Letizia in her kitchen and a truffle lunch

This is Salvatore's daughter and she has prepared a special lunch with truffles in every course.  We are welcome in her kitchen to learn and we didn't think Patti would leave. She was in cooking heaven.

This truffle has a distinctive red stain from the plant it grows under.  It is extra rare and we are lucky to have one.  The plant is just turning crimson now and in a few weeks the forest we were in will be ablaze as it flaunts its fall cloak.

The first course is chick pea soup topped with freshly shaved truffles.  The essence of good Italian food. Perfect ingredients prepared simply.  The cook gets out of the food's way and lets it shine.  This is delicious and exquisite and the recipe is dried chick peas soaked overnight and cooked in water, salt and pepper, blended until creamy and served hot.

Our terrace dining room.

The view from the terrace.  Lunch is also served with local wines so everything is grown and made within a few miles of here.

The next course is perfect al dente pasta lightly sauced with cream, parmigiana, olive oil and butter and truffles.  Letitia then makes a nest of pasta in foil and wraps it so when it is opened at the table the rich truffle aroma enhances the flavor.  Pasta and eggs are the classic truffle dishes as they are delicate enough to enhance and not overwhelm the truffle.

A very poignant moment.  Patti has been in the kitchen most every moment and they were just explaining to her the reason the clock is at the wrong time is they stopped it the moment the grandfather died and leave it to remember him.

It has not been long since both she lost both her parents and sometimes it doesn't take much to rip that scab off and the tears flow freely.  Everyone here shares that pain.

Smiles return....life goes on, the scab slides back in place.

The egg course is not the usual scramble but two egg whites coddled in these baking dishes, the raw yolks slipped on top, and the truffles.  Stir with a wooden fork and we are eating the most divine egg dish ever.

Plus we are having lunch with Jeb Bush. Think John Keir and he were brothers in another life.

Vin Santo they make at home and a little sweet with truffles.  WOW!

We finally drag ourselves off and pry Patti's fingers off the kitchen counter.  I think she was trying to pick out her room.  The road to the A11 is an adventure in it self and John Keir is getting real good at the Italian roads as today he crawled through medieval San Miniato, navigated through a crowded street filled with guests at a wedding, negotiated an ancient bridge that is one way at a time, all this plus the roundabouts and the high speed driving on the A roads.  Plus there is a forest fire in our valley as we head home the helicopters are flying a rapid rotation and picking the water right out of the river next to the road.  Naturally the road is clogged with locals stopped to watch.  

Ah! the massive gates of home swing open and we are in our tranquil paradise. The cool night air descends as we savor the memories and the church bells peal in the valley  still punctuated by the continous whirl of helicopters.