Thursday, May 21, 2015

AND NOW LUNCH................{Tuscany}






Following our  morning
cooking class at Il Falconiere (last post), James and I were treated to lunch on the terrace.
It began, as many Italian meals do with a sparkling wine. Our glasses were filled with a light and bubbly sparkling  Brut Rose from the Baracchi family vineyard.






The meal were to have for Pranzo ( lunch) was the food we prepared earlier during our class, all plated and pretty. Stuffed Zucchini flowers in a green sauce was antipasti.
Again, an estate wine was served to accompany this dish






The first course or Primi featured the pic pasta we have worked so hard to get right. We plan to continue to practice this when we get home. The sauce is of fresh cherry tomatoes with herbs and garlic and fave beans , since they were in season.
This course was served with, as I recall,  Baracchi Smeriglio Sangiovese.




Tell me this does not look completely elegant!




With  fanfare the covers were lifted to reveal our Secondi ( main course )!
Pork  with an black olive filling all wrapped lardo, with a lovely sauce.
We had a great experience in the kitchen with Chef Richard Titi, but I must say this lunch event would be hard to match!
This wine that was poured with this meat course  was another fine , rich Tuscan red from the family's vineyard.





Alas.....the final course......dolci, served with Vin Santo, one of finest we have tasted.

Such a lunch like this only happens in Italy. We have learned not to rush, but to sit and savor each bite of food along with the flavors of the wines. Here the setting in the Tuscany countryside is breathtaking....why hurry, let time pass, for what could be better than this?



This path through the grounds at Il Falconiere, where cypress, rosemary, lavender and roses grow with grace and harmony.




James during lunch as we are visited by owner Chef Silvia Baracchi.




 And before I forget...The falcon.......thus the name....Il Falconiere.



After all the food and wine it is time for a nap and dream, as if this whole thing isn't dream enough.








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