Category Archives: Italia

La Raccolta delle Olive

22 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in Italia, Italian life, Orsara di Puglia, Photography

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The olive tree has been essential to Mediterranean life for over 4,000 years. In addition to being a staple ingredient of the Mediterranean diet and an ancient trading commodity, olive oil has been used as a medication, soap, hair and skin moisturizer, terra cotta lamp fuel, furniture polish, and for cleaning and waterproofing leather.  Olive trees have a strong root system and can live for centuries. It takes up to 8 years before a tree produces its first olives. They grow well in lime and stony, poorly aerated soil, in areas with rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Olive trees have been considered sacred and symbolic. The olive branch has been a symbol of peace and the endurance of life since Genesis 8:11 ‘the dove came back to him in the evening; and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf: so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth’. The shape and form of olive trees has always captivated me. I still have not mastered their tangled growth of trunks and leaves with a silvery green underside, but they are frequent subjects in my sketchbook. While in Italia last November, I encountered a lot of olives.  Seeing the trees heavy with ripe black and purple olives was new for me, as I had only ever seen them in their small green state! Every road near Orsara di Puglia was full of parked cars where families were harvesting their olives.  Unfortunately, I missed my family’s olive harvest by one day, but I was in Gugliano near Lucca during their harvest.  I used Casa Berti’s fresh olio nuovo to make Olive Oil Limoncello Cake.

La Raccolta delle olive-the olive harvest, is usually in late October/early November before the first frost. Nylon nets with a split down the middle are spread under trees and wrapped tightly around trunks to catch falling olives. On sloping hills, the edges of the nets are supported with sticks so olives do not go rolling away.Olive harvesting does not go well with mechanization. The more gently olives are picked, handled and stored, the better the quality of the oil they produce. Olives are harvested using a combination of the following methods:

Brucatura (broo·ca·TOO·rah) is picking olives by hand and putting them straight into un cestino-a basket, or a bucket.  This preserves the integrity of the olives and does not damage the tree or branches.  Ladders are used for the higher, hard to reach branches.  This method is slow, with a lower yield, but produces the best oil, with the least acidity.  Olive, Casa Berti www.unpodipepe.ca

Pettinatura (pet·teen·ah·TOO·rah) is ‘combing’ olives off the branches with long handled combs/rakes and collecting them into buckets or nets.  Families producing olive oil for their own consumption harvest mainly by brucatura and pettinatura.

Bacchiatura (bahk·kee·ah·TOO·rah) is beating fruit off trees with long poles so they fall into the nets. A long-handled electric version for higher branches looks like 2 rakes facing each other that vibrate in opposite directions. If not done carefully, bacchiatura can cause bruising to the olives and damage to twigs and branches.

Raccattatura (rak·kat·tah·TOO·rah) is collecting ripe olives that fall spontaneously into nets. If not gathered right away, the olives can be rotting, with mold or bacteria, especially if it is damp or rainy.  Raccattatura produces oil with increased acidity

Scrollatura (scrol·lah·TOO·rah) A mechanical arm attached to a tractor wraps around the trunk and shakes the tree until all of the olives fall off into nets.  This method is efficient for large olive groves, but damaging to the tree and can produce inferior oil.  Luckily this method is not possible on terraced land or if there is not enough space between trees for a tractor.

Olives are stored briefly in crates to get warm and release oil more easily. Then they are taken to the frantoio, the olive mill.  Pressing within 24 hours of harvest produces the best quality oil with the lowest acidity.La raccolta delle olive www.unpodipepe.ca

One evening while I was in Orsara di Puglia, I was lured by the divine smell of pressed olives. It was the frantoio, which of course is closed the rest of the year.  During la raccolta delle olive, it is open all the time and is a busy, social place. The frantoio is as cold as outside, since cold pressing prevents oxidation and preserves the nutrients, colour and flavour of olive oil.  I was curious to see the olive oil extraction process.

The olives are separated from branches, leaves and debris then weighed, rinsed in cold water and passed along a conveyor belt between rollers. Then they go into a vat with blades that mash or grind the olives into a paste- including the pits!  This used to be done with stone or granite wheels like a giant mortar and pestle. The olive paste is spread evenly over pressing discs/mats, which are stacked onto a press plate to evenly distribute the pressure.  The paste is not heated to extract oil, as cold pressing prevents oxidation.  Oil and water are separated and sediment removed using a centrifuge, then precious liquid gold, unfiltered olive oil pours out a spout draining into a steel basin.The colour of olive oil can range from grassy green to bright yellow gold, depending on the ripeness and type of olives and the level of chlorophyll in leaves that are included in the pressing. The fresh oil is stored in stainless steel vats until it is bottled.

The yield of oil per quintale (100kg/ 220lbs) of olives varies each year. It takes approximately 2,000 olives or 1 tree to produce 1L of olive oil! No wonder it is expensive!

The first press is virgin olive oil.  It can be designated as ‘extra virgin’ only if the % acidity is less than 0.8% and it has superior taste and aroma.  I will discuss this in a future post called Olio d’Oliva.

Photos featured in this post were taken at Frantoio Oleario di Nico Manna in Orsara di Puglia, my family’s olive grove in frazione La Cupa, Orsara di Puglia, and Casa Berti in Gugliano, Lucca.

Ciao from my amaca under the olive trees, Cristina

Tutti i Santi

01 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in Feste, Italia, Italian Folklore, Orsara di Puglia, Photography, Puglia

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November 1st is Tutti i Santi-All Saints’ Day and is a national holiday in Italia.  It was created in the 9th century when the Pope superimposed a Christian feast day onto existing rituals, so this festa has been around for a very long time. Tonight is also an ancient festa celebrated in Orsara di Puglia called Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje which is dialetto Orsarese for ‘Falò e teste del Purgatorio’.  This translates to ‘Bonfires and heads from purgatory’ the ‘heads’ being zucche lanterne-carved pumpkin lanterns. For simplicity, it is also called ‘Tutti i Santi’ or ‘La Festa dei Morti’.

The night between November 1stand 2nd provides the opportunity to honour, reconnect and pay respect to the spirits of loved ones.  I wrote about the festa in a 2014 post Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje, but at that time I had not attended.  I had only heard about it from my parents, family and friends.  Last year I had the opportunity to attend. It was cold but the night was clear and an absolutely amazing, magical, spriritual experience-for me and at least 20,000 others. Orsaresi who live in other parts of Italia and Europe come home for the festa, and visitors come from all over Puglia. Since it is a holiday, many families are able to take an extra long weekend known as il Ponte dei morti.

It is believed that this night between Nov 1 and 2, the souls of the recently dead return among the living to visit their relatives and their former homes before moving on to Paradiso.  Bonfires are lit with wood and branches of ginestra (broom). The light of the fires and the crackling and sparks of the ginestra reaching for the sky attract the spirits, to reunite the living with those who continue to live only in our memories. Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje www.unpodipepe.caThe light inside ‘cocce priatorje’, pumpkin lanterns carved to look like heads or carved with crosses-light their way to find their former home.

My paesani are busy preparing for the festa for days.  Preparation involves gathering firewood and ginestra, preparing food for family and friends and picking hundreds of locally grown zucche which are carved and placed all over Orsara.  Restaurants and bars prepare for one of their busiest nights of the year.  There is even a laboratorio di intaglio delle zucche– a pumpkin carving workshop.  My street, balcony and front door were decorated with zucche.  In the evening zucche are exhibited and there is a contest for ‘la zucca più bella’.

When the campanile, the church bell tower, strikes 1900 hours, Orsara di Puglia ‘catches fire’.  Bonfires are simultaneously lit in every street and piazza and remain lit through the night.  The fires, illuminated zucche, music and people in the streets create a magical, enchanted atmosphere. There are 3 large municipal falò, and every quartiere – neighbourhood, and many families also light their own.

I made a point of getting off of the main Corso to visit some of the smaller personal falò. In honour of the dead, simple but symbolic seasonal foods are cooked on the open fires and also served as cibo di strada-street food.  These include patate -potatoes, cipolle-onions, salsicce-sausages, castagne-chestnuts and pane cotto-bread cooked with garlic, potatoes and greens.

Salsicce e pancetta nel fuoco

Muscitaglia (moo•shee•tah•lyah) is a traditional dish served November 1st likely dating back from the ancient Greeks and Byazantines. Muscitaglia is made up of the Greek and Latin words mosto (wine must) and talia (grain). The ingredients include boiled grain and vino cotto. Semi di melagrana e pezzi di noci -pomegranate seeds and walnut pieces are often added.  These ingredients are symbols of fertility and abundance, but also of honour and respect for the dead.

Il fuoco e le zucche di Antonella e Domenico

Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje has often been confused by visitors with the Anglosaxon Hallowe’en, but it is an entirely different event.  Besides the obvious fact that the date is different, dressing up in costume is not part of the custom and there is nothing scary or evil about it.  This is the reason for the hashtag #quinonèhalloween. There are more similarities with Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead.  This event is about being together in community to celebrate the bond between the living and those who we remember in our hearts.  It is also to remind us that our time on earth is precious. The following day, November 2nd is l’Anime dei Morti-All Soul’s Day, and it is customary to go to the cemetery to pay respects at the resting place of loved ones.

The 9 minute video below features 94 year old Z’Gaetan talking about the festa and its significance.

This lively 48 second video from 2016 featuring the music of Tarantula Garganica will make you all wish you were there tonight:

If you did not watch the video….watch it now!  I did not make it there this year, but am looking forward to my next trip to Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje!  Now I am off to my Mamma’s to have muscitaglia! Ciao, Cristina

Caffè con Caravaggio a Roma

09 Tuesday Oct 2018

Posted by in Art, Art history, Italia, Roma, Travel tips

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Caravaggio spent 14 years in Roma, and lucky for us, he left behind a lot of work. There are 23 capolavori-masterpieces by Caravaggio at 9 different sites in Roma, including 6 works that can be viewed for free! Si!  Free, gratis, senza pagamento. These 6 paintings are not in museums, they are still in the 3 churches they were originally painted for and have been hanging for over 400 years.  No entrance fee, no reservations or pre booking required, and usually no lineups!  The best thing about seeing artwork ‘in situ’-where it was created to be viewed- is that you can walk in and see the work where it was meant to go, just like someone in the 17th Century did.

It is possible to do a walking tour, visiting all 3 churches in a few hours.  As a bonus, along the way, this walking tour also makes 2 or 3 caffè stops.  If you missed my last post on the life of Caravaggio, read it here.

***Important Note before we start– the 3 churches on this wonderful passeggiata are primarily places of worship, so please be respectful.  Dress appropriately, speak quietly-if the artwork does not render you speechless, and avoid Mass times, especially on Sundays.  It may not be possible to visit during Mass.  There is no charge to visit the churches, but I always like to light a candle when I visit (€.50-€1).  You can also put €1 in a box to turn on the brighter lights if you need them to take a photo.

Andiamo!  Our passeggiata starts at Piazza della Rotonda, in front of the Pantheon.  It can also start at Piazza Navona, but I never miss the opportunity to visit the magnificent  Pantheon especially while there is still no entry fee.

Tazza d’Oro, Via degli Orfani 84

Facing away from the Pantheon, cross the street diagonally to the right and arrive at Tazza d’Oro, Via degli Orfani 84, known for their bitter roast caffè.  I seriously recommend ordering the granita di caffè!

Next, a short walk to the Baroque church of San Luigi dei Francesi, the national church of France in Roma.  San Luigi is open 0930-1245 and 1430-1830 daily, except Sunday the morning hours are 1130-1245.  Walk to the front of the church and on the left side is the Cappella Contarelli-Contarelli Chapel. Here you will find Caravaggio’s 3 paintings on the life of San Matteo-called the St Matthew Cycle in english. When 2 of the works were installed in 1600, they made Caravaggio an instant success. Roma had not seen painting with such intense realism and drama before.

The dark and mysterious Martyrdom of St Matthew is on one side of the altar.  I say mysterious because it is not clear who the murderer is.  Is it the slave offering his hand, the man fallen on the ground, or the shadowy figure lurking in the background with the face of Caravaggio?  Hmmm.  The Calling of St Matthew is on the other side, and originally a sculpture by another artist was to go above the altar in between them.  Since all other work seemed inferior between these 2 masterpieces, an altarpiece was commissioned from Caravaggio in 1602. This painting, San Matteo con l’angelo-St Matthew and the angel, is a ‘redo’.  The first version was rejected as it portrayed San Matteo as an old peasant with the angel moving his hand, as if he could not write.  The painting was destroyed in Berlin during WWII, and only black and white photos of it remain.

My favourite of the series is on the other side of the altar, The Calling of St Matthew.  This painting has the best ever use of shadow and light in a work of art.  A group of men are counting money in a dingy tavern room.  A brilliant beam of light coming from an unseen window symbolizes the light of God.  The shape of the shadow is in line with the finger of Jesus, pointing at Matthew the tax collector.  He is the one who has a ‘huh, who me?’ look on his face while he points at himself.  The pointing finger may be a reference to that other Michelangelo, looking like the iconic finger of God in the Sistine Chapel Creation of Adam. I always leave San Luigi in an overwhelmed but contented state of ‘Wow’.

Leaving San Luigi we go left and walk ~200m turning left at the brown sign for Sant’Agostino.  This was the first Renaissance church in Roma at Piazza Sant’Agostino, close to Piazza Navona.  It is open 7:45-12 and 16:30-19:30.  Here you will also find works by Raphael, Guercino and Andrea Sansovino.  In the Cappella Cavalletti, the first chapel on the left, is Caravaggio’s magnificent Madonna dei Pellegrini-Madonna of the Pilgrims (1605), sometimes called the Madonna di Loreto.

The Madonna is usually portrayed dressed in fine fabrics, seated and surrounded by cherubs and clouds.  In this painting, she is a beautiful but ordinary woman answering the door of an ordinary house in bare feet and holding a rather large baby Gesù.  The kneeling pilgrims have dirty feet.  If the Madonna looks familiar, she is the same model from the Madonna dei Palafrenieri (1606) discussed in my Galleria Borghese post. She is thought to be Maddalena ‘Lena’ Antognetti, a well-known prostitute, and possibly Caravaggio’s lover at the time.  These details were all quite scandalous at the time.  I was mesmerized by the beauty of this painting.  My Roman friend recently came with me to Sant’Agostino and I found out this is his favourite painting.  To quote  his comment  …..‘Questo è il collo più sensuale nella storia dell’arte‘-‘This is the most sensuous neck in the history of art’!

Our next stop is Caffè Sant’Eustachio a few blocks away in Piazza Sant’Eustachio 82. Operating since 1938, their caffè is pre-zuccherato.  They whip in a spoonful of sugar while making the caffè and it always tastes perfect.  A sign states that if you do not want sugar added, let them know in advance!  My favourite beverage is un marrone-usually called un marrocchino everywhere else. Every bar in Italia makes un marrocchino differently, but it is always delicious. Sant’Eustachio ties with the Aeroporto Capodichino, Napoli for the best!

The last church on this Caravaggio passeggiata is a father walk.  There are 3 streets leading to Piazza del Popolo, but I usually get back onto Via del Corso, the long shopping street that leads straight there.

If you are not yet sufficiently caffeinated, turn right on Via dei Condotti, Roma’s most expensive shopping street and, before reaching Piazza di Spagna, stop at #86, Antico Caffè Greco. Roma’s oldest and Italia’s second oldest coffee bar, it has been around and frequented by literary types since 1760. Byron, Keats, Stendahl and Goethe are among those who have enjoyed caffè here.  In my photo below, Caffè Greco is on the left, approximately below the flag.  Caffè Greco is in danger of closing due to the exhorbitant rents on Via dei Condotti!

Piazza del Popolo can be reached by Via del Babuino, Via del Corso or Via di Ripetta. Santa Maria del Popolo, Piazza del Popolo 12, was designed by Bernini and is in the north-east corner of the piazza.  It is open 0930-1230 and 1630-1900, except for Saturday when it is open 0730-1900.  At the front, left side of the church is the Cappella Cerasi-Cerasi Chapel where we find the last 2 Caravaggio works on our passeggiata.  Both painted in 1601, on the left is The Crucifixion of St Peter and on the right The Conversion of St Paul on the way to Damascus.  The work above the altar between them is by Annibale Caracci.  Both paintings have dark backgrounds with awe-inspiring light and colour on the figures, which take up the whole canvas.  In the Crucifixion, you can feel the pull and weight of gravity even pushing out past the borders of the canvas.

The second painting captures the moment from the Acts of the Apostles when Saul-whose job was to persecute Christians, heard the voice of God and was blinded by the light, falling from his horse.  In case the name is confusing, he later slightly changed his name and became the apostle Paul.  This painting was often criticized for the ‘horse’s ass’ taking up so much of the picture plane.

This is the end of the Caffè con Caravaggio for free walking tour.  Scusi for the poor quality map!  I will replace it as soon as I figure out how to imbed one.If you want to see more Caravaggio works—no problem!  This passeggiata can be extended from both ends!  From Piazza del Popolo, Galleria Borghese room VIII has 6 Caravaggio works and is an uphill walk or short bus ride away.  Unfortunately it is not free, and reservations must be booked in advance. Read about the booking process here. Galleria Borghese can be visited either before or after this walk-my recommendation is before. In the photo below, Santa Maria del Popolo is to the left of the gate, under renovation.  Via del Corso is straight ahead, and past the gate is the walk to Galleria Borghese.

Piazza del Popolo

Walking back down Via del Corso, just before Piazza Venezia, stop at #305, Galleria Doria Pamphilj. Here you can see 2 Caravaggio works, including his only landscape painting Riposo durante la fuga in Egitto -Rest on the flight to Egypt (1597). Galleria Doria Pamphilj also has an entry fee of €12 but does not require a reservation. Galleria Borghese, followed by the free Caffè con Caravaggio tour, then the Galleria Pamphilj will take up most of a day and leave you in a wonderfully warm and fuzzy ‘Caravaggio coma’! I hope you all have the opportunity to take this passeggiata some day.

Ciao e buon viaggio, Cristina

Baia di Campi

08 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in Italia, Puglia, Travel

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One of the most beautiful areas on earth, Il Promontorio del Gargano (gar·GAH·noh) is the promontory sticking out above ‘il tacco’, the heel of Italia.  You can also think of it as la caviglia-the ankle spur of Italia.  Surrounded by the Adriatico on 3 sides, the area is more like an island; biodiverse with unique flora and fauna. Most of the promontorio is a protected area and marine reserve, Il Parco Nazionale del Gargano, which includes le Isole Tremiti and the ancient Foresta Umbra. Fortunately, this has prevented overdevelopment by large multinational hotels and resorts.

Il Gargano is full of campsites, inexpensive, rustic accommodation and B & B’s.  The campeggi e villaggi turistici -campsites and tourist villages, are ben attrezzati-well equipped. Go with a camper and all the gear, or just a vehicle and a tent.  There are villette-little cabins for rent, but you need to bring your own sheets and towels, so these are mostly used by locals. This website (in Italiano) lists Gargano campsites. I have spent many weekends at different sites in the Gargano  with my cugini and their camper.  In July, we stayed at Campeggio Baia di Campi, near Vieste. Here is a video of the private beach during my windy morning walk:

Nothing like having a spiaggia all to myself! We were going to paddle by canoa-kayak to la Grotta dei due occhi, a sea cave 10 minutes away.  Unfortunately, it became too windy to go, so I will hopefully have the opportunity to go again. The campsite had a shuttle bus to whitewashed Vieste, 20 minutes away. Read about other campsites I have stayed at in Campeggio sul Gargano.

View of Vieste from the SS89

The winding road around the Gargano, SS 89 from Foggia, has sharp turns and viste mozzafiato (VIS·teh moz·zah·FYAH·toh)-breathtaking views.  You will not see any dehydrated (yuk!) camping food in Puglia.  Most campsites have a little market selling fresh fruit, giant watermelon, mozzarelle and other necessities.  Fresh fish is never far away, so I get to enjoy Mauro’s insalata di polpo ubriaco-drunken octopus salad!Most of the tourists visiting the Gargano area are Italian, especially in the summer.  Many Germans drive their campers down too, but you will not meet many North Americans here.  Il Gargano is the place to visit to improve your Italiano!  This post is written as part of the monthly #dolcevitabloggers linkup, hosted by Jasmine of Questa Dolce Vita, Kelly of Italian at Heart and Kristie of Mamma Prada the 7th -14th of every month. This month’s topic is ‘Hidden gems’.  Il Gargano is not so much ‘hidden’, as remote, unknown and not easily accessible without either a car or a lot of time.  I hope you all make it here one day!  As the Gargano website says, visit il Gargano ‘per una vacanza tra natura, mare e cultura’…for a holiday among nature, sea and culture!

More Il Gargano posts by Cristina: Isole Tremiti, I Trabucchi del Gargano, Campeggio sul Gargano, Santa Maria di Siponto.

Ciao e buon viaggio, Cristina

Il Sole di Metà Pomeriggio

23 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Italia, Orsara di Puglia, Photography, Puglia

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La luce del sole di metà pomeriggio- the light of the mid-afternoon Mediterranean sun is absolutely stunning.  In the backdrop of a medieval hilltop village, cast shadows create abstract shapes among the stone walls, staircases and winding cobblestone streets.

Last summer was exceptionally hot, even at an altitude of 750m like Orsara di Puglia.  Both of the negozi elettrodomestici, the appliance stores, repeatedly ran out of portable electric fans.  Most people remained indoors after pranzo, until at least 4pm.  While everyone else was resting in the cool enclaves of their stone houses,  I often ventured out to try and capture the light with my camera.Here are some of my results….mostly monochromatic, mostly square, abstract shapes cast by the magnificent light of the mid-afternoon sun.Even my tiny balcony on narrow Via Regina Margherita is flooded with la luce del sole!

Imagine the smell of orecchiette con sugo wafting down empty Via XX Settembre just before pranzo. Yum!

Laundry dries in no time with the heat of the afternoon sun, and the shadows make interesting shapes on the old stone walls. This Nonna on Via Cavour wonders what I am doing out in this heat!My Cinquecento radar spots a visiting specimen in town.  The light makes interesting reflections and cast shadows on the street.

I hope I am still able to do my daily cruciverbi, crossword puzzle, when I am this age!          I hope you enjoyed my attempt to capture ‘la luce’ in these photos!    Ciao, Cristina

A Perfect Day in Italia

10 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by in Italia, Italian life, Orsara di Puglia, Puglia

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The Dolce Vita Bloggers link-up theme this month is ‘a perfect day in Italy’. What a topic!  There are so many possibilities.  I have written about many wonderfully perfect days, in Roma, Matera, Alberobello, the Val d’Orcia, Polignano a Mare….  How do I narrow down what to write about? With too much material to choose from, I decided to write about a typical day ‘at home’ in Orsara di Puglia, where most days are laid back, spontaneous and pretty darn perfetto!

My day usually starts out with a long, early morning passeggiata to la Montagna Spaccata.  I call it ‘la Palestra di Madre Natura’ or ‘mother nature’s gym’, an uphill zig-zag walk up the mountain towards Campania with fresh aria di montagna, breathtaking views and encounters with fellow walkers.  I usually walk to the border with Campania, when I reach the pale eoliche (PAH•leh Eh•oh•LEH•keh).

Pale eoliche (wind turbines) near Montaguto

I have also walked all the way to Montaguto, in Campania 6 km away . I am not a ‘morning person’, but in the summer, the walk must be early, otherwise it gets too hot to walk on the way back. Long walks are necessary when you spend weeks eating lots yummy food and still want to fit into your clothes!

When I am back from my walk, cleaned up and changed, I often stop at the bar for an espressino, known as caffè marocchino in the rest of italia.  I also sneak in a few minutes of wifi.  Sometimes I walk to Piano Paradiso and have caffè with Peppe Zullo in the morning or afternoon.  Then I usually do servizi-errands, including shopping for food. Refrigerators are small, and most people shop at least every other day for fresh local ingredients.  Fresh bread and taralli are purchased at il forno.  Generi Alimentari are delis and also carry general grocery items.  My favourite items to purchase are fresh mozzarelle and the local specialty, cacioricotta.  Once a week, mozzarelle di bufala arrive and I am first in line! Fruit and vegetables are from the fruttivendolo-unless the neighbours give you produce from their orto.  There are also travelling fruttivendoli, selling out of small trucks.

Il fruttivendolo barely fits in Via Regina Margherita!

I celebrate when fiori di zucca are available!  Another local specialty is Tuccanese, vino made from a local native grape. As in most non-touristy towns in Italia, shops close at 1pm for la pausa pranzo and reopen at 5pm, until 8pm.

Giovedi mattina-Thursday morning is the mercato in Orsara.  The street is lined with bancarelle selling everything from fresh formaggi to produce, linens, shoes and household stuff.  A great spot to run into everyone in town, including visitors. Il postino likes giovedi, as he can hand everyone their mail on their way to the mercato.

The rest of the morning is usually spent helping to prepare pranzo, the main meal of the day, at 1pm.  In the summer, my parents are also in Orsara, sometimes my sister and her family too, so there is lots of food preparation going on, using ultra fresh local ingredients.

There is no need for a watch. My casa is right near the main church and the campanile– bell tower.  La campana rings every 15 minutes.  On the hour, there is one ‘ding’ for each hour, and every 15 minutes there is a higher pitched ‘ding’.  For example, at 12:45 la campana rings 12 times, followed by 3 higher pitched rings.  Back in the day when no one had a watch, contadini working in the fields would know the time. You might think this would get annoying, but la campana was broken for a year, and it was really missed! Once the dishes are done, it is orario di riposo-quiet time, as it is too hot to do much else.  Most people do not nap every afternoon, but they at least stay home and have a riposo, a rest. A short pisolino is quite civilized if you are up very early and plan to stay out late! The afternoon rest is not called a siesta in italiano- riposo or la pausa. I often read or do clean up stuff around the house, like hang laundry to dry. There are no dryers here as electricity is ridiculously expensive and sunlight is free. I may brave the mid afternoon sun to go out and take photos. The maze of steep, windy, cobblestone streets and alleys are empty and I am alone with the light and the incredible shadows.  To quote myself…

’ la luce … la gloriosa e magnifica luce del sole di metà pomeriggio è incredibile. Vorrei dipingere quella luce! / the light….the glorious and magnificent light of the mid-afternoon sun is incredible.  I want to paint that light!’ (Cristina, October 2017).

At 5pm shops and bars reopen and the streets come to life again.  I visit friends and relatives, meet for gelato, shop, or find somewhere to sit with my sketchbook. I also love to walk to La Cupa, the olive grove that used to belong to my Nonno to pick plums, figs and pears. I usually need to stop at one of the bars to use wifi, although as I explained in Chiuso per Ferie in August, this can end up seeming quite antisocial.

Sundays, I sleep in, unless going on a daytrip.  I love to have cappuccino and a cornetto crema di pistacchio before 11:00 Mass in the ancient Grotta di San Michele Arcangelo. At least one Sunday, I look forward to a barbecue at La Cupa with my extended family.

‘un po’ di relax’ under the olive trees

After 9pm, it is time for the evening passeggiata, walking up and down ‘il Corso’ and socializing. There are pizzerie and bars with outdoor seating along il Corso. On summer evenings, there are often concerts or special events.My favourite part of the passeggiata is walking all the way to the top of the Corso, past where the houses stop, then the streetlights stop.  It is buio (BOO•yoh) -dark, you can hear grille (GREEL•leh)-crickets, and see the stars.  On clear, windless nights, lucciole (looch•CHEEOH•leh)-fireflies make the night absolutely magical. There is usually a stop for a drink at an outdoor table before ending up back at home…never before midnight though! Buonanotte, Cristina.

Click on these links to read previous posts about wonderfully perfect days spent in… Alberobello, the Isole Tremiti, Matera, Polignano a Mare, Paestum, Roma, Trani and the Val d’Orcia.

This post is written as part of the monthly #dolcevitabloggers linkup, hosted by Jasmine of Questa Dolce Vita, Kelly of Italian at Heart and Kristie of Mamma Prada the 7th -14th of every month.

La Trinità di Masaccio

09 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Art history, Firenze, Italia

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La Trinità di Masaccio is one of the most important paintings in art history…..and it came very close to being destroyed!  The fresco is on the wall of the left aisle in Santa Maria Novella, opposite the entrance through the cloisters. La Santa Trinità is the Holy Trinity; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  It was commissioned by unknown donors, probably from the Lenzi or Berti families, since they had tombs close by.

La Trinità, completed in 1427, is the earliest known example of one point linear perspective.  It is painted on a flat wall, but gives the illusion of space, appearing to be a 3 dimensional chapel. This is the start of early 15th Century Humanism, when Italian painting moved from flat, idealized art to a more natural, realistic style.

To create a sense of depth and space, Masaccio uses linear perspective with a vanishing point, chiaroscuro, foreshortening and directional light. This was all new at the time. The figures are life-size, emotional, and so realistic they look sculpted. Jesus is especially realistic looking, with his body affected by gravity.  God is portrayed as a standing man holding up the cross, with foreshortened feet firmly planted on the ground.  He is usually portrayed by a hand or as an old man floating in the clouds.  Mary looks mournfully at the viewer, pointing up to Jesus as if to say ‘this is your answer to eternal salvation’. The praying witnesses are likely the unidentified donors, placed outside the ‘chapel’.

Inspired by Brunelleschi’s newly rediscovered classical principles, Masaccio creates a convincing architectural space, especially the barrel vaulted coffered ceiling. The composition is magnificent, with many triangles further emphasizing the theme of ‘trinity’.   The vanishing point is right at eye-level, guiding the viewer’s eye upwards and emphasizing the perspective of the ceiling.  Masaccio apparently inserted a nail at the vanishing point- the ledge below the cross. He tied strings to this nail which left imprints in the wet plaster.  He used these lines as a guide for the perspective.

My quick sketches of the vanishing point, perspective lines and triangular composition. The colour image is my entry ticket from 2004!

Masaccio was praised in Giorgio Vasari’s 1550 bestseller ‘The Lives of the Artists’.** Masaccio was born Tommaso Cassai. ‘Maso’ is short for Tommaso and with the superlative ‘accio’, it meant ‘big messy Maso’.  According to Vasari, this was ‘because of his complete lack of concern’ for worldly affairs or even how he dressed himself’. He was only concerned with his art.  Masaccio’s most famous work is the Cappella Brancacci in Santa Maria del Carmine.  In 1428, at the age of 27, he died suddenly of unknown causes.  Many, including Vasari believed he was poisoned by a jealous rival.  When informed of Masaccio’s death, Brunelleschi commented ‘Noi abbiamo fatto una gran perdita’-we have had a great loss. Masaccio did not live long enough to be well known in his lifetime, but his work inspired Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, and Filippino Lippi.  The Cappella Brancacci was completed by Filippino after Masaccio’s death.

Back to La Trinità…In 1568, Vasari was commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici to ‘modernize’ Santa Maria Novella. Cosimo ordered all of the frescos to be plastered over and replaced with new ones!  Aaaaaahhhh!  Well-lucky for us, Vasari admired Masaccio and could not bear to destroy La Trinità.  He secretly built a false wall in front, effectively preserving the work for almost 300 years.  On the new wall Vasari installed an altar and painted the Madonna del Rosario.

In 1860 Santa Maria Novella was undergoing renovations and workers, noticing an irregularity in the wall, discovered La Trinità. Unfortunately, it was detached from the wall, transferred to canvas and moved to the another wall inside.  Detaching a fresco is done with the ‘strappo’ technique, which is complicated and fascinating. Italocanadese fresco artist Liana Tumino demonstrates the technique in this video.

The bottom part of the fresco was either not noticed or ignored. It is a cadaver/ skeleton on an open tomb.  Painted to look carved in the stone is written ‘Io fu già quel che voi siete, e quel chi son voi ancor sarete’ –I was what you are and you will be what I am.  This is a Memento Mori, a reminder of our eventual death, like poor Yorick’s skull.  The message can be interpreted as both ‘Do not take life for granted, live life to its fullest’ and ‘Prepare now for eternal salvation’.  The second interpretation was more likely in the 15th century.

Both parts of the fresco were reunited in the original location in 1952. Death below, and the hope of salvation above.  It suffered some damage from being transferred to canvas and then back to the wall.  I am not the biggest fan of Vasari’s work, but in this case…yeah Giorgio!  We can almost forgive him for the gaudy tomb he designed for Michelangelo… Almost.

Ciao, Cristina

**The full title is ‘The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects’, in italiano ‘Le Vite de’ più Eccellenti Pittori, Scultori e Architettore’ often simply called ‘Le Vite’, first published 1550, updated 1568. Read more about Vasari in this post.

La Grande Cacata

17 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Art history, Firenze, Italia

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As I entered Piazza della Signoria in November, I was surprised to see it occupied by a massive excremental aluminum sculpture. Big Clay #4 is the actual title of the 12 meter high work by Swiss artist Urs Fischer.

The sculpture is actually an enlargement of pieces of clay that the artist modeled with his hands.  He took 5 small pieces of clay and squished them around in his hands, then piled them up.  Then it was ‘supersized’ to 12 meters high.  The artist’s fingerprints and palm creases that were impressed onto the surface of the clay were also reproduced. An interesting idea…. too bad it came out looking like poo.

The installation of this sculpture is not a successful pairing of contemporary and Renaissance/Classic art. If I sound like a harsh art critic, let me say that I am not one of those people who just dislikes contemporary art.  In fact, one of my favourite musei in Firenze is the Museo Marino Marini, housed in the deconsecrated ancient church of San Pancrazio. Marini’s 20th Century sculptures are elegant and classic and his melding of the historical and the contemporary is extremely successful.

In my determined quest to find a positive angle on this work, I looked at the photo below and wondered if the artist was trying to (unsuccessfully) mimic the spiraling vortex of Giambologna’s Ratto delle Sabine.  This is not the case, since I found out the sculpture was not made for this site.  It was previously displayed outside of the Seagram Building in Manhattan, where it was known as the ‘Big Turd’.

The work is supposed to be thought provoking.  The only thought that came to me was ‘Now I know what it would it look like if a brontosaurus took a big dump in the middle of Piazza della Signoria!’ The sculpture is up until January 21st, so you only have  4 more days to see it here.  My title may sound a bit harsh, but many other colourful, scatologically oriented comments were heard in the piazza and around Firenze. I don’t think many Fiorentini will be sad to see it go!

Ciao, Cristina

Autunno in Italia

30 Thursday Nov 2017

Posted by in Firenze, Italia, Orsara di Puglia, Photography, Roma, Travel tips

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Returning from my short trip to Italia, as usual I was back to work the next morning.  This did not help with the cambiamento di fuso orario. I have so many posts to write, but now they will have to wait until after Christmas. Until then, here is a quick summary with some highlights from my viaggietto.  It was a bit of a blur….at 17 days, I think this was my shortest ever trip to Italia!

I had not been to Italia in autunno before. The fall weather was mostly clear and sunny, with a few days of serious rain. I envisioned myself having every piazza practically to myself….was I ever mistaken!  My first few days were in Roma the last weekend of October.  The Pantheon was packed with more people than I have ever seen in July! I could barely make it through the crowd to throw my coin into the Fontana di Trevi!  I found out that some European countries have their school midterm break around this time.  In Italia November 1st, All Saints’ Day, is a holiday and many Italians take ‘il ponte al primo novembre’, an extra-long weekend.  Even so, the guard at the Pantheon said ‘Qui non c’è bassa stagione’-there is no low season here.  My 2 partial weekends in Firenze were similar.  Smaller places, especially the seaside are quiet at this time of year, but the cities always have a lot of visitors, especially on the weekend.  Despite my utter shock at the hoardes of tour groups I was not expecting, Roma was glorious as usual. One day I want to spend a whole month in Roma.

Franco joined me for the first 9 days-this was only confirmed a week before leaving! He had not been to Roma in a very long time, so we decided to visit the Colosseo and Foro Romano.  I took way too many photos of this.  I was obsessed with the way the sunlight struck this green door on the Tempio di Romolo in the Foro Romano. The rest of the day involved a lot of walking. It was centered around a visit to Poggi to buy Fabriano Rosaspina paper for my art retreat, and meeting a friend in Monti.  We ended up doing everything on my Un Giorno a Roma itinerary and a few extras.

Monti

Spending just 4 days in Orsara di Puglia was a mad dash. This was not enough time to visit family and friends, so I greeted a lot of them in the street.  I heard the same phrase from anyone who was not expecting me ‘Ma sei fuori stagione!’. I guess I was out of season, but technically so were they!  It was hard to recognize people bundled up in their puffy piumini. November 1 is a holiday, and in Orsara also the festa Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje.  In Italiano this would be Falò e Teste del Purgatorio (bonfires and heads from purgatory). Sometimes we simply call it ‘Tutti Santi’.  I wrote about the festa in this post, and now that I have been there myself, I will add photos or write a new post.  There were zucche and bonfires everywhere.  My balcony was decorated with zucche.  I took so many photos I am still going through them, but here are a few. 

Il fuoco e le zucche di Antonella e Domenico

The festa was absolutely amazing and also a moving, sprirtual experience-for me and 20,000 others. The weather was clear and crisp, but it was very cold at night.  My little casa has no heat, so I borrowed an electric space heater.  Brrrrr.

I encountered a lot of olives on this trip. It seemed every road near Orsara was full of parked cars and people with crates and olive nets.  I was not used to seeing the trees full of ripe olives!  I enjoyed spending a day at my Nonno’s olive grove. One evening we walked past the frantoio, the olive mill, which is always closed the rest of the year.  The divine smell of pressed olives lured me in.  I photo-documented the entire olive oil extraction process for a future post.  Then it was arrivederci Orsara until July.  Unfortunately, I missed my family’s olive harvest by one day, but I was able to pick olives in Gugliano.

Next was Firenze for 2 half days. I had not been for several years and it felt good to be back. A spectacular view was the reward for a long morning walk along and across the Arno to Piazzale Michelangelo. A torrential downpour started just as we arrived, so the return trip was very wet. I had to blow dry myself, then got back out in the rain to catch the train to Lucca.  We arrived in Lucca just as thousands of attendees were leaving the Lucca Comics and Games Convention.  For security reasons, the front of the stazione was closed off.  My ride was waiting out front, so by the time we got there, I looked like I had been through the spin cycle.  The imposing medieval walls of Lucca were barely visible through the rain and the mist.  Next came the bumpy half hour ride to Casa Berti near Gugliano for the Catalyst Art Retreat.

Casa Berti

Luckily a fire was waiting.  Franco was in charge of roasting castagne, then he caught the last train back to Firenze to fly home in the am. The retreat was wonderful and the location stunning.  My fellow artists were an inspiration.

My corner of the studio at Casa Berti, looking out over olive trees

Artist Mary Cinque working on a woodcut in the studio

The retreat ended with an exhibit at Villa Coloreda near Pietrasanta

I also found time to visit Lucca, pick olives and cachi, make limoncello cake with freshly pressed olive oil and finally try Bistecca alla Fiorentina.  Lots of material for future posts.

#cooldudesroma

So much for a ‘quick’ summary! I’ll end with a few notes about travelling to Italia in autunno:

-It may be ‘low season’ for airfares, but unless your destination is a small town or a seaside area, do not expect to be alone! This is especially true on weekends. In the cities, midweek hotel prices are lower, but they go up on weekends.

-Dancing around an almost empty Piazza Navona is possible……before 8am!

-The days are shorter.  It gets dark at 16:30 to be exact. Take this into account when making plans for the day.

-The weather can be variable. Even if the days are sunny, nights are cold.  Dress ‘a la cipolla’, in layers like an onion, and be prepared for rain too!

Il Ponte Vecchio 12 Novembre

Buon Viaggio, Cristina

In Partenza!

28 Saturday Oct 2017

Posted by in Amici e Famiglia, Italia, Parole piacevoli, Travel

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Sono in partenza!  I am going on a recently planned trip to Roma, Orsara di Puglia and Lucca!  My amica Shannon, who some of you may remember from this post, has organized an artist retreat just outside of Lucca…so of course I have to go.  It just so happened I already had vacation scheduled for the week before, with no plans!  The week before the retreat includes November 1, which is the festa Fucacoste e Cocce Priatorje in Orsara di Puglia. For years I have been hearing about what an incredible experience the festa is.  Even my parents tell me stories about it. I have not ever attended because…. well really, who goes to Italia in November??? Apparently now I do!  I managed to rearrange my schedule and piece together another week to my vacation and off I go! Have a look at this lively 47 second video.

I had to find out how to say ‘artist retreat’ in italiano so I could explain what I was going to be doing to my famiglia.  The 2 best options I found are ritiro artistico and soggiorno creativo.

I arrive in Roma for the weekend, then will take the train to Orsara for the festa and a few days of hanging out and visiting with amici e famiglia.  I must admit I am a bit concerned because my little casa does not have heat!  Luckily the forecast is sunshine, and I have 2 of my Nonna‘s big blankets. I may buy a space heater or else bake biscotti every night so I can use the oven! My next stop is Lucca.  I will be at the retreat for a week and at the end of it we are having una mostra, an exhibit in Pietrasanta.  After the retreat I have a day and a half free, which I will probably spend in Firenze, since that is where I fly home from. As I explained in my summer post ‘Chiuso per Ferie’, which hardly anyone read, new posts will have to wait until I am back.  I will be posting to Instagram regularly, so check that out to see what I am up to!

Arrivederci, Cristina

PS The photo was taken while flying over Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver