September in Lucca

September is one of my favorite months in Italy.  It starts out as summer – hot and humid – and then slowly transforms itself into autumn. By late September the mornings and evenings are cool enough that sweaters and scarves make their first appearance of the season. The cooler weather is perfect for a passeggiata, the Italian tradition of an evening stroll, yet still pleasant enough for sitting outdoors at a cafe.  The AC (if one is lucky enough to have it) has been turned off and the windows are open, letting in cool breezes and the hint of fall that is in the air.

Late September skies are beautiful and the weather is pleasant.

 In Lucca, September is a unique month. It even has a special name -  Settembre Lucchese.  It is a month of festivals, artisan markets, concerts, and celebrations. 

This year September kicked off with Murabilia, the annual fall garden show.  Murabilia has everything for the fall garden, from plants to yard art to terracotta pots.  For inside the home there are delicate orchids, fall gourds, and pretty linens.  Artisans demonstrate and sell their crafts and food stands offer local products – meats, cheese, breads, garlic, and flavored syrups.  

September also brings the Palio della Santa Croce. The Palio is has its roots in medieval times as members of the three contrade (districts) in the historic center of Lucca engage in a crossbow competition. The event starts with a procession of musicians, flag throwers, costumes, and the very medieval looking archers.  The procession weaves its way through Lucca, stopping to perform in some of the piazzas, eventually making their way to the area behind the Cathedral of San Martino where this year’s competition took place.

September’s most important event, The Luminaria of Santa Croce, takes place every year on the evening of September 13th.   The luminaria is in honor of Lucca’s most important ancient artifact, the wooden crucifix known as the Volto Santo (Holy Face). 

The legend of the Volto Santo is this: it was crafted by Nicodemus who fell asleep before carving the face.  When he awoke, he found that the face had been miraculously completed. The legend continues with a journey across the sea to the coast of Italy and then a trip by oxcart to Lucca more than 1000 years ago.  Both journeys are considered miracles as, according to the legend, the ship and the oxcart where unmanned and divinely guided to Lucca. The crucifix became a stop on the pilgrim’s route to Rome. It remains a venerated religious object to this day, drawing modern day pilgrims to Lucca. 

The crucifix usually rests in a small chapel within the Cathedral of San Martino where the figure of Christ is dressed in a gold vestments during the festival. This year was a bit different as the crucifix is undergoing restoration.  It has been moved from its small chapel to an area inside the cathedral where it is possible to watch the restoration in progress.   

During the luminaria procession religious and civic groups move through the candlelit streets of Lucca.  The Volto Santo is represented by a cloth image held aloft. Each year there is a large cross made of flowers. Participants hold candles and prayers are chanted along the route. It is a beautiful and moving event with both religious and cultural meaning.

Settembre Lucchese came to a close this year with the Festival of San Michele (St. Michael the Archangel).  A special mass was held in the Basilica of San Michele, one of Lucca’s historic churches.  A concert, on the evening of September 23rd, filled the church with music by the Polifonica Lucchese and the Boccherini Orchestra. The fullness of the music, along with beautiful voices in the setting of a historic church, combined to create a very special evening.

 September is an ideal time to visit Lucca. It is not too early to begin planning for a September 2024 visit !

By the third week of September the temperatures are cool enough for a late morning walk along Lucca’s shady walls.

Rainy Day Risotto

A week or so ago we had a terrific rainstorm in Lucca. I got caught in it and, despite my big purple umbrella, came home soaking wet. I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting near my window, listening to rain fall and watching colorful umbrellas pass by. 

After a week of warm spring weather, that cold and rainy day felt as if we’d stepped back into March.  Rainy weather is perfect for staying inside, reading, and sipping a coffee.  I had a good book and my Moka pot was fired up so no complaints about the weather from me!

It was also perfect weather for my favorite Italian comfort food – risotto.  Luckily, I happened to have some great risotto ingredients in my fridge – a leek and some mushrooms.  I also always have some Arborio rice on hand, so there was no need to venture out again into the storm in order to make dinner.

Simple ingredients, but fabulous flavor!

I didn’t have a recipe for this risotto, so I just improvised as I went along.  The results were delicious and just the perfect meal for a wet and chilly evening. I am glad I made notes as I cooked, because this is a risotto I will definitely make again. Here’s the recipe:

  Mushroom and Leek Risotto (serves 2)

 ¾ cup risotto rice  (Carnaroli or Arborio)

1 and ½ oz dry white wine

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 c. hot vegetable broth

2 and ½ tablespoons butter, divided

 1 medium leek, (about 1 cup sliced)

4-5 oz mushrooms , sliced fairly thin.

Bring vegetable broth to a simmer while prepping the other ingredients.  Is homemade broth  best?  Of course, but let’s be real –  a good quality store bought vegetable broth works just fine and saves a lot of time and effort.  Just be sure it isn’t too salty!

Cut the white and light green part of a leek in half lengthwise and then slice each half thinly across.   Sauté the leeks in ½ tablespoon of butter until soft.  Set aside for now.

 In medium sized heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil and add the rice.  Toss to coat rice with oil and cook gently for ~ 2 minutes.

Next, add the wine and allow it to evaporate quickly.   This is where it starts to smell wonderful!

Once the wine evaporates, add ½ c. of the hot broth and all of the cooked leeks.  Stir well. Reduce the flame to low and stir frequently while the broth is slowly absorbed.  

 Continue adding broth in about ¼ cup increments, stirring while the rice absorbs each addition.  Always allow the broth to be absorbed before adding the next amount. Keep stirring frequently. 

 Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms, and cook over a medium-high flame, stirring as needed to prevent sticking.  The goal is to brown the mushrooms quickly and to hold the juices in rather than allow the mushrooms to simmer in their pooled juices.  When finished they should be browned, dry, but not crispy.  Add a pinch of salt and about 5 grinds of black pepper.  Set aside for now.

 With the last ¼ cup of broth, add ¾ of the mushrooms.  Keep stirring while the last of the broth is absorbed.  Taste (cook’s benefit!) and add salt if needed.  Risotto should look creamy but not soupy or gummy.  When done, add 1 tablespoon of butter.  Stir and serve immediately.  Top each serving with a few of the reserved mushrooms.

This recipe makes a small batch of risotto, enough for two people.  It can easily be doubled.

Note that there is no cheese in this risotto.  Adding cheese during cooking tends to result in a gummy rather than creamy dish.   You can always add a bit of parmesan at the table but I think this risotto is best without any cheese at all.  Just let that mushroom flavor shine! 

A Quiet Monday Morning in Lucca

A crowded Piazza Anfiteatro during the Santa Zita celebration.

Lucca’s tourist season begins in earnest as soon as April arrives.  Between a host of holidays, a major music festival, and the arrival of gorgeous spring weather, the last few weekends have seen this small city bursting with activity and people.  

 This year it also seems as if the big tour groups, many of them coming from cruise ships docked in Livorno, have arrived early and in bigger numbers than ever.  The tour groups come from all over.  I’ve heard guides speaking in Italian, German, English, and French.  I am happy to see visitors introduced to Lucca, but …. and this is a big but … the small streets and alleyways of Lucca were not made for so many large groups. 

The smaller groups accompanied by private local groups move through town with ease (and are an ideal way to see Lucca), but the really big groups tend to obstruct traffic, clog the streets, and make moving through town quite difficult for locals. 

How I wish the large groups would be advised to keep to one side of the street to allow room for people to pass!  If I had a euro for every time I say “permesso” as I try to get through a large group, well, my rent would be paid for the next 3 months.   Do I sound grumpy?  Well, yes, I guess I am a bit.  After a quiet winter and early spring, the sudden arrival of crowds feels a bit overwhelming.

 The good news is that Monday mornings bring a bit of relief.  Last Monday I was out early to run some errands - a trip to the lavanderia (laundry) to pick up my linens, to the Ortofrutta (fruit and vegetable market) for some vegetables, and to the little shop that sells all kinds of electric lights and appliances to get a replacement light bulb for my kitchen.  I avoided doing these errands over the weekend, but a Monday morning seemed like the right time.  The quiet streets were just perfect for being out and about. 

Early on a Monday morning is the perfect time to go to the Ortofrutta. Look at those gorgeous fruits and veggies!

 Even the main piazzas were nearly empty and the streets around my apartment were quiet too. I encountered just a few locals going about their daily tasks. Shopkeepers were opening up and delivery trucks were bringing supplies to shops and restaurants. Birds sang and their songs were not lost in the hubbub of a busy weekend.

 Mild temperatures, a soft breeze, and uncrowded streets made for a perfect morning of wandering through town and noticing all the wonderful things about spring in Lucca.  Green trees, pretty flowers in pots and on balconies, the old brick of medieval buildings, pretty doors and windows, hidden corners, and the sounds of the city waking up and coming to life. 

Even the street leading to the Torre Guinigi was nearly empty on this Monday morning.

 Around town the warm weather means that windows are open and the sounds of daily life pour out.  A baby crying.  Someone singing.  A radio on.  The sound of a brass horn coming from the music school near my apartment.  The musical sound of Italian chatter drifting out to the street.  These are some of the things I love most about life in Italy.

 The summer crowds, along with the heat and humidity of an Italian summer will soon be here. Those are some of the reasons I will soon head to New Mexico for much of the summer.  There I also have the bonus of a good long visit with my family – including my eldest grandson who will graduate from high school next week (does that ever make me feel old!).   But come August I will be glad to get back to Lucca, so glad that even the crowds won’t make me grumpy.

A few more photos of Lucca on a quiet Monday morning -

Springtime Music in Lucca

Music is an integral part of life in Lucca.   The musical heritage here is rich and spans centuries.  Buskers frequently entertain passersby with everything from classic Italian songs on an accordion to street-side opera or folk music under an ancient loggia.  

Local musicians perform at cafes and bars, up on the walls, and in the piazzas.  It’s hard to beat a spring evening spent sipping a spritz while listening to music in a medieval square.

 Crowds flock to Lucca each summer for Lucca Summer Fest – a contemporary music festival with a wide variety of Italian and international performers. 

This year Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Kiss, Pat Methany, and Lil Nas X are among the scheduled acts (quite a diverse group!).  Several years back, the Rolling Stones headlined, performing on the green space just outside Lucca’s ancient walls.  That was fun!

But my favorite musical events in Lucca involve classical composers, some of whom were born here. 

Generations of the Puccini family called Lucca home, including 4 generations of sacred music composers, all of whom served as Maestro di Cappella (choir master) at the Cathedral of San Martino. 

Puccini statue in Piazza Cittadella, Lucca. His childhood home is in the background.

The 5th generation saw the Puccini we all know best - Giacomo, born in Lucca in 1858 – shift the family musical focus to opera.

His family home is now a museum. A large bronze statue of “il Maestro”, cigarette in hand and looking rather rakish, sits in Piazza Cittadella near the museum shop. 

Puccini is revered here, so much so that a selection of his arias are performed every evening in the church of San Giovanni. 

Statue of Luigi Boccherini in Lucca

Puccini was not the only famous composer to come from Lucca.  Luigi Boccherini was born here in 1743.  He was a cellist and an early composer of music for string quartets. 

Today, the Boccherini Institute is a place where young musicians train and perform.  Just a few steps from my apartment, the sounds of musical practice coming from the building grace my morning walk most days. 

Perhaps not as well known outside of Italy as Puccini, his cello concertos are incredibly beautiful.  When I want to relax, Boccherini is on my playlist.

To celebrate its classical musical heritage, each spring the city hosts the Lucca Classica Music Festival. 

During the event, musical performances are held throughout the historic center of town – in gardens, underneath the ancient walls, in churches, theaters, and piazzas. 

Performers come from around the world and include choruses, string quartets, orchestras, youth groups, guitarists and even brass bands!

The works of Puccini and Boccherini are well represented during the festival, along with other opera and classical music composers, jazz works, world music, and some distinctly modern pieces. 

 It’s impossible to attend all the performances and difficult to choose among them.  During this year’s festival, when I found a performance that promised Latin music in the spectacular setting of the Garden of Palazzo Pfanner, I knew I had to attend. 

The garden at Palazzo Pfanner - a wonderful, casual setting for a classical music performance during the Lucca Classical Music Festival..

The music was by Quartetto Lunae, a string quartet playing in magical harmony.  They played pieces from Cuba, Mexico, and South America, everything from a Piazzolla tango to Besame Mucho and La Bamba.  Listening to the beautiful notes, surrounded by quiet birdsong and garden roses, was incredibly moving.

Quartetto Lunae

 A fun counterpoint was the performance by the Filarmonica Giacomo Puccini di Nozzano.  This large brass band assembled in Palazzo Napoleone, Lucca’s largest piazza.  From there they marched across town, stopping in a series of piazzas to play for the gathered crowds.  Add in some baton twirlers and it was quite a lively event!

 This year’s Lucca Classica ended on May 1st.   I can hardly wait to see what next year’s festival brings!

This concert goer found the perfect seat - watching the concert from inside the limonaia at Palazzo Pfanner!

Appreciating April in Lucca

 Apprezzare is an Italian verb meaning “to appreciate”. That word that has defined much of my time in Italy.  I appreciate the Italian culture, the beauty of this land, the musical language (even if my mastery of it is still a long way off), the people.  Not a day goes by that I am not aware of how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to live in Lucca and travel in Italy.

 But a more specific form of appreciation is on my mind this week.  After dodging the Covid virus for the last 3 years, it finally caught me this month.  Following nearly two weeks in isolation, with some unpleasant but not scary symptoms, and multiple tampone (swabs), I finally received the all-clear to resume my normal activities.  Those two weeks were tough but brought many reminders of reasons to be thankful.  I appreciate that I didn’t get sick back when Covid was ravaging this country.  Back when there were no tests, no vaccines, no treatments, only fear.  I have a renewed appreciation for the science that gave us vaccines and the boosters which I firmly believe kept me from serious, much worse symptoms. 

I appreciate the friendly local pharmacist who administered my swabs and helped me interpret the most current rules for Covid isolation.  That the pharmacy is full of old-world Italian charm makes sitting for those nasal swabs much easier.   I am beyond grateful for a good support system here and the many friends who kept in touch and surprised me with everything from soup to cheese to decadent pastries and Easter chocolates.  I have never enjoyed finding goodies on my doorstep so much!

And how I appreciate being able to enjoy these last days of April in Italy.  Lucca has awakened after its winter rest and is buzzing with activity.  The wisteria are in bloom, the ancient walls are dotted with wild flowers, and trees are sprouting green leaves.  The photinia bushes outside my window are resplendent in rusty red spring leaves.  Days are getting longer and warmer.  Cafes and restaurants are setting out tables, umbrellas, and buckets of flowers.  The simple joy of an aperitivo out of doors is even better after a couple weeks of confinement. The walls surrounding the historic center of Lucca are filled with people on foot and on bicycle. Ordinary days feel extraordinary in springtime.

 And the spring celebrations have begun.  I may have spent Easter indoors but was free the following Sunday to see the Liberation Day pageantry.  That event, which celebrates the long ago (14th century) liberation of Lucca from control by Pisa, filled Lucca with the sound of drums.  Trumpets, played by persons in Medieval costumes, heralded the arrival of flag throwers and men carrying crossbows.  There were bow shooting competitions, flag throwing demonstrations, and a wonderful, costumed procession.  I certainly appreciate that I was recovered and able to enjoy the fun.

 Coming up next is an event I look forward to every year – the flower festival in honor of one of Lucca’s favorite saints – Santa Zita.  I will appreciate every minute !