipes add only water and a bit of extra virgin olive oil but at the Moricciani farm there are chickens and that means lots of fresh eggs. No surprise then that the Moricciani family recipe adds several eggs to the flour, water, and drizzle of oil. The wet ingredients are combined with a fork in the middle of the flour circle and then, little by little, the flour is coaxed from the sides of the ring into the egg mixture. It’s important not to break the flour ring lest the egg mixture leak out and dribble away. Nicco demonstrated this skill perfectly.

After the flour is incorporated, it is time for the guests to begin their work. Each gets their own wooden board and a portion of the dough to knead. When the dough is smooth and elastic it’s time for it to rest and for the guests to enjoy break time. A bit of Prosecco helped us get ready to the real fun - hand rolling the pici.

Rolling pici is an art and one that takes some practice. A bit of dough is rolled into a log and then the magic happens. One hand rolls the log while the other hand stretches the dough gently, eventually forming a long string of pasta. Not too fat and not too thin, all the pici should be about the same diameter. And with 20+ cooks each learning the process that was no easy feat!

The winner of the longest pici competition !

There was a friendly competition to see which guest could get the longest pici - and some gentle ribbing of those with the shortest pieces. All the laughter worked up an appetite!

Even those of us who managed fairly long and right-sized pici could not match the speed with which Nicco turned them out. We might have been there all night had not Cretaiole’s fabulous chief organizer, and really fast pici maker, Fernanda come along to help out. Our efforts were also bolstered by more wine and slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and generously topped with good Cretaiole Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s good to feed the pasta makers!

While we were making the pici the sun set, a fire was lit in the fire pit, more wine poured, and appetizers set out. Carlo also arrived to light the grill. He brought the farm’s meats to grill - sausage, pork ribs, and thick strips of pancetta. Can anything top the smell of a Tuscan barbecue on a mild fall evening? Carlo is the master of the grill!

Dinner started with our pici topped with Nicco’s ragu. We were pleased with our efforts as the pici was wonderful, though perhaps it was the delicious ragu that guaranteed great flavor. Cretaiole red wine was a perfect accompaniment. Later came salad and those tasty grilled meats. Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, Fernanda brought out her homemade tiramisu. It’s a good thing Italian dinners are spread out over several hours.

So many things came together to make this a memorable evening. The setting was spectacular. The group of guests were a huge part of the fun - all were friendly, interesting, and enthusiastic about their time at Cretaiole. We shared stories and began friendships, with hopes to meet again.

The Moriccianis - Nicco, Carlo, and Luciano (who to everyone’s delight joined us for the evening) - are warm, welcoming, and fun. Fernanda (below, right) makes everything work, including this big event, and makes it look easy even though it certainly is not.

It was a perfect Tuscan evening full of friends, fun, good food, wine, and laughter. Who could ask for anything more?