Being in the Garden of Eden… This is how I felt the first time I came here years ago, and this how I feel again today. A warm, bright, soothing day in the heart of the Maremma. A soft breeze blowing down from the hills. Seagulls dallying with the waves. Jurassic-looking turtles basking in the sun. Intoxicating scents and vapors floating in the air… Paradise!

A few travel guides actually refer to the Lago di Burano, the Lake of Burano, as a natural “Disneyland”. There is nothing synthetic or artificial about it, that’s for sure. No machines, no tricks, no disguises. All the fabulous plants, creatures and elements you come upon here are real.

Located near the trendy hilltop village of Capalbio in southern Tuscany, the Lake of Burano was established in 1980 as Italy’s first World Wildlife Fund reserve. It is Tuscany’s best preserved piece of coastline, left entirely in its original natural state and spreading mainly as a salt marsh over more than 230 hectares.

Its main “attraction”, if I can say so, is the lake itself, covering some 140 hectares and separated from the Mediterranean sea by a long ribbon of sand dunes. I have always been fascinated by these dunes, which also happen to stretch along the estate of Fontanile, featured in our Trust&Travel catalogue. I love to walk along them, especially at sunset.

The scrub and bushes that grow on the dunes are inhabited by an industrious population of porcupines, badgers, wild rabbits, polecats and hedgehogs – some of them always willing to engage you in conversation for a few seconds…

Usually calm and crystal blue, the waters of the lake are home to a great many life forms. Its shores too for that matter. Winged and feathered creatures are particularly well represented: falcons, flamingos, tufted ducks, cormorants, marsh harriers, crested cuckoos, icterine warblers and the dramatic looking ospreys (or “sea hawks”).

The lake and its surroundings are also host to salamanders, yellow-bellied toads and other uncanny beasts. Many animals hide in the myrtle and juniper bushes that flourish nearby. Hikers will be happy to know that they might run into vipers, large lizards, wild boars and Aesculapian snakes!

The local flora is also of great interest. The wild bushes of juniper, for instance, are a particularly rare species, according to experts. One of my favourite is the cistus, also known as rock-roses. When in springtime they come into blossom, their flowers look like unfurled Chinese paper folds.

Aside from the visitors’ centre, several lookout towers and observation huts have been built in the reserve for wildlife watching and bird spotting. There are also many trails and tracks, a few of them leading to the sea through some of the most beautiful terrain in Tuscany.

Speaking of towers, the most imposing edifice of the Lago di Burano is the Torre di Buranaccio, a squat solid tower built in the 16^th century as a defensive structure at the border of the Papal States and the Duchy of Tuscany.

To maintain the fragile ecosystem of the park in as pristine a state as possible, access to the Lago di Burano is permitted only by reservation and within guided visits. You will find all the information you need right here: WWF Web site. You can also call this number: +39 0564/898829, or send an email to lagodiburano@wwf.it

Simply enchanting!

The sanguine enthusiast who was sitting next to me in the stands clapped his hands in a burst of joy and glanced at me briefly:

“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle, he exclaimed. Don’t you agree?

– Well… yes, maybe, I modestly replied.

– Winston Churchill said that, not me. Is it the first time you’re attending this horse race, young lady?”

Yes, it was the first time, even though I had heard about this famous horse race, the Palio di Siena, several times before. I had come to this colourful event with journalists who were writing articles on the winemakers association I was working for at that time. I can’t believe this was some 30 years ago!

Then I went back to the Palio three more times in the following years. The third time, I remember, I was with good friends of mine right in the middle of the central Piazza, where one doesn’t pay anything – and where it feels like you’re in the eye of the cyclone, because the horses are kind of flying all around you. It’s a great sensation.

In 2011, I went to the Palio again, this time with my family. We had been invited by Countess d’Elci to watch the race from the window of her Palazzo, the most beautiful of all the residences overlooking the square, and with windows located right above the departure and arrival line – ringside seats! Our daughter, who was then 7 years old, enjoyed the parade and the flag swaying, but burst into tears during the actual race: the surrounding tension and frenzy were a little bit too much for her.

In the following paragraphs, you will find everything you have always wanted to know about the Palio di Siena – and are no longer afraid to ask!

So, vai, enjoy your Palio and torna vincitore!

What is the Palio?

Many people believe that the word palio means horse race. A palio is actually a banner or piece of cloth awarded to the winner of a competition. It is usually won in a contest or in a race (often a horse race).

For the famous Palio di Siena, ten horses and ten bareback riders representing ten of the seventeen city districts (contrade), participate in a race around the Piazza del Campo, the main square of Siena. The July 2 event is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, and the August 16 race is named Palio dell´Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.

An incredible pageant, the Corteo Storico, precedes the race, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. Its course having been sprinkled with a thick layer of sand, the race circles the Piazza del Campo three times. The treacherous turns around the square cause many jockeys to be thrown from their horses. The race has medieval origins.

Why is there more than one day of the Palio?

The Palio is not an event limited to the horse races of July 2 and August 16. The days of the Palio are commonly defined as a 4-day period beginning with the assignment of the horses and culminating with the race itself. There are four Palios in all, starting on the following dates: June 29, July 2, July 13 and August 16.

DAY 1…

How are the horses selected?

The selection of the horses presented for the Palio (usually thirty) starts at 7 am. Five to six horses are raced at a time to verify their condition and their adaptability to the route on the Piazza del Campo. These races usually take place between 9 am and 11 am, and when they are over, the Captains of the participating districts choose the 10 horses which will officially compete. The selected horses are not necessarily the best ones: the Captains may opt for a healthy and reliable horse against a fast, albeit problematic horse.

How are the horses assigned?

Once the 10 horses have been chosen, they are assigned to the 10 participating contrade by drawing lots. This is done between 12 am and 1 pm in the Piazza, which is always packed with a crowd. This is a moment of great tension, with outbursts of joy in the contrade that receive a good horse, and of course disappointment in those who receive a horse regarded as not being so good. The different contrade can now implement their strategies.

What about the rehearsals or trials?

There are 6 rehearsals in all, at 9 am and 7 pm on each rehearsal day. Each participant brings his horse into the Piazza del Campo, accompanied by a large group of chanting supporters. Then the race course on the Piazza is cleared and the entrances to the square are closed. Each rehearsal is carried out by simulating the Palio, which runs three times around the Piazza. The aim is to allow horses and riders to adapt well to both the track and challenge in view of the Palio. Many jockeys choose to stop the trial of a horse after only one or two laps around the square.

At what time should I arrive at the Piazza to attend the trials? 

For the morning tests, between 8:30 and 8:45 am. For the afternoon tests, if you want to avoid the usual bustle of the accompaniment of the horses, you should be in the Piazza one hour before the scheduled time for the race. If you want to attend the accompaniment outside the Piazza, you should enter after the arrival of the last contrada, about half an hour before the test.

What happens if it rains? 

If the track is wet and is not deemed fit, the tests will not be carried out. This will be signalled by a green flag hoisted on the City Hall. Jockeys are allowed to go directly to the Palio without having run a test. 

And if it rains on the day of the Palio?

In this case, the race will not take place, mainly to ensure the safety of horses and jockeys. Again, you will see the green flag on the City Hall, and the race will simply be postponed to the next day. 

DAY 2…

What happens on the second day of the Palio?

The second rehearsal is carried out in the morning, and the third one, late in the afternoon. On August 14, just before the afternoon trial, there is the Corteo dei Ceri (procession of the candles), during which the Palio is brought to the Duomo. In July, the Palio is brought into the church of Santa Maria in Provenzano.

DAY 3…

What happens on the third day of the Palio?

The fourth test is run in the morning and the fifth test, called the prova generale (dress rehearsal) and usually preceded by a display of mounted police, is carried out in the late afternoon. Then the members of each Contrada have dinner together in the evening. Dinners are held outdoors in the streets or squares of each district.

Can visitors to Siena participate in these rehearsal dinners? 

Yes, they can. All you have to do is book and pay a few days in advance at the clubhouse of the contrada of your choice. Here is a complete list.

DAY 4…

What happens on the fourth and final day of the Palio, the day of the race? 

In the morning, there is the sixth test race, called the provaccia. It is preceded at 7:45 am by the Messa del Fantino, a mass for the Jockeys celebrated in the chapel on the Piazza del Campo. In the afternoon, at 3 pm, the benediction of the jockey and his horse takes place in the churches of each of the Contrada. The priest lets them go, jockey and horse, with the dramatic words Vai e torna vincitore!  – leave and come back with the victory! From there, the participants of each Contrada  proudly go to the Duomo, then parade on to the Piazza del Campo  where, in their beautiful historical costumes, they demonstrate during two hours their impressive banner-swinging skills before finally competing in the actual Palio race.

Is it possible to attend the blessing of the horse? 

Since most of the district churches are quite small, priority is always given to the Contrada people. You can always ask for permission, which may be granted or not. If you are allowed to enter the church, be aware that absolute silence is required and that it is forbidden to use flash cameras and the likes, due to the presence of the horse.

It is possible to attend the historical Procession to the Piazza? 

Yes, but you must keep to the side of the road and not in any way hinder the passage of the procession. The streets are particularly narrow and on this occasion always very crowded. The itinerary of the procession before entering the Piazza is as follows: Cortile della Prefettura – Piazza del Duomo – Via del Capitano – via San Petro – Casato di Sopra – Casato di Sotto.

At what time does this Procession leave from the Duomo? 

Between 4 and 4:30 pm in July. Between 3:30 and 4 pm in August. 

How do you enter the Piazza to watch the Palio?

You can enter the Piazza before the Parade from any access, or after the cortege has reached the opening of Via Duprè next to the city hall. Please note that the Via Duprè access is very tight, always crowded, and that it can be very challenging, even dangerous for heart patients, children and people who are physically weak. Besides, once in the Piazza, it is very difficult to exit before the end of the race. It is therefore advisable to enter the Piazza only if you are determined to see the Palio to the end.

 How much does it cost to see the Palio? 

Attending the Palio from the central square does not cost anything, and offers to all a good view of the race. Customarily, Sienese like to watch the event from the Piazza, and for this reason this is where you will experience the greatest emotions. Seats located on the stands built around the square are paying, as are the windows of the surrounding palazzi. There is no coordination for ticket sales, so you have to contact the individual owners of the shops or ask at your hotel. Keep in mind, though, that it is not always easy to find tickets.

At what time do you need to be in the Piazza if you choose to enter before the beginning of the Parade? 

Entrance for the Parade is scheduled for approximately 5 pm (or shortly after 4:30 pm for the August Palio). However, since the event organizers start closing the entrances to the square half an hour before, we advise you to be in the Piazza by 4:30 pm in July and by 4 pm in August. This means that you will have to spend at least 3 hours in the Piazza, make sure to prepare yourself to cope with the heat. 

Are there toilets in the Piazza? 

No, there aren’t any.

Are there sellers of food and soft drinks ? 

There usually are three stalls selling snacks and cold drinks. You will locate them easily.

Are we allowed to bring our own chairs? 

No, it is absolutely forbidden to bring chairs and stools. 

What if a person feels faint or dizzy in the Piazza? 

In the main streets that are mostly used by pedestrians, there are medical posts, namely at the Logge del Papa and in the following squares: Piazza della Posta, Piazza del Duomo and Piazza Tolomei.

At what time does the Palio race usually end?

At 7:30 pm in July and 7 pm in August. However, the actual departure of the race can also take place a lot later.

What happens immediately after the Palio race?

The people of the winning Contrada bring the Palio (a large painted canvas) to the church of Santa Maria in Provenzano (in July) or to the Duomo (in August) in order to thank the Virgin Mary. Then they proceed to their Contrada, accompanied by songs, drums and flags.

Can one access the Piazza immediately after the race? 

It is not recommended to enter the central square immediately after the race, nor to interfere with the celebrations of the winning Contrada. Needeless to say that you should stay away from any fights that may occur. You should also watch out for the horses which might still be running around.

Are there things tourists should refrain from doing on the day of the Palio?

For the people of Siena, the days of the Palio are days of joyful celebration and, more often than not, days of great tension too. So caution is recommended, especially on the following points:

Do not attempt in any way to get close to the horses. Do not disturb nor goad the jockeys and all other direct participants in the race, especially during the very tense minutes preceding or following the competition, when anger and disappointment are common. In the Piazza, do not carry children on your shoulders on the day of the Palio as this would obstruct the view of others. Because of the large crowd there, it is advisable not to take small children into the Piazza. Do not complain impatiently of prolonged operations or movements.  Finally, if you are asked to move from a certain area, follow these instructions.

Pharmacies, drugstores, chemist’s shops, dispensaries– whatever you call them – are not exactly the kind of place most of us like to hang around. We go there to buy some medicine and sometimes a few other items, and that’s about it.

There is one pharmacy in Florence, though, that I love to linger at, and I’m not the only one to feel this way. Founded in 1221 – yes, 1221, no typo here – by the Dominican friars of the Santa Maria Novella monastery, it is located next to the city’s main train station. Its name: the Officina di Santa Maria Novella.

I have been frequenting this drugstore for more than 32 years now – no typo here either! Still lying today within the monastery’s grounds, as it was at the outset, it is actually both a shop and a laboratory. In the Middle Ages, friars at most monasteries used to grow medicinal plants in order to prepare creams, ointments and medications for the hospital ward of their convents. The Officina di Santa Maria Novella opened to the general public almost 400 years after its foundation, in 1612. So, if you add it all up: precisely 400 years ago!

The shop alone is worth an extended visit. It is housed in an old, beautifully decorated building and is divided into several large rooms. You can purchase there a variety of creams, soaps and fragrances, as well as candles, home scents, specialty food, liqueurs, ancient preparations and even lotions and deodorants for cats and dogs! All these products are made of natural ingredients of the highest quality, and the apothecary fathers’ artisanal procedures are still followed.

Personally, I have always loved the nostalgic look of their packaging. Besides, many of their products have a story to tell, such as L’Acqua della Regina, a fragrance which had been created for Catherine de’ Medici, a Queen of France originally from Florence and who used to have the Officina’s products imported all the way from Italy to her French palace.

“Are you planning on dropping by the Officina soon, Katharina?” my dear mother asked me over the phone a couple of days ago. Since the beginning of my “Italian life”, she has been sending me to the Officina at least once a year to buy on her behalf a dozen bags of pot-pourri, a balmy, enchanting blend of dried herbs and flowers from the Tuscan countryside. She loves to fill her house with the sweet scent it gives off, or to make her friends a present of these magic bags.

The Officina di Santa Maria Novella is located at Via della Scala, 16, and is open from Monday through Sunday from 9:30am to 7:30pm. Here is the link to its website:  http://www.smnovella.it

My father and I were simply mesmerized, like under a spell. We looked at each other with a funny smile, and then stood up to join the applauding audience.

A splendid interpretation of Arnold Schönberg’s “Transfigured Night” had just been handed to us, so to speak, on a golden plate. Aside from the beauty of the music itself, the venue and general ambience could not have been filled with more magic. The concert had been organized just before nightfall in the courtyard of the Castellucio, a medieval castle built around the XI^th century at the summit of a hill rising on the historic estate of La Foce.

Every summer, a series of chamber concerts are performed at La Foce to enthusiastic audiences. The event is called the Incontri in Terra di Siena, and considered one of the highlights of the classical music summer season in Tuscany. According to the Financial Times, it is “one of Italy’s most adventurous summer music festivals”. It attracts performers of the calibre of Vladimir Ashkenazy, Ian Bostridge and the Tallis Scholars.

The Incontri in Terra di Siena, now at their 25^th edition, were founded by Iris Origo’s daughter Benedetta Origo and her son Antonio Lysy, a Grammy award winning cellist and composer who grew up at La Foce and who now teaches at UCLA in Los Angeles. The 2013 season will be opening on 19 July and running until 28 July.

One of the popular features of this festival is the pre-concert “Beyond Music” events: buffet dinners, wine and olive oil tastings, lectures, exhibitions and the guided tours of the beautiful La Foce garden. The post-concert dinners, like the one my father and I enjoyed after the Pierrot Lunaire performance – an incredibly good dinner, by the way! – are also greatly appreciated by the festival participants.

I had never been to La Foce before this Schönberg concert, and at the time didn’t suspect in the least that this unique estate would become, years later, the launching pad of my own venture, Trust & Travel. We never know what life has in store for us!

So, if you happen to be in Tuscany in the second half of July, make sure to go to the Incontri in Terra di Siena  festival at least once. You’ll love it! Tickets for the concerts are 25 € if you’re 25 or over, and just 10 € if you’re under 25. You will find all the details here: www.itslafoce.org

On April 27th, La Foce is organising a fund-raising full day programme to support the festival. You will be given a private tour of the garden by one of the Origo family members, followed by a concert, a deliscious buffet lunch and a fund raising auction. The fee is €100 per person. If you are in Tuscany at that date, this would be an excellent way to experience the region beyond the usual tourist tracks. Get in touch with us if you want to subscribe!

Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do !

If you happen to be in Florence in May, there is a special event you must make sure not to miss. This year again, from May 16^th to May 19^th (Thursday to Sunday), the 19^th edition of the Artigianato e Palazzo  annual exhibition will be held at the same exceptional venue where it has been taking place since its creation. For its visitors, this event is always a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

The first “bird” is the exhibition itself. Organised since 1995 by Principessa Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani, this three-day event presents the work of some 80 highly skilled craftsmen who recreate their workshops in the heart of a beautiful Italian garden: the Giardino del Palazzo Corsini. Traditional guilds and age-old techniques are proudly featured: jewellery-making, ceramics, goldsmith’s craft, pottery, printing, inlaying, hat-making…  working with bronze, wood, glass, iron, marble, paper and fragrances… Your senses will be filled with ravishment.

The second “bird” is this very garden I have just mentioned, the garden of the Corsini palace. It is usually closed to the public. So the exhibition is a unique occasion to visit this historic and magnificent gem created in 1625! Along its many paths and alleys, you will see statues dating from the second century and walk past orangeries surrounded by hundreds of lemon trees in terracotta pots.

This garden also offers an interesting glimpse of the grand Corsini family, one of the oldest in Italy. The Corsinis own two of the estates (Barberino and Marsiliana) – seven houses in all – featured in our rental portfolio.

Have a good week!

Website: www.artigianatoepalazzo.it
Entrance 6 to 8 Euro

Contrary to my general practice, our “story” today will not exclusively focus on Italy. And it will have to do with two castles…

In 2011, one of the owners of La Foce, Donato Origo, made me discover the Castello di Potentino, an imposing citadel situated on the slopes of Mount Amiata, the highest mountain in Tuscany – a mountain renowned, as you may remember, for its hot springs, chestnut woods and untamed environment.

Originally built on foundations dating back to the Etruscan antiquity, the Castello di Potentino  is now the property of an English family, the Greenes, who have been farming and making wine in Italy for several decades. When they bought the castle in the year 2000, it was in ruins. But they have restored it beautifully since.

Charlotte Horton and her brother Alexander Greene make very good wine; they have had a passion for viticulture since they settled in Italy. But they are also outstanding cooks, and run a great bed-and-breakfast in their castle.

For a number of years now, Charlotte and Alexander have been promoting their wine in England by organizing fashionable “pop-up restaurants” for one or two nights. They bring all the fresh produce needed for these dinners by car – all the way up from Italy! This bold and original initiative has met with great success, needless to say.

I recently asked Charlotte and Alexander: “How about bringing your pop-up restaurant to France?” And they said: “We’d love it!” As you know, my life is straddling between France and Italy. So, I discussed the idea with the owners of the Château de Courances, a magnificent estate located 50 km south of Paris, and it didn’t take long before a deal was arrived at. The Castello di Potentino will hold a pop-up restaurant at the Château de Courances on June 15^th!

The Château de Courances is one of the most beautiful privately owned castles near Paris. Along with its magnificent park and jardins d’eau (“water gardens”), it can be visited on weekends from late March to late October. Besides, a large-scale organic vegetable garden – which will soon cater to the best restaurants in Paris – is now being laid out and cultivated by the owners. Visitors to the Château will soon be able to buy fresh produce from this garden and, as from 2014, take gardening lessons on site!

Alla settimana prossima!

“So, what wonder are you promising us today, Katharina? my brother asked me on the fourth day of our family holiday at the Villa Valmarana.

– Well, today I suggest we get romantic and head for the hometown of Romeo and Juliet…”As you may remember, I related to you last week the visits which my two siblings and I paid to the Botanical Garden of Padua and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. This week, the three of us will take you to two more World Heritage sites in the Veneto area.

The first one is Verona. A day spent in Verona is like a day spent in paradise. Because “it has preserved a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold”, the whole of Verona has been listed by the UNESCO as an outstanding World Heritage site.

Founded in the 1^st century B.C., Verona is a stunning example of a city that has “progressively and uninterruptedly developed over two thousand years, incorporating artistic elements of the highest quality from each succeeding period”. If you are interested in Roman remains, for instance, Verona is particularly well-endowed. The Amphitheatre Arena, just to mention this one monument, is the second largest after the Colosseum in Rome!

I also recommend that you stop by, during your visit, the Giusti gardens, the church of San Zeno, the legendary “Juliet’s balcony” and, when you begin to go a little hungry, the  Bottiglieria Corsini, a restaurant with a small selection of great dishes and wines, and very reasonable prices. The address is 2-4, Largo Divisione Pasubio.

By the way, if you go to Verona by car, signs and panels will direct you to conveniently located parking spaces.

The next day, my siblings and I went to… Venice. The Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Masks, Floating City, the Dominante… Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities ever built by man. Ah, see Venice and die! – the actual saying is “See Naples and die”, but in my book they are interchangeable!

Venice and its lagoon need no introduction. Almost anywhere you’ll go in Venice will fill your senses with delight and wonder. But you might like to know that the city can be easily reached by train from most of the villas featured in our Trust&Travel portfolio. Venice’s train station is the ideal place to arrive as it is very central. And if you have one, you will not miss your car in Venice, trust me.

Arrivederci!

True, I may have a slight tendency to use superlatives when I write, talk or dream about Italy. Superlatives which, however, needless to say, are always well-founded and fully justified!

Here is another verifiable superlative which I’d like to expand upon today in this article: Italy is home to the greatest number of “World Heritage Sites” to date, with 47 sites inscribed on a list totalling 962 entries.

A World Heritage site is a place – such as a building, monument, city or natural environment – that is listed by the UNESCO as of unique cultural or physical significance. And as I have just said, Italy has forty-seven of them, and in the Venice area alone, seven!

Last October, I spent a week in Vicenza with my sister and brother. We had not been travelling together since our teen years – time flies! We stayed in the hip apartment just under the roof of the magnificent Villa Valmarana, situated in the Vicenza hills and housing frescoes of a rare beauty by Giambattista Tiepolo and his son, Giandomenico.

During that week, my siblings and I decided to include in our holiday programme a visit to the five Italian World Heritage sites which were the closest to our Villa Valmarana base:

• the Botanical Garden of Padua
• the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia
• the City of Verona
• Venice and its lagoon
• and last but not least, the City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto, considered by the UNESCO as one site. This week, I will tell you about the first two.

Founded in 1545 in Padua, the Orto Botanico is the oldest botanical garden in history. Its original layout has been preserved: a round central part surrounded by a ring of water and symbolizing the world. Its original purpose has not changed either: it is still a centre for scientific research in disciplines such as botany, chemistry, medicine and pharmacy.

One of the reasons why the Orto Botanico has been listed as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO is that “it represents the birth of science, scientific exchanges and understanding of the relationship between nature and culture”.

After our visit to the garden – which we came out from enchanted, – my siblings and I stopped by this café on the central market square next to the amazing Palazzo della Ragione. There, sitting at the outdoor terrace, we took delight in the best paninis you can find with a glass of an excellent local white wine!

The next day, we drove to Aquileia, an ancient Roman town lying at the northern end of the Adriatic. In the 4^th century A.D., Aquileia was one of the ten largest and wealthiest cities of the Roman Empire, before being conquered – and much diminished – by the Huns in the 5^th century. Most of the ancient constructions still lie unexcavated beneath the present-day city, and that’s why Aquileia represents the greatest archaeological reserve of its kind in the world.

The Patriarchal Basilicaof Aquileia is one of the chief testimonies of the city’s past. Built in the 11^th century and expanded in the 14^th, it played a major role in the dissemination of Christian faith in the early Middle Ages.

The Basilica has an extraordinary floor made of a number of very old and enigmatic mosaics, full of references to esoteric cults. My sister, brother and I were particularly impressed by these.

Next week, I’ll take you to two or three more World Heritage sites in the Veneto area!

“The tricky part: how long should you boil your pasta?” ©Non Sprecare

“No man is lonely eating spaghetti: it requires so much attention!”

I could easily appropriate these words by Christopher Morley, an American writer and journalist (1890-1957). Pasta do require attention. Well, some.

Many of you, dear readers, have told me that they would greatly appreciate it if I could write a short article on how to cook pasta the Italian way. So, here it is.

The whole “process” can be divided into 10 different steps:

UNO…
Don’t skimp on water, because you’ll need lots of it: 1 litre of water for each 100 grams of pasta. And if your pot is large enough, use more. To be cooked at its best, pasta require a constant temperature, which is easier to keep with a large amount of water.

DUE…
Add 10 grams of salt – the equivalent of a rounded teaspoon – for each litre of water.

TRE…
Oil should only be added in exceptional cases, for instance when the pasta has the shape of large sheets, such as lasagna.

QUATTRO…
Throw the pasta into the water only when it’s boiling, not before. Long pasta should be lowered into the water in a bunch, while short pasta ought to be strewn into it.

CINQUE…
Wait one or two minutes until the water reaches boiling point again.

SEI…
Mix the pasta around with a long wooden spoon or fork. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together.

SETTE…
Cover the pot with its lid, but not entirely: leave some space (about a third) to allow the steam to get out.

OTTO…
Now the tricky part: how long should I boil the pasta? Well, there is no easy rule here. It all depends on the type and shape of the pasta. Fresh pasta is done much faster than dry commercial pasta. But fresh pasta that has had more time to dry before reaching your kitchen will take relatively more time to cook. Keep in mind that pasta should be soft on the outside and somewhat firm in the middle – al dente  as the Italians say. As you know, commercial pasta often give you an indication on cooking time, this can help. But in any case you should always taste the pasta as it boils in order to know when the right moment has come.

NOVE…
Strain the pasta all at once and shake the sieve thoroughly to drip out all of the water.

DIECI…
Unless you intend to serve them cold, never rinse your pasta in cold water! Doing this will wash off the coat of sticky starch, which helps to blend the sauce with the pasta.

So, now that you have cooked your pasta the Italian way, how do they taste?

I will end this post with another fine quote, this one by Sophia Loren: “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.”

Buon appetito!

IllustrationPaolo Fiumi

Sunday morning. I’m having a lie-in and am sleeping like a log. Sheer bliss.

My mobile phone, on my bedside table, rings. I wake up with a start and answer the call.

“ Hello?

– Katharina? a male voice asks at the other end of the line.

– … Yes?

– This is Frank Krämer. Sorry to disturb you on a Sunday.

– Doctor Krämer? How are you?

– Fine, thanks, except for my internet connection: I lost it an hour ago and it hasn’t come back yet. I absolutely need one, as you know!

– Oh, sorry to hear that! Well, let me call Arturio right away, the manager of the estate. I’ll ask him to check this out as soon as possible, and I’ll phone you back.

– Many thanks, Katharina!

Dr. Krämer has just arrived at Il Mulino – the farmhouse he has rented for two weeks, – with his wife Susanne and his two children. They have driven all the way down from Munich.

When Dr. Krämer, a business lawyer, called our Trust&Travel office a few weeks ago to make his holiday booking, he indicated to us that he needed a house with a reliable internet connection, to be able to work on and finish an important report during the first few days of his Italian break. So we recommended our Il Mulino  residence, equipped with satellite access to the world wide web.

“Arturio, this is Katharina, sorry to call you on a Sunday but there’s a problem at Il Mulino with the internet connection. Our client badly needs it to finish a report!

– Is that so? Well, I’ll take care of that illico presto, Katharina, don’t worry!”

Without further ado, Arturio makes a beeline for the local café, where the electrician who had installed Il Mulino’s  satellite dish is having coffee with some of his friends. A coffee he adjourns without a second’s hesitation in order to dash to the scene of the breakdown. “Sorry, pals, an emergency is an emergency!”

The scene of the breakdown is the roof of the farmhouse, onto which he climbs with his assistant, his adolescent son. Both the manager and the owner of the estate stand at the foot of the ladder, pouring out advice to the electrician:

“Be careful not to get electrocuted, Massimo!

– I will if you keep disturbing me!”

During this delicate intervention, I ring Arturio a couple of times to find out how things are going:

“Our man is on the roof, Katharina, grappling with the bird of ill omen!

– The what?…”

It turns out in the end that a bird managed to get trapped in the satellite dish, causing its disruption. After saving the creature’s life, the electrician fixes or replaces a few cables. The whole operation is over in 30 minutes.

Dr. Krämer is relieved and very happy to have his internet connection back. To thank his rescue party, he uncorks a bottle of a great Italian white wine. It’s almost noon, the sky is blue, the conditions are perfect for a friendly aperitif. Sheer bliss!

So, am I telling you this little story today to show you that I care for my Trust & Travel clients?… Yes, I am! Because I do care for my clients. Well, I try!