Wine, Gelato, and Pizza, in that order!

It's very hard for me to concentrate on this blog right now.  I've returned to Paris for a few days and it's such an enchanting city, especially this time of year.  The Christmas lights are up and everyone is in an upbeat mood.  We went to visit the Christmas market and overhearing my favorite Christmas music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bing Crosby made me a bit homesick.  But I will try to pull this off.

We had another gloomy day in Orvieto, however we were gifted with seeing another historic sight, St. Patrick's Well.  http://www.orvietoonline.com/pozzo_di_san_patrizio_orvieto.html Words can't really describe the fantastic sight.  If you go, be ready to walk.  I believe my iPhone counted 18 floors of steps and my legs counted 1,000 flights.  Oh it burned so good.

A Motley Crue.

After a rather dreary, yet charming stroll through the well, we hopped in the jumper and drove off t the countryside for another treat.  We visited Azienda Agricola Fausto Andrea.

When we pulled into the drive, it was another very unsuspecting location.  It looked like your typical farm in Italy, growing acres of olive trees and grape vineyards.  Yet when we peered into what looked to be a garage door, before our eyes was a cave.  It was a cave full of this strange mold that resembled mucus.  This is the mold that helps give their wine character.   Now, you may say, that sounds disgusting, but let's face facts folks, unless you've witnessed first hand how your wines, spirits, and beers are made, fermented, aged, stored, etc, just keep drinking and then go, visit a winery, a vineyard, a distillery and your eyes will be opened.  And the artisan producing the product will be more than happy to tell you the benefits and the magic that is happening because of these crazy microbes.  You'll want to hug them or maybe just shake their hands, the microbes that is or whatever forms the mold.

Anyway, I got off of the topic.  Wine!!  We walked in to said garage door and this cave, seemed a bit daunting, but the massive barrels storing delicious wine led us like we were hypnotized.  It was calling our name.  In true form, we started with a bianco, moved on to the red's and finished with an amazing sweet red.  Everyone purchased a few bottles, except myself.  I'm waiting for a special visitor to come to Orvieto in a few weeks, and return.  But the rest of them purchased, and it warmed my heart to watch them.  They were allowed to fill their own bottles, cork their bottle, and top it.  The excitement was much more fulfilling for me.  Kids their age are not typically fans of wine, and they themselves admitted that they were not wine drinkers until coming to Italy.

Some original pieces, uncovered during a dig in the cave.

Now this is how you carry wine home!

Michelle collecting her goods.

Andrea collecting the nectar of the Gods.

Cody was focusing on his treat.

Purchases were made and our departure was at hand.  I stood outside of the home while they finished their purchases and enjoyed the quiet, serene beauty of the still dreary evening.  But, it was a dreary evening in the Italian countryside, I'll take that.

After an afternoon/evening of sipping wine, in a cave we wandered off to another little village to have gelato at a shop that was home to a gentleman that taught many chefs and gelaterias in the area how to make gelato.  This little shop, Gelateria Sarchioni - http://www.sarchioni.it was an obvious gathering place for locals, to sit, have a cafe', apertivo or digestivo, play cards and catch up on the local news.  It was a welcoming little shop, and I don't feel as though they meet a stranger there.  There may be slight communication difficulties, but in the end as long as you can communicate that you would like gelato, you are in good shape.

There is a twist to this story of Gelateria Sarchioni, they have a menu that you can peruse if you want something other than a cone or a cup.  You can get an amazing adult gelato combination that includes fruit, whipped creams, sauces, and liquor.  You can even get gelato in the shape of a plate of spaghetti or a steak with what else topping it?  A fried egg.  The photos that I took do not do this gelato justice. It was smooth in texture and pure in flavor.  Chef Lorenzo gave a brief lesson on gelato, and one that made me a bit sad.  There is gelato, then there is artiginale gelato(artisanal gelato).  Obviously you want the artisanal gelato because it's pure, right?  No!  BOOO!!!!!!  Everyone now has caught on to the fact that the demand is artisanal, so now everyone simply advertises artisinal, because they make it on sight.  And that's great that they make it on sight, but then it comes down to the quality of ingredients and that's where it gets shady.  You can advertise artisanal, however you can still use powders to flavor your gelato and that sucks.  You either have to be familiar with the owner of the gelateria or know how to recognize true artiginale gelato.  And I'm going to find it before I leave!  I can tell you that this shop, it's true artisanal and refreshing.

Pretty normal with a splash of extra deliciousness!

That's a medium rare steak with a fried egg.

Spaghetti and meat sauce of course.

As we wrapped up dessert, we were informed by Chef Lorenzo that it was time for dinner.  I mean, for me, that seems to be the proper order, right?  So, off to a new style of pizza.  This is also the time I show my bad blogger sense.

We arrived in Castiglione in Teverina. We had a sugar buzz, it was foggy, misty, cool, and quiet.  We approached another very non descript, little door that led down a few steps.  Walking inside was like a nice warm hug.  Our host at Ristorante Pizzeria Borgovejo - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ristorante-Pizzeria-Borgovejo/139717259481623 welcomed Chef Lorenzo and our group, showed us the kitchen and we were able to watch the owner make a few pizzas.  This type of pizza is this villages own.  It was a thin, cracker crust with a bit of char on it, for flavor.  The toppings light, just enough to flavor the vessel(dough).   After watching the magic happen in the kitchen, we were seated, the wine was poured and in no time, the barrage of pizza began.

Me being a bad blogger, can't remember this gentleman's name , but his ristorante is called Ristorante Pizzeria Borgovejo.

13 years of making pizza with this particular rolling pin.  Looks well used.

The first pizza on the menu - Porcini Mushrooms and potato.  Nice way to start.

Next, Speck.  http://www.popsugar.com/food/What-Speck-5164981

Next up, Arugula and Pecorino!!

Pepperoni -

Sausage -

Margherita -

And for dessert, Black Truffle! -

If you can imagine your favorite pizza, thinner, crunchier, less than half of the ingredients, but all of the flavor, then you have just experienced Castiglione in Teverina style pizza.

This is just another unique experience that we've been blessed to experience, thanks to Chef Lorenzo.    I'm going to finished off here, because there is more to write, but hey, it's my last night in Amsterdam, and I need some fresh, freezing cold air and maybe a Delirium Tremens.

Next up - The best black truffle experience I've ever had!