April in Umbria

One of the Medieval gates leading into the historic center of Bevagna.

Umbria is an Italian region that is entirely inland – it does not touch the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, or the Tyrrhenian seas.  But lacking a seacoast does not mean that Umbria is without dramatic and fascinating landscapes.  The region is full of green valleys, medieval hill towns, olive groves, vineyards, and fields of flowers and legumes.

Even though I live just a short distance away in Tuscany, Umbria was not a region I had explored in any depth.  That changed recently when I spent Easter week based in the small Umbrian town of Bevagna. 

Just outside of Bevagna’s walled city is Le Case, one of two little houses set amid the vines of La Fonte Azienda Agricola.  The setting is quiet, peaceful, and lovely, providing the perfect base for exploring Umbria.  The agriturismo is run by the Trabalza Marinucci family, parents Patrizia and Guido and adult children Giulia and Francesco.  The family also includes 4 outdoor cats, a dog, and two goats.  They (the people, not the goats) are fabulous hosts who also offer wine tastings and aperitivo in the cantina located on the property.  And though I have always considered myself more of a city person, there was something about starting my days in the Umbrian countryside, overlooking the vineyards and surrounding hills, that was just perfect.  I will miss the views from “my” little house in Umbria and the feeling of inner peace that I felt among the vines!

Of course, it is not possible to explore all of Umbria in one visit, and there were many places we did not get to on this week-long trip.  But my friend and I made a good start at getting to know the region and found some unique experiences along the way.  Just one example is the historic Pasquetta (Easter Monday) Ruzzolone, a cheese rolling competition in the town of Panicale (more about that in an upcoming post).

April in Umbria is a time of misty mornings, afternoon showers, and stunning sunsets. 

A foggy morning outside of Bevagna, from La Fonte

April is also when poppies bloom.  They pop up along roadsides, in stone walls, at the edges of vineyards, and sometimes they fill big open fields.  To me, poppies are one of the best parts of spring. Seeing them is always a joyful reminder of the changing season.

Also in bloom in April are fields of yellow blooming rapeseed (used to make canola oil) along with a host of other flowers.  Queen Anne’s lace, lilac, Jupiter’s beard, wild mustard, little violets, wisteria, and tiny white daisies were everywhere.  Pink and white blossoms filled trees and wild figs had just the smallest figs beginning to grow. The hardest part of driving through Umbia was not stopping every mile to take a photo.

In April, the vines are just beginning to sprout leaves. Over just a week’s time we could see them getting bigger.  At the agriturismo they were already at work tending the vines.  La Fonte has several vineyards, some older and some newer vines, and different varieties of grape.  The leaves in the various fields were growing leaves at different rates.  The same was true of all the vineyards as we drove from valley to hillside – growth was very much determined by setting.

I will be writing more about specific towns over time, but today I hope you enjoy a bit of spring time in Umbria.

This little guy was happily picking wild flowers in a little garden in Spello.

Verde Mura Is Where Spring Gardens Begin

Some recurring events serve to mark time, shepherding in a new year or a new season.  One such event in Lucca is the annual spring garden show, Verde Mura. 

Each April, Verde Mura takes place atop the walls that surround Lucca.  Just about anything one wants for a garden – whether garden means a small herb patch, several long rows of vegetables, a bed full of flowers, or a small stand of fruit trees – is available.  

With garden art and assorted crafts on display, there is little need to look elsewhere for spring garden inspiration.

This year - surprise - there were chickens and one very loud rooster !

Readers of this blog may recognize scenes from Verde Mura because I’ve written about it in past years.   But the event always seems to bring something new, not to mention it really does mark the beginning of spring for me, and so each year I go, camera in hand, learning about everything from heirloom beans to new varieties of tulips and daffodils.  

Sadly, I don’t have space for a garden in my tiny Lucca apartment. I can sometimes manage a few potted herbs, but that’s about all.  Despite that, I always come home with at least a gorgeous bunch of flowers, some treats from the food vendors (this year delicious black pepper and almond taralli), and the joy of having spent a few hours on a spring morning up on Lucca’s walls immersed in the colors and scents of the Verde Mura. 

Sunday Lunch in the Tuscan Countryside

One of the many delights of living in Tuscany is having a pranzo di domenica (Sunday lunch) with friends.  Even better when one of those friends is a local chef who knows just where to find a special place in an out of the way little village.  Rule # 1: always let the chef pick the restaurant! I was lucky enough to enjoy such a lunch recently, in the tiny village of Colognora di Compito, a lovely drive of about 6 miles, 15-20 minutes through the countryside from Lucca.

 At first glance the restaurant, La Cantina di Alfredo, seems to have been dropped down in the middle of nowhere.  It sits in tiny village along a pretty stone lined stream.  The unassuming building that houses the restaurant (in business since 1965) barely hints at the lively atmosphere and wonderful flavors to be found within. 

The first thing to reach my senses, before even opening the door, was the smell of the wood ovens.  A very nice welcome and a hint of the flavors to come.

Next, the sound of Italian chatter reached my ears.  Families with children of all ages filled the restaurant, happily interacting and sharing a meal.  Not one cell phone or other device in sight.  Sharing a Sunday lunch with friends, surrounded by a roomful of Italian families, is always a treat.  La Cantina di Alfredo provided the perfect Sunday atmosphere.

There are house specialty antipasti that get the meal off to an abundant start.  I have to admit (with only a pinch of guilt) that between the three of us we shared several of them, almost a meal on its own.  I blame my chef friend, who ordered for us – cancel that – I meant to say that I THANK my chef friend - because each bite was delicious.  First, we shared a board of cured meats including prosciutto, salami, other cured meats, and lardo (a buttery soft cubed pork fat) served with thin wedges of herb-flecked wood fired oven baked focaccia. 

Alongside that came a platter of bruschetta featuring fegato (a liver paté) on bread or squares of fried polenta, “meatballs” made of chopped mushrooms, and a pile of pasta fritta.  Pasta fritta is addictive – small bites of hot, fried, salty dough. How bad could that be?   Topped with a slice of the prosciutto it was delicious.

Having eaten a very big antipasto course, we skipped the primi selections (first courses) and headed straight to the main dishes. 

The house specialties include meats grilled in the wood oven, especially Florentine steaks and other cuts of beef. And the big piles of meats waiting to be cooked in one of their two wood fired ovens looked amazing. 

 In addition to beef, other dishes are prepared on the grill as well, including as fish, pork, and chicken.  And a second, even hotter, wood fired oven is reserved for pizza. Both of my companions ordered the Baccalà alla Brace (alla brace means on the grill) while I opted for the Rosticianna alla Brace (grilled pork ribs). 

Alongside we shared a dish of fagioli al forno (oven roasted beans).  Cooking beans in a wood oven turns them from ordinary into something special.  Creamy on the inside but a touch crisp on the outside, drizzled with good olive oil, they were perfect with both the fish and the pork.

Much too full for a dolce (sweet), we finished our meal with coffee (and a doggie bag for me - those ribs were hefty).  Leaving the restaurant by way of a small stone bridge, it was worth the short detour to see the small church with its unique short bell tower and mosaic decoration.  And then it was back in the car for the short drive back to Lucca.  

Good friends + a drive in the Tuscan countryside + a fabulous lunch = a perfect Sunday in Tuscany.

 La Cantina di Alfredo, Via di Colognora, 32.  Colognora di Compito Capannori

Phone: +39 058 3980192.     Cell phone: +39 331 3876800

Email: info@lacantinadialfredo.it

Closed Monday & Tuesday, open Wednesday – Sunday 12 – 2:30 NS 7 – 11 PM

Early Spring in Lucca

The first wisteria of 2025 in the Giardino degli Observant.

As March heads into April there are definite hints of spring in Lucca.  While the weather is still unpredictable, there have been some days just sunny enough to feel a touch of spring warmth on our faces.  I haven’t put away my warm coat and scarves (or my umbrella) just yet, but I can feel the day coming when I will be able to pack them away until next fall.

In my mind, two things mark the early spring season in Italy.  First is the appearance of blossoms. March’s Magnolias fade quickly but are soon replaced with Wisteria. The Wisteria are just beginning to bloom with the first sprays of flowers appearing last week. This past week also saw the first white rose along the path I walk when heading for my language lessons at Lucca Italian School. Soon the whole path will be lined with them. In the past few days I also came across a bed of white calla lilies, something I had not seen before in Lucca.  Gorgeous!

Calla Lilies in bloom at the entrance to the Casa di Cura Santa Zita

Flowers are also blooming in window boxes and on terraces throughout Lucca, spots that will become even more colorful after the spring Verde Mura which is scheduled for the first weekend in April. The annual garden show showcases flowers, herbs, fruit trees, and anything else needed for the garden. 

The second sign of early spring for me happens in the markets.  Agretti is the first to appear (sometimes as early as late January / early February).  This past week asparagus and artichokes were in abundance. Pots of herbs arrived at the Ortofrutta this week too.

There are also fresh spring peas, perfect raw in salads or added to a pasta primavera.  And zucchini flowers!  While they are wonderful stuffed and fried, I never actually go to the trouble to prepare them in that way (isn’t that what restaurants are for?).  But, chopped along with the zucchini itself they make a tasty addition to a frittata. Big bundles of Tropea Onions, available year round from southern Italy, add a splash of color to the Spring market.

From southern Italy come bright red, flavorful strawberries.  Topped with a whipped combination of cream and mascarpone they make a delicious yet simple dessert. Crumble a few amaretti cookies on top for an extra treat.

As early spring progresses to the warmth of late April and May, Lucca will provide an evolving parade of opportunities to enjoy the colors, blooms, and tastes of Tuscany.

Craving Cicchetti

Sometimes, when planning an evening out, someone will ask where I would like to go for dinner.  Often a local restaurant (whether I am in Lucca or back in New Mexico) sounds just right. But other times the place I want, the flavors I crave, are far, far away.  And nothing else will do. Right now, what I am craving is some really good cicchetti. 

The word cicchetti does not have an exact English translation.  Not to mention it may be second only to bruschetta as the most mis-pronounced Italian culinary word.   Let’s start there – the “ci” in Italian is pronounced like the English ”ch”, and the “ch” in Italian is a hard sound, like an English K.  So, pretty much backwards from English.  And those double consonants are drawn out. So, for an English speaker, cicchetti is pronounced something like this:  chik-KET-tee.  Cicchetti. Yum.

A plate of assorted cicchetti from Bacaro Frascoli in Padova. Fried cheese wedges, a tuna croquette, a cheese and caponata crostino, some fried anchovies, and - my favorite - baccalà mantecato .

The closest translation to the word cicchetti would be the Spanish word tapas. Or perhaps small bites or little side dishes.  A bruschetta can be a type of cicchetti as can miniature panini. Both cold and hot little dishes can be cicchetti. Put a bunch of these tasty little bites together, add a glass of wine, and you have dinner.  

All’Ombra della Piazza in Padova has a wonderful cicchetti bar with a seemingly endless variety from which to choose. No problem going back for seconds!

Bacari, or wine bars, serving cicchetti, are a Venetian tradition. They can be found in wonderful hidden corners of Venice and in some of the nearby towns of the Veneto, such as Padova.   Just about 4 hours by train from Lucca, a visit to either place is sure to include a stop for cicchetti at a local bacaro or cantina. It is a sure bet that the atmosphere will be lively, the wines good, and the variety of cicchetti will make it hard to choose.

It is no surprise that, like many Venetian dishes, cicchetti often feature fish. The classic version is a small piece of toasted bread topped with baccalà mantecato, a creamy, whipped salted cod.  Mixed with good olive oil, it is a simple but oh so good dish.

Sardines are often on the menu too, fried and in a vinegary dressing or just served fried and hot. 

Also classic are polpette, little fried croquettes made of meat or fish.   Some versions include potatoes mixed with cheese, meat, or fish. 

At Cantina Do Spade there were many types of fried cicchetti to try.

Hot dishes of a couple of spicy shrimp or a single flavorful scallop are on the menu too. Not a fish fan?  Well there are also fried olives or crostini topped with assorted ingredients – cheese, caponata, pumpkin, caramelized onions, lardo, salumi. The selections are endless and change over the course of an evening because as fast as they are eaten they are replaced with something new and different!

The cicchetti bar at Cantina Do Spade is tiny (though there is a bigger restaurant in the back). We were fortunate to find 4 seats!

A bacaro is typically small with limited seating or sometimes no seating at all.  Head to the bar, pick out an assortment of cicchetti, order a glass of wine and either stand at the bar or head outside to enjoy your dish perched on a bench or a canal wall.  If you arrive right when the place opens you just might snag one of the few seats. This was the case at Cantina Do Spade in Venice when some friends and I enjoyed a plate (ok, several plates) of cicchetti and a glass (maybe two) of wine. 

I am in Lucca now, far from my favorite cicchetti places in Padova and Venice.  I’ll have an aperitivo with friends tonight, but the little bowls of peanuts and potato chips they’ll serve will leave me longing for a good bacaro and some of my favorite varieties of cicchetti.   Time to plan a couple of days in the Veneto!

A selection of cicchetti at All’Ombra della Piazza in Padova. Most of their selections on the night we visited were crostini topped with cheese plus a variety of toppings. It was impossible to choose a favorite.

Cantina Do Spade S. Polo 859 Venezia

All’Ombra della Piazza Via Pietro d’Abano 16. Padova

Frascoli Bacaro / Cicchetterai Veneziana. Via del Santo 93. Padova