A MEDIEVAL NIGHT IN ROTECASTELLO

The festa in ROTECASTELLO has undergone some changes in the last few years. Previously the dinner had been served on the soccer field which sits below the town. There was a kitchen and a giant grill for preparing the food just above the field, and the young people who served it didn't seem to have any problems running back and forth between the kitchen and the field.

Last year things changed. Apparently there were new health regulations in force, or someone decided to enforce the existing ones...here in Italy it's hard to know. We were told that the food couldn't be served on the soccer field, but perhaps the problem was with the cooking facilities. Whatever the reasons, Rotecastello eventually got around the problem by saying "okay, we won't have a traditional festa, we'll just have a dinner for the members of our association", which must have meant that different rules apply. Again, things work mysteriously in Italy. Still, the food was not served on the soccer field, but up in Rotecastello itself.

Everyone who came to Rotecastello last year for dinner was required to join the "Friends of Rotecastello" association. You didn't have to pay a membership fee, although that was certainly appreciated if you felt like contributing. Each 'member' was issued an official membership card, and even though everyone still had to pay for their dinner, things were now legal.

The one good thing to come out of this was that people got to be up IN Rotecastello for a longer period of time. Previously if you came late to dinner then walked up into town for the entertainment, chances were that it was already dark and you wouldn't be able to see much of the town....not that there's much to see, but still, it's cute and takes less than ten minutes to see the entire village.

Tables were set up in several different spots, all near the town oven. We thought the system worked well, and were surprised when it was changed again this year. We later found out that the people who owned some of the land where the tables had been set up were unhappy with the mess that was made/left on their property. Our friends who live in Rotecastello say that there was no mess, that everything was cleaned up promptly, so maybe the landowners were just looking for an excuse to deny the use of their land. That seems a little strange to us since the entire festa is manned by volunteers, many of whom are in Rotecastello for a short time....on their vacation. It must be a labor of love, but perhaps this particular family just wasn't feeling the love.

This year tables were scattered throughout Rotecastello, a few here, a few there...a few more just around the corner or up the stairs. Food was also prepared in a variety of locations, and the servers were kept busy running from kitchen to kitchen, then table to table, and in the end there were quite a few complaints about poor (or even non-existent) service. Yes, I know it's a new system, and problems were inevitable, but this new system seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.....and it did, to quite a few people we know. I hope next year the system is a little more efficient.

On the final night of the festa, the night of the medieval procession, the dinner was a set menu, and after paying for your meal and selected drinks, you then took your ticket to a table that was set up outside the kitchen of Rotecastello's wonderful restaurant, LA LOCANDA DEL BORGO. After a short wait your name was called and you received your entire meal at once....how very un-Italian!

For €12 we received generous portions of panzanella (tomato bread salad), beans with tomatoes, farro salad, foccacia bread, loads of porchetta, veal, and to end the meal, cantucci with vin santo. Jugs or bottles of wine were available along with water and soft drinks. We ordered two jugs of the red wine )€5 each!) for our table of seven and several bottle of water.

After dinner we walked to the piazza to see if there were any seats left. Luckily, we found two seats on the side, and settled in. We've discovered that the only thing that ever starts on time is lunch, and knew that the 9:30 start time for the procession wouldn't happen. As usual Anna welcomed everyone to Rotecastello and gave us a brief history of the borgo, so we knew we wouldn't be waiting too much longer.

Sometime after ten, we heard the drums, signalling the arrival of the procession. The drums faded away as the group marched around the city, then came booming around the corner as the group approached on our right. As usual every class of people was represented from the peasants on up to the nobility.

Once everyone had arrived in the piazza the main characters made their way to the stage and presented a short play. Jesters filled the piazza with music and laughter, and eventually everyone marched back down the hill, led by the drums steady beat. Everyone we spoke to agreed that the medieval procession is a wonderful way to end the festa.

More videos from the festa on OUR YouTube PAGE and photos on OUR FLICKR PAGE.

FUNKY ROTECASTELLO

This past weekend was the festa in ROTECASTELLO. We didn't go on Friday night, but were there for Saturday's festivities. The menu listed lepre (hare) on the menu, so our friends in Rotecastello extended their drinks-before-dinner invitation to include dinner itself.

Our flight attendant friend (that's her on the right) was flying into Rome on Saturday morning, and after a flurry of emails we convinced her to come to Umbria for the day and join in the fun with us. We picked her up in Orvieto, fed her lunch, then sent her off for a nap so she wouldn't crash during the festa!


As usual, Keith and Janine's terrace was the perfect place to enjoy some drinks and good company. Many of the people who only come to Rotecastello during August were there, so it was nice to catch up with them and to meet a few new friends as well.




After dinner we walked around Rotecastello, and ended up marching into the main piazza right behind the PERUGIA FUNKING BAND. It was clear from the beginning that the entertainment would be lively!



Here's a quick video of the band. You can see more on OUR YouTube PAGE, as well as a few more pics on OUR FLICKR PAGE.

THIS WEEKEND IN UMBRIA

Just a reminder for those of you who are in Umbria this weekend and beyond....the medieval festa in ROTECASTELLO begins on Friday the 8th and runs through Monday the 11th. Details can be found by clicking on the link. Food is available from 7:30 and each night's entertainment starts (around) 9:30.

Also beginning this Friday is the weeklong SAGRA del GELATO in Massa Martana, not far from Todi. The poster for this festa is just a little more eye-chatching than the poster for the medieval festa....




Whatever you do this weekend, I hope you have as much fun as we plan on having!

TIME TO GO MEDIEVAL!

Yes it's that time again, time for the annual medieval festival in ROTECASTELLO, located just outside of San Venanzo. Beginning on Friday, August 8th and ending on Monday, August 11th, each night will feature different entertainment. The last night, Monday, will have the medieval procession and play recounting the story of Rotecastello. All the info is on their new and improved WEBSITE, which unfortunately, isn't in English any more! I think you'll probably be able to figure out the details anyway. Hope to see you there!

LUNCH WITH A VIEW

Lunch today was on the terrace of our friends Keith and Janine who live in nearby Rotecastello. We all think summer has finally arrived...we've had two beautiful suny days in a row! There are a few more pictures on our FLICKR PAGE

A GRAND OPENING!!!

Yes, after months of planning, renovations and preparations, La Locanda del Borgo, a new restaurant in Rotecastello, had it's grand opening on Thursday! As I wrote previously, this restaurant represents the dream of our friends Josepina, and her daughter Lucia, along with Josepina's sister Mariella, and her mother, whose name I dare not try to spell!



The restaurant has two rooms inside, each small and intimate, as well as an outdoor terrace with beautiful views of the countryside in one direction and the medieval city (and tower) in the other.





On Thursday night everyone who was anyone showed up for the fun, the food and the entertainment.











The food just kept coming and coming, but the crowd was so overwhelming that we only got to sample a few dishes, but I'm sure over the next few weeks we'll be sampling everything on the menu. Speaking of menus, no, I haven't seen one yet, but as soon as I do Ill write about what's cooking, and as soon as we eat there we'll do a full report. The website for La Locanda del Borgo isn't finished yet, but as soon as it is I'll post a link, along with the phone number to make reservations.

Videos are posted below.....

MORE PHOTOS!

I've uploaded some more pictures to my FLICKR PAGE. I snapped a few shots of green and purple grapes one day when we were on our way home from Perugia...



And a few stills from the medieval festival in Rotecastello....




And I've also uploaded MORE sunflowers too, (yes, I know I go waaay overboard!)



Click on the FLICKR LINK to see them all, or to view any other pictures we have posted there.

ROTECASTELLO - THE FINAL NIGHT

We had no idea what type of music the band from Marsciano, called "Disclav Epic Catto", would play, but still wanted one last chance to visit with friends and enjoy the beautiful evening, so off we went.

We stopped to say hello to Anna and her husband Manlio, who were eating dinner with Janine and Keith. I wanted to let Anna know how much we appreciated all her hard work, and to let her know how much we had enjoyed the festa. I also told here that I'd been both writing and posting videos of the festa on my blog (and You Tube), so that she could take a look or share the information with her friends.

As we sat eating our dinner...tonight's menu was tagliatelle with sugo (sauce), rice salad, grilled meats and a green salad...a woman approached our table. She began by saying "I read your blog and just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it. In fact, we're here tonight because we read about it on your blog." Wow! This is the second time a complete stranger's told me that during the Rotecastello festa. The first was Julia, who lives and works in Rome, but who returns to Rotecastello every summer. The small world just keeps getting smaller.

After introductions were made we learned that Beverly and her husband Ron had a house in Camerata. Camerata....that name sounded familiar, but I couldn't remember where it was. Oh yes! Camerata, just south of Todi, where we'd looked at a house right in the centro for friends a year or two ago. Beautiful area, by the way. Although Beverly and Ron aren't here full time, Beverly said they'd found my blog very helpful when they were setting up their household, helping them to find places to shop for various items.

We asked if this was there first time to Rotecastello and they told us yes. On Sunday they'd been in Corciano where Ron's photographs were on display, and where he's been presented with an award for his photography. You can see some of his work on his WEBSITE.

Ron and Beverly are from Toronto, and had some friends visiting (Terry, Rhonda and Ron), so the seven of us had a nice chat, exchanged numbers and plan to get together before they return to Canada.

As we were getting ready to walk down to the piazza, we stopped to chat with Keith and Janine, and with Craig and his father Neville. We told Craig that we thought the large crowd of peasants standing in front of the audience had hindered our views, and agreed. The initial idea had been that by having the peasants stand directly in front of the audience, the audience would feel more involved, more like they were part of the crowd too, but all it really did was block the view! Oh well, every year is a learning process, and I'm sure there will be adjustments made next year.

I also passed along my suggestion for next year's entertainment, although their price may be more than the local bands. As we sat in the piazza the other night, surrounded by the stone buildings and wonderful acoustics, I thought: BAGPIPES! Yes, I know I'm weird.....I love bagpipes and sitars. I also know that Rome has a bagpipe band: CITY OF ROME PIPE BAND . Personally I think it's a great idea.

Because of all the talking, we didn't get down to the piazza until well after the band had started, and there were no seats left. Oh well, that just made it easier to mingle. Art struck up a conversation with some Brits who'd taken the Orient Express from London to Venice. After Venice they went to Rimini, and now of course they were in Umbria....nice vacation!

While Art was chatting I asked Josepina to give me a tour of the remodeling they'd done to accommodate their soon-to-open restaurant...La Locanda del Borgo. Run by Josepina, her sister Mariella, and her daughter Lucia, the recipes will be regional, from Josepina's mother. There are two small, intimate rooms inside, each with maybe six tables, and also an outdoor terrace. The road to opening the restaurant has been slow (amd bumpy), but the opening is now set for August 23rd.

After the tour of the restaurant I returned to the piazza to listen to the band (a very interesting group!), and to take a look at the merchants who'd set up shop in Rotecastello for the festa. I was VERY tempted by some of the oil paintings, not surprisingly the ones with sunflowers...but I resisted.

After chatting with a few more friends we decided to make it an early night. I think this year's festa, even though the planning was quite last minute and chaotic, turned out beautifully. Having the meals served in the centro was probably a lot more convenient for the servers, and it let the patrons feel the medieval charms of Rotecastello rather than sitting in the middle of a soccer field. We caught up with quite a lot of friends and made several new ones, and enjoyed a variety of music in a beautiful medieval setting. Who could want more?

DISCLAV EPIC CATTO ROCKS IN ROTECASTELLO