38 always more online @ eatdrinkmag.net issue twelve ? september 2008 TRAVEL
Chianti Culture in Casks
By Ann McColl Lindsay In a dining room 500 meters up in the hills near Panzano, some of Italy's finest achievements in ceramic art, wine production, food and film-making synthesized for us around the table. We were paying guests at Villa le Barone, owned by the Della Robbia family since the 16th century and set among vineyards that produce its own Chianti Classico label. The proprietor, Duchessa Franca Visconti Viviania Della Robbia had married into the branch of the aristocratic Visconti family that had produced Luchino Visconti, the director of one of my favorite films, Death in Venice. Over the dining room table, a delicate iron chandelier hung from a wreath of porcelain lemons, grapes, and clusters of green leaves, the work of an earlier Della Robbia, famed for his ceramics. That evening our host, S. Guerrieri, poured the first glasses of the current year's Le Barone, to accompany a refreshingly light pasta dish in an uncooked sauce. When we asked to meet the chef, he introduced us to his wife, Norma. She was proud to explain how to chop the fresh tomatoes, shred leaves of basil, cut little squares of buffalo mozzarella, add a sprinkling of parmesan and olive oil, toss it all in a large pasta bowl then tip in piping hot, strained pasta, which melts the cheeses and blends the flavours. When I asked permission to write her recipe in my small food and drinks journal, she beamed and offered to make a few more of her specialties. The next evening, her son Fernando proudly carried a large round platter directly from the oven to our table. His mother wished us to see her famous ricotta tart intact. It was not the customary openfaced quiche, but a delicately formed envelope of light pastry completely sealed, with concentric circles of pastry decorating the The Italian countryside.eatdrink savour stratford this september 20th & 21st!6 34 40 45 14 32eatdrink? crunchy carrots & tasty tomatoesthe return to flavourslow foodbenvenuti to authentic italian ...9519 667 0535thebraywick thebraywickthe best products you'll never seegreat food ... fine wine ... good timescopper is cookware for kingsin stockelegance & simplicityvisit our newly designed & expanded showroom onta rio's west coast choco-liciousthe buzzthe sunnivue farmstore schnitzel schnitzel??????????????????????? katana kafémykonosjambalaya is jump-up world cuisine25years 28celebrate the harvest30www.relishelgin.cawalker's is a tradition to savour33foraging now easier in bayfieldwinemaker's dinner serieswhat's up, doc? carrots!chocolate carrot cake chianti culture in casks39screen doors and sweet teacooking blue cheese pecan breadbounty from prince edward countyartevino 2008 wine award winnerswhat's brewing in craft beer culture46what do london women want?"more than a visit... an experience!?