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Need a winter break?
There's still time to book your California Riviera self-guided vacation. Click here to see more details |
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CycleItalia Guided Tours 2011
Here's the lineup for our 13th season of "pedala forte, mangia bene!"
Guided tour dates include flight day and are limited to TEN guests. Reservations taken on a first come-first served basis. |
CycleItalia Wine Corner
Sardegna Red
Unlike wines from Italy's other island, Sicilia, wines from Sardegna are not so easily available in the USA but they're worth seeking out. The wine scene there is in some ways behind Sicily while in other ways way ahead. Fact is, Sella & Mosca of Alghero is one of the largest private wineries in all of Europe.
The "star" Sardinian producer exporting to the USA is certainly Argiolas, from the southern end of the island. Their Turriga (shown here) is a blend of 85% cannonau with 15% malvasia nera, carignano and bovale sardo added, aged in small barrels. Cannonau is a similar grape to the grenache grown in France and Spain but cannonau is more concentrated due to the heat of Sardinian summers. These are great wines to enjoy with grilled meats like suckling pig or lamb. Other reds grown in Sardegna include carignano, the best example coming from Cantina Sociale Santadi, Carignano di Sulcis DOC, "as black as the Sardinan night and every bit as mysterious. It's got some of the peppery spice of an Australian shiraz or Rhone syrah with a core of juicy fruit that gives it accessabilty as a young wine" wrote Vino Italiano's Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch while Italian Wines 2008 gave it their highest award, saying "the aromas range across hay, jam and mineral notes. the palate is deep, dense and powerful." |
Featured Tour:
Sardegna Coast to Coast to Coast
Sardegna is justly famous for its coasts - crystalline waters and beautiful rocky shores. But inland, the island holds a different set of treasures for cyclists - peaceful roads that wind among dramatic rock formations and wind-sculpted Sughero oaks. Ride through sleepy villages with traditional bakeries and women in traditional dress and past herds of sheep, goats, cows, and even pigs. This tour combines the best of Sardegna, beginning with the world-famous Emerald Coast, where ancient tombs meet jet-set mansions. We'll cross diagonally through rocky Gallura to the 12th century fort of Castelsardo on the northern coast, then on to the Catalan-flavored medieval port of Alghero on the eastern coast. Then we'll cross the island again via a different route and descending back to our original starting point in the heart of the Costa Smeralda.
Get the day-by-day itinerary by clicking here |
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Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli
This is Lorenzo's all-time favorite soup, perfect for lunch on a cold day. It can be made to feed vegans if you use vegetable broth and leave out the meat.
2 C dried borlotti beans (pintos will do) soaked in water overnight
4 C broth (homemade is best) made from meat, chicken or vegetables
1 potato peeled and quartered
1 carrot peeled and quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
1-2 oz prosciutto rind, salt pork, or bacon (optional)
1 15 oz can chopped Italian tomatoes
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
3 T chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz short pasta (gnocchi sardi or something similar that will hold up in soup)
Salt and red (cayenne) pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese for grating
Rinse beans, combine with broth and enough water to cover in large pot. Add potato, carrot, celery and meat (optional). Boil, then simmer until beans are tender, usually 1 hour. Meanwhile heat olive oil in separate pan, saute onion, garlic and parsley until soft but not brown, than add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, simmer about 15 minutes. Remove potato, carrot and celery and a cup or two of the beans to a food processor (or just mash 'em in a flat dish with a potato masher) and process until smooth. Return this mixture to large pot, add pasta and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until pasta is tender. Adjust seasonings and serve with grated cheese and/or a drizzle of olive oil. As with most soups the flavors will improve a lot overnight if refrigerated. |
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Don't miss out!
A few 2011 itineraries are nearly sold-out. Don't wait too long to reserve your place for the summer season, we'd hate for you to miss out on la dolce vita in bicicletta for another year.
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Mechanic's Corner
Drivetrain care update
Some of you have expressed concerns about our suggestions for drivetrain care. While Larry will still use his tried-and-true method, after speaking with some of the tech wizards at the recent Park Tool Tech Summit he learned of this more environmentally-friendly method.
Instead of the diesel fuel brushed onto the chain and drivetrain components, fill up a chain cleaning device (like the Park Tool unit shown here) with chain lube instead of solvent. Save money by using synthetic motor oil if you like. Since the dirt sinks to the bottom of the reservoir you can clean your chain a few times before replacing the oil. Recycle the dirty oil in the same way you would your car's used engine oil. First, clean the other dirty parts of your drivetrain with an environmentally-friendly solvent like Simple Green's Motorsports Cleaner - specially formulated to avoid corrosion of alloy and steel parts, then run your chain through the unit until it's clean and well-lubed. Be careful none of the solvent runs into your bottom bracket or hub bearings. Follow this with a soap and water wash using biodegradable soap and clean water to rinse as we described last time.
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No connection to or endorsement by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport is expressed or implied. All rights reserved CycleItalia LLC
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