Well this was the 'gang' up here in the Valtellina on Saturday. When I knew that Terry (3rd from the right) was due over with his wife Sharon, little girl Holly and two friends I suggested that we go up to 'Posallo' for an Easter meal together. Of course trying to book a table there for the Saunday or Monday was impossible....they were fully booked for those days since January. But 'Nonna Santina' fitted us in for the Saturday. At the same time I had occasion to e-mail Ginger about an Expats question and the invite to her just sort of 'evolved'!
Terry and Sharon are the couple who have just 'completed' on their own piede a terre at Boschetto, just 3 miles from me.... They are using it for a base for winter skiiing and summer water sports on the lake. For skiing of course there is Madesimo, San Moritz, Bormio and Aprika - all within a short(ish) drive from here.
I asked the restaurant to do the standard holiday menu for this area and below are some of the things we had.
Sorry, I forgot the 'antipasto' untill we'd eaten it all!!!!
This is the Pizzoccheri.
Made with buck wheat flour and with a little cabbage, potato and melted 'local dairy' cheese!
Thi
s is the Polenta Taragna - made with polenta saracena flour, and with melted Bitto cheese folded in when hot.
Served here with this you can see the 'bocconcini' of veal with mountain mushrooms, and the darker 'cervo' (deer). Not shown, but which was
added to the plate, was also braised beef with carrots, celery and onions.
And here are the 'Dolci' - we sampled the Tiramisu, the Pear and Chocolate cake amd the Blueberry 'crostata' - which seems to have disappeared from the photo's!!!
I didn't take a picture either of the plate of local 'cheese tasters' we had.
All this was, of course accompanied by the local wine (red and white) and the usual mineral water. Followed by the inevitable caffè....
I think everyone enjoyed not only the food but the company too.
Ginger (aka 'bardigiana' on Expats) arrived up here with her son Nick on Friday afternoon. Michele, who 'does' my garden, was here with his
grandma (83 yo) Mariuccia helping him to deal with all the wood from my pruned fuit trees. I had just stopped them carting it off 'cos a local lady had asked if she could have it...... Just at that moment Ginger arrived. I had never met her and was devastated that I had to make her wait in the car in the lane until Michele moved his lorry out of the way.... But then they 'juggled' the vehicles around, and Michele and Mariuccia continued in the garden, planting some roses and some replacement plants (that the weight of the snow had killed) for me.
Ginger bought me two 'wonderful' plants as presents -
and planted them for me.... A gorgeous pink flowering 'Ornamental Plum'
and a pink flowering hydrangea! These will both compliment the white flowering apple and plum trees, the pink flowering peach and the 'coral/red' flowering tree, which Ginger identified as a 'quince'.... Plus I already have four large blue hydrangeas and several white and purple hibiscus....I think the small part of the garden, already planted, is going to look great this summer.... After showing them the house, we went down to 'lakeside' at Colico, and while Nick (who is 14) went and watched a local 'show' in the square by the lake, Ginger and I set the tone for her stay by nattering away and getting to know each other.... A delighful experience for me. I admit to being a little nervous at meeting her, as the first time we 'spoke' via e-mail, she said she was surprised that I didn't come across as a 'feisty' English woman at all..... So for the first hour or so I was trying to be on my 'very best behaviour' (LOL) - couldn't keep it up for long though! After a while I felt so comfortable and at ease in her company, it was as if I'd known her for years. After our supper we all played 'Scala Quaranta' for a while too.
On the Friday, it was a glorious sunny spring day, so my visitors were able to see the Valtellina in all it's glory. But by Saturday the clouds had floated down and it was raining and dull.
After the meal at Posallo, the others wanted to visit the Chocolate factory so off we went - then it was back to my place where Nick and Holly watched cartoons on the TV and we put the World to rights while sitting around my kitchen table. A really great couple of hours to end the day on.... But of course Ginger and I didn't (couldn't) leave it there. We carried on talking, after a very light supper of pasta in broth, 'til nearly midnight.
Then at lunchtime today I had planned on being with the family for lunch, but they phoned and they all came up to me - carrying the lunch with them! As they said the view here is better than their view of Milanese apartment blocks and the 'Tangenziale' (Ring Road)!!!!
I can't - and don't want to - argue with that! All in all, it's been a pretty good Easter!
Not very good photo's as you can't really see the gorgeous colours.
Here is the lovely pink 'ortenzia' (hydrangea), also bought as a gift by Ginger... you can just see a little porcelain rabbit poking his ears above the edge of the flower trough on the left - he was attached to the hydrangea pot until Ginger gave him a transplant to the trough!
