Living in Asia and missing Europe culture and life, architecture and people makes me not only to watch my pictures from that trips, reread my notes about it (see below posts in Russian), but also encourage me to recall my memories about lovely days of work spent in my favorite region - North of Italy I've visited in Feb 2009 Aug 2010 for business and vacations.
I had couple of trips to visit that region between Venice, Bologna, Verona, Ferraro, Parma, Milan. Indeed today I want to share my impressions not about that quite touristic places, but about small idyllic town Castel Franco Emilia (20 mins by train from Bologna in Modena direction) I've spent couple of days at, that will stay forever in my heart as place, where people are enjoying life 24 hours. This is my ideal destination, when I finish my crazy travelling around the world and decide to settle down at my 70th...
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| Frutti di Mari - small trattoria in Castel Franco Emila |
There I had view to the mountains from my balcony at the 3rd floor and there were no higher buildings around. There I first time discovered, that Italians don't eat pizza by pieces and to test new place you should order Margarita, that is simplest but the base and tomato pasta will tell you everything about chef's master. The thinner the crust and the crispier pizza mean more skillful pizza-maker. There I first time ate 40 sm diameter pizza and still could eat desert easily. There I discovered, that lees ingridients in pizza make it more delicious, so Frutti di Mare and Quattro Formaggi are my all time favorite. I ate it in small family Tratoria, that was opened only for lunch and dinner time and oven was placed inside the sala, so you could easily see, how your lunch is made. In that small tavern I discovered, that espresso comes after desert to finish meel. I wanted big cup of coffee, like we are used to have to drink it with desert, so upon request I got water in separated cup to espresso, but just imagine, how big was my dissapointment, when i added water to coffee and discovered, that now I have just warm drink, because water in cup was cold! Then I got, why waiter was so surprised with my water request. He just thought? that I'm not used to strong coffee and feel thirsty after it (actually after good coffee you should have this feeling).
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| Enjoying after lunch sleep in north Italy |
Walking by the main street after lunch first time in my life I felt, that people are enjoying life 24 hours, that office and money earned can be placed as second priority and it's totally worthy to enjoy rest after lunch, so even shops have opening hours from 9 to 12, then from 4 to 8, as lunch is from 12 to 2 and siesta is from 2 to 4. Usually whole town will be sleeping or enjoying sun outside, old people will play table games at the main square or watch aliens like me walking around the city. It's also great time to think about life, as glass of light vine drank during the lunch easily will put you to this mood.
As for vine, that time I first discovered, that best vine is from local makers - it's even not packed in bottles and just put at the table in carafe with the wide mouth. I also discovered, that young vine with bubbles is easy and pleasant to drink and also I found my favorite vine Chianti here, that I still prefer to any other. Actually this young almost homemade vine in carafes for only 8 euro for liter is cheaper than the cost of empty bottle it will be put month after... After dinner - deserts - trembling light panna cotta, cold cream brule under the just burned crunchy crust... Italians probably know, that way to women heart leads through the stomach...
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| True Tiramisu |
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| Real Nuttella gelato @ the bottom |
And after dinner, when it's dark - it's time for gelato - from special Gelaterria, of course. Here I found the best ice-cream I ever tried - homemade and sold at the first floor of the house, while the family is living upstairs. I tried different flavors and chosen Margarita named by grandmother, who created that taste using real Nutella as ingredient. It was not really possible to buy less than pint and all was finished right after!
Lifestyle I saw in this small Italian town, food I tried, vine I drank are still ideal scenario for my life, when I get tired of highskapers, people crowds and running life.
