A Life, Lived

Travel Tuesday - Sant'Antimo

The Abbey of Sant’Antimo, a former Benedictine monastery is situated in a picture-perfect setting just about 10 km south of Montalcino, just below the medieval hamlet of Castelnuovo dell'Abate.

It’s one of the most important examples of monastic architecture of the 13th century and by far the most important Romanesque building in southern Tuscany. The church was built around year 1100 and took the place of an older 9th century abbey. Only a few parts of the first abbey are left. It belonged to the Benedectines, and to the Guglielmite friars thereafter.

The Abbey was founded in the era of Charlemagne, and is a prestigious example of the meeting between French and Lombard Romanesque architecture. It was then enlarged in the 12th century.

We were lucky to visit it on our last trip to Italy.

Garden Update

It's been a minute since I have posted anything about the garden.

This time last year was the start of the struggle against the deer. IN the end, they treated the garden as a buffet but I was left with enough veggies to make it worthwhile.

This year the deer haven't broken through the fence . . . yet. They have with some of the other gardeners apparently.

One of my struggles has been with potato beetles. Resistant to sprays and powders, the best way to keep them in check in a small garden is to find them and squish the heck out of them. This includes any egg clusters (thank goodness they are a bright neon orange and easy to spot) and larvae.

The weeding is intense - they grow so damn fast and not it is so dry they are difficult to remove properly.

We desperately need some rain. Hopefully the forecast for Sunday will be accurate.

This is a panoramic view of one side of the plot:

Sunflowers, corn, pole beans, potatoes, peas and carrots.

The other half:

Radishes, beets, onions, cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, and sunflowers.

Take Your Cat to Work Day

Yes, this is exactly how it would go.

A Teacher's Life

Bagno Vignoni

Bagno Vignoni is very unique: nowhere else in Italy will you find its main central square has a pool filled with hot springs water. 49 meters long and 29 meters wide, the Renaissance-era piazza is built directly over the original source of hot springs as enjoyed by the Romans.

The Etruscans and Romans loved hot springs not just for keeping clean, but for their medical properties. Since the 9th century, the springs here and in Bagni San Filippo, located a bit further south at the foot of the Monte Amiata, have been mentioned in old travel journals of abbots and others making their pilgrimage down to Rome (and many on to Jerusalem). Bagno Vignoni is, in fact, just a few minutes off the Via Francigena, one of the most important travel routes taken by pilgrims from England down to Rome and to the Holy Land. Famous historical figures, including Pope Pius II, Catherine of Siena and Lorenzo the Magnificent, enjoyed the hot springs at Bagno Vignoni on a regular basis.

The hot springs in Bagno Vignoni have always allowed water to flow even during the warm summer months, thus several water mills were constructed along the Orcia river over the centuries. These ancient mills, along with a complex system of water canals and gorges today constitute the Parco dei Mulini, or Park of the Mills, created in the 1990s.

 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Slab Pie

Strawberry-rhubarb slab pie is a summertime crowdpleaser, especially with a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Sweet strawberries combine amazingly with the tart flavor of rhubarb, and your favourite pie crust takes this incredible dessert to a whole new level of goodness.

Strawberry rhubarb is a classic summertime combo that just makes sense, especially since strawberries and rhubarb share the same peak season. Snag fresh stalks of rhubarb at your local farmer’s market (or plant your own if you’re in the right growing region) to enjoy this crisp and tart produce item all summer long!

A slab pie is nothing more than a large pie baked in a rectangular baking dish that is more shallow than a standard pie pan. If you have a baking sheet with a one-inch lip (I used a jelly roll pan), you’re good to go! Since slab pies serve more people than a regular pie dish, slab pie recipes are perfect for feeding a crowd. Think summer barbecues, family gatherings, holiday weekends… If you’ve never made one, a slab pie is definitely in order.

Strawberry Rhubarb Slab Pie

1 double crust pie crust

For the Filling:
3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb
5 cups strawberries, sliced
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch (heaping)

For the Streusel Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter

Roll out dough to 19 by 14 inches and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Crimp the edges and refrigerate until ready to fill.

For the filling, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Toss until combined.

For the streusel topping, pulse the flower, brown sugar, and butter together in a food processor until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs.

To assemble the pie, spread the filling evenly over the pie crust. Sprinkle evenly with the streusel topping. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is browned and the juices are bubbly. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

A Brilliant Idea . . .

Rhubarb Martini

This Rhubarb Martini is made with a simple rhubarb syrup that is mixed with vodka and lime juice. Make this easy summer cocktail by shaking the the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker for a refreshing pink vodka drink.

Once the syrup is made, it can be stored in the fridge and taken out to make individual martinis as desired!

This martini was so tasty that even Jake wanted a piece of the action . . .

Enjoy!

Rhubarb Martini

Rhubarb syrup:

2 cups diced rhubarb
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar

Add the water, sugar, and rhubarb to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes or until the rhubarb is softened and stringy.

Strain the rhubarb using a cheesecloth or strainer into a large glass jar. Discard solids. Cool and refrigerate syrup.

Martini:

2 ounces rhubarb syrup
1½ ounces vodka
1 ounce lime juice
thin slice of rhubarb soaked in ice water (I used a vegetable peeler)

Combine vodka, rhubarb syrup, lime juice, and ice in a shaker. Shake until frosty.

Pour into a martini glass.

Garnish with the slice of rhubarb.

Travel Tuesday - Burano

When it was time to leave Verona we gathered our luggage (which was getting rather heavy) and took the train to Venice.

Venice was crowded so we tended to stay clear of the popular spots and spent time wandering areas that generally weren't on the radar of cruise ship passengers.

One day we hopped on a Vaperetto to Burano.With fewer crowds and a more genuine feel, this historical fishing village offers another side of life on the Venetian Lagoon.

Today, Burano is still a quiet village with about 2,000 full-time residents and its main industry is tourism, with day trippers from Venice coming to buy lace and photograph the colorful and picturesque canals. It's much quieter and more laid-back than the big city, and while the small town can definitely feel crowded on a busy summer day, it's nowhere near as popular as Venice.

I Feel Seen . . .