Recipe: Tuscany 2006 Journal Entry #5-Pienza, among other towns (with photos)

Tuscany 2006 Journal Entry #5

Saturday, March 25th

Pienza, among other towns

Oatmeal for both of us this morning, toasted and cooked on top of the stove.

We stop in Buonconvento for the market, still no curtains. We decide to be adventurous after a taste and split a pork sandwich from one of the trucks selling slices from a whole pig. Lots of pepper. I enjoy it very much, it reminds me of the cold pork sandwiches my Mother and Grandmother sometimes made us until I bite into a piece of liver (or something) Mom and Grandma didn't include that part in their sandwiches! The man selling it to us kept sticking his thumb in his mouth and tipping his head back, asking "Birra?" Finally DH realized he was asking if we wanted a beer with it. Maybe we should have.

We move on to Torreneri, the next town south of Buonconvento to check out Milletrame where you can buy hemp products. The hemp is raised near San Giovanni 'd Asso. The linens and things in this store are beautiful. We purchase a dishtowel and apron for friends. As we leave town we stop behind a police car that has another car stopped. Stu, Jan, Steve and Barbara, riding in Stu and Jan's car, pass us and when the police are finished with the car they stopped Stu leans out the window and asks the policeman something. We wonder if they are asking for directions to the hemp store. The policemen don't speak much English, so when they move on we pull up and offer to show them where the store is. We turn around, drive back thru Torreneri and point out the store.

Then we head for Castiglione d'Orcia and the Fest di Primavera/Spring Festa where there is to be tasting and sale of local products. When we arrive it appears the festa has been rained out. We wander the town a bit in an off and on drizzle of rain then stop in at Il Ritrovino, a Vineria, Bar and Alimentari for lunch. I enjoyed an excellent bowl of Ribolitta soup and a glass of the house red. DH enjoyed bread, salad and several kinds of pecorino cheese with several different kinds on honey on them. A first for us, and the beginning of what looks to be a long, delicious relationship for us with cheese served with honey. Later we hear tales of other Untourists enjoying the cheese warmed a bit and then slightly broiled with honey .yum! We enjoy it with the addition of toasted pine nuts at our Banfi lunch, and serve it at home on Easter to friends, thus spreading the love but I'm getting ahead of myself

After lunch as we pass the turn to Bagno Vignoni, a small spa town of medieval origin, (but already known in Roman times), it looks interesting so we decide to check it out. We park in a parking lot below town and walk up into this tiny town, coming upon a wedding that has just taken place. The bride is gorgeous in a candlelight gown with an ermine stole around her shoulders. Everyone but the bride is dressed in black. Unfortunately we aren't or we could have "crashed" the reception they were having at the trattoria where things smell delicious on the other side of the large pool enclosed on three sides by the town walls. There is an interesting store in Bagno Vinoni selling what we think is Indian clothing, such beautiful stuff. I dreamt that night that I was trying on everything in the store on. There is a hotel there with a pool and spa with many people enjoying the naturally hot spring water. We walked down by the ruin of a mill they also used the hot springs for and the ancient bathing place. Gorgeous views from up there! Down below the hill is Bagni S. Filippo where you can soak in the naturally warm bathing pool.
Next we stopped at Monticchiello and walked up into town, quite the hike. We missed this little gem on our last trip because we couldn't find a parking place. Today we are the only car in the parking lot below town. The rain has made the lichen on the cobblestones VERY slippery and we take extra care on these steep streets. We go into the church where there is an old, cracked church bell with a beautiful patina to it.

We park in the same parking lot we used last trip and walk slowly thru Pienza. An absolutely wonderful town and still my favorite. We visit Ceramiche d'Arte of Linda Bai, the ceramic store. The owner now has a fianc and a LARGE German Shepard with rather intimidating long teeth. (The dog, not the fianc !) We buy several pieces from her, we adore her stuff. We did not see the old woman from our last trip as we wandered along the outside wall this time, but the sign for her "mini-apt." for rent is still hanging on her wall. We bought a wheel of hard Pecorino cheese to take home and a cryo-packed piece of medium-soft Pecorino to enjoy back in our apartment at Le Chiuse.

We enjoy a caf latte in the bar on the first street inside the walls where we drank many on our last trip . Then we walk to Trattoria da Fiorella restaurant for dinner. Then we realize I had DH move his watch back a day too early. We think it's 7pm and it's only 6! We decide we don't want to wait that long so head for home to try a place outside Montelcino's walls recommended by the Untourist company but it doesn't appear to be open. We try Pane Vino and they are open. They have spruced the place up a bit and changed the menu some. Pizza is now only served after 8. We are the only ones there when we arrive at 15 or so after 7. They don't open until 7:30 but they invite us to have a seat. They are very nice and even remember us being there two years ago. We are the only ones there the whole time we eat dinner. The Ribollita is amazing and DH had great pici with meat sauce and an insalata mista. Home to Le Chiuse Rome tomorrow!