Local Fun...

Il 23 novembre

Assisi

These last few days I have spent a lot of time with my friend, Anne Robichard, who has lived in Umbria with her Italian husband, Pino, since the 1970's and knows just about everything that is going on in Assisi and in the area. Not only is she an extremely knowledgeable tour guide, but also a fabulous cook who will be in the USA this winter lecturing and giving cooking classes. (Check out her website for the schedule of her cooking classes plus learn more about her many talents. Http://annesitaly.com and click on the link for cooking.)

On Sunday night, along with my charming friend, Francesco, with whom I am having lots of entertaining and informative conversations that are greatly helping my Italian, we went to Tordandrea, a few kilometers away for a Sapore dal Autunno (taste of autumn.) This was a local event held in a hall, not something that tourists would know about, and a bit of a fundraiser for the community. Just being amongst people who live in the area and doing something “ordinary” with friends who live here was another one of those experiences that I've been privileged to have this fall...and the bruschetta and pasta were also good.

Monday morning Anne and I went looking at apartments for sale in Assisi which was a lot of fun, again doing something “ordinary”, and then out for lunch at Osteria Pozzo della Mensa. This restaurant, which has a terraced garden and wine cellar, serves dishes using traditional rural recipes, as well as more modern cuisine. Medieval arches and roman columns carved out of the pink limestone of Assisi make the interior an inviting and unique place to dine; another spot for a delicious meal. www.osteriapozzodellamensa.net

Tuesday morning we went to Bastia, a neighboring town, as Anne wanted to go to one of the fruit/vegetable markets where she shops. I bought some juicy and sweet apples that I've been enjoying for the last few days and regret that I only have more more left. After that we went to Santa Maria Degli Angeli and a stop at the cheese market where I discovered freshly made ricotta cheese-plain, with walnuts, and with herbs that truly melted in my mouth and was my staple food for a couple of days. (I have been thoroughly spoiled now and will no longer be able to buy mass produced ricotta cheese back home.) Then it was time for lunch (yes, another meal) and we ate at the Trattoria Hotel da Elide, in business since 1960, and frequented by the locals, especially business men and women eating there at lunchtime. I ordered grilled sliced eggplant, layered with ricotta cheese, to begin with, and then Noccioletti al radicchio e caprino, a pasta dish that was so tasty and plentiful I had to take home a “doggie-bag”... Now, this is definitely something that Italians don't do as Anne explained to me; eating left-over pasta heated up in the microwave...for shame! I had not regrets, however, as my dinner was just as good as my lunch...and I didn't have to cook.   www.assisihoteldaelide.com