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The road trip My Kitchen Stories and 3 Italians

July 26, 2013 by Tania 14 Comments

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Rogeno

Leaving Rogeno.

The road trip My Kitchen Stories and 3 Italians……………………………………………….After Tutto Food, The Chef, The Manager, The Entrepaneur and I set off on a road trip. We left Milan heading to Rome via Modena visiting several beautiful organic wineries, various restaurants and a balsamic producer. This is the chef , Simmone and before we leave Como we head to one of his restaurants for dinner. ย I met him when he spent 3 months cooking at Pinos Dolce Vita in Sydney last year. Sadly he speaks very little English or I could have spent hours talking to him while ย on the road

The chef

The chef

La Vignetta

La Vignetta

Visiting the kitchen
Visiting the kitchen

 

The private dining room

The private dining room

Salumi plate

My Salumi plate ( for 1!)

The salumi plate was my starter. This was followed by that incredible beef from the picture above. The restaurant is also a function and reception centre. This is an incredibly old building standing longer than any of us have been alive. We go for a tour in the spooky basement. Deep down in the cellar we saw what was once the ice room, a circular brick chamber behind the cellar, a hole in the roof above our heads is where ice would once have been shovelled in or the winter snow could fall through the opening to ice food and drinks

The ice cellar

The ice cellar- sorry it was dark

The next morning we loaded the car. Each time we stopped they all fossicked around in the boot with their bags, speaking animatedly and gently pushing each other aside trying to move things around in there. I have no idea what they were saying or doing but I found it very amusing

The Chef , the Manager and the entrepeneur

The Chef , the Manager and the entrepeneur

Ca’ de Noci in Emilia Romagna is the first stop. From a winding dirt road we pull up at the house and winery. Passed from father onto his two sons Alberto and Vittorio, they believe that they are the custodians of their land. The vines grow amongst walnut trees without fertilizer, irrigation or pesticides. Alberto says that grape vines should be able to support themselves without the being watered or feed. What they give up each year is a true representation of the “work” the vines do themselves. They do believe in supporting them in a natural way . This is done by encouraging grass and herbs to grow under the vines drinking excess water and preventing moulds growing and protecting the ground during the hot times. ย When they process they add natural yeast, no sulphates or any other additive. The grapes are crushed on skins. They put the wine into neutral barrels and bottle unfiltered. Risky, expensive and a labour of love

Ca De Noci tasting room

Ca De Noci tasting room

Wines go through various periods of fermentation and a lot of these wines are bottle fermented. ย Alberto shows us how he tests what stage it is at…… the natural way.

Testing the wine

Testing the wine

Alberto explaining the details

cellar at Ca de noci

cellar at Ca’ de Noci

 

Ca De Noci barrels

This is a beautiful peaceful place and and after walking around the vineyard we head for the terrace to taste wine. Some of the vines planted here are rare heirloom varieties such as Spergola but they also grow lambrusco, malbo gentile, sgavetta, cabernet sauvignon, moscato and malvasia. They hope to encourage old grapes back into commercial production. ย This is what has made their tiny winery so interesting on the market. They also make Traditionale balsamic , saba and walnut licqueur

Inside the cellar Ca de Noci

Ca Da Noci bottle stack. The bottles looked so good

Ca’ de Noci bottle stack. The bottles looked so good

Ca de Noci

Ca’ de Noci

The cellar door

The bottling and crushing area and stainless steel wine vats

Freshly made focaccia and chunks of parmesan is set in front of us. It occurs to me, as I take a chunk, this parmesan has been made somewhere close by. Am I really here? I ย feel thrilled by everything. The sun, the wine and the beautiful sing song language that goes on ….and on around me. ย The pastries have spinach, beetroot leaves, ย ricotta and parmesan inside. We tuck in eagerly while wine is poured and we taste the new season wines and compare some to others from previous years to see how they are developing and how the natural wines change and develop sometimes very differently depending on the seasons. The Entrepreneur is sitting beside me and he whispers so quietly I only just hear…

“I’m warning you, ย pace yourself”. I drop the spinach pastry I have picked up and giggle quietly as more food appears and keeps coming.

Parmesan and bread for the hungry

Parmesan and bread for the hungry

 

IMG_0742 IMG_0745 IMG_0746 IMG_0748

The salumi is made by a farmer down the road. It is full of fat but tastes clean and I am told that it is popular like this and has “suscarula” which means it crumbles in a certain way when you bite into it. It does and it is like no salami I have tried before.

Motzarella and olives

Mozzarella, olives, thyme and fennel seeds

Spaghetti with oil and garlic

Spaghetti with oil and garlic

spaghetti

spaghetti

served

served

Seconds were compulsory ……

this was a special one

We tried the 2010 and the 2011.Completely different altogether

Yes delicious

Yes delicious

Chocolate cake and orange walnut cake

Chocolate cake and orange cake

Ice cream with ca'dwe Noci saba and walnut licquer on the side

Ice cream with Ca’de Noci saba and walnut liqueur on the side

vines

vines

Ca De Noci vines

Ca De Noci vines

IMG_0842

We set off now towards Tuscany. We leave Modena and head south across the Apennine Mountain range that splits the north and south towards Tuscany and down to Arezzo, 80 km from Florence. You know instantly ย when you have crossed the border into Tuscany…the buildings, the colours, the rolling hills and the poplar trees.

Paterna cellar door

Paterna cellar door

Tuscany

Tuscany

We’re headed to Paterna a co op run organic winery. They have a small restaurant and some simple accommodation on the property as well as their endeavours producing oil and salami. ย On a walk around the property we get a bit of a glimpse into a life on the land. The property is both organic and self sufficient with solar energy. It’s green and the Chianti hills are on the horizon, they feed us organic strawberries from the patch and talk about how farming without any chemicals is a challenge, mould and high minerals in the soil are constant problems. This doesn’t deter their dedication to organic farming and producing an incredible list of complex wines. I have a feeling a stay here would be very relaxing.

Picking Strawberries

Picking Strawberries

Tuscany from Paterna

Paterna old vines

Paterna old vines

Paterna restaurant building Paterna the view

Views of vines and Tuscany

Views of vines and Tuscany

the garden

the garden

Paterna kitchen

Paterna kitchen

 

Working farm

Working farm

Paterna kitty

The cutest cat in Italy walked around the whole property with us demanding to be patted

Paterna cellar deco

Paterna vines

The cellar. Here barrel fermentation and stainless steel vats

The cellar. Here barrel fermentation and stainless steel vats

Concrete vats for storage

Concrete vats for storage

Paterna made Salumi

Paterna made SalumiPaterna salami

We sit at the wooden table under the window in the cellar door and are offered hand made salami and parmesan with wonderful local bread. This salami was the polar difference to the one at Ca Da Noci. It was course and chewy an not the least bit crumbly. Here we sit and taste. These wines are filtered to release excess sugar and prevent refermentation. The labelling is striking and the wines are very characteristic of this area.

Paterna tasting

Paterna tasting

Paterna wines

Paterna wines

After a bit of rummaging in the boot, we’re back in the car heading towards Ampeleia the hot new wines produced by just as hot Elisabeta Foradori on a property in the Maremma area. Then to ย Saturnia, a spa town in Tuscany that is famous for it’s hot baths, dining in the old town of Saturnia. and then on to Roma

“The capital of the world”, according to the Entrepreneur.

More adventures on the way…………

signiture

ย www.Ca’de Nociย  ย Via Fratelli Bandiera 1/2 localitร  Vendina
42020 Quattro Castella – Reggio Emilia

www.paterna.itย  ย ย Paterna, 96 –ย –ย Terranuova Braccioliniย 52028Terranuova Bracciolini, Arezzo

Interested in their wines?. You can contact: ย ย info@lario.com.au

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Arezzo, Ca' de Noci, Italian wine, Le Vignetta, organic wines, Paterna wines

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Comments

  1. cquek

    July 31, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    A great adventure, I love your post and thanks a lot for sharing your wonderful photos.

    Reply
  2. Amanda

    July 31, 2013 at 4:39 pm

    What an amazing trip, and what lovely photos. I’m off to Italy again at the end of the year, but it will be cold and wintry when I get there – no sunny vineyards for me!
    Amanda recently posted..Hamilton Island in the WhitsundaysMy Profile

    Reply
  3. GourmetGetaways

    July 30, 2013 at 7:55 pm

    Oh I love this story! I am so jealous of this trip, you have captured it beautifully too ๐Ÿ™‚
    GourmetGetaways recently posted..Cafe Aqua – Coffs HarbourMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    July 28, 2013 at 10:35 pm

    Okay first that dining room looks amazing! And second, I’m fascinated by the sound of that salumi!
    Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..A Cooking Class With Momofukuโ€™s Ben GreenoMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Lisa the Gourmet Wog

    July 28, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    Tania these photos are spectacular! What a fabulous journey, truly a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks for taking us on a journey.
    Lisa the Gourmet Wog recently posted..Sticky and sweet Orange Marmalade, Honey and Dijon Mustard Pork RibsMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com

    July 28, 2013 at 1:13 pm

    Everything about this post makes me want to long for a trip to Italy. Hopeful in the near future ๐Ÿ™‚
    Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..Strawberry Balsamic Nutty CrumbleMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Eha

    July 27, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    . . . but few of us have the chance to do it in the real and meaningful way . . . be oh so happy to have had the experience . . . am so pleased for you . .

    Reply
  8. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    July 27, 2013 at 12:25 pm

    I love these photos. I can’t decide which one I love best but the food and the cat are close to the top. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Thanks so much for this post – I’ve been waiting for it – and the next one!

    Did you ever decide what was going on in the boot?
    Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted..Australian Food Blogger Prop SwapMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Victoria of Flavors of the Sun

    July 27, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    I so love road trips and where better than in Italy? I have family in the far north of Italy–what a country, what people, what food! That salumi plate made my mouth water.
    Victoria of Flavors of the Sun recently posted..Blueberry-Watermelon Gazpacho and the History of SoupMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Hotly Spiced

    July 27, 2013 at 11:58 am

    I’d love to know what was going on with the boot. What a beautiful post, Tania. I really must get myself to Italy. That lunch looks so incredible. Italians seem to entertain with such ease xx
    Hotly Spiced recently posted..Cactus SkincareMy Profile

    Reply
    • MyKitchenStories

      July 27, 2013 at 4:26 pm

      Secret mans business!

      Reply
  11. Suzanne Perazzini

    July 27, 2013 at 10:14 am

    What a lovely trip with all those fabulous traditional foods and wines. Adriano is over there now and apparently it is over 40ยฐC where he is – I am so glad I didn’t go with him. Me and excessive heat don’t gel these days. But I still love Italy.
    Suzanne Perazzini recently posted..Bacon and Tomato Pizza – gluten-free & Low FODMAPMy Profile

    Reply
  12. InTolerant Chef

    July 27, 2013 at 9:52 am

    Amazing Tania! That plate, that meat, that cellar! I love that these guys are committed to such natural wine making processes, definitely a risk but obviously worth it. I hope you get to go back again real soon ๐Ÿ™‚
    InTolerant Chef recently posted..Orange Hoisin Chicken BakeMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Rosa

    July 26, 2013 at 7:57 pm

    Marvelous! What exciting places to visit and the food looks so droolworthy.

    Thanks for making travel from my chair…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

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Tania Cusack Hi, I'm Tania and this is My Kitchen Stories. I share all kinds of recipes here. Most recipes are quick and easy, just perfect for families. BUT, you could also find vegan, cakes and desserts too. Come and have a look around Read More
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