The elegant pastries at the bar where we got coffee our first morning in Italy.

Don’t you just love Italian design?

Close-up of an angel on the Duomo.

Even the window displays are gorgeous!

A trip down memory lane (where I lived the summer I studied in Italy).

Fake fruits in another stylish store.

As Mel Brooks would say, “Nice knockers!”

It was an incredible start to an AMAZING lunch. On June 30th, we headed to Montalcino to tour Poggio Antico winery and enjoy a leisurely lunch at their award-winning restaurant (I don’t know exactly what awards they may have won but I assume a Michelin star or something like that; it really was to-die-for).

We were a group of 14: eight adults and six under 18. The Bessers, Jevons’, Lodge-Gutierrez’ and GutierrezHouseholders bonded over our mutual love of Italian brunellos, fine food and conversation. We were also celebrating Mica’s birthday (29 again… lucky girl with those youthful Gutierrez’ genes!). Unbeknownst to us, Francesca (Mica’s sister) and Bill (Mica’s husband) had arranged a surprise cake for the birthday girl. The bigger surprise came later when we discovered they had quietly taken care of the bill, which I’m sure was substantial given all we ate and drank.

Thanks, Francesca, Mathew and Bill for treating us to such an incredible lunch; it was truly unforgettable! Here’s just a peek (I was only photographing dishes at our end of the table):

Mathew’s egg appetizer. Some how it was soft or medium boiled, removed from its shell, then dipped in bread crumbs and deep fried. Those potato chip looking things are made from black truffles, I think.

Tate’s beef carpaccio appetizer; lucky for us, he shared with Mom and Dad!

Dane’s tagliatelle al ragu (his main course).

Tate’s agnolotti pasta (his main course); he traded most of it for the lamb chops Paul and I had (as did Dane).

These were cooked to perfection. Our boys each ate two.

Tate’s salad course. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a salad presented more beautifully in all our trips to Italy. The corner drops were aged balsamic vinegar. I got to eat quite a bit of this when Tate became interested in my lamb chops.

Mica’s surprise cake: a heavenly combination of berries and chocolate.

I don’t think we left a morsel of anything, except for the remainder of Mathew and Francesca’s GIANT bistecca alla Fiorentina. They finished it one night for dinner.

Comments, anyone?

Ever since we had our family photo shoot with the amazing Calvina (www.calvinaphotography.com), I’ve been trying to duplicate what she did so effortlessly: capture the mystery and magic found in a little shot of espresso.

Herewith are my attempts to catalog some of the coffee-related highlights of our trip. Read on and be somewhat impressed with my perfect recall of who drank what where!!

This cappuccino was from the first morning in Florence. Very pretty foam pattern but truly a dull drink. Obviously, they cater mainly to tourists.

I love the story suggested by Becky’s hand holding her post-lunch espresso (Waiting for a lover? Or a bit of ennui now that the meal was over?).

It was the first Sunday of our two-week vacation and we made a short trek to my favorite hamlet in Tuscany: Volpaia. The eight of us had such a nice lunch despite the heat and the 30+ Italians celebrating a baptism at the next table. Beck, I loved your adventurous spirit throughout the trip!

Fabrizzio discussing grind and pressure specifics with Paul on our first return visit to Bar Dante Alighieri. Please note that his machine is a Vibiemme!! We did not know this prior to ordering our (Vibiemme) machine in 2007.

The crema is just gorgeous… we were almost drooling at this point.

A straight pour, no shrugging to get a design. And yet… it’s sheer perfection.

This is a repeat of the top photo: my first cappuccino in Radda. Out of curiousity, I switched to macchiato on my second visit – and never went back!

Taken at a bar across from the Duomo in Florence. Paul and I enjoyed coffee and pastries while Becky and the kids climbed 800+ steps up and down the Campanile!

One of the final mornings of our stay. We visited nearby Monteriggioni with Mathew. Dane wants everyone to know he ordered and tried a macchiato there (Mom finished it!).

2. Live like the Italians do.

3. Cook using local ingredients.

4. Avoid the tourist hordes.

5. Slow down… isn’t that what vacations are for?

We just got back from another glorious trip to the Chianti region in Italy. Two weeks of relaxing in the Tuscan countryside, with meals on the terrace, morning excursions to our favorite coffee bar and remembering how joyfully the whole of Italy embraces food, wine and conversation.

If you haven’t rented a villa property abroad, I highly encourage you to consider it for a future vacation. Not only is it cost effective (especially if you go with another family), it takes you out of the typical tourist experience of hot, crowded cities, (sometimes) overpriced meals, and the need to cram in as much as possible.

Staying in an Italian home allows you to adopt a much slower pace.

Views, views and more views

It starts with the quiet of a country morning. The only sounds are distant roosters and cicadas in the trees. The morning sun is warm and inviting; almost everyone in the house is still asleep. I like to sit on the terrace and soak in the spectacular views. It’s like a postcard come to life and occasionally, the effect is startling. Take, for instance, the view from our bathroom window (below).

Rather than look in the mirror when brushing and flossing, I am transfixed by the view. This is why we stay at L’Aiolina, a farm property outside Siena. Owned by a charming couple, Piero and Rosalba, it offers stunning vistas, peace and quiet, and the ability to commune with both nature and people.

Live like the Italians do

Staying at L’Aiolina (in the lone house on the property, Il Fienile) allows us to pretend we’re natives, even if just for a few weeks. We start most mornings as the locals do, with an espresso or cappuccino. One of the best may be found at Bar Dante Alighieri (Radda in Chianti). About 15 minutes drive from our house and it’s time for coffee and conversation. Note that this is the region of the “strada bianca” – unpaved country roads that spit up tons of white dust – so it’s a short distance but a slow drive.

The proprietors, Fabrizzio and Carolyn, are delightful. He’s Italian, she’s British and they’ve been together 20+ years.

Standing at the bar, watching them pull perfect espresso shots and conversing in a mix of Italian and English is pure heaven to me. This trip, I discovered macchiato – espresso with a dollop of steamed milk. One sip and I was hooked! To me, espresso in Italy is smoother and creamier than in the U.S.; Paul swears it’s less caffeinated, too.

The boys were bummed they no longer serve gelato. Fabrizzio is the one who initiated our custom of “breakfast gelato” for the kids (which allowed us to slowly savor our coffees). Luckily, Bar Dante Alighieri has amazing cream-filled croissants to fill the void!

Cook using local ingredients

Speaking of food, we spent HOURS at the local shops, delightfully perusing the produce, meat/cheese and fresh pasta sections. Our friends, Luis and Becky (who shared the house with us along with their teenage son and daughter) jumped right into our “cook like Italians” mode. Becky even BAKED using Italian ingredients. One day, she whipped up light and airy pancakes from the items below. That girl has an Italian soul… don’t you think?

Avoid the tourist hordes

Most of all, we were able to cherry pick our visits to picturesque Tuscan villages. In the day time, many hill towns like Siena and San Gmignano are overrun by exhaust-spewing buses and endless tour groups lead by people holding umbrellas. By taking a more leisurely approach, (for instance, heading into town in the late afternoon or evening), we were able to enjoy more relaxing experiences. We also tried to have one or two meals at home each day; leaving time to lounge around the pool in the afternoon or watch the kids hunt fireflies at dusk.

Slow down

In short, renting a villa in Tuscany allowed us to do what we most needed to do: slow down and savor the experience. In the past, we’ve returned from vacations exhausted from cramming in too much (influenced by what tour books say you shouldn’t miss). These days, we don’t worry about seeing and doing everything. Hopefully, we’ll get back to Italy again and cross a few more items off our bucket list!

To inquire about short-term stays at L’Aiolina, visit their website at: http://www.aiolina.it/eng/home.html

Biking in Italy is a close second in popularity to football (soccer). And
you can guess how popular football is in Europe. Kids playing pick-up
games on a Piazza in Venice demonstrate better ball-handling skills than
college players in the USA do. Biking is everywhere in Tuscany and Lucca.
Bikes are ridden by racers, commuters, weekend warriors, kids, adults and
the old folks going into the local village for afternoon coffee. Even the
70-year-old cleaning lady rides her bike to the vacationer’s villa at
the end of a two-mile long dirt road. Every serious rider here (and there
are a LOT) seems to have all the essential and color-coordinated
equipment/clothes and owns a Bianchi, Tomassini, Colnago, Daccordi, or
Coppi. I have only seen one US Postal jersey and/or bike here and a few
Cannondale frames. Neighborhood shops dangle the latest and greatest De
Rosa frame from five-pound test lines in the window. Biking is an Italian
passion and both the young and old are inspired to ride. The afternoon
siesta seems like a time specifically invented for bike riders.

Bikers in Italy are very much respected and admired. Even though there may
be a shoulder along a road, the notoriously impatient Italian drivers are
not bothered by having to swerve around a bike occupying ½ of the lane.
On a weekend day, groups and individual riders dominate the landscape.
During our first weekend here, an amateur race went up our mountain.
Hundreds of locals lined the streets on this rainy Sunday to cheer. Five
motorcycles cleared the roadway for this group of 50 riders and the 8 team
cars that followed. Since I did not recognize any of the teams, I am
guessing that these were “minor league” pros. But what a fantastic
turnout by the locals of Malmantile! During the following weekend, another
group of cyclists attacked our mountain. Lacking a support motorcade, this
ride was probably a local benefit.

Biking in earnest began in week two, initiated by my wife. We had seen
many a gorgeous bike. Colnago was clearly the frame of choice, so there
was plenty of eye candy to admire as we drove around Tuscany. As we were
climbing the mountain up to our villa and passing yet another Colnago
Dream, I commented on how expensive they were in the USA. I could not
believe how many Italians owned them. Kathy reminded me how strong the US
dollar was and asked, do you think they cheaper in Italy? Why not take one
back as a momento? What an awesome idea! Shouldn’t we stop Colnago man and
ask where to get one? Sure.

Colnago man #1 directed us to a tiny shop in Montelupo where Colnagos were
rented and sold. Upon visiting the store, we found that they did not have
any, but did sell Daccordi, a frame that can be custom built to match my
dimensions. Unfortunately, he spoke no English, and our Italian was not
good enough to ask technical questions about the bikes or how to rent a
bike. But the Daccordi was gorgeous and had Carbon-fiber chain and seat
stays integrated onto an Aluminum frame.

While taking my parents to the Pisa airport the next morning, I
serendipitously noticed a shop in Vinci with a HUGE Daccordi sign on the
roof and a big “we rent bikes” sign in the window. A quick search on
the Internet revealed this as the Daccordi factory! Frames are built on
the second floor and sold on the first. My visit the following day was
most interesting. The owner’s wife, Marilene, spoke English. She
explained the types of frames they made: Al, C-fiber, steel, or any
combination. After much discussion about my riding style, weight, and
riding plans, it was concluded that the best frame for me was an Aluminum
frame with Carbon-fiber forks and seat stays. Daccordi is one of a few
companies that integrates Carbon parts onto the Altec2 frame. I figured
that buying the frame was risky, but a minimal risk. Since the size was
custom, it will be comfortable. The risk was the ride. I like the
stiffness of Aluminum, and maybe the Carbon parts would reduce road noise.

After some meticulous measurements of almost every part of my body, the
numbers were entered into a computer that calculated my frame size and a
few minutes later I had a test spin on an adjustable bike! It was
official! The frame would be ready June 8th for me to take home! A rental
Daccordi was provided for my use over the next month. I even met three
riders from Team Selle Italia (sponsored by Daccordi), who happened into
the shop in preparation for the Giro d’Italia.

Once the rental bike was adjusted and brought home to our villa, riding in
Italy began. Since the villa was at the top of a mountain, each ride began
with a descent and ended with a climb. I took it easy the first couple of
rides. I was even passed by Team Selle Italia while flatted in Lastra A
Signa. I rode every other day, getting my riding legs back.

The villa we transferred to for weeks 3-5 of our stay was in Valgiano,
halfway up a mountain overlooking Lucca. The riding was absolutely awesome
here. From the villa, I rode along the side of the mountain through
vineyards and olive gardens, passing through St. Andrea in Carpal,
Toforri, and into Collodi. From there the climbing into Villa Bassilica
and Pizzorne began. The air was so clean, and there was no traffic as you
ascended 1200m vertically. It took almost an hour to climb, finishing in a
pine forest. The little towns along the way were so charming. They have a
central water source (mountain water) that is the social center of the
town. The locals were nice and polite. To get places in Italy, you go by
town signs, not street signs, polar degrees, or N/S/E/W. So I continually
had to stop and ask people directions in broken Italian. Dov’e Collodi?
Every person politely corrected my pronunciation, then pointed and
directed me in Italian. Sempe diritte et cinque kilometer a destre.
Grazie. Prego. Without their help, I never would have found Pizzorne.

Another example of Italian hospitality came on my first ride in Valgiano.
A wrong turn sent me down the mountain instead of along the rim. I did not
realize my mistake until I looked at the map. On the way back up the
mountain, I passed numerous riders. Near the top I encountered a rider on
a Carbon-fiber Colnago. As I passed this rider, I heard the infamous
“ching ching” sound of a downshift. Out of the saddle and onto my
wheel he went. Ahhhh, a little Italian attitude! I was content to continue
at my pace, so Colnago man #2 came along my side, pointed at my ugly
Daccordi rental and said “Daccordi, Molto Bene!” Ahh. This coming from
a Colnago man. How nice.

Further down the road, I encountered the second flat of the day and was
cursing and patching my original tube when a man on a C-fiber-Look tried
to communicate with me about my predicament. Although Italian and English
did not work, I communicated my predicament using gestures and sighing. He
told me he lives ½ km away in Collodi and out came his spare tube and a
CO2 Cartridge. I thanked him, accepted the tube, offered money, but he
declined. In Texas, we’d say, “Y’all Italians are damn nice.”

But the real treat for me came a few days later when I realized that the
Giro d’Italia was running from Montecatini Terme (between Lucca and
Florence) to Abetone on May 27. Of course I wanted to go, and inquired
with the Villa owner how to get information on the start time and route.
Monica was so sweet. She contacted her uncle in Lucca and arranged for me
to ride with his cycling club from Lucca to Abetone (the first major climb
of the tour). It would be about 80 km each way and the climb to Abetone
was a vertical ascent of 1400m. Was I interested? Of course! The only
trouble was that I was supposed to meet his club at 8:45am sharp at the
supermarket along the road. I arrived at 8:35 and waited. At 8:47, a group
of men in their 50s and 60s stopped. Adiamo Abetone! Did they know Monica?
Si, Si, Si. Adiamo, Abetone! So away we went, at a slow pace of 16 mph on
the flats. Eventually, we were passed by a group of 30 cyclists who were
going much faster. I later found out that this was the real club, but I
did not join them for fear of insulting the man I thought was Monica’s
uncle! Oh well, none of the riders spoke English any better than I spoke
Italian, but pace lines are language-independent and it was nice to ride
with a group. We encountered so many riders along the way. Everyone was on
his or her way to see the race.

The streets of Abetone were lined with people on both sides when I arrived
at the base of the mountain and started climbing two hours prior to the
start of the race 70-km away. I rode to the top, dreaming about the racing
triple on my bike at home and cursing the 54/22 combination that I was
pushing up the mountain. I ascended alone, leaving behind my geriatric
club members. I then came back down about 1/3 of the mountain to a section
of the road where 3 separate stretches of road were visible. The roads
that ascend mountains in Italy tend to turn back on themselves every 50 m,
permitting one to stand on the outside edge of a road and see the riders
climb for a couple of turns. Abetone is only a 5% grade rising 1400 m
above sea level. It is gentle by tour standards.

The fan fare started 1.5 hours prior to the arrival of the bikers. The
Carabinieri escorted 50-100 cars up the mountain. Each car was a tour
sponsor of some kind and had cute and comical advertisements on the car.
Picture in your mind 50-100 variations of the Oscar Mayer Weiner car going
by! One van had a six pack of yogurt on top. Each container was the size
of a large garbage can. Another was the world’s largest ice cream
sandwich, and giant version of what Nestle sells in every corner coffee
bar. One by one, they went up the narrow mountain pass, honking and
flashing. Next came the official Giro d’Italia gear cars, stopping to
sell pink T-shirts, watches, bandanas, and other merchandise essential to
supporting the race. Finally came more Carabinieri escorting VIPs. Oh
yeah, and the riders came an hour later, already fractured by the
mountain. One group of 12 had broken away, followed by SAG vehicles.
Slowly but surely, eight more groups of riders and support vehicles went
by. The crowd cheered loudly for Cippolini and Pantani. Although Jan
Ulrich was cheered, most people routed for the Italians. Eight minutes
later, the last rider ascended to Abetone, alone. Clearly a crash victim,
his muscles stretched the gauze that adorned them. The crowd also cheered
for him. He showed little interest in their applause.

With the last of the Giro gone, I mounted my rental, descended Abetone,
and headed for home. After 10 miles, I hooked up with a small group of
riders, forming a pace line and reducing my time to get home. The Giro
d’Italia was an unforgettable experience.

We last left you with my husband’s tale of his 2001 sabbatical. Below is
part two of three. [By the way, in case you are wondering why I chose to
illustrate this post with a rooster, keep reading! I ate rooster at one of
the most amazing dinners we’ve ever had: Osteria di Rendola]

Five Weeks in Italy: Part Two

Week Two was mellower than Week One. We took only a few day trips and just
relaxed at the villa for a stretch. I did some biking (next post: the
Italian Biking Update). Kathy’s parents took a side trip to one of their
favorite countries, Slovenia, and returned with good friends Mojca and
Alesh, as well as Slovenian cheese, proscuitto and wine. Our friend,
Rachel, also stayed for a few days.

The end of Week Two was accompanied by change. We said goodbye to Mojca,
Alesh, Rachel, Patti, Paul, Rita, Woody, Florence, and our villa in
Malmantile. We said hello to the hills of Lucca, Villa Al Carli, owner
Monica Ferrucci, as well as our friends Robin, Ruth, Nicholas, Schuyler
and Erna van den Nieuwenhuizen and Brett, Larisa, and Aiden Sheckler. We
were happy to have Kathy’s parents to help us move from villa to villa.
Our kids and clothes filled one car and supplies filled the other! We took
a scenic route to the town of Valgiano, passing through Vinci (where
‘Leonardo da’ called home) and Pescia (where 2/3 of Italy’s flowers are
grown).

Al Carli

Perched on a hill overlooking vineyards, olive groves, rolling hills and
the valley surrounding Lucca, Al Carli is a villa that was once owned by
director David Lean. He died before beginning any restoration work and
Monica purchased it a few years ago. Along with her parents, she remodeled
it with loving care and a keen eye for interior design. It has three
separate sleeping areas united by a central courtyard that is adorned with
clay pots overflowing with geraniums, jasmine, petunias, roses and
pansies. Each room is uniquely appointed and painted, complete with
tasteful antique furniture and hand-stenciled borders. Monica loves
animals and tends to two friendly dogs, two cats, three horses, and
perhaps 10-20 birds. This beautiful villa is so peaceful and serene, at
least for the normal clientele. To those who arrive with five kids under 4
years of age, normal has a broader interpretation. Good days became those
days when the kids slept past 7am, did not arrive in “time-out” prior
to 9 am, and willingly shared their toys 20% of the time! Great days were
those when the kids were in bed by 8pm so the exhausted adults could enjoy
the sunset, some adult conversation, Monica’s fabulous cooking and many,
many bottles of wine.

While a river gravel pathway from the parking area to the villa entrance
is aesthetically pleasing to most people, any male under the age of five
views it as an infinite source of stones to be thrown! We originally
prohibited the throwing of stones, then progressed to outlawing the
dropping and kicking of them. Finally, the movement of any stone with any
body part resulted in an immediate “time-out!” Fortunately, there were
plenty of toys at the boys’ disposal to distract and diffuse their
addiction to and affection for the rocks. We converted the exterior patio
overlooking Lucca into a large Gymboree where they could play. This
functioned well, but our wayward cherubs did not as easily accomplish
sharing their toys. The hot toys were the unique ones, as Murphy’s Law
would have it. Fortunately, we had two each of the most popular trucks and
fire fighter backpacks. Over the course of two weeks, though, our little
ones became quite attached to each another and to baby Schuyler, Robin and
Ruthie’s six month old Madonna-with-the-Billy-Idol hair. Dane was
particularly interested in entertaining her with a wide but repeating
selection of sounds and facial expressions. Aiden and Tate were more
interested in each other than the baby, and Nicholas marched to his own
drum, able to play independently for hours and shriek like a motion sensor
alarm if another child came within three feet of his toys!

Getting Along

Nine adults and five children can provide an interesting dynamic. When we
planned two weeks for three families at Al Carli, we knew sharing a house
would work but had no idea how. Who would want which room? What about the
separate apartments? Would the kids fight? Would anyone sleep from jet
lag? What would we do for food and meals?

Fortunately, everyone was amazingly accommodating and we had an awesome
time! Perhaps it was the bottle of 16-year old single malt scotch that we
found for $20 and Robin poured like red wine the first night we arrived.
Or perhaps it was the serenity that came over us as we admired the view
from our villa day and night. We don’t know, but the two weeks flew by
quickly. The major decisions we had to make involved whether to cook
ourselves or have Monica cook, which wine to have before and during
dinner, and what dessert to enjoy. As luck would have it, we worked our
way through most of Monica’s amazing menu selections, more than one
bottle of wine was needed at each meal so everyone’s desires were easily
accommodated and we opened both the vanilla wafers and the
chocolate-covered cookies since there were nine adults to finish them off.
The only real strife we experienced was the post-dinner music selection.
The women were stuck on the hits of the 80s, the men wanted to hear
B-sides, and Robin only wanted Jimmy Buffett. And we wonder why our kids
have trouble sharing? They come by it honestly!

Getting Out

Since the Besser clan had done way too much travelling during the first
two weeks, we decided to stay close to home for a couple of days. We hung
out by the villa’s pool and managed short trips to Lucca, Collodi, Bagni
di Lucca, Carrara, and Abetone. Lucca is a cute little city enclosed by a
huge wall that was largely built under the aegis of Napoleon’s sister.
Collodi was also only minutes from our villa and contained some beautiful
formal gardens and Pinocchio Park (too scary for our kids, go figure).
Bagni di Lucca is north of Lucca in the mountains and contains natural
mineral springs as well as a very large grotto (cave) that we toured. Dane
and Tate both loved the grotto. Tate, perhaps inspired by the quietness,
whispered the whole time and Dane, our brave little spelunker, walked the
length of the cave on his own. Carrara, northwest of Lucca, is where
marble is mined and made into tiles, slabs, and miscellaneous tourist
tchotckes such as corkscrews and wine stoppers. It is very much a working
tourist town, as evidenced by the multitude of trucks driving through with
12x12x6 blocks of marble on their beds. Paul went to Abetone by bike to
see and ride the first major climb of the Giro d’Italia. Abetone is 80
km north of Lucca.. The area was gorgeous, resembling the scenery along
the Sierras – mountainous terrain, clear water creeks, and clean, clean
air.

As a group of 14 people (in three cars), we visited Colle Val d’Elsa,
the playscape in downtown Lucca (multiple times), and Castellina in
Chianti. Colle Val d’Elsa is a quiet little town of mostly glass
factories located between Siena and San Gimignano. Since it is so small,
it does not appear on the radar of most tour groups, which is a good
thing. We all succumbed to the effects of the beautiful glasswork and the
strong dollar and bought crystal wine decanters, olive oil dispensers,
pasta bowls, or liquor bottles. Castellina in Chianti is a small town in
the Chianti region. We were attracted by its beautiful countryside, a
restaurant written up in Wine Spectator, and the prospect of some mildly
serious wine tasting. The restaurant, Albergaccio di Castellina, was
outstanding, but cranky children cancelled the wine tasting for us.

The women also got away for a day at a local spa. The brochure looked
great but the reality was quite different. Ruthie appropriately renamed it
“The Communist Spa” and compared the ambiance to that of a 1950’s
psychiatric ward in a geriatric hospital. Kathy noted that they used
actual toothbrushes on her face and played loud Eurotrash disco music
during her (unrelaxing) facial. Ruthie laughed at the meager selection
(three) of nail polish colors available for her manicure, and all of them
had a vastly mediocre experience. The men had a good time with the kids,
though.

Separately, the van den Nieuwenhuizens and the Shecklers visited San
Gimignano, Siena, Pisa, Pistoia, and Firenze. Tracy broke away to Rome and
returned with her friend, Amanda. Kathy and Paul busted away ‘senza
bambini’ for two nourishing, romantic days. One was spent touring the
Chianti region and tasting wines in Greve, Rada, and Castellina. Actually,
wine tasting is a misnomer. Most places only taste a single wine, their
youngest Chianti. Yum, yum. But we did see the villa where “Much Ado
About Nothing” was filmed and (reportedly) Mona Lisa was born. Needless
to say, it was a very romantic day. We didn’t realize how much so until
dinner, when Kathy ordered three highly suggestive courses (asparagus,
mussels and rooster – think about that) for dinner. That day we managed to
eat at two highly rated restaurants in Wine Spectator’s Tuscany edition.
The first, Albergaccio di Castellina, afforded us the opportunity to share
part of our meal with a lovely couple, Mathew and Francesca, who were
conviently from the Bay Area. The four of us hit it off immediately and we
obtained Mathew’s European cell phone number as a means to get together
again during our vacation.

At the second gourmet restaurant of the day, Osteria di Rendola, Francesco
Bernardinelli, the chef who graces the cover of the May 2000 Wine
Spectator Tuscany issue, personally prepared a 3.5 hour, 7-course meal
that was one of the best of our lives and then visited our table and
autographed our copy of the magazine! For more detail, see Kathy’s
eating section below because my descriptions will pale in
comparison to hers.

On our second adults-only day out, we started the day at the spa in
Montecatini Terme. The Terme means “thermal waters, baby” and when
translated literally means “shagadellic”. The healing waters here are
famous and the town is postcard perfect. Being a more modern town, this
charmer has wider streets, lots of trees, and cute, (very) expensive
little shops. Initially, I gave the place two thumbs up. The spa had a
nice atmosphere and the masseuse had the friendliest hands ever! But later
I changed my review after my first and only pedicure went sour.

That night we tried another Francesco Bernardinelli restaurant in downtown
Florence – Beccofino. It was fantastic as well, featuring Italian-fusion
cuisine such as tempura-battered vegetables over basil and asparagus
risotto. Unfortunately for me, we arrived a little early for dinner giving
Kathy ample time to find and purchase some expensive glassware at the shop
next door.

Getting Our Booty

Erna found an Etruscan necklace, bracelet, ring and earring set; Larisa
found a watch and crystal; Ruthie, Tracy and Kathy bought tons of jewelry,
glassware and shoes; Paul and Brett both bought custom Daccordi Aluminum
frames with carbon-fiber suspensions; Robin got an alabaster chess set,
and we all continually searched for Brunellos, olive oil and parmagiano
regiano to take home. Everyone bought keepsakes in Italy. It was hard not
to. The dollar got stronger every day, daring us to catch our customs
limit. It was a great time to visit Europe, in the middle of rate cuts by
the EU and merger talks between Alcatel and Lucent.

Kathy’s Journal [finally writing on my own blog!!!]

Everyone laughed at me when I started recording the meals we
enjoyed in Italy. But they were so fantastic (and our memories rapidly
grew hazy) that I wanted to keep track of them. A few of the meals
prepared by Monica at Al Carli are as follows:

May 19th: Bruschetta with garden-fresh tomatoes and garlic, zuppa di farro
(an old fashion wheat grain similar to barley), grilled filet of beef with
a Roquefort cheese sauce.

May 22nd: Panzanella, risotto verdure (w/vegetables), conoglio all Etrusca
(Rabbit, Etruscan style).

May 25th: Ravoli w/butter and sage, Tuscan chicken (we called these
wonderful lemon-rosemary medallions of olive-oil fried chicken, “Tuscan
McNuggets”!).

June 2nd: Bruschetta with garden-fresh tomatoes and garlic, ravoli
w/butter and sage plus tagliatelli with zucchini pesto and fried zucchini
flowers, Tuscan fried chicken (again!).

Some of the other terrific restaurants we visited included Trattoria
Cammilo (2 times) and Pandemonio (2 times) in Florence, Tenuta San Vito (3
times!) and Poggio Antico where we purchased a magnum of a particularly
nice Brunello di Montalcino (we’ll save it for a great big wine party
someday!).

Dinner at Osteria di Rendola: The meal started wonderfully with
complimentary glasses of champagne and a small palate teaser of roasted
guinea fowl laid on matchstick-size apple slices drizzled with a balsamic
vinaigrette and garnished with fresh thyme. This set the tone for the
entire evening as balsamic vinegar found its way into most dishes in
surprising and delightful ways. Paul chose to go with the evening’s
tasting menu and his courses were as follows: first] asparagus tips
wrapped in a delicate white fish on a bed of pesto garnished with a
beautifully drawn ring of balsamic vinegar and scattered fresh mint and
baby greens; second] a warm porcini mushroom salad garnished with thinly
sliced cheese (possibly asiago) and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette drizzled
artfully around the plate; third] a potato and ricotta soup with shrimp –
this soup had a slightly lemony flavor and was decorated with a single
dill sprig; fourth] eggplant tortelli with a four-cheese sauce garnished
with paper-thin slices of tomato and zucchini; fifth] thinly sliced rare
roast beef atop a pile of roasted potatoes that was finished with a
balsamic reduction; sixth] a square slice of mixed raspberry and vanilla
gelato – we were almost too full to even eat dessert at this point! I
ordered off the regular menu and had the following courses: first]
asparagus tips with shaved pecorino cheese and white truffles; second]
potato and leek tortelli in a warm broth filled with steamed mussels and
garnished with delicious homemade potato chips; third] roasted breast of
rooster (yes, rooster!) with cippoline (tiny spring onions) and a black
olive paste. Whew! I forgot to mention that we ordered a 1997 Fontodi Case
Via Syrah to accompany the meal. In short, we were completely blown away
by the food, wine and impeccable service and, of course, the evening was
made when the chef came out and autographed our copy of Wine Spectator
that had his picture on the cover (it is now framed and graces one of our
kitchen walls).

Getting Fat

In case you have not guessed from the previous sections and from Kathy’s
journal, the food in Italy was fantastic! We only had one medium meal the
entire trip (aside from London) and that was in Venice at a place we knew
in advance would be bad. But our kids needed to eat pronto and the
restaurant we had traversed the canals of Venice to eat at (Al Covo) was
unfortunately closed that day. All other meals were awesome!

Since 0-4 year-old children do not have the patience for a long sit-down
meal, we chose to eat out sometimes but cook ourselves more often.
Breakfast was the most entertaining meal of the day for some reason. We
sat outside, trying to wake up and keep our kids out of “time out”. Erna
would prepare a plate of cheese and salami. Sometimes I would whip up an
omelet with Italian ham and cheese but I chose Muselix with yogurt far
more often. The kids initially turned to cereal. However, once we all
discovered the wonders of Nutella, a different breakfast ritual evolved.
Notoriously a picky eater, Nicolas would CHOW DOWN on bread smeared with
Nutella! Ruthie quickly adapted and layered peanut butter below the
Nutella so that Nicolas would get NUTRITION in addition to lots of
calories!

Hot dogs, burgers, pasta al’Olio, pasta with peas, ham and cream, and
pretzels sticks were popular with the boys. We would feed them early and
then prepare our own dinner while they watched the sole “Thomas the Tank
Engine” DVD on Brett’s computer. While the rest of us sampled Pinot
Grigios, Barbarescos and Sangiovese wines, the women would prepare some
absolutely fantastic pastas, including one made from ground beef, sweet
onions and olive oil, and one made with a sweet sausage and roma tomatos.
Ruthie found a shop in Lucca that sold huge penne pasta shells which she
filled with sausage, olives, vegetables and tomato sauce. Of course, we
enjoyed the side dishes as well: insalata caprese, cannelini beans with
olive oil and fresh pepper, and proscuitto and melone.

If we were particularly lazy, we would call on Monica to prepare our
feast. We loved her cooking and it was so convenient. Her Tuscan fried
chicken was particulary flavorful as was the homemade pasta with zucchini
and fried zucchini flowers.

An Italian food update would not be complete without some mention of
dessert. While Monica specialized in Tiramisu, the Gelato is what we
craved. All of us found a favorite flavor. I loved the dark chocolate and
mint chocolate (and most other flavors). Tate and Kathy both loved
chocolate – dark chocolate that is. Tate got it all over his face, shirt,
hands, and any other extremity. He would eat his cone, then point to
Mommy’s and say. “I hold yours, Mommy!”- and proceed to eat hers as
well. Dane preferred Limone. Always. PopPop (Kathy’s dad) accepted the
challenge of more adventurous flavors, like strawberry cheesecake and
passionfruit, and Mimi (Kathy’s mom) loved Melon. Tracy discovered a
deadly addictive mixture of mint and chocolate at a gelateria on the
Piazza de la Signoria! While most gelato was good gellato and better than
normal ice cream in the USA, certain gelaterias were better than others.
We soon learned which shops made their own and slowly became Gelato
Connoisseurs.

[Photo credit: Lee Snider & Xu Lei/Veer]

[2001 Sabbatical, written by Paul, edited by Kathy; FYI, la dolcezza refers to the sweetness of life in Italy]

Open up and say “Yum Yum,” Steve! If you want to know how it came to
be that Tate was feeding fellow Bay Area native Steve Mariucci a
strawberry on the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, keep
reading…

Getting There

Gentlemen, start your engines! The sabbatical has begun! Our flight from
San Jose to London was relatively uneventful. The kids loved the portable
televisions in business class (we wisely upgraded our seats). Dane watched
a little Blue’s Clues and then he and Tate went off to La-La land. In
London, we realized that we had brought way too much stuff. Not only was
it difficult to unload, carry, haul, drag and throw 13 pieces of luggage
and two kids through customs, across the airport, on and off a train,
along the walk to the airport Hilton and into a hotel room, but we
discovered that we and our luggage did NOT fit into the tiny hotel room
unless we stacked everything in the corner and put Tate’s crib on top.
This worked well until Tate woke in the middle of the night (which was
actually daytime for him) and hit his head on the ceiling*. His shriek
startled Daddy, who stepped out of a bed that was smaller than the one
from his childhood, and onto Dane, who was sleeping on the floor between
his parents!

Dane and Tate loved the 36-hour layover in London. They rode the
Underground and a double-decker bus we nicknamed Bulgy. For those of you
unfamiliar with the Thomas the Tank Engine series, Bulgy is a red
double-decker bus with a devilish streak. Bulgy gave the Bessers a fine
tour of central London. At Sloane Square, we found our way to the Orange
Brewery, which has some fond memories for us. We visited here four years
ago and enjoyed fish ‘n chips and British ale on the patio. The weather
was not conducive to patio seating this time and we found that we could
not brave the “Orange Smokery”, as we affectionately renamed it. We
settled for a forgettable French meal at an out-of-the-way brassiere and
departed for our Tuscan vacation the next morning.

*(Disclaimer: Kathy wants you to know that Paul is just kidding)

Staying There

The existence of expectations sets you up for disappointment. Based upon
conversations with our agent, Paolo, we were expecting a remodeled villa
on a private estate with its own olive grove, vineyards, private pool,
tennis court, a chef’s kitchen, and deluxe accommodations with luxurious
appointments. We were initially disappointed when we realized that the
appointments were a little more rustic than we had expected. However,
after two days in the rain and cold, two beautiful things happened. One,
we adjusted our expectations, and two, the beautiful Tuscan sun finally
came out. After seven days and a couple of fantastic home-cooked dinners
with local wines, the place officially became charming! It had four
bedrooms (each with its own bath) and three living rooms, all of which
were loaded with antique dressers, buffets, chairs and tables. The villa
is located at the end of a one-mile dirt road at the top of a mountain
overlooking Florence, adjacent to the village of Malmantile.

Within 24 hours of arriving, the villa was full. Dane and Tate were
excited to meet up with both sets of grandparents as well as our friend,
Tracy. These familiar faces helped to ease their transition to Italy.

Getting Around There

Since my parents and Tracy had never been to Italy, our first week was
dedicated to searching for Italian food and wine as well as exploring the
surrounding region. We drove to Assisi, Siena, Florence, San Gimignano,
Colle Val d’Elsa, and Volterra. As expected, we saw beautiful churches,
old buildings, quaint houses, and charming streets. We were surprised by
the size of the May crowds in some cities, were constantly reminded of the
strength of the U.S. dollar, enjoyed awesome gelato on every corner, and
were amazed at just how great the food in Italy is. Even though we were
selective with our restaurant choices, we had forgotten just what a
culinary and wine mecca this region is. I won’t attempt to describe the
meals, but just say that a local trattoria is usually better than most
U.S. Italian restaurants. With the strong dollar, gelato was only a buck
and dinners (including wine, water, food, charm and tip) averaged $20 per
person. We frequented some of our favorite local trattorias – Camillo,
Pandemonio, and Cingiale Bianco. And just down the road from our villa, we
found an organically-oriented estate, San Vito, whose tiny restaurant grew
most of the items on the family-style menu including the wine, olive oil,
honey and produce. This organic Italian trattoria was a unique and
wonderful experience.

We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the sites within the city of
Assisi are in great condition despite a somewhat recent earthquake. The
presence of Etruscan walls and Roman theaters and baths in Volterra
reminded us how short our time on earth has been and just how young the
U.S. is in comparison. What will the track housing areas of the U.S.
suburbs look like in 2300 years? What will have remained standing at that
time?

Watching my parent’s faces light up with every breathtaking vista,
street corner, beautiful doorway, and delicious meal made the traveling
easier. Your first trip to Italy is unforgettable. Driving two hours is
not hard for adults but was more challenging with small children in tow.
We communicated between cars with walkie-talkies. Of course, code names
became critical in these situations. The key drivers assumed the
appropriate handles of Paolo Andretti (Paul Besser), Katerina Andretti
(Kathy Besser), and PopPop Andretti (Paul Holland). Driving in Italy is as
energizing as the local espresso. And combining the two is essential in
traffic.

Over our five weeks in Italy, I noted the following driving trends…

1. Cars can pass anywhere, anytime, and will do so. No matter the speed
limit – 50, 90, 110 or 130 km/hr – rural route or crowded city street,
if a car is going too slow, the Italians will pass at the slightest
perceived break in traffic.

2. Stop signs are optional. Rarely does a car actually stop. My personal
best speed for running a stop sign was 90 km/hr.

3. At least four cars will make it through the intersection on a yellow
light. During my first week driving in Italy, I actually stopped on a
yellow. Four cars swerved around my halted vehicle to run the red light!

4. Nobody does the speed limit, except tractors, three-wheeled trucks
smaller than a Yugo, Fiat Puntos, and Panda 4x4s with 3” wide wheels.

5. Slower traffic keeps right. This is an actual law and a great idea!
Cars only get in the left lane to pass, and return to the right lane as
quickly as possible. Good thing that it is not taken personally when a car
is on your bumper with lights flashing! And it is no big deal if the car
that just passed you returns to your lane quickly so another car can pass
you both.

6. Scooters Rule! After being here, we all wanted to get one (except
Kathy, of course!). Scooter riders have an attitude all their own. The
driver could be an 18-year old in full leather, an 80-year-old
grandparent, or a businesswoman in a mini skirt and four-inch Gucci heels.
Even though as you wait for a light scooters will surround your car and
enter the intersection before you and drive 20 km/hr blocking the road,
Italian drivers look out for them and avoid hitting them.

7. Cars will stick out in the road. Probably due to the fact that, on
streets where doors open into traffic and buildings are tall, cars have to
stick out into traffic in order to see if the road is clear and pull out.
But the game of chicken becomes how far out you can stick before cars are
forced to stop so you can turn left? Italian drivers will swerve around or
“pass” the car rather than stop.

8. During rush hour, anything goes!?! Two lane roads become three lanes
wide reducing the space between adjacent cars to mere inches. Six cars
make it through a light on a yellow. Scooters make a fourth lane in the
road and gather around the lead car waiting for the green like ants on a
cracker. Cars inch out further into the road to try to get out. The
functional traffic circles break down into gridlock.

Bottom-line, as our friend, Larisa, said, “We have the utmost respect
for Italian drivers. They are the most impatient and patient drivers
around.”

49er there… and there.

At the start of Italy 2001, I was not sure if I would write updates about
our trip. You never really know if you will have entertaining material to
write about until the trip is underway. BUT WHAT WAS I THINKING?! This is
my family and friends we are talking about! I decided tonight, only 6 days
into the sojourn, that there would be plenty of fodder to write about.

We were sitting on the Piazza della Signoria having a drink in front of
the Palazzo Vecchio as the sun was setting. Tate was sitting in my lap and
Dane and my mom were on either side of me. We were talking about something
when my eyes glanced above my Mom’s head and out of my mouth came
“Steve!” It was his blue eyes. Who else could it have been? I see them
on the sports highlights, on Sunday afternoons in the fall, and in the
newspaper. It was Steve Mariucci! Next thing I know I am shaking hands,
exchanging “Buonasera” greetings, and introducing Steve Mariucci to
our group! Of course, my parents had no idea who he was and he was sitting
1.5 feet away from me, so I had to quietly explain to my parents who he
was. Well, after this explanation, my Mom thought that a picture was in
order and interrupted Steve’s discussion to request a picture of him
with her son and grandson. Steve politely agreed, but jokingly suggested
that only on the condition Tate share with him one of the strawberries he
was in the process of devouring. Tate, our very observant little
1.65-year-old child, heard him and unbeknownst to everyone but himself
decided to feed Steve the strawberry just as he sat down for the picture!
Hence, we have the aforementioned picture of my son feeding the head coach
of the SF 49ers a strawberry!

The next night we prepared to say goodbye to my parents, with the best
meal thus far of the vacation, at our favorite trattoria in Florence –
Pandemonio. It is a small place owned by a very special family. All the
recipes have been handed down within this family for generations. The
atmosphere is great and the staff friendly. The owner remembered us from
our visits over the years and brought us complementary champagne as we sat
down and homemade limoncella liquor and grappa before we departed.
Outstanding! The best appetizer was a dish of warm cannelloni beans served
with thinly sliced onions and tuna (that did not taste as if it had come
from a can) drizzled with olive oil and decorated with freshly ground
black pepper. And the ’95 Brunello di Montalcino we ordered was
fantastic. After dinner we walked along the Arno and through the streets
of Florence and enjoyed the singing talents of a British opera singer on
the Piazza della Republica.

As we were returning to our car, relishing our time away from the kids,
someone suddenly tapped my shoulder as we passed and said, “Hey, how’s
it going?” Steve Mariucci! Again! He looked sharp and was out for an
evening stroll himself. We talked about places to eat, our respective
reasons for visiting Italy, villa rentals, and the length of our stays.
About the only topic he strategically avoided was my expressed pleasure at
his off-season acquisitions to strengthen the defensive line. He even
endured Ma and Pa Besser’s story about the SF 49er lawn chairs they
bought on sale at Walmart without any knowledge of who the 49ers were! He
encouraged them to support the Niners when they travel to Philly this
year. Bottom line, he is one nice guy! He was so open and warm to us, even
though he had never met us before.

That is what is great about an Italian vacation. People let their guard
down. I can meet the coach of the classiest football program in the NFL,
call him by his first name, and watch in amazement as my son feeds him a
strawberry! If I happened into Steve and his wife at a local Peninsula
eatery, would the situation have been the same? Probably not. I probably
would not even have initiated a conversation with him. And if I had been
so forward as to introduce myself and tell him what a great coach he is,
would he have told me how much he missed his kids or about the personal
nature of his trek to Italy? I hope so, but I gotta say Naaaa!

Tuscany is a magical place!

Open up and say, “Yum, Yum,” Steve!