Wine & Fun Under the Capri Sun

We've settled into Tuscania quite nicely over the past few weeks and have enjoyed the simplicity of life that this small pocket of Italy provides. I am having a blast in my cooking class, learning how to make all kinds of delicious recipes and learning about the regional differences in Italian cuisine. I'm compiling all of our dishes into a "summer cookbook" (which I'll be sure to share pictures of at the end of the course!). Transportation out of Tuscania is difficult because it is such a small town, but we have traveled to some nearby places through our school. We took a trip to Bolsena Lake in the center of Italy on a beautiful sunny day and took a boat tour around the lake complete with a stop for swimming!

A few days later we took a day trip to Viterbo, the capital of the province of Viterbo, Lazio. Known as "the City of the Popes," the historic center of town is surrounded by still intact medieval walls built in the 11th and 12th centuries. We arrived just in time for the last day of the annual Ludika festival which celebrates Viterbo's medieval history with a giant festival and battle in the field in the evening.  

It is! It is!! It is!!!

For my cooking class we took a field trip to nearby Montefiascone to a cantina (wine cellar) for a wine tasting and lesson on this region's rich wine history. It is home to the popular wine Est! Est!! Est!!! sold all over Italy. Legend has it that a bishop was traveling from northern Italy to Rome for a meeting with the Pope but first sent his servant along to find him the best wine en route. He was instructed to write "est" ("it is") on the doors of anywhere where he approved of the wine. When he got to Montefiascone, he enthusiastically marked the cellar with three "ests" so the Bishop would not miss it. Allegedly the bishop never made it to Rome, instead staying in Montefiascone with the wine until his death. I guess you could say this wine is to die for!

Vesuvius Venture

This past weekend was our last big trip organized through my program, this time to southern Italy in the region of Campania. First stop was just east of Naples at European mainland's only active volcano, Mount Vesuvius. A national park encompasses this volcano whose last major eruption was in 1944 (is it just me, or does that not seem like too long ago?!). The most famous eruption occurred in 79 A.D. when the volcano shot deadly lava, gases, stones, and ashes over 20 miles into the air, killing an estimated 16,000 people and burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This explosion released gases at a rate a hundred thousand times the thermal energy released by the Hiroshima bombing. Completely unfathomable! It has erupted nearly 40 times since, including in 1906, which caused so much damage and financial burden on the region that the 1908 summer Olympics, originally scheduled for Rome, had to be relocated to London. 

To reach the base of the volcano climb we had to drive up the mountain on some of the most narrow, windy streets I've ever seen. Controlling a large coach bus up such a terrain comes with great praise, a kind that I can only liken to the flawlessness of the Mather Express drivers through the narrow, construction-filled streets of Cambridge. Well done, Lorenzo. Despite our ears popping from the change in altitude, the drive gave us incredible views of the Bay of Naples and the town. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy, making my pictures less clear than desired but nonetheless it was an amazing sight! The actual climb to the crater was rather difficult, as the paths are lined with loose gravel that feels like you're walking up a beach for 45 minutes. At last we reached the top and peeked inside the enormous, steaming crater!

You know you're pretty high up when the backdrop of your pictures is clouds!

Capri Cruising

After an awkwardly paced descent down Vesuvius we boarded the tumultuous bus once more for our transfer to the town of Sorrento, a small but popular tourist town that lends views of Naples, Mount Vesuvius, and the beautiful island of Capri. We spent the first night exploring the small town's shops and vendors, taking note of the famous limoncello, a lemon liqueur, produced in Sorrento. The next day was highly anticipated as we were going to the island of Capri! It's easy to see why 90% of its industry is tourism, as Capri is one of the most beautiful places in all of southern Italy. Its crystal waters, protruding cliffs and varying elevations combine for a sight too pretty for pictures to accurately capture! 

After a 45-minute "hydrofoil" boat transfer from Sorrento to Capri we hopped in a smaller boat for a tour of the island. Our guide, sporting a Cape Cod hat I might add, drove us to every angle of the island. Capri is known for its "grottos" or small caves on the edges of the island. Each is named for a color, for example the orange grotto where you can see orange coral beneath the surface! The most famous is the Blue Grotto in which sunlight reflects through the sea water, illuminating the cave to a crystal blue. Unfortunately entrance requires a separate trip on a small rowing boat where you must lay down in order to fit in the cave, which we did not have time for. I was disappointed, but I guess I'll just have to come back! Maybe Mariah Carey, Tom Cruise, or Keanu Reeves can let me stay in one of their houses here?

Following the boat tour we had some free time on the island, so my roommate and I took a bus to the other half of the island known as Anacapri for some shopping and the main attraction - the chair lift. I should preface this by again praising the driving skills (and total lack of fear of liability) of the bus driver, toting 30 eager tourists around every bend and curve of the mountainous island terrain. A couple years of crowded, hands-free MBTA rides have trained me for this! When we reached Anacapri, we headed over to the seggiovia (chair lift) up to Monte Solaro, the highest point in all of Capri, a casual 1,932 feet above sea level. The peaceful single-person ride offered breathtaking views of the town below. It felt as though we were in an airplane looking down at the houses shrinking in size with each climb in altitude. Views atop the mountain were just as spectacular, for a look in the horizon offered nothing but endless blue sky and ocean. 

The Great Neapolitan Pizza Odyssey 

Top priority for the evening in Sorrento was to have traditional Neapolitan pizza from the birthplace of modern pizza itself: Naples. Despite the influence of the Greeks and Romans, it was the Neapolitans who first embraced the use of the tomato, revolutionizing the now world-famous dish. In the mid-19th century, pizzerias were opened on the side streets of Naples and before long visitors began to investigate this newly popular food. When Queen Margherita visited in 1889 to try the famous pizza, a chef was summoned and in her honor created a pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag. The Queen approved, later earning the pizza the title of "Margherita". The Neapolitans take their pizza so seriously that the True Neapolitan Pizza Association has been established to safeguard the cooking of traditional pizzas. They require that dough must be made from only flour, yeast, salt and water and not worked by machine. The cooking process must take place directly on the floor of a brick or stone-lined wood-fired oven with a temperature exceeding 750 degrees. The pizza should take only 2 minutes to cook and have a soft, high crust border cooked to a golden brown. Talk about high standards! After careful observation, I'd say Pizzeria Aurora nailed it:

Beneath the Ash: Uncovering the Ruins of Pompeii

Last stop on our weekend travels was the ancient city of Pompeii, one of the most fascinating places yet. In the catastrophic 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum were completely obliterated, buried beneath 20 feet of ash and pumice. The story of Pompeii has been pieced together over time largely thanks to the letters written by Pliny the Younger to the historian Tacitus. Pliny details the demise of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who perished while trying to save citizens along the coast. It is through Pliny the Younger's account of the aftermath of Vesuvius that we know many of the details of this horrific eruption. Scattered throughout the ruins of Pompeii are plaster molds of people in their final resting poses as they were asphyxiated by the burning gases of the eruption. The ash formed a cast around their bodies, and a hollow space remained after decomposition. Archeologists filled these hollow spaces with plaster, resulting in a collection of over 1,000 replicas of victims.

Pregnant Lady Plaster Cast 

I was also surprised to learn that they still haven't finished excavating the city of Pompeii! It's hard to believe how much more is still out there waiting to be uncovered. Despite the heat of a mid-July afternoon, as one of Italy's most popular tourist attractions, I was excited to check this ancient city off my list.

As I enter my 10th and final week here in Italy I am enjoying looking back at all the incredible things I have seen in such a short amount of time. While I am excited to get back to the luxury of free ice water and air conditioned buildings, I am soaking in the last bits of the wonderful country that is Italy. I'll be posting a collection of pictures of all our delicious creations in cooking class soon along with a final wrap up post about my time here, so if you're still following at this point (hi Mom) stay tuned!

Until then, arrivederci tutti!

Megan

Andiamo a Tuscania

After six days of roaming Rome, finally it became time to head to my next destination, Tuscania. I did not know much about this place when I signed up for it besides that it would provide a very different and more authentic Italian experience than that of Florence. First things first, I should mention that Tuscania is not Tuscany. Tuscany (or "Toscana" in Italian) is a region in Italy whose capital is Florence. Tuscania is located in the nearby region of Lazio and is a town in the province of Viterbo. Got all that? A little confusing but in short, the pastries are still good, the people are even friendlier, and about 80% of the men are named Massimo.

Thursday afternoon we were picked up from our hotel in Rome and driven to our new apartment in Tuscania! I am lucky to live in the town's historical center which is filled with beautiful cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and picturesque alleyways. The city center was recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations and dates back to the 8th century BC where it was a powerful military stronghold on a major road that joined Rome and Tuscany. Over time it saw great wealth and success through farming and trade, as reflected today by its rich agricultural heritage visible all around town. Tuscania is characterized by its sloping countryside, rich volcanic soil, thermal springs, diverse wildlife, and ancient ruins. More importantly, its region is home to trees used by the Ferrero company to make Nutella!

Life as a Local

With a population of only 8,000 Tuscania has such a small town feel and everyone knows each other, so us Americans roaming around surely stand out! Despite the staring, they are all very friendly and are curious to know where we come from and what we are doing here. The only catch - they rarely speak English, so in just a few days I've really started to use my minimal Italian skills! Our advisor at school has taken us to all the local joints and introduced us to the restaurant owners so it's been fun to visit them and enjoy their extremely generous student discounts. One bar/gelateria in particular was celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend with a live band and all kinds of festivities. It was such a blast, we even made it down to the local park for some swing dancing with the older local crowd. They sure know how to dance! It was such a different atmosphere than what we are used to but it was so much fun just walking around and getting to know the people of Tuscania. They even invited us back next weekend for more!

The entrance to our new apartment!

Our arrival also coincided with the town's annual "Festa della Lavanda" (lavender festival) in which the town is filled with local merchants selling all kinds of products and foods, as well as performances by local bands. There was also a circus/acting troupe parading through the historical center performing for bystanders. Though I had only a slight idea of what they were saying, it was neat to see how they interpret things like clowns and magicians over here. On my way to the festival I was accosted in an alley by two young girls, probably around 6 years old, who saw me and immediately yelled, "COME TI CHIAMI?!" I told them my name and asked them in return, as clearly I was a new face for them around town. I spoke with them in Italian for about five minutes or so and they told me all about where they live and how lame I was for missing out on the festival. The limits of my Italian language skills are pretty much what you would converse with children about, so I enjoyed this quite a bit!

Buon Appetito 

My class, The Food of Italy, started on Monday. After touring our kitchen-classroom on the first day I couldn't wait to get in there and see what was in store for us for these next four weeks. My teacher is a local baker whose family has owned a bakery for over 70 years! After my pastry parade in Rome (well, I suppose it started in Florence) I can't wait to learn all about his cooking. He started with a brief lesson on food in Italy, describing the general regional differences in pastas, meat, fats, etc. Not long into his talk he stopped to ask if we were hungry (note: when a chef asks you that, you always say yes) and if we would like him to make us some lunch. After twisting our arm a bit we agreed and before long he had water boiling, tomatoes roasting in the oven, and eggplant grilling on the stove. In no time he whipped up our dish of fresh pasta with a deliciously seasoned mix of vegetables and flavoring. He grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and poured us each a glass, then toasted to our first day! I've started a "cookbook" document with all the recipes we're making, so hopefully I'll be able to replicate them to some degree back home. I'm excited to see what else we will make!

I can't believe I'm in the home stretch now with just over 3 weeks remaining. I'll save my sentimental remarks for the end but for now I'm enjoying all the new things Tuscania is bringing to my experience. We're off to the nearby Bolsena Lake and town of Viterbo this weekend to see their annual medieval festival "Ludika" which should present more photo opportunities!

Arrivederci!

Megan

The Dog Days are (Half) Over

Well Florence, after just five weeks my stay here has run out. I can't believe how quickly the time has passed, as it still feels like I was tortuously packing my suitcase a week ago! I couldn't have asked for a better group of roommates and friends here, as they were always up for anything and made my trip so much fun! Sadly they are all heading back to the States but I'm excited to get to know a new group in Tuscania. Ever since we hit the one week remaining mark we've been knocking one thing after another off our Florence bucket list. After our busy weekend of day trips, we were excited to have Monday off from class to celebrate a holiday in Florence! On June 24th Florence celebrates their patron saint, San Giovanni ("St. John the Baptist"). The day begins with a parade in colorful Renaissance costumes through town in which candles are delivered to the Baptistry to pay tribute to St. John. Included in procession are these flag bearers, who broke out into various routines as they walked. Some participants were clearly more thrilled than others:

In the early evening all the Florentines gather for what was possibly the one thing I was looking forward to most here - the Calcio Storico ("historical soccer"). Within Florence there are four districts - Santo Spirito, San Giovanni, Santa Croce, and Santa Maria Novella - each of which is represented by a color and a team. Every June these teams face off first in the semi-finals, then the final contest on St. John's Day in the Piazza Santa Croce, which is converted into a stadium with a sand pit and two very small goals. It was insane to see all the spirit the locals have for their districts, chanting back and forth at the other section; our luck landed us on the blue side of the home team, Santa Croce! Think Boston fans times 10 - in fact, my friend and I wondered how an event like this would fly in Beantown. I know my brothers would be in attendance, that's for sure!

After nearly 90 minutes of ceremonial procession into the arena, the stormy clouds above started to wreak havoc. We hadn't seen rain like this in all of our time in Florence; after just 5 minutes, it was absolutely pouring! Thunder and lightning were looming in the distance, adding to the atmosphere of this storied event. The players had already taken their places on the field, each with hands wrapped like boxers, starting their Mike Tyson warm-ups. A small scuffle broke out before the ball was even in play. Just as the officials (a mere formality) were about to release the ball in play, the two captains approached the side table. Within minutes the announcer echoed something in Italian with great remorse through the loudspeaker. The gentleman behind us, whose 8 year old girl was huddled with us under my umbrella, looked at us with sadness and said, "NO GAME!". The crowd reacted appropriately with the Italian equivalents of booing and cursing. The game, for the first time in 37 years, had been postponed to next Sunday. We didn't spend much time dwelling on the fact, instead fleeing the smoke-filled downpour to begin the 15 minute walk back to our apartment. Few times have we been this physically miserable, but I have to admit the sports fanatic in me loved feeling the passion and spirit of the Florentines. While I was very disappointed we didn't get to see this brawl in its entirety, we did get a refund the next day, so not all was lost!

Photo Finish

Thursday was our last day of classes, marking the end to my photography career in Florence. I've learned so much in such a short amount of time about my camera, how to frame pictures, how to edit, and how to present them in a cohesive series. I'm so happy I chose to take this class, as I spent most afternoons doing "homework" assignments like taking pictures of life around Florence. Our last major assignment was to present a collection of our choice and be able to explain why we chose to photograph what we did. We also were going to print our collection with our lab's fancy inkjet printer, so keeping this in mind I chose to use pictures from one of my favorite nights here - the sunset on the Arno River from the Florence Boat Club. I particularly like the river as it reminds me a lot of the Charles back in Cambridge, juxtaposed next to a city and so peaceful to sit by all hours of the day. Here are a few of the pictures from my collection, as I've already posted some of the others here.

Goodbye Gelato & Farewell Florence

For our last night in Florence my friends and I celebrated the only way we (and most of Italy) knew how - food. Thanks to a recommendation we went to this small, rustic restaurant near the river. Per the waiter's advice, I ordered gnocchi alla sorrentina, gnocchi with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. It was easily one of the best meals I had in all of my time here, though as my mom pointed out, there really isn't such thing as a bad meal in Italy! 

The plan for dessert was one we had been scheming for a while. After weeks of careful and consistent research, we had all chosen our favorite gelato places and divided accordingly to grab our final dessert in Florence. A minimum of four flavors was required of everyone, since it is often so difficult to narrow it down to just two when ordering. On our last night, why choose just two? My gelato of choice came from a chance find across the river, one bridge down from the popular tourist hub of the Ponte Vecchio. While it was hard to choose my favorite spot, I had to go with the Santa Trinita Gelateria, as their flavor by the same name was just so delicious, a creamy vanilla base with caramel and fudge swirls. I tossed in a scoop of the classic stracciatella (chocolate chip), which I've learned goes nicely with menta (mint) to make your own mint chocolate chip. And of course I needed my all-time favorite ice cream flavor, caffé (coffee) in the mix as well. If there's anything I've learned thus far in Italy, it's how to find good gelato! While again there is no such thing as "bad" gelato, the best comes from places whose case is NOT shoved in a narrow window, whose gelato is not mounded from the night before, and whose line extends somewhere near the door. The rules are simple, but if obeyed, you're in for a treat!

We all met up from our respective gelaterie to enjoy them one last time on the Ponte Vecchio after sunset. A two-man band played a mix of American and Italian songs while a boat tour passed below. The Florence Boat Club was hosting an outdoor, Gatsby-esque party with fancy tents and cocktails. It was truly a perfect night and a fitting end to our five weeks in Florence. Just like I fell in love with Boston not too long ago, I have to say that Florence really has grown on me. It will always be a special place for me, as it was the first city I had ever been to in Europe and the first place I've ever lived abroad. I'm going to miss the nights on the Duomo steps, weekly visits to the fruit vendors in the Central Market, aggressively early trips to Gusta Pizza for dinner, and most of all, the incredible views of the city from the top of the Duomo and Piazzale Michelangelo. I can't wait to return some day with friends or family and show them my favorite spots!

When in Roam

There was about one week between the end of my Florence program and the start of my next program in Tuscania, and since I had to vacate my Florence apartment, I headed down to Rome a few days before the rest of group 2 arrived. My friend Steph has been working in Milan this summer, so fortunately she was able to come down for a couple nights to explore the city with me! We stayed at the orientation hotel in the neighborhood of Trastevere, located across the river away from the main historic sights. I didn't get a chance to come over here during my prior excursion to Rome, so we were excited to live in this part of the city mostly inhabited by locals. 

After surviving the madness that was the Roma Termini train station, we checked in to the hotel and set out for a quality dinner. After a month in Italy we've devised a set of rules for choosing a good restaurant. Rule #1: The restaurant may not solicit you to eat there once they catch you reading their menu. The good places don't need their hostesses offering to pay you (but actually) to eat there, or assisting you in finding the part of the menu in English. Rule #2: The menu should not (or very minimally) use English. Rigatoni and lasagna are pretty universal and no English means these places are popular among locals, another good sign. Rule #3: On no part of the menu should you see the word "hamburger" or an Italian variation thereof. They don't exist here, and for good reason. Rule #4: Restaurants on small, secluded side streets are often the best. The ones on the main tourist drag prey on confused Americans lured by the words "tourist menu." The little family run places beneath the hanging laundry warrant attention. Bonus points if you witness the mother in an apron and hairnet carrying a wheel of cheese up from their apartment across the street (also a true story).

Steph and I went 3-3 on the meals, having a taste of the Roman specialties like rigatoni al gricia and spaghetti all'amatriciana, a traditional Roman sauce made with bacon and tomatoes. After walking nearly the entire circumference of Rome during the day, these meals were just what we needed. Since Steph is returning to Rome with her family at the end of the summer, we avoided the usual tourist spots, instead spending our days climbing the hills of Rome for some panoramic views. We also stumbled upon a few hilltop churches in the residential area of Rome, giving us a peek at some beautiful Italian brides!

Pinocchio was written by Carlo Collodi, a native of Florence, so we see a lot of figurines for sale! This shop you could see them being carved right in the window.

Steph returned to Milan Sunday afternoon, leaving me with about two days to entertain myself in Rome until my next session arrived. Since I now feel like a Roman local taking public transportation and dining in all the local spots, I didn't feel too obligated to visit all the typical tourist landmarks again. Instead I used the time to relax, work out on a European treadmill, and of course, eat. I spent Monday lounging in the Botanical Gardens by the Japanese waterfall pond overlooking Rome. It was such a peaceful day and a great change of pace from everything! I also used the day as an opportunity to revisit a bakery we had found the day before whose aragostine ("lobster tails") filled with Nutella were impossible to ignore (or get only one of). These Italians sure know how to do carbs. For dinner I treated myself to a traditional Italian meal of an antipasto, primo piatto, secondo piatto, and dolce. Though it sounds like a lot, it is all portioned differently than the states, so it was just enough! I went with the Italian staples of bruschetta, lasagna, pollo arrosto, and finally tiramisu. Aside from the awkwardness of eating alone at a restaurant, I discovered that finishing a liter of acqua naturale by yourself is somewhat like the cinnamon challenge. Nonetheless my meal was delicious and a perfect end to my little Roman vacation!

It won't be long now before I'm back in the States, but until then I am looking forward to the many more adventures that await me in Tuscania. A town of only 8,000, this will be a very different experience than Florence and will surely immerse me in even more Italian culture. We've got trips to Viterbo, Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii, Capri and Sorrento coming our way, and now that I've figured out how to use this camera I'll be sure to document accordingly! As Bon Jovi once said, "woah, we're half way there." Italy part two, let's do it!

Arrivederci!

Megan