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Welcome Back Cositutti
Miei Amici
I'm always trying to think of a way to describe to my friends what it was like when I return from a trip to Italy. Invariably they end up with a wide eyed stare and their mouths open in disbelief. At first I'm not sure if this is good or bad but as my journey continues and I talk about my experiences the most frequent comment I end up getting is AMAZING!
As I look back on 10 years and 10,000 miles traveling, eating, cooking and shopping in Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria with my Italian family and friends, I find that this trip was another amazing journey. Not only did I source some new and exciting products for CosituttiMarketPlace but I met with more interesting people who are passionate about Italian food and culture and took me into their homes and kitchens to cook some fabulous food! I traveled to some amazing small towns and villages and some hidden places that are typically off the tourist radar for most Americans.
So I guess that in some ways you can describe my travels in Italy as somewhat unconventional, what I call "traveling outside of the box". There is a different way of traveling in Italy, a way that is more than just a "show and tell" tour and that results in some unique and memorable travel adventures that leave me wanting more.
for frequent posts. Questions about future trips, e-mail A Taste of Cositutti in Italy for upcoming taste and travel itineraries
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Truffles and Termes in Tuscany 
There's more to Tuscany than wine and after many years of traveling the wine roads of Chianti on SS222 under the looming gaze of the Black Rooster (Gallo Nero, symbol of the Chianti Wine League) I was ready for a change.
Don't get me wrong there's nothing more thrilling than traveling along the twisting Via Chiantigiana (SS222). Fields of sunflowers and hillsides of vineyards and olive trees past by and the glow of burnt umber, olive green and red wine color the landscape with breathtaking beauty. You can easily spend a week wandering down the winding roads from this town to the next eating salumi, crostini and wild boar, searching for the perfect ribollito, drinking Chianti, Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, developing what I refer to as the "Tuscan Glow".
But on this trip I was in search of another Tuscan treasure, the aromatic white truffle (tartufo bianco) found in the woods near the town of San Giovanni d'Asso, south of Siena, and along the way pay a visit to a terme, one of the many natural hot springs that can be found in the Tuscan countryside Read more . . .
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Get Your Truffle On
Some have described the aroma and flavor of the white truffle as rich and intense with a taste of honey and garlic reminiscent of the earthy woods in which it is found. Others have described them as a white misshapen knot with a nutty (some would say musky) aroma best left in the leafy understory of the woods.
Each to his own but I would suggest that you give truffles a try. Italians eat them raw, shaved over egg dishes, plain pastas, infused in olive oil, in risotto and soft polenta (I had them over braised pigeon on last years trip). This year I stayed in the village of San Giovanni d'Asso, in the heart of the Crete Senesi, where I was able to get up close and personal with the legendary white truffle. S.G. d'Asso is the home of the Museo di Tartufo, Italys first museum dedicated to the truffle. The museum created by a pharmacist, a chef and a botanist is located in a 13th century castle Read More . . .
But this is only one of the many wonderful things about the town, the other is a remarkable locanda (country inn) Locanda del Castello where Selvana, her son Massimo and innkeeper Fiorella will create the most pleasant soggiorno for you to enjoy truffles, termes and Tuscany plus other activities from wine and cheese tastings to horseback riding,cycling Read more . . .
Some interesting facts about truffles
The aroma and flavors of truffles was thought to be so intoxicating that the Church in the Middle Ages regarded the seductive appeal of truffles as dangerous and they were banned from Medieval kitchens
Rossini, the famous Italian composer, admitted that he had wept only 3 times in his life, "Once when my first opera failed, once again when I heard Paganini play the violin and once when the truffled turkey fell overboard at a boating picnic"
A tartufaio, truffle hunter, accompanied by his trained dog will search early in the morning for truffles when the air is clear and favorable for the dog to smell out the truffle
The most sought after white truffles are found only in select geological pockets in central and northwest Italy, Croatia and Slovenia, and the yield each autumn cannot keep up
The amount of truffle oil required for most recipes costs 25 to 50 cents, a small price to pay for an aroma and flavor that is so unique and irresistible
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| Truffles and Termes in Tuscany |
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White Truffle Oil
Our Advice
Use White Truffle Oil at the last minute as a condiment. not in cooking, heat destroys the flavor of the oil
Store oil in a cool dark place away from heat, light and oxygen
Goes Well
Drizzled Over Soft Polenta
Russet Stuffed Baked Potatoes made with half and half, butter, truffle oil, salt and pepper
Added to Mayonnaise for Truffled Potato Salad or Deviled Eggs
Drizzled over Scrambled Eggs
Tossed with Plain Warm Pasta dressed with butter and Parmigiano cheese
(use 1/8th teaspoon truffle oil)
With Braised Wild Boar
(is said to match the pheromonal content of the meat very well)
Now Available at CosituttiMarketPlace
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| In Truffle
Times |
Many cities and towns in Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria celebrate the white truffle with food festivals and markets during October and November. The town of Alba in Piemonte is the classic big box tourist destination for white truffles in Italy but the towns of Savigno, NW of Bologna (1-2-3 Sunday in Nov), San Giovanni d'Asso south of Siena (2-3 weekend in November) and Citta' di Castello in Umbria (1st weekend in Nov) all have regional truffle festivals.
I'ts all about Truffles this time of the year . . . Read More
Taming the Truffle: The History, Lore, and Science of the Ultimate Mushroom
by Ian R. Hall by Timber Press
Hardcover 
List Price: $29.95
Our Price: $16.83 Buy Now |
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Pamela Marasco
cositutti.com
cosituttimarketplace.com
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