Lucca in October

October 5th - still warm enough for an outdoor aperitivo. Perhaps the last one of the season?

October in Lucca can feel like an entire season wrapped up in a single month. Or maybe multiple seasons.

Early October brought some relief from summer’s intense heat but was still plenty warm with daytime highs in the 80’s.  Mornings and evenings began to cool off, but it was still warm enough for summer dresses. Perfect weather for an outdoor meal or an evening aperitivo.  

Swing music on an early fall evening. Perfect! Oct 7, 2023

By then end of the first week in October the days were still mild with daylight hours long enough to support outdoor activities in the evenings.  Definitely not yet time to pack away the summer clothes.

Listening to the lovely harmonies of Coro Puntacappo sing a cappella swing music under one of Lucca’s medieval arches - what a great way to spend a pleasant early fall evening.

A beautiful Ottobrata day

In the US this last gasp of summer-like weather would be called “Indian Summer”.  Here in Italy it is known as Ottobrata – a new word for me.  Ottobrata is a time to appreciate those last warm days, outdoor activities, and the final picnics of the season.  I like that new word and I love this season.

By mid-October the temperatures in the mornings and evenings were getting progressively chilly.  It was the “I have no idea how to dress today” season. A light jacket?  Perfect in the morning but way too warm in the afternoons when the temps were still reaching the mid-70’s.  Two changes of clothing per day seemed to be the norm. And it was still too soon to pack away summer shirts.  This in-between season is the ideal time for walks along Lucca’s walls.  The leaves are changing, chestnuts fall to the ground, and the weather is perfect. 

Mid-October along Lucca’s walls

Walking along the walls is wonderful at any time of day, but my favorite time for a stroll is at dusk.  The fall tramonti (sunsets) are glorious!

The end of October brought a big change in the weather and an early arrival of fall rainy season.  We had several days of dramatic thunder booms and some powerful downpours.  Added to that were howling winds which knocked branches small and large from many trees.  Out came the raincoats, boots, and scarfs.  And umbrellas of all colors! 

Now, in these last few days of the month, it still isn’t very cold, with daytime temperatures around 68 degrees. But the days when there is rain and wind feel quite a bit colder then the temperature would suggest.  Luckily breaks in the storms have allowed an opportunity to get outside, avoid a bad case of cabin fever, and see the leaves change color a little more each day.  

Lots of changing leaves during my walk on October 23rd.

Late October is the season to beware of a colpo di aria –  a cold air draft that leads to a stiff neck and other ailments – a cold, a sore throat, earaches or something much worse!  A belief in the colpo di aria is very strong here in Tuscany.  Even the doctors warn to always wear a scarf.  The English speaking people around here jokingly ask “Do you know what happens if you don’t wear a scarf?” The standard answer is “You get a sore throat and then you die”. An exaggeration for sure, but the Italian worry about the effects of the cold air has worn off on many of us. It is definitely scarf season now and also the start of “time to brew some chai, get a good book, and stay inside to avoid the rain” season. 

The tents for Lucca Comics and Games seem to multiply daily in October

October is also la stagione delle tende (tents season) here in Lucca.  Not tents for camping but tents, some of them huge, that pop up all over the city in preparation for Lucca’s big fall event – Lucca Comics and Games.  The tents start to go up at the beginning of October and slowly fill every piazza, the green spaces along the walls, parks, the large open areas just outside the walls, and just about any space where there is room to set one up. 

Costumed participants Comics, October 2019. This week the streets of Lucca will be filled with people in costumes.

Many people love the Comics event and it is important to Lucca’s economy.  The costumes are elaborate, there are special art and gaming venues, and there is a general air of excitement in town. Others of us (I admit to being one of them) dread the arrival of the tents and the huge crowds that we know will follow.  Picture 300,000+ people streaming into the historic center of Lucca over a 5 day period.  For me, this is a good season to head out of town on a short trip. This week I will go to Florence for my comics escape.

Of course, the end of October also brings Halloween.  Halloween is not a big deal in Italy, but is a little more so here in Lucca where it coincides with the beginning of Comics and Games.  Just last week these witch’s brooms appeared overhead in Chiasso Barletti, a small alley of shops. I think this is my favorite Halloween / Comics display ever.

Last week this scary monster was being erected in Piazza San Giusto. While it is meant for the big Comics festival, it feels quite Halloween-ish to me.

Scary !

The clocks have now been turned back an hour and dark falls much earlier.  Summer is definitely over and October, with all of its seasons, is just about over too. I wonder what November will bring?

Uva Fragola

Chianti Classico Wines - mostly Sangiovese grapes

Fall is harvest season in Italy.   First comes the vendemmia, the grape harvest, followed by the raccolta delle olive (olive harvest).  Both have important significance economically and culturally.  Participating in either is a combination of hard work and great fun.

 Many varieties of grapes are grown in Italy and produce excellent wines.  The names are familiar – Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Trebbiano, Lambrusco, Pinot Grigio and Vermentino to name a few.   All of those grapes are cultivated varieties of the Vitis Vinifera species.

And then there is the Uva Fragola (Strawberry Grape). It is a different species all together, the Vitis Labrusca. Not just that, but (gasp!) it is an American grape imported into Italy in part due to its resistance to the Phylloxera insect. This is a bit controversial as some sources say it is that very resistance to Phylloxera which allowed the American grapes to carry the insect to Europe where it devastated less resistant Italian vines.  Which story is true?  I don’t know nearly enough about grapes to offer an opinion.

 What I do know is that the Uva Fragola is not a respected wine grape. In fact, the EU bans it for commercial wine production due to high levels of methane, a poison, that occur in the distillation process.  There may be some home made Fragolino about if you are brave enough to drink it. Despite not being used in wine production, the grape is still grown in Italy where it is appreciated for its unique quality - grape with an underlying strawberry flavor. 

One interesting surprise for me was finding that the Uva Fragola is actually a type of Concord Grape.  Yes, this type of grape is the source of the Welch’s Grape Jam that topped all my peanut butter sandwiches when I was a kid.  A jam I abandoned as I grew up in favor of more interesting flavors.  I have to believe that, like most things (and people) transplanted to Italy, the American Concord Grape was transformed by the Italian soil, air, water, and perhaps even the music of the language.  The Italian Uva Fragola is delicious!

September is Uva Fragola season. The big, plump, purple grapes are used in several ways.

The grapes make wonderful jams and jellies. 

I was fortunate to receive a jar made from last year’s crop, a just-sweet-enough jam filled with bits of grape.  It was nothing like the Welch’s Grape of my childhood.

This was grape jam for grownups!

Another traditional use of the Uva Fragola is in a focaccia dolce, a grape studded bread glazed with sugar. It’s a simple, straightforward snack, perfect alongside a cup of coffee, and a great use for the September grape crop.

My favorite way to consume Uva Fragola is as gelato.  I was happy when a local gelateria advertised their September-only special of Uva Fragola gelato, made using local Tuscan grapes.  With its rich color and berry flavor it is the perfect end of summer treat.  With such a short season, one must take advantage with at least a weekly gelato serving, right?

Uva Fragola grapes grown right here in the historic center of Lucca.

Last week, a friend in Lucca invited me to snip some of the ripe bunches of Uva Fragola grapes that grow along the terrace above his apartment.  I was more than happy to help with his small harvest but wasn’t quite sure what I would do with so many grapes. 

I decided to make a syrup to drizzle over soft cheese, gelato, or perhaps pancakes.  I didn’t have an exact recipe, but used a proportion of grapes to sugar suggested in a jam recipe I found on line. I just didn’t add the pectin that the recipe called for.  In a happy accident, I reduced the grape syrup enough that it thickened into more of a jelly than a syrup even without adding pectin.  Perfect on my morning toast and still good as a topping for cheese.

Here's how I made the jelly:

Remove the Uva Fragola grapes from the stems, rinse them and discard any green ones. Hint: twisting the grapes from the stem instead of pulling them avoids that little bit of stem that can cling to the grape.  Twisting also opens the skin at the top of the grape which helps them soften as they cook.

To 700 grams of grapes add 200 grams (1 cup) of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a heavy bottom pot.

Heat the mixture over a low to medium flame, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble gently.

Reduce the flame to low and cook for 1 hour, stirring and scrapping down the sides of the pot every once in a while.  Be sure the flame is low enough that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. The kitchen will smell wonderful at this point!

After cooking for one hour, crush the grapes in the pan to release all the juices and then strain to remove the skins, leaving only the juice behind.   A food mill would work here, but I don’t have one so I just crushed the grapes well with a wooden spoon to squeeze out the juices.

Return the juice to the pan, bring to a simmer, and cook on low.  Less time would result in a syrup, 45 minutes and I got jelly.  Isn’t kitchen chemistry fun!   My 700 grams of grapes made one 6 oz jar of jelly.

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 -