RESTAURANT REVIEW: A FINE LUNCH IN LUCCA

Hello! I’ve been away for two weeks and it’s a lot of time for the blog, i know: but sure I can say that I have quite new topics to tell you about. This is the second appointment with “Restaurant Review” and this time we’ll go to Lucca, in Tuscany.We spent last Saturday in Lucca and we took lunch to Gli Orti di Via Elisa, a simple but elegant typical restaurant, with a great all-white dehors. The atmosphere all around was really cozy.

Looking at the menu, we hesitated a bit about the dishes to choose (too many good things!).We started with two simple appetizers: a typical tomato bruschetta with extra-virgin olive oil, and a delicato mushroom flan, with a potatoes cream. I love flans because they have both a delicate and rich flavour, and after all, they’re simply to make, with a variety of ingredients. The ingredients in this one were chopped so finely that they melted in the mouth:just heavenly!

Then, we choosed two main dishes: a typical spelt soup, creamy and hot, enriched with smashed pinto beans, served rigorously without cheese, but with hot and fragrant bread. I opted for a risotto with vegetables, really tasting and creamy.

After the main dishes, finally a great dessert: they proposed to us artigianale ice-cream, and a chocolate mousse with whipped cream: oh my!I would eat it again right now!

It’s not a secret that I love unconditionally Tuscan cooking: I like the use they make of the vegetables, and how they are able to enrich very simple ingredients of their surroundings and create always a special tasting dish. When I go to Tuscany, I always feel at home.

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BACK FROM HOLIDAY … SIGH!

Hello to you all! I’m finally back from a beautiful holiday in Cabo Verde, I’m so excited to tell you all of my brand new great travel experience! First of all, I have to say that I used some time during holidays to reorganize a bit my blog, let me tell you a pair of news:

– You can now translate the blog in other languages thanks to Google Translator: you’ll find the link to the translation page in the column on the right under “TRANSLATE THE BLOG” : click to translate and enjoy every week the new topics!

– I’ve updated the right answers concerning myself about the BlogAward “Credi di avermi messo a fuoco?” of some time ago, if someone is interested… now you could satisfy your curiosity!

– Yesterday, WordPress kindly told to me that, one year ago, I was starting my blogging adventure: it has been a great year, full of satisfaction!I want to send you all a special thanks for following me: reading your blogs made me really inspired and motivated for my own blog!

– I’ve to thank Francesca for the new award she assigned to me: the “Inspiring Blog Award”: like I said to her, i’m just one more time so surprised of the preference accorded to my blog… I’m joyfully speechless!

AWARD RULES:

1. Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and a link back.
3. Share seven things about you.
4. Nominate up to 10/15  bloggers for the award, provide a link to their blogs in your post and notify them on their blogs.

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT ME:

– I like theatre and cinema: I like to hear stories, it’s so fascinating;
– I read a lot of books -minimum one for week -;
– I have no tattoos;
– I like to draw mangas;
– I would like to learn another foreign language;
– I like to drive listening to the music;
– Hand-knitting is not my best!

Here my “nominees list”, which every day inspire me to keep blogging with diligence. To the nominees, I have to say “Compliments for your great work.” Your blog are all great and I can’t make a classification, all the blogs I choosed are equally gorgeous. Like always, you can participate only if you wish, someone may already received this award, but please accept it as my symbol of appreciation for your work. Congrats again to all of you!

 – Reporter per caso
– In viaggio con Francesca
– Put the light on
– The Novice Gardener
– Mondo Delizioso
– Zuccherando
– Io non mangio Simmenthal
– Gocce di Zucchero
– Foodie on board
– Son nata Paperoga

FUERTEVENTURA: CROSSING THE HINTERLAND

Second part of our tour discovering one of the most beautiful island of the Canaries: last time we stopped in La Pared for a beautiful sunset. Reaching La Pared you could already notice that the hinterland of the island is rocky and arid.

THE HINTERLAND TOUR

The hinterland of Fuerteventura presents some tiny rural villages to visit, and it’s a panoramic road that will brings you up and down through the mountains of the island. One of the small town you’ll meet first – coming from the south – is Pajara.

The picturesque little town of Pajara only has a small population despite its administrative importance on the tourist centres of the Jandia peninsula. Just outside the Town Hall sits a fine old disused ‘donkey driven’ waterwheel, and close to that is the leafy church square. The church (Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Regla) was built between 1687 and 1711 and is one of the most beautiful on the island. There are many different motifs decorating the great stone doorway and the Virgin that stands at the altar was brought to the island by a wealthy emigrant from Mexico.

The village and protected zone of Tindaya sits at the foot of the 401m mountain of the same name. Tindaya was once regarded as a very religious place and the mountain was considered sacred. This can still be seen today in more than hundred carvings of ‘feet’ in the smooth rock. These strange carvings located at the very top of the mountain, were only recently discovered in 1978. On a clear day it’s possible to see mount Teide – the highest mountain volcano on Tenerife – from the top of Tindaya. Old inhabitants used to see mount Teide as the residence of the devil and all the carvings face in that direction.

Antigua is one of the oldest villages on the island. Built in the 18th century Antigua was once the capital of Fuerteventura but only for one year. Then the honour was passed on to La Oliva (the capital today is Puerto del Rosario). The picturesque church (Cruz de los Caldos) that dominates the town was built in 1785 and stands amongst well kept trees and shrubbery. Antigua also has a fully restored windmill which is now a cultural centre and a tourist attraction.After passing by Antigua, Fuerteventura’s former capital Betancuria attends us, lying in a picturesque valley next to a dried up stream which flowed up until the 16th century.

Founded in 1405 by the Norman conqueror Jean de Bethencourt – hence the name Betancuria – has a fair amount of history behind it.The reason for its location was to protect the capital from pirate attacks, although in 1593 the pirate Jaban penetrated the Betancuria and reduced everything including the Santa Maria church to a pile of rubble and ash.The church was not rebuilt until 1691. Nowadays is a well-groomed small village which attracts many tourists.

In the municipality of La Oliva, the main attraction to visit is surely the Casa de los Coroneles, or House of Colonels. This was where the military governors of the islands used to reside and is now used mainly for many wonderful exhibitions.

Above the main entrance is the family coat of arms with a crown a tree and a goat. The wooden balconies are decorated with carvings. Located just between the church and the Casa de los Coroneles, is the ‘Casa Mane’ art centre (Centro de Arte Canario Casa Mane). Here you can visit the exhibition halls that house works from well know Canarian artists. On the ground level there are rooms for current exhibitions and a sculpture courtyard, while the basement contains a large contemporary art gallery. Among the permanent exhibits are the works of Alberto Manrique.

SUNDAY TRIPS: GENOA AQUARIUM

Hello to you all! Obviously I’m always short in time…for me this is the last week working and I’m just too busy to end everything before Sunday! Last Sunday I had a great time visiting the aquarium of Genova: there was bad weather, so we couldn’t go to the sea; we decided to stop in Liguria and visit it: here some shots taken inside. Cris

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