Thursday, July 22, 2010

been doing "la passeggiata" all wrong...

After reading Fodor's guest blogger Dianne Hales posting on "An Italian Tradition: La Passeggiata," I have come to realize that I have been doing the passeggiata completely and utterly wrong.

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_4117.html?ref=107

La passeggiata is simply an evening walk...or so I thought.

Who knew what a meat market it is and what an opportunity it represents for women of "marriageable age" to find a suitor? And why am I just finding out about this now?

According to Miss Hales, the passeggiata can be the main social event of the day in some cities and a time for people to get all decked out to impress and "see and be seen." (vedere e farsi vedere).

My normal gear for doing up the passeggiata is a pair of mini-sweats, a tank top and sneakers or flip-flops. And sometimes I go right after a run to cool down...so am not Irish Spring fresh necessarily.

I tend to be accompanied by the lovely Laura Rizzotto from the Balestri Valda winery (also a woman of marriageable age) and she is usually more fashionably dressed than yours truly...but this is nothing new and is certainly not limited to our evening walks around Soave.

What almost made me fall of my chair while reading the article is that someone wrote a book on the passeggiata.

The author of La Passeggiata, Giovanna Delnegro, would probably give me a good scolding for my previous approach to this "socially sanctioned opportunity for flirting and courting."

I will of course be remedying this and making the appropriate adjustments to my approach...so get ready all you other women of marriageable age in Soave!

There's gonna be some international competition entering the ring!

- Zucca

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Sono caldo/a vs. sono accaldato/a

Quick new addition to my list of "errori" (errors)...or "evvovi" as my friend Giorgio would say with his Bolognese accent and, to my utter confusion, write it that way as well.

Sono caldo/a = I'm hot...i.e. read to go, all warmed-up, in the mood for some lovin.

Could also say "sono caldo/a per te" = "I'm hot for you" but apparently this is a little vulgar.

Sono accaldato/a = I'm warm/hot...i.e. temperature-wise

Unfortunately the difference between the two was only pointed out to me 3 days ago.

So it seems that over the past 1-2 months, I have been running around telling everyone from Verona to Greve in Chianti and from Soave to Lake Garda that I am...well, horny.

Fantastico!

- Zucca

Sunday, June 20, 2010

one lucky bastard...


That's me!

This is the thought that went through my head while attending a "garage" champagne tasting the other week with my friend Andrea, who also happens to be a sommelier.

When Andrea initially invited me to the tasting, I had this idea in my head that we were going to some elegant locale where sommeliers would be serving up sips of superb bubbly all decked out in their AIS (Associazione Italiana Sommelier) uniforms...with embellished golden spittoons carefully placed on tables perfectly dressed in white linen.

It wasn't until he picked me up that he informed me that we were going to some dude's garage.

Fortunately Andrea arrived early, which as you can imagine is a very non-Italian thing to do, so I had time to change out of my more fancy pants threads and into a pair of jeans.

Then we were off to Enzo's garage in Lonigo!!

Enzo is a professor by day...and a French wine specialist by night. And has one of the most interesting knife blocks I have ever seen (visual reference provided).


We were joined by three of Andrea's friends for the tasting: 2 fellow sommeliers and another wine enthusiast.

An individual glass was placed in front of each of us...and Enzo did not waste any time and started pouring.

We ended up tasting 11 champagnes & 1 cremant.

Being a bit of a champagne novice, Andrea needed to explain the difference between a champagne and a cremant.

If you see "cremant" on the label, the wine inside the bottle is sparkling and made in the same way as a champagne, but was produced outside of the Champagne region in France. Only wines from the Champagne region can be called champagne according to EU regulations.

Quick note for other champagne and/or sparkling wine novices: most sparkling wines go through two fermentations. The first turns the grape juice into a still wine (the base wine), and the 2nd turns this base wine into a sparkling wine through the trapping of the carbon dioxide in the wine. Carbon dioxide is naturally produced when the yeasts convert sugar into alcohol.

The 2nd fermentation can take place in large, closed, pressurized tanks (generally referred to as the "charmat" method), which is the quicker and less expensive method. However, when it comes to champagnes, the 2nd fermentation is always conducted in the individual bottles in which the wine is ultimately sold. This method is called the traditional or champagne method...or "metodo classico" in Italy.

Now, I found all of the champagnes and the cremant we tasted quite lovely...but as I mentioned above, I am nowhere near being an expert on champagnes. Fortunately Enzo was and Andrea comes pretty gosh darn close.

Here were some of my favs from the evening (in no particular order):

1) Brochet-Hervieux a Ecueil. Premier Cru. Brut Extra (75% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay) - ideal as an aperitivo. Very fresh and crisp. This is a safe bet if you need to pick up a bottle of champagne for a dinner and/or cocktail party...or want to give a bottle of champagne as a gift. It is also reasonably priced (23 EUR).

2) Doyard Cuvee Vendemiare. Le Mesnil sur Oger. Brut (100% chardonnay) - this one was interesting because it was the only one we tasted that had a bit of oak aging in barrique, which you could tell in the nose but was very subtle.

And since this was made purely with chardonnay, it is called a "blanc de blancs," or "white from white." So a white wine made from white grapes. "Blanc de noirs" (usually 100% pinot noir) do exist but are quite rare.

3) Hubert Paulet Rose. Premier Cru. Millesime 2004 (80% chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier) - upon serving this wine, Enzo and his assistant starting slicing up some sopressa. And what a fantastic pairing.

Now the sopressa was not 100% up to par but I am spoiled since I live right across the street from a spectacular cheese and cured meat shop (La Casara). However, the champagne rose was wonderful.

4) Bérèche et Fils. Le Beaux Regards. Brut Nature (100% chardonnay) - Enzo described this wine as a palette cleansing champagne...and he was spot on. This one was very dry and extremely refreshing with citrus fruit.

5) Libert-Fils a Cramant. Brut. Grand Cru (100% chardonnay) - This is a slightly more elegant champagne with a mineral quality and freshness...and I could see myself easily drinking more than one glass.

This champagne tasting really opened my eyes not only to the wonderful world of champagne, but also gave me a new appreciation and understanding of the chardonnay grape.

and it confirmed that I must have been some excruciatingly good person in a past life or am reaping the benefits of the good deeds of the other members of the Shea family.

There were a few nuns in the Shea family tree and a priest at one point...but my Uncle met, as Chiara would say, "the woman of his life" and put his days as a priest behind him.

Che posso dire? There are certain things us Sheas just aren't willing to give up.

A votre sante!

- Zucca

Monday, June 14, 2010

Visit to the RISECCOLI winery in Tuscany














My trip to the RISECCOLI estate, owned by the Romanelli family and located near Greve in Chianti, was quite lovely but definitely did not go off without a hitch...the usual case when traveling with yours truly.

Just a few past examples:

- Having to buy a dress for a wedding in Germany one hour before the ceremony due to my luggage not arriving. Luggage eventually showed up after the ceremony but before the reception, which turned out to be a 12 hour party consisting of hour-long toasts, singing, photo slideshows and reenactments of famous German game shows.

- Getting bitten by some insect in the middle of the night in a hotel in Chile and having my eye swell up so I resembled Quasimodo for a bit. Fortunately a super dose of Benadryl did the trick...in more ways than one.

- Being propositioned by a Russian businessman in a bar who was forced to take out his wallet and show me all of the money he had since I just wasn't gettin what it was he was wantin due to the language barrier. Actually my Russian businessman experience happened while living in Soave, but just felt like mentioning it since it was quite memorable.

I even have a bit of a reputation for some sort of shenanigan or mishap occurring when I simply head to the supermarket.

Actually, at this point, the thing that usually happens when I go Perfetto (the supermarket in Soave) is that I end up buzzed after partaking in a glass or 2 of Soave with some of the town locals.

The mishaps that occurred on my trip to RISECCOLI were as follows:

- Getting off at the wrong train station in Florence. Who knew there were 2?

- Having the 2-bottle box of Coffele wines, that were to be gifts for the owners of estate, snatched after leaving them unattended for about 3 minutes in my tizzy to find out the name of the station I was supposed to be at.

- Chatting up a storm with some tourists from California on the bus back to Florence and missing my stop...and doubling my travel time.

Could have been worse. And it was definitely worth it because the RISECCOLI estate is truly a gem in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone and the Romanelli/Faure family and the estate staff couldn't have been more welcoming and hospitable.

And I got the chance to taste the palette-pleasing RISECCOLI wines...including their 2 newly launched wines:

Rinascita - more of an entry-level Tuscan red (IGT) made with younger Sangiovese vines and a small percentage of Cabernet and Merlot. Really nice easy-drinking wine.

Petit Verdot - now this is quite an intriguing wine since RISECCOLI is the only Tuscany producer bottling an unblended Petit Verdot...and there are probably only 2 or 3 other Italian producers with a 100% Petit Verdot.

The estate also produces a Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva, a Vin Santo and a Super-Tuscan called Saeculum (considered their "cult" wine).

Now I am usually not a huge fan of Super Tuscans because they tend to be a bit overpowering for me, but I found RISECCOLI's Saeculum to be full-bodied with ripe-fruit but also very nicely balanced. The wine consistently receives 90-93 points from international reviewers such as Robert Parker and James Suckling...and I am not surprised.

I also learned that Vin Santo is produced utilizing the same "appasimento" process of hang drying the grapes prior to pressing used to produce Recioto di Soave. For those unfamiliar with Vin Santo...it is an unfortified sweet wine, typically produced in Tuscany.

A little more on the estate and the wines to come in a future post...and on the Romanelli family and their unique history.

Not only does the family make wonderfully elegant wines, but also has an unbelievably impressive artistic heritage that put me to shame and led me to the realization that the Shea family is a motley crew of uncultured, beer-drinkin Irish heathens.

Argh!!

Wait...that's more like a pirate. So be it.

- Zucca

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A salsa dancing, body building, bouncer/wine producer

I feel 100% confident saying that ONLY in Italy would one meet a security guard/bouncer, who was about to get a license to be a personal trainer, salsa danced just about every night...and also happened to make his own wine.

Ok. Actually his father made the wine but my very well-toned friend assisted.

Met this attractive fellow at the Italia in Rosa tasting in Lazise last weekend, organized by the Consorzio di Bardolino.

We started chatting...mainly about salsa dancing cause I just love it and haven't gone salsa dancing in quite a bit (you would be surprised by the ass-shaking ability of this lanky Irish Catholic girl).

I told him about being a marketing consultant for wineries...and to my surprise, he started gushing about he and his father's homemade vino.

And the very next day, he had a bottle of this apparently potent blend of Sangiovese with some "other grapes" ready and waiting for me.

So after the Italia in Rosa tasting, my wine rack now not only has about 12 bottles of Rosé, but a bottle of acqua frizzante filled with...well, a red wine that I have absolutely no idea what the blend is or the alcohol content.

Just to be on the safe side, I think I'll be tasting this one in the comfort of my own home.

Chin chin!

- Zucca

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

damn those Turkish lambs!!!!

My sincerest apologies for the hiatus in my blog posts. But you can expect a great flood of posts over the next week or so!

First up...another blunder to add to my growing list.

Un turco vs. una turca -

Un turco = a Turkish man or person

Una turca = the fantastic squat toilets that most of my favorite trattorias have in Soave. Also known as a Turkish toilet, an Iranian toilet in Iran or paati in Malayalam...just in case you were curious.

I personally prefer myself an actual sitting toilet, but was forced to get used to squat toilets real quick upon my arrival in Soave. There are a number of reasons why some argue that these toilets are better...but my favorite is that they are ideal for pregnant women because daily squatting helps to prepare for a natural delivery.

But back to my blunder.

The other week Chiara and I ended up at this crazy discoteca called Corte degli Angeli (http://www.cortedegliangeli.com/).

I wore my more hardcore industrial looking knee-high boots instead of sandals...and thank goodness.

Yep. Turkish toilets...and some of the nastiest ones I have ever seen. Plus, when flushing, the water sprayed not only down but also straight ahead. I guess if I was lookin to wash my feet, this might of been a welcomed function.

The following day, I felt the need to voice my opinion on Turkish toilets on Facebook and wrote:

"Un turco non è mai una buona idea in una discoteca."

So I basically announced to all of my friends and acquaintances that I believe a Turkish man is never a good idea in a disco.

First comment was of course from my friend who tended to my "agnello" (or lamb)...in which he asked if I meant to write "una turca."

My response: "perche? un turco non e veramente una buon idea in una disco...neanche un agnello"

English translation: "why? a Turkish man is truly never a good idea in a disco...and neither is a lamb."

His response: "esattamente...infatti gli agnelli turchi sono i peggiori!!!"

English translation: "exactly...in fact, the Turkish lambs are the worst!!!"

One of these days these lamb jokes will get old...but it hasn't happened yet. At least not for me.

Bah!

- Zucca

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

STINCO!!


You can't help feeling a bit like a glutton...and a little silly when ordering stinco. STINCO!!!

ok. I'll try to stop. I just find the name of this dish simply fantastic.

And with a name like stinco, you can imagine that it is not the type of dish one orders on a regular basis or, good God, has as a staple in one's diet.

Stinco is a lovely, slowly braised or roasted...pork, veal or lamb shank

* Stinco di Maile or Stinco di Prosciutto = pork shank

* Stinco di Vitello = veal shank

* Stinco di Anello, I mean Agnello (bahhh) = lamb shank

some people might do a Stinco di Manzo, but I haven't seen this quite as often (or ever in the course of my travels actually).

When it comes to pairing a wine with stinco, most recommend a fuller-bodied red like a Brunello di Montalcino...but I think you could also go with a medium-bodied red if that is more your speed.

It is truly an event when one orders stinco...at least it feels that way to me.

and for some reason I always get the urge to stand up, raise my hand in the air and announce to the entire restaurant that I will indeed, be indulging in this succulent, mouth-watering shank of a pig! (I have only had Stinco di Maile...still need to try Stinco di Vitello).

Fortunately for Miss Mira, I maintained my composure during our dinner at Trattoria Dal Moro in Soave last week...and very politely told the always vivacious Sara Sambugaro (owner's daughter, who works non-stop at the trattoria...and has a singing voice that will knock your socks off), "Vorrei avere il stinco" (I would like to have the stinco).

I do fear, however, that if I had a few more aperitivi in me that evening...I would currently be banned from ordering this savory dish at Dal Moro ever again.

- Zucca

Friday, April 30, 2010

Ah...old Italian men


Now I have had my fair share of older Italian suitors...but none have been quite as direct as the gentleman my friend Miss Mira encountered in the Milan train station last week.

She was sitting down waiting for her train when this older man (or "vecchiotto" as Chiara would say, which basically means "old dude") sat down next to her. He proceeded to inquire about her language skills to see if they had a common language.

Miss Mira is not only super cute but also super sweet...and thought this man needed help finding his train.

Ultimately it became clear to the gentleman that he was going to have to utilize the bit of English he knew in order to engage with this bellissima americana.

I have a feeling he was hoping to frame the following proposal to Miss Mira in a slightly more charming and possibly more persuasive manner:

"You. Me. Sleep together. My house."

This proposal took my friend a bit by surprise...and was not the type of help that she was willing to provide to this roughly 70+ year old man.

After picking her jaw up off the floor, she declined his proposal. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said "Ok. Ciao." and went on his way.

Gotta give him credit for trying and for his bluntness (even though this was probably more so due to his limited English vocabulary).

I have spent a bit of time with an older Italian gentlemen recently and can't quite determine his intentions. He did bake me a Pastiera Napoletana (a typical Easter cake from Naples).

Does that translate to "You. Me. Sleep together. My house."??

Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

- Zucca

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Il mio minestrone!!

Quick story, grazie a Chiara.

this is another reason why I love Italy.

Only here in Italy....would a grandmother ask if someone in the waiting room of the doctor's office could watch her grandson because she needed to go home to check on her minestrone that was simmering on the stove and give it a stir.

Someone agreed to watch him. So she went home. Returned about 15 minutes later.

Grandson was still there. Doctor was ready to see them. Minestrone had not boiled over.

Grazie a Dio!!!

- Zucca

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Le gemelle!!


Mission completed!

Naturally once I actually started looking for the "gemelle of Soave," they were nowhere to found.

I did spot one without the other canoodling with her boyfriend when partaking in one of my walks through the hills of Castelcerino with the alluring Laura Rizzotto of the Balestri Valda estate last week. This solo sighting threw me completely off.

Nabbed this photo last night. Was just about to leave the house to meet a distinguished doctor from Verona for dinner when the twins passed right by my doorstep.

I turned around, bound up the stairs, grabbed my camera, ran down Corso Vittorio Emanuele decked out in my finest threads and heels...and finally caught up with the two.

In order not to seem like a total nut job, I told the girls that I just moved to Soave and am doing a photo series on all of the residents of the town.

It is amazing...even their workout outfits match.

At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to spot the two riding around the streets of Soave on a tandem bike...They could be the Italian version of the Doublemint Twins.

Raddoppi il vostro piacere. Raddoppi il vostro divertimento!!!

- Zucca

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Some Soave wines featured in Wine Spectator

Little bit slow on the take on this one...but a few Soave wines were featured in the March issue of Wine Spectator, within "New Releases" in their Wine Buying Guide.

2 wines from the Monte Tondo estate received 90+ pt ratings:

* Soave Classico Superiore Foscarin Slavinus 2007 ($30) - 93 points...and more so for those who like a late-harvest style wine

* Soave Classico Casette Foscarin 2007 ($22) - 92 points and described as a "real Soave" and "a new benchmark" by James Suckling

La Cappuccina's Soave 2008 ($9) got 87 points.

and I am happy to report that the Coffele estate's Soave Classico Alzari 2007 ($24) was also mentioned and received a 91pt. rating. Not sure I got the banana cream pie notes that Mr. Sucking did...but haven't had banana cream pie in quite a while.

also do not 100% agree that this wine is "like a juicy Chardonnay from the New World in texture." Usually not a huge fan of New World style wines cause they tend to be overpoweringly oaky...and I found Alzari to be slightly more subtle and have just the right amount of oakiness due to being aged in large oak barrels as opposed to barrique.

But, I will be the first to admit that I'm a lot newer to the world of wine tasting than Mr. Suckling.

Cheers!

- Zucca

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Gnocca fritta & occhi ricci con il mio agnello e mia futura suocera



While my Italian is fairly decent, occasionally I do make an error or two...to the complete and utter amusement of my Italian friends.

Here are a few recent examples:

#1. Agnello vs. anello. I slept over a friend's house the other week and left my very favorite ring at his place. Was in a bit of a rush and sent him the following text: "penso che abbia dimenticato il mio agnello a casa tua," which translates to "I think that I forgot my lamb at your house." Agnello = lamb. Anello = ring.

Of course this set off a very entertaining exchange of text messages...including, "Spero che il mio agnello non ti abbia dato fastidio ieri sera." (I hope my lamb did not annoy you last night). And of course I had to end all my texts with "bahhhhhh."

That lovely little "g" provided Chiara and I with hours of amusement...and my texts may have caused my friend to consider deleting me from his contact list and de-friending me on Facebook.

#2. Suocera vs. soccia. Went to dinner during the Vinitaly wine fair with a wine producer from Piedmont and a group of his friends. We ate at this fantastic restaurant in Valpolicella called Bottega de Corgnan (www.bottegaitaliana.net). This particular producer and I had just met the day before...and I am not one to toot my own horn, but he seemed to have taken quite a liking to yours truly.

At one point during the evening, one of the other dinner guests asked me the following question: "Dove abita la tua soccia?" Soccia = partner. So, he was asking me where my business partner lives.

And yes. I now have a business partner. More on this recent development a little bit later.

I misunderstood and thought he said "suocera," not "soccia." Suocera = mother-in-law. My smitten Barbaresco producer jumped on this right away, pulled out his cell and said, "Sto parlando con la sua futura suocera!!!" ("I am talking to her future mother-in-law right now!")...meaning his mother.

Everyone at the table busted out laughing. And throughout the remainder of the evening, they kept reassuring me that I had nothing to worry about because they were positive my future mother-in-law would like me very much.

#3. Occhi ricci vs. capelli ricci. Now, I cannot take credit for this one. This was 100% Chiara. Occhi ricci = curly eyes, while capelli ricci = curly hair.

I don't think I need to say which one she was trying to say. She made this error as we were heading back to the car after the 5th and final day of Vinitaly, 2-3 beers and a "panino di merda."

Now, the literal translation of "panino di merda" is a "sandwich of shit" (please excuse the profanity). These sandwiches are called "paninos di merda" because they are usually sold at down & dirty stands on the side of the road outside of venues where they put on conferences, concerts, etc. These stands are a little bit like the Sausage Guy in Boston and, despite the name, their sandwiches are really quite good.

We ultimately came to the conclusion that "occhi ricci" was actually a very accurate way to describe our eyes after the 5 crazy days of Vinitaly!

#4. Gnocca fritta vs. gnocco fritto. I tried "gnocco fritto" for the first time with Chiara about 2 nights ago. They are a typical product from the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia in the Emilia-Romagna region. Basically they are little pillows of fried dough that are usually served with cured meats such as sopressata, prosciutto, salami, lardo, etc. and I challenge anyone to eat just one of these little puffs of deliciousness.

Chiara told me what these tasty treats were called...but of course I forgot after having another beer and asked "Il nome per questi e 'gnocca fritta' si?"

"Gnocca" = a hot or very attractive girl
"Fritta" = fried

So I asked her if these tasty little treats were called "fried hot girl" or "hot girl fried."

after that, it was "Gnocca fritta per tutti!!!!"

Bahhh!!!

- Zucca

Monday, March 29, 2010

Sei in Forma

I have become quite familiar with this particular Italian phrase since my return to Italy a little over a month ago.

literal translation = you are in form

in most cases, if an Italian tells you "sei in forma," they think you are in good shape and you should take it as a compliment. In Italia, a person goes to the gym to "rimanere in forma."

but, it can get a little tricky.

Let's take me as an example.

I have been told by just about everyone in Soave that "sei piu in forma." So according to everyone in the town of Soave, I am actually more "in form" or seem more in shape than the last time they saw me.

But in my case, it also means that I have gained a little weight and have more of a shape to me now. Of course everyone has assured me that I look much better now because I was "troppo magra" before (or "too skinny").

Now. I should take this as a compliment and feel super confident.

...but when a close male friend gives ya a big squeeze, pulls away but still keeps hold of one of your arms like it is a "ala di pollo" (chicken wing), nods a few times and then proceeds to tell you "sei piu in forma," it can be a bit difficult.

It can also be a bit difficult when literally the first thing out of everyone's mouth upon seeing you again after roughly a year is "sei piu in forma."

...and when a toast is dedicated to you being "piu in forma" at your welcome back dinner at your favorite local trattoria.

Regardless, I am going to work on fighting my natural inclination to think the skinnier the better and whole-heartedly embrace this idea of me looking better with a little more meat on my bones...since apparently everyone else has.

Cheers!!

- Zucca

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Festa della Donna


also known as "International Women's Day"...took place on March 8th.

While the history and story behind the "Festa della Donna" is sobering and significant, as it started off as a day to commemorate the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, it has turned into a holiday that some would describe as a combination between Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.

and in Italy...apparently it is a day when women traditionally get together and go to a strip club.

Instead of hitting up a strip club, Chiara and I celebrated the "Festa della Donna" on the ski slopes in Carezza. I think we may have been the only two "single" girls skiing on this day...and that was just fine.



Quite appropriately, we started off our day on the slopes with a bombardino. A bombardino is a popular drink in Italy during the winter...and is perfect if you are in the mountains. There a few different types of bombardinos but all are served warm and usually with whipped cream. My preferred bombardino is "vov con panna," which is an egg-based liquor with a little marsala and sugar. Visual reference provided. Cheers!



I highly highly recommend ordering one of these if you ever find yourself skiing in Italy. As I see it, a ski day in Italy just isn't a ski day in Italy without at least one bombardino.

After our first run, of course it was time for bombardino #2. We stopped at this refugio (place on the mountain to nab a bite, a drink, etc.) for a grappa della pruna. Before I could raise my concerns about having grappa made with prunes while skiing, the two small shot-like glasses garnished with a sliced prune were served up.

This refugio is where we met a fantastic group of older gentleman from Rome enjoying a ridiculously large plate of mixed cheeses and salumi and a bottle or two of lagrein. Chiara couldn't resist and told the guy working at the refugio that we wanted a plate like these gentlemen. And that is all it took.



45 minutes later, we were back on the slopes after stuffing ourselves with speck, downing 2 glasses of lagrein, 2 more grappas, a weisbier...and trying some "acqua di Roma," very kindly provided by the eldest Romano of the bunch, who was probably bordering on 75.

It would have been more fitting for this home-made "acqua di Roma" to be served in a flask, as opposed to a plastic water bottle.

The Italians have a saying when it comes to people from Rome: i romani hanno una marcia in piu.

This literally translates to "the romans have an extra gear" or "have one more gear." It refers to their true zest for life, and their super friendly and sociable nature. If everyone in Rome is remotely as friendly and hospitable as these gentlemen were...I definitely need to plan an excursion to Rome in the near future.

So not only did Chiara get in some skiing, but also were thoroughly entertained by these wonderful Romani and were nice and toasty prior to 11 in the morning.

Buona Festa della Donna indeed!

- Zucca

Monday, March 15, 2010

Le gambe d'oro ancora funzionano

I go running basically everyday through the streets and vineyards of Soave...and of course this is seen as a very "American" thing to do, especially if I go quite early in the morning.

Going running or to the gym at 6am is pretty much unheard of in Soave, as opposed to in the states where gyms can have a line for the treadmill starting at 5:30am. Actually you would be hard pressed to find a gym in Soave or any of the surrounding towns that opens prior to 9am.

Very much wish I had a corresponding visual for this story. La prossima volta!

I was in the last stretch of my run the other day and passed by a group of roughly 12-15 men ranging in age from about 25-65. They were watching some fishermen transfer an enormous amount of live fresh fish from one large container to another. I can only assume they were prepping to make a delivery to some of the local restaurants.

As I passed by, all the men turned my way to say "Buon Giorno." And let's just say, they didn't immediately turn back to watch the action with the fish after wishing me a good day. There definitely was some lingering of the eyes going on...and there was nothing subtle about it.

So I am happy to report that my "gambe d'oro" still work...per fortuna!!

- Zucca

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Bigoli! Bigoli! Bigoli!

The way I rave about bigoli one would think that after eating a plate of this pasta...no other type of pasta will do. And I would say this is a very accurate assumption, at least in my case. You could say that bigoli ruined me for other pastas.

Bigoli is a traditional pasta of the Veneto region and the name comes from the manual press, the Bigolaro, which is used to make this very long and thick spaghetti-like pasta. The Bigolaro was actually granted an Italian Royal Patent back in 1875. One day I may have to buy myself one of these fantastic bigoli-making contraptions.















I was introduced to this unique type of pasta during my first "soggiorno" (or stay) in Soave about 2-3 years ago. It was the bigoli con pomodorini e lardo di Soave at Enoteca Il Drago. After my first plate of bigoli con pomodorini, I was totally sold.

At Drago, Carlo Colla (the chef & owner of this wonderful wine bar & kitchen) prepares the fresh bigoli pasta with a very simple tomato sauce with lardo di Soave and topped with just a touch of chives and grated parmigiano.

For those who do not know what lardo is...it is pretty much exactly what it sounds like it would be: cured pig's fat. And dang is it tasty.

Bigoli alla carbonara is also an extremely popular dish with this type of pasta (also on the menu at Drago). I cooked this up for myself the other evening. Visual references provided.





















Shockingly enough, I treated myself to Carlo's bigoli con pomodorini last week...and couldn't have asked for a more appropriate and tasty dish for my first meal back in Soave.

- Zucca

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Il Mio Ritorno A Soave












Yes. After spending roughly a year and an half in the states, I decided to move back to the medieval-walled town of Soave and revive "Soave con Zucca."

I just couldn’t stay away from this lovely little town where a glass of wine costs less than a glass of water - that is if you order a glass of Soave of course.


So I am back living among a group of wine producers who never get tired of talking about what can happen to garganega grapes with a bit of oak aging, the subtle difference between a Soave with a little Trebbiano di Soave or one with 100% garganega grapes...or how long they hang dry the grapes to give them just the right level of sweetness for their recioto.

Recioto di Soave is one of the few dessert wines that I have to control myself from having more than one glass...and I usually fail miserably.

Numerous wine journalists have recently written about the crisp clean white wines of Soave and their surprising discovery that they can indeed be…quite good. And even among some of the best white wines produced in Italy. I was let in on this fantastic little secret over 10 years ago when I unknowingly befriended a Soave wine producer, the infamous Chiara Coffele. Little did I know that our chance encounter in the small town of Murnau in Bavaria, where people still actually wore lederhosen, would lead to me living in a lovely studio apartment in the center of Soave over ten years later.
























(Just a reminder: in order to be considered a “Soave Classico,” a wine needs to have at least 70% garganega grapes, the remaining percentage can be any combination of Trebbiano di Soave, Chardonnay or Pinot Bianco).

But I could go on and on about my complete adoration for Soave wines...and am guaranteed to do so in future posts.

All I can say is that I am extremely happy to have returned to this spectacular town where I am known as “La Americana” by some and “Gambe di Oro” by others (golden legs).

And I promise that there will be no more extended periods of time between posts moving forward.

Chin Chin!

- Zucca