When our friends, Nathan and Danielle had come to visit this past spring – Danielle pointed at a unique outdoor-oven-with-a-chimney-thingy in a neighbors yard and asked what it was. I replied with all the confidence in the world that it was an Italian-style BBQ, but in reality I wasn’t positive. I had seen the smoke billowing through the chimney and I had seen many of these things in other neighbors yards – but I had never inquired about it. I asked my “go-to guy for all things Italian”… Jen’s uncle, Franco. He confirmed that it was in fact a BBQ and a fairly typical one in Italy. So, my educated guess was right. Whew!
Classic Italian style outdoor grill
I noticed shortly thereafter that the typical gas Weber grills we’re accustomed to using in the States are non-existent here. In fact, it’s possible you may see a round charcoal grill – but more often than not, it’s one of these large, permanent fixtures that people use to grill.
Jen may rule the kitchen around here, but I’ve always loved to rock the grill! As soon as I learned of this wonderful outdoor oven (it’s really more of a wood burning oven, than a simple grill) I knew that we absolutely needed one. However, we live in a condo with other families and we needed everyone’s approval before one of these beauties could bask in our communal yard. Franco became the champion of the project and pitched it at the very next board meeting. The grill got a unanimous vote and so when Jen’s parents were here visiting, we went to acquire the grill.
Franco, Dominic and Gianfranco discuss the various merits of certain grills with the clerk
Once again, I learned that things that are usually simple in the States (i.e. buying a car or procuring cell phones) is not necessarily the case in Italy. Buying a grill requires many visits to the store, many discussions, lots of construction and many more discussions. I was a little taken aback when Franco picked up cement and outdoor paint, realizing this was going to be a much bigger project than I originally expected.
Collaborating on the best way to load the grill into the truck
After our second or third visit to the hardware store, Dominic purchased the grill and we loaded it onto a friend’s truck. He helped us deliver it to the building and we carried the unbelievably heavy grill, piece by piece into the yard. A week or so into the project and we were only marginally complete. The grill lay disassembled, piles of cement and stone until we all returned from a quick jaunt to Scotland. By the time I was finally able to roll up my sleeves and start slinging cinder blocks – Jen’s parents had boarded a plane bound for the States. Sadly, Dominic never got to enjoy the BBQ that he helped acquire. That certainly didn’t stop his brother, Franco from encouraging me to send him images of our first festa (party). Brothers will be brothers!
Construction begins
Stefano helps mix the cement as Franco and I set the frame
Stage One complete!
Claudia scolds me in Italian for dunking Julia’s head
Julia thought this was the funniest thing
Julia wanted to help
We place the final piece
And we’re done! Our new grill is complete
My beautiful baby
The first party we had was a blast. Our neighbors below are from Naples – and boy, do they know how to party. They had extended family show up and bring delectable treats with them. I was pushed away from the grill as Aurelia and her husband, Stefano took over. As I watched a jaw-dropping amount of meat depart the grill – I was glad I had been sent to the sidelines. I know now that I was out of my depth. We feasted on pork ribs, beef ribs, lamb, porchetta, speck and various types of salsiccia (sausage). Our waistlines thanked us for the grilled vegetables – eggplant, zucchini, peppers and more. We devoured homemade salumi and cheeses that kept appearing each time I turned around. Of course, the cheeses were from all over Italy (“this is from Veneto… aged 24 months” or “my grandmother made this in Napoli… it stayed under ground for 36 months”). Hours later, the desserts (insert image of the best homemade tiramisu’s I’ve ever had) and then the coffee appeared. This was quickly followed by round after round of grappa (homemade, of course). All this – and it was just a first of many parties!
Franco shows me how it’s done
This was the first image that I sent to Dominic – I still feel guilty, but Franco and I got a kick out of it
Our first festa went late into the night
Since then, we’ve had many more outdoor parties – including a pizza party, where all the Napolitane baked their own bread and made pizza from scratch.
Setting the table
Now the food has arrived
All different types of homemade pizza
Various types of homemade cheeses from Napoli
Stefano got a mini-keg of beer
Aurelia teasing us for taking so many photos
The food was delicious
Cousins and nieces and nephews. Neighbors and friends – the best kind of pizza party
This seemed to be the easiest way to transport all the grappa
When my parents were here visiting, we decided it was another good time for a BBQ.
Everyone gathers around, doing various tasks
Julia plays a little calico (soccer)
Stefano gets a few lookey-loo’s while grilling (including my dad, who couldn’t understand a word being said)
Beef ribs get a nice sear while the charcoals glow beautifully
Jen’s cousins, Franco and Claudia and my parents
Aurelia telling me “smettere” (stop) with the photos. Her sister Angelina shows me the meat
The pot kept getting magically refilled with grilled meat before it was ever emptied
Everyone digs in
Julia was certainly no exception
Another late party
Another time, we wanted to bring all the family together and so all of Jen’s cousins came for a festa.
The younger generation of cousins pose together
I’ve used the grill for a simple meal for the five of us (myself, Jen and Julia along with Franco and Claudia) and not to be outdone by any Italians – I got about three times more meat than necessary.
Would you eat an entire picante peperoncino – Franco shows us how it’s done
All told, we’ve had a wonderful grilling season and while I’m anxious for the fall and then winter – I’m already looking forward to the time when I can dust off the ol’ tongs and have another Italian-style BBQ!
Jen and I recently went to Scotland with her family (HERE) and had a fabulous time exploring the Scottish Highlands. We saw Aberdeen and quite a bit of the Scottish countryside. Next on the agenda was a trip to the country’s capital, Edinburgh. The original plan was to make it a day-trip, but we felt that there was too much to see and do in just one day (not to mention a two hour drive each way), so we planned an overnight stay.
Country road in Ballater
These dry stone walls have been used as field boundaries for well over a thousand years in Scotland
We set out early in the morning from our cottage in the charming town of Ballater, and headed south (still on the wrong side of the road) toward Edinburgh. I was simply amazed to see how the landscape could change so quickly from one part of the country to the another (the colors went from a lush, fertile green to a more rustic, almost coarse landscape – beautiful in it’s own right).
A hilltop basking in the sun, near Ballater – in the Scottish Highlands
A sheep sits down for a rest
Booming commercial center near Ballater
There was a long and desolate stretch of road as the hills flattened and changed their colors
We paused at a scenic overlook to drink up the new landscape
Jen and her sister, Jessica are naturals in front of the camera
Since we opted for an overnight to Edinburgh, we weren’t as rushed to get there, freeing up time to see another glorious castle. Based on local feedback, countless websites and geographic convenience along our route, we chose to visit, Glamis Castle– often dubbed, “Scotland’s most beautiful castle”. The current home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (yes, they really do live there; we could still smell the pleasant aroma of red cedar in the fireplace from the night before) began in the 11th century with much more humble beginnings. Set far in the woods within the town of Glamis, the current castle was once merely a hunting lodge nearly a thousand years ago. But changes in Royal titles, transfer of property, the ego of a few as well as some sordid stories of murders and love affairs transformed a simple hunting lodge into the massive castle it is today. There are legends of a ghost playing cards with the devil until dawn and myths of a monster strolling through the long corridors at night. The castle plays a prominent role in Shakespeare’s MacBeth when Duncan is murdered by MacBeth in Glamis Castle. And what proper castle would be without it’s Royal ties? Glamis Castle has boasted a direct link to the Royal Family in many ways, since 1372 (most recently, the childhood home of the Queen Mother).
Glamis Castle
Welcome to Glamis Castle
Julia went right up to knock on the front door
“Well, if no one is home… I’ll just use this as a back scratcher”
The lion’s are a symbol of the castle and appear in some form in every single room (except the chapel)
Interior photographs were strictly prohibited. Obviously, I couldn’t resist.
Billiards room
Someone’s bedroom – I was hanging back too far to listen so that I could get this shot. In retrospect, I see how dumb that was. I’ll just call it… the “guest bedroom”.
My favorite room – the trophy room where Earl Beardie plays cards with the devil each night (behind the wall to the left)
After the tour (I’ll have you know, I only got scolded for using my camera about four times), we were free to walk about the museums and gardens. First, we viewed a toy soldier exhibit and read more about the Royal history with the castle. Then we strolled around the castle, along the nature trail and into the Italian gardens.
Impressive toy soldier exhibit
Private gardens adjacent to the castle
More lions
Castle from the side – the lion protects this side
Jen’s parents, Dominic and Diane snuggling up
And smooching a bit
Julia felt right at home in the Italian gardens
One of the garden’s intricate gazebos
A beautiful hedge wall enclosed the magnificent gardens
A path covered by a canopy of trees interweaving their branches
View from the garden looking back toward the castle
A similar view with Julia (who would barely stand still long enough to take one quick shot)
A second gazebo framing the garden
A guardhouse stands alone from the castle
View from the road as we departed such a magical place
After we left the castle, we pushed the rest of the way toward Edinburgh, pausing only long enough to capture a few wonderful scenic photos. We arrived late in the afternoon and strolled around town. We stopped for souvenirs and found a perfect kilt for Julia. Jen’s father, Dominic suggested that it had been too long since our last whisky and so he purchased a few miniatures for us to enjoy as we took in the sights. I didn’t hesitate to jump on board – that’s why he’s the best father in law around!
We would pass fields that glowed almost a bright, neon yellow
This guy was sitting on the job
I regretted this photo-op. I think the booth was more commonly used as a toilet than a phone
Gothic tower surrounds the statue of Sir Walter Scott, completed in 1846
Bank of Scotland, Head Offices
Allan Ramsay statue stands in front of Edinburgh Castle
Who can resist images created from flowers?!
Edinburgh Castle overlooks the older and newer parts of the city
Part of the castle
Every city has pricey real estate – you’re looking at some of Edinburgh’s most expensive private residences
And again from a slightly different angle – the old city frames the backdrop
This looks like a good place for a “selfie” LOL, #lovescotland
And this looks like a good place for a serious sip of whisky
Jess took a little sip of her own
The Anderson Clan
After walking for a couple hours, we bent the tour towards the George Street – a pedestrian friendly street full of pubs and restaurants. We found one with tasty looking food, a good atmosphere and appeared to be baby-friendly. We picked correctly and had a wonderful meal. However, the best part was when we ordered the haggis. Julia simply could not get enough. She would scream for the waiter to leave her plate each time he tried to clear it, until she got every last morsel (for those that don’t know what haggis is… just google it).
Haggis and potatoes for the table to share and try (even Diane tried it… and liked it)!
Julia nearly finished the entire plate herself
The next day, we encountered a typical Scottish drizzle (perhaps a bit heavier than a drizzle). With only indoor options appealing to us, but still a lot of city to cover – we found ourselves at a crossroads. We discovered the perfect solution aboard one of the city’s “hop on-hop off” tour buses. We were covered and warm, but still got to see all the highlights of the city, explained to us by a charming tour guide (through a thick Scottish accent).
Scotland is a city divided essentially in two. There is the Old Town, composed of wonderfully narrow and intricately wound streets that exude more charm than you could imagine. The west side of the Old Town is dominated by the large and imposing Edinburgh Castle. Over time, as the city became more and more populated, Edinburgh became one of the world’s first cities to develop “high rises” with 11 and 12 story buildings built as early as the 16th century. At one point in the 18th century, the city decided to assess property taxes based on number of windows in a building, so many building owners bricked over most of their tenant’s windows. You can still see these tax-evading buildings as you drive through the city. As population reached an all-time high in the Old Town, trash became a problem. During the night, people would dump their trash and toilet refuse from their windows onto the streets below. It became well known which streets to avoid after a night drinking in the pubs, lest you wanted a shower of the worst kind.
When the population reached an unmanageable amount, city planners developed the New Town on the northern end of the city. A young, relatively unknown 27 year old, James Craig became the lucky architect for the new city. He did a wonderful job establishing a well-laid city that stood in stark contrast of the chaotic city just south. Edinburgh became divided by Princes Street. Take note, that it is Princes (one “s”) and not Princess Street as many people mistake. The King had two sons and named this important street after his two male heirs (plural for prince). When the New Town became developed in the 18th century, the city planners hoped and envisioned that the cities elite would immediately move to newer section. But no one did – no one wanted to move to what was essentially “the boonies”. So the city built some of the most elaborate and beautiful homes and actually paid the cities upper crust to move into the New Town.*
Below are some shots I snapped on our tour as the bus rolled at a rapid pace through this fascinating city.
*The interesting little tidbits I sprinkled in above, were all given to me from the tour director.
Royal Scottish Academy, featuring a magnificent collection of works by Scottish artists
A street scene in the old city
A closer view as we drove beneath part of Edinburgh Castle
After experiencing a wonderful tour and benefiting from a clearing sky, we elected to exercise the “hop-off” feature of our tour and headed around a bit by foot. We did a little shopping, a little walking and a little eating. Diane got a plaque with her Clan’s tartan for her new home in Maryland.
Julia plays with her nonno
Striking church door
Julia turned out to be a pretty decent make-shift hat during a drizzle
Edinburgh is a port town – you can se the water along the horizon
We wrapped up an amazing couple days in Edinburgh and set our courses back to Ballater. We travelled along a new route and got to experience even more of this wonderful country. A few of my favorite images from the drive are below.
This was absolutely stunning in person
Why did the sheep cross the road? So I could stop in wonderment that this was actually happening
He let me get about 10 feet away before he started telling me to back off
Our wonderful trip to Scotland had come to an end. So too had Jen’s family’s visit with us in Italy – sadly, we bid them arrivederci, cheerio, adeus and a good trip home.
No, I didn’t wear one myself, but only because we were already half-way through our trip before I came across a store that sold them. Real men also eat haggis (sheep’s heart, liver and lungs encased in it’s own stomach) – I did do that! Of course, so did my two-year old daughter… and she probably had more than all of us combined.
A scenic shot of the River Dee in the Scottish Highlands
Since living abroad, we’ve been able to get in touch with most of Jen’s roots. Her father is Italian (hence us living in Italy) and we’ve gone to many of the places where he has or had family. Since he grew up in Africa, we still have that left to do. Jen’s mother grew up in Ohio, and having crossed that off the list multiple times – it was time to go a bit further. Diane’s lineage is a mixture of Irish (we went to Dublin in March, HERE) and Scottish. Now, it was finally time to go to Scotland! And since Jen’s parents and sister were here visiting us, we would all embark on this adventure together.
Jen’s mom had reserved a private cottage exactly where I wanted to be… in the Scottish Highlands. There were a variety of reasons I was excited about this particular area of Scotland. The beauty of the countryside is well renowned. The area is an important part of the country’s and the world’s history. But I think there were two reasons more intriguing than all of that.
1) Many of the scenes from my all-time favorite movie, Braveheart were shot and took place in the Scottish Highlands.
2) Most of the world’s fine scotch is made in the Highlands.
I needed no better reason than those above to break out the scotch and watch Braveheart (for the umpteenth time) with Jen’s parents before we boarded our plane to Scotland. Jen’s eyes rolled as I screamed “FREEEEEDOM” along with Mel Gibson for the 1,000th time since we’ve been together.
After a short flight from Milan, we landed in Aberdeen, Scotland famished. We had one important task to tackle before we would allow ourselves to eat lunch… re-training our brains to drive on the wrong side of the road (that’s right to all you Brits, Aussies, Scots, etc. reading this blog… the wrong side). Jen’s father, Dominic and I each rented our own car and narrowly missed colliding into each other as we took a few practice laps around the parking lot. Five minutes later and confidence at 100% – our plan was fairly simple; we would spend the day touring Aberdeen before driving north to our cottage in Ballater, a charming town in the Royal Deeside. By the time we had parked our cars for lunch, it became apparent that none of us had packed properly for the Scottish weather. We ducked into a TKMaxx (I suppose it’s the Scottish cousin of TJMaxx) and bought jackets and warmer wears. I suppose it pays to read a few more blogs before traveling and arrive prepared.
Once we were warm and cozy, we walked around Aberdeen for a bit. We found a charming pub that fit the bill of exactly what we wanted. I scarcely glanced at the menu before ordering what I knew I would be the staple of my diet all week – fish n’ chips.
Old Blackfriars – the sign didn’t lie, it was Good Food indeed
My fish and chips, served with peas (although not mushy peas as tradition dictates, still delicious)
The “Belhaven Best Steak Pie” that Diane ordered
Julia found time to fit in a few slots
After lunch, we walked around Aberdeen a bit more and discovered truth to the nickname, the Grey City. Our group was weary and ready to shed our luggage. Additionally, we still had a two hour drive to Ballater, so our Aberdeen tour was cut a bit short. Headed due north and still on the wrong side of the road, we undertook one of my top 10 all-time favorite drives. The Scottish countryside was every bit as majestic as I would have imagined. We found Ballater, we found our cottage and then we found a great place for dinner later that evening. Unfortunately for Jen’s sister, Jessica – she had yet to find a wifi signal. Something those crazy, young kids need these days.
We wasted no time on our first full day in Scotland. The country is full of castles and Diane, knowing how much Jen and I love castles, was eager to share in the exploration of the country’s historic beauties. She had spent many fruitful hours researching a few castles to visit. Our first choice was somewhat local to our location, Balmoral Castle. This particular castle was an excellent choice, because of it’s direct and current ties to the Royal Family. It is the Queen’s personal residence each fall and has been used consistently by Royals since 1852. The castle is closed to public tours from August through October each year while the Queen takes up residence.
For posterity’s sake (and because I chuckle each time I think about it) I would be remiss not to mention a funny anecdote. When we purchased our tour tickets, I mentioned that my mother-in-law was of the Anderson Clan. The little old lady working in the shop proclaimed that “she knew many Anderson’s in her day and they were a bit like the Drummond’s… but nothing like the Cameron’s…” and on and on until she arrived at, “but watch out for those Macfie’s, they’re sheep stealing bastards, they are!” with more conviction than I would have expected from such a sweet little lady on such an otherwise innocent exchange. Sheep… stealing… bastards. That absolutely made my trip!
Balmoral Castle gates
The gatehouse and museum
Full view of the gatehouse
Julia prepares to go in the castle
But not without her audio guide
“I’m ready guys, let’s go!”
Balmoral castle from the main courtyard
I loved the turrets of the castle
Another angle
Part of the Queens garden – her bedroom overlooks a rose garden and then this beautiful, sunken garden
Julia was delighted to be in the Queen’s garden
She found such wonderment in the fountain as well
After a delightful tour of the castle (admittedly, it was more a tour of the grounds than the interior since the castle is still very much in use) – Jen, Jessica, Julia and I went for a stroll along the River Dee.
We took a stroll along the river
As well as the adjacent pathway through the woods
Beautiful scenery
The girls in the woods
I was so happy to be in such majestic outdoors
Julia was so happy, she broke out dancing
Sissies forever!
“What a day!”
At the end of the day, we checked in with the properties Event Manager to listen to all the activities available to us. They had some wonderful choices including fly-fishing, nature walks, bike tours and horseback riding. But the one that immediately caught the attention of me and Dominic was the whisky class, happening in a mere 30 minutes! I think we both half-expected the ladies to bow out and head back to the room, but we were pleasantly surprised when all three (Diane, Jen and Jess) told us they wanted to join in on the fun and spirits too.
All the whisky we got to taste
Whisky is as much a part of Scotland as cold weather, kilts or bagpipes. But let’s pause for a minute, because you may have a question.
“Greg, you referred to it earlier as scotch and now you’re calling it whisky. How come? Isn’t whisky different? And while we’re at it – how does bourbon play into all this… isn’t that in there somewhere? And is that stuff, rye invited to the party?”
If you already know the relationship between these spirits, please continue to the next section. If you’re curious – please read on. First, I called it scotch earlier to simplify things and use the commonly accepted American vernacular for this drink. Scotch, is in fact a whisky. So is bourbon. So is Tennessee whiskey and Irish whiskey (those would seem obvious) as well as the often forgotten rye. So, all these delicious brown drinks are considered whisky.
Dominic drinks with his new English pal
So what differentiates all these types of whisky’s and what’s with all the different names (but speed it up, would ya)?
Can’t promise to speed it up, but let’s continue. The differentiators are [mainly] their geography, the ingredients/process used and their spelling (notice the “e” comes and goes). Let’s start with geography. Whisky made in Scotland is, Scotch Whisky (even though we call it “scotch” they just call it “whisky” and laugh at anyone that calls it scotch. It would be like ordering an “American” when you really meant to order a “Budweiser”). If it’s made in Ireland, it will be an Irish Whiskey (think, Jameson). If it is made in that young country we call America, it will either be a Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey or Rye. Bourbon is made (to my knowledge) exclusively in Kentucky while Tennessee Whiskey (think, Jack Daniel’s) is made exclusively in Tennessee. A few years ago I sought to unravel this web and found a blog that rumored the only difference between Tennessee whiskey and Bourbon was that the Tennessee folks didn’t want to claim the same name of anything made in Kentucky, and so Tennessee Whiskey was born (as I’m doing a little boning up for this piece, I’m learning that there is more to it). In any event, it turned out to be a wonderful marketing angle for Jack Daniel’s. Oh yeah, and then there’s Rye. It’s made in America and Canada, but as far as I’m concerned – it’s really only prevalent in Canada (think, Crown Royal). Rye is nice and all, but a bit forgettable at times (just like our nice neighbors from the north).
As far as the ingredients, they use malted barely on the more formal side of the pond, while us swashbuckling American’s distill from corn (heck, why not – we have a lot). Oh yeah, and that forgettable rye drink – you guessed it; it’s distilled from rye (although in Canada it doesn’t have to be… yeah, that makes a lot of sense, Canada!).
Our instructor, Gordon Muir pours some malted barley into my hand
OK, I’m afraid to ask… but I will anyway. Now that I know we’re discussing whisky from Scotland, what is the difference between a single malt and blended whisky? I really will fit this one into a nutshell (as I have a lot more typing left to do). A single malt is whisky that is all from the same distillery. The distillery will usually blend many different barrels to make their final product, but it will all be from the same distillery (think, Glenmorangie 18). A blended scotch whisky is the final product of whisky from two or more distilleries (think, Johnnie Walker – yes, all of them from Red to Blue). I didn’t know Johnnie Walker was a blend either (yeah, I’m talking to you), until my time in Scotland. If you want to read further on the subject, check out this guy’s blog – he does a far better job answering this particular question than me.
Me and my boy after a fun tasting
Since Scots call their drink simply by it’s proper name, whisky – henceforth so too shall I share in this fine tradition and proclaim, whisky whilst blogging about the great Scotland and forevermore (at least until I return home to the States – lest someone pour me a glass of Jim Beam, when I really meant Oban). Interesting fact that I learned while doing these whisky tastings (yes, a few more tastings were still to come). To add ice cubes to a nice glass of whisky is simply sacrilege and (I’m quoting my instructor here) “reserved for the Americans and those bourbons they call…pause for a chuckle… whiskey”. He went on to explain that the only good thing an American whiskey was good for is to mix with some of Scotland’s more inferior whisky’s to “liven them up a bit“. I spoke with a Scottish accent the rest of the class and hid the bald eagle that had previously been perched on my arm.
OK – whisky lesson over. WAKE back up!
Dominic walks Julia back home after the tasting
For those that endured a quick history on whisky and hoped for a more exciting adventure along the trip, I’m sorry but I may have to disappoint you. For those that skipped ahead as I offered you could do many paragraphs ago, I have accidentally mislead you. When I said to simply “skip down” I hadn’t yet consulted my photos, which chronologically catalogue our trip. So, you may be dismayed to learn that the whisky tasting only whet our whistles for a whiskey tour in an actual distillery. So you get… more whiskey photos! But before we did that, we went to go see the Falls of Feugh, explored some of the magical countryside and visited an intriguing suspension bridge.
The Falls of Feugh (pronounced almost like the naughty F word)
The Scottish-Irish crew
Scottish countryside – absolutely breathtaking
There were sheep everywhere
Dominic and I pause for a photo along the path to the suspension bridge
Father-daugher photo
My “artsy” shot with my muse
I felt like we were taking engagement photos
View from the bridge
The view from the other direction
Queen Elizabeth opened the bridge in 1988
A Scottish thistle (emblem of the Scottish nation) not quite in bloom
Digitalis Purpurea or Foxglove Flower
After all this time with nature, it was off to visit the Royal Lochnagar Distillery and see firsthand the process of how whisky is made. This particular distillery produces a relatively small amount of single-malt whisky each year. The distillery received it’s Royal Warrant in 1848 when the owner, John Begg invited Prince Albert to stop by for a drink. He offered him a sheep ride back to the neighboring Balmoral castle, since it wasn’t that far away (OK, I made that last part up).
The sign out front
They had Highland Cattle out front
The breed was developed in the Scottish Highlands and Western Isles
I couldn’t get enough of these guys
Apparently, neither could he
Fields in front of the distillery
I’ve never seen a more welcoming front door
Jessica stops to welcome us
A display of some of their finer whisky’s
If you want to buy a good whisky – just consult this group above, you can’t go wrong with any of them
I snuck all the following interior shots. We were not allowed to take photos inside the premises… but they didn’t realize I had a BLOG to write!!
On the left – peat (a wood burned to add smokey flavor), barley both natural and malted and an old scale
On the right – an old fashioned kiln that would be fed with peat
Copper pot still used during the distillation process
Barrels used during the aging process
The distillery always sets aside some of the best for a special whisky released in limited quantities
Our guide demonstrates how to property seal a barrel
Look at the mugs on these two – guess no one taught either of us how to smile
Water is a critical element in the process – this is the reserve that Royal Lochnagar uses
Another thing I learned – this is the “official” design of a proper whisky glass adopted somewhat recently
The next adventure within our Scotland trip was a pilgrimage to the capital, Edinburgh. Since I boiled 1,094 pictures from this trip into a mere 120 for this post – I think I’ll pause here and resume with a new post. Tune in again soon – plenty more fun to come!
Julia has officially been our favorite little peanut for two years now! It seems like just yesterday that we were having fun at her first birthday party in DC and only a blink before that when she first held my hand in the hospital delivery room. And now it was already time for another birthday!
Our birthday girl one year ago
What a difference a year makes!
Also, what a difference a country makes – birthday cake last year, tiramisu this year!
Jen’s parents and sister were happy they were here for the big day. We’d already had tons of fun together, which you can read about HERE. We had just gotten back from a trip to Abruzzo the day before (HERE) and we had to make quick work getting everything together for her party. It was going to be low key – just some family over for a few snacks and cake. If you know my wife and mother-in-law, you’ll know that “low key” was not easy for them. Dominic and I had to keep reminding them it was just a small gathering – no need for their always impressive party-planning skills to be put to the test.
The room is ready… Julia passes the time on momma’s phone. Nonno passes the time sneaking a snack
The table is set – just munchy things, Italian style
A little outdoor space for anyone who wished to take in the sun
Julia’s cake and some extra pastry that Dom picked up as a special surprise
Buon Compleanno – Happy Birthday! I bet they had to check the spelling twice; here it’s spelled Giulia
We hosted everyone on the Sunday before Julia’s birthday because it worked better than the actual date itself (a Tuesday). We strung balloons and decorations. We put out the food and we displayed the cake (which happened to be the most delicious torte I’ve ever had). The family all arrived and aperitivi where distributed. The party was fun and most importantly, Julia enjoyed it. She loved opening all her presents and had a great time playing with her cousins.
Julia sports her pretty party dress
“Oh yeah, I’m ready to party!”
Dominic (aka Mimmo, aka Nonno, aka Dom) gives a very nice toast
“Cin, Cin! I’ll drink to that!”
The cousins pose for a family photo
Julia with Jen’s Zio (uncle) Franco and Zia (aunt) Claudia
Julia wouldn’t give up her fake ice cream cone even though she had the real deal right in front of her
Zia Jess helps Julia with some of her new toys
Julia had a blast opening her presents
On the actual day of her birthday, the entire family went over to Agriturismo Cassinazza, a local agriturismo behind our home. An agriturismo is essentially an agriculturally-based operation that draws clientele in to view (or even participate in) their operations (which can be any combination of farming, livestock, etc.). Additionally, it can (and usually is) combined with lodging and/or dining. So, in most cases – you can stay in the agriturismo (like a bed and breakfast) as well as eat there (in their restaurant, which usually serves some of the freshest food you’ll find). We have found that these are some of the best restaurants and charming hotels as we have been navigating our way through Italy. So, to have such a nicely maintained one behind our home is a real treat. Their restaurant was simply amazing and we had a wonderful lunch.
The two prettiest girls this blogger has ever seen!
“Momma… cavalli (horses)”
Agriturismo Cassinazza has beautiful animals
Jess and Julia stop for a quick photo
Julia goes for a swing
But I think she found something more interesting to her left
Agriturismo Cassinazza is a wonderful place to stay or dine
Inside their courtyard, the tables were set for lunch
They even produce their own wine
Julia plays at lunch – being the center of attention is nothing new for her
“Now this is the kind of cake I can get into…”
“Yeah, I meant that literally!”
Everyone together after lunch
After lunch, we were poking around the grounds, showing Julia the animals when one of the workers saw us and guided us into a private area in the back. Within the little fenced area were chicks, ducks, turkeys and a few other little creatures that were all simply wonderful to play with.
She only wore her crown for a little while
Petting a baby duck
Julia was fascinated by the animals
She was tickled by how quick they were
Nonna coaxes Julia into kissing one of the baby ducks
I think she was in heaven herself!
We had two wonderful days celebrating our little girl, but we didn’t have much time before we would be back on the road… Diane’s ancestors in Scotland were calling (probably with a mouth full of haggis) and we were about to respond! Our plane to Scotland was departing in just a few days…
Recently, Jen’s family came to visit (HERE) and since we’re not the type of family that does well sitting still, we planned a couple trips within their trip. One of these week-long sojourns was an impromptu visit to Civitella in the Abruzzo region- Jen’s nonna’s (grandma’s) hometown. The official name of this gem of a village is actually, Civitella Messer Raimondowhich is home to less than 900 residents. Jennifer and Jessica grew up going to visit their nonna and family friends in Civatella during many of their summers abroad. Since I had never been to see such an important part of my wife’s family history – I was excited to go.
Civitella Messer Raimondo – the place where it all started!
There were only four of us that made the decision to go to Civitella because Jen’s sister, Jessica had gone off for the weekend to visit a friend in London. When we made the decision to go, we realized it would be easiest to pick Jessica up at the airport in Milan and continue the remaining four hours south (already having a one hour head start). We played out a few scenario’s in our head’s where we told Jessica we were going to whisk her immediately from a fabulous weekend of high-end parties with twenty-somethings in one of the world’s most fabulous cities to a small village in a rural part of Italy with her immediate family and a baby. Putting ourselves in her single, Sex In The City mindset… I think we all realized this would be a hard adjustment of vacation speeds for her. She’d most likely want to fly in from London and come home to Como for a day or two to decompress before re-packing. At a minimum, she would want to drive home and pack for herself before turning around and heading back out (all very understandable). Of course, this would add anywhere from 3 hours driving to shortening our trip by a couple days. We were not sympathetic to her anticipated needs and so we formulated a plan. We would pick her up from the airport with the car packed and ready to go. We would simply drive south and when she eventually realized we weren’t approaching Como, we would already be two-three hours in the wrong direction. We were all on pins and needles as we picked her up. I whisked her bag out of her hands and into the fully packed trunk. We peppered her with questions about her weekend so she wouldn’t notice signs heading South as opposed to North. Jen almost blew the whole operation when she burst out laughing so hard that she cried. Luckily, she covered with some lame excuse and Jessica’s usually razor-sharp intuition was dulled from a long weekend of fun. When we were about 20 minutes away from the airport a calm washed over us all… we pulled it off! Of course, the eventual earthquake of truth wouldn’t be far off from rocking the car and crushing Jessica’s plans of a relaxing afternoon at home. After being in the car for well over an hour, her suspicions could no longer be redirected and I delivered the news to her through choked back laughter. She was less than entertained…
“Five hours in the freaking car after flying all day!”
“NO paparazzi!”
Even though my father-in-law, Dominic grew up in Africa; nearly all his Italian roots are traced back to this small village. So, it’s no surprise that so many years later he still has friends all over the region. Even though his mamma’s house was big enough to accommodate us, it was easiest and most comfortable to stay at a B&B owned by some family friends in the larger town “next door”, Fara San Martino. La Piazetta is owned and run by Pietro and his wife Antonietta – a beautiful B&B, perfect for our family. Once we got settled in, we visited a nearby town, Casoli before heading to Civitella and Jen’s nonna’s house – a home that has been in their family for at least five generations. We ran into the neighbors, Antonino (Tonino) and Maria across the “street” (really, more of a cobblestone alley) and they invited us in for a coffee. This somehow turned into a full meal with homemade salumi (various types of cured meats), fresh fruit, fried cheese and homemade wine. We were a bit full from a big lunch, but I’d like to see you try telling an Italian woman you’re not in the mood to eat! We were glad we did – it was all wonderful.
The view from Dominic and Diane’s balcony in La Piazetta
Jess and Jules at the hotel
A view in Fara San Martino – you’re quite literally next to the mountain
The fountain in the center of Fara San Martino, you can fill up your bottles with mountain water
Dom giving it a go – perhaps the best water we’ve ever had
Casoli from afar – where we went after breakfast the first day
Another view of Casoli
This dog came to say “hello” as we each snapped the above image – I think we can all read Dom’s mind here…
A street scene in Casoli
Me and Julia in front of the Castello Masciantonio
We asked these ladies for directions and they also gave Julia candy and biscotti in addition to the directions
Julia crosses the street, content after a lunch of pasta and lamb (her real shirt was covered in sauce)
Jen’s Nonna’s house
Three generations out front of mamma, nonna and bisnonna’s home
A wonderful makeshift lunch – well done when you have six surprise houseguests
Pietro’s cousin (also named Pietro) brought Dominic into the pasta business years go (nearly two decades ago). This Pietro (the pasta Pietro, not the hotel Pietro) ran Delverde (a large high-quality pasta company) for years before branching off and starting his own gluten free pasta company, Farabella. Their family owned company now makes wonderful pasta that fits perfectly within a quickly growing segment of the market. Their factory is nestled amongst the other three companies all sharing the precious mountain water that is a critical ingredient to their pasta. Along with Farabella, DeCecco (you’ve definitely seen it in your grocery store), Delverde (you may have seen it) and Giuseppe Cocco (you probably haven’t seen it unless you go to high-end Italian specially stores) make up the four corners of this pasta-prodcuing town. I would suspect that these four companies within close proximately to each other produce a large percentage of the world’s intake of pasta – to be eclipsed only by one company, the Wal-Mart of the pasta world, Barilla located all over Italy and the world.
Delverde pasta company
DeCecco takes up the most real estate, by far
When Dominic was working for Pietro and Delverde in the 90’s, their families grew very close. In fact, Pietro sent his son, Antonio and his daughter, Marilina to live with Jen and her family at separate times. They learned perfect English and a perhaps even a few of our American habits. Antonio was so excited to see us in his hometown, he happily adopted the role as our tour guide. He started showing us all over Abruzzo, starting with a tour of their amazing factory.
Is Julia in love with Antonio or his hat?
Oh, DEFINITELY Antonio!
Antonio starts the tour
I embarrassed him, taking pictures of his tour. I assure you, he was excellent under pressure
Some of the unbelievably clean and technologically advanced machinery
Antonio shows us some of their flower and explains it’s properties
They were making gnocchi that day. The mix goes through a long road on it’s way to become…
Gnocchi!
We could eat the gnocchi uncooked, right off the line. It was still warm from the dough mixing
Some spaghetti set aside to dry and properly form
Antonio, didn’t you learn not to play with your food?!
What a great tour for the girls
After the pasta tour we went to a nearby town, Guardiagrele for some sightseeing and shopping. Later that evening, we met Antonio’s parents for dinner at one of their favorite restaurants in that area, Villa Maiella. We had no idea what we were in for! I think there something like 10 courses (I missed photographing a couple) and each one was better than the last! The restaurant is mentioned in the Michelin Guide for Italy and Mario Batali praises it as one of his favorites in Abruzzo (HERE). It was nearly midnight before the bountiful cornucopia of food and wine stopped flowing.
Dusk sets in Guardiagrele
Street scene
We went to a park
Julia loved this particular bridge
Julia reaching for something she shouldn’t… we’ve never seen that before!
View from Guardiagrele
Dominic, Diane, Rosanna & Pietro
“Cin cin!”
Bistecca alla tartara (steak tartare)
Bianco di tacchino con finocchi, noci e arancia (White turkey with fennel, orange and nuts)
Riso, patate e baccala (rice, potatoes and salt cod)
Millefoglie ai porcini (puff pastry with mushrooms)
Manzo leggermente scottato (lightly seared beef)
Raviolo di burrata allo zafferano (homemade burrata ravioli with saffron)
Tagliatelle di semola grezza con porcini (homemade tagliatelle pasta with raw porcini mushrooms)
L’agnello: al ginepro e alla brace (lamb prepared two ways, with juniper and grilled)
Semifreddo al parrozzo (homemade parfait)
Various biscotti and other desserts served with the espresso
Of course we needed our cafe…
…then our grappa!
The next day, Antonio took us to his home in the beautiful beach town of Pescara (about 45 minutes away).
Group shot in Pescara
Spending time on the beach with dad
Sisters in the sun
After seeing Antonio’s home and spending a little time on the beach, he took us to a friend’s winery, Cantine Spinelli. Anotnio’s friend and owner, Carlo toured us through the existing facilities as well as through the impressive expanded facilities, currently under construction. I was awe-struck by the scale of it all – they produce wine that is shipped all over the world and they are continuing to grow. At the end of the tour, he presented us a gift of many different bottles of his wine, including several bottles of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo – my favorite wine produced in this region of Italy.
Spinelli wines
View from the winery
Impressive new facility under construction
Julia on the roof of the new building
Wine ready to ship
They ship all over the world – these labels were in Chinese for their distribution over there
Inside the private cantina of some of the finer vintages
Everyone with Carlo
After being such a good tour guide, Antonio did have to get some actual work done – so we temporarily relieved him of his duties and made our own way to the beach for a day. We had lunch at the same beach-pizza place Antonio showed us the day before and spent some fun in the sun.
“I’m heeeere… let’s get this party started!”
“This sand needs to be moved from here to there, stat!”
“I’ve gotta take a break… have you seen my milky colored skin?”
“Our” new pizza place that Antonio had showed us the day before
At the end of the day, we went to Pietro and Rosanna’s home (Antonio’s parents) and had an exceptional dinner cooked by Rosanna. Pietro took Dominic and me into his private cantina (wine cellar), where he makes his own wine. He let us try all the various vintages and allowed both Dominic and I to each pick a wine to accompany dinner. Like so many other things with us, this became a small competition – each of us willing the group to drink the wine we selected (if memory serves, my decanter was emptied first). Pietro presented Dominic with a 1974 Barolo, a generous and exceptional gift.
The gang’s all here (at Pietro and Rosanna’s)
They had some fun playground equipment that Julia could’t get enough of
“Guarda me!”
Jen caught us taking in the incredible view from their balcony
They had a traditional copper pot that was used hundreds of years ago to transport water
It wasn’t so easy to balance without hands
“It’s not so hard, see I can do it!”
Pietro shows me one of his prized cane… with a sharp surprise inside (a long blade)
Antonio’s grandmother, fresh from working in the yard and telling Dominic that she remembered him as a boy
Inside Pietro’s private cantina
Dominic enjoyed his free samples
Dom’s wonderful new gift
A beautiful table set by Rosanna
Pietro had an amazing old Leica SLR camera Antonio brought out to show us
A long a fun-filled week had past. We needed to get back to Como because we had an important birthday party to plan… Julia’s second birthday party!
I don’t know who was more excited… Jen to see her parents or Jen’s parents to see their granddaughter. It was close, but judging by the suitcase of presents exclusively for Julia, I would give the edge to Jen’s mom, Diane. Of course, this suitcase (along with the 42 other suitcases Jen’s mom, dad and sister brought) got lost somewhere over the Atlantic and didn’t arrive for another two days (the airline had to hire a Mack truck to deliver everything in one trip).
Julia playing with Nonna on Day One
As you’ve no doubt surmised from above, Jen’s family came to visit recently. They wanted to see the country they love, their second home that has been overtaken by three squatters, their kids and their granddaughter (not necessarily in that order). And we were thrilled to see all of them. Since the timing was right with their work schedules and nursing school (Jen’s sister, Jessica had just graduated), they were able to stay a full month. We had plenty of down time relaxing and plenty of time on the go-go-go. Since so much happened during this month, the story of their visit will most definitely be broken into a few posts.
“I LOVE the view up here!”
Julia chilling with Jess by Lake Como
We made quick work getting to Como and spending some time visiting many of the other lake towns. Early on during their visit, we had lunch at a place we’ve been wanting to try, Al Veluu in the lake town, Tremezzo. We had tried to visit this restaurant in the past (with my Aunt and Uncle), but ran into a problem more common than you may think. They were closed for several months – this time, due to renovations (usually it’s more along the lines of… “we’re on vacation, come back next month”). The apparent renovations paid off – the restaurant, terrace and view were all exceptional. Secretly, Jen and I were thrilled to show Dominic and Diane a new place they hadn’t tried in their many years coming to Como.
Ristorante Al Veluu
The land this building sits upon has been in the family for over 300 years
Another angle of the restaurant and Inn
Passing through the entryway
Dom and Diane were so happy to be back in Italy, they were all smiles
Julia made quick work playing with the toys
She even found some friends to play with
The view from the terrace
A shot of the terrace – we made friends with our “neighbors”
Another angle of the incredible view
Some delicious bread to get us started…
…which went perfectly well with this olive tapenade
Dominic and I started with a steak tartare made table side
Vitello Cotoletta alla Milanese con arugala (veal chop lightly breaded and topped with salad)
Piccata di Vitello “Al Veluu” (veal scallops in white wine with spicy red sauce and capers)
Incredible desserts
They tasted as good as they look
The complete dessert inside
Julia loved her lunch and we love to kiss her!
Another day, we took the funicolare to the hilltop town of Brunate, which sits high atop Como. Jen and I had visited on a fog-filled day this past winter (HERE), so we were eager to soak up the incredible views that we knew Brunate offered (but were previously impeded for us). Diane suggested a restaurant she had been to before. If you know Diane, you’ll know that she is a creature of habit (let’s just say on her first visit, she was dumbfounded that we would go to the other grocery store or park in a different parking lot in Como). So we knew if she had a good experience at this restaurant before, trying to convince her otherwise would not be worth our lives. Luckily, she nailed the pick – they had amazing views, the best cheese plate we’ve eaten since living in Italy and Dominic and I enjoyed the most tender capra (goat). Julia even had fun kissing the head of the fish from Jen’s dish.
View of Lago di Como from Brunate
Julia had an incredible time at lunch
She played the drums with her Nonno
Then stopped for a pose with Mom and Dad
As well as Nonna
Another day still, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Menaggio. OK, OK… we really enjoyed some wonderful gelato.
Julia always goes to splash in this same fountain in Menaggio
Stopping for a photo-op with her Nonni
“Mom, this is my cone – get your own!”
“That goes for you too, Nonno!”
Apart from all this rolling around town, we also took two marvelous trips while they were here. We had previously planned a visit to Scotland, but we also planned an impromptu visit to Civitella in the Abruzzo region of Italy. This village was Jen’s nonna’s (grandma’s) birthplace and hometown. Since both trips were so rich with stories and experiences of their own I will continue them in separate posts.
“I’m exhausted already, you’d better break this into a few more posts!”
