Rest day in Cortona

Another fantastic day – each hotel just gets better, each day more memorable. The dinner last night (can't remember if I told you about it – woops short term memory loss kicking in - Oh yes I did tell you because at times I had no idea what I was eating – that's right) – well what I was going to say was, that the dinner last night confirmed that I wanted to have a cooking class here at the hotel. I had booked it before dinner, but by the time I had eaten, I knew that it was a good decision.
The class was advertised as starting at 4pm and then eating the meal at 7.30 or 8pm but the deal they gave me was class at 11.00am and eating lunch. Wow, not sure that I need all that food for lunch, but my plan was to go walking to the top of Cortona – 4km up hill. Honest, that was the plan. Not my fault it turned to custard.
So I was very good and only ate a little breakfast, and fronted up to the restaurant to be met by the chef, Martel, who made me feel very welcome. He asked if I had enjoyed my meal last night, which he had prepared for me (because I am on a package tour I get to eat a set menu and not from the a la carte menu which looks pretty jolly good actually.) However, as I said, I was pretty happy with the choices he made for me. And I checked out what the dessert was – pistachio crème (sort of like crème caramel but with nuts instead). He was pleased to hear that I enjoyed it.
So without too much ado, I was given an apron, a teatowel to tuck into my apron and a big white hat, because this was a hands on cooking lesson. Yep I actually got to do the work. It was so cool. Well actually cool is what it wasn't in the kitchen – all those stoves and ovens in fact it was jolly bloomin' hot.
I'm not going to give away too many secrets here, because I am going to try these dishes out on you guys when I get home, but I made a salad called Panzanella, and then I made pasta – pici – Yes I actually mixed it, kneaded it and rolled it all out by hand – and then helped prepare the vegetables for the pasta sauce. Just watched while he cooked the duck but wow was that good, and then helped make the chocolate mousse. Oh yummy and oh so simple. No standing for hours whipping eggs and chocolate and cream here, but it would have to be up there with some of the best mousse's I have eaten.
Then after all the preparation done, I was taken out to the terrace to sit and enjoy my meal, while the staff finished everything off. So the salad starter was served with a lot of olive oil and a little more vinegar added, (just white wine vinegar here – in fact I don't think I have seen a bottle of balsamic since I got to Tuscany). It was very different, but really nice.
The pasta – my hand made pici with tomatos garlic and basil, and I learnt the secret of creamy pasta, without using cream (but I will share that one with you when I get home).
And then duck – Now I must admit to a small amount of anxiety at eating duck slightly rare – but I figured if that is the way they serve it here at a very posh restaurant, on a daily basis, then it must be safe. Wilf I can see you cringing – but I ate it at lunch time and it is now almost 8pm and certainly no reaction as yet. Not sure how long it will take for campylobacter to hit – hopefully not on my 51km cycle ride tomorrow.
And the duck was served with roast onion. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm oh so yummy, and then to finish off the chocolate mousse. Martel had prepared the mousse last night because it needs all day to set, and he set in on top of a biscuit crumb base (like cheesecake base).
Then just as I finished my meal, Martel came out to talk to me and check that I enjoyed my meal, and talked about how all the dishes were finished off and presented. And then, a minute later the skies opened up and it poured, and thundered and lighteninged all over again. So much for “Under the Tuscan Sun.” I, along with other lunch guests, hovered under the sun umbrellas trying to keep dry, but finally had to brave the deluge and dive for the doors to the restaurant. The rain didn't let up for another hour or more, so I just sat quietly in the restaurant, enjoyed a cup of espresso and wrote some postcards (freebies from the hotel) while I waited for the rain to stop.
Finally, it started to let up a bit, enough for me to make it from the restaurant to the accommodation.The rain finally stopped at about 3.45pm and the sun came out, so I ordered a taxi and went up to Cortona. The sky still looked pretty watery, and the thought of getting caught out walking up the hill in another thunder storm didn't thrill me and so I took the easy way out going up with the loose plan of walking back down the hill. However, the road was rather treacherous, no pavements and very narrow and traffic driving in both directions, so after a couple of hours wandering around yet another hilltop medieval village, I rang for the taxi to come and pick e up again.
Now every day needs at least one anxious moment (and today I had two – first the rare duck and now the taxi.) I phoned, via cell phone the number that the taxi driver had given me. I had tried to order the return trip before I got out of the taxi but the driver said it was not possible to book, just phone.
Okay, so I made it to the outside of the village gates and was standing outside a petrol station, and I phoned, to have the call answered by a man who did not speak English. Great – thinks me. I asked for a taxi to pick me up outside the walls of Cortona, beside the petrol station - Oh hell whats the word for petrol – rack my brain - a yes – il benzina stazione. Aha, says the man at the other end, retardi quindici minuto. Okay I know what that means – a delay of 15 minutes. So I take a seat on the park bench nearby and wait.
But then comes the anxious bits. 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes – no taxi, then suddenly I see one whizzing past and round the corner. I chase him, waving wildly – he stops thank goodness – but tells me he is not the taxi I ordered. Just wait here. Different company.
Phew, I'm starting to get really anxious now, it's getting late – well too late for me to be out all alone, thankfully it is still light, but it's now 6.30pm and I have this fear I am going to be walking down hill 4kms in the rain – it's dripping a bit now every few minutes or so. And then, suddenly, from the opposite direction comes a taxi. He apologises most profusely and says he was at the treno stazione. I thought oh darn, I got it wrong, but he said no, the treno retardo, so made him late for me. Wow, so I got it right. How clever is that.
And so now, I am about to get ready for dinner. I booked much later tonight – a table for 8.30pm. I wonder what delights Martel has put together for me tonight.
And tonight, I am watching CNN news, but the only news tonight is Michael Jackson. I have had the telly on since I came home just after 6.30pm and it is now almost 8.30pm and that has been the only topic. Is there nothing else going on in the world today?
Okay guys, it is now 6.30am in New Zealand, the day of the Tga Club ball. Thinking of you all and hoping you have a great night. Do a dance for me.
And since I wrote all that last night before going to sleep, I have been woken by this awful noise coming from the other side of the room – I wake suddenly and think – what the hell is that noise and then I realise it is one of the ring tones on my phone. Yep, it was Rowan ringing. Sorry about the time Mum he says, I guess it's the middle of the night. Yes, it was, it was 3am. But so great to talk to him.
And now it is time to get up and get started. Breakfast, post this before I leave and today I will start out before it gets too hot. The longest ride today, but hopefully not too strenuous. I have turned CNN on again but still there are only two items of news today – Michael Jackson and the situation in Iran.
Ciao.