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Was, But No Longer; Stuck With Me & Unanswerable

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A couple days ago, I read one of Bill’s poems.  He’s over there doing NaPoWriMo and this particular challenge asked him to answer the following:

  1. someone I was close to, but I am no longer,
  2. a job I no longer do, and
  3. art that I saw once and that stuck with me.
  4. I was to close the poem with an unanswerable question.

I told him that sounded like something I would like to try as a few things came to mind.  He challenged me to do it.  As I am sitting in Miami Airport waiting for my beau’s plane to land – three hour wait, thank you very much, what better time than now?  Hope my charge lasts as I cannot find a place to plug in!

Before and After

Pots and pots of tea; game after game of Rummy 500; smoking Belvedere Extra Light
We took over the dance floor, breaking only to sip our one Zombie that lasted all night
Love was found and a wedding ensued (I was your maid of honor), to boot
You had two kids and the marriage did crumble but we were there for each other, without a grumble
And then one day, I know now why, we drifted apart and before resolution, you went and died

Summer is the time, and drive-ins are a thing
Filling the popcorn, and cash register pings
How many times can you see the same scene?
E.T. hides in the closet and then Gertie screams
A lifetime ago, I do not regret
Go back there one’s more? I’d have to say no.

Pictures can’t do him justice; they could never come close
To see him in person; c’est pas la même chose
How can a slab of marble be so beautifully sculpted?
Michelangelo’s David is a marvel undoubted
As I stood in awe, marvelling at this work of art
I couldn’t help feeling an ache in my heart

All these things we experience make up who we are.
How would I have been any different if any of these
never came to be or happened at another phase of my life?
Would I appreciate my life any less?

 

September 16, 1984
David

Déjà Vu – Friday Fictioneers

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It’s Thursday and I am late to the party.  Fashionably?  Truth is, I wasn’t even sure I would play this week but I am totally skipping class, so to speak.  I needed a break from the monotonous task that was leaving me brain-dead at work so I have snuck out for a few moments to get that grey matter working.  Shhh… don’t tell my boss.  Thank you to Rochelle for hosting this party and to Brenda Fox for bringing the party favours.  Should you want to play along, just click on my frog carousel below and add your link to your 100-word story.  K. Back to work. None the wiser…

©Brenda Cox

Mouse Fair: Leap Frog Carousel – Action Artwork Rental

Do you ever feel like you’ve been somewhere before even though you know you haven’t?  It’s like a strange familiarity wraps itself around you.

I am walking in the Charles-de-Gaulle Esplanade in Montpellier when I see a beautiful old carousel.  There’s that feeling of déjà vu I mention. As in “already seen”.  I have yet to set foot in France.

Not déjà vu after all.  In Florence, in the Piazza della Repubblica, they have an almost identical carousel situated in a square just like this one.

Must be a European thing, I can’t imagine this in Phillips Square in Montreal!

Getting There

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So way back on Monday, Merril hosted prosery Monday, where we have to write an exact 144 words of prose – not poetry – using a phrase chosen from a piece of poetry (isn’t that sneaky?) This time, Merril chose the following line from Jo Harjo’s “A Map to the Next World.”

“Crucial to finding the way is this: there is no beginning or end.”

Well now. I knew where I was going and then tripped and got busy on other stuff… Determined, I was, to do this baby so here I am! And yes, those who know me, know I am rather obsessed with Tuscany. What can I say? I felt I belonged in the three weeks I spent there!

Getting There

We bought the plane tickets. With cancellation insurance. Which we ended up needing. I knew it, dammit. The thing is, I know better. I know it in my gut that the Universe is always listening… Even when you don’t realise you are sending out the message, she is listening. Needless to say, the plans that were, were no longer. I never expected they’d be erased from the possibility of. Hell, it was no longer even spoken of. That idea had become a dream that I alone was dreaming.

Life is funny, you know. You think in linear terms until you realise what’s crucial to finding the way is this: there is no beginning or end. All the variations of the quote about not being about the destination but the journey are muddily clarified as you realise you did make it. All on your own.

Weekend Writing Prompt #200 – Vista

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A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend.  How you use the prompt is up to you.  Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like.  Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise.  If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.  Must be feeling the urge to travel… Thanks for hosting, Sammi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clear as day

you can see it

yet you’ve never been

you dream

you plan

you finally go

you open the door

the vista before you

leaves you breathless

 

What Do You See? – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #66

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Good Thursday, my peeps. I skipped last week because sometimes one does not feel like forcing the muse. However, this week, she is in fine form.  I was sure I had a photo that was more in tune with Crispina‘s lovely one but none really worked for me.  So, as I searched, I found something and a story was born. Thanks, my friend, for hosting this fun party every week!

What Do You See?

Gosh, that looks forbidding, doesn’t it?

It does. Want to go inside and see what lurks behind?

Dunno. It feels creepy.

You’ll miss something special if you don’t

That so?

Yep.  Shall we?

Lead the way! That way you’ll be eaten first if there are beasties within!

Haha!  Silly, do you honestly think I’d lead you to such a nefarious end? One in which I, myself, would be at risk?

You have a point.  OK, lead on anyway.

***

Gee whiz it’s dark in here!  Are there no lights?

Hang on.

 

She heard the creaking of a door before a beam of light appeared,

 

Hey! Open it more!

Not yet.  Before I open it, you need to know that it is a special door.

Special?

Yes. It will show you your dreams.

No way!

Yes. Close your eyes and think hard.

Done.

Go ahead. Open them.

Wow.  Val d’Orcia in Tuscany…

 

Weekend Writing Prompt #104 – Meander

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A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend.  How you use the prompt is up to you.  Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like.  Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise.  If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.  Shoot! Forgot to thank Sammi for hosting!

Word Prompt

Meander

Challenge

 

I could not help but remember one particular day when I was in Siena and got unbelievably lost.  One wrong turn and you are way not where you think you are!  Needless to say, I meandered more than my share.  Didn’t have a Fitbit at the time, but my phone said I clocked in more than 30K steps!

Walked up this street

Then down this other

Stepped to the side

Then up another

 

I have no fear

I am not lost

I turned to the left

This one I crossed?

 

Back to the right

I’ll find my way

I’ve meandered far

Have I gone astray?

 

 

 

Part of the Plan – Friday Fictioneers

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Good Friday on Wednesday, my peeps!  Yep.  Another week has flown by.  The sun is shining brightly but it is still cold here in Quebec.  I’m having trouble visualising spring, the snow is so high still.  If this house had been settled before yesterday, I would be on the beach with my sisters and mother!  Oh well, I’ll just have to book something after I move by May 1st.

Thank you, always to Rochelle for challenging us to write 100-word stories that hopefully entertain you!  This week she chose c.e. ayr’s photo which reminded me of Italy.

Join in on the fun, why don’t you?

Click me! Click me!

 

Part of the Plan

Whose Vespa is parked outside the door?

Mine, why?

Yours? Really? Since when are you the Vespa type?

There’s a type? Where the hell did you get that notion?

Of course there is. You watch the movies. Any time there is someone driving a Vespa, they are well-to-do types who live in Italy, have al fresco parties with good food and wine and—oh… I get it…

What?

I see what you’re doing. Taking this whole visualisation thing a bit far, no? Wouldn’t it be better to just go back and visit Italy?

But I don’t want to come back.

Cook in Tuscany – La Chiusa, A Surprise, Innocenti and Farewell

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*** EIGHT – yes, EIGHT!!  months have gone by since I returned from Tuscany.  I had so many issues with my computer that I had put this aside to finish later and later never seemed to come.  I am now, if you don’t mind, ready to finish the telling of this fabulous life-changing (for me) trip! ***

♣♣♣TWO YEARS – yes, officially TWO YEARS have, as of today, gone by since I started my Cook in Tuscany Trip.  I am not counting my day in Zug because that would have made yesterday the official two-year mark.  Though I am not pro-resoution, I have promised myself to finish every project I have started and that includes this one.♣♣♣

Now where was I….

Sigh, the last full day in Montefollonico, at La Costa with this fabulous group that made the start of my trip so wonderful. The next morning most would be hopping the van to Chiusi-Chianciano Station to continue their adventures elsewhere or return home.  But till then, we had a full day of wonderful stuff!

As per usual, we had our breakfast in the closed-in veranda before making our way to our last cooking class.  It is kinda funny that we had the van, considering how close we were!  We could easily have walked there and back but hey, why not?  And it’s not like any of us knew where we were going anyway.

This time we made our way to the restaurant La Chiusa, run by Michelin-star chef Dania, a woman who is somewhere in her 70’s but does not dress “accordingly” (whatever that is supposed to be)!  She is one sexy lady!  Though divorced, her husband still works with her.  How very European, eh?

Entrance to restaurant
Dania
The Ex

Dania is very artistic and she showed us how to decorate plates with zucchini and beet purées.  We made stuffed zucchini flowers, pesto risotto, chicken stew, caramel nests, fig and caramel ice cream.  The colour of the egg yolks… I have no words.  And this standard for them!

Purées
Glorious yolks
Chicken Stew
Stuffing the flowers
Venetia stirring the risotto
My caramel

Once most of the mains were started, Dania brought us through to her gardens, which were still amazing in September.  Huge kale, leeks, rows and rows of rosemary, basil, eggplants, peppers, fig trees, zucchini with their blossoms – it was amazing to walk through, while Dania chattered away, occasionally translated by the lovely Geraldine – same who had translated on truffle-hunting day.  I think I would spend hours on this bench, dreaming of what to pick next…

Zucchini and blooms
Cavolo nero
I would claim this for my own
Figs!
A view I would never tire of

Group photo!

We then went into the “pasta” kitchen where Antonietta had us making ravioli stuffed with ricotta and lovely gnocchi.

Ravioli
Gnocchi

All that hard work meant we got to eat al fresco on the terrace.

Stuffed Zucchini
Ravioli
Gnocchi
Fig and Caramel Ice cream

To return “home”, we decided to walk this time.  It was just up a hill, less than a kilometre and let’s face it, walking was not a bad idea.  As we entered the gates of Montefollonico, we were chattering and laughing when I heard “Dale?”.

What the… I spun around and there was Pierre.  One of Mick’s close friends and former clients.  Oh. Em. Gee.  You cannot make this stuff up!  I mean, come ON!  This is not THE rocking place of Tuscany.  This tiny village is tucked away in the middle of nowhere!  I can still hear Donna saying:  “You turned French Canadian in front of my eyes!”  Speaking of eyes, the whole gang got all misty-eyed at seeing us hug.  Pierre looked at me, then up at the sky and let out a “Mick, tabarnac!”  He said he was a little bit of a believer but now was full-fledged.  I had no idea he and his wife, Geneviève, were there on vacation.  And it was his in-laws who wanted to go visit there.  What were the chances?

Pierre and Me

We exchanged emails and made arrangements to hook up in two days.  So. Very. Cool.

We had a few hours to kill before our next adventure and Sandy wanted to deliver an apron to Dania in thanks.  So I joined Donna and her for a walk back to La Chiusa and Dania.

Hiding amongst the ruins
Donna, Dania, Sandy, Me

Our last excursion was down the street from LaCosta to Innocenti Wines.

We were greeted by Vino, Vittorio Innocenti’s sweet dog.  We entered and a few feet in, found ourselves in a fairly dark and musty wine cellar with the big casks.  Vittorio and Laura (Geraldine’s mum) were waiting for us to give us a tour.  Not a very big one!  The place is quite small and feels very intimate.

Vino
Laura & Vittorio Innocenti
Wine caskets
Gifts – and Vittorio doesn’t drink!
Careful walk to the terrace
Terrace
Wines tasted

It was our last night together! How quickly it passed.  How much fun we had.  The memories created will remain forever, of that I am certain.  Friendships created and with the magic of Facebook, maintained.

Our last supper was at La Costa in the closed veranda as the evening was quite cool.  We had a lovely feast of pork chops and the lemon roasted potatoes and balsamic roasted cipollini, three types of crostini (mushroom, roasted tomato and olive), salad and a birthday cake for Cindi and Alison!  A perfect ending to a perfect week in perfect company.  Linda and George gave us each a lovely ceramic plate as a memento.  We would save our good-byes for the morrow.

Plate
Artichoke salad
Trio of Crostini
Paula, LaCosta co-owner

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

 

 

A Tuscan Feast

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“The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living…”
― Dione Lucas

 As this is a post about food and Italy, here’s a little dinner music to keep you company as you read 😉

I thought for sure that this morning I would be suffering from dysania, but no.  The alarm clock went off for François at 6:25 and I was wide-awake.  Dammit.  I had been planning on sleeping in and being totally lazy today.

For those of you who don’t know, in September 2016, I went to Tuscany all by myself.  BEST. TRIP. EVER.  My first week of that trip was spent with the fabulous Cook in Tuscany group, created by the wonderful and irrepressible hosts, Linda and George, and 13 other fantabulous participants, learning how to cook Tuscan food and experiencing a lot of what the area had to offer.  A dream of mine since forever.

Fast-forward to last night.  Okay, maybe not so fast.  It has been one and a half years since said trip.  It was about bloody time I had my sisters and their hubbies over to show off what I had learnt.  (Thank you, Tracy, for nudging me…)

I warned them to come bellies empty because I had a lot to show them!

“I like a cook who smiles out loud when he tastes his own work.
Let God worry about your modesty; I want to see your enthusiasm.”
― Robert Farrar Capon

To get us started on the right foot, I served Aperol Spritz – did I take a picture?  No.  So right.  With our cocktails we had two kinds of bruschette.  Bean and onion and the classic tomato.  I only cut and toasted so many slices so that no one over-exaggerated…

©Marcia Kiesel, Food and Wine

Once they had a little food in their bellies, I put them all to work!  To truly appreciate Pici, one must roll with the dough 😉

“No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”
― Laurie Colwin

Having worked for their supper, they were then allowed into the dining room for the first course, a Tuscan tomato and bread soup.  Now.  I may have screwed up a bit.  I had toasted my bread ahead of time and was supposed to add it to my soup in bits and pieces till I felt there was enough.  In my usual over-zealousness, I dumped the whole bowl into the pot.  Um.  Can we call it Bread and Tomato soup instead?  No one seemed to mind and hey, Tuscan cooking is all about stretching out what one has….  All around, it was declared delicious.

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
― Julia Child

As I had not quite finished preparing my crumbs for the pici, I had them all come back, with their glass of wine, into the kitchen to keep me company (next house, OPEN CONCEPT).  This was a very interactive meal, in case you’ve not noticed 😉

When in Sienna, I went to visit one of the Frescobaldi vineyards, Castel Giocondo, in Montalcino.  I splurged (BIG time) and bought two bottles of their Brunello.  These I kept for this special night.  We decided to decant each one and oh wow.  They were both fantastic.

Pici now cooked and sautéed, it was back to the dining room!  Before Tuscany became the “go-to” vacation spot, even for Italians, they were quite poor.  Salt was used sparingly on food, kept mostly for preserving.  Not everyone could afford cheese, so they “cheated” by cooking stale bread crumbs in olive oil.  It truly gives incredible flavour.  Everyone loved their pasta – it was theirs, they rolled it, after all!

“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”
― M.F.K. Fisher

While we were enjoying our pasta, the pork tenderloin and grilled veggies were being warmed in the oven so there was no longer a need to dance between rooms.

I did, however, remember that I had a bottle of Grappa.  Instead of sipping it as a digestif after the meal, we used it as a “Trou Normand” – a shot which, as they say, serves to make room for the next course.

This was a cheat in the whole Italian evening and I may get a frown from a true Italiano but I’m willing to take my chances.  Besides, the deed is done.

We’re still smiling.  Certainly  not because we are overstuffed.  Yet.

You still with me?

The meal is not quite done!  Time for dessert.  I made panna cotta with two sauces, chocolate and strawberry.  Pick one, pick none or pick both!

“A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. ”
― James Beard

Coffee was served and one would think that it ended there, right?  Wrong.

A little Vin Santo and Cantucci to cap it all off… hoping no one would be feeling crapulous after such a feast!

“I lurched away from the table after a few hours feeling like Elvis in Vegas – fat, drugged, and completely out of it.”
― Anthony Bourdain

 

Cook in Tuscany – To the Farm! Then Hunt For Truffles!

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Apologies for the delay… Major problemos with my computer and I just couldn’t upload photos!  What’s the point of tormenting you with my trip if I can’t supply the photos, eh? 😀

Darn, with each new day came new adventures but also brought us closer to the end.  This day was a fun one, for sure!  We were off to Podere il Casale, a 100% organic, self-sufficient working farm where sheep and goats were raised to make the famous Pecorino cheese.  As well, the outdoor wood-burning stove was ideal for bread making.  Aww shucks.  We were going to learn all about cheese and how to make Tuscan bread and foccacia. How sad.  Broke my heart, really. 😀

Tuscan bread cooling off
All kinds of pecorino
Dark shows how aged these are

The owners of the farm, a lovely couple named Sandra and Ulisse (originally from Switzerland) were wonderful hosts.  Ulisse is a self-taught cheese master and Sandra does hostess duties.

Sandra
Ulisse

Allora, first things first.  As bread and foccacia need time to rise, first thing to do was to get the breads started.  Piero, our bread teacher was so very sweet and charming. Most of us were put on foccacia duty while four were put on Tuscan bread duty.  Mixing and kneading and resting – interesting note:  as salt was once so expensive it was used as currency, the Tuscans did not salt their bread.  They’ve kept up the practice.

Piero
Making focaccia
Kneading
Time to rise

While the dough was doing its magic, Sandra took us on a tour of the farm, introducing us to all the animals and showing us her impressive garden, then showing us where the cheese is made and stored to age.  The farm is fully functional and many young people were on hand doing their stages, learning all the inner-workings.

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We then hung out with the Cheese Doctor, Ulisse.  It was amazing to watch the cheese come to life before our eyes.  There is an obvious joy to his doing his craft.  To think he is self-taught and is now one of the top pecorino cheese guys in all of Tuscany!

Ulisse with a pot of fresh goat’s milk
Holding a pot of fresh rennet
Gathering the curds which will be put in molds

Time to bake our foccacias! Piero showed us how to roll out our dough, prick it all over with a fork, pour olive oil over it and smooth it all over, sprinkle with fresh rosemary and salt… except Piero filled the salt bowl with sugar!  We couldn’t figure out why it was so sweet… That situation got rectified soon after amidst lots of laughter

Red-hot oven
Pricking all over
Sliding it in
My turn
My foccacia
Everything is better with wine

So, of course, now that we have opened out appetites, it was time for lunch!  This ended up being a vegetarian meal, ending with a sampling of some 15 different cheeses!  Is there anything better than dining al fresco?

Dining al fresco with Rosemarie, Venetia & Alison
Salad – finally!
Cheese balls, chickpeas, figs, oh my
Organic pasta made on site
The cheese platter with fig jam, honey and fruit
One of each, please!

As if the day wasn’t already fabulous, we were off to truffle hunt with PierPaolo (not sure how he spells his name) and his interpretor, the lovely, Geraldine. When not giving a tour, PierPaolo takes all four dogs out with him but since he had all of us to worry about, he only brought two!  It was the funniest thing to see these dogs get all excited and not want to give up their truffles!

PierPaolo & Geraldine
Give it up
Handful of black truffles
PierPaolo with the kids

After such an exciting day, it was back “home” at La Costa for pizza and salads and frankly, I think we’d had quite a bit of excitement for the day!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 8