A chestnut festival… with mushrooms

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

We recently attended the chestnut festival in Castelnuovo. It was a beautiful day and we were the first on the bus to take us from the town to the fortified area above the town where chestnuts were being roasted and crowds were beginning to gather.

We were eager to try the roasted chestnuts and the fritelle made from both regular flour and chestnut flour. A little bonus was the warm spiced wine that came with them.

Inside the main building was a display of local mushrooms, separated into edible, edible, but they taste awful and dangerous…don’t ever eat!

Here are some of the edible ones.

These may not hurt you, but they won’t be delicious.

Don’t pick and eat anything from the next group.

It was a great display. I would never be brave enough to gather mushrooms myself. I would only go with an expert, but it was really interesting to see the collection which had been put together with much care.

There was a sculpture display as well. This one left me feeling a bit twisted.

Don’t miss these local festivals. Each one is different and lot of fun.

Cucina povera…Garfagnana style

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

It has become fashionable to serve Cucina Povera, which roughly translates as “peasant food”. In tough times people had to do the best they could with humble ingredients (Italians are very good at this)…some they grew themselves and some they foraged for in the forests.

The Garfagnana area has seen some lean years in the past and the people here were very resourceful in their food preparation. On the weekend I went to the small, and very pretty village of Sassi, near Molazzana, in the mountains above the Serchio Valley to a restaurant called Il Totto, which specialises in the cucina povera of the area.

The dining room was very cosy on a cold, winter day.

We were early, but there were a couple of diners already enthusiastically tucking in to the local delights.

We began with antipasti…onions, farro, bean salad, salumi and the delicious, crisp thin bread often served in the area.

My co-eaters were at Il Totto especially for the chestnut polenta, and a platter soon arrived.

Along with the chestnut polenta came “ossi salati”, which literally translates as salted bones. Once most of the meat has been removed, pork bones are soaked in brine for several days before being boiled. It would have to be one of the least photogenic meals I have seen, but I can assure you, it was delicious.

I was not, however, delighted with the chestnut polenta. My 2 friends went on to eat nearly 3 platters of it. I have decided it is an acquired taste, one I can happily spend the rest of my life not acquiring. The old gentleman at the table beside us agreed with me. When he was a small child he had to eat it every day, and never wants to see it again.

Instead, I was served some regular polenta with cinghiale, wild boar…and it was very good.

Il Totto is a delightful restaurant. The charming owner/chef, Signore Nesti, is helped by his friendly family members. It is well worth the drive on some narrow roads to get there.

Telephone before you go to make sure they are open. 0583 760061 or 338 5854243

daltotto@libero.it

Un piccolo terremoto

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

There was a small earthquake near Castelnuovo in the Garfagnana yesterday at about 4.00pm.
We felt it here in Bagni di Lucca quite strongly. There was a loud noise and my house shook for a couple of seconds.

There are no reports of damage to people or property. People here seem to be fairly used to having the earth shake, but this was my first earthquake, and I have to say I didn’t like it one bit.

If I hear anything more I will let you know.

Lunch and a museum in the Garfagnana

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Debra Kolkka

On a gorgeous autumn day Heather Jarman and I went to the beautiful Garfagnana village of Sillico to have lunch at the lovely restaurant Locanda Belvedere.

The chef, Roberta, cooked a delicious lunch for our group.

It was still warm enough to sit on then outside terrace.

The different breads were made using spelt and chestnut flour.

We began with a ricotta and leek torte.

And fried ricotta balls and pasta fritta.

There were 2 types of pasta…..with mushrooms and a ragu.

The waiter brought a tray of locally collected mushrooms for us to see.

And then we ate the cooked mushrooms as a side dish with our rabbit.

There was a selection of crostini to have with our coffee.

We then headed up the hill to see some of Sillico and to find the museum which was kindly opened just for us.

The museum is in a building beside the church and is full of interesting collections from the distant and not so distant past.

There is an enormous collection of clocks, including this replica of one designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Then is was time to stand at the top of the village to admire the view over the Garfagana.

You will need to book at Locanda Belvedere…..call Roberta or Clara……(39) 0583 662173

sapori-e-saperi.com

Bruno’s chestnuts

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Autumn is chestnut gathering time in the Garfagnana. I went with Heather from Sapori-e-Saperi to visit the chestnut forest and metato (drying hut) belonging to Bruno Bertoncini in the Garfagnana, the mountain area near Bagni di Lucca.

Bruno’s chestnut forest is beautiful, and it shows what the cultivated chestnut forest looked like. These days they are mostly wild and not cleared as they used to be. Obviously if the trees are cared for they will give better chestnuts.

It has been a difficult growing season this year. Some of Bruno’s trees have blossomed 3 times instead of just once, as they should.

This tree has new growth and flowers at a time when the fruit should be ripe….strange.

There are many types of chestnuts, some are better for flour, some have better keeping qualities and some are good for roasting.

Before chestnuts can be ground to make flour they need to be dried. Bruno has a gorgeous metato which was busy drying chestnuts when we arrived. The nuts are dried for about 40 days. The fire has to be kept burning at just the right temperature for all this time.

The fire burns on the ground floor of the hut and the chestnuts are above the fire on a slatted floor.

The delightful Bruno told us lots of interesting things about chestnuts. He is a man who clearly enjoys his work.

The trees are pruned regularly. Here is a tree which has been pruned and has regrown.

I think Bruno has a delightful office. I’m sure the work is not easy, but imagine going to work here each day.

Bruno has a wonderful agriturismo called Collettino, near his chestnut forest where guests can stay in comfort and immerse themselves in this beautiful area.

www.collettino.it

www.sapori-e-saperi.com

And now for a few more chestnut photos.