Although we spent much of the last week working on the details for our move to Paris in late July as well as getting ready for a return trip back to the US it we nevertheless had a grand time in Florence. The weather was fine, cool nights and warm days, just right for late spring in Tuscany.
After an inspiring Memorial Day service at the American National cemetery in Florence, the remainder of the week centered on two themes: food and visiting Susan’s former instructors.
On Tuesday we walked over to La Bottega del Cioccolato to see Michele, one of Susan’s teachers at Apicius and a whiz with chocolate. While Susan wanted to say goodbye we also had a bit of a surprise for him – Susan had made this scrumptious flourless chocolate cake. Well, actually we didn’t bring the whole cake – just a few slices. The rest we used for training purposes at home.
It was nice to chat with Michele – he is one of the most pleasant and congenial people we have met since coming to Florence and seems to be genuinely fond of Susan and obviously considers her skilful and talented. Interestingly, the Italians don’t seem to be as impressed by the Cordon Bleu as we are – and of course one wonders if there is some serious rivalry at work here. But still he has shown a serious interest in what Susan intends to do, pastrywise.
On Wednesday we walked over to Fabrizio Nistri’s bakery, or more specifically his “panificio” (bread-making) and “pasticcerie” (pastry-making) shop. Susan arranged via email for the two of us to come and see his bakery before we left Florence and we arranged to come by Wednesday afternoon while they were closed for the afternoon siesta. But Fabrizio apparently never sleeps, indeed his day usually begins at around 1:00 am, and although he puts in a full day baking he also teaches at Apicius of course as well as touring Italy giving seminars on breads and bread-making. One of his real strengths – and believe me has many – is a genuine fondness for a wide variety of regional breads, from Ferrara to Puglia to Calabria to Tuscany, he makes many styles and tries to make them using original ingredients and recipes whenever possible.
So we took a leisurely stroll – our favorite pastime it seems – over to Fabrizio’s bakery on Ponte Alle Mosse. Originally founded by his father – who Fabrizio claims taught him everything about baking and is still considered something of a maestro of breads and pastries in Florence – the shop is a typically Florentine operation: a bar, a small grocery section, an enoteca, and a full display case for the various breads and pastries.
Fabrizio let us in through one of the side doors and began our tour – and what a place it was.
The equipment was amazing, allowing one of two people to do the work of a half dozen in a fraction of the time. The machines are designed to allow efficiency in production while also permitting the operator to produce uniquely crafted breads, utilizing a wide variety of ingredients and in a diversity of styles, shapes and sizes. Most of the machines are fairly new, microprocessor-driven and appeared simple to operate – in fact Fabrizio easily demonstrated several processes, from making different bread dough to the shaping and forming of the loaves of different bread styles before they were put into the ovens to bake. This hi-tech bread-making room occupied a large portion of the “laboratorio”. As the loaves came out of the machine they were placed on long racks on rollers, which were then trundled to the next room which held the huge ovens – making it a breeze to move the tall racks of bread loaves to the ovens where they were easily transferred by a unique roller system.
After showing us through the bread- and then the pastry-making area we went out front and chatted for a while over coffee – the Italians cannot seem to do anything without including coffee. Quite civilized.
Before we left Fabrizio wanted to ensure that we had plenty of things to take with us when we left for the US so he loaded us down with a raft of his homemade chocolates, taralli, biscotti and crackers.
Thursday we met Melinda and Dave for dinner at the restaurant of another one of Susan’s teachers, Simone. At a little after 8 we buzzed the door at Simone’s “Club Canapone” and walked into the wonderfully decorated small dining room, seating no more than 30-40 people. As it was still early we were led through the dining room midway toward the back of the “club” and were ushered into the “bar”, which was more like someone’s living room really, where we were offered a glass of prosecco. Naturally we had to accept.
A few moments later Simone came out and after introductions – well OK I was the only one in the group who didn’t know Simone – we sat down for a grand meal. We all had fish. Melinda and Dave often go to Simone’s for his Wednesday Sushi night and knew what he was capable of doing. Melinda ordered the tuna (“tonno”) tartare, Dave had grilled tuna. After getting food poisoning from rare "tonno" last winter I still couldn’t shake the anxiety so I opted for just whitefish, as did Susan – and was it delicious! But here’s something to think about: as a starter Simone brought out to each of us a small plate of greens, with thinly sliced (lengthwise) zucchini, with a raspberry vinaigrette and finished off with thinly shaved pecorino cheese. So easy so simple and soooo good!
It was after midnight by the time we got back to our apartment. And did we sleep well.
Friday we met Warren and Gladys for lunch at the Golden View and broke the news to them about Paris. They were thrilled at the idea. They know, as we do, that it is going to be the very best thing that we could do right now in our lives.
But we are already starting to think that come late July we might just miss Florence.
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