SMOOTH ‘SOAVE’ AND SOPHISTICATED

Soave is approximately an hour’s drive west of Venice and 30 minutes east of Verona. The town is well-known as one of Italy’s best small towns. Its main feature is the hill-top castle which stands in splendour on a hill in the Veneto countryside.

The fairy tale beauty is framed by vineyards stretching over the soft rolling hills. A pleasing sight when driving along the ugly nearby Autostrada A4.

A perfect stop for lunch. Although the town was very quiet, we had no fear of not being able to find a good place to eat. A few steps away from the centre we found our restaurant.

Inside was a warm inviting array of shelves of wine, wooden tables, stained glass windows and stone walls.

Lunch was served and we were treated to a crisply cool and softly tasting glass of the beautiful local Soave wine and some antipasto.

Primi piatti followed,  an excellent pasta dish.

Feeling well nourished and content we were ready to explore the town further.

A short climb up the hill takes you to one of the most beautifully preserved medieval castles in the region.

Reportedly the castle dates back to the 10th Century. A fantastically preserved drawbridge stand proudly at the north entrance.

The drawbridge leads you around to the grounds. Here you can’t help feel a strong sense of the castle’s history. Towers present a cross sectional view of what may have been before.

We are then led to  the spectacular main rooms of the castle. Unfortunately photographs were not permitted inside the rooms.

Small pockets of history are found all around like a treasure trail.

The castle walls were a perfect canvas for the stunning countryside.

The area is also well known for Soave wine. I hate to admit that previously, my  knowledge of Soave was limited. I thought the wine tended to be only  cheap and cheerful part of the good wine spectrum.

Happy to be proved wrong, we thought it would be rude not to stop at one of the local wine producers on the way back through the town.

This was also a very good descision.

Another very satisfying experience. The wine was superb. Unfortunately we may have to go back again as we do not seem to have bought enough.

But that is not a problem as Soave is definitely worth visiting more than once!

Il pranzo della domenica (Sunday Lunch)

On a crisp, cold and bright Sunday in February,  the perfect plan was hatched:  a lunch at the nearby friendly restaurant, followed by a walk in the  park adjacent to the restaurant.

‘Ristorante Corale Verdi’

I first learnt of this restaurant before we moved to Parma. We  were feeling a little nervous about the move, uncertainty and trepidation was prime in our minds. So when Chef Rick Stein’s programme on BBC on food and music, namely  Italian opera, was shown I was ready to be seduced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sm1g0

Rick Stein talked of a restaurant where upstairs the Operatic Society met and practiced while downstairs the chef cooked traditional ‘ Cibo Parmigiano’.

Corale Verde was therefore a must visit on our adventures to Parma. Our first visit we ensured we booked a table. Completely unaware of how ‘to eat in Parma’ we then proceeded to have the Antipasto, Primi and then Secondi Piatti. Probably a mistake every ‘green’ tourist to Italy may make.

Of course we know better now. Two years after our first, perhaps embarrassingly naive visit, we moved into a lovely apartment, just a stone’s throw from the said Restaurant. A very beautiful, almost Bohemian part of the city, near the University.

Sunday lunch, the great excuse for a warming comfortable meal, not rushed, and savouring the atmosphere of the ‘Italian Family celebrating Sunday’.

Our family is now slightly diminished as the two older boys are at University in the UK.  A table for three, although a small number, would soon blend in. We arrived early as we had not booked, but were greeted warmly by  the staff, making us feel right at home. Luckily for us the restaurant was empty, a table for three? Certo, prego senza problema…….

The empty restaurant soon filled  becoming a noisy bustling and busy place. We soon felt perfectly comfortable, surrounded by all the other Italian families, and ordered our meal in anticipation.

Antipasti Tris-di-bruschette

 

Primi: Ravioli ripieni di patate e culatello

 

Primi:
Tagliatelle funghi e castagne

washed down with a lovely bottle of local ‘Monte delle Vigne’ rosso wine

After our anti pasti and primi, secondo piatto was out of the question.

But as we were not in any hurry we sat back sipped our wine, chatted and watch the scene around us, including the restaurant’s owner proudly serving up the secondi for other diners.

Bolliti di Carne

Dolce

 

Caffe

A ‘Perfect Sunday Lunch Experience’.

All that was needed now was ‘walk  off lunch’ around the Parco Ducale. The Restaurant has its own gate backing onto the Park.

http://www.trovavetrine.it/ristorante-coraleverdi/

Modest Modena

If I was to list a few tips on finding ‘true Italy’, number one on the list is definitely go and see the city with a local and look at it through their eyes. Last Saturday some friends invited us to join them in Modena.  The city was celebrating their annual festival of San Geminiano, the patron saint of Modena. We took the train, an easy and cheap 30 minute journey from Parma. Ideal for a day-trip. On arrival in Modena, the streets were quiet and sedate, we followed the signs taking the route to historic part of the city, a little concerned as it all seemed a little too quiet for a city which was ‘in Festa’.

We were lucky as, although it was cold, the sun was shining warmly on us and brightened the glowing colourful display of the painted buildings in front of the cobalt blue backdrop of the sky. The serene atmosphere was short lived, as we got nearer to the historic centre, crowds came from nowhere; music was playing, chatter and confusion in the air. An array of market stalls. Clusters of vivacious greens, brilliant whites, and sunshine kissed yellows, and vibrant reds.

Stalls packed in side by side, selling diversity from fur hats to salted cod. Warm comfortable smells reminiscent of childhood: peppermint, popcorn, candy floss, candied fruit, crepes, chocolate, fresh bread, liquorice and cosmetic sandalwood and lavender soaps.

We met our friends in front of the Cathedral, well the side of the cathedral as our friend explained, but knew where we would be! A cappuccino was the first priority. We were taken to the oldest cafe in Modena for a superb cappuccino. A quick plan of what to, where to go what to see…….in summary…….. ‘Go with the flow’. While strolling through the busy streets to soak up the atmosphere, our hosts informed us that the festival is one of the biggest religious festivals in Northern Italy. Historically, San Geminiano was the second bishop of Modena. According to legend he saved Modena from invasion by the Huns led by Attila, by miraculously orchestrating for Modena to be hidden in a thick blanket of fog, thus the invaders did not know the city existed. Away from the hustle and bustle, we could take in the pure modest beauty of Modena. Palaces, Cathedrals, museums, street art and Food Markets.

Next stop time for apertivo, a fascinating bar, again one of the oldest in Modena. A welcoming, warm and eclectic place which appears to advertise the sale of ‘drugs, liquor and coffee’.

‘Droghe’ relates to more to caustic soda, beeswax, fish glue, bicarbonate of soda etc. These products were stored all around us in elegant antique drawers. We sipped our Prosecco in this lovely old fashioned bar, having both an Italian and history lesson. Next lesson was Art and Architecture, a study of local street art and more beautiful buildings.

A stop at the famous food market was on our lists of places to visit. A friend of mine who had lived in Modena for many years, always speaks highly of the market, saying it is a must see. I can see why!

Lunch was calling; this was probably one of the most important parts of the day and strategically vital to have our ‘local experts’. Adding to my list of tips on ‘seeing true Italy”, and finding the best places to eat, I would definitely recommend:

• again, most importantly, go with a local
• When it comes to food, if you see locals in a queue, join it.
• When in the queue ask what the general form is i.e. register a name.
• be patient…… it will be worth it
• Don’t be put off by the look of the restaurant from the outside, if there’s a queue it will be good.

And it was………………

We waited just over half an hour for our table. So we did not want to rush our meal. Although conscious of the locals who continued to patiently queue for tables, well onto the late afternoon. Everyone was very demure, polite and courteous. The food was delicious, totally justifying the popularity among the locals. A great way to finish a lovely day. With many thanks to our hosts, Ivan and Lesley, for inviting us to explore ‘Modest Modena’ at its best!