Under the Tuscan Sun: A Week in Italia Part II
The mornings in Tuscany begin with a nice little view of the town street. Some espresso and bread from the bakery. After this the real days begin. Driving around the rolling hills of Toscana to get from town to town.
We made our way to Pienza one day and I was determined to find some affogato. Sure the Duomo was gorgeous and the piazzas were nice but all I wanted was a little gelato drowned in espresso. Not that I really need the caffeine, every day I tend to have 4 cups of espresso… It’s an Italian thing.
Smoothest espresso you’ll ever have and I have to believe it’s due more to the Barista than the beans. After 3 hours of being in town I finally found what I was looking for. I decided to play it safe and go with the stracciatella affogato. The bitterness of the coffee plays of the creamy sweetness of the gelato so well. They also let the espresso sit for just a minute so you don’t end up with soup right away. It made my day, even more than the cute Italian Bella at the lingerie shop.
Another day we visited a mountain town known for it’s pride in wine. At the very top sat a castle of wine! Really just a castle with wine. Innotechas existed around every corner of the town and after wandering the streets for a bit we wound up at a castle. This was no ordinary castle but one that serves some of the most expensive in the area. Walking in you’re presented with bottles that range from 400 to 2900 euro a pop. We strolled through the shop checking out all the bottles, truffles, and decided we were going to do a tasting. I’m not a wine connoisseur in the least bit so some of the qualities of the wine are lost on me, but we took our time swirling, smelling and comparing. It was a great experience especially being around people who have some semblance of knowledge of wine. The best part about the tasting was the fact that we were sipping on 400 euro bottles. Something I could never afford to drink back home. Then again it is just a small pour.
While the wine was great I also fell in love with some orange cookies that Rhoda pick up for the table. They have a great flavor and aroma of orange and the consistency in the middle of fig. Covered in powder sugar they may just be one of the best cookies made. That night we also made it out to one of the local restaurants where I had the most delicious spinach gnocchi topped with oil and truffle shavings. It was so delicious it, just melted in your mouth. I’ve never been able to make good gnocchi myself so any time I find a place that has it I can’t help but order. When done right it can’t be beat. A little more wine, a little more desert and that’s all there is to say. Definitely ate and drank my way through italy.
