Il 9 ottobre
Spello
Il mio cellulare italiano rang this morning about 9:00 am; it was Margie calling to invite me to join her for an outing to Spello, a charming town slightly southeast of Assisi. An hour later, we were on the bus headed for the station and after a nine minute train trip we arrived. It's an easy 15 minute walk from the train station to the old walled city and, along the way, we stopped to talk with a man who was working in his garden. I'd been to Spello before today, but, like anywhere else, each visit brings something unnoticed before. Sometimes when I go somewhere new, I have the “list” of what I should make sure to see. Other times, I like to go to a new spot without a planned agenda; just walk around, people-watch, and breathe in the air. Of course, in Italy, eating something somewhere is always a consideration. Speaking of food, I was watching the news this evening and there was a segment about the obesity problem in Italy; it seems that 1 out of every 2 people in this country of bountiful and glorious food has a weight problem. La pubblicita on TV runs the gamut, from Activia yogurt to a “breakfast sweet” which is what most Italians begin their day with.
After spending some time in the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore where there was a mass underway, we meandered along on the winding streets, stopping when something caught our eye. We went into a shop called Candle Light www.candlelight.it where all of the candles are made by hand (completamente realizzate a mano). We watched the owner at work, her vats of warm wax nearby, creating mini sculptures, some very complex and in a multitude of colors.
Passing by a specialty food shop, we were offered some samples that led us inside....and what a treat that was. La Famiglia Antonini, farming in the area for many generations, opened Casa Antonini in 1976. We had the pleasure of meeting Emanuele, one of three siblings who inherited and continued the shop, opened by his father. Attractively packaged cereal, legume, and pasta products, several types of tomato sauce, and even some pastries, everything completely organic, fill the shelves of this store. It was such a pleasure conversing with Emanuele, who was delighted when I took his picture and told him that I wanted to write about his business. Margie and I spent quite a while there and each of us walked out with a bag of goodies. I've already opened my packages of Crosti pizza al rosmarino, wonderful handmade crackers that are delicious by themselves or with cheese, and Rocciatelle, a not-too sweet pastry filled with a fig puree, also handmade. I also purchased two different types of pasta, a wheat grain that used to be eaten by the nobility (maybe some royalty will rub off on me), and a jar of tomato sauce made from tomatoes that come from the Antonini farm. www.casantonini1976.it
Checking several restaurants and finding that we needed reservations, we headed back to the station with the continued hope that a welcoming trattoria would magically appear. And so it did...La Locanda del Postiglione where Margie and I shared a half bottle of sparkling white wine, ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, walnuts, and lemon (primo piatto), and grilled lamb (secondo piatto)...an absolutely glorious meal that I can still taste...and will need to have at least one more time. www.locandadelpostiglione.com
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