Soave con Zucca

been doing "la passeggiata" all wrong...

2010-07-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

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

Sono caldo/a vs. sono accaldato/a

2010-07-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

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

one lucky bastard...

2010-06-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

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

Visit to the RISECCOLI winery in Tuscany

2010-06-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

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

A salsa dancing, body building, bouncer/wine producer

2010-06-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

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

damn those Turkish lambs!!!!

2010-05-18T01:57:00.000-07:00

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

STINCO!!

2010-05-04T01:49:00.000-07:00

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

Ah...old Italian men

2010-04-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

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

Il mio minestrone!!

2010-04-24T23:43:00.000-07:00

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

Le gemelle!!

2010-04-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

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

Some Soave wines featured in Wine Spectator

2010-04-17T00:37:00.000-07:00

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

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

2010-04-15T03:44:00.000-07:00

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

Sei in Forma

2010-03-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

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

Festa della Donna

2010-03-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

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

Le gambe d'oro ancora funzionano

2010-03-15T03:17:00.000-07:00

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

Bigoli! Bigoli! Bigoli!

2010-03-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

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

Il Mio Ritorno A Soave

2010-03-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

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

Zucca in Parigi...

2008-09-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

This post is a little bit overdue considering that my Paris vacation took place almost a month ago.

But as most ladies over the age of let's say 20 know (and some 17 year old girls whose mom may just be running for vice president of the US find out the hard way)...better late than never!!!

Honestly, Paris is probably the most romantic city I have ever visited. There is just something about the city that gets you in the mood for some lovin the moment you see the skyline.

I stayed in Paris with the lovely Miss Tracey, a very good friend from NYU. Tracey has a thing for boys with an edge, definitely not easily impressed, has one of the best laughs around (truly) and the girl I want right by my side if I ever get in an actual physical fight. Yes. Chances of me getting in a physical fight are slim, but it never hurts to know who you want to have your back just in case.

The weather was spectacular the entire week I was in Paris...and basically I spent my money on food, wine, entry into museums and some obscenely expensive cocktails at a super trendy joint called Cafe Chic (i.e. 20 euros for 1 mojito...which converts to roughly $28 at the moment). Obscenely expensive may be an understatement.

Regarding Cafe Chic. Little advice. If you go there with a somewhat large party, it definitely makes sense to get a bottle of vodka, gin...whatever your poison.

But if your party consists of 3 girls who happened to drink 2 bottles of wine beforehand, buying a bottle just leads to a tab of 270 euros, some drunk texting, possibly stuffing roses down the front of your dress and a slight "mal di testa" (or headache) the next morning.

- Zucca

Karezza in estate...

2008-08-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the photos from all of the unofficial wedding photographers...so unfortunately my follow-up post with some more pics and details on Alberto and Giulia's wedding is kind of in a holding pattern.

Luckily I managed to swing in a quick 2-day excursion to Karezza in the meantime, took some photos...and discovered that Karezza is a pretty spectacular place in the summer, as well as the winter.

Smaller crew in comparison to New Years. Just Chiara, her mom Giovanna, Giorgio and I. But it was perfect.

Our 2 days basically involved...doing a little walking, playing cards, lunch at a random spot in the middle of a field where we were treated to a live accordion performance, an unsuccessful attempt at finding mushrooms (a first for me), eating lots of red meat (visual references provided) and drinking a decent amount of red wine.

Ok. More accurately...I drank a decent amount of red wine and actually had to apologize for finishing off the bottle at dinner - what can I say? Giorgio was too busy talking to drink, Giovanna was in too much shock listening to the stories Giorgio was telling to drink, Chiara was laughing too much to drink, the bottle was placed strategically right next to me...and apparently I was the only multi-tasker at the table.

- Zucca

A Coffele Wedding...a little preview

2008-07-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately all of the photos from the wedding of Alberto Coffele and Giulia Pastori have not been fully assembled from the 3-4 unofficial wedding photographers (all friends or relatives of the bride or the groom).

But here is a sneak peak...

Alberto & Chiara pre-wedding...and just a tad bit nervous.

Beppino Coffele (Chiara's Dad)...looking very wise and dashing, as always.

Me and Davide, Alberto's best man. The best man duties for an Italian boy basically include...well, showing up to the wedding and buying a slightly more expensive present for the newlyweds. Ta Da!

The view of Lake Orta (or Lago D'Orta) from the church. Lake Orta is a little bit north of Milan, absolutely spectacular and apparently quite a popular spot for weddings.

More photos to come...and the reasons why they also, shockingly enough, do weddings better in Italy!

- Zucca

A White Trash BBQ in Castelcerino...

2008-06-16T04:09:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I call a bbq.

Shirtless men manning the largest grill I have ever seen...and cooking up an obscene amount of tasty pork products.

To be exact, enough of the following pork products to feed roughly 30 people:
- Costine di maiale (pork ribs)
- Salsicce (sausage)
- Bistecca di prosciutto (basically Italian ham steak)
- Pancetta (Italian bacon)

The bbq took place at the Coffele Agriturismo, or "bed and breakfast."

Well, more accurately...the Coffele "bed & breakfast to be served sometime in the near future."

The bbq was in celebration of my Dad and his lady's visit to Soave (the lovely Linda)...as well as the upcoming birthday of my Dad and that of Giovanna, Chiara's mom.

A friend from Boston, Paul Christophersen, was also in attendance..and I would be fooling myself to think that the driving force behind his postponing his flight to England to stay for the bbq was to spend more time with me and not the lure of the Fred Flintstone sized hunks of meat.

The menu also included guacamole, fresh tomatoes and basil and a cold rice dish.

And of course, Coffele wine was served in abundance.

Luckily the weather held up and we were able to end this fabulous day with an excursion through the Coffele vineyards to pick some fresh cherries...led by the fearless Giovanna (pictured with me below).

It was a real treat introducing my Dad and Linda to all of the wonderful people that I have met during my stay in Italy. All of whom have made my experience here truly unbelievable...and even better, more entertaining and definitely significantly crazier than I could have ever imagined.

All of whom have also contributed to the re-enforcing of my belief that they do everything just a little bit better in Italy.

- Zucca

Soave wines getting some press in the US...

2008-05-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Eric Asimov, chief wine critic of The New York Times, recently wrote an article about Soave wines after conducting a tasting of 25 different Soaves.

In addition to himself, the wine panel consisted of Florence Fabricant, Fred Plotkin (author of a number of books on Italian food, wine and music) and David Lynch (co-author of “Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy”).

I wanted to pass along the link to the article to anyone who may be interested in learning a bit more about Soave wines...and the different POVs from the tasting panel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/dining/14wine.html?ex=1211428800&en=3fc210dba0c1f2e8&ei=5070&emc=eta1

I have also added the link under "HMM...INTERESTING" on the left.

And am very happy to report that the Coffele Soave Classico Ca'Visco 2006 was #5 on their list...and described as:

"Fresh, tangy and refreshing; cries out for seafood."

Just like the producers!!

- Zucca

Gambe d'oro...

2008-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

This is a new addition to the list of nicknames that I have been given over the years (some previous ones include stretch, skinny bones, red and carrot top.)

The translation...here's a little clue.

"The Golden Compass", the first novel in Philip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials," translates to "La Bussola D'Oro" in Italian (which was actually the first movie I saw in an Italian cinema).

D'oro = of gold

Gambe = legs

So I am now referred to as "Legs of Gold" or "Golden Legs" by one of the regulars at Enoteca Drago.

and I am just fine with that.

- Zucca

From Russia With Love...

2008-04-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

Ok...think I received my first ever proposition for sex from a Russian businessman last week.

I have had a number of interesting exchanges/experiences over the past 6 months in Italy...but this definitely rates at the top of the list.

I was at Matley's (a local bar outside the walls of Soave) with Laura, a close girlfriend of Chiara and I.

I was approached by this Russian man dressed in a suit...He kept repeating the same line over and over again in Russian but noone in the bar could understand a word he was saying. Hand gestures were then utilized, which unfortunately did not help very much.

Having realized the hand gestures weren't working, he then started to pull out a good amount of euros from his wallet (to the utter shock of basically everyone in the bar, who of course had all been watching this exchange with complete amusement). It was pretty obvious based on the amount of cash he pulled out that my Russian was not just offering to pay for drinks.

Now, I am not a smoker but have been known to take a drag or two off of someone else's cigarette after a few drinks.

It was at this point that I decided a drag or two would not do and that I needed at least one whole cigarette all to myself...so Laura and I exited the bar.

We re-entered the bar briefly to pay for our drinks. It appeared that my new Russian friend wanted to escort us home, but Fabio (the bartender) put his foot down...and let's just say that the Russian may not have understood Italian, but he understood Fabio completely and remained inside the bar.

Of course upon arriving at home I attempted to find the Russian translation for "What is your hourly rate?," "How much for the entire night?" and "How do you feel about bondage?" online.

Anyone by any chance familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet?

- Zucca

The Coffele Dinner at Enoteca Drago...

2008-04-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

The annual Coffele dinner during Vinitaly at Enoteca Drago in Soave was...well. Perfect.

A truly wonderful evening with great food, splendid company and of course, lots of Coffele wine.

The attendees included a number of Coffele wine distributors, clients, friends of the family, 2 Masters of Wine, Giovanna and Giuseppe Coffele (Chiara and Alberto's parents), the founder of a new wine search engine and journalists in the industry...The amount of wine knowledge at Enoteca Drago this particular Saturday night was overwhelming and just a bit intimidating for someone who considers themselves still quite the novice when it comes to wine.

The night started off with a buffet of freshly sliced prosciutto, oysters, mussels and clams served on the patio at Enoteca Drago...and a tasting of older vintages of some of the Coffele wines, such as Alzari and their Soave Classico.

We then moved inside and were treated first to a plate of risotto with asparagus served with Ca' Visco...and then came one of my favorite dishes at Enoteca Drago...Filetto di Manzo, which you cook at the table with something like a hibachi grill. Buonissima!!

So simple, but so tasty. The meat arrives at the table perfectly sliced and ready to be placed on the grill for as short/long a period as you would like. Add a little olive oil, salt and pepper after the meat has been cooked and your tastebuds are in for a treat. This dish was served with Nuj, one of 2 red wines that the Coffele estate produces (75% merlot and the remaining 25% being a combination of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc).

Dessert was next...served with the sweet nectar the Coffele family calls "Le Sponde," their Recioto di Soave.

It was then time for some amaros (Italian herbal liqueurs, drank mainly after-dinner as a digestif to settle the stomach a bit) and some limoncello and grappa. My preferred amaro is Montenegro...but there are a number of others, such as Jagermeister (who knew) and Braulio.

Finally at around 1:30am...it was off to Cavo, a bar located in San Bonifacio and the 2nd locale where my bartender preferito works.

The crew did dwindle a bit in size after dinner.

The long-haulers included myself, Chiara, Pete and Franz, Doug Cook (friend of Chiara's from California and founder of the new wine search engine called Able Grape - www.ablegrape.com), Danny Boucher (don't know quite how to describe Danny...thinking a password protected separate section may be required) and Filippo Pistone (Chiara's distributor from NY and the man wearing my scarf in the group photo).

I lost my scarf in a guessing game of what combination of flavors/ingredients were in a particular drink...The correct answer was liquirizia (a fairly dense, licorice flavored liquor). Doh!!!

- Zucca

How do you compete...

2008-04-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

not only with 2 girls in skin tight unitards (gold as opposed to silver this year) with uncanningly natural-seeming golden wigs, but in addition...a topless chick with gold body paint?

And I must admit, Chiara and I looked pretty damn cute in our new Custo Barcelona dresses.

Yes. Astoria, the stand always directly right in front of the Coffele stand at Vinitaly, outdid themselves and busted out with some new tricks this year. The topless girl posing and lounging around the stand on the last day of Vinitaly being one of them.

Have a feeling most people will not remember what Astoria actually produces...but, will not be able to forget the golden girls. Heck, it took me until day #3 to realize they produced prosecco.

Chiara already has some ideas for pushing the envelope next year at the Coffele stand for Vinitaly...one involving she and I and a bathtub filled with her fabulous Recioto di Soave, "Le Sponde" (a beautiful dessert wine produced with 100% garganega grapes).

I think we should keep it simple and have the theme for the 2009 Coffele stand be "Tutti nudi."

Don't think a translation is required. Hopefully.

- Zucca

Vinitaly. Oh boy...

2008-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

The craziness starts tomorrow. Day #1 of Vinitaly.

Felt a little preparatory post was required.

The pictures above are from 2007...my 1st Vinitaly experience at the Coffele stand, and what an experience it was.

Here is a brief list of facts for those not familiar with the event:

1. Vinitaly is the largest wine show in the world

2. The 2008 show will include 4,300 exhibitors coming from more than 30 countries...and 150,000 visitors are expected (with 30% coming from more than 100 foreign countries)

3. The show is always held in Verona around the end of March/beginning of April and lasts for 5 days

4. It is the only show focused on the needs of all operators in the industy such as producers, importers, distributors, caterers, technicians, journalists and opinion leaders

5. Themeline for Vinitaly is "Another love story in Verona." Doesn't get more cheesy...I mean, romantic than that.

And last but not least...
6. It is the event that causes wine producers all over the world to go really quite mad in preparation. And in the case of Chiara and I, to go on a well...let's face it, a frivolous shopping spree thus expanding our wardrobes by unnecessary leaps and bounds.

Definitely more posts on Vinitaly to follow over the course of the next few days.

And yes, Robin Berben, Franz and Pete will be in attendance (btw, Franz is the guy with the enormous wine bottle on his nose and Pete is to his right in the photo above). And yes, those two girls with Alberto in the photo above are wearing silver wigs and full-body silver unitards. Ah...gotta love unitards.

Giddy Up!!!

- Zucca

Dusseldorf with the Consorzio & Chiara...

2008-03-21T02:18:00.000-07:00

After 10 hours of driving, 5-6 paninos, 2-3 packages of peanut M&Ms, a few naps and probably a few too many pee breaks due to yours truly...Chiara and I, along with Giovanni (see lower left photo - that's Giovanni) and Anna, from the Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave, arrived in Dusseldorf...the location of the ProWein tasting, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the wine and spirits industry.

Quick change at our hotel and then we were back on the road heading towards Maastricht in Holland for dinner at Cafe Sjiek.

Cafe Sjiek is owned by Robin Berben, who happens to be quite a fan of Coffele wines. Robin is also a total gentleman, fiercely charming and funny as hell without trying in the least...You honestly couldn't find someone more suited to run this bustling, yet perfectly quaint neighborhood cafe/bistro.

Robin is also a man with whom Chiara and I spent a very entertaining evening during the last Vinitaly wine fair in Verona. Someone once told me that nothing good ever happens after 2am...this person obviously never spent the wee hours of the morning with Robin Berben, his brother-in-law Franz (and one of Chiara's distributors) and their friend Pete.

To see some pictures that really visually capture what "An evening in Maastricht" and dinner at Cafe Sjiek is like...definitely check out http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/694. Scroll down a bit and there is a picture of Robin as well.

The next day, after prepping and fully stocking the Consorzio stand with numerous bottles of Soave wines for ProWein, we met up with some of my friends from Germany for a few weissbiers. Great day for doing some outdoor bier drinking. Shockingly enough the photo of me kissing the little guy with the beard was taken before our afternoon bierfest.

Later that night, the Consorzio crew (including Arturo Stocchetti, the President of the Consorzio and owner of the Cantina di Castello winery) and my Dusseldorf crew had a tasty dinner at a new restaurant called "In Vino Veritas."

My friend Meike (beautiful blond with the cute little baby featured in one of the photos) appropriately chose this restaurant in honor of the occassion which brought us all to Dusseldorf - the ProWein fair.

By the end of our 3-4 hour dinner, Arturo (see middle photo on the right hand side) was chatting it up with the owner of the restaurant and we were treated to an enormous dessert plate of tiramisu, chocolate mousse and some other rich chocolatey concoction.

...and I wonder why I've gots a little more junk in the trunk.

- Zucca

A wild Saturday night in Soave & San Bonifacio...

2008-03-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

2 Saturdays ago...

Chiara and my night started off with an aperitivo at our apartment (Coffele Soave Classico 2006 of course) with Stefano from Karezza and his girlfriend. Stefano is the fellow in the upper right photo using his pointer finger (or "his little friend" as he likes to call it) as a...well, finger puppet.

2nd stop...Enoteca Realda for a few glasses of Pra Soave Classico 2006. Realda is a new addition to Soave and owned by Roberto Anselmi, a wine producer in the region. His wines are not classified as "Soave DOC" but rather as "IGT Veneto". The interesting story behind this, as well as a more detailed description of Realda and the lovely ladies who work there (including Roberto's daughter Lisa) require the dedication of a separate post.

We were joined at Realda by a stellar crew of individuals including Chiara's cousin, 2 of his friends, Arianna (another "Fattore K" victim) Alberto & Giulia...and the hardcore crew from the Montefortiana (Matteo, his girlfriend Elena, Paolo and Elena).

Then it was off to Trattoria Dal Moro for dinner (picture in the upper left)...which is where I actually celebrated my 30th birthday and ate trippe for the first time (must admit, the stomach lining of a cow is pretty gosh darn tasty) and ucceli (roasted little game birds). Roberto from Karezza showed up just in time to head to our next stop...

...Bar Lazia in San Bonifacio (5 minute drive from Soave). If you are in the mood for a fabulous mojito, gin fizz or any other cocktail creation, Lazia is the place. Also has a cozy patio for partaking in some drinking outdoors and is one of the two locales where my bartender preferito works.

Final destination of the evening...Skylight Disco City in San Bonifacio. Don't really quite know how to describe this particular discotheque, which started out as a gay disco but definitely isn't purely a gay disco anymore. Word to the wise (gay or straight), if you are dancing with someone and they want to take you to "another room"...do not follow if you just want to explore the disco, are looking for a change of atmosphere, music, etc. Actually a word to the wise may not be required for those a tad bit less naive than yours truly.

btw...definitely try to strategically position yourself in the main room of Sky at around 3am to see the spectacular "shower show." Sorry, not providing any details. Have to experience it yourself.

Arrived at Sky around 1pm and after about 5 hours of dancing our bums off (see photos for reference)...we all went our separate ways to sleep our Sundays away.

- Zucca

A lazy Sunday in Castelcerino

2008-03-04T00:26:00.001-08:00

Sunday brunch...Always though it couldn't get better than waking up on a Sunday morning, drinking some coffee out of my preferred coffee mug (which is roughly the size of a medium salad bowl) and going for a long walk to make room for a heaping plate of Eggs Benedict at the Centre Street Cafe in Jamaica Plain, my choice brunch joint in my old neighborhood in Boston.

But that was before I spent a lazy Sunday in Castelcerino.

The Coffele vineyards, as well as the vineyards of a number of other Soave wine producers (such as Suavia, Filippi and Balestri Valda) are located in the hills of Castelcerino...as are a handful of wonderful bed & breakfasts or "agriturismi."

After a late morning walk around the hills with Chiara and Giorgio (a "Fattore K" victim, admitted eBay addict, absolute sweetheart and man who knows something, or more accurately a frightening amount of info on just about everything)...we ended up at Hosteria Cansignorio.

Alberto and Giulia joined us at this perfect spot for a long lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately the picture in the upper left is the only one I have of the restaurant...but you can actually check out their website at: http://hostariacansignorio.com/sve/contatti.html

And after 3 hours, 2 bottles of wine, a plate of polenta with mushrooms, another with a mix of salumi, pasta with artichokes, a nice chat with the owner (Sirpa), dessert and coffee...

Well, actually...I think the look on Giorgio's face says it all. See photo in the upper right.

Okay...the pole may also have had something to do with that. And understandably so.

- Zucca

"Fattore K"...

2008-02-25T05:44:00.000-08:00

I unfortunately did not get to spend as much time at the wine tasting in Verona the other weekend due to a last minute conflicting engagement.

So…this post is going to be dedicated to Karezza (or Carezza).

Now I do not want people to think I am writing about Karezza just to write about something…a kind of half-ass or sub-par posting.

I had been planning on dedicating at least one posting to Karezza. Actually, more than 1 may need to be devoted to this brilliant place, and specifically to the unbelievably interesting, fun and fantastic group of people I met over New Years.

Yes, Karezza is where Chiara and I spent an intimate and tranquil New Years Eve (and the first few hours of New Years Day)…with a crew of about 40 people.

Picture in the lower right is from New Years - in the middle is Alberto (Chiara's brother) with his classy lady Giulia on the left and Roberto (the first victim of an influenza that roughly 50-60% of the people from New Years ended up getting) on the right.

Some facts on Karezza:
1. Located in the Dolomites
2. Great place to ski, snowboard, cross-country ski, romp around in the snow…whatever your pleasure
3. Known for having one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy, Lago di Carezza
4. Location of the Grand Hotel Karezza (inaugurated on July 8, 1896). Winston Churchill regularly stayed in this hotel with his wife, as well as Agatha Christie
5. Agatha Christie actually set the plot for one of her novels here, The Big Four

Back to New Years…

The intriguing, wonderful and unique thing about the New Year’s Eve crew is that they all have been going to Karezza for the past 10, 15, 20+ years...to ski, eat a slightly unhealthy amount of speck (actually that may just have been me - btw, speck is a salt-and-cold-smoke cured ham, similar to proscuitto, but boned before curing and super tasty and originally from the region of Alto Adige/Sudtirol), partake in Apres Ski and more importantly, to take a breath, relax, laugh their asses off and just have a damn good time and forget about everything else...which you can’t help doing when you are in Karezza, especially with this particular group of people.

But I need to warn anyone planning on visiting Karezza about something...“Fattore K” or Factor K. You are bound to catch this after spending 2-3 days there. Nothing serious. It basically explains why everyone in Karezza is a bit off their rocker.

And once you have it…sorry, you’re stuck with it.

As you can tell from the photo above, Chiara is suffering from a terrible case.

And I don't think she would have it any other way.

- Zucca

Soave wines...

2008-02-14T03:32:00.001-08:00

Time for some quick facts on Soave wines:
1. The Soave wine production zone is situated in the eastern part of the hills in the province of Verona

2. The zone includes part or all of the lands belonging to the municipalities of Soave, Monteforte, San Martino B.A., Lavagno, Mezzane, Caldiero, Colognola, Illasi, Cazzano, San Bonifacio, Roncà, Montecchia and S. Giovanni Ilarione

3. Garganega is the designation’s principal grape variety...with Trebbiano di Soave being another indigenous grape to the area

4. The specific classification of "Soave Classico” is reserved for those wines made from grapes harvested and vinified in the municipalities of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone (the oldest, original “classic” zone)

5. In order for a wine to be considered a "Soave" wine...it has to have at least 70% garganega grapes. The remaining percentage can be made up of any combination of Trebbiano di Soave, Pinot Bianco or Chardonnay

Ta da!!

- Zucca

“Il Soave incontra il mare e mette pace tra…Pisa e Livorno”

2008-02-13T07:58:00.000-08:00

This translates to…”Soave meets the sea and makes peace between Pisa and Livorno”.

This was the theme of the wine tasting I went to last Friday in Pisa organized by the Consorzio di Tutela Vini del Soave (an organization that works on behalf of the Soave wine producers). Lucia Vesentini, the lovely lady in the photo with Chiara and I, actually works for the Consorzio…and is also the one to talk to if you find yourself in Verona jonesing to do a little tango or salsa dancing.

And yes, as you can see by the photo in the upper left, I did indeed get to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa (or "La Torre di Pisa")...which caused me to have another one of my “what a lucky girl am I” moments.

Actually manned the Coffele stand with Chiara, which entailed giving out tastings of 3 out of the 8 wines produced by her vineyards.

Love manning the Coffele stand...Always a good time and always end up with some interesting stories. Honestly, how many times does a girl get propositioned by an Italian boy looking for a woman to “milk his cows”? Okay...maybe more than one would expect.

It was the first and only time that I have positioned my lack of experience as a reason why I wasn’t qualified for or couldn’t possibly take on a particular position.

Okay. Back to the tasting in Pisa…

The 3 Coffele wines included:
1. Basic Soave Classico – 100% Garganega (grape variety) and aged in steel tanks
2. Ca’ Visco Soave Classico – 75% Garganega and 25% Trebbiano di Soave, also aged in steel tanks
3. Alzari Soave Classico – 100% Garganega and aged in large oak barrels, or “botte grande” for 14 months

There were 21 other Soave wine producers at the tasting…Links to their individual websites (where available) are listed on the left under “Hmm...Interesting.”

Going to another tasting in Verona with Chiara this Saturday. I’ll keep you posted on any additional propositions received.

Moo…

- Zucca

Montefortiana - the best race ever...

2008-01-28T05:06:00.000-08:00

Participating in the 33rd Montefortiana confirmed my suspicion that they do just about everything better in Italy.

I have run numerous races that involved drinking a bunch of beers and eating afterwards (who doesn't love a "brew run"), but this was my first that involved drinking and eating during the race.

Needless to say, there wasn't much running involved...a bit difficult after your 4th or 5th vin brule! Which is basically what I am drinking in every picture from the Montefortiana.

Btw - the cute girl to my left in the photo in the upper right is Chiara, my roommate and consultant for just about everything.

Little lesson on vin brule:
Vin brule is basically a mulled wine (wine mixed with some spices)...usually red and served nice and warm. It is typically drunk in northern Italy, which fortunately enough for me is where I live. Actually a popular drink on the slopes for anyone planning a ski trip to Italy in the near future (vin brule or "vov con panna" are perfect after your first run - will explain vov at a later date).

In addition to pickling myself with vin brule...I ate some surprisingly tasty things during and after the race. Minestrone soup (see photo of the guy with the enormous ladle for reference), grilled chicken breast (which was unbelievable tasty) and tortellini.

It was my first experience crossing the finish line for a race completely full...and with a little bit of a buzz.

...and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

- Zucca

The Name...

2008-01-13T05:57:00.000-08:00

Thought it might be a good idea (and hopefully a little interesting) to give the rationale behind the name of my blog.

Zucca means "pumpkin" and con means "with" in Italian (for those who didn't look this up on AltaVista Babel Fish). So...ya end up with "Soave with Pumpkin."

Pumpkin, or pumpkinhead, was a nickname that my Dad gave me when I was a little girl for obvious reasons...well, one obvious reason.

And basically if something has pumpkin as an ingredient, I will eat it, love it and probably ask for the recipe - little hint to anyone planning on cooking me up a meal in the near future.

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to try the pumpkin gnocchi at Enoteca Drago, the winebar I work at in the center of Soave. Hoping to get the recipe from Carlo, the owner and chef, and try to re-create this dish sometime in the near future. I'll let ya know how this little experiment goes. I am naively optimistic!

The pumpkin gnocchi was topped with trombette (a particular type of mushroom) and grated parmigiano...Perfect combination of salty and sweet.

Wine pairing recommendation - should have this dish with an oaky wine, but not too oaky (ideally a wine with a subtle oaky quality)...Lucky for me (since I live with the wine producer), Alzari from the Coffele vineyards would be perfect. It is a Soave Classico, made with 100% garganega grapes and aged in large oak barrels for 14 months.

Little lesson on Soave wines and the garganega grape (indigenous grape to Soave) to come...

Off to play some cards the Coffele family...Name of the game is "Burraco."

Ciao!

- Zucca

First Post...Wohoo!

2008-01-03T01:35:00.000-08:00

This is my first post…on any blog. So please bare with this virgin blogger a bit.

The reasons for me delving into the unchartered world of blogging (at least unchartered by me):

1. I finally moved to Italy (specifically Soave in the Veneto region) 5 days before my self-imposed deadline…my 30th birthday

2. Received a number of emails from friends & family asking about my experience here. Some sort of response was required on my part and…

3. I wanted to avoid sending out mass emails at all costs – as I see it, updated contact info is the only reason to send
out a mass email (with some limited exceptions – i.e. complaining about receiving a mass email to all the others who just received the same mass email)

4. Wanted to give people the opportunity (optional!) to get to know the Veneto region and see what is behind the walls of Soave (one of the few medieval walled cities still entirely surrounded by its walls)

5. Was itching to do this for myself (as corny as that sounds) – a creative and introspective project to keep my pretty little head even more occupied

I am approaching my blog as I do everything else in my life, kind of as a work-in-progress. So I am extremely open to suggestions…especially since I am new to this. But if one of your suggestions is to stop using ellipses, you are out of luck. Non-negotiable. Sorry.

But if I do start down the road where I am giving such inane details on my day-to-day life, please come on over to Soave and slap me silly.

And when it comes to others posting things here, while I would like to straight-up say “no holds barred”…a little restraint is recommended. You know who you are. Yes, I am talking to you!

Grazie! And here we go…

- Zucca