I'm ready for German food!!!
Rockers
Old Rockers from way back!
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Lunch in Florence
Yes- I know what I said this morning -that we weren't going to venture out today but we just couldn't help ourselves. It was noon and the neatest neighborhood restaurant was calling. One called Nuovo Mexico. It had nothing to do with Mexican food. We had taken a taxi car driver's word for that! Once again it was fabulous!
Friday, October 17, 2014
Gary's Dinner
Last night was wonderful! We were all so exhausted with our efforts and drive from Tuscany to Florence that none of us could even decide how/where to leave our suitcases when we first arrived to this third and last beautiful villa. You see the stairs in this place are steep and more than 30 feet high! Each step looks like a 2000 year old stone from Roman ruins! Each one very worn and uneven. Thank heavens for the hand rails on both sides!!
This home was built in the 1400's (renovated in the early 1800's). The home originally had living quarters upstairs and a barn down stairs Lucia, the owner explained. They have a very old stone structure in the back yard that serves as an outdoor kitchen today (which must have been build as the original kitchen in 1400's!) When the house was renovated in the 1800's the downstairs of the main house was designed into a kitchen and living area. We were able to peek into a very large dark cellar that Lucia uses for furniture storage now but probably was used as food storage years ago. It's also where they built a septic tank during renovation.
This villa is located on a hill about 2 turns from the train station and only a few miles from the heart of Florence but with all that we have seen and done on this trip we have decided to stay here and organize for our last three days in Germany!
The washing machine really was a thrilling sight for all of us. With all the sightseeing, hussell and bussell that we have done none of us mind loosing one day to washing, organizing and resting!
We began our R&R regiment by enjoying a bottle of locally made Prosecco from a small vineyard. Only a tag tied with rope designated it's origin! No label whatsoever! Gary made us a small olive tray with some handmade sausages while we drank the Proceco. We then came in for some homemade noodles, white beans with escarole and the vino from our last host in Montefolloico. (The grapes were from his vineyard!)
I will try to take some photos of this home when we have time this afternoon. We will be leaving here to get to the airport ~6:00 tomorrow morning for our 8:55am flight to Munich.
Internet is not good here. I will be lucky to publish this blog entry but will try!
See you in Munich!
Travel to Florence
We woke early this morning to find the moon still out. It took quite an effort to load the car. The position of our driveway at the last villa in Montefolloico was almost impossible to drive up with even the tinest bit of moisture on the ground. It was probably a 15% grade. We had made the mistake of parking close to the house on the first day but never again. Gary slipped and slid all over the road before landing on even gravel. It scared all of us! The owner had told us that it was easier to park up the steep hill...after that 1st night we believed him! But lugging all of our suitcases, the groceries, water, wine and souvenirs up to the second parking area was very difficult. And it had rained the night before so we had no choice. We were all exhausted before we even started this morning! 
These are the ancient roads that Cargod drove down to get us to La Coasta this morning! It was difficult to drive down the tight roads with switchback turns but it may have been more difficult for Gary to drive in Florence! He may or may not have almost run over a few people!
This was a park in the center of Aruzzo on the way to Florence.
We also stopped at the Florence American WWII cemetery. It was very moving:
After some amazing maneuvering thru incredibly small roads (at least they were paved!) we finally arrived at our villa just outside of Florence. We are too exhausted to go out tonight! Gary has promised to make us dinner. He can do it all!! Right now we are rejoicing and using the much-needed washing machine!! We are all VERY excited about this!! Now we don't have to smell when we visit Annie in Munich!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Montefolloico
The town that is closest to our country villa is called Montefolloico. It has a population of maybe a few hundred. Possibly a thousand stretching the boundary. 
There are THREE wonderful restaurants: 13 Gobbi, La Botte Rena and La Costa. We went to 13 Gobbi yesterday- remember the fresh noodles tossed in cheese rind shell. We've been trying to go to La Botte but it's closed on Wednesday and Thursday. No bene. So we went to La Costa today really not expecting much. We had heard so much about the other 2 that La Costa was almost the cancelation restaurant. But out of all the unforgettable incredible meals Gary thought La Costa was his favorite.
We began with some antipasta dishes:
The Peci is homemade:
And our dishes really were unforgettable!
We've eaten so much that now something would have to completely blow my mind for me to remember it!
The panna cotta was awesome...as was the terrimusu!
But it's siesta time!
More later.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
13 Gobbi
IOh my goodness! This restaurant was everything that we thought it would be and then some! We got the Pecorini Pasta and a vegetable flan...something that we will be dreaming about for very long time. 
We went thru the town a bit first. Found a nice wine bar which wasn't open but we got some great photos!
We started with some Prosecco:
Then an anti pasta platter w thin slices of salted wild boar, Proscuitto and mozzarella:
Gary and Joe's gnocchi:
Our zucchini flan:
And if you've gotten this far look at this:
AND IF YOU STILL DONT THINK THAT WE DONT KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING
Debbie Travis (from HGTV fame -Painted Houses) was at the table next to us filming for her new website Tuscan Get-away.com!!! She had a film crew, producer and sound people. She has also produced numerous programs on the Food Network. I took a few incognito pics:
That's my shoulder, hair and earring but she's the one in the blonde hair!!
Wild boars
Italy knows how to handle these monsters! They put wild boar on every menu in every restaurant in forest areas-Including Chianti and Montepulchiano. Every morning beginning at day break you can hear gun shots in the fields and forests surrounding our villas. In Chinanti the hunters shoot from before day break until mid morning. Here one can hear only an occasional shot usually between 7-9:00.
The owner of this villa came to visit us last night. They make pesi noodles in this area. (Like making ropes w pasta dough.) Then, most of the time, they serve wild boar meat with the pasta and a light red sauce- it really is good. Heavy but good. We began a conversation with the villa owner about the food of this region. It was amazing to discover how sever the gastronomic cuisine boarders are drawn! No one in Montepulchiano would ever dare make pesto! You can't find it! And the owner told us that he considered butter barbaric! BARBARIC?!? Really?!?! Butter?!?! He made his own olive oil and promptly brought us some to encourage us (I'm sure) to use it in our cooking! Funny! The four of us decided that we were all bi-fat people! We like olive oil AND butter! (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Today we are going to a local restaurant called 13 Gobbi in Montefolloico. Just go to 13 Gobbi YouTube. You won't believe what you will see! They take a Parmesan wheel that has been cut in half and hollowed only in the center. They place hot pasta in the center of the wheel and toss it so that the pasta has a nice coating of cheese!! Unbelievable. This is what we are looking forward to seeing today!
Ciao for now!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Linens
There are two weaknesses in my life that are material possessions. I'm embarrassed to admit it. I love beautiful china/ceramics and linens. Italians are great at both! Everywhere we go there are intricate, hand painted ceramics and beautifully embroidered linens. The villa that we are presently renting gave us linens for our beds. At first I was a little miffed about making up my own bed...but then I saw the linens. They were hand embroidered- a "French hem"!!! Ironed and folded perfectly! Best of all they smell like the evergreens outside!! (The Italian blue spruce that line this property.) When I was little my sister and I would spend the summer with my grandmother who dried her linens outside and then would iron them...I feel very much at home here!
...and I am grateful for the opportunity to make up this bed!!
Remember those Mushrooms
Gary and I had a great time cooking the mushrooms that we had bought on the side of the road this afternoon!!
Restorante de Falco
A Rick Steve's recommendation, this ristorante is absolutely amazing! The anti pasta platter w local meats, olives and pates are incredible. Sandy had to try the lardo- thin slices of pork fat rendered down and spread on crostini. Pecorino is made in this region and grilled, topped w Proscuitto....oh my oh my!! And their fresh artichokes fried...now what could be better!! 
Porchini
We found mushrooms!! 
We bought 4 beautiful specimens! I will show you what we do with them tonight!
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