Yesterday though was nice, although cold and bit overcast in Siena. The day before (Wednesday) Patti Bechi sent me a text message giving us the particulars of whom we needed to call about the “nature train” which was scheduled to leave Friday morning. This is part of a series of special trains, which provide local tourists with access to particular festivals around southern Tuscany and at the same time providing transportation in vintage trains. Pretty cool we thought. So we called and put our name down on the reserved list and were told we needed to meet at the Siena train station no later than 9:50 am.
We got up had a bite of breakfast and headed off for the station. The first thing we noticed as we were walking to the station was that there was absolutely no traffic anywhere – and hardly any people. And it was after 9 am. Odd we thought. Did something happen and we weren’t told?
So we arrived at the station around 9:30 – it’s only a 30-minute walk from our apartment -- and we thought we would try and find out exactly where this train was or at least where we were supposed to be in order to get aboard.
After a few moments of confusion we actually did speak with a couple of people who appeared to be in charge (of something involved with our train at least). We learned it was coming from Florence and would pick up the Siena tourist group on it’s way south at a little bit before 10 am.
We got up had a bite of breakfast and headed off for the station. The first thing we noticed as we were walking to the station was that there was absolutely no traffic anywhere – and hardly any people. And it was after 9 am. Odd we thought. Did something happen and we weren’t told?
So we arrived at the station around 9:30 – it’s only a 30-minute walk from our apartment -- and we thought we would try and find out exactly where this train was or at least where we were supposed to be in order to get aboard.
After a few moments of confusion we actually did speak with a couple of people who appeared to be in charge (of something involved with our train at least). We learned it was coming from Florence and would pick up the Siena tourist group on it’s way south at a little bit before 10 am.
That’s right – you heard correctly – tour group.
And not just your run-of-the-mill group but a group of some 100 Italian tourists of all ages packed into a train made up of about 5 reproduction vintage carriages from the early 20th century, all heading down to southern Tuscany and to the Olive Oil festival in San Quirico d’Orcia.
And not just your run-of-the-mill group but a group of some 100 Italian tourists of all ages packed into a train made up of about 5 reproduction vintage carriages from the early 20th century, all heading down to southern Tuscany and to the Olive Oil festival in San Quirico d’Orcia.
Anyway, we had a leisurely ride aboard the “Treno Natura” down into southern Tuscany all the way to Monte Antico where we stopped in order to bring the locomotive around to the other end of the train so that we could head back north. We headed off northeast up through part of the Val d’Orcia – for those of you who have read any of Iris Origo’s work you will know that name well – and eventually stopped at Torrenieri, not far from Montcalcino. We then boarded a couple of busses, which shuttled us all into San Quirico. Located about midway between Montalcino and Pienza San Quirico is a beautiful typical Tuscan hill town with one long main street running the length of the town and tiny streets coming off of it here and there ending in spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately much of the surrounding countryside is becoming covered with the all-too-typical sprawl.
Shortly after arriving in town we “experienced” lunch rather than just eating it: it was held upstairs above one of the small tratorrie along the town’s main street and one would never have expected such an enormous room – which could easily accommodate 300 or more people – with a stage and enormous kitchen – in such a seemingly small location. Anyway it was a wonderful meal including typical Tuscan dishes with antipasti, zuppa, pasta, and a “secondi” of roasted, thinly sliced pork with veggies and salad. We both enjoyed the two hours or so it took to eat, all the while listening to a cacophony of Italian voices!
Afterwards we all strolled about the town spending quite a bit of time tasting a variety of different oils – the latest harvest of course was the rage and virtually all that we could see was unfiltered. What we sampled was delicious – but we discovered a little thing the Tuscans do with their bread and olive oil: they put salt on it. Some of the tasting booths were grilling or toasting their bread and rubbing garlic on it but also putting salt on it as well. Tuscan bread is notorious for being made without salt rendering it quite bland.
The Tuscans argue, however, that the bread should be a vehicle for the rest of the food, be it soup, pasta or whatever; the bread should take on the flavor(s) of the rest of the dish. Sort of the same idea at work in tofu? Anyway we found the same phenomenon later that night when we ate at Cantina in Piazza and Aimone offered us some of the new oil from Castellina in Chianti – which by the way was also very good and a bit peppery. He too suggested putting salt on it along with the bread.
As we were wandering about San Quirico we caught a bit of local flavor when some of the townsfolk came out dressed in a variety of clown-like costumes and performed a sort of street parade for a half hour or so, entertaining everyone with their goofiness and music.
The Tuscans argue, however, that the bread should be a vehicle for the rest of the food, be it soup, pasta or whatever; the bread should take on the flavor(s) of the rest of the dish. Sort of the same idea at work in tofu? Anyway we found the same phenomenon later that night when we ate at Cantina in Piazza and Aimone offered us some of the new oil from Castellina in Chianti – which by the way was also very good and a bit peppery. He too suggested putting salt on it along with the bread.
As we were wandering about San Quirico we caught a bit of local flavor when some of the townsfolk came out dressed in a variety of clown-like costumes and performed a sort of street parade for a half hour or so, entertaining everyone with their goofiness and music.
A real find though was the Horti Leontini, a small garden just inside one of the town gates that had a sculptured set of hedges much like a small English garden but with truly fantastic terra cotta statues scattered throughout, mostly nudes but several relief works as well. It would be nice to come back and photograph this during a really sunny day and with the big Nikon.
At about 4:30 we found our way back to the meeting place to pick up the bus back to the train. The train got back to Siena at a little after 6 pm and we found it raining of course. But it was a light rain and we opted to walk home.
We dumped our stuff off at the apartment, grabbed the computer and headed off to the internet to check emails, etc. Afterwards we stopped at Cantina in Piazza for our evening meal. We had hoped to cook but many businesses normally open in the evening – like our fruit and vegetable stand – were in fact closed. It turned out that Thursday was indeed a major festa day: the festival of the Immaculate Conception. No matter we had a delicious meal and also got a chance to work on our Italian and spend some time with some nice folks in the bargain. Not a bad deal at all.
So Friday has been, as I say, lousy. Roberto had car trouble so we couldn’t do any exterior shooting today – with the bad weather it would have been a wash in any event. We did meet him at his cousin’s place, Peccati di Gola – where they make the absolutely best Ricciarelli in the city. I had decided that I wanted to put up a web page on his confections and pastries much like I did for Aimone and the Cantina and wine in Siena so we finally got a chance to see some Ricciarellis being made and I shot some video footage as well – why I have no idea but ya never know.
Oh and Susan tried her first batch of Ricciarelli the other day – they were delicious but different in texture, very much like an almond macaroon and not like the Senese Ricciarelli at all. I dubbed them Susanelli and I can’t wait for the next batch!
At about 4:30 we found our way back to the meeting place to pick up the bus back to the train. The train got back to Siena at a little after 6 pm and we found it raining of course. But it was a light rain and we opted to walk home.
We dumped our stuff off at the apartment, grabbed the computer and headed off to the internet to check emails, etc. Afterwards we stopped at Cantina in Piazza for our evening meal. We had hoped to cook but many businesses normally open in the evening – like our fruit and vegetable stand – were in fact closed. It turned out that Thursday was indeed a major festa day: the festival of the Immaculate Conception. No matter we had a delicious meal and also got a chance to work on our Italian and spend some time with some nice folks in the bargain. Not a bad deal at all.
So Friday has been, as I say, lousy. Roberto had car trouble so we couldn’t do any exterior shooting today – with the bad weather it would have been a wash in any event. We did meet him at his cousin’s place, Peccati di Gola – where they make the absolutely best Ricciarelli in the city. I had decided that I wanted to put up a web page on his confections and pastries much like I did for Aimone and the Cantina and wine in Siena so we finally got a chance to see some Ricciarellis being made and I shot some video footage as well – why I have no idea but ya never know.
Oh and Susan tried her first batch of Ricciarelli the other day – they were delicious but different in texture, very much like an almond macaroon and not like the Senese Ricciarelli at all. I dubbed them Susanelli and I can’t wait for the next batch!
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