The Magic of Abruzzo Blog
"We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us." Anonymous
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Have you ever heard of the Slow Food Movement?
Slow Food began in Italy with the founding of - Arcigola in 1986 as a consequence of the opening of a McDonald’s near the Spanish Steps in Rome. Hence the name Slow Food instead of fast food. In 1989, the founding manifesto of the international Slow Food movement was signed in Paris, France by delegates from 15 countries. The Arcigola has now expanded to include over 100,000 members with branches in over 150 countries. Slow Food is an international organization with local chapters all over the world. Check out slowfood.com to see if there is a chapter in your area! The aim of this non-profit organization is to promote local foods, traditional cooking and especially food production. This means an opposition to fast food, industrial food production and the sharing of agricultural and production practices across borders. You also may know the term ‘Farm to Table’. Farm to Table is a phrase that can mean different things to different people depending on the area. At its heart, Farm to Table means that the food on the table came directly from a specific farm, most likely is organic, without going through a store, market, or distributor along the way. In Abruzzo there are numerous Farm to Table restaurants. Our favorite of all time is Sapori Di Campagna (Country Flavors) in the hillside of Ofena. There is also a tourist railway journey that connects a local village here in Abruzzo, Sulmona to Isernia, which is located in the adjacent region of Molise. This journey is named the Transiberiana d’ Italia. It crosses the Appenines, exposing the vivid and remote scenery of the region. There are various themed journeys one of which is the Slow Food train. The Slow Food trip begins at 9am departing from the Sulmona Station. There are five station stops along the way. At each stop, there is a tasting of various artisan products such as cheese from cow, goat or sheep milk, flavored honey, traditional homemade salami, peperoni dolci - sweet peppers, truffles, artisanal beer, porchetta - slow roasted pork freshly seasoned, wines of the Peligna Valley, genziana - a locally made bitter liqueur from the gentiana root (Domenico’s favorite) and various local sweet treats. If you are planning a trip to visit us here in the beautiful Abruzzo region, check with us and we will schedule an amazing journey for you. Each train ride is different, and station stops vary according to the theme. A sampling of the various themed train journeys include: artisan beer, local wine, or Christmas to name just a few. We all like to drink it, but how many of us know the specifics behind winemaking? In Italy, and especially Abruzzo, winemaking is a family affair. Today we are speaking with Francesca Margiotta, the current oenologist at the Margiotta Winery in Pratola Peligna, Italy. 1. How did you get started in the wine business? The wine business in Italy usually runs in the family. I am the 5th generation to take charge of The Margiotta Winery. The vineyards were originally planted by my great, great, great, great-grandfather, Gabriele, in 1910. 2. What is your winemaking style? We have several winemaking styles at the winery. We have a full-bodied red called Montepulciano D' Abruzzo, Cerasuola - a medium rose, Pecorino - a medium white, and a sparkling.brut. The best way to explore the different styles of wine is to attend a wine tasting for yourself. Get to know your preferences. An experienced wine expert or sommelier can help you. 3. How do you KNOW when you have a particularly good vintage? Good weather during vintage without fungus, allowing full maturity of all grapes, would make a good vintage. But it's hard to say until October because anything can happen with the weather! We've seen hail and ice in May, or a particularly dry spring (this spring/summer, for example, it has only rained twice so we needed to manually water the vines), the vines could mature too soon or too late. You can only tell at the end when the grapes are fungus free and have clarity. 4. Why do we sometimes see roses at the front of the line of grapes? The roses are there as an early warning system to signal that fungus is present and will soon attack the grapes. The fungus will attack the roses first so we see that the roses are full of fungus we must work quickly to protect the vines. This is usually done by spraying with sulfur. It's the only way. I don't use the rose bush method now (its an old tradition). I use a modern method of controlling the soil and monitoring the health of the vines. 5. In the world of wine, who do you most admire and why? Who influenced you? I have followed the Donnafugata Winery in Sicily. They are modern and forward-thinking. I especially love their marketing through their labels. Each label represents a woman\s head with windblown hair which was inspired by a novel. The name Donnafugata refers to the novel by Tomasi di Lampedusa entitled Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). It means “donna in fuga” (woman in flight) and refers to the story of a princess who found refuge in the part of Sicily where the company’s vineyards are located today. 6. Where did you go to school? I went to the University of Bologna Alma Matar Studiorum for 3 years to study Enology and Viticulture, that was followed by a year in Florence specializing in the Marketing and Operations of Wineries. 8. Do you have a favorite wine or vintage that you have made? Of course: the first wine I produced after university was The Vellus-a sparkling brut and I won the BEST SPARKING WINE in Italy at the VinItaly Competition. I was so proud of winning with my first wine ever! 9. What is one of the hardest things about winemaking year in and year out? The hardest part is trying to control all the aspects of the winery, for example, the technology, nature, physical and chemical components of vinification plus the selling, marketing and general operations. 10. What is rewarding about your job? I work in the vineyard because it is my passion. To have someone on the other side of the world who appreciates your wine is the most rewarding part of my job. If you are interested in visiting Abruzzo and experiencing the wonderful wines and wineries, or maybe even taking part in the wine harvest in October, click on the photo to see see specific itineraries or contact us at la.rocca.mia@outlook.com today. Our garden is full of lavender plants, they are so easy to grow. Domenico actually has gone crazy with this fragrant plant. At last count, we had 28 plants in the garden! Recently, I thought to myself, what am I going to do with all this lavender?!? So I looked up uses for ‘lavender’ on Google (because Google is my friend). Not only does lavender smell great as a room freshener, but you can also spray your pillow for a good night’s sleep. We leave a small spray bottle on the night stand for our guests to use as much, or as little, as they prefer. I like to spray lavender linen water on clothes when ironing, mist it on pillowcases, clothing, even on furniture. We also use it to take the wrinkles out of our clothes if we don’t have time to iron. Just pull the fabric taut and then spray! For more information on the uses of lavender oil click here: https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/20-uses-for-lavender-oil/ Lavender spray is easy to make and much cheaper than buying it from a bed and bath shop. Here's the recipe that I use. You will need: 1 cup water 4 T dried lavender buds 1 ½ more cups of water 2T vodka (used to help disperse the oil) 12 drops of lavender oil A funnel A Coffee filter An empty jar An empty spray bottle Bring a cup of water to a simmer, then add 4 tablespoons of dried lavender buds. Remove from heat and let steep for a minimum of 5 minutes. If you don’t have dried lavender buds and don’t want to purchase them, just double the amount of lavender oil drops! Place the coffee filter in a funnel and pour the lavender mixture through it into a large glass or ceramic jar. Once all of the liquid drips through, remove the coffee filter and discard, along with the lavender buds. Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to boil in another pot. Remove from heat and add to the lavender mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of vodka and 12 drops of lavender oil. Put the lid on a jar and shake vigorously. After the lavender mixture cools, pour into a spray bottle using the funnel. If you have used fresh lavender buds the mixture should be light brown in color - don’t worry it will not stain or show on sheets or clothing. If you have lavender plants and want to try to make the oil – here is an easy recipe.
Method for Making Lavender-Infused Oil 1. Cut 6 inch sprigs of fresh lavender or purchase it dried. 2. Let the lavender dry in a shaded dry area. Do not dry in the sun as this can dry out some of the aromatic oils. 3. Once dried, lightly crush the lavender and place it in a jar. 4. Pour any non-scented oil over the dried lavender flowers. I use our olive oil. Leave a little space at the top for expansion. 5. Cover the jar tightly and leave the mixture to soak in a sunny location. It will most likely take at least 48 hours to achieve a noticeable scent, leave it to soak for three to six weeks for a stronger scent. 6. If you do not have time or sunlight, heat the oil carefully in a double boiler or crockpot for 2-3 hours, keeping a steady temperature between 110-130F. Too much heat can affect the aroma and the shelf life of the oil. 7. Strain the oil. enJOY~ and sweet dreams ~ It’s sometimes difficult to figure out an Italian menu especially on your first trip to Italy. What the heck is a primo piatto and why are the meatball separate from the pasta? My husband Domenico has taught me so much about how Italians eat and the order in which we eat. I’ve explained here what was explained to me.
First of all if you go out for an aperitivo, it means you’re going out for pre-dinner drinks. Italians never drink without food so there is always some sort of nibbly served with your drink. This could be anything from peanuts or olives to mini-sandwiches or salami. Dinner Is Served!
Unless we are going out for a special meal, we usually order either the first or second plate but not always both. When you order the primo piatto only they usually give you a little bit extra. Extras Digestivo is intended to help digest your meal and settle your stomach. The ones usually served in Abruzzo are Ginsiana and Rataffia. The first is very bitter and drank in a shot glass the former is swetter but still a bit bitter. Other after dinner drinks can include Cafe is only ordered as espresso or possibly with a bit of milk. Cappuchino is never ordered after a meal as it is considered a morning drink. Bread is always served with your meal but it’s probably better not to eat too much of it because the meal will be filling! Wine is ordered and served just before the first plate arrives. “The grape is the center of our universe, of our territory, of our life, of our work... of our hearts.” The Cantina Casal Thaulero My husband Domenico and I love wine! Abruzzi wines have won my heart and are becoming more recognized and popular around the world. Previously, I drank dry white wine (Chardonnay). Since moving to Italy five years ago, I have tried the local white Pecorino, the red Montepulciano (or black as they sometimes call it here) and the Ceresuola (a light red). They are all my favorites now!!! The most sought-after wine produced here in Abruzzo is the Montepulciano di Abruzzo red wine. It can be confusing because there is a village in Tuscany called Montepulciano.… but that is not where you will find the montepulciano grapes. The grapes used in the Tuscan reds are the Sangiovese grape. You would have to come to the region just south of Tuscany to find the montepulciano grape! The vendemmia, which is Italian for grape harvest, is the most exciting time of year for wine makers in Italy! Home-made wine making is an Old-World tradition in many families and is still practiced today in the central region of Abruzzo. In general, there are five basic phases of the winemaking process: harvesting, crushing and pressing, fermentation, clarification, aging and bottling. Winemakers typically follow these five steps but add variations and deviations along the way to make their wine unique. Harvest time in Abruzzo is usually late September (if you are on the Adriatic Coast) or late October (if you are in the mountainous area further inland). Families gather together to pick the grapes the traditional way - by hand, taking care not to bruise the precious grapes or get stung by the bees searching for that sweet grape juice. Once picked, the grapes are taken to the ‘cantina’ for crushing and pressing. This often brings to mind the Italian women stomping on the grapes with bare feet. That’s not done much anymore although if you come to Abruzzo, we will find some grapes for you to stomp on if you’d like to give it a try! After the grapes are pressed, the fermentation process begins. The juice, along with the grape skins are put into large vat and yeast is added. As the natural clarification process begins the particles, or sediment, fall to the bottom of the vat. At this point, we know that it will soon be time to bottle the home-made wine. There are numerous celebrations that are dedicated to wine-making in Abruzzo. Starting with the wine sagras (festivals) and wine-tastings which take place outside the harvest season when the families take time to promote their best wines.
After the grapes have been collected, each family, or vineyard, celebrates with a gathering of the local farmers and their families in the village piazza. This is where you can sometimes find the women doing the traditional grape stomping. There is also traditional local dancing, music and, ohhhhh the food… Come visit us and enjoy the region’s most popular wines such as the Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Pecorino wines as well as the Cerasuolo and Passerina varieties. Experience the harvest and take part in the wine-making process with us at La Rocca Mia House B&B in Roccacasale, in the Heart of Unspoiled, Authentic Italy. For more information, check out our website at www.laroccamiahouse.com Just scroll down on the HOME page and click on the Italian Vendemmia. Simply contact us and Book Your Stay! |
About the authorThis blog is curated by Margaret Gigliotti, B&B owner, teacher, explorer, wine drinker and creative writer. Looking for ideas of places to visit in Abruzzo. Download our free guide of the best places most people miss.
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email us at: la.rocca.mia@outlook.com
website: www.laroccamiahouse.com Telephone: +39 3888 272982 |