Sometimes living abroad is hard. Like when you miss a good friend’s wedding in upstate New York – an event that turned out to be the social gathering of the year (according to Facebook pictures and word of mouth). Thankfully Dave and Jill completely understood when we declined to come. Or when one of your best friends tells you that he’s planning on “popping the question” via email, because there’s really no easier way. Those are the types of conversations that should be reserved for a late night in a neighborhood bar, complete with lots of back pats and free rounds for the groom-to-be. Thankfully, Josh was great about keeping me in the loop, sending us pictures of his wonderful proposal to Abby in Charlestown earlier this year (and even calling us via FaceTime shortly afterward). So, yeah – living abroad can be hard when you miss these special moments in your friends and families lives. However… when we’re able to host our friends and family here, we are always grateful for the experience abroad.
Abby, Josh, Jill, Dave, Jen and Julia
For that reason, we were absolutely thrilled when we heard that Josh and Abby were going to come visit us. We coordinated the timing of their trip so that they would be visiting during a beautiful time of year and the start of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. As soon as they booked their airfare, I reserved our train tickets to Munich, which I’ll write about in the upcoming post.
Josh and Abby in Varenna
Shortly after learning of Josh and Abby’s visit, we got even more good news. Our friends Dave (aka, Dr. Dave) and Jill were also going to be in Europe at the same time and wanted to spend time with us here in Como. I mentioned that we would also be going to Oktoberfest and they were able to arrange it so that they could join us there too! While they didn’t stay with us in either locale, they coordinated close quarters so that we could spend time together.
Dave and Jill in Brunate
When Josh and Abby arrived in Italy, we opted for a new strategy. We decided to be “low-key” for the first day. We even allowed them the option to take a nap, if they wanted. In the past, we have cooked massive meals, whisked people immediately to downtown Como and forced them to stay awake in order to stave off jet-lag. However, we’ve learned that visitors often forget their first day – it’s simply too much, too fast (especially in a comatose state). So when I got them home safe and sound, we simply walked across the street to one of our local favorites, Quattro Staggione. Even though the food is Italian (shocker), the restaurant is fashioned after a German beer garden. Jen and I decided that it would be a good start to get us in the mood for our upcoming trip to Germany. We capped the night off with more food and drinks and they hit the sack early, ready to begin their world-wind trip freshly rested.
The plan the following day was to meet Dave and Jill at our place, before heading to Antichi Sapori – the best pizza place in all of northern Italy. They were driving down from Switzerland and ended up getting lost – opting instead to meet us at the restaurant. When they finally arrived, we rushed through our meal so that we could reach our next destination quickly… an activity that had me as giddy as a nerd at Comic-Con. I had arranged for something that I’ve wanted to do since we moved here – a privately rented boat to drive around Lake Como. I’d looked into it in the past, but only found prohibitively expensive companies or boat operators that drove you themselves. I wanted to be the one to get behind the wheel and really open’er up . On a previous visit to Tremezzo, I discovered a company that was not only reasonably priced – but also gave you free reign of their boats (with surprisingly little information in exchange. Luckily for them, I do actually have my boating license). Josh grabbed some wine and beer and we got on the water ready to enjoy the sights and sounds of Lake Como from the middle of the lake itself!
I pull the boat away from Tremezzo – Josh and Abby settle in for the ride
Julia loved the wind in her hair
The towns along the lake are even prettier to see from the water
I stop driving to pose for a picture with Jen
Josh and Abby enjoying time aboard our boat
Dave and Jill on Lago di Como
Julia gives us a smile
Family photo in front of Bellagio
The “girls”
The “guys”
Isola Comancia – I’ve never been so close
Julia decides to hang out with the boys and helps me drive
I relax in the back with a beer and my girl…
…who promptly lost interest in me when Josh took over driving. Guess she likes men with power
The entire crew on the dock after we returned
After a fun-filled day on the lake we made it home with enough time for Jen to cook a wonderful meal. We had all the usual suspects (cheese, salami, olives, salad, bread, etc.) with osso buco served over a risotto milanese as the star of the show (Abby had her first taste of veal and her first taste of bone marrow all in one sitting). We also had several bottles of wine to accompany the meal. After the food stopped coming, we broke out the traditional grappa. Usually, grappa signals the end of the meal and drinks – but not with this crew! After grappa, I took the guys down to my cantina (wine cellar) and brought back a special bottle of whiskey I had gotten in Scotland earlier this year. The girls opened another bottle of wine and the party continued. Eventually, someone decided it was a good idea to go to the bar next door and close the place down… it was not a good idea!
The late night started out innocently enough…
…and then turned into this…
…and some of this!
After breakfast the next day, Dave and Jill came back to our place and we all went into Como together. We walked around Como for a bit and then took the funicolare (cable car) up the mountain to the small town of Brunate. We had a phenomenal lunch overlooking the lake as well as Como. Later that night, it was another favorite for us – Ristorante Simposio in Inverigo Hotel, a four-star hotel near our home. We were excited to order the zuppa di mare – a mixed seafood dish that [at this particular restaurant] is absolutely huge. The six of us shared the dish as an appetizer, couldn’t finish it and were full before our entrees arrived. And they claim that this dish is for two!
We relaxed in the restaurant’s garden with some vino rosato while we waited for our table
The group enjoyed a wonderful lunch with a great view
Photos compliments of Julia
Hanging out at one of the panoramic spots in Bruante
The zuppa di mare that we’ve always wanted to order, but never had enough people
Dave ordered branzino arrostito al sale (branzino roasted in salt)
The following evening we would depart for Germany on an overnight train (Dave and Jill drove separately in their rental car). But we had all day to fill, so we formulated a plan to go hiking in Switzerland. Our home is close to Lugano, Switzerland – a wonderful city surrounded by beautiful Swiss mountains. Dave and Jill researched a popular climb and so we set out for a vertical ascent that would reward us with wonderful views of the Lago di Lugano and the city below.
Lago di Lugano – the city is on the left of the lake
Josh and Abby along the hike
Dave downplayed the vertical climb of the hike – both Jill and Josh have recently had major reconstructive knee surgery
Of course, the next part of this adventure was our time in Germany – but that warrants it’s own post. So, I’ll conclude this portion of blog with the remainder of Josh and Abby’s trip. After we all returned from Munich, they ventured off on their own to Venice and Verona before returning home to Como. We wanted to spend their last couple days exploring towns along Lake Como and made the decision to discover a new town together (we’ve been to many of the popular lake towns, but there is still so much for us to explore). I’m glad that we agreed to explore together, because Josh and Abby helped us find Varenna – one of our new favorite towns along the lake. We spent all day exploring the town and the castle, Castello di Vezio.
Varenna is a beautiful new town that Josh and Abby helped us find
Josh and Abby cuddle for a picture
Family photo by the water
Josh shares his bench with Julia and she shares some gelato with him
“Mom, smile like this!”
Good place for a photo
“You guys go on ahead, I’ll just hang out here”
Vivid placard on the wall of Chiesa di S. Giorgio
“Cheese!”
“On top of the world!”
Even though Castello di Vezio is privately owned, it is open to the public all year round. The castle, which dates back to 1169 – boasts a wonderful collection of collection of birds of prey, including a fantastic horned owl and some magnificent hawks. There is a garden of wooden statues and totems carved by local artists such as, Luigi Gambato. But most interesting were the “ghosts” that greeted you at the gates (a shocking image as you round the corner) and adorned the caste’s walls and towers. They are made from white chalk each summer by using the frames of willing tourists that sit and allow the artists to sculpt around them. We spent our final day in Como and then bid Josh and Abby a fond farewell as they boarded their plane headed back to Washington DC.
Julia helps Josh pick his final outfit – she models one of his shirts
A tower of Castello di Vezio
The castle was in amazing shape for being nearly 1,000 years old
Beautiful doorways and walls
The trees on the castle grounds were stunning
The ghosts of Vezio offered a strange and haunting welcome
Everywhere you turned, you were being watched
Josh tests the sturdiness of an ancient walkway
Julia ascends the stone steps of a tower with me
The fortress was located with an open view of the lake – located centrally across from Bellagio
The main tower of Vezio
Oh, who’s that poking out on top of the tower?!
I embarked on a climb to the top alone
Looking down I saw a couple of familiar faces
They had an impressive display of birds – this falcon put on a demonstration with a Falconer
This was another Falcon in a different part of the castle
Looking down on the town of Varenna from high atop the cliffs
We discovered the castle’s ancient prison
Josh descends into the depths
Julia is having way to much fun in jail
The prison was just carved out tunnels in the stone
Julia borrows a free ride on their last day in Como
I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a bit about some of the great times we had with close friends. Keep an eye out for the upcoming Oktoberfest post – the fun we had there wasn’t quite so innocent…
Before Jen blindsided me so many months ago with the suggestion that we move to Italy, I never thought I would know how to make grappa. Honestly, I never thought that I would ever even like grappa! But like so many other things I swore I’d never change about myself, living in Italy has transformed that part of me (keep an eye out for me sporting a “puffy” coat this winter – a style I hated when I first moved here and now think is the coolest thing to come of the runways of Milano).
A selection of grappa offered in a restaurant in Lago Maggiore
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage that is served in Italy as a digestivo (digestive) after a meal. We have learned that Italians take the digestion of their meals very seriously and have structured the order of eating in such a specific way as to aid in the digestion. A full blown Italian meal will include the following:
You’ll notice that you’ll begin with the antipasto as a medium to enhance the appetite. The pasta course lays the “foundation” for the meal and acts as a base (note: when served as a primo, you should only serve roughly 80 grams of pasta). Next you’ll move onto your main dish and vegetables – the “center” of the meal. After that you’ll progress on to your salad (as opposed to having the salad first) because Italians believe that finishing your meal with the light and refreshing salad helps aid in digestion (add this to the list of things that I’ve changed in my daily life). Finally, the dessert rounds out the meal and the coffee always comes last. But when you eat like this, you’ll need one final component to assist in proper digestion – your ammazzacaffè (coffee killer). In many cases, this will come in the form of a grappa.
A glass of my favorite grappa in a proper bicchierino (small glass)
I have had the good fortune to have visited Italy many times before moving here, so grappa was not foreign to me. I’d choked the stuff down on many previous occasions, admitting to the table that I wasn’t a fan – but not leaving a drop behind, lest my manhood be challenged. However, somewhere along the way I have not only grown accustomed to drinking grappa – I have become quite the fan. I seldom finish a heavy meal without a grappa and I would be lying to you now if I didn’t tell you that I am presently sipping a nice Grappa Casereccia as my fingers glide across the keyboard (the same grappa pictured above).
The only thing better than drinking grappa is making your own grappa. You see, while the distilling process of grappa is more or less the same, the taste can vary greatly between types (grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds and stems left over from the winemaking after pressing the grapes). The quality of grapes used, the specifics within the distillation process and any additional processes can alter the flavor of the grappa.
Claudia (Jen’s aunt upstairs) is fortunate enough to be from a region in Italy that [I personally believe] stands out above many other fabulous grappa-producing areas. She has brought back many different types for us to try and our liquor cabinet has expanded and contracted like the aged wood of the barrels themselves. In addition to supplying us with some of Belluno’s best grappa, she has an incredible knack for making her own. She taught us her secrets and now I’m going to impart them on to you.
Our liquor cabinet – please don’t play “I spy” with how many bottles of grappa are in there!
First, you start with a “white” grappa. This is a plain grappa that does not have any flavors and uses the traditional distilling process. Next, you pick your “flavor”. This can be anything from a melissa (a plant that tastes a lot like mint) to a pino mugo (a small pine-cone unique to the Dolomites). For our first batch of grappa, Jennifer selected basilico (basil) and limone (lemon).
The ingredients
BASILICO (BASIL)
Ingredients
>1 liter of grappa (white)
>20 leaves of fresh basil
>Lemon peels
Preparation
>Place the grappa into a jar
>Add 10 unwashed leaves (if the plant is dirty, wash and let dry)
>Leave the liquid for three weeks in a warm place, not exposed to the sun
>Filter the basil and leave for another three weeks with remaining leaves
Note: basil is particularly suitable to be combined and to macerate together with other fine herbs
LIMONE (LEMON)
Ingredients
>1 liter of grappa (white)
>Lemon peels of two lemons
>6 leaves of sage
>2 cloves
>1 tablespoon of sugar
Preparation
>Add all the ingredients of the grappa in a jar and leave in a hot place for two weeks
>Shake the bottle occasionally
>Filter and leave for another four weeks
The jars after the filtration process
Now that they’ve been filtered, they’re set to rest a little longer
Once complete, pour contents into bottles of your choosing (in our case, old grappa bottles)
If you really want to get nutty, make custom labels
Claudia was simultaneously making grappa of her own and gifted us many bottles (hers was better)
I hope that you’ve found this to be informative and fun. Making grappa is not the hardest thing in the world, you just need some time and access to good grappa (admitadly, we did chose two of the easier recipes). If you end up trying it at home – let me know. And if you haven’t tried grappa yet, eat a big meal and have a sip. You may be cursing me as the first taste burns your throat, but thanking me as it frees open your full stomach.
