It's Good To Be Back-Panicale 2016

  Sigh.

  What's a girl to say….? Happy, happy, happy to be back in this life once again. 

  Feeling most grateful.

  After saying ciao to Roma, we land in Chiusi by train and pick up our car. 

  In yet another new Hertz space, but it all worked out. (For those pals still on the way, it's almost just across the street from the station, near where the old, old Hertz place was…to the right as you leave the station…)

  We grabbed one box of firewood to get us started before heading up the hill. A drive we now know like the back of our hard working hands!

  Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by our wonderful hosts, Katia & Massimo, hugs, more hugs…and then hugs.

Inside the apartment we now call 'home', we found lovely gifts of olive oil, fruit, veggies, eggs, wine, ….and those are not bottles of beer, they are passata, summer tomatoes pureed…summer in a bottle, from Katia's garden.

  Sweetness. Grazie, carissimi!

  

I see several yummy dinners here!

  Next, a stroll around the walls to catch the view before it was too late..

Lovely.

  …and a nice long visit with Aldo and Carla at Bar Gallo. It's very quiet in town. Winter was tough on the older folks, with several losses over the past few months. So it goes in these small hill towns all over Italy. Each loss is a big one, as the community is so small to begin with.

  Always nice to catch up, in any case, and we had a great time visiting….over wine, of course! Grazie, Aldo...

  Back home to freshen up for dinner at Simone & Lorena's Il Gallo nel Pozzo. First night open after their winter break. Some places are still closed in town. We haven't been here this early in a few years.

  Nice to be tucked in, looking forward to a nice meal!

A favorite wine to start the evening...

  The menu has some new items, and we had no problem picking out a couple of starters and primi dishes. As vegetarians, this is how we order… the meat course is lost on us...

We went for the bruschetta and the fonduta.

Followed by Maltagiati and Gnudi...

A warm and cozy interior. Perfect on a chilly night.

The fonduta with fig preserves and pistachios.
We dipped bits of bread into the gooey delight. Mmmmm!

Oh, yes I did!

The bruschetta was amazing. The onion bread, house baked, is a
perfect choice with the slightly sweet and salty beans.
New olive oil generously drizzled...

  Next, our pasta…Johnny went right to the gnudi, spinach and ricotta dumplings, here served with butter and sage sauce. They were a nice size, perfect texture…really good.

  My maltagliati was also a winner. The pasta has that chewy texture only found with hand made, and I can't resist chickpea with rosemary…This was almost like a soup, with lots of delicious broth to sop up.

  We kept trading back and forth.  

Perfection in a bowl.

  We also ordered a couple of side dishes (contorni). Hey, we had a long day, and hadn't eaten! We were hungry...

I love these onions, oven roasted in their skins.
It's a traditional dish in these parts. A little balsamic vinegar, I think.
Yum.

Caponata, a southern speciality. Lorena's influence, I believe.
Bad picture, but a fine dish.

  We ended with a share. A flakey crusted tart of fig jam and walnuts?

  Yes, I think we will, thank you.

So good.

  What a perfect first evening. 

  Grazie, Simone, Lorena e i vostri cuochi! Squisito!

  Walking back to the apartment, we feel content in every way.

  We love our walk home!

Our front steps...

Flowers already planted by dear Katia, but I'll add more...

A small first fire, and we are both snoring on the couch.
Time for bed, dear ones….