+- WineBoard (https://www.wines.com/wineboard)
+-- Forum: GENERAL (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-100.html)
+--- Forum: Talk With Your Moderators (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-3.html)
+--- Thread: Everyone in Italy Said Tell You Hello! (/thread-20039.html)
- Auburnwine - 08-13-2003
Hey y'all! I do hope that you drank some good wine while I was in Italy. Despite the lousy dollar/Euro ratio, we had a lovely time.
Oh, and it was hotter than hell -- unrelentingly so, and without the refuge of air conditioning that has made life bearable in our own sunny Southland.
Most of the wine that we drank was right out of the jug on the restaurant table, and it was perfectly satisfactory. We did have a few heart-breakingly tasty wines, however.
Ah, the food was so very good. There was a little wood-fired traditional bakery next to our villa, and we became quite accustomed to fresh, hot rustic bread for breakfast every day. And don't get me started on gelato or porchetta (the roast suckling pig that is the speciality in our region).
I thought Mississippi and Alabama tomatoes were great, but an Italian tomato can truly be a masterpiece. And cherries and peaches and melons and anything made with hazelnuts ....
The ten-year-old added lots of new items to his "I've never had that before" list: pig's cheek, wild boar, rabbit ragu, lardo, pasta with squid ink sauce, pasta with sea urchin ... and much, much more. And he saw more Ferraris and Lamborghinis than most car fanatics see in a lifetime.
We saw ballet at La Scala; climbed the Torre del Mangia in Siena (one of the most beautiful cities on this earth); felt parentally challenged when these butt-naked lads modern-danced in front of us at Spoleto; and stood weeping before the transient beauty of Botticelli's women.
It was fun. It was exhausting. It was moving. It was the most extraordinary summer of my life.
- wondersofwine - 08-13-2003
What a travelog! Glad you had a great experience despite the heat wave enveloping Europe. I know about the lack of air conditioning since I once arrived in Germany in July and stayed on the top floor of a hotel with no a.c. (heat rises). I tried to buy a fan and was told that Germany gets there fans from Italy and the Italians were all on summer vacations--hence no fans until fall!
- quijote - 08-13-2003
I was wondering what happened to you; your trip sounds so good, I'm surprised you came back! I definitely agree with you on Siena; it's a gorgeously labyrinthine place.
- Thomas - 08-13-2003
That is the sound of Italy Auburnwine--great stuff. Next time you must hire me to be your valet...
- Kcwhippet - 08-13-2003
I am profoundly jealous!
- dananne - 08-13-2003
Sounds like a wonderful time! Welcome back!
- winoweenie - 08-13-2003
Welcome back ole AW. Sounds like the rewards were definately worth the effort. WW
- Drew - 08-13-2003
It's bad enough you ate Bugs (Bunny that is) but Lardo???? Inquiring minds want to know.... welcome back!
Drew
- Auburnwine - 08-18-2003
Thank you all for your hearty welcome home.
For inquiring minds, lardo is Italian health food: delicately-seasoned pork lard on a piece of toasty bread, served as an antipasta. It's really not as bad as it may sound, but we'll not make it a regular part of our diet.
- Innkeeper - 08-18-2003
Hey Auburn, now that are back, hope you have caught up with the news about the reunion in the Finger Lakes in May, and the cookbook Georgie is putting together to distribute at it.
- Auburnwine - 08-19-2003
Hmmmm, you mean y'all actually follow recipes, and I would have to write down how I cook stuff?
I guess that I could record my Pork Loin with Figs in a Tangerine Sauce. Such a document might be my great contribution to western civilization.
-- Oh, if you are absolutely fascinated by my trip to Italy, there's a photo on my high school's alumnus web site: http://www.bocabobcats.com/PhotoAlbum2C.html
I also wrote an essay about growing up that might amuse you: http://www.bocabobcats.com/RememberBoca.html
[This message has been edited by Auburnwine (edited 08-19-2003).]
- quijote - 08-19-2003
A very moving essay! And there are those guavas again.... I like the picture, too, though it sort of looks like you're wearing a sombrero! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- Drew - 08-20-2003
The pictures and essay were really nice. I'm also from the class of '69 but have no ties to my High School.
Drew
- wondersofwine - 08-20-2003
Great essay! Really evokes scents and flavors.
- Auburnwine - 08-20-2003
Thank you for your kind words. The essay was great fun to write.
I'm sure that it's more than you want to know, but the "sombrero" is a fountain designed by Bernini in the middle of the village square. The "six hills" on top are the symbol of the Chigi family, who owned Arricia and who built the palace just across the Via Appia. That same symbol is atop the obelisk in front of St. Peter's.
Every night, the square is absolutely filled with people: kids kicking soccer balls, old folks gossiping and reminiscing, young lovers courting. It's regularly the scene of concerts and fire work displays.