Lee's Tuscan Odyssey: La Martinicca

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo

Showing posts with label La Martinicca. Show all posts

233. Red Night

It's been raining for three weeks solid now, but we have the perfect remedy to turn the heat up a notch - a 'red' hot night, courtesy of 'La Martinicca' restaurant and the 'Saigricola' wiine association. A follow up to our 'white night' earlier in February. It's a themed dinner of eight courses accompanied by five different wines...

A sensational evening ensues... We are tucked away in a cosy corner of a packed restaurant -the waiter remembers us from before and the Saigricola director and oenologist prove wothy hosts!

The risotto with champagne and truffles and pumpkin pie are outstanding and the Colpetrone Sagrantino from Montefalco and La Poderina Moscadello a perfect combination. We are a little bit rushed, but with this much wine to get through...

182. White Night

A moving in/Valentines double headercelebration here... I spotted an advert at the Vinoteca al Chianti and found it too irresistable to pass up... No less than 9 different French wines paired together with a 9-course fish meal!!! A perfect combination and antidote to the winter blues..

The evening lives up to expectations... we're on the same table as one of Annette's ex students and the two sommeliers hosting the evening. A memorable meal that easily gets on to our 'Best meals ever' list!

Here is the menu...

(Original journal entry 11/2/05)