The sign of authenticity.
After breakfast, we set off by foot out of town, retracing the path we walked into town a couple days ago. It’s a bit easier going downhill in that one isn’t exerting a lot of energy, but it can be hard on the knees and toes. The dirt road at the bottom of the valley was shady and moist with more mud puddles straddling the road courtesy of the thunderstorms of the previous days. Reaching the asphalt of the paved road, we followed that for a few hundred meters before turning off onto another dirt road. This road led us through the countryside towards our lunch destination. The path led through the rolling hills through more vineyards and olive groves to a point where the bus was waiting for us next to a walnut grove.
The sign of authenticity.
Heading down the road out of Radda.
Cashmere on the hoof.
Jonathan clowning for the camera.
A look back at Radda.
Pausing at a crossroads.
Scotch broom in bloom.
Angelica and Gianni posing for their adoring public.
This is the shot that I used as the background for this travelogue.
On the road shot.
One of my rare - I'm actually ahead of someone - shots.
But even then, folks are waiting at the top of the hill.
A shot across the fields back towards Radda.
Gianni and Angelica leading the way.
A castle perched over a farmhouse.
A closer shot of the farm house with the cypress lined lane and patterns in the fields.
The poppy shot of the day.
A curious plant that captures water in its leaves.
At the olive mill - equipment to move the olives from the bins outside to the washing and pressing apparatus.
The washing and pressing apparatus.
The circular piece half-obscured by the box with the yellow label is where the olives are pressed.
Our guide in front of tanks containing the pressings from the previous season.
A series of temperature controlled tanks.
A decanter that separates the oil from the aqueous portion.
A centrifuge used to further separate the oil.
Tasting the olive oil.
After lunch, on our way back.
Heading down the lane.
The view across the countryside.
Joanna and Jonathan.
Marisa, Ana, and Maria.
More clouds and countryside.
We drove up the hill to an olive mill where olives are pressed for oil. It was a new mill with modern equipment to move, wash, and press the olives on the lower floor with tanks, augers, and centrifuges upstairs to finish the process. The equipment was idle, as olive season is in November – at that time they run 24 hours a day processing as much as 1,000 kg of olives in a few hours. After looking at the equipment, we had a tasting of two of their olive oils. One was a pressing of ripened olives that had a light, floral taste and the second sample using green olives that had a peppery bite to it.
From there we walked up the road to the restaurant, where we had lunch starting with bruschetta and sliced meats (fennel seed salami, proscuitto and pancetta) followed by pasta topped with either a meat and ricotta sauce or a vegetable ragu. We walked from the restaurant back through the countryside for the afternoon until we met the bus to take us back to the hotel.
The farewell dinner was held at a winery and restaurant Badia a Coltibuono. Dinner was preceded by a wine tasting in the former Benedictine monastery, where the docent took us to various parts of the winery for each tasting. From there we trooped across the parking lot to the restaurant for dinner. The appetizer was a stack of tomatoes and mozzarella – some of the tomatoes looked and tasted like they had been dried at some point (i.e very sweet) – with two pieces of breaded and fried eggplant for crunch. Next was a soup of chickpeas garnished with some julienned veal, followed by a pasta – a tagliatelle with duck. The main course was duck on vegetables – the vegetable was a cauliflower relative.
The courtyard at the winery.
Our host (on the right) leading us to various locations for the tastings.
Through the cellar.
These barrels hold about 2000L each.
A device on top to keep the air out.
A couple of the oldest bottles in the cellar.
Juan contemplating the selection.
One of the labels on the barrels.
Pocho taking a snap of the menu.
Pocho gets a chef's toque.
Angelica helps him try it on.
However, Marisa has 'stolen' the toque now.
Sending Pocho back to the table for another selection.
Another cap.
Ana now has the toque.
And Marisa gets to pick another gift.
And has a laugh in the process.
Juan reveals his gift with a flourish.
A towel with a map of the region.
Maria contemplates the selection.
And picks the apron adorned with an image of Michelangelo's David's endowment.
Glen has the Italia cap now.
Claire gets to choose now.
Jonathan 'stealing' either Guillermo's or Juan's gift.
Pocho with his latest selection.
Guillermo with a laugh.
A little payback? Pocho get's the Italia hat back from Glenn.
But not for long, his latest selection: a coffee mug.
Which I promptly 'stole' only to lose it to Maria.
Ana, Glenn and Guillermo.
Gianni and Giovanni.
Before dessert, Angelica and Gianni organized a Yankee swap of farewell gifts that provided much entertainment. Poor Pocho had his gift “stolen” so many times (including by me) that I lost count. I ended up with a 2009 Tuscany calendar and Jonathan a refrigerator magnet (which he can add to my stash of about six for this trip so far…). Afterwards, we had dessert - a dark chocolate torte served with champagne.