Magnificent Montalcino

Wine lovers the world over visit this terrace overlooking the Val d'Orcia to pay homage to the birthplace of one of the pillars of Italian wine, Brunello di Montalcino. At this time of year in Montalcino, the Sangiovese grapes have been harvested and are quietly transforming into Bacchus' delicious nectar in more than 200 wineries. Both Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino are made with only Sangiovese Grosso grapes according to strict regulations set out by the Consorzio di Brunello di Montalcino. The different microclimates and soil types on the four sides of the hill result in variations on the theme of the Sangiovese. The best way to discover these differences is to swirl, smell and taste. C'e' l'imbarazzo della scelta; you are spoiled for choice with the number of wine shops and bars where you can indulge in a wine tasting. If you would rather see where all the magic happens, book guided tours in advance at your favourite wineries, as some are by appointment only, or catch the Wine Bus.

Leave your car in Montalcino and hop on the Wine Bus so you can spend the day tasting Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino, and such other local wines as Moscadello di Montalcino and Sant'Antimo DOC, without worrying about the effects of Sangiovese behind the wheel. This new service, which conveniently chauffeurs wine enthusiasts to participating wineries, runs every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through October, leaving as early as 9am; it follows different itineraries for the morning and afternoon trips. Get your tickets at authorized vendors in the city or contact the Pro Loco (located in the old town hall in the centre) for further information. The Wine Bus makes its last stop of the season at the end of October.

Fortezza

Start your tour of Montalcino with a visit to the Fortress, a fine example of military architecture built in 1381. It is open from 9am to 6pm during winter hours and costs 4 euro (6 euro for both the Fortress and museum visits) to climb up to the ramparts. (Enter through the wine shop located in the far corner of the courtyard.) From the top, the surrounding countryside may seem bare after the various harvests, but the brown shades of the tilled land and the autumn-coloured vines are all part of the breathtaking and iridescent natural patchwork quilt that spreads across the Val d'Orcia.

While admiring the view, you can imagine the number of times this fortress has been under attack. English art historian and part time resident in nearby Sant'Angelo in Scalo, Anabel Thomas, recently published Oscar's Tale, a fantastical story, written in Italian and English, that intertwines facts from the past and fiction from the present about the siege of the Fortress in Montalcino to explain the realities of war to her grandchildren. Refer to the folding map at the back of the book to see the different factions that camped out in their attempts to strike the hilltop stronghold. The Fortress was home to the Republic of Siena from 1555 to 1559 after being defeated by Florence. As such, Siena holds Montalcino in high regard, giving it a place in the historical procession for the Palio.

As you leave the Fortress, walk straight on down via Ricasoli. This street is lined with quaint shops selling wine, souvenirs and honey. Also on the left side of the street, take note of number 32: this is the entrance to Osteria Porta al Cassero, known as ‘da Piero' by the locals.

Siena's traditional pici pasta is called ‘pinci' here in Montalcino. Put your fork-twirling skills to the test with these handmade strings of pasta in battuto, with the traditional meat sauce, all'aglione, a garlic and tomato sauce, or my personal favorite, alle briciole, simply topped with breadcrumbs and olive oil (see page 20 for a recipe!).

The hearty local fare is deliciously authentic, and the prices are reasonable. It is always quite busy, so get there early enough to get a table.

Go further on via Ricasoli and you will find the Museum of Archaeological, Medieval and Modern collections to your right. Use your combined ticket from the Fortress here to see a noteworthy collection of local archaeological finds that recount the life of this territory, which has been inhabited since Etruscan times, in addition to works by such artists as Duccio di Buoninsegna, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Vincenzo Tamagni.

From the museum, go straight on and take the second left up via Spagni following the brown sign to the Cathedral of San Salvatore, which is only open in the morning. Noteworthy are the remnants of the ancient door to the original parish church on this site located to your left on the inside. Most people stop and admire the view from the garden and hang out on the stone benches for a rest. From here, in the distance you can see Montepulciano on the horizon with Pienza and its white bell tower just before it.

Just along via Spagni, you may find Carlotta Parisi in front of her colourful shop working on her latest project. This young local artist creates papier-mâché sculptures, clay figurines, traditional clay whistles and more.

From the cathedral, head down the two steep blocks of Costa Spagni and turn right to the main square. Piazza del Popolo is the heart of Montalcino for both young and old. Children still play football and ride their bikes in the piazza while the old-timers argue about the latest political scandal under the portico. You may notice the unique clock on the bell tower that only has one hand. Try guessing the time before the bell tolls the hour!

Take via Matteotti to the left of the old city hall until you can turn left down via Donnoli all the way to the end for one of the best views of town itself. Make your way back to the ancient Palazzo Comunale and admire the tiles that are located on the side of the building, near Piazza Garibaldi. Each tile represents a Brunello vintage and indicates the number of stars for that year. On your walk, look carefully at the house numbers to see the colours and names of the four quarters of Montalcino.

Sagra del Tordo

Step back in time on the last weekend of October for the Sagra del Tordo, the Thrush Festival. Food, wine and archery are the focus of this annual event based on past traditions of Montalcino when the four neighbourhoods, or quartieri, battle it out on the archery field for the silver arrow and the glory of victory. Archers are real heroes around here, and children, draped in their quartieri's colours, tinker with plastic bows and arrows or bang on toy drums in the crowd that follows the historical procession to make offerings to the Lord and Lady of the Fortress. The four quarters set up food stands on both the Saturday and Sunday for lunch in the garden near the Fortress, each with a separate menu of traditional local dishes. There is so much to choose from that you won't even notice that tordi are not on the menus. It is also possible to feast on their specialities in their halls. This is the biggest event of the year in Montalcino, so book your accommodations and lunch reservations early. Information and schedule of events are available on the Pro Loco website.

Sant'Antimo

Leave some time for a quick trip to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, located  just 9km from the Bacchus roundabout near the stadium. Legend has it that this abbey was built where Charlemagne once lit a votive candle in thanksgiving. There are many legends, but one thing is certain: Sant'Antimo is stunning in all of its simplicity, as it soars up from the valley surrounded by cultivated fields and olive groves. The schedule for the prayer times in Gregorian chant is available at www.antimo.it.




HOW TO GET THERE

Montalcino is just over 40km south of Siena. Take the SR2 to Buonconvento and then turn right and head up the hill 9 km. Do not enter at the first gate where you see the white Montalcino 564 sign. Instead, continue on and shortly after on the left, there are some free parking spaces. Some other free spots are located down viale Roma or behind the city hall on viale Postierla. These free spots may involve a bit of a walk before you start your tour, but they might be worth your while. I have overheard tourists from Rome exclaiming how parking isn't even as expensive at the Vatican!

Tuscany's truffle heartland

San Miniato and its white treasure

The pretty hilltop town of San Miniato, situated halfway between Pisa and Florence, is tied so closely to its food that even a mention of its name will spark the imagination of those who know it for its rare delicacy, the tartufo bianco, or white truffle.

San Miniato made its mark in the Middle Ages as a strategic rest stop along the via Francigena, the pilgrim's route than connected Canterbury to Rome. Much of the city layout that you see today has not changed since the twelfth-century walls were built, and many of its medieval stones still hold their place. The charming historic centre is a true medieval town of steep, narrow streets leading to the thirteenth-century Frederick tower, La Rocca, that identifies San Miniato from miles away. Although it was destroyed in World War II, the 1958 version is a faithful reconstruction.

From almost anywhere in the town, even along the main street, via 4 Novembre, which winds its way along the ridge of the town's hill, a panoramic view of the surrounding valley opens up and reveals what San Miniato is really all about. For centuries, farmers have tended, shaped and worked the land; the result is a painterly combination of perfectly combed vineyards, olive groves and a dense forest of oak, willow and poplar trees that mysteriously guards the secrets of San Miniato's famously fragrant white truffles.

A drive around the hills of San Miniato will reveal some of Tuscany's most picturesque landscapes. Moreover, the area is a food lover's delight, acclaimed not only for its white truffles, but also for its local salumi and wine. A wonderful excuse to taste these delicacies is the San Miniato White Truffle Festival, held every year over three weekends during November. One of the best food festivals in Tuscany, the streets and squares of the historical centre fill extensively with food and wine stands, and the smell of truffle literally emanates from the very pores of the town for the entire month.

A visit to the butcher and norcineria of Sergio Falaschi (on via A. Conti 18/20, San Miniato) is a must for salumi lovers. Only here will you find such tasty delicacies as spuma di gota, a delicious cream made of pig's cheek, and lonzino di San Miniato al vin santo, a pork loin cured in Tuscany's favourite dessert wine. Available only during truffle season, Falaschi's fresh truffled sausages alone are worth the trip.

During the truffle festival, many of the local winemakers offer wine tastings and sell their products at stands. One of the most interesting wines is made by Pietro Beconcini, whose  vineyard is located in the valley of San Miniato (visits and wine tastings can be organized by appointment; email info@pietrobeconcini.com). Beconcini makes Italy's only Temperanillo wine, a Spanish grape that was found on the family-run property, planted by Spanish pilgrims centuries ago as they were passing through on the via Francigena that flanks the vineyard. The result is a wonderfully expressive and uniquely Tuscan wine.

Of course, the highlight of visiting the town at this time of year is choosing your own white truffle (or Tuber Magnatum Pico). Once you have a fresh white truffle in your kitchen, you'll want to use it as soon as you can, when the aroma is strongest. As each day passes, your truffle loses both its aroma and weight. For an item that costs 1,500 to 3,500 euro per kilo (or more), this means you want to use it at its freshest. It will keep well for a maximum of six days, when lovingly wrapped in paper towel and sealed in a glass jar.

White truffles are best served as simply as possible and must absolutely not be cooked; use them raw, freshly sliced over hot food where the heat will release its intense aroma and flavour. White truffles pair perfectly with simple ingredients: fresh egg pasta, polenta or dishes with butter, eggs, potatoes or cheese. The simpler, the better.




Getting to San Miniato
By car: Take the FI-PI-LI superstrada from Florence towards Pisa and exit at San Miniato.

By train: Trains run regularly (usually twice hourly) from Florence SMN station towards Pisa. Get off at the Fucecchio-San Miniato station. At the front of the station, you can catch a bus to take you directly to San Miniato historic centre, which is a few kilometers away. During the truffle festival, a special shuttle bus will be available to take visitors to and from the station to the centre of town. The tourist information centre is located in piazza del Popolo.


Emiko Davies, a photographer, food-blogger and life-long expat, has called Florence her home for over six years. Her ideal dinner companions would be Pellegrino Artusi and Alice B. Toklas, who could battle out a lively discussion on Italian vs French cuisine. Find more of her work at http://www.emikodavies.com.

Christmas Capon recipes

Christmas Capon recipes --the florentine--http://www.theflorentine.net/articles/article-view.asp?issuetocId=7374&browse-by=Food-Wine

by Rachel  Priestley  (issue no. 154/2011 / December 15, 2011)

Cappelletti in brodo di cappone and Cappone Bollito

Christmas is a special time to share with friends and family. Here in Italy, whether you are with family, new friends or friends who are now your Florentine family, what's on the table at Christmas Eve, before midnight mass, is a top priority.

Why such a decadent abundance of food at this time of the year? The answer is 'winter.' According to early documents Christ was more likely born in late March, mid-November or early September, some time between what some calendars now call 1 AD and 3 BC.

Pagans held an eight-day festival from December 18 to 25, during which time anything and everything was permitted. The courts would close so no one could be held accountable for his or her actions. There would be widespread drunkenness, singing naked in the streets, sexual indulgences, feasting and human sacrifices. People would devour human-image cookies (the ancestors of gingerbread men, which are now sweetened with spices and sugar frosting.)

As Christianity spread, the church decided that Christians would commemorate Christ's birth on December 25; it was meant to fit in with existing pagan festivities. Over time the wildness and overindulgence of the eight-day pagan festival reduced in magnitude. The part of the tradition that remains is to indulge in the preparing and sharing of a great feast of luxurious food and wine (and, of course, gifts of gingerbread treats!).

On the eve of December 25, a traditional Florentine family's Christmas Eve menu might start with crostini toscani (Tuscan chicken-liver pate crostini), followed by tortellini al brodo or cappelletti in brodo, then bollito misto di carne (boiled meats) or cappone bollito

(boiled capon). Note that the boiled meats traditionally follow the tortellini al brodo (tortellini in meat broth used from the boiled meats but the cappelletti will be in capon broth). Next comes the whole boiled bird, traditionally served upside down so you can see he really is a quality capon (a male chicken castrated young to improve the quality of flesh for eating). The dishes keep coming: the boiled course will usually be followed by a roast such as arista (roasted pork), or roasted game. After that comes panforte or panettone.
With all this in mind I am festively embracing the old pagan ritual of gluttony and giving you two recipes instead of one for Christmas in Florence. Be careful: this grand feast could see you falling asleep during midnight mass on Christmas Eve!

Buon appetito e buon natale!

Festive lights in florence italy 2011

With lights, trees and tinsel, Florence is ringing in the holiday season.  December 8 marked the official start of the season, when Florence mayor Matteo Renzi lit the 16-metre tall pine tree, the city's tallest yet, in piazza Duomo. From the Casentino, the fir tree is decorated in red gigli and shines bright each night with some 25,000 lights. As always, on December 8, hundreds of Santas handed out candies to kids and families in the historic centre, from Palazzo Strozzi to piazza Santissma Annunziata.

The holiday spirit abounds in other areas of Florence: fir trees stand in piazzale Michelangelo, at the Teatro dell'Opera di Firenze, and piazza Santissima Annunziata; every major street in the historic centre and periphery of Florence is lined with lights, as are the historic bridges; shop windows and doorways are dressed for the season; and Santa puppets and red ribbons decorate residential balconies and windows, and shop windows.

A special display lights up via Tornabuoni, where the Consortium for the Protection of Tuscany's Extra Virgin Olive Oil has erected artistic installations of olive trees.

Every year, there is a life-sized Nativity scene inside the Duomo, but this year, for the first time in recent history, there is one on display outside. The Nativity scene in piazza Duomo features handmade figures in terracotta from Impruneta.

So take an evening walk to explore festive Florence: it will no doubt light up your holiday!