The Olive Press Kitchen (Formerly Extra Virgin Cooking Classes)

Chef Giuseppe at work

Here is a recipe for a wonderful day of cooking in Italy:

Start with Chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi (he makes the magic happen). You’ll meet Giuseppe, along with your small group of classmates, for a bit of shopping at Montecatini’s market. Here you’ll find fresh herbs, veggies, and just the right beans for soup. It’s a great way to start the day and learn about local ingredients.

This very old “hog-back” bridge spans the stream behind Il Molino

Next, spend the day at the historic molino (mill) where Giuseppe’s grandparents lived and worked. The mill property is over 600 years old and sits alongside a stream whose waters once powered the mill equipment.

Inside the old mill you’ll find a professional kitchen with lots of workspace. Here, under the chef’s guidance, you will prepare and cook authentic Italian dishes. If the day is chilly, there will be a fire burning in the kitchen’s large fireplace. Could there be a better atmosphere for cooking? I think not!

To make the atmosphere even better, enjoy some Prosecco while prepping ingredients and take a break to sample some regional olive oils and cheeses.

Later, when all the work is done, you’ll share a fabulous lunch with your classmates in the beautiful dining room, the spot which once housed the olive press. Today it is a rustic yet elegant space with a table large enough for all to gather. Giuseppe will select wines that pair perfectly with the food you’ve prepared. A member of the Italian Sommelier Association, he knows his wines and happily shares that knowledge during the meal.

A beautiful table setting adds to the enjoyment of lunch

Some of you may have done a class with Giuseppe at Extra Virgin Cooking when it was located inside the historic center of Lucca. Those classes were wonderful and inspired me to write an earlier blog post (from April 2022). With completion of the mill renovations, all of the classes moved out to Il Molino last summer. New location and a new name - The Olive Press Kitche. I was excited to experience the new location when, with a couple of friends, I signed up for a class this past October.

The cooking school is in the hills outside of Montecatini. Montecatini can be reached by train along the Florence - Lucca line. Coming from either Lucca or Florence, it is about 30 minutes to the Montecatini Centro stop. Once there, Giuseppe will meet you and it is just a short walk to the market. Classes include round trip transportation between Montecatini and Il Molino.

My October class took place on a chilly, rainy day so we enjoyed the fireplace while we prepared our first course, a Zuppa Frantoiana. This is a typical fall soup of vegetables and beans drizzled with the season’s fresh pressed olive oil.

We also prepared a beef based ragu to go with Gnudi, a light as a cloud ricotta and spinach dumpling. Shaping the gnudi takes practice and we all had fun learning the technique (but even more fun eating them at lunch).

Fall is funghi (mushroom) season, so we also made a risotto with several types of mushrooms, including porcinis.

I can almost smell these thyme scented mushrooms cooking!

Last, we made a wonderful classic Italian dessert - zabaglione. Rich with egg yolk, sugar, marsala wine, and whipped cream, it was topped with fresh berries. A perfect way to end our meal.

Everything about classes with The Olive Press Kitchen is special. From Giuseppe’s care and teaching, to the gorgeous setting, to the small group of students, to the shared meal of authentic foods and wines. For anyone interested in food, cooking, or just good eating, a day spent at the mill cooking with Giuseppe is a fabulous experience.

Classes are scheduled 3 days per week, 9 am to about 2:30 pm. All classes are in English. Cost (as of January 2025) is €130 per person.

Contact info: info@theolivepresskitchen.com

Website: theolivepresskitchen.com

Lucca Comics and Games 2024

I must admit that I have a bit of a “bah humbug” attitude about the huge Comic Con held each fall in Lucca. I think this is mostly due to not liking big crowds.  And Lucca is definitely crowded during Comics. Just imagine 80,000 people flowing into this small walled city each day of the 5 day event!   The streets are packed and going about normal business is pretty much impossible for those who live here.   

To escape the madness that is Comics, I usually plan an out of the city escape.  Last year, Florence.  The year before, Pontremoli. The year before that, PIenza. 

My one and only experience with Comics was in 2019, my first year living in Lucca.  But this year, I found myself in Lucca for the big event.

Perhaps my general feelings are better expressed in Italian - after all, doesn’t everything sound better in Italian?   So I will simply say that my usual attitude is Bah, che sciocchezza! (Oh, what nonsense). And yet, circumstances having conspired to keep me in Lucca this year, I decided to get out for a bit each day and experience Comics.  I found the “nonsense” to be a lot of fun!

 Even though the crowds were a bit overwhelming, I found several things to enjoy about Comics. Top of my list were the costumes.  For 5 days the streets of Lucca were filled with an amazing assortment of characters – superheroes, cartoon characters, pirates, medieval maidens, clowns, historical figures (both Dante and Jesus roamed the streets), monsters, sprites, and animals. 

 Another thing to appreciate were the children.  Comics is a family affair and a safe space to bring the kids.  The evening of Halloween was especially enjoyable due to all the costumed little ones roaming about. What’s more adorable then costumed kids, happy and smiling?

Even pets became part of the action!

The crowds, while large, were also very well behaved.  Costumed participants gladly posed for photos, there were a lot of oohs and aahs at the remarkable get ups, and everyone just seemed to want to have a good time.  Another plus - no worries about bad behavior and no safety concerns despite the huge number of people.

 A lot of the activity related to gaming, comic books, and movies took place in large tents erected throughout Lucca.  These were mostly ticketed events with lines to enter.  Definitely not my thing, but clearly a big draw to participants in the Comics and Games event.

 The pictures posted here are from the first 2 ½ days of the event.  More photos and can found on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page and IG.

Photos from the last couple of days to come next week.

An Elegant Caffè in Lucca, Italy

Caffè Santa Zita with a view towards the Basilica of San Frediano

Most of the time grabbing a coffee here in Lucca means a stop at a local bar.  The coffee may be downed quickly standing at the bar or a bit more leisurely at a table. Going out to prendere un caffè (have a coffee) is a common way to socialize informally with friends and an almost daily ritual here for many. 

 But sometimes it is nice to get fancy.  When that impulse strikes, it is time to head to Caffè Santa Zita.  Located in Piazza San Frediano, and named for the Saint for rests forever in the nearby church, the caffè is a spot of elegance and old world refinement in the center of Lucca.

There is a small outdoor seating area in front of the caffè.  It offers great views of the Basilica San Frediano with its unique mosaic topped exterior along with great people watching in the piazza.  But for me the real fun happens inside where the entry leads you past a pastry case full of temptations and into a series of intimate, cozy, fashionable rooms. 

The pastry case is full of delicious treats.

Inside, the paneled and painted walls, classic tile floors, and beautiful furnishings lend warmth to the experience while the display of tea and coffee accoutrements set the stage for an upscale coffee break or teatime. 

Tea comes with a little dish of "miracles"

It is a bit unusual to find an afternoon tea service in Lucca, but the Santa Zita offers an English Teatime with an impressive variety of teas, tisanes, and infusions. 

Don’t miss the chance to taste their little “miracles” – small cookies representing classic Lucchese flavors.  They are named miracles in honor of the many miracles associated with Santa Zita herself. 

Beyond tea, the Santa Zita also offers morning coffee (with pastry of course), brunch, lunch, and an evening aperitivo.

Not an everyday quick stop, it is just the place for a bit of upscale lingering.

This flaky pastry is unique to the Santa Zita.  Called a La Giunchiglia (the daffodil) it comes with a variety of toppings.  My favorite is the pastry cream shown above but it also comes with chocolate, pistachio cream, or whipped cream on top.. 

The back garden is a pretty and welcoming spot for brunch, coffee, tea time or an aperitivo in good weather. 

Caffè Santa Zita is open Monday – Saturday  8 am – 9 pm and  Sunday 9 am – 9 pm 

Closed Wednesdays 

An evening of cocktail and music is a special treat at the Santa Zita Caffè.

A Spring Weekend in Lucca

It seems as if we waited a long time for spring to arrive this year.  Cold and rainy weather lasted well into May.  But finally, on the last weekend in May, spring finally showed up.  And it is glorious!  

The temperatures are mild, the breezes gentle, and the skies are filled with cotton ball clouds with only the smallest hint of rain. The trees are green, the scent of Jasmine fills the air, and pretty flower boxes fill balconies. Is there a better place to spend spring than in Tuscany? 

 The final days of May also brought two very enjoyable festivals to Lucca. 

The first is the Lucca Medievale Festival.   The event took place on the mura storiche (historic walls) where a medieval encampment sprang up along one of the large green bulwarks that jut out from the walls.  

Throughout the camp craftsmen and women, all in costume, demonstrated medieval crafts.  There were woodturners, blacksmiths, and chainmail makers.

Weavers and clothmakers worked alongside pottery artisans and clog makers. Rough beeswax candles were on display as were some ancient (and quite scary) medical instruments.  A stone carver worked with small tools to create delicate designs.

Musicians played antique instruments; there was no shortage of medieval weapons. Throughout the weekend-long festival were exhibitions of historic dances, arts, crossbow competitions, and music. Lucca is in so many ways still a medieval town and the festival really brings that era to life. It’s an annual event - now is the time to make plans to visit Lucca next spring!

 The second event to enliven the city in late May was the French Market.  It is always exciting when this market comes to town. It is only fitting that the market fills Piazza Napoleone, Lucca’s largest piazza.  The large open piazza was created during the time when Napoleon’s sister, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, was the Principessa of Lucca.  Her impact on Lucca is felt to this day. I think she would approve of hosting a French market in front of her palace!

 The market featured typical French products – soaps, perfumes, and table linens as well as French foods.   French breads were baked on site. French pastries and French cheeses filled the booths.  And the quiches! Quiche Lorraine, goat cheese and tomato, veggie and even salmon quiches warm from the oven were ready to take home for a tasty French themed lunch. 

Whenever the French market comes to Lucca, I line up to buy some bastoncini.  These breads – much thicker than a breadstick but thinner than a small baguette – are a bit of an addiction for me.  Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, they are studded with olives, walnuts, pancetta, or cheese.   Paired with a market quiche and a salad they transport me right back to Provence. 

 The spring days in Lucca are meant to be enjoyed - a wonderful pause between the cold, rainy season and the advent of hot weather and busy summer activities. Welcome spring!

March in Lucca

The month of March starts off slow in Lucca and then builds towards the first hints of spring, an explosion of flowers, the beginning of the busy visitor season and, finally, Spring.

But so far, the first week of March isn’t feeling much different than February.  It’s still raining.  With gray skies and bare trees, most of the color comes from a rainbow of umbrellas. 

And while the temperatures are slowly creeping up, it is still chilly. Perfect weather for soup, pots of tea, afternoon naps, and catching up with friends. 

Even better if the catching up happens over a cappuccino in an elegant cafe.

I’ve been back in Lucca for two weeks now, after a long visit to the US over the holidays and all through January. A walk around town, even in the drizzly weather, is a good remedy for the prolonged case of jet lag that has hounded me since my return.  

This statue of Luigi Boccherini is always there to greet me when I return to Lucca. He sits outside the Boccherini Institute, a music school. It isn’t far from my apartment so I pass by often. Walking past and hearing the sounds of students practicing is always a sure sign that I am back in Lucca.

As I walk, I enjoy seeing familiar places as well as small forgotten details and surprise finds. 

Stumbling across a little vignette like this one is always a delightful surprise.

I am always delighted by how many new details I find even after 5 years of living here - a previously unnoticed stretch of decorative brick, a bit of street art, a beautiful art deco piece decorating a building, a fanciful torch holder, a unique door knocker, beautiful decorative ironwork, a statue.    

 On my recent walks I’ve also tried to pay attention to the signs of the season in Lucca.  The nearly empty weekday streets are a sure sign that it is still late winter. 

The many temporarily closed cafes and bars signify the owners’ chance to grab a bit of rest after the holidays and the excitement of Carnevale and before the hubbub of events that surround Easter.

The bare branches of this tree are like a sculpture against the backdrop of the old brick and stone church wall.

At this time of year there is a stark beauty in the bare trees and vines.  In a few weeks the wisteria will begin to flower and the trees will turn green with leaves.  And the visitors will arrive.  But not just yet.  And, with all those bare branches, what a wonderful surprise this week to turn a corner and find a whole street of magnolias already in bloom. 

Mimosas are the traditional gift for la Festa della Donna

I am looking forward to several events that will come later this month. March 8th marks the Festa della Donna (International Women’s Day), a day to celebrate the achievements of women in all fields. Bright yellow bunches of mimosas are a traditional part of the day.

After that comes the Festa di San Giuseppe (Feast of Saint Joseph) on the 19th.  I admit that it is the traditional feast day frittelle that I really look forward to.  I’ll take two cream filled ones please.

Later in March, Good Friday will be marked with a traditional and very solemn procession through the streets of Lucca.  

It is an historic and moving event and one that always marks the beginning of spring for me. March will conclude with Easter. It arrives early this year, on March 31st. 

The Good Friday procession in Lucca

There are also some unique events happening this month. One is an exhibit of works by Antonio Canova (it runs through September). That exhibit will be a good thing to do on one of these a rainy March afternoons.

2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini. And Puccini is a big deal here in Lucca where he was born. He started his musical career playing in local churches and spent much of his adult life in the area. He spent a lot of time in Lucca’s Caffe di Simo (in Puccini’s time it was known as Café Caselli).  Sadly, that cafe has been closed for more than a decade now, sitting empty on Via Fillungo.  It is a legendary place that has not been significantly changed since Puccini last met his friends there. It will reopen (temporarily) for several special events during the Puccini celebrations this year.  It’s one of those abandoned, dusty places that I have long wanted to see. I am looking forward to being able to get inside! 

This pretty cat made me smile on one of my wanders through Lucca. Here he sits outside the church where Puccini was baptized.

After its slow and quiet start, March promises to be a busy month in Lucca with lots of activities, celebrations, and the slow unfolding of spring. 

I’m ready!