Cuisine
June 15, 2014
After a long day of traveling I have finally arrived in the Tuscany. I’m so excited to see this land known for its high cultures and the beginning of the Italian Renaissance. This region of Italy has so much to offer many influential people in science and art have come from this region. With my week I have here I plan admire the art museum and palaces. One thing that I am most excited about is to learn about Tuscany’s culinary traditions and fine wines that are known around the world.
I’m staying at the Relasis Franciacorta, the hotel has the perfect location, right in the middle of all the wineries and unique restaurants around. After relaxing a little at the hotel I went grape picking, I learned the techniques of finding and picking the perfect grapes for wine! But I just kept the grapes for some fresh fruit in my room. After that I went to the Barboglio De Gaioncelli, which is a local secret, the restaurant is known for its homemade bread. The bread was like no other I had ever tasted! I’m for sure going back tomorrow. Can’t wait for the rest of my time here in Tuscany!
Bella
June 16, 2014
This morning I went back to Barboglio De Gaioncelli, in hope of getting some breakfast. When I got to the bakery only the baker was there and he laughed at me when I asked him for a breakfast menu! He laughed at me saying, “Nobody around here cooks breakfast, silly American I bet you don’t even know how to cook bread!” Slightly offended, we made an offer, the charming old baker would teach me how to bake and cook Tuscany cuisine and I would teach him how to cook a traditional American breakfast. My first day is tomorrow, I’ve never been so excited to bake!
I spent the rest of the day at a winery learning about he different kind of red wines, I even got to squish some grapes with my own feet!
Bella
June 17, 2014
Today was my first time on the job, I had to be there at 5:30am, although my idea of vacation includes sleeping in this was an exception that was totally worth it. First thing I learned was how to the roll bread, Mauricio the baker, won’t tell me the secret ingredients, yet. Then he taught me all about how bread rises in the oven and how to bake it in the oven perfectly. I helped him out the rest of the day at the bakery with the customers. Meeting his local customers gave me a whole new view of this town of Tuscany; they all gave me ideas on places I had to see while in town, can’t wait to check them out!
Ol’ Mauricio invited me over for a homemade Italian dinner with his Italian family, but I could only come if I helped prepare dinner with him. He taught me how to make the classic Tuscan dish, Ribollita, which is a soup made with bread and vegetables, Ribollita, means reboil and is pretty much leftover bread boiled with veggies and other ingredients, a very common dish for Mauricio’s family. Being at a traditional Italian dinner reminded me of my family’s Thanksgiving dinners, everyone so loving and loud. They shared stories of their family and of the bakery and how it has been in the family for generations. Tomorrow I am going to teach Mauricio some American breakfast dishes!
Bella
June 18, 2014
Today was has been one of my greatest days here in Tuscany I taught the baker about American breakfast, but using his amazing bread. It was nice to share a little bit of my culture when I have been learning so much about the Italian culture here. It made me remember how much I enjoy baking and cooking. I taught Mauricio how to make French toast and he just thought that it was so funny that it’s called French toast when it’s originally from America. He surprisingly made it the sample for the day and customer went crazy over it!
After teaching him about an American style breakfast, he sent me to friends of his dinner restaurant. The Glass Hostaria, the restaurant was a very different environment then the bakery. It was open and spacious with plenty of seating and an outside seating area covered in white lights that looked over a vineyard full of acres and acres of grapes. My job for the evening was to help the chef prepare the dish of the night, Pici, which is handmade pasta. Making the dish came easy and enjoyable, cooking and baking was becoming a leisure activity for me. Through baking I was learning a whole new side of things, of myself and of this great country. When I get home I can’t wait to prepare these dishes for my family!
Bella
June 19,2014
Today was my last day helping at the bakery, Maurcicio decided it was time to let me in on the family secret about baking his scrumptious bread, Since I had taught him the “secrets” to American breakfast.
I spent the rest of the day exploring the places the locals had told me to see while in town. One of my favorite places I visited today was Castello Di Volpaia, a little bit of hike but totally worth it, I tasted so many different wines and toured the place and tasted some that was over one hundred years old! I shipped a bottle home to mom because I know that she enjoys fine wine.
After a few “taste” wine it got me thinking how people are like wine, so many different kinds, old new, sweet tart, red and white. The kind of wine you drink is like an expression of yourself. I leaned my favorite was Vin Santo (:
Bella
June 20, 2014
Today, I visited some of the historical museums in the area with paintings from local artist like Leonardo de Vinci and Michelangelo.
After that I decided to take a baking class in the hotel I’m staying in. The classes taught all about dessert dishes originally from the area and the history and the traditions behind some of the dessert dishes. I baked panforte and cannolis. Panforte is like a fruitcake with nuts and honey. A cannoli is a shell made of dough and then wrapped with a sweet, creamy filling. Desserts were definitally a must for things to learn to bake!
Bella
June 21,2014
Today was my last day in the Tuscany area. Tomorrow I’m heading to Vatican City, can’t wait to see what the city holds for me! I’m surprised by how much I’ve learned here and the wonderful people I’ve met have showed me how they express themselves through their cuisine. I hope when I get back I continue my learned love for baking and cooking!
“Complimenti alla cuoca” -Compliments to the cook”
Thank you Tuscany for teaching about this land and myself.
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The items that I have illustrated above help to briefly explain and summarize her time in Tuscany, where she learned her passion for cooking and drinking. Tuscany is known for its fine cuisine and wines. In Tuscany, Bella comes to appreciate these things and soon learns to cook them too.
