Truffle Hunt

Early in the morning our group headed out to Citta di Castello for a Truffle hunt.  We met our truffle hunter Severio and his interpreter Dawn in the beautiful village of Cisterna.

We were taken to a forested area, and our dog "pipo" was set loose to find truffles. I've done truffle hunts before and this was fun, since the dog and his owner were such great pals, and the dog was finding plenty of truffles for our group.

You can see there is a gate here that is locked at all times; Severio leases the land from an elderly farmer

We were taken back to Severio's house and his wife Gabriella gave us a cooking class, in perfect English.  She is a gifted home cook, and teacher.  She has been 'living' with truffles for most of her life, and has found ingenious ways to use them. Severio and Gabriella also have a tiny truffle museum where we found truffle digging tools, and other artifacts.

With the tables set for lunch, we knew we were in for a treat!

Selections of crostini, l to r, black truffle, white truffle, arugula, and sun dried tomato

This is the ONLY way to have deviled eggs--using a bit of truffle oil and garnished with truffles

Next up making frascarelli, a tiny egg pasta that will be tossed with olive oil, diced celery and truffles

Served like a timbale this is a great starter

My favorite was the cheese flan, basically eggs, cream and Pecorino, then topped with truffles, and aged balsamic vinegar.

Our main course was chicken or turkey breast, stuffed with truffles 

The chicken is rolled, then wrapped in 'cling wrap' and boiled for about 20 minutes

Served with truffled mashed potatoes, and a small salad with balsamic reduction, buonissimo!

This was one special group, and we had some very special experiences

Dr. C. and Jeannie

When I take people to meet the Italians, it is a revelation after so many trips to cathedrals, and museums, they get to meet and eat with the real treasure of Italy: it's people.
Grazie, Gabriella, Severio and Pipo for an amazing day in your beautiful home.  Gabriella and Severio sell their products, and you can be sure that they are made with truffles, not chemically manipulated.

Cheese Flan Gabriella

Serves 8

1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano

1 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs

Mache salad and aged balsamic vinegar for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat the inside of 8 muffin cups or 4-ounce ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.  
2. In a blender, combine the ingredients, and pour into the muffin cups or ramekins.  
3. Bake for 15 minutes until set.  
4. Serve warm on mache, and drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar, or balsamic reduction.  

Ciao for now.

Tartufi Bianconi
Santo Stefano del Piano, 21
Citta di Castello
Tel:  00390758511591
www.tartufibianconi.it  or http://tartufibianconi.com
E-mail: info@tartufibianconi.it

To My Cincinnati Students and Friends: Come Along to Italy and the Road Less Traveled

This post is for my CooksWares students, and friends who have heard me talk so much about my love for Italy, our adopted hometown of Spello and the Italians.  Come along next May for the trip I've been wanting to take you on for years.  We will see beautiful hill towns, experience uncrowded villages, and end the trip in Rome.  It will be a week packed with food, wine, and culture, with a bit of time for shopping and relaxing, as well.  Umbria is the road less traveled, not nearly as overrun with tourists, its pleasures are many, and you will experience them all.  So, take a look at the brochure and get your deposit in soon.  I am leading this trip for another school in October, and it sold out in a week.  Space is limited, so come along and we'll experience a culinary trip designed just for you.

 -Highlights of this Small Custom Group Tour- May 13-22, 2017

•Rome:  1 Night Hilton Airport on arrival day, Classic rooms 

•Todi:  5 Nights Hotel Bramante,  Deluxe rooms with valley view 

•Rome:  2 Nights Hotel 47,  Deluxe rooms 

•All Breakfasts    •5 Lunches   •4 Dinners (one at a Michelin-starred restaurant) 

•5 Cooking Classes     •Cheese-making demonstration     •Truffle hunt 

•Guided tour of Assisi     •4 casual Town visits     •Private Vatican Tour

                                                               
                                      

Our first full day, we will have a cooking class at the hotel with their renown chef, and lunch.  After a brief rest, we will head to Assisi, the home of St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy for a private tour, and dinner on your own.

Day two we will head to Pienza to a working farm, and watch as pecorino cheese is being made, and then enjoy lunch at the farm.  Pienza is the home of the best Pecorino in Italy.

After lunch a short trip to Montepulciano, and a walk about before returning to Todi and dinner at the Michelin starred restaurant Casa Vissani.  

Day 3 takes us to Citta' di Castello in northern Umbria for a truffle hunt, visit to the truffle museum and then a truffle lunch.  We will return to Todi, dinner will be on your own.

Day 4 we will travel to the capital of Perugia, and participate in a hands on chocolate class at Perugina, directed by their master chocolatier.

After the class we will head to Spello (my adopted hometown) and have a wine and olive oil tasting and lunch at Enoteca Properzio, one of the top 3 wine bars in Italy, owned by my family, the Angelini's. Wine and olive oils are available for shipment home.

On our return to Todi, we will stop in Deruta for a ceramics demonstration and time to shop for ceramics. Dinner on your own.

Day 5 we will check out of our hotel in Todi and head to Rome.  On our way into Rome we will stop at Eataly, a 4 story food emporium for lunch on your own (there are 18 restaurants in the store) and time to shop for goodies to take home.

We will arrive at our hotel, and in the afternoon be taken to a pizza class.  Dinner will be your very own creation.  

Day 6, after an early breakfast, we will be transferred to the Vatican for a private morning tour of the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. The rest of the day will be at your leisure to explore the eternal city.

 Day 7, Check out and transfer to the airport.

Our travel agent will be happy to arrange before and after tour extensions for you.
Since space is limited, a non-refundable deposit will be required by July 21, 2016
COST IS FOR THE LAND PORTION ONLY:  Merlene will be happy to arrange airfare.

Pricing, not including Air:  Euros 3670 - Per Person, Double Occupancy (Approximately $4168 at exchange rate on June 6, 2016)
Single Occupancy (two spots, subject to availability) - Euros 4135  (Charges to your credit card will be in U.S. dollars equal to the active Euro exchange rate on the date that your payments process.  No foreign exchange fee charges will be incurred for the conversion from Euros to U.S. dollars)   
Respond Quickly – This special tour is Limited to 20 participants! Note:  The group minimum for this experience is 16 participants.  If for some reason group numbers fall below  the minimum requirement, extra costs may apply.   
Payment Dates Deposit Deadline:   July 21, 2016 Final Payment Deadline:  January 20, 2017
*Non-refundable Deposit:   Per Person double - Euros 1650;   Single - Euros 1800 *Travel insurance is available for purchase and is strongly recommended. Should you have to cancel for a ‘covered’ reason, non-refundable trip costs may be refunded if you have purchased travel insurance.  Further details of this coverage protection are available.

            
                                       

For the full itinerary and/or to sign up for this tour, Contact- Merlene Lynch   -  
Protravel International Direct:  760-489-2230          Merlene.Lynch@Protravelinc.com       
 California Sellers of Travel CST# 2063352-40                                                                               

Tartuffi!

Prized the world over for their flavor, and aroma, truffles are an experience.  Musky, earthy, and full of flavor to add to pasta, risotto and meats, truffles can cost up to $5000 per pound.  

With my cousins visiting from DC, we decided to go on an adventure and signed up with Wild Foods for a Truffle Hunt.  Umbria is know for its truffles (tartufi) and since this has been a banner year for Porcini and truffles, we thought it would be a lot of fun.  

We began the day at the top of the hill in Spello, where we were picked up in a Land Cruiser by Mack Ryde the leader of a band of residents in the village of Pettino, and joined 2 New Zealanders in Umbria on holiday.   

Heading South towards Spoleto, we turned off the highway and headed up the mountain to the small village of Pettino, deep in the country.  Along the way, we met the rest of our crew, (Australians) who would join us for the day once they changed their flat tire.   
Mack peppered the drive with lots of interesting facts and stories about Pettino, and how a “Kiwi” ended up in this tiny village.  The original 7 families (and their progeny) in Pettino own the land where the truffles are located. 

After introductions to Mack’s beautiful wife, Francesca, children Dante and Polly, and his mother-in-law Giuseppina, we were offered coffee while we were waiting for Luca (a cousin of Francesca) our truffle hunter. 

My cousins and I rode in Luca’s truck, perfumed with the aromas of truffles and Marlboros.  We set out over a leaf-strewn, muddy rutted road, jouncing and stuttering, until we were at the beech tree forest with the dogs.   

We found (with the help of the dogs) a good amount of truffles, weighed them, and then set off across the valley.  

 After leaving the main road we climbed up a stone and rubble studded twisty road, giving us a teeth chattering, bone jarring ride to the top of the mountain where we arrived at the pastures where the sheep were grazing. 

Mack served Prosecco and salame, Luca proceeded to make us truffled eggs.  A wild wind was blowing and the small propane stove took its time, but the end result was well worth the wait as you can see.  

Heading back to Pittino we watched Giuseppina, Francesca's mother make fresh egg pasta.

Then we to their beautiful new state of the art kitchen and dining room.  

We enjoyed Sunday lunch at its finest, truffle pasta, guinea hen with tortino of potato and spinach.  Umbrian apple cake, copious amount of local red wine, and espresso rounded out the meal. 

After such a great day, we piled back in the Land Cruiser filled to the brim with new memories, friends and once more an appreciation of rural traditions, and farm life that live on in the small villages that dot the hillsides of Central Italy.  Grazie Mille, Mack, Francesca, Dante, Polly, Giuseppina, and Dante Sr. for a memorable day.