Italian Army Jeep – classic transport at a Chianti vineyard

Nothing brings history to life like visiting battle sites and monuments to important events with an expert local guide. When interspersed with other family member interests like great food, wine, art history and architecture, everybody wins!  This kind of trip can really create a special multi-generational bond when grandparents who have first hand knowledge of the events come along to inform the experience even more.

We have to emphasize the importance of a great expert guide – historic battlefields are often just that now – fields. The benefit of having an informed person map out the action on site to help minds, young and old, visualize the event is invaluable.  Here are some excursions that our kindred travelers have enjoyed.

Gothic Line:  Go with a private driver and guide to visit the WWII sites and monuments along this famous route, including Pesaro, Cattolica, Riccione and of course, Rimini, the location of a major Allied offensive in the autumn of 1944.

Anzio and Monte Cassino: Perhaps, the most requested sights, these can be inserted on a drive from Rome to Naples.  Visit the port of Anzio, scene of the allied invasions, the beachhead museum, the yellow beach and x ray beaches where the Rangers landed, the headquarters of General Lucas and the Sicily-Rome American cemetery.

Tolentino: This is going back a bit further and we did have one young traveler who was obsessed with it! Tolentino was the site of the eponymous battle where the King of Naples (and Napoloean’s brother-in-law), Joachim Murat, was defeated at the hands of Austrian General Frederick Bianchi. The battlefield is spread over a manageable area and is probably the closest thing to an experience like Gettysburg in Italy. This area of the Marche has the added bonus of being dotted with castles, small fortified villages and hearty cuisine – perfect for a day trip. A related anecdote that we can’t resist mentioning: Marat was a handsome man, flashy dresser and all around dandy. At his execution the same year as his Tolentino defeat, it is said that he gave the command for the squad to fire upon him with these words:  “Soldiers!  Do your duty!  Straight to the heart but avoid the face. Fire!”

Assisi: Best known as the home of St. Francis, this Umbrian town also played a role in helping Jews escape Hitler via the Assisi Underground. The Brizi family printed false documents for Jewish families and helped over 300 people escape during the war. Until this year, you could visit Brizi’s souvenir shop near the church of St. Claire and see the printing press that was used. The present generation of the family has retired and closed the shop, but the press is on view in the newly opened Museo della Memoria, a museum dedicated to the Assisi Underground movement. More on the museum from The Italian Notebook.

Cortina d’Ampezzo: Need a break from hiking, skiing or countryside too gorgeous to bear? These WW I trenches are a stark reminder of the realities of trench warfare. The trenches here were dug out of rock in the mountainside and remain essentially as the soldiers left them. It’s incredible to see how close the Italian and Austrian trenches were to each other.

Castelluccio di Norcia: This tiny Umbrian outpost (population under 200 during the summer and about 15 during the winter) was not a modern battle site, but does feature a curiosity – one of the few extant plaques dedicated to Mussolini. The plaque, seen above, is engraved in Italian with ” The Grand Council of Fascism expresses the nation’s gratitude to the Duce, founder of the Empire.” The map is of Ethiopia and the text is part of the Proclamation of Italian Sovereignty over the Ethiopian Empire. The plaque is dated Rome, 9 May in the 14th year of the Fascist Era. It’s no wonder why the rest of the country destroyed these things after the war, and it is a bit of a wonder why Castelluccio keeps theirs, but it is an interesting piece of history, preserved in situ.

Brian Dore | Concierge in Umbria
Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist: Italy

Top 5 Dining Experiences of 2011

But first, some guidelines: 1) these are not our Top 5 restaurants in Italy, 2) only restaurants where we ate in 2011 are eligible,  3) we consider the entire experience, which includes  the waitstaff , food, and our fellow diners – definitely not in that order!, 4) you will note that our Top 5 in this category consists of 6 plus honorable mentions – you can’t expect us to narrow it down to 5 can you?) 5) we strongly consider value when making our choice of where to eat, but that does not mean that meals have to be cheap, they just have to be worth it.  For example, paying 4 euros for a panino with leathery prosciutto and wilted arugula at a train station is offensive and a rip–off; paying 10 times that for dinner with wine in a local trattoria can be the best food bargain in the world.  Without further ado and in no particular order:

La Buca di Sant’Antonio, Lucca       www.bucadisantantonio.it
On Valentine’s Day, we were in the Tuscan city of Lucca. In addition to being the hometown of Giacomo Puccini, Lucca is famous for its rich culinary heritage, and La Buca di Sant’Antonio has served as a benchmark for this tradition for over 200 years. The dining room is candlelit and cozy with copper pots and musical instruments hanging from the ceiling over a good mix of locals and other Italians. The food was hearty and warming – dishes like homemade pappardelle with rabbit sauce, a rich chicken liver paté, and lamb chops with baby artichokes deep fried in native olive oil. Perfect.

L’Alchimista Tenth Anniversary Bash  www.montefalcowines.com
L’Alchimista in Montefalco, Umbria celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. We’ve been eating here for almost that long and were thrilled to join the celebration on the piazza. The evening seemed like somebody’s beautiful wedding, complete with live music and a gigantic buffet. Claudio, Patrizia and Cristina have created a culinary destination in one of Umbria’s extraordinary small towns. Complimenti!

Trattoria I’ Parione, Firenze    www.parione.net
Sometimes the greatness of a dinner can be determined by with whom it is shared. We had good food and most importantly, a fantastic time at I’Parione with three of our Florence tour guides. The conversation was lively, interesting and covered centuries of Italian political and artistic history. The food and wine were both excellent and plentiful. Occasionally, I threaten Maria that I want to return to the restaurant business, mainly because when I worked as a cook I completely missed out on the “trattoria” concept – a casual place with great local food, good wine, and an energetic vibe. This is my idea of restaurant paradise and on this night I’ Parione’s pasta with wild boar sauce and Florentine steak fit the bill.

Il Buco, Sorrento   www.ilbucoristorante.it
Since we spend most of our time in Italy in landlocked Umbria, research trips “al mare” are always welcome for the beach loving Maria Gabriella. For me, going al mare offers the benefit of seafood. Sorrento is a resort town, full of tourists both Italian and foreign, and I didn’t have high expectations for our meals. In destinations like Sorrento, I often find myself focused on avoiding eye contact with the wandering mandolin player, tuning out the table of Americans sitting nearby, or preoccupied that the price/quality ratio is completely skewed in the rip-off direction. It’s difficult to really relax and enjoy myself. While Il Buco has its fair share of American tourists and was among one of our most expensive meals of the year, it easily makes the list with a winning combination of high quality, interesting food and excellent service.

Drogheria della Rosa, Bologna  www.drogheriadellarosa.it
We had lunch at Drogheria della Rosa in Bologna on a Saturday at the end of July. The city may as well have hung a “gone fishing” sign on the town gates as the city was practically deserted. Drogheria is a great trattoria in a city full of great trattorias. It fits a specific type of restaurant and restaurant owner that I’ve grown to really enjoy in Italy, places that are driven by the personality of its owner/chef. Emanuele Addone and his raspy voice are responsible for the cuisine and the eccentric character of the place. He’ll visit your table, sit for a glass of wine, talk about his ingredients/philosophy/opera singers he’s nourished – anything really. In fact, if I remember correctly, we had a discussion about Russian caviar. Why? Who knows but it was interesting.

We also had excellent pasta (Maria Gabriella says one of the best pasta dishes of her life!) . . .

. . . delicious beef, and moderately priced local wine.

Villa Roncalli, Foligno
We covered our fantastic late August dinner in an earlier post. If you’re in Umbria and have a free evening, you must make a reservation and sample Maria Luisa’s refined takes on traditional Umbrian recipes.

Honorable mentions:

Ristorante Alberto, Ischia www.albertoischia.it

Osteria dell’Oca, Mantova www.osteriadelloca.it

Outside Italy: Restaurant Schote in Essen, Germany www.restaurant-schote.de

Brian Dore | Concierge in Umbria
Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist: Italy

Today’s Top 5: Day Trips (in no particular order).

Boat ride around Capri with a visit to the Grotta Azzura (Blue Grotto)

Boating around the island is a spectacular way to see the beauty of Capri without rubbing shoulders (literally) with the thousands of day trippers who descend upon the island daily. Capri is small and geographically interesting – there are all kinds of rock formations, cliffs and grottoes, as well as beautiful homes and private property that can be see from the water. Maria Gabriella’s favorite part was seeing the goats of Capri, perched on what look like impossibly steep and craggy cliffs, but they’re goats, so it’s what they do. Did you know that Capri is actually believed to have been named after these guys – Capri from the Latin  capreae  – goats?

At the blue grotto, our private  boat lined up with other boats, all of us awaiting to transfer into  smaller row boats that would take us first to the cashier boat (yes, lots of boats!) where we paid a few euro for the ticket, and then into the grotto. This is the fun part –  you must lie down on the bottom of the boat or risk decapitation at the grotto entrance, as your boatman rows back and sort of lays on top of your group at the mouth of the cave. Inside the grotto, some of the rowers work for better tips by singing arias.  OK, the singing is a bit cheesy but also funny – the boatmen know it’s cheesy and we’re all laughing at ourselves at this point.

The grotto is gorgeous and tiny, and after about 2 minutes max in the shimmering aqua cave, you’re back in the sunshine. We then climbed back in our boat and continued our journey around the island.  Although maybe not life changing, this is something worth experiencing. You can visit Capri on a day trip from anywhere on the Amalfi Coast or Naples.

Central Italian Vineyards:

We love visiting vineyards and we couldn’t choose just one from the dozens of vineyards we know, so this entry is a category.  In Tuscany’s La Maremma, we went behind the scenes at the exclusive Ornellia and Tua Rita vineyards.

Another highlight was a fabulous day in Montalcino that included delving deep into the private cellars of Livio Sassetti, pictured above in a photo with 100 years of Montalcino wine-making tradition in one wall. And in Umbria, our longtime favorite, the small family run Cantina Fongoli is one of the most charming traditional family run vineyards in existence.

The Tuscan vineyards are great day trips from countryside villas and hotels or the city hotels of Siena and Florence. Umbria’s best wineries are centered around Montefalco or Orvieto,  located between Rome and Florence and either is a good stop between these capitals.

Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna:

We combined a quick stop in Bologna with a return to Ravenna to see the ancient mosaics. For art and history lover’s, these mosaics are a must. You can also pay homage to Dante at his tomb.

Easily reached as a day trip from Bologna or Venice.

Piano Grande, Umbria:

This seems to make our list every year and with good reason. The alpine plain at the end of June is a riot of wild flowers that is simply spectacular. Nature’s beauty at its best. It also comes with the benefit of Castelluccio and the rustic hearty fare served in the small family owned restaurants there.

A day trip to the Piano Grande can be arranged from anywhere in Umbria.

Pompei:

Our visit to Pompei didn’t start out so well. Our nerves were already frayed from driving ourselves across downtown Naples at “rush hour” (not sure if there is any other hour in Naples) so when we almost drove past the spot where we were to meet our guide, Brian quickly swerved left into a parking area and got out of the car ready to begin our visit. Not so fast, or the Italian equivalent of that, was shouted across the lot by a policeman who wouldn’t listen to excuses or pleas of ignorance. Ten minutes and 70 euros later, we were with our amazing guide, walking among in the ruins,  deftly avoiding the crowds and getting our fill of ancient history. So, Pompei makes the list despite our run-in with the authorities.   It is an incredible place to visit with someone in the know. After the ruins, we recommend hitting a local seafood restaurant or pizzeria for the best of what the food of Campania is about.

A day trip to Pompei is easily  accomplished from Rome or on either leg of a transfer from Rome to the Amalfi coast. By booking a private driver you can avoid the problems we had with the local traffic authorities.  Driving in this part of Italy is not for the faint of heart!

Check back next week for our Top 5 restaurant meals.

Brian Dore | Concierge in Umbria
Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist: Italy

Christian Dior launched their Cruise 2012 collection with a video directed by Ellen von Unwerth and starring teen supermodel Monika“Jac” Jagaciak (to view the full 8 min. video click here). The true stars of the video, however, are the Ligurian fishing village of Portofino and Italo-Egyptian singer Dalida, whose sultry melody “Love in Portofino” plays throughout. Dalida’s voice resonates with the sights and sounds of the Mediterranean – you almost don’t need the visual. The film is shot in and around the main town square and at the Hotel Splendido and captures the resort at its glamorous best.

Despite this glamorous reputation, Portofino is really just a small fishing village. It still conveys an old world charm that makes it a comfortable and enjoyable place to stay – no new houses have been built in the town since the 1930’s. The Piazzetta is encircled with cafés, restaurants, and small bars, while the Via Roma is home to designer shops and artisan workshops where one of a kind jewelry is made.

One of the great pleasures of our job is visiting and checking up on all of the places we recommend. We often do this in the off-season when the crowds are gone and the directors of the local scene are not as harried. As a result, we’ve seen the Splendido in March when it’s closed and looks more like the set of The Shining than it does in the long version of the Dior video.

Our photos of seaside resorts often feature us port side, sipping cocktails in winter coats.

Weather notwithstanding, we did have a great lunch off the piazzetta at Osteria Do’ Batti, where steamed scampi are king.

The above seafood antipasto plate was as delicious as it looks. In contrast to all the shrimp on the menu, there is a photo of the owners with Magic Johnson.

Portofino is a great “scene” that should be on everyone’s list of places to see and be seen in Italy. It’s also a great place to get out on the water or go for a walk in the woods of the Parco naturale regionale di Portofino.

If the Splendido and other properties in town are outside of your price point, there are plenty of options in nearby Santa Margherita di Ligure.

And if a 15 euro aperitivo isn’t your thing, then there are miles of hiking trails where you can find a quiet place to relax that won’t cost you a cent.

Brian Dore | Concierge in Umbria
Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist: Italy

This year would be different.

The full-time singing job ended in July and we finally concentrated our belongings under one roof in central Italy. We had always promised our Italian friends that one year we’d introduce them to a“real” American Thanksgiving dinner, so when we returned to Italy in mid-November, we began preparations for the great feast.

The most difficult part of an expat Thanksgiving can be sourcing the necessary ingredients, like cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and a turkey that has been left whole and is of sufficient size to feed a group of 12. If you are thinking, you’re in Western Europe in a well-developed country with international tastes, think again. The first part is absolutely true; it’s the lack of curiosity for international tastes that causes problems in Italy. Remember, this is a country where trying to open a kebob stand or Chinese restaurant will land you in front of the town council and on the front page of the newspapers. [see this article from London's Telegraph] No, the Italians like their food (justifiably!) and don’t go in much for stocking their market shelves with culinary oddities from around the world. They’re just not interested.

The turkey proved the easiest part and turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever prepared.  We wanted the turkey to be as local as possible so I had a long discussion with the butcher around the corner about getting an 8 -10 kilo free-range bird (there are at least 8 butchers in our town but I like the one about 50 yards from our front door – local indeed). At the butcher shop in Italy nothing is ever as simple as saying “I’d like to order a turkey”.

No, the size must be discussed, the location of the farm, and of course the sex of the bird in question. I was informed that 8-10 kilos is not “natural” for a turkey. The females end their days in the garden at somewhere between 6-7.5 kilos and the males at 11 kilos or over. I was informed that a female would be more tender and flavorful than a male so it was decided that he would get the largest female turkey he could find in Cannara, a small village in the plain between Spello and Bettona.

Turkey solved, our attention turned to sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree and cranberry sauce. After doing a little recon around town in Italy it was clear that these three items would require a bit more searching and casting a wider net. As luck would have it, I was going to Berlin on a singing related matter, and it was decided that I’d pay a visit to the KaDeWe food court. (KaDeWe is the “Macy’s” of Germany. Their flagship store in Berlin should be on every visitors’ itinerary). I found the sweet potatoes in seconds but the cranberries were sold out and the Libby’s canned pumpkin was  8 euro a can!  That’s about $11.

So, Maria Gabriella researched the best local pumpkins to use for pies, and came up with the Marina di Chioggia – an Italian green winter squash and the Italian equivalent of a sugar pumpkin.  She seeded and roasted them, pureed the flesh and combined the two varieties, adding spices and super top secret ingredients to create one of the best pumpkin purees I’ve ever tasted.  I used this for filling the pumpkin ravioli.  And the pies were delicious – as was the apple crumb she also baked.

We were now focused on our biggest challenge – cranberries. Cristina, our friend and CIU assistant, emailed a couple of local cooks and other Americans to see where they sourced their cranberries. She received cryptic responses and evasive answers like “You can’t find them in Italy” and “I use a substitution”. The finality of the first answer and the lack of information of the substitute in the second made me think that there must be a secret stash of Ocean Spray in some ancient vault next to the bones of a long forgotten Etruscan. The next day, we found the vault and pried three dusty baby food jars of cranberry sauce from the mummified remains of a Roman gladiator. I can’t tell you where he got them but I’ll be going back next year to get some more.

Everything was now coming together. As for the rest; invite the guests, cook the food, open the wine and enjoy the leftovers, it took care of itself. One thing I didn’t plan on was the joy on the faces of our guests. Their only experience with Thanksgiving comes from movies where father carves the turkey and the meal ends in an argument.

When we brought the turkey into the dining room to carve it – it did look just like the movies – but unlike in the movies, we sat at a table of warm friends, laughing and eating until well after midnight.

MENU

Antipasto

Shrimp Cocktail with American cocktail sauce

Wine: Spumante Metodo Classico Trento D.O.P. Abate Nero Extra Brut  www.abatenero.it

Primo

Homemade Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Raviolis with Brown Sage Butter

Wine: Ca Lojera Lugana 2010 www.calojera.com

Secondo

Roast Turkey with Mushroom and Sausage Stuffing and Herb Gravy

Contorni

Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Root Vegetables, Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Grapes, and Sweet Peas with Pearl Onions

Wine: Corbezzolo 2003 Podere la Cappella Toscana (Sangiovese and Merlot) www.poderelacappella.it

Dessert

Apple and Pumpkin Pies

Wine:  Domaine St Sebastien 2003 Banyuls (France)

The Happy Hosts – Brian Dore and Maria Gabriella Landers of CIU Travel.

For the story of last year’s Thanksgiving – click here.

The December 2011 issue of Condé Nast Traveler is out and Concierge in Umbria is named on Wendy Perrin’s list of the Top 133 Travel Specialists for the 6th time.  

We are also listed on Condé Nast Traveler’s new website – www.CondeNastTraveler.com in the The Top Travel Specialists Collection, a listing of the best destination and villa specialists.  The specialists on these lists are chosen by Director of Consumer News and Digital Community, Wendy Perrin and her team and are based upon “offering an unbeatable combination of expertise, access, and good value.”

Links to learn more:

Our listing on CNTraveler.com – Concierge in Umbria, Brian Dore and Maria Gabriella Landers

How the specialists are chosen - http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/travel-specialists/2011/how-we-choose-the-best-trip-planners

11 ways to ensure a Specialist delivers the ultimate trip - http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/travel-specialists/2011/11-ways-to-ensure-a-specialist-delivers-the-ultimate-trip

Being selected for this prestigious list is a career achievement and we are honored and thrilled to be included!

We look forward to helping you plan your next visit to Italy.

The first was in response to a question a reader had about getting tickets to the opera at Teatro alla Scala in Milan:

http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2011/11/Buy-Your-Milan-Opera-Tickets-Now

Maria Gabriella gave sensible advice for independent travelers to time their ticket purchase and what some of the more appealing productions are this season. As for our clients, we take care of getting the tickets to events for you and make sure you are aware of events that are taking place in the cities you are visiting before you travel. There are great historic theaters in Venice, Milan, Rome, Parma and Naples.

The second, (also opera related, a shocking development from opera singers turned travel specialists) was in response to Wendy Perrin’s Best Travel Tip Contest. We always pack our opera glasses on day trips around Italy. They are fantastic for getting three times closer to a Ghiotto fresco or looking for a signature or detail on a Botticelli in a museum. They are chic, discreet and won’t upset the guards.

http://www.cntraveler.com/perrin-post/2011/11/How-to-Travel-with-a-Front-Row-View

Lentil Soup – “What we’re eating”

The crisp autumn air calls for comfort food. Simmering lentils in broth makes a great, protein rich soup. Float a piece of toasted bread from a wood fired oven, drizzle it with freshly pressed olive oil and you’ve got a meal. The lentils are from Castelluccio di Norcia in Umbria and I like to cook them in a rosemary scented vegetable broth.

From 26th FAI World Aerobatic Championships

We were in Foligno for the preliminaries and marveled during our morning jog along the Topino River at the whine of overworked engines performing loops and high speed rolls. Our friend and photographer, Aldo, was there for the competition and took some great shots that can be seen here.

From 26th FAI World Aerobatic Championships

From 26th FAI World Aerobatic Championships

I’ve always been a fan of flight and, despite the hassle associated with commercial flight these days, still get excited about a trip to the airport and a long haul flight across the Atlantic. When the opportunity for a sunset flight in a small private plane presented itself last year, I jumped at the chance. I met Renzo, a local pilot, at a friend’s wedding. As the bride exited town hall in Spello, he was looping and rolling his small locally made airplane in the distance. Gabriella and I were seated at his table at the reception and I worked my passion for airplanes into the conversation and scored an invitation to sit next to him for a look at Umbria from above.

From 2010-07-29

Renzo’s plane, an MB Avio C-26, is an ultralight, acrobatic machine manufactured in the Umbrian town of Spello. It features dual controls with side by side seating in a compact cockpit. So compact in fact, that after I climbed in with my camera, I realized that it was going to test my flexibility to snap off a few shots in the air. After a quick announcement to ground control in Perugia and a warning to me to not interfere with the pedals or mess with the throttle or stick, we were off. I tried to look calm as we took off in the direction of Trevi but nerves made unsteady hands as I took some pictures. As soon as we were airborne, Spoleto, Trevi and Montefalco were in view. The patchwork of fields and the clusters of hill towns and villages are beautiful from the air. From this perspective, the concentrated jumble of buildings that make up Umbrian towns is impressive.

From 2010-07-29

The sunset in the direction of Perugia and Assisi was breaking through the clouds and as we turned towards it, Foligno opened up below us. Renzo circled Foligno a few times as we searched for Piazza San Francesco and the apartment I call home. I was snapping photos and trying to reach Gabriella on my cellphone (no restrictions on cell phone use on this flight) as the initial nervousness faded.

From 2010-07-29

He asked if I wanted to take the controls but I sanely declined. As we headed back to the airport, he suggested doing a roll before landing and I agreed (it is an acrobatic plane after all and it seemed almost impolite to go for a ride without spinning around at least once). With an increase in throttle, a pull back on the stick to raise the nose and then a hard shift to the right, the skies and fields switched positions and rotated outside our window. I didn’t feel even the slightest quiver in my stomach and in that instant I was hooked. The five year old in me could only think of saying “Do it again!”.

The Aero Club of Foligno offers scenic tours of Umbria from the air by appointment (no rolls or loops included). We can also arrange for scenic flights above Tuscany and the Cinque Terre.

For more photos of the FAI World Aerobatic Championship click here.

For more photos from my flight click here.

The Ligurian coast suffered major damage from flash flooding and mudslides yesterday. One of the hardest hit areas is the Cinque Terre, particularly the towns of Monterosso and Vernazza. The Telegraph in London has this report – article.  Video of a river of mud in Monterosso. The Cinque Terre is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy for hiking and nature lovers. We are thinking of our colleagues and friends who live and work there and are hoping for a quick recovery for one of Italy’s gems.