I live in Nettuno, Italy, a one hour train ride south of Rome. My town is beautiful in itself with a Borgo (old Medieval Town) with narrow cobblestone streets complete with a Fortress and Harbor. From my house I can take a 10 minute stroll down through two Piazza’s and through the Borgo and find myself with feet in the sand staring at an endless horizon of sea and beach.
The Amalfi Coast is the stretch of rugged cliff coastline that stretches between Positano and the town of Amalfi. This stretch of coast is called the Amalfi Coast, not to be confused with the town of Amalfi at the end. The towns of Positano and Amalfi famously cling to the seaside cliffs tumbling down to the sea. These vertical cities create the most dramatic visual effects that have made them popular tourist destinations with five million people visiting each year. This makes them beautifully crowded and frustrating, just like Italy itself.
Today is a cold rainy November day, so I am sitting here in my warm dry house with slippered feet writing about som wolf he sunny days gone by. I want to tell you about a few of the places that are rich in history as well as beauty just a stones throw from my house,
Driving through Tuscany is always a visual feast for the eyes, but it is especially beautiful in the fall. The rolling hills are green with rows of vineyards cascading down the hill spilling out from an ancient stone villa perched on top. A row of tall cypress trees marks the beginning of one property and the end of another. They stand in their dark green uniforms like a row of soldiers watching over their territory.
My region of Italy is Lazio and it is famous for its Artichokes, in Rome you can enjoy them Roman Style or Jewish Style. Both styles trim the artichoke all the way down to only the edible parts. The Roman Style is then simmered in water and olive oil along with spices until soft. It is then eaten in its entirety, no peeling back leaf by leaf until you reach the heart. Nope, you just dig right in. The Chef did all of the work for you.
There are some things I will really miss about living in Italy, such as the produce I will just not be able to taste again until I return. One is the Porcini. This mushroom is available in the spring and fall and is native to the forests in this part of Europe. It does not have “gills” like the large Portobella we are familiar with in America. But it is similar in size. It is medium golden brown and thicker than a Portobello. The flavor is intense and woodsy but not as intense as a truffle.
I love Market Day in Italy. Each town in Central Italy has their own market, here in Nettuno our market day is Thursdays. The market it just a few minutes walk from our house and just down the street from our bakery. So I usually start market day with a cappuccino and cornetto then stroll down the long street that has become the market.
Autumn is gently rolling in and the late summer harvest of Pumpkins has arrived. I love when I start to see the pumpkins with their large spheres and pale pink skins start to show up at the farmers market. The pumpkins here are different than our American version that are orange skinned. The pumpkins in Italy have pale skin and dark orange interiors. They call them ‘zucca” and this is my favorite variety.
Its the end of summer and those of us who planted those adorable little basil plants in early summer with dreams of fresh pesto and bruschetta now have basil plants the size of trees spilling out of our Italian balconies. But have no fear, a sizable batch of pesto will soon cut those basil trees back down to size.
Oh, Italy in the Summertime, specifically Italy in August! Living in Italy presents quite the paradox. The beaches are beautiful and buzzing with activity. The lounge chairs on the beach are all lined up in perfect little rows. Each beach front establishment has their own colors of sun umbrellas and matching lounge chairs. They are playing music and mixing up Spritz (the favorite Aperitivo or mixed drink of Italy). The Italians are out in full regalia, suntans glowing, and families playing and lounging in the sun together.
