Keeping Busy on Cold Winter Days in Tuscany

Watching kids enjoy the giostra (carousel) on nice days is a good pastime.

It’s important to make the most of the cold January days in Lucca, even the rainy ones. 

While the heavy periods of rain have definitely kept me indoors at times, lighter rains and clear periods see me heading out for walks, window shopping, photography, meeting up with friends, watching the giostra (carousel) go round and round, and looking for general inspiration.

The monthly antiques market was a great diversion in between rain showers on a cold and cloudy day earlier this month.  Many of the vendors are the same from month to month, but a scavenger hunt to search for new and unusual finds is always fun.  

Cooking is a good rainy-day activity and, after finding some really nice guanciale in the market, I’ve been working on perfecting my pasta carbonara skills. But sometimes eating out is a good rainy-day activity too.

Pasta is cold weather comfort food and Macelleria Pucci is a butcher shop / restaurant that makes a great southern Italian spaghetti with polpettini (little meatballs). Lunch there with friends was a treat as it is unusual to find this dish in northern Italy. I requires lots of rainy afternoon walks to balance out those pasta calories!

Catching up with friends after being away from Italy over the holidays has been great too.  Lucca has lots of cafes, perfect for meeting over a cup of coffee, pot of tea, or glass of wine.  The indoor cafes are warm and cozy and have led to some great chats about world issues with locals at the next tables.  It is always interesting to get the Italian perspective on US and World events.  And it is great for practicing my Italian.

 A stop at the Saturday flower market, on one of the few sunny days this past weekend, brought a touch of spring and some bright color into my apartment, a necessity on these winter days.

The Saturday flower market in Piazza San Michele is great in any season

One of my favorite winter cold weather activities is planning spring travel and I’ve been busy doing just that.  Spring in Emilia- Romagna and Umbria is a welcome thought on these cold days. And the planning is almost as much fun as the travel will be.

 My book club selection for the month is The Stolen Lady by Laura Morelli.  It has transported me to Florence in the late 1400s and Paris in the 1930s.  A great escape on a cold or cloudy day.

 And for real escapism, day dreaming about spring blossoms is hard to beat.  Photos can make the gray skies fade away and bring a reminder that spring is just around the corner.  I think that readers in the frigid parts of the US and Canada might appreciate these reminders as much as I do.  Stay warm everyone!

January

On one cold afternoon I had Via Sant’Andrea all to myself - something that never happens in warmer months

How to best describe January (Gennaio in Italian) in Lucca?   Certainly it is tranquilla (calm), especially after all of the December holiday activity.  January is a month without crowds.  Walking through the quiet town at the beginning of the new year is a treat.  It is as if January reclaims Lucca for the locals.

 This January arrived with some really cold temperatures and dark, moody skies.  Lliving in a 400+ year old brick building, and just above an unheated cantina (cellar), I really feel the cold.  Even indoors, a scarf, a fleece vest, and warm socks are standard wear.  As for bedtime, an old-fashioned hot water bottle works wonders. I admit that I miss the programmable thermostat in the US that makes my New Mexico condo toasty warm before I get out of bed in the mornings.

Going outside requires winter coats, thick scarfs, warm hats, and gloves even on the days when the skies are a beautiful clear blue.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that blue skies = warm weather.  Even when the skies are clear, it is cold outside. Especially on Lucca’s Medieval streets which get very little sun on winter days. Best to bundle up when going outside. 

Beautiful blue skies - but still really cold!

Ponce Mandarino

 When the wind blows or the rains come, as they have many days this month, it is hard to stay warm no matter how many layers you put on.  These are the January days that are perfect for staying indoors, reading, planning spring travel, and writing. We’ve had quite a few of these days this month.

Cold January weather requires hot drinks – a cappuccino (ask for it molto caldo), a thick hot chocolate (maybe with a touch of whipped cream), or, on an especially cold evening, a ponce mandarino which packs a lot of heat and just enough alcohol to clear the sinuses and warm the soul.

 Walking though town this past week, the streets were nearly empty. The outdoor café tables are mostly abandoned, waiting patiently for a sunny day and warmer temperatures.   Only a few brave souls sat outside, often clustered around a gas heater.  The weekend was a bit livelier, especially because the Antiques Market was in town. Even the damp, dark skies couldn’t keep people away from the monthly market.

Usually a busy cafe, this spot sits quiet and empty in cold January weather.

 Lucca’s historic walls are also quiet this time of year. Gone are the summertime crowds, the 4 person pedal-bikes, and the shorts-clad joggers. A few walkers are out, some mothers pushing prams with babies in warm buntings, and an occasional bicyclist. But the bare trees and nearly empty paths paint a picture of cold winter weather.

Along Corso Garibaldi, a street currently lined with leafless Magnolia trees, a close look reveals the beginning of the buds that will burst into bloom in about 6 weeks.   A welcome hint of spring.

The rest of January will be filled with quiet activities – I’ve joined a new book club as well as an Italian conversation group.  I have a stack of books waiting to be read.  I will embrace walks along the walls on crisp days and errands that take me though the quiet streets. 

Soon it will be February and Lucca will begin to buzz as we await the beginning of Carnevale.

Bare now, soon the wisteria will bloom above this terrace.

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

Planes, Trains, and Epiphanies

It took me 3 planes, 3 trains, 2 airport shuttles, and an overnight in Rome to bring me from New Mexico back to Lucca a few days ago.  This was a considerably more complicated itinerary than my usual return to Italy. The why of it will be a familiar story to anyone who has experienced a long delay in the process of renewing their permesso (the permit for a long term stay in Italy).

If only the Befana delivered long delayed permessi

 My current permesso, which I have renewed annually for the last 6 years without difficulty, has been expired now since the end of August, caught up in bureaucratic delays.  Without a valid permesso, and possessing only the receipt as proof that I am waiting for it to arrive, I am OK legally to be in Italy. But boy is travel complicated! Without it, travel is permitted only directly between Italy and one’s home country. No stopping in any other Schengen zone country allowed.  Not even an airport layover to change planes is permitted.  That meant that my usual path into Italy – the US through Germany and onto Florence was not possible and I would need to fly from Albuquerque, where I was visiting my family over the holidays, to a US city with a direct flight into Italy. 

So, my return from New Mexico involved 3 legs – Albuquerque to Denver, Denver to Washington DC, and DC overnight to Rome.  Getting from the Rome airport to Lucca required a short train ride on the Leonardo Express into the Roma Termini train station, followed by a fast train to Florence, and then a slower local train from Florence to Lucca. This seemed a bit much to do all at once, so I broke the trip up with an overnight near the Rome airport.  So, 2 days of travel. 4 airports. 3 planes. 3 trains. 2 airport hotel shuttles. 1 hotel. Whew!  Luckily all went smoothly and I am now happily back in cold, rainy beautiful Lucca.

The stage is set for La Befana’s arrival in Lucca later today.

I have arrived just in time for the final event of the Christmas season here in Italy – the celebration of Epiphany.  Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, is the 12th day of Christmas.  It marks the day when the Magi, following the Christmas star, arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.   But, they arrived without one important person – the Befana. 

The Befana is an old woman, portrayed as a crone or a witch.  The story goes that the three wise men stopped her to ask for directions on their way to Bethlehem.  She directed them along, but declined to accompany them for she had much housework to do.  Later, she tried to follow them but got lost.  Ever after she has wandered around, on her broomstick, leaving goodies in the stockings of good children on the eve of Epiphany. 

This Befana roamed the streets, along with a chorus and musicians, in Lucca on the evening before Epiphany.

In Italy, Epiphany is marked by re-creations of the Magi arriving in Bethlehem and by festivities related to the Befana. There are Befanas wandering the villages, Befana themed cakes, songs, dolls, and images.  

In Lucca, on the eve of Epiphany, a troupe of musicians and singers gathered to sing about the Befana (video on Instagram and Facebook). The Befana herself accompanied them, delighting children with her basket of sweets. The legend of La Befana is an old tradition that remains an important part of the Christmas season here.

 In Lucca, an annual event marks the arrival of the Befana in the Piazza San Francesco.  She arrives from a rooftop in the piazza (with help from the local fire department).

Each year her arrival is just a little bit different (photos below are from 2 previous years). Later today she will arrive and rumor has it she will come in Babbo Natale’s sleigh (I will be on hand to watch, look for some photos on Instagram and Facebook late today).  

The little ones will gather around as she tosses candies to the crowd on her way down from the roof top.  And they’ll wait to receive stockings filled with candies or other goodies. 

 La Befana - what a fun way to bring the holiday season to a close.

 As for the other meaning of epiphany – a sudden “ah ha” moment – I had one when I realized that the last two quarter century years have marked major turning points in my life.  1975 (the first quarter century year of my life) was the beginning of my “adult ” phase marked by graduation from college, my first professional job, a marriage. 25 years later, 2000 brought a big career change, the launching of my youngest child, and being suddenly single.  Now, 2025 is here, possibly my last quarter century year unless I live to be 97 in 2050. I plan to make the most of it!  I am hoping for joy in small things, some great travel, gentle opportunities for growth, pleasant surprises, and – finally – the arrival of my long term Italian permesso! 

From My Italian Kitchen: Lentil Soup for the New Year

Tiny green lentils, grown near Lucca in the Garfagnana are my choice as a base for lentil soup

Lentils (Lenticchie in Italian) are a traditional food in Italy at the New Year.  The round shape resembles a coin and those tasty little coins portend fortune in the new year.  And who couldn’t use that?

Since I love soups, my Italian new year tradition is a rich lentil soup filled with veggies and sausage.

 For this soup, the perfect lentils (both for texture and flavor) are the tiny green ones. Here in Italy I use ones from the Garfagnana, the area of Tuscany northwest of Lucca.

In the US, finding imported Italian lentils may be a challenge, but some type of tiny green ones can often be found in the supermarket.  They work almost as well as Italian ones in this soup.  Do they bring Italian fortune?  Hmm.  That I can’t guarantee.

Simple crostini are perfect alongside this soup. Good bread toasted, good EVOO, a rub of garlic and a sprinkle of salt are all you need.

Simple crostini - thin slices of toast rubbed with garlic, drizzled with really good extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with a touch of salt - makes the perfect accompaniment for this soup.

Here’s my recipe:

Zuppa di Lenticchie (Lentil Soup)

 190 grams small green lentils (1 rounded cup)

1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, cut as small dice (about ¾ cup)

2 – 3 carrots, cut as medium dice (about 1 ½ cups)

2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste

¼ teaspoon course ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

200 grams pork sausage, crumbled

1 ounce container of Knorr vegetable stock *

 Cover lentils with boiling water, soak x 15 minutes and then drain

Cover drained lentils with 1 inch of water, bring to a boil and simmer x 15 minutes

Meanwhile, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil until onion softens and is transparent. Add celery and carrots and sauté another 5 minutes.

Add sautéed veggies, spices, tomato paste, and chopped parsley to the lentils.

In a frying pan, crumble the sausage and brown until cooked through, add to lentils along with the Knorr vegetable stock or bouillon cubes.

Add ½ cup water and simmer everything x 30 minutes, adding more water as needed to thin the soup.

 *In Italy, Knorr vegetable stock is called Cuore di Brodo Vegetale and comes in a package of little 1 ounce plastic cups of jellied stock.  These are sometimes available in the US, but can be hard to find at least in New Mexico where I am from so I usually bring some from Italy.  If not available, just substitute a low salt vegetable bouillon cube or two or homemade vegetable broth in place of the water. 

Buon appetito, Buon Anno Nuovo