Mangiamo!

In Italy, the question is not so much “Will I have a coffee?” (the answer is nearly always “yes,” regardless of the time). Instead, it’s “when will I have a coffee?” (and the answer is most likely “soon”). And this is one of the most pressing questions these days. Because Italians may drive like highly caffeinated hornets and talk with the same velocity, but their way of life is slower. This quiet simplicity rubs off easily and subtly, like brushing a restaurant chalkboard; it is only later the realization sinks in (“oh look, there’s chalk on my arm”).

And the simple goodness is never more evident than at the Italian dinner table. Fresh tagliatelle pasta with a simple pesto of spinach, almonds (want some, Lindsay?), olive oil, garlic and basil; risotto with parmigiano reggiano and radicchio (which gives the rice a lovely purple tinge); big salads with chickpeas, arugula, carrots and corn… and so forth. With all the fresh, delectable food, it only makes sense for ExperiencePlus! (the company who flew us over, naturalmente) to put on a picnic at the Farm as an integral part of several tours. Clients swing by en route to Firenze or elsewhere and we put a show on for their tastebuds. The morning is spent in preparation (and coffee sipping). Then bountiful plates bounce along the tabletops like rickety carts along a Roman road as we all gather outside in the sun. Mangiamo — let’s eat!

Buon appetito!