On Wednesday evening we visited our landlord hosts for a cooking lesson.  Despite fits and starts in finding this place that was only 20 minutes away (took us about 55 minutes) we finally arrived at Podere il Doccio out in the Tuscan countryside.  Greeted by our young hosts Irene and her brother Eduardo, we started off with wine.  We made Strawberry Tiramisu, homemade tagliatelle pasta, with sage pesto, Saltimbocca (tender beef topped with prosciutto, cheese, and sage rolled up in individual servings and cooked), We started off with making the strawberry tiramisu and when that was complete, moved on to making the tagliatelle pasta.

We all took our turns at rolling out the pasta.  Once it is rolled out paper thin so that you can see through each 18 inch by 36 inch section of dough, it is placed in another room to dry for a time. This photo is of Irene doing the “pasta dance” while I try not to screw up the rolling out of the dough…”You don’t need to press down….just move your hands to the outside!”

We rolled out 3 of those pasta sections.  While the pasta was drying, we took turns making the pesto using a mortar and pestle on the sage leaves and garlic cloves adding olive oil and a “pinch” of sea salt. (Note, apparently Italian pinches are quite large, but you’d have to ask Lynda and Barb about that) With the pesto now ready, we turned back to the drying dough blankets or future pasta.  Bringing each section in one at a time and folding it up, we each each took turns cutting it into tagliatelle size pasta and then vibrating your knife under only the first layer and then lifting it up so that it unravels in the air.  Boiling the water with only sea salt in it, the now cut pasta was cooked a few minutes until al dente.  The cooked pasta was combined with the pesto and we all all sat down to eat our Primi course.  The Saltimbocca was then pan cooked in olive oil and white wine and served with steamed fennel, a big leafy vegetable resembling a cross between cabbage and lettuce. 

Our hosts, Irene and her brother Eduardo were joined by their younger brother, Julio and their parents, Francesco and Marina.  They all spoke very good English and we sat around their dining table and talked and laughed over dinner, dessert and wine for 2 and a half hours. It was quite a remarkable experience that 24hours later we are still talking about.

When we woke up this morning, the ladies of our group wanted to visit the weekly town market in Montevarchi.  (Sounded suspiciously like more shopping to me).  With the rain coming down and visibility dropping as we spoke, we drove off to find Montevarchi’s weekly market.  Once we got to town of Montevarchi, I directed our fearless pilot down the wrong way of a one way street only once and with all things considered, counted that as a victory.  Once in the town, Barb and Lynda sniffed out the market by observing the bags people were carrying while either walking or…….riding their bicycle while at the same time also holding an umbrella.  There are very talented people here in Italy.

The market was very lively and would probably have been quite fun had the rain not been coming down like pitchforks and hammer handles.  (Ooooh, there is that pitchfork word again reminding me that in some circles of villagers, I could be a wanted man) 

Once everyone was thoroughly soaked and “shopped out”, our thoughts predictably turned to FOOD.  We headed for the prepared food section of the market and placed our orders for hot porchetta (pork) sandwiches and lasagna.  While Doug suggested we take our food bounty home and eat it, I was prepared to eat it standing right there in front of the counter since there were heat lights overhead where you stood to order.  Though I have no hair to get wet in the rain, my bare scalp sure appreciated the heat lamps.

Back home to eat and then observe the Pausa — that period from 1:00 to 4:30 every afternoon where most stores shut down and people go home to rest.  It’s now 6:30 at night here, the rain stopped and there are murmurs about where we should eat for dinner tonight.  Not sure, but I know it’s gonna be good.