When we were at lunch at Il Casale, we had seen an arrangement of beans, lentils, pasta in bags and assumed they were for sale. After we’d had an incredible lentil dish, Cathy went to buy some and they said, no, not for sale. But the chef gave Cathy her lentil dish recipe and told her where to go to get them. “Just over there”, not far.
This morning, we went to buy lentils. And drove and drove. Leaf stayed home to work and the four of us went on a food adventure. We realized why she wouldn’t sell her lentils because it took a good while, but it was a fun drive. We were laughing about the distance to go for Cathy’s lentils. Then we arrived at the farm and were the first customers at a new packing plant they had just opened. They had so much! Lentils, beans, pasta, sauces, jams, and such nice people. They grow and package everything there.
We couldn’t resist and all bought a few things, even though it will load the bags down. Worth it! Using the charge machine for the first time in the building…Cathy brought her own bag to load up!
We then went to an olive oil tasting that Cathy had arranged (noting a theme here?). We were up for it, but a bit dubious about drinking sips of different olive oils just for how we’d react after. But it wasn’t like that at all. First, this small organic olive oil/wine/honey farm was amazing. We were given the talk, taste, and tour by Lucia, the owner. She was passionate about her work and product and had won top prizes every year for her oil. As she said over and over, it was quality, not quantity from 3000 trees.
Cathy started with Italian, Lucia responded in English and stuck with that. She had a full lecture and it was interesting. She and her husband worked in Rome and financed this “dream” from a distance, going back and forth. When they started, there were a few trees, bare ground and a rough farm house. 9 of them slept upstairs in a group, 6 cows downstairs. She showed us photos of the progression of growth over the 40 years they’d been farming.
We were all appreciative, asking a few questions in the midst of the talk when the moment was right and then Cathy, who was the most appreciative and knowledgeable, asked a question. “Do you run your mill all year around?” Lucia just looked at her and said, “weren’t you listening to what I said? Didn’t you learn anything? I said, we work with the earth. There’s only one harvest time!” And more. Ach. Later, hilarity once we were out of Lucia’s hearing. Cathy, of course, knows all about oil and after we tasted the oil (delicious) was able to offer the note, “this has the perfect balance of bitter and tart (which got approval)”.
Lucia told us that she only moved up 13 years ago to live full time on the farm because she and her husband needed to keep working to finance the farm. But she also said they had 6 villas and apartments which was how they afforded running the olive oil mill. “This is a work of dreamers and passion, but it doesn’t pay for itself.” They need the income from the property rentals. She was very proud, rightly so, of their completely up to date oil processing system and it was so interesting. She’s so proud of her granddaughter and is hoping she’ll want to take over some day:) Would be great to be here in the fall and actually see everything in situ.
We bought some oil, but since we can also order online, I restrained and only bought one. Luggage is getting heavy between lentils and oil.
Series of photos from the tasting through a bit of the tour:
Explaining below how the trees roots can live for a thousand years so that even if a tree is damaged, it can recover and grown again.
Just before flowering:
These photos show the progress of the farm over 40 years, middle is the start, then above and then below is current.
And a gorgeous garden in addition to the olive mill, winery, and honey production:
We left with thanks and goodbyes and drove back towards home really pleased with a totally different and oh so Italian morning, courtesy of Cathy’s planning.
Lunch was bread, salad, and soup from the lentil farm, great. Cathy, Sharon and I then went for a walk into Paciano while Rick and Leaf took a nap. Paciano was another seemingly dead and beautiful small medieval town. Where are all the people? So bewildering.
Both Paciano and Panicale are immaculate, flowers and gardens outside of town cared for, some few signs of life with curtains, parked cars, but no people. Rick and Leaf staggered their walks, but both ended up hiking up and over the mountain behind us and said it was gorgeous, wonderful views. I was ok not doing any bushwhacking to get the views and after our walk, just read and had some down time.
That night we went for dinner in Paciano, and there were some people – the restaurant filled up while we were there. Good dinner, few new flavors, Sharon got a great pizza and we were in and out in an hour. Cathy said we probably broke a timing record for the restaurant. We then drove over to Panicale so Sharon could see it and I really wanted to see if any people had emerged post “pausa” the Italian word for siesta. Nope. Still beautiful, a few tourists in the restaurants on the plaza (maybe 7?) and very very few windows lit up.
We walked up the road outside of Panicale to see the view both Rick and Leaf had talked about – they were right, expansive and wonderful at night. Seriously steep road and aesthetically and wonderfully paved and a car drove up it while we were up there! Would not want to do that drive in the rain.
Two views from the ridge line
The next morning when we talked with Katia, checking out of the tower, she said it’s so sad. She lives outside of Panicale, and is the youngest person in town at 50. There are 16 seniors who live in town and she does grocery runs for them and helps out. She said Americans, Bulgarians (?), and Colombians have bought buildings, hotel, apartments and then just leave them empty, staying a week or two. So sad. And there’s nothing for her kids to do once school is over, so everyone leaves. But it is beautiful, so she’s hoping maybe something will shift.
Reb's Walks! 