The Heart of Tuscany
We were now where I dreamed of going for years - the Heart of Tuscany. Here we spent two wonderful days.
The motel we stayed in was a converted farm on a rolling hill surrounded by acres and acres of vineyards. It was harvest season and I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to photograph the locals harvesting grapes. It was early morning when a majority of our group chose to take a brisk hike with Patricia around the surrounding vineyards. I spotted some locals harvesting grapes - I ditched the group and scurried down the hill with my camera in hand to capture the fun.. on camera. I didn't understand a thing they were saying -- I later learned from another tourist who interpreted that the OLD man was saying I was beautiful and he would dream of me. Although I felt he was in need of glasses I totally enjoyed the experience of being with the locals participating in their lifestyle.
The motel we stayed in was a converted farm on a rolling hill surrounded by acres and acres of vineyards. It was harvest season and I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to photograph the locals harvesting grapes. It was early morning when a majority of our group chose to take a brisk hike with Patricia around the surrounding vineyards. I spotted some locals harvesting grapes - I ditched the group and scurried down the hill with my camera in hand to capture the fun.. on camera. I didn't understand a thing they were saying -- I later learned from another tourist who interpreted that the OLD man was saying I was beautiful and he would dream of me. Although I felt he was in need of glasses I totally enjoyed the experience of being with the locals participating in their lifestyle.
The Etruscan Museum at Chianciano
It was here at the Museum that we met Roberto our local Italian guide- a man passionate about the Sienese lands. Roberto was a wealth of knowledge not only of Italy but also America. He was quite humorous and made for a great guide. This museum located in Cortona and functioning solely by volunteers, is located in a 13th century Casali palace. It was amazing to see the intricate detailed works and to think of what primitive tools they used to produce this incredible art. |
Tuscan Cooking Lesson
We arrived for our Tuscan Cooking Lesson. Chef Stephano had prepared some crostini and drinks for us which we enjoyed under the Tuscan Sun. He told us about himself and was quite adamant about his distaste for preservatives in foods. He also made a point of the fact that making your own food such as pesto cost about 1/6th the price of store bought and the ingredients are guaranteed fresher and preservative free.
As a restaurant owner this was a highlight of the trip. We all donned aprons and hats and started the lessons. Chef Stephano demonstated, gave us insights as to what he was using, how & why it worked, and then we were on our own. It was all hands on and everything we made we ate so we had a vested interest in doing a good job. As you can see by the photos below we were all happy with the culinary results. What you didn't remember the recipe? No problem! Copies were given out for us to take home.
As a restaurant owner this was a highlight of the trip. We all donned aprons and hats and started the lessons. Chef Stephano demonstated, gave us insights as to what he was using, how & why it worked, and then we were on our own. It was all hands on and everything we made we ate so we had a vested interest in doing a good job. As you can see by the photos below we were all happy with the culinary results. What you didn't remember the recipe? No problem! Copies were given out for us to take home.