Girl Meets Italy

Our Italian Adventure!

2011-11-09T10:14:00.008-05:00

I just wanted to share with you the places we visited and the wineries we had the pleasure to tour. Thank you to everyone who made our trip so perfect.

Enjoy!

Truffles from Alba!

2011-11-01T06:43:00.002-04:00

I would like to go on record to declare that the intoxicating smell of truffles might possibly be my all-time favorite smell. Every time the pungent and earthy aromas fill the air, I immediately have a huge smile upon my face.

For the last month, every weekend I would visit the farmers market in the medieval town of Alba, which is home to the Fiera del Tartufo, or the Alba truffle fair.

Last week HD and I decided to visit the event that attracts thousands of people from around the world. It was a treat to walk around and feel the buzz and excitement from the buyers that were touring the pavilion and visiting vendors who are peddling their latest hunted truffles.

The harvest begins in September until December in the picturesque hills of the Langhe. The grow underground next to oak trees and are found by specially trained dogs in the middle of the night.

A few fun facts about truffles:

Truffles or tuber magnatum pico (its scientific name) are one of the most expensive foods on earth. On average expect to pay around $4,800 per kilo. Lucky for us, we are in Piedmont because the best and most expensive truffles in the world are found here.

White truffles have a very short shelf life and must be consumed within 1 week of being hunted. White Truffles typically lose up to around 5% of their body weight every day.

The largest truffle in the world weighed 1.31 kilograms (2 lb 14 oz) and has entered the Guinness Book of Records weighing the most for a truffle ever found.

The white truffle is far more superior to the less prestigious black truffle. In fact, white truffles must never be cooked but consumed raw. It is best-shaved paper-thin over simple dishes like plin with butter and sage, scrabbled eggs, or a simple risotto.

Here are a few ways I have had the pleasure to enjoy truffles this past week.

Poached Potato cream with lapsang souchone (adds a smokiness quality), poached egg yolk, and black Alba truffles. Enjoyed at Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba.

'Agnolotti al Plin' filled with Veal served with a sauce of butter and sage finished with white truffle. Enjoyed at The Enoteca at Marchesi di Barolo.

Black truffle wafer with chocolate cream served with truffle gelato and hazelnuts.

Enjoyed at Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba.

What we drink when we are not drinking Barolo.

2011-10-17T11:14:00.000-04:00

Champagne of course!

Sipping on delicious bubbles with friends in Serralunga d'Alba was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you find yourself visiting this spectacular village, make sure you stop by Vinoteca Centro Storico (Via Roma 6, Serralunga d'Alba; 011-39-0173-613-203). It has become one of my favorite places to eat and drink in Piedmont.

Full moon over Barolo.

2011-10-10T13:36:00.001-04:00

Every day I pass by the vineyards I am beginning to see the colors of the leaves change into the most beautiful colors of fall. Tonight while driving, I had to pull over so I could snap some photos and share them with you. Just imagine the smell of wood burning from fireplaces mixed with the chill of the Autumn air, and this stunning full moon in the distance. Welcome to Barolo!

My home in Castiglione Falletto.

2011-10-08T12:01:00.002-04:00

Castiglione Falletto is a commune (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southeast of Turin and about 40 km northeast of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 643 and an area of 4.7 km.

Castiglione Falletto borders the following municipalities: Alba, Barolo, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, and Serralunga d'Alba. - Wikipedia

My neighbor and friend Jessica took these amazing photos of our village. Our small and charming town is surrounded by some of the finest vineyards in the region. It really has been an amazing and magical place to call home.

Home.

I live next door to a castle.

If I owned it the gates would be open.

Just hanging out in my hood!

Across the street neighbors.

The clock starts ringing every day at 7 am until 11 am. Poor Jessica's window is next to the clock!

Our little town church.

Photo credit- Commune di

Castiglione Falletto

What six months traveling with your husband each and every day will do!

2011-10-07T12:50:00.001-04:00

Fight club Italian style!

Words of wisdom. RIP Steve Jobs.

2011-10-06T06:19:00.000-04:00

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

How I spent my 33rd Birthday.

2011-09-23T12:05:00.000-04:00

It was an exciting day because my Birthday happened to fall on the same day we picked the Rocche vineyard. The day was long and we didn't finish until after 9pm but that did not stop us from enjoying a bottle or two of celebratory bubbles in Alba. I can't wait until it is released and I get to drink the 2011 Vietti Rocche, Barolo.

Drenched in wine after draining the tank.

Rocche (nebbiolo) grapes arriving on the sorting table.

After we pressed a tank of Barbera it was time to shovel the pomace into plastic containers. The pomace will be delivered to a local distillery and made into grappa.

After a much needed shower it was out for some drinks with friends and HD.

Some more pictures from the harvest.

2011-09-20T12:09:00.000-04:00

Not too shabby of a view!

Picking Scarrone vineyard.

Barbera

Barbera Vigna Vecchia.

HD with a beard and hair. Who would of thunk!

Armed and dangerous!

Work.

2011-09-13T17:20:00.000-04:00

Pump over time!

2011-09-12T15:34:00.001-04:00

Harvesting Dolcetto.

2011-09-04T07:19:00.002-04:00

After many hours of handpicking grapes, we arrive back at the winery to begin the magical process of making wine.

One of many trucks that will arrive with grapes harvested this morning.

dolcetto grapes.

HD drops the grapes into the vibratory table.

The sorting table.

Up the conveyor belt to be destemmed and crushed.

The grape must goes into the tank.

Filling up the tank with the grape must.

The view is spectacular up here!

The babo is used to check the brix. Brix is a measurement of the amount of sugar in a liquid. The sugars will convert to alcohol during fermentation.

Last night I drank.....

2011-08-30T13:23:00.000-04:00

After finishing the dolcetto harvest we celebrated with...

Topping off the barrels and learning how to work in the winery.

2011-08-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

This week was very exciting at the winery. We had to top of the barrels and it was extremely physically demanding. Every single muscle of my body was in pain after topping off over 800 barrels.

Trying to get the bung out.

Success!

Working hard!

I learned how to siphon wine out of a barrel which ended in a mess my first time. I didn’t think the wine was going to come out as fast as it did so I ended up with wine in my hair, face, and all of my shirt. By the second time I had mastered the art.

Practice makes almost perfect.

Look! They gave me a gun!

Staying focused.

I also learned how to check the stainless steel fermentation tanks to make sure the wine was in sound and in good health. Following the Cellar master was intense. I had no idea how much work really goes into the daily operations of running a successful winery.

Heigh ho, heigh ho, off to work I go! The last day of green harvest!

2011-08-23T13:34:00.005-04:00

I began my morning at 6 am to work the last day of green harvest from a single vineyard of Barbera grapes. The vines were planted in 1998 and are about 5000 plants per hectare or 2.4 acres. The day was long (about 9 1/2 hours) and very hot. I finished the day sunburned and sore but it was very rewarding.

I have so much respect for the many men and women who work in the fields on a daily basis. It really makes you think about how much hard work goes into your glass of wine.

The next time you pop the cork maybe you will join me with big cheers in their honor?

My commute to work.

Just another day at the office.

2011-08-21T03:50:00.001-04:00

Learning how to do a green harvest in Piemonte.

2011-08-18T04:35:00.005-04:00

We are settled in Piemonte after traveling for over four months visiting different wine regions and visiting our favorite producers. I have enjoyed every part of this adventure but the real reason we are here is to work the harvest.

I followed my winemaker (LC) around yesterday and I learned how to cut for a green harvest. I also visited our vineyards in Barbaresco and in Asti. I was taught how to taste the grapes for analyzing the skins for color, and seeds for tannins. It seemed like I ate my weight in grapes but I did get an understanding of the different clones, soil, affect the pH, sugar content and total acid content.

According to Wikipedia, a green harvest is the removal of immature grape bunches, typically for the purpose of decreasing yield.

Green harvesting is a relatively modern practice most often used to produce fine wine. Removing the tiny, immature grapes while they are still green induces the vine to put all its energy into developing the remaining grapes.

In theory this results in better ripening and the development of more numerous and mature flavor compounds. In the absence of a green harvest, a healthy, vigorous vine can produce dilute, unripe grapes.

I was taught that it is important to have one cluster per cane and no more than six clusters per vine. You also need to factor where the grape cluster is positioned. For example if there are two cluster on a cane you would leave the grapes that are closer to the base because it tends to receive more energy.

The art of deciding which grape cluster gets the cut and how many to leave.

The unlucky bunches. (a few bottles of wine)

80 year old Nebbiolo vine.

One of my many offices. (Lazzarito vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba)

This is at the beginning of the morning which started a 6:45 am but by 3 in the afternoon I had drunk four bottles of water, was drenched in sweat, had stepped in mud, was followed by bees, and had walked in a few spider webs. To me, it was a perfect day!

Would you believe that the next two photos are two separate vineyards by very well known producers (I will not reveal their names, but I was shocked.) Both are planted with barbera but it is unbelievable that Vineyard #1 is so overgrown.

Vineyard #1 is in need of some TLC.

Vineyard #2

Moscato grapes.

Dolcetto grapes.

Fresh from the garden next to the Lazzarito vineyard. Fresh zucchini, zucchini flowers, melon, and hazelnuts.

Never give up! (or Liz vs dandelion)

2011-08-11T03:42:00.000-04:00

This was filmed in Bolgheri after a wine tasting in May. I will just blame the wine for impairing my ability to conquer that stubborn dandelion!

The Mouth of Truth.

2011-08-10T04:28:00.004-04:00

On a recent visit to Rome, I had to make a quick stop at La Bocca della Verità (The mouth of truth). I have always been a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn and her movies which include the 1953 classic, Roman Holiday.

I am especially fond of the scene when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn arrive to the mouth of truth, a face carved in marble. Joe (Gregory Peck) tells Princess Anya (Audrey Hepburn) the legend of the mouth. It has been said that if a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it.

When filming the scene Gregory Peck played a trick on Audrey by hiding his hand inside his sleeve and than he pretended to have his hand bite off. This little prank caused Aubrey Hepburn to scream for real and if you examine the clip she was not acting and was really laughing from being caught off-guard.

Here is a clip from the movie in Italian.

waiting in line for my chance to place my hand in the mouth.

If you visit Rome I would recommend you visit it. It is now located in the atrium of the ‘Santa Maria in Cosmedin’ church.

Greetings from Sicily.

2011-07-27T10:39:00.008-04:00

Sorry for not posting lately but I have been in language school and not really keeping up with my priorities.

We have been in Catania for almost three weeks and I have truly enjoyed the time and friends we have met. Since we are so close to Etna we also have been renting a car to visit some of my favorite producers. (I will be writing more about who I enjoyed a glass or two of wine with.)

Here are some of the highlights of my time visiting Catania and Mt. Etna.

The elephant in Piazza Duomo with friends from school.

My class

My favorite grape Nerello Mascalese

Etna vineyards

The best lunch at Re del Sole.

The beach

Sicilian desserts continued a.k.a. food porn.

2011-07-11T14:16:00.005-04:00

Cannoli & Cassata = happiness

Gelato in Sicily.

2011-07-09T05:23:00.007-04:00

If you are in Palermo stop by Stancampiano Gelateria. Whenever I am in Sicily I MUST stop by for a brioche with gelato, especially for breakfast.

Breakfast of champions!

HD in the gelato zone.

Gelato = Happiness!

A visit to Pompeii.

2011-07-02T10:39:00.009-04:00

In 79 AD when Mt. Vesuvius erupted it left a perfectly preserved glimpse of a city that once was vibrant and alive. Lava and ash destroys the city of Pompeii and Herculaneum along with the nearby vineyards. Since Pompeii was rediscovered in the 1700’s, much has been learned about its history.

We visited Pompeii with our friends from Mastroberardino winery to view the town and get an amazing tour of the vineyards that they have planted. Since the late 90’s, they had begun experimenting with ancient grape varieties within the walls of Pompeii.

Inside the vineyard.

Fountain inside one of the five vineyards.

While touring the streets it was interesting to see how important wine was to this ancient city. We saw many anforas (an ancient jar with two handles and a narrow neck used to hold or make wine) inside many of the homes.

Anfora

Anforas in a typical home.

looking inside a home

wall murals inside a home

indoor fountain used to collect rain water for bathing

outdoor fountain perhaps used for drinking water

After two centuries of excavation, archaeologists have still not uncovered all the town. Who knows what hidden treasure awaits for them to find.

The leaning tower of Pisa.

2011-06-19T15:58:00.010-04:00

Ciao from Pisa! HD and I took a day trip to Pisa which is about an hour away from Florence by train. The Leaning Tower of Pisa or "La Torre Pendente" as it called in Italian.

The tower was built between 1173 and 1372. and has eight floors which leans over at about 16 feet!

The tower is built on unsuitable ground for such a heavy and tall building. It is only about 6 feet above sea level and built on a riverbed. The underlying ground is made up of layers of sand and clay. The layers are not even and the weight of the building has compressed them. Because the layers are not even, as the ground has compressed, it has sunk more in some places than others.

Several plans have been tried over the years to stop the tower from falling. Some of them have been almost disastrous. In 1934 an Italian engineer drilled 361 holes into the base and filled them with mortar. The tower promptly leaned over some more. In 1993 650 tons of lead were hung from the North side of the building to try and stop the lean increasing. For a while it worked.

In 1995, they decided to try and increase the foundations under the South side of the building. They froze the ground using liquid nitrogen, to stop it moving, and then started to remove stones, so they could insert metal rods. What they didn't know was that the stones they were removing were part of the original foundation of the building. That is the nearest the tower has come to disaster. In one night the lean increased as much as it normally increases in two years. They quickly added another 250 tons of lead and decided to rethink the whole thing.

At this point everyone was just about ready to give up. Then a British engineering professor came up with yet another idea. His plan was to remove ground from under the high side, instead of trying to add ground under the low side. In 1999 work began, and was done very slowly, so that the building wouldn't get a sudden shock. At the beginning of June 2001, the work was complete, and the tower had been straightened up by about 16 inches, which returns it to the position it held in 1838. The engineers believe that it is safe for at least another 300 years.

So, if they know how, why didn't they just straighten it up all the way? The answer lies in the tower's name. It is the Leaning Tower of Pisa and just wouldn't be the same if it didn't lean! Some of the residents of Pisa say it would be better to let it fall down, rather than to straighten it all the way. (credit from learninghaven.com)

Cooking dinner in Florence. Two nights of lasagna and a very special bottle of Miani!

2011-06-13T17:07:00.015-04:00

A few nights ago I decided to cook a nice dinner for HD and I. I was inspired to make lasagna because I see it on almost every restaurant menu in Florence. I am always hesitant to order it because I feel it is so Americanized (I blame Garfield comics). The joy about lasagna is that there is always leftovers and we had plenty to devour for two nights in a row!

I would also like to apologize that this post is NOT really a recipe. My Sicilian mother never used recipes. It is always add some more of that or not too much of this. It our household we used what we had and improvised if we didn’t have it.

So here it goes….

First I chopped up some garlic, an onion, half a carrot, a few stalks of celery, and diced up some pancetta. I tossed it in a hot pan with some olive oil. I sauteed it for about five minutes and added chopped beef and a can of tomatoes.

In a separate bowl I added fresh ricotta and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and oregano.

While I was prepping the ingredients I had added dried lasagna sheets to a pot of salted boiling water.

I also sliced up fresh mozzarella cheese and grated some grana padano.

I began to alternate the ricotta and meat between layers of the cooked lasagna sheets. I also added some mozzarella with the meat layers. I topped it off with a final layer of sauce, mozzarella, and grana padano cheese. I baked it for about 45 mins at 350 degrees.

I saved the best for last. The wines! The first night we enjoyed Bucci Tenuta Pongelli (Rosso Piceno DOC) 2008. A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes this wine paired nicely with the acidity of the tomato based meat sauce. Herbaceous with supple fruit, this wine from the Marche region was a nice wine to enjoy our meal on the first night.

On the second night we stepped it up with the 2006 Miani, Calvari, from the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. This rare gem is 100% refosco. Big and powerful with smoked meat, clove, graphite and dark cherries. Only two barrels are produced from these pre-world war II parcels which makes it a very special treat. One of my top wines this year!