Thanksgiving on an Italian farm ...exceptional!
Thanksgiving dinner was a day late and well worth the wait. After climbing a steep hill through the woods, we came upon Località il Piano, Darcy and Adolfo's idyllic mountain home (the first photo is from their website). They opened their home to us for an old fashioned, unforgettable and very international holiday feast.
What interesting dinner companions! Darcy is American, and her husband Adolfo, is from Spoleto. They met getting their PhDs at UC Davis. Gundula, who's German, was there with her Iranian-American husband, Josie. With children included, there were nine of us celebrating holidays and friendship. It was perfect!
Dinner consisted almost entirely of items grown on the farm. It was as if we had stepped back in time. Homemade and homegrown everything.
In lieu of a turkey, a farm raised chicken was served, which Darcy had recently "prepared", from her livestock, for this sumptuous event. It was delicious as were all the side dishes. The blissful pie was the result of last year's pumpkin planting. For those who know me well know I'm a connoisseur and this was one of the best ever!
The vegetables, the bread, the gravy, even the grapes for the wine were grown on the farm or made from scratch...everything was crafted with such care and expertise. It was an incredibly unique experience that Steve and I are so grateful to have been a part of.
What interesting dinner companions! Darcy is American, and her husband Adolfo, is from Spoleto. They met getting their PhDs at UC Davis. Gundula, who's German, was there with her Iranian-American husband, Josie. With children included, there were nine of us celebrating holidays and friendship. It was perfect!
Dinner consisted almost entirely of items grown on the farm. It was as if we had stepped back in time. Homemade and homegrown everything.
In lieu of a turkey, a farm raised chicken was served, which Darcy had recently "prepared", from her livestock, for this sumptuous event. It was delicious as were all the side dishes. The blissful pie was the result of last year's pumpkin planting. For those who know me well know I'm a connoisseur and this was one of the best ever!
The vegetables, the bread, the gravy, even the grapes for the wine were grown on the farm or made from scratch...everything was crafted with such care and expertise. It was an incredibly unique experience that Steve and I are so grateful to have been a part of.
We've planted several hectares of fruit, olives and grapes, a permaculture "forest garden", vegetables, a garden of medicinal and culinary herbs and flowers, focusing on heritage varieties and crops which produce well without any chemical treatments or fertilizers.
We've been certified organic since 2004, but feel that there is much more than the buzzword "organic" that makes our food special. We try to combine the best aspects of traditional local agriculture (low waste, low input, saving seed) with the best ideas and practices in modern agriculture (disease-resistant cultivars, drip irrigation, post-harvest management), working to achieve a sustainable system. Both of us are passionate about sustainable agriculture and enjoy hosting guests and WWOOFers who are interested in the subject in depth. http://www.localitailpiano.it/index.htm
We've been certified organic since 2004, but feel that there is much more than the buzzword "organic" that makes our food special. We try to combine the best aspects of traditional local agriculture (low waste, low input, saving seed) with the best ideas and practices in modern agriculture (disease-resistant cultivars, drip irrigation, post-harvest management), working to achieve a sustainable system. Both of us are passionate about sustainable agriculture and enjoy hosting guests and WWOOFers who are interested in the subject in depth. http://www.localitailpiano.it/index.htm
Cucinare è una forma d'amore
Italian to English Translation:
Cooking is Love made visible
Italian to English Translation:
Cooking is Love made visible
3 comments:
WOW! That sounds aamzing.
How cool that you are meeting so many new friends! Before you leave Italy you are going to know the entire country!
But just don't forget...make new friends BUT KEEP THE OLD! You know the rhyme...I am gold and they are just silver.
Hahaha.
Miss you!
***
Eureka!! Nick, the soon to be UC Davis graduate, said the other day the only thing he really wants to do right now is start an organic, sustainable farm. I knew there was an organization that hooked up volunteers with farmers and here it is, WWOOF! Denise, you always have the answers even when you don't know the question. Enjoying your stories. Happy Thanksgiving
Nick is totally stoked! He's sees this as the perfect combination of travel, learning and helping others. Hope he can work it out somewhere.
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