Saying Goodbye

    
     

     As with  many times in my life before an adventure, I had some sort of     grand, romanticized version of how things would go. This was one of those rare instances where the reality was better then the dream.....And I truly mean that.

     Aside from Enea being the most talented chef that I have ever worked with, he was also fun to work with,extreemly funny, an incredible teacher, and a wonderful friend. He really made it a great experience for me.

     The kitchen was amazing, I learned so much, I was able to see all of  beautiful Umbria, and everyone that I had the privilege to work with, I now consider to be a close friend, and I can only hope to be able to see them all again. 

     October 15th was my last day of work and everyone made it very special for me. It was a really emotional night. After we finished they gave me a bunch of great gifts, notes and pictures, and then we went to the local pizza shop for some beers. People were coming all the way from Spoleto to say goodbye. I still get a little choked up thinking about it.

     There were 18 of us at the restaurant all seated at one giant table. I was forced into making a speech, which is the kind of thing that I have never been good at in English let alone Italian. Some how I pulled it off. I kept it short but sweet and sincere. At the end of the night I gave my thanks and said my goodbyes to those that I knew I would not see before leaving Umbria. 

     On the 16th Niki and my mom arrived and we hung out at the restaurant for dinner that night. With Enea preparing to leave for his two weeks teaching in the US, it was just the ladies in the kitchen. After dinner, I said my goodbyes and there were some tears shed, but I knew that I would see them again before I left.

     I was able to go out for breakfast with everyone on the day that we left for Tuscany. It was a good way to say goodbye. We swung by the restaurant one last time before leaving town and continuing our journey.

     Upon returning to the US, Niki and I were able to go to Boston and hang out with Enea for Halloween. It was a great time. On Saturday, we woke up, checked out of the hotel, and drove from Boston to the Hudson Valley to drop Enea off at Chef Tonelli's house. We stuck around for some wine, an absoutely amazing dinner, and an all around wonderful time. After dinner, We said our goodbyes to everyone, I gave Enea a big hug, and Niki and I hit the road.

     To say the least, it was a bit difficult to adjust to the time difference and I have been a bit distracted since I have been home which is why it has taken me so long to get to the blog. I am afraid that this is the end of the road for My Umbria. Thank you so much to all those who have been reading along and sharing in my experiences with me. Also, thank you so very much to all those who have been writing me all those wonderful emails, keeping me connected with home. You all really made this feel that much more special.

     And a final thanks to all those who made this possible and made it awesome. Thanks so much to Enea, Andrea, Antonio, Antonio,Francesco, Maria, Giuseppe, Michelle, Marta, Ketta, Rossella, Enrico, Arturo, Giorgio, Roberto, Audette, Mimmo, Daniella, Banana and last but not least SPELLUUUUUUUU..............Grazie a tutti, buona fortuna, e ciao alla prossima volta!!!!!!!!!!!! 

     

     

Vacation Time!! Tuscany Like Whoa!!

     On Sunday I said goodbye to everyone, and we made our way to Tuscany. On our drive from Perugia to Siena I went off the beaten path a little and we drove through the rolling hills of the region. 

     After our tour of the scenic rout we ended up in Siena and we began our celebration for Niki's birthday. We had a nice lunch and then we walked around the city until we found a cool spot to settle, enjoy a bottle Asti, and give Niki some of her gifts. 

     After a bit, we went off to explore the city some more and do some shopping. We were able to see the major sites and snag some cool stuff at the shops before we set off to near by Colle di Val d'Elsa to check into our hotel and find a place for dinner. 

     After searching the city for what seemed like forever, we found a great place for Niki's birthday dinner.  The three of us had a great meal and tons of wine before we headed back to the hotel and rested up for our journey to Chianti the next day.

     On Monday, we awoke early and drove to the Chiati wine region which was about a half a hour from the hotel. We spent the entire day drinking great wines, checking out beautiful scenery and zooming around winding dirt roads from one winery to the next with my mother cursing my name in the back of the car because of my "poor" driving style.

     At the last winery that we hit, upon hearing our plans for the next day, Joe,the gentleman who was serving us, recommended that we stop into his girlfriends restaurant in Montechiello.  We thanked him, got directions and then headed back to hotel to grab some dinner and get some sleep.

    We got up on Tuesday and set off to the Val d'Orcia region for our final full day in Italy. Our first stop was the quaint town of Pienza to see the sites and do some shopping.  Once the shops began to close for the lunch break, we headed over to near by Montechiello to grab some great food at La Porta, Joe's girlfriends restaurant. After our meal we walked around the charming town for a half hour or so, and then we made our way to Montalcino.

     We toured the city for awhile, drinking some great Brunello and finishing our shopping and sight seeing before we went back to the hotel to repack our bags and figure out where the hell we were going to put all of the bottles of wine and olive that we had bought(14 total). We had one last great meal and then got directions to the Rome airport from the front desk before going to bed. Ultimately, this would be our down fall.

     We awoke at a quarter to six on Wednesday in order to make our 11:55 flight from Rome to Newark. Normal travel time if you take the A1 superstrada from Siena to Rome is 2 and a half hours. The front desk clerk gave us alternative directions in hopes of avoiding possible traffic, and told us that this way takes the same amount of time. I still have anger towards this man,and some day he will feel my wrath.  

     To make a long story short we missed our flight. After getting lost for 15 minutes and realizing that we weren't even close to Rome I drove that poor little Panda as fast as she would go until we reached the airport.It had taken us over 4 hours to get to Rome. With an hour to go we returned the rental car, and frantically sprinted through the airport until we reached Al'Italia. With all of these bags strapped to me, and pushing  a cart full of bags, I was sweating like a beast. With 48 minutes before our flight leaves we found the first Al'Italia representative that we could. We asked where we could find our check in. She asked what time our flight left. Upon our 11:55 response she looked at her watch and shook her head. "I'm sorry" she said,"All gates are closed an hour before that flight leaves."

    

My heart sank.It was a big mess after that. Despite missing the flight, we were still able to get home safe, and on the same day. Niki would later say that our airport adventure made her feel like we were on the "Amazing Race".  

     Aside from our last struggles to catch our flight, the trip as a whole was really amazing and beautiful and it was a great way to end my adventure in Italy.

Vacation Time!! Umbria Style Yo!!!

     My ladies arrived on thursday afternoon at  around 4 and didn't seem to be in too bad of shape considering the grueling journey that they had just compleated. 

     After a whirlwind tour of the restaurant and a quick introduction to Enea, we headed back to my apartment so they could get cleaned up and get a little rest before it was time for dinner at L' Osteria.

     We were able to have a very fun, relaxing and delicious meal and then it was back to the apartment so we could all rest up for the next day.

     On Friday we got up early and headed off to Assisi to show my Mom the sights for awhile and then we headed off to Gubbio, a medieval city about 45 minutes north of Assisi. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a crazy thunder storm that just about soaked us to the bone. Being the stand up American citizens that we are, we took refuge in the closest bar that we could find until the storm blew over. 

    When the storm let up for a bit we were able to get out and see the sights. We found a really cool lift that takes you all the way up to the top of the mountain. It was amazing and kind of surreal. We even got some cool rainbow action when we were on our way up.

     After a bit, we made our way back down the mountain, toured the town and checked out the shops some more until the sun began to set. After dark we went back to San Mariano for some great pizza at Ricomincio da Tre and then it was back to the apartment for a good night sleep.

     On Saturday we slept in a little and then we hopped in the car and set out towards Orvieto, about 1 hour south west of Perugia. It was a beautiful day for travel, and we were able to get a lot of eating, shoping and sight seeing in before we made our way back to Perugia in the evening for the start of Eurochocolate, the week long chocolate festival that takes place in the city every year.

     After the festival we went to get some more pizza at Ricomincio da Tre and then we went home so I could start packing and we could all get ready to leave for Tuscany the next day.

     Pics are of, from the top, a map of Umbria, then my mom and Niki in front of the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi. Following that is a shot of the Palazzo dei Consoli in Gubbio and the a couple of pics of the lift then the rainbow. Next is my mom looking out over the surrounding lands by Orvieto followed by the Duomo and a shot of Niki on a ledge in Orvieto. The last pic is one of my new all time favorites. My mom went for a morning walk and ended up getting a little lost so Giuseppe took "Baby Girl" and went and tracked her down. I was rolling with laughter when they pulled up.

     

Pasta Fresca

          Rockin' out some fresh pasta is definitely a great way to start the day. In house, a couple times per week, we make fresh gnocchi, whole wheat pasta, tortelli, casarecce, and tagliatelle. It is always a cool feeling watching the dough form and then watching the pasta take shape.

     It has also been interesting watching ideas develop. For instance, if there is a small amount of left over smoked cheese. What can we do with it? We can make it into a filling for tortelli. Ok, now we have the tortelli, what sauce would go best with it? A meat sauce? No, something simple. Something to highlight the flavor of the pasta, not cover it up. Arugula pesto maybe? A little sauteed pancetta? Let's try it and see.

     This is still one of my favorite things that I have learned here. Not just making pasta, but understanding how pasta works and what makes it great. There are set ratios for each pasta, but it is more about feeling the pasta with your hands, and seeing it with you eyes. Maybe it needs a little more flour, or maybe another egg? Maybe another yolk? You work with it until it is beautiful and then you shape it.

     The first three pics are of chef making the tortelli, then casarecce made with the machine, and then Rosella portioning tagliatelle. Rosella returned here about a month and a half ago and is now a full time employee. 

     Tagliatelle is a traditional, hand cut pasta from the region of  Emilia-Romagna, and is normally extremely long. Sometimes 2 meters in length it is traditionally eaten with a fork and spoon for easier twirling action.

    My mom and Niki should be here soon!!!! Their flight landed safely in Rome and they are now in the rental car on their way here. I can't wait. This will probably be my last post for awhile. I'm looking forward to an awesome week!! Ciao tutti.

L' Ufficio Postale and Baby Girl

    Truly, I lack the coolness required to ride on anything with two wheels that isn't a bicycle. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. 

     I have had quite a few people telling me that I have to get some pics of me on a moped, so her they are. Occasionally, on my days off I take "Baby Girl" out for a spin. "Baby Girl" is my roommate Giuseppe's moped, and she rocks hard. 

     This is not my first time cruising around on a "motorino". Back in 2001 for a week of my life I was part of a hard core biker gang on the island of Ibiza. My friend Adam and I along with our travel companion Giovanni, who we met in Barcelona, started L'Ufficio Postale (The Post Office) biker gang. I included a pic at the bottom. 

      I'm sure that Giovanni, who is from Bologna Italy, thought that we were crazy for wanting to call our gang "The Post Office" in Italian. And, at the time, I'm sure we probably were completely certifiable. What ever the case may be it was still a great feeling of freedom and the open road.

     It is definitely a fun way to get around, and it makes me feel a little bit more like I'm soaking up another part of the culture. I even drive like a mad man and carry around two cell phones now. 

Chris and Chips

     For the first time in my life I have an abundance of nicknames, and none of them has to do with my last name. Back in the US, with the exception of the name Kissapher given to me by my aunt Cindy, all of my nicknames revolve around my last name, which can be considered an unusual name. Jacoozi,Jacuzzi, Ginzo,Gizmo, Ginzo Gonzo Goo, Snoozie, Shnooz,Janooz and so on and so forth.

     In Italy my last name is a fairly common last name in the southern part of the country, so all of my names here stem from my first name or from my place of origin.

     I think that my first nickname was Christopher Lambert which I received upon being introduced to everyone. Everyone... " Christopher, you mean like the actor, Christopher Lambert"? Me...."Yeah, sure man. What ever you say."

    The first name that really stuck was Chris and Chips which was given to me by my roommate Miki. "Chris and Chips", followed by Miki pretending to ride a motorcycle, and humming the Chips theme song. "Do you know C.H.I.P.S"? People still call me Chips after six months.

     For awhile I was called "Marines", or "O' Marines". I'm not really sure where that one comes from. I think it was from a catering event where someone said I worked like a Marine. I'll take that as a compliment any day.

     "American Boy" is probably the most widely used name by everyone. It comes from the Estelle and Kanye West song of the same name that has been playing on the radio constantly since I arrived.

Then there is "What's American Boys" which is a quote from an old Italian movie. This was eventually shortened to "Boys", which is always used by my other roommate Giuseppe.

      "Americano", "America",and "Cristoforo Colombo" round out the names that have been filling my life for the last six months. Suffice it to say, I am rarely called Chris or Christopher and I am never refered to by my last name. It has definitely been interesting watching the names develop.

     Things are really progressing here. Benny is no longer a puppy, the oranges are oranging and the olives are starting to darken as well. Also the prized white truffles are starting to make their way into the restaurant, and they are definitely some stinky nuggets. The season starts to peak in about a month, but there are already truffle hunters bringing in their finds. Ciao.

     

     

Lardo

     Lardo is essentially cured pork fat and it has been produced in Italy since Roman times.

     Nowadays, the cure varies from town to town, but it basically contains salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic as well as other spices. The Lardo di Colonnata in Tuscany is considered one of the most famous.

     Lardo is used as an ingredient in a number of dishes. It can be sauteed with a soffritto to add flavor, or used to wrap a leaner meat and then roasted to add flavor as well as moisture.

     Lardo is also eaten in it's natural state. Sliced super thin and eaten with a crust of bread and some prosecco, it is considered a delicacy. 

     

Salumi And The Importance Of The Pig

     In Umbria the pig is king. Between the porchetta, the tenderloin, the maialino affumicato(similar to roasted ham), and all of the salumi, it is the most widely available and most utilized meat in the region.

     Salumi is a general word used to describe cured meats such as prosciutto, dried sausages, capicola, salami and pancetta. Not all salumi is made with pork products, cinghiali(wild boar), and beef are also used, but pork is the majority.

     The salumi from Umbria, especially that from the town of Norcia is famous all through out Italy as being part of the very best salumi produced in the country. 

    Types of salumi such as prosciutto or soppresatte are regularly eaten as an antipasta or as a snack through out the day, while other types of salumi, such as pancetta, guanciale, or lardo areeaten in this manner as well, but are also used to add flavor to a dish.

     The first two pics are of some sausages and pali di nonno from a recent visit we took to a near by salumi producer. Then some pancetta, a salumi board at L'Osteria and then a large salumi board from a catering evert.

Making The Vino

     After the harvest, we headed back to Marta's house, where her Uncle started the wine making process. 

   We drank some Vin Santo, and ate some biscotti made with the grape must from one of the neighbors harvests. We were able to stick around long enough to see the first step of crushing the grapes. No there were now bare feet and buckets of grapes involved. Although this is artisinal wine, it is still the 21st century so a machine was used to extract the juice.

     Marta and I returned to work in the evening, and then I returned to the house early in the morning to meet with Marta's uncle, and see the rest of the process.

     In the morning they drained the container with the crushed grapes, syphoned the juice into a stainless steel container and then placed the must into a large press to further extract any remaining juice. The must is then broken apart and pressed one more time for good measure.

     The juice is fermented in a large steel container for about a month and then it is transfered into large jugs to age before being transfered into bottles. This years harvest yeilded about 140 liters of juice.

     It was really cool hanging out and watching the yearly tradition unfold. I also was able to taste some fresh juice before going off to work.Really good, super sweet. 

     Definitely a great experience, and it really makes me want to make my own wine. Some day I hope. Ciao.