M’illumino d’immenso...Toscana
Toscana: semplice, bella, pacifica
Simple, Beautiful, Peaceful
"I flood myself with the light of the immense"
Giuseppe Ungaretti
(borrowed from a fellow blogger)
The Tuscan Countryside is everything you can image it to be. Century-old farm houses, beautiful, untouched landscapes, olive trees at every corner, and the quiet air that surrounds it all. The most mesmerizing part of Tuscany is that it has been preserved and thankfully secluded from the industrial, materialistic lifestyle. Although you may still find all the amenities of today's technology, something about the air, the landscapes and the local people tell me it's different.
In Arezzo, a well preserved Medieval town situated in the center of Tuscany, we toured the many churches of the city and roamed the ancient cobble streets. The school provided us with a 3 hour guided tour, who rambled on about the different artists and paintings that the city boasted. Although beautiful and majestic, I stood astonished at the complexities of them all.
After the guided tour we had some free time so we found this lovely little outdoor farmer's market and indulged ourselves in some sweet and savory bites. I was like a freakin kid in candy shop! We got to sample a variety of cheeses and salamis. My oh my, they were delightful additions to my lunch.
Hannah, Jessica, headed for this beautiful hilltop park where we ate, better acquainted ourselves, and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of Arezzo.
This is what comes to mind when I think of Italian cuisine
Fresh, Fresh, Fresh!
(Mind you, I went on this trip not knowing a soul but I ended up meeting some lovely new additions to my Italian travels. I only have one being to thank <3)
Our hotel was in Cortona, a revamped monastery with all its beautiful tuscan charm. We had a walking tour of Cortona, which just reassured me that choosing Italy was the best decision of my life. When I think of Italy, Tuscan country side is what I was envisioning. It was even better than the images I had in my mind.
The gang I was with decided to take more time back down the hillside town. Cortona is situated up top a hill so every single street is inclined! (Thank you stairmaster). All I wanted was a blanket, a great book and a secluded location to just soak it all in. But instead we decided to get a little lost and discover Cortona for yourselves. It was brilliantly filled with olives trees, tall grasses, and countryside views as far as we could see.
The night concluded with a fabulous five course meal at a local restaurant where I finally indulged in Florentine steak, which is said to be the best steak in Italy. We did the classic Italian dinner, following our meal with quite the intellectual conversation and wine.
The next morning for breakfast we had a lovely conversation with a British couple from America who just bought a home in Cortona (Under the Tuscan Sun much?). Even they were surprised but their own realization that today was the long awaited day they would receive the keys to their new life. I envied them, but hey you never know what the future holds right? :)
Pienza followed breakfast where we stopped at a local cheese production farm where they produced Pecorino di Pienza. The owner produces the cheese and his brothers produce the sheep's milk. Now that is family business. October through November, sheep milk is not at its best because the sheep are normally pregnant so we didn't quite get to see the production but the explanation was fantastic.
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| The lovely cheese I couldn't help but purchase |
After, the owner and his wife prepared for us a little feast. My new favorite combo: Cheese and honey!
Cheese, cold cuts, fruit, Tuscan bread, fresh Ricotta
Montepulciano: the city of Vino Nobile. After a walk through yet another hill top city, we went wine tasting in this medieval town. The wine cellar we visited what was said to be the most beautifully preserved cellar is all of Europe according to BBC.
That concluded my tour of the Tuscan countryside. It was a nice break from tall buildings, busy streets, and tourist crowds.
Lesson learned: Simplicitiy. Real Italian cooking doesn't have more than 4 ingredients: always fresh and local. Plain, simple, and delish. THAT's IT!
Life is best lived with simple ingredients.
Ciao ciao, until next time
Beatrice
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