Wrapped up in the vines in Montalcino.

When you are standing in the middle of 20 acres of vines, in solace and silence, it gives you a chance to think and focus on the things we have before us and our future.  It also makes you think about what you are doing in the middle of 20 acres of vines and what, if anything your little bit of trimming will do to help form next years harvest.

"We are all mortal, until the first kiss, and second glass of wine." - Eduardo Galeano

Now let's backtrack a bit, well quite a bit.  We'll start with Teodolinda Banfi, the maternal Aunt of Giovanni F. Mariani Sr.  He was the founder of Banfi Vintners and she was the inspiration for the firm's name.  She great up alongside Cardinal Archbishop Achille Ratti, whom was elected Pope Pius XL in 1922.  She was the Governess for the Archbishop and followed him to the Vatican, becoming the first lay woman to live within the walls of the Sistine Palace.  She was recorded to have great knowledge in the kitchen, as well as known for her knowledge of great wine.  And so the story begins, where she passed this passion on to her nephew Giovanni Mariani Sr.

The Banfi family crest.

Giovanni Mariani Sr. was born in America, in Connecticut to be exact, and at the age of 9, moved to Italy after his father was killed in a work related accident.  I should probably mention that Mr. Mariani was born in 1895, so that the story comes together properly.  With the passion and love for great wine, that was demonstrated by his zia Teodolinda, Banfi Vintners was established in New York City, and became America's leading wine importer.

It doesn't end there, because Giovanni's son, John, in 1978, made his contribution to the family with the birth of Castello Banfi - http://castellobanfi.com/en/home/ Then his fratello, Harry collaborated with John and they acquired the historic Bruzzone cellars in Strevi, giving way to Banfi Piedmont.

We had the pleasure of visiting Castello Banfi, the largest vineyard in Italy.  With roughly 7,100 acres of land, one third is under specialized vine.  The other is shared between olive groves, wheat fields, plum trees, truffle stands, forest, and scrub.  Photos do not do justice to this scenic local.

I could go on and on about Banfi, but I suggest that you see it yourself.  Immerse yourself in the viti and smell the uva, have a prugna, or have pranzo in the Taverna, taste the local tartufo.  Seriously, even if you are not a wine drinker, one visit to this region may change your mind.

And we did enjoy a fantastic meal there, with perfect pairings.

Primo - Tagliatelle del Castello con gamberi e broccoletti.  The tagliatelle was great.  Typical tagliatelle resting on top of a bed of squid ink tagliatelle, with perfectly sautéed prawns and broccoli. Paired with Fontanelle Chardonnay 2013.  Sounds stereotypical to pair pasta and seafood with a white, but there is a reason.  I understand, we are told by people that think outside of the box to drink whatever you want, with whatever you want, however you want.  But this Chardonnay truly complimented and carried the prawns and light sauce on the tagliatelle.

Secondo - Tagliata di manzo con funghi porcini e patate arrosto.  Perfectly cooked beef with a flavorful porcini sauce and crispy roasted potatoes.  The aroma that wafted up from the plate seriously made me weep.  And paired with the infamous Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2009.

The meal didn't follow the typical Italian meal structure, which is just fine with me, because after eating what we had, the Dolce was well received.

Dolce - Crostata di ricotta con gelato al cioccolato.  I am one that of course the food must have the best flavor possible, obviously.  But I do enjoy a magnificent presentation, and we were fortunate to have both with this.  Paired with the Florus 2011.

And of course, for digestive purposes, we had caffe corretto.  Espresso with Grappa del Castello.

We slowly made our way outside for our tour of the winery, and then departed for our journey back to Orvieto.  But the story doesn't end here.  No, remember what I had posted at the beginning of this blog?  Now it's time to move ahead to the last few days here.  Where we had the great fortune to travel to the countryside, to Casa Segreta - http://www.casasegreta.com/#!, to help Chef Lorenzo trim the viti.  This is the official introduction of Chef Lorenzo, because he is an integral part of this trip.  I'm not going to give his entire bio, right now, because I want to focus on the uva(grapes).

As a novice wine drinker, myself included, don't really consider the amount of care that goes into the product contained in the bottle.  It's something I've never considered, until now.

A little background on the vineyard.  Chef has been certified as a farmer since 2012, however has been assisting with this process since he was a child.  And his Grandfather has owned the land since the 20's, where he raised cattle, sheep, and grew wheat.

There are currently 20 acres of grapes - trebbiano, grechetto, vermintino, viongier, moscato, and merlot.  There are two more varieties that he has as well, and for the life of me, I thought I had written them down, but can't find them.  Regardless, it is quite a variety.  These grapes help produce the wine for Ristorante Zeppelin - Matile, the house/table wine.  But don't think that because it's table wine that the labor that goes into the process is any less intense or the love shown for the grapes is any less than those wines that are high priced, and highly prized.  I suppose I'm biased, having actually had my hands in the process, but then again, look at the popularity of three buck chuck.  And remember, just because you pay $50 for a bottle of wine, doesn't mean that the quality will reflect in the flavor.

After you start your initial growing process, you have time, typically your second year you will begin to see fruit, however your third year should produce a good harvest.  The average lifespan of your vines will be 25 years, depending on weather or disease.

In Chef's vineyard, he uses a combination of American and Italian vines.  This is a common process around Italy.  The Portennesto, Rootstock, is the bottom, the American vine.  The top, Marza, is the Italian vine.  Obviously, over the years, this process has become easier, however none the less laborious.  I searched for a video of the Italian process, but had no luck, but this video is along the same lines.

At this time, you don't just sit and wait and magically fruit appears.  No, you must fertilize, manure is obviously the method of choice.  You are also once or twice a week tilling the soil.  Keeping a close eye on your crop, checking the growth to know when the vines need to be tied to be sure that they do not fall and to help guide them.

On your second year, in March, the vines need to really be watched and tied, and as long as all goes well, by the end of April you will see your first buds.  And in order for all of this to come together, there is something that the farmers call the Rule of three 10's.  You need 10 cm of bud sprouting, 10 mm of rain, and 10 degrees celsius.  For example, if the night goes above 10 celsius, you could have an attack of fungus-Downy Mildew.  There are other funguses that can also affect your crop, such as Noble Rot, which can destroy your crop for up to 2 years.

As the year progresses, you continue to watch and guide the vines.  Then come Sept./Oct, you are ready to harvest.  Currently at Casa Segreta, it is now 80% mechanical harvesting and 20% manual.  There are pros and cons to both, such as cost efficiency and the amount being harvested.  You still need someone to lead the mechanical, because depending on the height of the vine, someone needs to loosen up the upper fruit.  There is also a matter of time efficiency.  On chef's farm, 12 people to harvest 20 acres, would take a few weeks, but mechanically it takes 2 days.  And a good harvest produces 4 tons of grapes per acre.

In November/December, you begin the process of trimming the vines, to help for next season's crop, which is all manual.  And that is where I found myself, the other day.  Not a sound, except the wind blowing through the valley, well, and an occasional helicopter.  But besides that, it was just me, the vines, and my clippers.  And with that, my entire thinking of what some consider to be cheap, flavorless table wine changed.

Chef/Farmer Lorenzo Polegri demonstrating the proper way to trim and clean the vine. 

Our helper, Chef's pup-Clara

Grapes on the left, Olives on the right.

My work.

There is hard work put into almost every wine we drink.  Is it all palatable?  Is it all easy to drink?  No, of course not, but there is a reason people come into Ristorante Zeppelin - http://www.ristorantezeppelin.it/eng/restaurant.html and finish multiple bottles of his wine.  If they only knew that it was more than just table wine.  If they only knew the long days and nights that go into cultivating and caring for the vines.  I encourage you to visit a vineyard, and get your hands dirty.  You'll never look at a bottle of wine the same way again.

And the day is over.

The perfect way to end a night.  A fire in the hearth and a well deserved dinner.  I think everyone should have one in their kitchen.

From Emilia Romagna to Toscano - Our journey is nearing it's end.

I have to start by saying that this will not be a long read.  After an eventful, yet peaceful day yesterday, I've decided to combine the end of our journey, with events of yesterday.  When it is all written out, it will make sense.  Until then, I will write a short piece about the interesting village of Monteriggioni, which is in the region of Toscana.

It was a quiet, rainy day in Monteriggio

"As with circling round
Of turrets, Monteriggioni crowns his walls;
E'en thus the shore, encompassing the abyss,
Was turreted with giants, half their length
Uprearing, horrible, whom Jove from heaven
Yet threatens, when his muttering thunder rolls."
_Dante Alighieri, Hell, canto XXXI, lines 40-45
Divine Comedy

Monteriggioni was built by the Sienese in 1214 -1219, for defensive purposes for conflicts between Siena and Firenze.  The walls follow the natural contours of the hill.  There are 14 towers along the wall, that guards used to walk to keep watch on the village.  There are two gates to enter and exit, one - Porta Fiorentina, which faces north to Firenze and the other - Porta Romana, which faces Rome.

Our visit was brief, but a needed break from driving, mostly for Chef, since he was doing the driving.  The rest of us had the great fortune of viewing the scenery.

We pulled into a parking space, and walked into the village through the Porta Romana.  It was very quiet there, eerily quiet.  But that was probably due to the fact that it is low season and rainy.  Just a few people scattered about, while we strolled around for a bit, to locate somewhere we could get a quick snack.  We finally, after making a small circle came across a little bar that sold everything you could possibly need when visiting.  They sold local cheese, salumi, and of course being in Toscana - Chianti Classico.  We settled in for some meat, cheese, and local wine, for a bit of a refueling break.

I think during the Summer months, especially July when the Medieval Festival of Monteriggioni occurs, that it's busy, busy.  The other months, come and enjoy the sights, the views, and the sounds.  Most of all, enjoy the Chianti, because why be in Toscana if you are not going to enjoy the local product, one of the things that this region is really known for.

I leave you now, to venture out to the farmers market, then to the restaurant tonight, for sausage making, and prepping for the next blog.  You can also watch this video I came across on youtube.  I'm not sure whom to give credit to for this, but it simply lays out the village.

















Thanks for following!

Emilia Romagna - La seconda parte

After a great tour of a family owned facility that produces Parmigiano Reggiano, we were off to the Tenuta Rampata estate.  It's owned by the Medici family and is located in the Lambrusco Region.  The Medici family produce some of the best Balsamics, which is not a quick process.  Of course, it can be a quick process, but the resulting product doesn't hold a candle to anything that comes from the Medici family. http://www.acetaiamedici.it

Traditional D.O.P. - Balsamic is prepared with Grape Must that is boiled and then barreled for aging.  The grapes used are Trebiano, which account for around a third of the white wine in Italy.  It tends to lend undistinguishable wine, however in it's peak can be fresh and fruity, but once harvested, it does not keep long.

The Medici family has a breath taking collection of barrels where they are aging balsamic for both families in the area as well as their own to sell to the public.  They use Cherry, Chestnut, Oak, Mulberry, Acacia, and Juniper barrels for unique flavors, however the process is always started in French Oak.

This is just a small portion of the collection of barrels.  The date, type of wood and family name is included on the label.

The Medici's use the three typical levels of aging -

12 -20 years - Young
20 - 25 years - Medium
25 and more - Well, of course, old and the most expensive!

For a young 3 lt. barrel, you will pay 2000 - 4000 euro.

These are the oldest barrels at the estate.  This is also typical of the aging process.  Start with the large, and decrease in size, always leaving a bit of the barrel contents in the barrel, thus always leaving the new to have exposure to well aged.  Notice the cloth covering for the hole in the top of the barrel.  That is how the moisture evaporates, thus allowing the angels share, just like aging Bourbon.

The Balsamics that the Medici family are not for cooking.  The nuances in flavor will be lost with heat applied.  They should also not be used to bury salads or anything else for that matter.  These balsamics should be used to compliment food, from cheese, to chocolate, to gelato, and even steak.  Sure, you can dress your greens with it, but use just a touch, so you get all of the flavors in your mouth.

How do you know you are getting what is called Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale?  You look for one of two codes - API MO, which indicates the balsamic was made in Modena or API RE, which indicates the balsamic was made in Reggio Emilia.  Also, the bottle is sort of an onion shape, typically sealed with wax or gold foil.

The second best balsamic and less expensive, Aceto Balsamico Condimento.  Still aged and well taken care of, since these balsamics have been made by families in Modena for centuries.

Then there is Industriale Aceto Balsamico, which is exactly what it sounds like.  Still aged, even less expensive, however not necessarily aged in wooded barrels and some even have color added so they look the part.

Finally we have what is widely available in almost every supermarket, dollar store, and convenience store - Imitation balsamic.  This is typically cider vinegar with color added to make it look the part.  And believe me, after our tasting, and after you taste the real thing, there will be no issue in distinguishing any of the above.

And please, take my word for it, if you have the opportunity to take a tasting, you won't regret it.  We started with a young tradizionale.  It was fluid, but not watery.  It had sweet tones that were pleasant and smooth on the tongue.  It would've complimented a nice piece of parmigiano reggiano, but I was fine with a little spoonful.  We then moved to a medium aged, where it was a bit thicker, yet same mouthfeel, and just a hint more sweet.  This would've worked well with a nice medium rare steak, sliced and a little drizzle over it.  Finally, we had the 30 year balsamic which was thick, with a slightly chocolate flavor to it.  It would've been perfect over a scoop of Fior di latte gelato or strawberries.

We cleansed our palates with their Lambrusco - Le Tenute Assolo.  Ok, get the snickers out of your system.  This is why we can't have some things in the US.  I'm sure that someone would be completely butt hurt by this label, and I say Vaffanculo(sorry Mom and Aunt Nicki).  But my Americano friends, fret not because it is available in certain places in the US and it goes by the name Solo.  This Lambrusco is not too sweet, a bit dry, and a lot delicious!  Lambrusco, at least in the states has fallen by the wayside, and it's truly a shame.  But if you are a fan of Prosecco, sparkling wine, or Champagne, and you crave red wine, give this a spin.  You will not be disappointed! http://www.medici.it/eng/prod/6-assolo-reggiano-doc-dry.html

We part ways with the Medici family to head to our next destination - Pilastro to visit Salumificio Massimo and check out the process of making Proscuitto di Parma. http://www.salumificiomassimo.it/web/la-nostra-storia/

We arrived, with no fanfare.  In fact, the place looked closed and abandoned.  We walked up to the door, rang the bell a few times, and nothing.  Rang a few more times, and someone answered.  Our guide for the day carried on a short conversation in Italian(and since my Italian speaking capabilities still suck, I understood not one word.)  We entered this dark building, and still could tell nothing from entering.  We were finally informed that we came at the wrong time.  Everyone was off to lunch, so our visit would be brief.

We were lead to the processing room, where one gentleman was working on trimming the fat from aged proscuitto's.  It was a bit chilly with a foul odor in the air, but I could handle this, I mean they are making some of the best cured meats known to man here.

We next entered the aging room, where racks of posterior legs from 9 month old pigs hung, waiting to reached the proper age for consumption.  It almost didn't look real.

Their are 168 proscuitto makers, all D.O.P.  As I stated, from 9 month old pigs, the two posterior legs are harvested and prepped for the one year process.  For one week, you have an initial salting.  Then a a second salt for 3 weeks.  The legs are then cleaned and refrigerated for 2 months.  This is where you have a 25% loss of weight.  They are then washed, dried, and prepped for a 9 month aging.  And then they wait, just hanging around, getting delicious.  And remember, these pigs, they totally died happy, eating cheese, getting fat, and being obliviously happy.

Sadly, this is where our tour ended.  With no one on site to lead us any further, we parted ways with our tour guide and set off to Maranello, the city built by Ferrari.  http://museomaranello.ferrari.com

Although I couldn't rattle off every make and model of Ferrari, honestly because I am almost 100% positive that I would never be able to afford one, I have always had a fascination with them.  They are sleek, stylish, and luxurious.  There is prestige that comes with owning one, some say it's a compensation issue, and that may be true, sometimes.  But to truly appreciate what the Ferrari is, you need to see the history and understand what an important role this vehicle has played over the years in various forms.  You also need to see the machine, face to face, without a sales person breathing over your shoulder.

Running your fingers over the hood, feeling the smooth as glass exterior or taking a deep breath and inhaling the smell of the leathery interior, or sinking into the driver's seat of the model of your choice.  It feels like home, almost.

The Ferrari SA Aperta

We were short on time here as well, and it was rainy and dreary, so a test drive was out of the question, so I had to settle for looking, and looking we did.

Enzo Ferrari not only created a masterpiece, but he also created a lot of jobs, and thus created a city around his factory.  Everything, well almost everything in Maranello is Ferrari red.

This is part of Italy's history and culture and an important part of our tour.  Thanks Chef for showing us that there is more to Ferrari than what we see on TV!

 

After our tour, it was time to seek shelter.  We drove a short distance to Alberi, where we would be staying at the Hotel Corte Degli Estensi - http://www.cortedegliestensi.it/ing/index2.asp

And this is where I end the story.  Tomorrow, day 2, and I'm almost caught up.

You may be thinking that I never work, but you are so wrong.  We have been putting in many hours in the kitchen, and when I catch up, I will share my experiences in the restaurant with you, working along side the kids, being lead by Chef Lorenzo Polegri and Chef Carlo Alessandro.  http://www.ristorantezeppelin.it/index_eng.html

Thanks for following along!

Two days of adventure, education, and unwinding - A trip to Emilia Romagna

Waking up before anyone in Italy, for me, not such a bad thing.  I think maybe the kids had a little trouble adjusting, but you know, after a brief stop for cappuccino and pastry, they, well, fell asleep in no time.  Me?  I admired the drive and the beauty of the darkness and tranquility.  In a matter of hours we were watching the sun rise and the day truly begin.  We were on our way to the region of Emilia Romagna and the special delicacies that come from this gastronomic region.

Emilia Romagna - http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/ is one of the wealthiest and most developed regions in Europe.  It has one of Italy's higheast quality of life indices and advanced social services.  It is also a center for automobile production, being the home of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, De Tomaso, and Ducati.  But more importantly is that it is also a center for food and a gastronomic epicenter!

Which brings us to our first stop on this whirlwind, two day tour of the region.  Let's talk cheese!  Not just any cheese though, this cheese is known as the King of Cheeses - Parmigiano Reggiano.

I used to go to the market, sample the cheese, buy the cheese, and think nothing more of it.  My thoughts used to be, "well, they take some milk, put it in a machine and let the machine do all of the work, then boom, we have cheese".  Then I went to culinary school, and my way of thinking started to change.  I realized that some things, food related were still being made the traditional ways, with a little help from modern technology, but not fully automated.  And this visit to San Pier Damiani - http://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/dairies/09b0ac2dc99e49998886f915088c55ef.aspx proved that quality comes from passion and care of their product.  This is a very small operation and I mean small.  Four members of the family, work 7 days a week, with having only 1 day off a year, to produce 12 wheels of parmigiano a day.

As I stated in the prior paragraph, this is not an industrial set up, however there is still precision involved, such as the weight of each wheel-45 kg, each one.  And the process of making each wheel, is the same, each time.  This is a third generation operation, so the family could probably do this with their eyes closed, however since you feel a true sense of passion in their motions and the look in their eyes when unveiling each wheel, you know they don't want to miss a single moment of the process.

And the process-let's start with the afternoon milking.  Holstein's are milked in the afternoon, then that milk is delivered and spread in large, open metal pans.  While it rests, the cream rises where it is eventually skimmed off.  Of course that cream doesn't go to waste.  Nothing really goes to waste here.  The cream is used to make Reggiano butter or ricotta.  Then the following morning, the new days milk is combined with yesterday's skim milk and then is placed into 6 large copper kettles to begin the next step-cooking.

The cooking process is rather short-10 - 12 minutes, at 130F.  Calf rennet is then added, beginning the coagulation process.  Curds and whey separate and fermented whey from yesterdays batch is added to maintain quality.  This first part of the process is what can absolutely ruin wheels of parmigiano.  If there is anything slightly off about the milk being delivered, it can be detrimental to the entire process and you won't find out until it is inspected by the consortium.  Of course, what happens to the bad batch?  It's sent off to be used for grated cheese or industrial use.

Oh, speaking of curds and whey, this is where some things have changed over the years.  In the past, cheesemakers used to also raise pigs that they would use to produce Proscuitto di Parma.  The pigs would be fed the whey of the separated milk, which would fatten the pigs up faster and give the meat an incredible flavor.  The family here no longer raises pigs, and I can not remember the reason why.  I think I was so overwhelmed with the idea of trying the cheese that the family produced I was in another world.  And before I forget, the whey is used in the next days batch, as part of the starter, combined with the calf rennet.

The next step is breaking up the curds.  This is where Mamma and Papa step back, unless of course they see bad form.  Then Papa steps in and Mamma supervises.  After the curds are broken, they are set to rest, while the other kettles are attended to.  The curds settle to the bottom of the kettle.  Of course prior to this, cheese cloth is placed with a bit hanging out of the kettle, for the curds to settle on, for ease of bringing to the surface, and forming the cheese.

Breaking the curds under the close supervision of Papa.

Sometimes Papa needs to step in.

After the curds are taken care of, then the curd wrangling begins.  This is a two person process.  Loosening and gathering the curd is done with a wooden paddle and brought to the surface, then a little rock and roll with the cheesecloth brings it all together.  What appears to be a large wooden rolling pin is placed on top of the kettle and what was brought together in on large cheese cloth is now separated and placed into two separate pieces of cheese cloth.  It's then tied to the pin, the remaining liquid is drained from the kettles, and the cheese can drain of it's liquid, while the other kettles are tended to.

Really a great workout.

After draining, the curds are brought to a large wooden table and placed in a plastic mold that contains specific information, such as date and code for scanning.  They will rest in the molds for a day or two, and then it is off for a 25 day sea salt bath.  Then it's off to the aging room for a minimum of 12 months.  Each week, the wheel is turned and wiped down.  At the end of the 12 months, a member of the consortium or Battitori comes in for inspection.  With the tap of a hammer, the inspector determines the fate of this piece of delicious art.  If it is good, then the cheese is stamped with a signature and a stamp of quality.  If it has failed inspection, it is branded another way, and it's destination is set for industrial use and mass consumption.

After being place in the plastic mold, a steel mold assures the form of the wheel.

The sea salt bath.

And the aging process begins.

You can see the stamp from the mold.

An aged wheel from 2012

I think Chef Lorenzo was trying to strike up a deal.

Wiping down an aged wheel, prepping to be opened.

After judgement day, the cheese will still rest for another six months, and some up to 36 months.  But at this point, I think we are ready to taste this cheese.  And this is where I stop writing, because now I'm craving a little Parmigiano Reggiano.  I think that would make a perfect breakfast, with a sliced pear.  Yes, perfect!!

Tools, still used to this day.

This was just the first stop on the two day adventure.  Stay tuned for the follow ups, to come shortly.