Sunday, November 11, 2007

Sore feet and a well-earned nap



Today we took a break from Renaissance art. We took a bus up to the nearby town of Fiesole (where we skipped the Etruscan ruins - Israel's got plenty of its own Roman ruins and we'd seen these before). After a quick peak into the cathedral we set off into the hills - on a 2 hour hike over a mountain to a tiny hill village, where we had reserved a table for lunch at a local trattoria - one of only two restaurants in the town (which in itself only seemed to have four or five buildings).

Lunch was superb. Porcini mushrooms are in season now, and for the first time in my life I was able to taste them fresh. I ordered tagliatelle in porcini sauce and practically swooned at the first bite. They looked like ordinary mushrooms but the taste was pure porcini and was out of this world. The rest of the dishes were equally good (I think you'd have to try awfully hard to get a bad meal here...). I finally got to taste the hazelnut pasta sauce I remembered from my first trip to Italy and have been trying to recreate ever since.

After a four-course lunch dinner, if we make it out at all, will probably be pizza and ice cream. Not that I need any extra courses at this point, but I do feel that my gelato survey is falling behind. Can't have that happen now, can we?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you are trying to make us all jealous, you are probably succeeding!

Fairly Odd Mother said...

I am married to a mushroom hater, so I almost wept at your porcini description. Mmmmmm. And, yes, you must report on the gelato!

Kathy said...

What a magnificent photo! I'm a bit breathless, it's so beautiful.

Nancy said...

Food, view, R&R ... I am happy for you =)

Phyllis Sommer said...

yum!!!! i can't believe that you are blogging your vacation:-) and commenting on my blog as you do so!? you are crazy? amazing? funny?

either way, it sounds like your'e having a fabulous time!!!!

Robin said...

It's amazing how long your evenings are when you don't have to feed, bathe and sleep two little kids, not to mention cook and do dishes! Surprisingly (or not so LOL), it actually leaves some time for blogging :).

Jo said...

Oh you are having such fun! Yay!!!

I've tagged you by the way, no hurry dear.

Mel said...

All the descriptions of the food is making me hungry - even though I have just eaten!

Keep having fun!

Anonymous said...

You suck. But I love ya anyway.

mmmm....mushrooms......

Fourier Analyst said...

Loving your trip report! You are doing some of the same things we did with my Mom in May! Hope you are having better weather than we did (rain, cool/cold wind, fog).

BTW, I left you something on my blog today. Enjoy it when you get a chance after your trip!! (You don't need to be reading blogs while you are travelling!!) Have Fun!

Pieces of Me said...

I don't think there's any such thing as a bad meal in Italy. Enjoy - sounds really beautiful!

Jenn said...

We wanted to go to Fiesole, but could not fit in our trip. We will have to do it next time. I am glad that you had such a nice day.