What an amazing week!!!
I sit here with a nice glass of vino as I take a moment and reflect...
I sit here with a nice glass of vino as I take a moment and reflect...
First off I can't for the life of me believe it is October already, where did the time go? Hope wine fest is going well for everyone back home!!!
At Petraia everyone comes out to the vineyard to help harvest, especially us interns. We take off the Petraia whites and head out to the vineyard (with sunscreen on, of course still that hot during the day). La Petraia has experts testing the grapes as to which vineyard we are harvest which day and at what time of the day. They have a philosophy of "making the wine in the vineyard rather then in the cantnia", so with careful watching and planning they decide when to harvest. Which is why it is even more so important that the entire staff are able to help get the grapes off the vine on certain days. Also something else new and educational for me, we are picking grapes we pick off a bunch of grapes off the vine, then out in the field you clip off the bad, dried grapes off before putting them in your bin. Allowing the grapes to be sorted once again in the vineyard rather then the cantina. So one week into harvest, we have most of our white done and have started our red grapes. We were harvesting on one of hillside vineyards today, I turned around and looked at the amazing hills "I was oh my god I am actually harvesting grapes in Tuscany, wow". I will be heading off the cantina next week, where the wine is actually made, very excited!
Wwe got wild ducks and pheasant in this week. Susan took a picture of me holding the ducks by the neck, first time I have held something freshly dead. Then we plucked them the next day... There is a few more details about the experience that I am leaving out for those who don't wish to know the details of plucking wild ducks. I understand why people could turn vegetarian after an experience like this. At the end of the day, we were cutting them up. The next day we sous vide the breast then seared it, sliced it, and we tried it. Best duck ever... so tender. Wild duck taste completely different, its hard to explain to someone if they have never had it... Wow what an experience! I have pictures from feathers to plate!
This week Morgan's parents were visiting her from Canada. So we all went out for dinner to Il Canto del Maggio it was amazing to dine at a slow food restaurant. Check out the website www.slowfood.com Susan has a book with all of the slow food restaurants in Italy and recommended this one. Wow, Spinach Gnoochi was amazing, Chaniti Wine Braised Beef with Pears, Zabaione Cream Brule with Berries. We all started the night chatting and filled with excitement of the smells and the meal that was about to come... then by the end the entire table had mellowed to peaceful calm simply content and taking in the amazing evening we had just shared!
So two days after this amazing dining experience we went to Dario's Restaurant in Panazzo. I have mentioned Dario's in the Outstanding in the Field blog if you have read it and not gone to the link I left, shame on you! Here is it again, this is one of the best butchers in Italy!!!! When he was at Outstanding in the Field it was the best beef I have ever had, sorry Canada. Check out the website and make sure it is on your things to see when you come to Italy next time!! http://www.dariocecchini.com/ We had the burger it was unbelievable, the plate you get it has the burger patty (seems a shame to use that word to describe the amazing rare/med rare beef) sliced tomato, onion and roasted potato wedges on a plate. No bun, no need for a bun!!!
At Petraia everyone comes out to the vineyard to help harvest, especially us interns. We take off the Petraia whites and head out to the vineyard (with sunscreen on, of course still that hot during the day). La Petraia has experts testing the grapes as to which vineyard we are harvest which day and at what time of the day. They have a philosophy of "making the wine in the vineyard rather then in the cantnia", so with careful watching and planning they decide when to harvest. Which is why it is even more so important that the entire staff are able to help get the grapes off the vine on certain days. Also something else new and educational for me, we are picking grapes we pick off a bunch of grapes off the vine, then out in the field you clip off the bad, dried grapes off before putting them in your bin. Allowing the grapes to be sorted once again in the vineyard rather then the cantina. So one week into harvest, we have most of our white done and have started our red grapes. We were harvesting on one of hillside vineyards today, I turned around and looked at the amazing hills "I was oh my god I am actually harvesting grapes in Tuscany, wow". I will be heading off the cantina next week, where the wine is actually made, very excited!
Wwe got wild ducks and pheasant in this week. Susan took a picture of me holding the ducks by the neck, first time I have held something freshly dead. Then we plucked them the next day... There is a few more details about the experience that I am leaving out for those who don't wish to know the details of plucking wild ducks. I understand why people could turn vegetarian after an experience like this. At the end of the day, we were cutting them up. The next day we sous vide the breast then seared it, sliced it, and we tried it. Best duck ever... so tender. Wild duck taste completely different, its hard to explain to someone if they have never had it... Wow what an experience! I have pictures from feathers to plate!
This week Morgan's parents were visiting her from Canada. So we all went out for dinner to Il Canto del Maggio it was amazing to dine at a slow food restaurant. Check out the website www.slowfood.com Susan has a book with all of the slow food restaurants in Italy and recommended this one. Wow, Spinach Gnoochi was amazing, Chaniti Wine Braised Beef with Pears, Zabaione Cream Brule with Berries. We all started the night chatting and filled with excitement of the smells and the meal that was about to come... then by the end the entire table had mellowed to peaceful calm simply content and taking in the amazing evening we had just shared!
So two days after this amazing dining experience we went to Dario's Restaurant in Panazzo. I have mentioned Dario's in the Outstanding in the Field blog if you have read it and not gone to the link I left, shame on you! Here is it again, this is one of the best butchers in Italy!!!! When he was at Outstanding in the Field it was the best beef I have ever had, sorry Canada. Check out the website and make sure it is on your things to see when you come to Italy next time!! http://www.dariocecchini.com/ We had the burger it was unbelievable, the plate you get it has the burger patty (seems a shame to use that word to describe the amazing rare/med rare beef) sliced tomato, onion and roasted potato wedges on a plate. No bun, no need for a bun!!!
Today the apartment got up early and out the door we went to the Outdoor Market in Panazzo, which the first Sunday of every month they have the larger market! Us girls were thrilled to get out and maybe get some shopping done!! We are in Italy of course! Also this was the coolest thing... they had a bicycle race going through Panzanno today, we we stayed and watched for a while. This was amazing with these riders going up and down the hills of Tuscany. When we were driving home we were proudly cheering them on!! Here is a news caption from the event worth checking out if your interested! The thing about this race... we were standing by Dario's Butcher shop he had his team out front the shop all set up, handing out bread with spread, salami, and red wine for the riders. One of the guys from Dario's was standing out front a slice of salami in hand and the riders would go by grab it and keep on going... As we drove home we cheered on the riders, in true Canadian Style!
It has been an amazing week... sorry for the long blog it should have been two I suppose. I also am thrilled to get the news that Evelynn Tackoff from RauDz Regional Table, Kelowna will be out in my neck of the woods next month. Susan has said it was ok, so she will be suiting up in her white chef jacket and hanging out with us in the kitchen!! Thanks Susan for welcoming Evelynn, and Evelynn I'm looking forward to seeing you. We have gone from Elementary Classmates to culinary co-workers to good friends traveling in Italy!! Cheers Evelynn!
Ciao Canada!
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| Feathered Friends |
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| Slow Food dinner experience |
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| Cyclists grab a salami snack & keep on going! |
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| Peek-a-boo in the vinyard |
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