And home again...

An early wake-up for our 7:15 am ride we’d arranged to the airport.  This guy’s driving was equally crazy to that of the driver in Tuscany.  Though it was early morning and we were in no danger of missing our flight, the driver raced through the streets of Rome, honked his horn at those going too slow for his taste, challenged yellow-to-red lights, and screeched to a halt as he dropped us at the airport, both of us out of breath.  whew!

We’d each decided to check a bag and had no issues with that (I still get confused about how to apply that dang tag to my bag correctly).  Security was smooth, but we were accosted by the huge Duty-Free Mall at the Rome Fiumicino airport.  Tons of stores, bright lights, crowds of people, noise–all this at 8 am.  We made our way to the second floor for a relatively quiet breakfast and then on to our gate.  

Only 3-4 times during my travels have we taken a bus from the terminal to the plane somewhere out on the tarmac, which was the case here.  Instead of going down the ramp and onto the plane, we went down the ramp and into a bus. Really surprising for an international flight, I thought.

All went well on that 8.5 hour flight to Boston.  I had a bulkhead seat, which is wonderful for stretching out one’s legs, but tray table and monitor are cumbersome as they’re hidden away in your seat.  It takes a bit of skill to navigate all smoothly.

The gal across the aisle from me had 5 beers (that I saw), and given I closed my eyes for 90 minutes or so, that number could’ve been more.  Oh my.  Maybe that’s the only way she’ll fly comfortably. ??? 

Arriving in Boston at 2 pm, we easily passed through customs (my Global Entry is so slick), then had to claim our bags, drag them to Delta’s baggage transfer desk. It felt good to walk the 15 minutes from terminal E to terminal A, and then we had to revisit security to get into the domestic terminal.  Needed a gin/tonic, of course, and along with our warm pretzels, we were ready for the next flight.

The plane to MSP was on time, and as we taxied out to the runway, I noticed a behemoth on the tarmac.  This plane’s size dwarfed all others.  Looked to me like it had two levels of seats and was so huge that most planes appeared as little honey bees next to a giant bumblebee. Cousin-in-law Paul Chapin (former American pilot) tells me it’s an Airbus 380, largest airliner in the world, and it really stood out.  Check out its details online.  Amazing

Despite a huge lineup to leave from Boston which I thought might delay us, we arrived in MSP a bit early.  Ah…Minnesota!  As much as I love to travel, returning to MN always delights me.  PJ was waiting to fetch our weary bones and bags, and the 90 minute drive home culminated the 20 hour Rome-to-Albert Lea adventure.  

We fell into bed around 11 pm, but awoke at 5 am–our sleep/wake clocks not yet in sync. The first morning after returning home is always dreamlike for me–it’s like you fall asleep in one country and awaken in another.  

I’m always in awe of the miracle of discovering the world and of being able to travel relatively quickly from one part of it to another.  You fall asleep in one country with its culture, language, etc., and awaken back in your old stomping grounds, everything familiar and yet perhaps a bit disappointing.  Oh yeah, this is all the same–was I even gone?  Were those adventures real? Indeed they were, and I have pictures, recipes, and wonderful memories to prove it.  

We enjoyed early morning coffee in the sun room and looked out at the lawn and lake as the sun rose.  Then we walked the dog (two cats in tow) and settled back into our usual routine, or at least tried to as we unpacked, ran to the store, and again regained our rhythm here. We decided to evaluate the oils and vinegars in our cupboard. After our lessons in cooking, some may have to go!

A great adventure.  Thanks for reading along. 

Exploring Rome, final day

Last walk through Rome, mostly the part I know the best–Testaccio and Aventino.  Hot, humid, and we limited our excursions.

I wanted to show Kirk the Testaccio Market.  Must be over 50 stalls there–half of them serve food of all kinds (think “food court”) and the rest of the shops sell everything from pasta to cheese,  kids’ clothes to flowers, shoes to fine women’s clothes.  A bit of everything. Kirk loves caps–newsboy type.  So we found he wears size 60, and he found a great linen cap at the market.  

After lunch I ventured to one of my favorite haunts–the used clothing/dishes/book/furniture, etc. thrift store about 15 minutes from Anne’s apartment.  Several years ago I’d found some handmade boots there in my size for 10 Euros.  It’s an amazing shop, yet no air conditioning, so I spent a lot of time checking out the tea sets since they happened to be in front of the fan (!).  Yet, nothing caught my eye.  Fun place, though, and I recommend everyone check out thrift stores in Rome.

So a few things about life in Rome:

First off, the price of gas.  It varies a bit (just like in the US), but a rough estimate of the price is that it’s nearly $10/gallon.  The price per liter is 2,05.9 Euros per liter, so that’s about $2.25/liter, and there are just over four liters in a gallon, so be thankful that our gas is about a third of the cost.  It’s always been that way as far back as I can remember.

Another thing I noticed along the streets here in Rome is the large recycling/trash bins.  One sees these every few blocks and people can separate their trash/glass/paper.  There’s a huge recycling movement in Europe.

The cars…so many of them and so many brands I’ve never seen before.  Of course one sees tons of small cars (which is only practical) like Fiat, Smart, etc.  Other common cars are Peugeot, BMW, Opal, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, VW, Audi, and even a few small Jeeps and Citroens.  But Skoda, Lancia, Dacia?  These were new to me.  One common issue with the cars is that those left outside to the elements are subject to Saharan dust.  I never knew that dust from the Sahara found its way to Europe, but it does.  

So Saharan sand is lifted from the ground by strong wind, carried to high altitudes, and transported around the world where it falls to earth with rain.  This Saharan dust covers cars and I noticed tons of car washes.  Dark colors really show the Saharan dust!

We walked to a nearby piazza for dinner–a light one of cheese, meat, focaccia, and beer.  At 7 pm these places are filled, but not for people eating dinner, but rather for those enjoying a happy hour, an after-work beer.  

Packing and getting ready for our 7:15 pick up tomorrow.  Off to Fiumicino! We change planes in Boston before heading to MSP.  It’s been an amazing adventure…

Around Rome, Day Three

Despite the air conditioner being on the fritz, we slept well with windows open and the fans going.  Noises of scooters and cars carrying people to work and school woke me up, unlike the Sunday morning church bells.  

Anne took off to work and eventually Kirk and I ventured out.  The major heat Rome experienced in August was gone, but the calm wind and 90 degrees was pretty darn uncomfortable.  We walked toward the Coliseum and stopped for Kirk’s morning cappuccino. Then past Anne’s office building at FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN), past Circo Maximo, and on to the super-crowded Coliseum.   

The crowds at the Coliseum were just as I’d remembered–VERY crazy.  We saw lines blocks long to get tickets to get into the structure, yet we chose not to venture into the heights and heat.

With the heat, we decided to take the Metro (blue line) back to Pyramid.  What I love is that now one can simply scan a credit card to gain access to the Metro–no need for a ticket from the automat.  Scan and done!

I’ve been wanting to do two things while here:  have wine in the Orange Garden and enjoy a suppli.  We were able to do both tonight!  Because it was cloudy, we knew there’d be no sunset to awe us from the Orange Garden, but regardless, we trekked up there and enjoyed the view–the Vatican in the distance and Trastevere below us.  We finished off a bottle of wine in no time and then traipsed down the Aventino hill to Trappizzino for suppli, a “street” food.  It’s basically a rice ball with cheese or ham or tomato sauce, etc. that’s deep fried.  Love it!  Crispy and tasty.  

Love suppli!

We loved the cooler evening breeze and look forward to our FINAL day in Rome.  Flying home soon!

Around Rome, Day 1

First day around Rome.  

We were lazy–slow to move this Sunday morning.  Enjoyed the church bells as they rang through our open windows.  Good coffee, avocado toast.  

We decided to trek in the direction of the Tiber River–just a few blocks from Anne’s apartment. Love street signs mounted on the walls of buildings instead of on poles on street corners. 

Saw gorgeous bougainvillea at the entrance of Basilica de Santa Cecelia in Trastevere before stopping for a cappuccino.  We crossed the Tiber and made our way down my favorite shopping street: Via dei Giubbonari. Fun shops beginning to display their fall items.

Finally on to Plaza Navona with two fountains: Fountain of the Moro (featuring dolphins and tritan figures) and Fiumi Fountain which pays homage to four of the world’s main rivers.

I like how we enjoyed walking a bit and then had cappuccino.  Another 20 min., then gelato, then 20 minutes and a light snack on Plaza Navona.  On to the Turtle fountain and a gin/tonic.  

Memorable and moving were the memorial plaques in the cobblestone streets in front of Jewish homes, honoring those who were taken and shipped to camps.  These plaques are called "stumbling stones," so one might stumble (and read and pause) upon them and remember those who were persecuted and killed. These stones are found all over Europe to commemorate Jews and others taken from their homes.

We ate early (7:30) on the rooftop at Angelina’s and dragged ourselves back to fall into bed.

Day 7 in tuscany—on to Rome

The farewell was bittersweet.  My favorite breakfast of juicy cantaloupe, a crisp croissant, unsalted butter, orange marmalade, and strong coffee.  Heavenly.  

I love unsalted butter, as opposed to Kirk.  For me, the bread and olive oil/jam one puts on the bread is enhanced by unsalted butter.  Kirk salts the butter here…

We’d packed nearly completely the night before, so following breakfast, it was simply quick, final organizing before we set our bags out for the taxi that would bring us to the Chiusi station.  Two other women rode with us and our driver, frustrated that he was picking up four passengers, not 2 as he’d thought, drove quickly and erratically, maniacally passing cars and zooming through the countryside.  He charged us 40 Euros each, not the 25 we’d assumed (taxi to Chiusi is usually 100 Euros and he decided 160 was our fee).  Not knowing Italian to argue, we simply paid and chucked it up to “oh well!”  

For us the train ride into Rome was an uneventful 2 hours and my sister Anne met us at the train station and skillfully guided us to the metro stop by her home in Testaccio. A fifteen minute walk got us to her apartment situated in a fun area.  We rested, decided we were NOT hungry after eating day and night with the cooking class.

BUT alas, we did run to the local market for a bit of pizza for lunch.  The Testaccio market sells Anne’s favorite pizza and we brought home 5-6 different slices to try. 

• Chestnuts at the market!
  
  Truth be told, my belly is probably going to take a month to reduce in size, and I never thought I’d roll my eyes at a glass of wine.  Such was the amount of food and wine we consumed at La Cuisa with our delightful cooking class.

Saturday night is a big night of gaiety in Rome. Families cram the local plazas and soccer balls fly through the air and roll on the ground as you cross the square.  Restaurants don’t begin filling up until at least 9 pm. and reservations are generally a MUST, especially on Saturday evening.  No one was very hungry, so we opted for a cheese and meat plate and a bottle of wine at a place just around the corner.  We were gone by the time the later guests were arriving and wandered home ready for bed as everyone else was just getting going.

Cheese tray!

Tomorrow begins our adventure around Rome!

Day 6–final cooking day!

Had a flash/crashingly wonderful rainstorm last night which will help the olive harvest in 2 weeks.  Awoke to cool blue skies and we realize how fortunate we’ve been to have had lovely moderate temps and sun.  

After morning breakfast, our olive oil class was so informative–really had wanted to know more about olive oil:

First thing–olive oil is really a SPICE, rather than just an oil.  Good olive oil is used for flavor, not for cooking.  If the oil is older, use that for cooking, but for adding flavor, this is what we learned: 

First off, there are only two types of olive oil–first press and second press.  For flavor, you want First Press AND you want it to be a cold press, meaning it was heated to no more than 27C  or 81F 

Other things we learned are as follows:

–the color of the oil is superfluous.  Makes NO difference. When olive oil sommeliers taste oil, they use dark blue, red, green (etc.) glasses to not be influenced by color

-the flavor is individual.  What your partner thinks is “sharp,” you might find rather bland.  Taste is personal

-like grapes, olives grown in one part of the grove taste completely different from another area or hill

-unlike similar fruits/grains/etc. used for oil, olive oil is the only thing that uses its FRUIT (not seed) for oil

-both black and green olives are used for oil; black olives ripen longer on the tree.  The more black olives, the spicier the oil

-olive oil is blended, just like wine (green to black olive ratio)

-don’t buy plastic or large bottles of olive oil.  Be sure the opening of the neck of the container gives little opportunity for oxygen to get in.  Store good olive oil for up to 6 months in dark, cool, places.  Glass of an oil bottle should be dark.

-Olive oil that has a green stamp with a white leaf overlay is organic.  Oil with a number on its neck and a yellow stamp on the bottle is DOP approved as quality oil.  Buy it.  Oil with labels that include the words “Estratto a Freddo” mean it’s a cold press. 

-read labels.  Good olive oil should indicate exactly where it’s from, not just indicate “from EU Countries,” etc.

-honey, wine and olive oil are the most counterfeited food items.  Some olives are harvested from the ground after falling months before, then washed in bleach and then pressed into olive oil.  Yuck.  Get quality oil–preferably locally sourced.

The olive oil class consisted of tasting four oils.  We held a glass containing a small amount of oil in our palm, and with the other hand, we gripped and swirled the glass.  This heated the oil; then we sniffed the oil and finally took a sip.  Three of the oils had a rich scent and peppery flavor.  One did not–that was the store-bought one.  Really–little smell and little flavor.  Something to avoid when adding flavor to food.

The group then trudged up the hill to Montefollonico itself–and we enjoyed learning how to make a summertime drink of an Aperol spritzer.  Add ice to a glass, then fill with ⅓  Aperol, ⅓ Prosecco, ⅓ sparkling water. Stir, add an orange slice and drink with a straw.  This flavor was no my favorite, but many here enjoyed it.

Montefollonico itself has fewer than 200 inhabitants inside the city walls.  Another 300 or so live just outside.  Quaint, sweet village.  We found the market and sampled (and bought) cheese and baking items.  Then lunch at 13 Gobbi, a family restaurant.  Oh my…what a meal.

The tables are always set up for us with still and sparkling water, with red and white wine.  Our first course was tomato on bread with a flavorful olive oil.  Then came what I thought was our main course–pasta with parmesan and pepper.  The fun part was that the noodles (with a bit of milk) were added to the top of a huge parmesan wheel.  The waiter stirred the mixture and the resulting melted cheese clung to the noodles.  Delicious.

But…that was just the pasta course.  Then came chicken, potatoes, beans, eggplant.  All the while, wine flowed and there wasn’t one face that didn’t show anything but delight.  The dessert was panna cotta covered with berries.  I nearly licked the plate before staggering down the street to La Chiusa for an afternoon nap.

We began our final cooking class with a vengeance again at 5 pm.  Stuffed zucchini flowers (which apparently one can buy on Amazon!!), gnocchi, and ravioli.  The zucchini flowers weren’t breaded as before, but rather simply filled and drizzled with butter, sprinkled with pine nuts.  These will be baked, not deep fried as before.

The gnocchi is made from peeled, boiled potatoes that are riced.  Then one adds flour, salt, and a touch of olive oil. The potato dough becomes really stiff.  Then it’s cut into “pillows” and you can twirl them a bit on the tip of a fork if you want.  These are cooked in hot water.

The ravioli is made with egg pasta dough.  It’s rolled thin and a pastry bag is used to dollop ricotta, spinach, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese mixture onto the dough.  Then the dough’s folded over and you use a cookie-cutter type of implement to create individual raviolis.  These will be cooked in water for only 3-4 min. and will be slathered with butter and sprinkled with more parmesan cheese.

Things got a bit lively as we all rolled pasta, stuffed blossoms and made the gnocchi and ravioli.  The music got us all going and we celebrated the final cooking class in style (with a lot of wine and a few of us dancing unashamedly).  

Our final dinner was bittersweet as we knew the cooking clan wouldn’t be together again.  We’d already lost Jerry to an early departure and we felt his absence as we prepared our last pasta.

Such a lovely evening and our courses, culminating in a chocolate shabang, left us all with full tummies and hearts full of joy and kinship. George and Linda gifted each of us with a dear plate, but also with an amazing experience.  Tomorrow it’s bon voyage!

Day 5

Funny how I’ve always loved strong coffee…but here, I must add milk or it’s too bold.  So delicious, though.  This morning we were again greeted by several of the many cats wandering the patio.  Some places I’ve traveled have dogs wandering ad nauseum…here it’s cats.  All are friendly, all want you to believe they’re starving.  

Our first adventure of the day took us to Podere il Casale, a nearby working farm/restaurant with impressive food and cheese.  We toured the farm, were given a cheese-making lesson, and made focaccia.  Owners Sandra and Ulisse began the enterprize in the 80s when wanderlust brought them to Tuscany from Switzerland.  Their mantra is s-l-o-w food and we all were given a lesson in the slow food movement and their dedication to organic, natural fruits, vegetables, cheese, meats, etc.  

Ulisse’s self-taught cheese-making methods have garnered him rewards, as he supplies many high-end restaurants worldwide with his cheeses.  

We were again told the story of how (until the late 1960’s) sharecropping was practiced in this area.  The managers or owners of the land reaped the benefits of their workers’ labor and required up to 60% of the sharecroppers’ food/crop, etc.  Because the sharecroppers were themselves dirt poor and needed what they’d grown for their own families, cheese they made was sometimes hidden from the managers/owners.  Sharecroppers stored cheese where it wouldn’t be discovered:  in grape must, hay, dirt, etc.  They found that cheese stored in those elements took on interesting and pleasing flavors.  Hence pecorino here is intentionally stored that way at times.

Ulisse also gave us a lesson in cheese making and shared that his cheese is made from three things:  milk, rennet, and salt. The milk they have on this farm is from their goats, sheep, and because they bought a few cows several months ago, they will probably be making cow cheese in the future.  

Sandra with pecorino cheese—the one on the right has the mold and the one on the left has had it removed with a brush.

One fact I hadn’t known was that the cedar trees that seem so iconic in the area came from the London to Rome journey many Christians were expected to make (Think Canterbury Tales here).  These vertical trees symbolized an earth to heaven connection and signaled the pilgrims safe resting places along the way.

I learned something about wine today:  it matters NOT how it’s stored–whether bottles are on their sides or upright.  The key to wine storage is not to disturb it.  Don’t mess around with moving it much.  

And for those of you like me who prefer plain old water (“still” water), look for “ferme” on the bottles.  If the bottle indicates “mossa” water, it’s sparkling.

The pandemic was difficult for tourism in Tuscany.  The family at Podere il Casale used the downtime to produce a book about the history of the farm–complete with favorite recipes.  It was an item I could not resist buying, and I’ll happily haul it home.

The cooking class and tour here are winding down.  We can feel the end approaching, and tonight’s pizza dinner here at La Chiusa marked the beginning of our farewells.  Plans were being made for transportation back to Rome or Florence, or even on to other adventures here in Europe.  The walk from the restaurant back to our room was filled with strings of light guiding our way and filling our hearts.

Day Four

No sleep last night–too much tiramisu?  Too much food too late?  Actually when we walked into the restaurant last night at 7:30 in Pienza, it was empty.  When we left at 9, things were just getting going, but my digestive system is NOT used to eating much past 7 pm and I suffered all night.

But morning does come, and after a shower and strong coffee, I was able to maneuver just fine as we bussed 5 minutes to Agriturismo Belagaggio, a divine farm with rooms and fabulous food.  There cooks Antonella and her mother Ada helped us make pasta, zucchini soup, fried zucchini blossoms, and zucchini medallions.  Tasty!  My favorite was the pasta–made with only flour and egg–and a sauce made with heaps of butter and parmesan cheese.   Simple ingredients, maximum flavor.

After an afternoon rest (!), we ventured out to the Andreucci Winery to hunt truffles (and later enjoy them in pasta).  Three varieties of truffles grow here and each has its own growing/hunting season.  Only those certified can hunt truffles and by law, years ago dogs replaced truffle-hunting pigs. Dogs are trained from birth (before their eyes even open) and are skilled at identifying truffle locations by smell and then digging for them.  Apparently white truffles go for up to $5000/kilo here.  

After hunting for truffles and admiring the grapes which will be picked in about two weeks, we discovered seven (count them…SEVEN) different wines with each of the seven food courses. The 15th generation of this winery poured their wines for us in this order:  Prosecco, Incrosio Manzzoni, Chianti, Nobile Montepulciano–Black Label, Brunello di Montalcino, Regale Golden Label Toscana Rosso, and Moscato di Asti. The winery has documentation (below) that Napoleon’s army bought wine from them, so they can bottle some wines with French labels. Amazing how well the wine enhanced the flavor of the courses, ranging from appetizer salami with white funnel to a dessert of tiramisu.  So glad I wasn’t in charge of washing the 100+ glasses!

A rousing group celebrated the fun day on the way back to La Ciusa by breaking into song and startling (I’m sure) other La Ciusa guests as we exited the bus.

Day 3, Tuscan Cooking

Ahh…day 3!  Again a great coffee and breakfast before heading off to Osmosi, a fabulous restaurant 15 minutes from Montefollonico. There Elena and her mother Rita helped us whip up more pici (this time without an egg in the dough), meatballs with sauce, and crostata.  Music jazzed us all and we lunched in the wine cellar as George presented Italian Wines 101.  He shared the different regulations of DOCG, DOC, IGT, and Vino da Tavola.

The wine cellar’s ambiance was perfect for our own prepared meal and an Italian version of tiramisu.  Unlike the “American” version, this tiramisu is eaten by dipping the crostata (basically a shortbread cookie) into coffee and then into mascarpone cream before eating.  Delicious.

As is the custom with this cooking school, all chefs sign our aprons.  A great memento.

After an afternoon rest, we ventured out in the direction of Pienza, stopping at Bagno Vigononi, a Roman thermal bath.  Then on to Pienza, a planned community and the birthplace of Pope Pius II.  It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site along with the magnificent Val d’Orcia valley and landscape.  Gorgeous, we saw what everything one thinks of when hearing the word “Tuscany.”  

Fresh gelato, an amazing welcome at the La Bandita Townhouse Caffe.  Another day of complete enjoyment.

This tiramisu was creamy, rich, and kept me awake all night!

Day Two--Tuscan Cooking

We slept so well!  These stone walls create a virtually soundproof room, so except for intermittent snoring, we didn’t awaken until the sun was well up.  And what a glorious morning!  

Kirk’s cappuccino was rated as one of the best he’s ever had, and the breakfast spread rivaled others I’ve drooled over while traveling.  

Sadly, I don’t care for much breakfast, but the melon, coffee and croissant were delicious!

This day was organized with a morning adventure to Montepulciano and cooking in the afternoon.  A mere 15 kilometers away, our first stop was the San Biagio church, just below Montepulciano which is the largest hilltop town in Tuscany. The shops charmed us, though the terrain was steep and rather precarious.  We learned to discover the upstairs, downstairs, and back rooms of the seemingly tiny spaces.  Leather, wine (and wine cellars), copper–fun shops and cafes.  

San Biagio chancel

Extensive wine cellar

Lunch was at Porto di Bacco and we enjoyed a to-die-for eggplant flan (really, it melted in your mouth!), gnocchi, pork, and biscotti.  Wine flowed, conversation echoed, and left with full bellies and the promise of a relaxing afternoon nap.

Eggplant flan

An afternoon of making our dinner: eggplant parmesan, stuffed chicken, panna cotta, biscotti, and pici (pasta).  Wow!  What fun, and this group works well together, making sure all are given a chance to bread, deep fry, stir, roll pasta and sip wine throughout.  With one hand gesture I smashed a glass to the floor (thankfully I’d drunk all the wine), so now I’ve limited myself to plastic glasses.  A bit gouche, but the group will remain safe from flying glass…

Above, making eggplant parmesan, pici, and biscotti

Dinner was, of course, all that we’d prepared.  We particularly enjoyed the eggplant parmesan and the panna cotta.  So much food!  Learning to eat only partial servings and drink water in between glasses of wine.  All is so delicious.

Day One—Tuscan cooking

The idea of taking a cooking class in Tuscany came about as Duchess and I were trying to figure out where to travel next, after our pre-pandemic plans to visit Russia were squatched, first by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and then by the pandemic itself.  Road trip?  Another river cruise? We finally settled on something simple and unique–a Cook in Tuscany week.  The event takes place in the town of Montefollonico and is situated a stone’s throw from Montepulciano, the Tuscan jewel I visited briefly 5-6 years ago.  We decided to sign up last fall.
Well, sometimes things don’t go as planned and you have to modify them, as was the case with this adventure.  A knee replacement and its lingering after effects proved too much for Duchess to navigate the uneven and sometimes grueling terrain of Tuscany.  Plan B, though, came through with flying colors, and Kirk joined me–his first European venture.  An avid chef himself, this vacation is perfect for him.

But how does one get to Montefollonico?  We flew from Minneapolis to Boston, then on to Rome.  Can’t say I didn’t admire those dudes in Delta One with their luxurious cubicles, but we didn’t suffer too much in Comfort +.  From Fiumicino, we took the Leonardo Express train (14 Euros) to the main Rome Termini station.  I subjected Kirk to a cruel sprint from one end of the station to another in 5 minutes to catch a non-stop train to Chuisi-Chianciano.  Somehow the train sat on the track for 3-4 minutes past its departure time, and we dragged ourselves onboard, dripping with sweat and out of breath.  Kirk was not a fan of such antics and I can’t blame him–crazy.

We knew Montefollonico was a 45 minute drive from the Chuisi-Chianciano station, but exactly how to get there?  We found a taxi and though the as-the-bird-flies distance was about 15 miles, the twists and turns required 45 mph and we were dropped off at La Chiusa, a fabulous hotel/restaurant and our home for the week.  We grabbed a nap, lounged by the pool, sampled wine, and eureka!  it’s heaven on earth here.

The 15 or so of our group all met for the first time on the terrace around 7 in the evening.   The sun was setting and Montepulciano glowed across the valley as we enjoyed an aperativ and sparkling wine.  Owners of La Cruisa, George and Linda, gave us a brief account of their hotel and restaurant–history of vineyards and olive gardens going back to 300 AD.   They’re only the second generation family to own and run this place.  Amazing.

Dinner was comprised of several courses (including lasagna and pork cutlets with a tarragon sauce) and was topped off with a lemon tiramisu.  All food/beverages here are locally sourced and naturally delicious.  

Kirk and I strolled lazily back to our room, simply amazed to be here.