Pallegio

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Pallegio has ancient origins. It was once a fortified stronghold guarding the Controneria area nearby. The village is not far from the Brennero Road towards Abetone.

It is a sleepy little village with 132 inhabitants. Come for a wander with me.

Like all of Bagni di Lucca’s mountain villages, there are wonderful views.

The narrow streets have many delights.

Soon it is back to the car park and time to say goodbye to Pallegio.

On the way back to the Brennero I found a road to the left and found what I think is the oratory of S.Maria della Quercia.

A little further on is a lovely wooded area and I found another renovator’s delight……there is a never ending supply of them in these parts.

Can you see yourself getting to work on this one?

Making necci

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Chestnuts have been an important part of the diet in the Appenine and Apuan regions in northern Tuscany for centuries. Particularly in times of war and famine, chestnuts saved people from starvation.

Necci are a type of pancake made from chestnut flour. They are simply made by mixing chestnut flour with water (250 grams of flour to 1 cup water). The batter is mixed until smooth and slightly thicker than a normal crepe batter.

Each area has a slightly different recipe. Sometimes a little oil and salt is added, or rosemary.

There are several ways to cook the necci. At a couple of chestnut festivals I have seen them cooked between 2 cast iron discs with long handles over a flame. A little olive oil is placed on the flat disc and spread with a potato cut in half, then a small quantity of batter is placed on the disc and spread thinly, and the other disc is put on top. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, you need just the right amount of oil and heat or the pancake sticks to the disc and makes a horrible mess.

Once browned on both side they are spread with ricotta or nutella and rolled up…and eaten.

At a food festival in Lucca we saw a very interesting way of cooking necci. The batter was placed on hot, flat stones covered with chestnut leaves and stacked on top of each other.

This method also proved to be effective, and delicious.

Look for necci at food festivals in the area, or if you are in Lucca, go to Via Buia and look for Pizza da Felice where you can buy necci, along with delicious pizza and cecina, the chickpea pancakes popular in the area.

Click here to see a gorgeous chestnut festival in Colognora and here for an equally fabulous one in Lupinaia.

Riolo

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

The road to Riolo is one of my least favourite in Bagni di Lucca. It is extremely narrow and winding, with little room to pass if you happen to come across another car. The entrance to the village is also narrow. I suggest parking in the area at the bottom of the village and walking up.

The sign at the entrance to the village suggests a low speed. I think this would be too fast.

The village is a pretty collection of houses, with some lovely decoration, and of course, there are wonderful views from the village. Like all of the villages of Bagni di Lucca Riolo has something different and special to offer visitors.

On the way back to the car I spotted a tiny mouse. The photo is a bit blurry, but the mouse was very small and in a hurry to get away from me.

I have heard that the road to Riolo was badly damaged in the recent heavy rains. I hope everything will be back to normal soon.

Meet Patrizia from La Villa

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Patrizia runs the wonderful fruit and vegetable shop in La Villa. She will select the best produce for you. Ask her for the perfect melon for lunch and she will find it. Which oranges are the best for juice…..she will tell you. Which peaches are ready to eat now…..she knows.

Look for her shop in the centre of La Villa, opposite the tiny piazza in Via Umberto1.

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.

Pomegranates

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Baby pomegranates were growing when I first arrived in Italy in September and now they are ready to eat…..another reason to love autumn.

Pomegranates are rich in vitamin C, vitamin B5, potassium and fibre (if you eat the seeds) and are the latest so called, super food.

You could drink the juice, or use the seeds in salads, knowing that it is doing you good, or you could do these things just because pomegranates are delicious.

LOCAL NEWS

There is to be a live nativity in Monti di Villa at 3.00pm on December 9. It will commence at the church in Monti di Villa and move through the streets of the village. It will be followed with food and drinks…….I wish I was going.

There is to be a bus taking people from La Villa. Please check for details at the information centre in La Villa.

Lunch at Ristorante Silvio La Storia a Tavola

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

Ristorante Silvio La Storia a Tavola came highly recommended, so on lovely autumn Sunday we headed out of Bagni di Lucca on the Brennero road. The tiny hamlet of Pianosinatico is not far past Cutigliano, on the way to Abetone.

When you see this memorial to fallen soldiers, you know you have arrived in Pianosinatico.

It was a hazy autumn afternoon, but you can see some of the colour in the mountains.

The entrance to the restaurant doesn’t give much of an idea of the delights to be found inside.

We thought it was just a bar, but we went inside and asked for a table for 4 and we were directed through to the restaurant.

We left ourselves in the hands of the very helpful waiter and were delighted with the dishes that arrived……and kept on coming. We began with antipasto.

The next one doesn’t look much and the photo is a but fuzzy, but the potato with a truffle sauce was heavenly.

Best of all were the fresh, raw porcini mushrooms. We were instructed to squeeze lemon on them, followed by a little black pepper……perfect.

Next came porcini mushroom soup.

Then rice with capsicum and a light and delicious pecorino sauce.

Crepes with ragu.

Gnocchi with truffle sauce.

We were fairly full by now, so much so that I forgot to photograph the next dish…..pasta with eggplant and 2 types of onion….ooops.

Despite being stuffed we managed dessert…..pannacotta with fruit.

And tiramisu.

Take a drive through the gorgeous mountains around Bagni di Lucca and stop for lunch at Silvio la Storia a Tavola….you won’t be disappointed.

www.ristorantesilvioabetone.com

Weekly photo challenge…..green

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

I don’t usually take part in the WordPress weekly photo challenge, but I couldn’t pass this one up as green is my favourite colour and I have this lovely collection of green doors that I have found all over Bagni di Lucca.

I love the wonderful old doorways in the villages of Bagni di Lucca……especially the green ones.

I think I will have to paint my door green.

Casoli

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

To get to Casoli it is necessary to cross a tiny, narrow bridge. Turn right if driving from Bagni di Lucca, from the Brennero at the Casoli sign and take this cute bridge.

Houses were built around a castle at top of a hill and became the village of Casoli. Some remnants of the castle still stand.

At the beginning of the town is a monument to poet Francesco Puccini, who was also known as Geremia. He was born in Casoli in 1686.

The nearby Oratorio della Madonna all Fontana is well preserved.

The washing area beside the church is lovely.

Beside the washing area is one of the old mule tracks which entered the village.

There is a particularly interesting portal at the top of the track, dating from 1496.

Come for a walk through the village, starting at the church.

The village has quite a good looking bar near the car park.

Take a last look up at the village.

Then it is back down the narrow, winding road to the bridge.

Look out for the renovator’s delight opposite the bridge.

Meet Catia from Giocondo in Lugliano

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Debra Kolkka

I joined Heather Jarman’s group recently to visit the farm of Catia and Maurizio Citti in Lugliano. Giocondo has 20 hectares of land with chestnut trees, olive trees and various crops. The main attraction was their herd of Cinta Senese pigs.

Cinta Senese is an ancient breed of Tuscan pig. They have been raised in the area for centuries. After almost becoming extinct, the breed is now being bred again. Unlike normal pigs which are usually intensively bred, Cinta Senese are kept in large outdoor pens and fed a diet as close as possible to their preferred diet of acorns and food from the forest floor.

They are prized for their excellent flavour. Catia makes her own prosciutto, sausage and other pork products. Once you try salumi from Cinta Senese you will be spoiled forever.