5/30/2024 Wild Boar, Meat Platter, Lansagna, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Pasta-Making 

While still in the Chianti region, interesting dinner options were served in the Borgo Di Cortefreda Hotel. 

At this point of our trip, I wasn't too concerned about trying new tastes since their breakfasts had everything imaginable (including bacon that was actually crispy, scrambled eggs that weren't runny, coffee that didn't put hair on my chest, bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil for dipping toasted Italian bread, and English translations for four different types of croissants - including pistachio.

So I had a bowl of wild boar with mashed potatoes the first night, a meat platter with hunks of beef, pork, chicken legs, and the best sausage I have ever enjoyed (no vegetables, no salad, no fruit) on the second night. I could only eat one sausage before I was bloated. Our waiter put a shoebox-sized to-go box in a bag for me to keep in my room fridge overnight. I cracked up when I looked in the box and saw just 4 pieces of meat lying there, looking lonely. I was still so full the next day that I couldn't face dinner the last night, but then I fell victim to a sizeable piece of bechamel lasagna, hit the sack, and listened to my fat crinkle.

Up early to visit Pruneti and its 35,000 olive trees. Founded in 1872. Marketing began in 1900. The third generation, Paolo and Gionni Pruneti, took over the family business in 2003. Today, numerous awards, recognition, and certificates are available worldwide.

Our tour guide. The first thing we learned about extra virgin olive oil is that it should not be bought in a green plastic bottle. 

The second thing we learned was that it was not used for cooking. Instead, it should be added after the cooking is done.

Our tasting flavors (left to right).

                    PRUNETI ORGANIC MONOCULTIVAR LECCINO                        PRUNETI ORGANIC MONOCULTIVAR MORAIOLO

PRUNETI ORGANIC MONOCULTIVAR FRANTOIO

Tastes intensified as we moved from Leccino to Moraiolo to Frantoio, but the Leccino clobbered my sinuses and triggered repeated sneezing when I least expected it.

Our next stop was San Casciano in Val di Pesa, a local agriturismo (farmhouse), where we had a hands-on cooking lesson for homemade orecchiette pasta.

There's nothing like bruschetta with fresh garden tomatoes 

and ice-cold Prosecco!

The farmhouse is over 100 years old.

(Photo by Dennis Mullaney.)

The family almost totally renovated the deteriorating property.

(Photo by Dennis Mullaney.)

Outdoor grill.

(Photo by Dennis Mullaney.)

David did a fine job prepping the pork with olive oil, salt, garlic, 

and rosemary.

Amazing aromas filled the air and had us salivating!

Susan and Jerry work on slicing and shaping the orecchiette.

 The orecchiette is ready to be served. 

Moira focuses on dessert.

Lunch was phenomenal. No one died. 

Catherine told me I did a great job kneading the simple, supple dough of semolina flour, water, and salt.