Randal & Michelle

Last week was a very special week, after many emails and much planning… Randal & Michelle’s big day came. Celebrated with a group of family and friends from all over the globe a week of fun with much partying was had by all.

 

GEOCACHING

On a recent trip to the United States I was introduced to Geocaching and was delighted to find that there are several itineraries locally when I googled it on the computer. Having got the hang of it, we too want to create some on the estate.

First, for those of you who have no idea what I am talking about let me explain what it is… Geocaching is a high-tech out door treasure hunt, great for adults and kids alike. All you need is a GPS, paper and pen (like all good scouts!) and some treasures in your pocket. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches; this could be something like a film canister or a small Tupperware box, which is filled with treasures. Yesterday we tried one out and had a lot of fun doing it.

When we eventually found the cache through a series of clues as well as the GPS location, you need to use your nose and initiative as well as this IT stuff, we unearthed a plastic box in a plastic bag hidden under a rock. In the box were a lighter, a coin, a tiny mask and a stuffed animal key ring, a pen as well as a log sheet with details from those who had found things. The idea is that you take out something but put something back in too, then fill out the logbook.The itineraries are generally published on line and so you share your experiences with others… take a look at www.geocaching.com to get a better understanding of what it’s all about.

In the meantime here are some photos of Georgia, Giacomo and Olivia… and Massimo of our hunt yesterday and what we found.

We promise that we will have some new itineraries for when you come… with the GPS of course!

Farmers Market

 

OUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKET

Last Saturday I finally got to the local ‘Mercatale’ Farmers market. It started up last summer but this was the first opportunity that I have had to go. It’s held on the third Saturday morning of the month in the town square in Sovicille. There is a fantastic bread stall, freshly baked with different types of flour, grains and seeds, the foccacia with onions was quite delicious. Seasonal vegetables from the local farmers, artisan cheese and honey, various salumi, including those of the famous ‘Cinta Senese’ pig, sauces of truffles, hot chilli, mushrooms… naturally to sample before purchasing!  There is even a little osteria set up especially for the market, of couse we ate inside… January even here is a little chilly, but during the warmer months there is a little courtyard set up.
Saluti,
Susan

Florence ‘The Ride of the Wise Men’

The Ride of the Wise Men – La Cavalcata dei Magi

 

For the first time in many years I was here for the ‘Befania’, for most italians, especially the children this is almost as important as Christmas, and it was orginially at this time when children were left gifts by the fireplace, not by father Christmas but the ‘befana’… a which.   However the day really celebrates the long journey of the Three Wise Men and Kings from the East are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts, finally arriving in Bethlehem on January 6.  To commomerate this important event a wonderfully colourful and rich parade takes place from the  Piazza Pitti in the heart of Florence which  winds throught the narrow streets and alleys of Florence, crossing the Ponte Vecchio, and weaving into Piazza della Signoria, along Via Calzaiuoli to arrive at the Duomo where the wise men present their gifts to Baby Jesus who lies in the navity scene in the square of S. Maria del Fiore.  The Florentines are dressed in traditional costumes, the shepards, fruit & vegetable sellers, the good, bad and ugly, accompanied by the contradas proudly follow the star to the bapistry to honor baby Jesus.

Happy New Year!

Susan

Our trip on the steam train from Siena to the Truffle festival at San Giovanni D’Asso

9 November 2008
November is usually truffle time in Tuscany, strange stone like tubers that grow under the ground, have a very pungent smell and a strange taste and are VERY expensive, one that would fit in palm of your hand might costs about £60!
This year we had a special treat; last Sunday with friends and guests we took the old stream train from Siena to San Giovanni d’Asso, the heart of white truffle territory in Tuscany. We arrived at the train station to see the find the engine standing with great billows of black smoke belching from its belly. The platform was bustling with people all very animated shouting and calling over the crowds, waving to friends, picnic baskets packed, cameras hung around their necks. Suddenly attention was called, it was time to board! In true Italian style and total chaos, all the seats had been changed and everyone was seated in the wrong place, others arrived to find their seat had been taken, the conductor was surrounded by clamoring passengers frantically fanning themselves with their train tickets… but finally it was sorted and the whistle blew and slowly we pulled out of the station.
The countryside was shrouded in fog, the heat rising from the freshly plowed fields meeting the cool November air, this coupled with all the smoke from the train curtained the train and hid the views that we longed for. However we were distracted by a sudden burst of a saxophone, we all turned to see a parading band proceeding towards us down the aisle of the train… what a sight… and noise, but such a delight and fun. We were given pots and pans, rattles and maracas to play as the band played on!
The clouds opened to reveal a beautiful day with a bright blue sky framing the beatiful Tuscan countryside, tender shades of green as the new wheat gingerly shows it’s head. Tall cypress trees standing proudly on hill tops denoting one mans land from another. Abandoned and restored farmhouses perched atop hill, rows of autumn vines, leaves turning from green to rust to yellow. Plots of vegetables carefully tended, winter lettuces, fronds of fennel, white heads of cauliflower all to be admired. The train whistled sharply and brought all back to the present… finally we had arrived at San Giovanni. The timing of course was perfect, ready for lunch! We climbed the steep hill from the train station up to the village to get our appetites up. We knew that they were preparing lunch for three hundred and forty people and so were prepared for a bit of a scrum but no such thing. Inside a large marquee were elegrantly set cirucular tables, with gold table clothes and knapkins, ceramic plates and stemmed glasses. The first course arrived, all sorts of crostini; a traditional Tuscan apertizer of little pieces of bread finely sliced and spread with various sauces from liver pate, to mushrooms, sausage and of course truffles. Next came the pasta, first with a truffle sauce, then another with a mushroom sauce… then yet another with a meat sauce. We were already almost full, but certainly not finished, the roasted pork arrived with potatoes and vegetables, although the wine was still flowing fast and furiously the pace of eating has begun to slow, but we had to wait for dessert of crostata, italian jam tart. We were undecided about coffee, we needed to be perked up after eating so much but we didn’t want to miss the truffle fair. We decided that the walk back down the fort where the truffles were closely guarded would suffice on both accounts so heaved ourselves up from our chairs to go.
.. For hunting they use small curly haired dogs and little picks to carefully dig out the truffles once the dogs have sniffed them out, without disturbing the spores. Down in a field nearby there were dog demonstrations. I remembered on one occasion when I went truffle hunting that a dog got into terrible trouble for scoffing down the truffle that had just been found, I’m certain that we guests saved the day and his skin. The hunter was not at all pleased with him!
As we walked thru’ the village we stopped at the various stands to admire artisan work of beautifullly painted ceramics, locally produced honey from the acacia, chesnut and rhodendrum trees. There were samples of salami, ham, oil and various other delacies but we just had to pass on them still too full from our lunch.

Montestigliano blog

It seems that I have just discovered the joys of what I understand is termed as ’social networking’ which in basic terms means a blog site for the farm.  As many of you know IT, that is Information Technology rather than ITaly is not one of my strong points and all of this is new, so I know a little patience will be needed on both sides.

This came to light just a week ago when a photographer came to take photos for a potential article in the UK Olive magazine, naturally mainly based on food, they styled about photographed sumpious dishes.  After we chatted casually about this and that and about his blog….    Until that moment I thought that blogging was just idle chatter for those who had time… Social media, networking, I just drew ablack, but having spoken to friends and my sister, they all knew about it, and the latter in particular when I asked why she hadn’t told me, gave a sigh of exasperation and said ‘I thought everyone knew about it’ … so here goes.   Please do feel free to help me with it too!

Saluti,

Susan

We have published a book “A Tuscan Farm”

So many folk have asked so many times so many things about Montestigliano; the history, the restoration of the houses and buildings, about the people who live and work here, their culture and traditions, the workings of the farm… that we felt compelled to put pen to paper and so after a long laboured birth we have ‘Montestigliano ‘A Tuscan Farm’. We hope that it will satisfy at least a part of your curiosity and be happy memory and a reminder when you are home of that farm, high on the hill in Tuscany, and of course entice you to return!

The images are by Sarah Carson, a photographer from Dallas, Texas who over the last twelve years or so has become so much more than a guest to us, hosting workshops, groups and family here, and taking well deserved time for herself to satisfy her creative talents. Sarah has exhibited in numerous galleries and museums in Texas, New York, Boston, Miami, New Orleans and in Budapest, Hungary. The images featured in the book are only a small part of her vast portfolio. You can visit her website at www.sarahcarsonphotography.com

You will find a few errors, just like Montestigliano it’s not perfect, but we hope that you will forgive us for this.

Should you like to order a copy (euro 32+postage) please email us at info@montestigliano.it.

Adopt an Olive Tree

We have launched something which we believe to be pretty unique… Euro 75 and you can adopt a tree… the fruits of this tree will be yours.

• You will receive a certificate and a map of the location of your tree.
• We will place a plaque beside your tree with any dedication that you would like.
• A hand decorated oil pitcher and tasting bowl, decorated by a local potter will be yours for your first batch of oil.
• Any oil produced by your tree (this could be anything up to 5 litres there is however a guaranteed yield of 25cl if the crop is very small), bottled to take home.
• The little olive oil book of secrets
• An invitation to come and help harvest your tree, take olive to the mill and take home your oil.
• You will be entitled to a 15% discount for an apartment rental during the olive season
• In your absence the oil be sent to you and another week of your choice between October and April be available at a 10% discount.
• And a further 15% discount will be give on any further order of the estate olive oil
• Free entrance to the annual oil label design competition (value euro15)
• You will be updated throughout the year as to the potential crop