These photos were meant to be with the other slideshow on the previous post, but I think we are having connectivity issues & blog site difficulties….anyway, another slideshow!
Tuscany Cont.? technical problems…testing 123
4
Monthly Archives: September 2012
Orvieto & Cortona
The talented, irritating, humorous, chef Alessandra Federici of Cortona is brutally honest – Both in her opinion on “Italian Restaurants” and badly behaved tourists. Alessandra has been written up in many publications, so if you do any kind of research you have a good idea of what to expect from both chef and the content of the class. If you are hoping to be mollycoddled during her classes this program is not for you. If you want to learn about “real Tuscan food”, some food history and you are prepared to LISTEN…Then book this course ASAP. Do not eat a day before. Get your liver in training. White wine, red wine, limoncello and grappa. Si? All four of us say 2 big thumbs up. While stumbling home at 7 or 8 pm ish (you see I’m still confused) I distinctly heard Greg slur Yesh. Whata day, best day, EVER.
The duomo in Orvieto was truly incredible. Impressing us all even the heathen Zimbabwean. I enjoyed Luca Signorrelli’s artwork, in particular how the artist immortalized the lover that jilted him by painting her being carried to hell by a flying demon. Bitch! After our final dinner in Cortona we wandered the narrow streets back to our car and watched a drunken flute player spin around like a whirling dervish, frightening dogs and small children. Greg and I had sensitive ears and walked away. The ladies followed later giggling. Was it the wine or the “music”?
Eating and Drinking in Tuscany
Whatever you do when you get to Tuscany, get your buns to an up and coming boutique winery Leuta. Enzo is a young passionate winemaker who recently traded in a banker’s desk to devote himself to the art of winemaking. We were able to see firsthand the destemming and pulping of syrah grapes. FYI 2012 Tuscan wines will be an exceptional vintage.
Besides learning about wine and winemaking we ate a lot of bisteca. There was some exploring of Montepulciano. This town was surprisingly tranquil with lots of meandering, streets to stroll.
Tuscany
After planes, trains, and automobiles we made it to Cortona! More on that later, but for now here are some pictures…
Positano and surrounds
My sister JoAnnne and I are on a girls week exploring Positano, Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento. So far we have found the area to be a lovely mix of crowded streets and crowing roosters. Like so many who have visited before us, our mediterranean diet consists of copious amounts of gelato, wine, pasta and seafood – with the heat and the unavoidable and ubiquitous vertical climbs to get from A to B all the calories seem to get burned up. We hope we have captured some of the areas stunning topography, and you’ll have to excuse or inclusion of dorky tourist shots for the family back home. Enjoy!
