The weather has gotten cold and damp. We had our first hard frost. The days are so short now. But the Christmas lights have been going up, which are cheery, and I saw pictures of the Christmas tree going up in the piazza. The big tree lighting day is December 8 on L’Immacolata Concezione, or the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Cinghiale! That well loved beast which runs wild here in Italy. Well they are well loved for their meat but little else. I don’t know any hunters, but I have a store here in town that carries the meat. Occasionally I buy it and make a warming stew or ragú. Yesterday it was a stew.
The meat can be tough. And it can have a strong taste. So it must be marinated a good long time. I used celery, carrots, onion, juniper berries, rosemary, bay leaf and red wine. When ready I drained it from the marinade. Meanwhile I chopped a carrot, celery, and onion which I sautéed until it softened. Then I added the meat and cooked until no longer pink. I added in more rosemary and bay leaves and then deglazed with a robust red wine. I used Primitivo which is said to be the grape from which Zinfandel evolved. Once the alcohol had evaporated I added some of the marinade and a little water. Then I covered and braised it in the oven for 2 hours, checking every so often to be sure there was still liquid. When it was done I thickened the sauce and checked for seasoning. It was meltingly tender and delicious. The recipe said serve over polenta but Luther isn’t a fan so I used mashed potatoes.
We had some wild weather last week with strong winds and rain. After the storms, all of a sudden all of the surrounding mountains changed to gold. I couldn’t get a good picture but this is our Monte Acuto. Doesn’t look so golden in this one but take my word for it, it is!
Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had nice weather, we got to see a lot of friends and we ate lots of food!
We were guests of Susan and Gary at a table with nine people. Luther and I treated everyone to the wine. We had four italiani and five americani. We are all old friends. I sat at the end of the table with the Americans who mostly don’t speak great Italian. Me, Roger, Gary. Luther was seated next to Antoinetta. She is mother to our old Geometra, Manuele who did our first renovation here. Manuele’s wife, Barbara came with her mother in law. Then there was Fabio, our most enthusiastic thanksgiving Italian friend. He wonders why we only do this once a year?! And his girlfriend Chiara.
As always, we went to Calagrana. They always have a Thanksgiving lunch every year. The dining room was full. Quite a few British friends also like the feast. Here is the food starting with a plate of four little bites.
Then a gamberi appetizer served chilled.
The main event. A Tom turkey who weighed in at 18 kilograms or about 40 pounds. The entire dining room was fed from this bird. They made a smaller one just in case, but it wasn’t needed.
The turkey was probably the best I have ever had. The entire thing was moist and delicious. There were many sides. A roll of sausage, dressing mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans. I provided the cranberry sauce. I used up my last cranberries on this one.
For dessert we had a delicious, and light, semifreddo.
After dinner we had a delicious coffee with cognac and whipped cream. I didn’t get a picture.
It was a really nice lunch. It was so good to see everyone. I am very Thankful for my life here in Italy and all the blessings we have. I miss family on this holiday where families are the most important part. I hope all of you folks who read this journal had a wonderful day as well. ~~~~~~~~ Baci e abbracci a tutti! 💕
I had a routine checkup today. I normally I see this doctor here in Umbertide but I could only go private to choose her as my doctor at the bigger, newer hospital in Città di Castello. I am never happy going to doctor appointments here. Especially if I am not familiar with the hospital. I wanted to see only her so I bit the bullet and made the appointment.
So, first thing one must do is pay for the appointment. You go to the CUP counter there. You pay and they give you a receipt. I paid €132.00. For an appointment and an ultrasound. Then you must find the department and doctor. Never easy.
It was a bit of a wait but it was also kind of sweet. This waiting room was just outside of the obstetric ward. While we were there a new dad and a very worn out looking mom slowly, slowly came down the hall with the new bambina in a rolling crib. A little girl. Waiting for them were both of the mom’s parents and one of the dads’s parents. Oh my. The emotion. It was pretty incredible. The pride that the parents had in their daughter for giving them this grandchild was just — wow.
Finally I saw my doc and she gave me double kisses when I arrived. It is the Italian way. She said they had had three babies born that day, and that that was a big day. All was fine with my checkup and we headed back out. All doctors offices and hospitals have a lot of religious icons. This office has this.
As an addendum to my last post about the appalling practice of catching, killing and/or eating songbirds in the north of Italy. This is practiced everywhere in Italy but the Brescia area is a natural place because of the north south valleys that are natural migration routes for the songbirds. I hope anyone who sees this in their area will turn them in. It is illegal. And cruel. A couple people asked for the name of the group so I thought I would publish the link. They take volunteers (but there is a rigorous fitness test). I will just donate some money. Committee Against Bird Slaughter. They also have a Facebook page. ~~~~~~ Yesterday I volunteered for the first time at Books for Dogs/Libri per i Cani. I helped them out years ago, before they had an actual store. It was time I try again. They sell donated items to support two Canili (dog rescues) here. They have all sorts of things. You never know what will come in the door. Could be an Armani designer blouse! Or a lawn mower! Right now it is all about Christmas. So I was just kind of learning the ropes yesterday. I was a bit worried I wouldn’t be able to stand up that long. My back complains usually. But I did fine so I will do it more regularly. ~~~~~~ Today, Sunday, I decided to use the things I bought yesterday at the market before going to volunteer. I got 2 pieces of zucca. That’s the word for most all types of winter squash and pumpkins. I also bought cavolo nero — black kale. I roasted the zucca until it was soft and cut into pieces. I sautéed an onion and garlic, then added the chunks of zucca, a chopped jalapeño and vegetable broth. I simmered for a while until the zucca was completely soft. I used the wand blender to purée. Next I added black beans, corn kernels and chopped green pepper. And finally the chopped kale and a rosemary sprig. I cooked it about half an hour and it was done.
Later tonight I will grill a whole orate on the fire which I built today. It was a good day for a fire. Gray and dreary and chilly. Very cheerful!
One of the things I really find repulsive here, is the practice of catching or killing songbirds. Meadowlarks, robins, thrushes and finches. October thru December, when the birds are migrating to Africa, they catch them. This is the season. I am a bird lover. I do notice the lack of songbirds here and I think it is due to this horrible practice. I don’t know how widespread this practice is. I do know it is still very popular in Brescia in Lombardy. They have north/south valleys that the birds naturally use to migrate. I know for a fact it happens in Umbria. So that tells me every region does this.
More than five million birds – the highest number of any European nation – are believed to be illegally hunted every year in Italy. Brescia, part of the Lombardy region, is the worst-affected area. There, protected bird species are routinely killed in arcane, brutal traps or snared alive in nets, to be used as decoys. Sometimes, they are simply shot. Based on almost 40 years of operations in the area, it is believed that between 400,000 and one million birds a year are poached in Brescia.
“…32 poachers convicted; 280 birds saved! The largest bird protection camp organized by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) in Brescia in northern Italy has now come to an end. 38 volunteers from Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Germany spent five weeks scouring the mountains between Lake Garda and Lake Iseo for trapping sites. They were able to catch and convict 32 poachers together with the police and game wardens. 393 snap traps, 13 small net traps, 63 bow traps, 8 snares, 1 limestick, 76 mist-nets, 23 hunting weapons, around 500 rounds of shotgun ammunition and 316 dead birds were seized from the poachers. 280 birds – mainly thrushes, siskins, chaffinches and bramblings – were released or confiscated as live decoys and taken to rescue centers. All in all, the figures are positive: the number of traps is at an all-time low and the number of active trapping sites and convicted offenders has never been so low. 40 years of operation (our campaigns started in 1984) are clearly having an effect.”Committee Against Bird Slaughter.
You may be asking “what the hell?” Why catch and kill songbirds. I guess primary reason is because it is lucrative and it is hard to be caught. The mafia is heavily into bird slaughter. They also sell finches which are highly sought after because of their beauty and the beauty of their songs. They are sold as captive bred. They are also used as bait to lure other birds to the nets. And in some part it is a tradition in Italy to hunt them and eat them. Stubbornly some Italians don’t think they should have to give up this “delicacy”. Although it is against the law to serve songbirds in Italian restaurants, dishes such as spiedo (spit-roast songbirds), and polenta e osei (polenta with roast songbirds), are still prepared in rural areas of the north.
Disgusting. I realize this is probably not something most people want to hear or see, but it is a fact of life in rural areas of Italy. Inroads are being made by the group Committee against bird slaughter. I applaude their work. They gather the facts and proof, then let the police finish it. Let’s all hope this horror ends soon.
I also hope if anyone witnesses the setting of nets to catch these birds, or the use of caged birds as bait to bring more birds to the nets and traps that they drop a dime on them. Tell the Corpo Forestale dello Stato.
Today was a gorgeous autumn day. Crisp and brilliant sun with blue skies. We had planned another meet-up of the Gang o Six. A longstanding group which enjoys lunch together every so often. We wanted to see each other and have fun and this seemed like the time to do that.
We went to Osteria di Sagrantino at Doug’s suggestions since our first choice was closed for vacation. It turns out it was a great choice. It is just my favorite type of restaurant. Not pretentious at all and straight up, seasonal, good Umbrian food. Nice people. Great local wines. It is set among the famous Sagrantino vineyards which are all flaunting their autumnal colors. They are nearly past their peak but still very pretty.
Here is Osteria di Sagrantino. Nice outside space for summer. Inside cozy and an enoteca with a cheese and sausage display for sale.
My first course was Lonzino with Torta al Testo. I had not heard of Lonzino before. Lonzino is an air cured pork which is very thinly sliced. Not smoked like so much is here. It was served with the traditional flatbread of Umbria, torta al testo. I really enjoyed it.
Doug got the Vellutata di Verdura. It was a pretty puree soup of roasted seasonal vegetables.
For the next course most of us got the Tagliatelle con Funghi Porcini. Also called Cèpes in France, and Steinpilzen in Germany. A seasonal delicacy, the mushrooms are not cultivated but are foraged in the wild. Very meaty and delicious.
I forgot to take a picture of our desserts. They had three and we got one of each to share. A cheesecake with pears poached in sagrantino wine. Tiramisù. And a torta al cioccolato with Amaretto cream. All good.
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Today I had coffee with Joanne who brought our six liters of oil from the olives we helped harvest. Thanks Joanne and Mark!
And kindly Doug was nice to share a liter of his just harvested oil. Thanks Doug! We had some bruschetta with the two new oils. Both were delicious and both were quite different.
The distinctive green of the new oil on the bread. Yes, I took bites before I took the photo!
I just spoke with Joanne and she said they got 792 kilos of olives (1,746 pounds) in the two days of harvest. The yield was a bit more than 10%. So they got 88 liters of oil. I think they are pleased. They will share some with their helpers. I’m excited to try the new oil when it is truly brand new!
Tonight I had a hankering for something a little Texmex. I was in the store today and they had corn on the cob. This always confuses me here. In the U.S. the corn is a summertime vegetable. You sure won’t see it fresh in November! I have seen it a few times here, but only in the fall. I really don’t get how this could be.
Anywho, I made a marinated chicken with corn, sweet and spicy peppers, onions and black beans. It should hit the Mexican flavor buttons with cumin, chili powder, lime zest and juice for zing. Twas good.
Pictures up next of the new oil! As soon as I get it.
OK guys, I’m officially old. Luther and I went and helped our friends with the harvest. I am proud to say we did five trees ourselves. But it did take it out of us. Still we really enjoy participating. I think of the millennia of people who went before us doing the exact same thing. Tradition.
To top it off it was one of the most spectacular days EVER. And I thank my friends Joanne and Mark for letting us enjoy the sun and perfect temperature at their beautiful home. They live in the mountains.
To understand our area is to understand that we are in the Tiber valley. The chains of mountains run up on either side. So for us to go just about anywhere we have to cross over mountains. Our friends live in the mountains but also across quite a long small road with a ton of switchbacks and hairpin turns. In the morning, in our valley in the fall and winter, it is always socked in with fog. A bit dreary. It burns off at different times but usually by eleven. So this morning we left in the fog. At 9am. As we drove up into the heights, we crossed through the clouds and then…the fog disappeared. 💚
It really is a beautiful drive. We could look down on the valleys and the clouds filling them. The road eventually runs along the spine of the mountains and you get views for kilometers in both directions.
So, back to the harvest. When we got there it was quite chilly but sunny, because they are up fairly high. They live in a former monastery from around 1300. It was a ruin when they bought it and brought it back to life over time. Here is a picture of the view. You can see the white cloud in the lower areas in the distance.
This is the olive grove. I think they have maybe a hundred trees. Perhaps a little less. There were eight of us doing the picking. Plus a two man crew who do this for a fee. They bring the equipment used to shake the olives from the tops of the trees. We rake the olives from the lower branches. We picked from 9:30 to 1:15 and then we had a fortifying lunch of hamburgers and grilled wursts, along with hummus, salad, and fruit salad for dessert. Thanks Joanne and Mark!
The helpers, who know olives, said they would probably get about 650 kilos of olives. I know from a few years of harvesting that the trees were heavily laden. It remains to be seen how much oil will come from this haul.
This was a good distraction for us today. I don’t talk politics here, but I’m sure you know how I roll. And needless to say, I’m disappointed today. But, it is what it is.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be glad with this thing is over. I am sure it is a LOT worse for those of you who are living in the U.S. what with all the robocalls and political ads. I am sure it is relentless. At least that part will be over after today! Here I watch the news, in the evening only, on Sky which has most of the U.S. non-network channels. It is scary. And stressful!
I am happy I will be distracted Wednesday because we are going to help friends with the raccolto — olive harvest. It is a huge deal in Umbria. Just about everyone has an olive grove of their own if they have any land. And they are happy to let their friends help them. The region is known for having some of the highest rated oil anywhere. It is bright green and grassy with a distinct peppery taste in the throat. The new oil is just incredible. Unlike anything I had ever had before moving here. Here is a picture from the mill where I watched the pressing process in 2018.
So today we harvested our tree! We too have an olive tree on the terrace! I think you all know this. And is loaded with olives this year. I don’t want them to go to waste so we harvested them today and will donate them to our friends tomorrow and their harvest. It will kind of be cool to know that a wee bit of our own olives are in the oil we will get. 🙂
Last night we had a delicious cannellini bean soup with cavolo nero (black kale). It was delicious.
Hang in there everyone. Try to distract yourselves. Meditate. Do yoga. Take a Xanax 😉
Today is a holiday, and so is tomorrow. Everyone goes to the cemetery to visit with lost loved ones and bring them flowers. It’s pretty quiet in the hood. Monte Acuto greeted me this morning. Looking good!
Last night was Halloween. It is becoming more popular here and the kids go around to all the shopkeepers to collect candy. They don’t normally come to homes. But that didn’t matter to me because I have always been all about Halloween. I walked down to a nearby store and bought some candy. The afternoon was beautiful. I love the autumn sunlight slanting in and making great shadows.
I carved a small pumpkin and carried him down to the lobby of our building. I set him on a stool with a basket of candy.
My thinking was the kids could see him through the window and then ring a bell, (maybe ours?) to come in. But we got no bell rings. 😞 So, a couple hours later I went down to retrieve him and the stool and basket. Big surprise. Almost all the candy was gone! Maybe the two girls in our building, maybe, another neighbor let kids in. Doesn’t matter. I’m glad.
It is getting to be chili weather. Pun intended. So I’m deciding which kind to make first. Hopefully next week we will be helping our friends with the raccolta – harvesting of the olives. A centuries old occupation around here. I love being a small link in the chain. 🫒 🫒 🫒