Nonna's Mulberry Tree

Umbria Part 2 With Hank and Ellen!

February 23, 2015 by midgeguerrera, posted in Stops Along the Journey - Sites Off the Tourist Track

OOOOOPS – the berry on the tree fell to the ground a wee bit early! I hit “publish” on Hank’s story before I realized the rest was flying about cyberspace reading out to me. Here is the rest of their adventure!

The interrupted Hank continues: Castelluccio is world famous for its lentils. If you go, you must buy some. We had a nice meal on the terrace of the hotel, and called it a day. The next day we tried a nice restaurant called, “Granaro del Monte.” The food was good. When I ordered Linguini Chinghale, Linguini with wild boar sauce, I saw and tasted the difference between Tuscan and Umbrian fare. The pasta in Tuscany had a red wild-boar sauce, while the Umbrian version came in brown, meat gravy. Also, Umbria is famous for truffles, which are in almost everything!!

Truffles are also harvested in Pontelandolfo!

Ellen and I left Norcia with a resolve to re-visit it someday. The sun had finally become entrenched it the sky and the ride to Monteluco and St Francis’ Convent was gorgeous . We can’t ever pass up Monteluco, where the Convent founded by St. Francis is located, and where he lived, prayed, and held Mass. The place is very primitive, but has a grove of trees that is where St. Francis went to meditate and pray. It is the most peaceful place I’ve ever been. We stayed here for a while just absorbing the peace that radiates out of every rock and tree. If you every go to Spoleto, make this a for-sure stop.

We were headed to the wonderful Agriturismo Bartoli. It is located on the slopes of Monte Fionchi the mountains that overlook the Spoleto valley. (http://www.agriturismospoleto.net) The village is called Patrico, but it is hard to find on a map. It, too, is a twisty mountain road, much of which is gravel. This place is run by a family and has been a working farm for about 200 years and has been an agriturismo since 1988. Everything in Umbria seems to be uphill!

We walked a lot and were thankful for our walking sticks! This is a place where you can do nothing or everything. Agriturismo Bartoli will take you horseback riding, truffle hunting, and will feed you until you burst. There is also lots of wine!! They drink it with every meal except breakfast. Ellen and I were told, however, that they only drink with meals. This place is a gem! If you want beautiful scenery, wonderful food, peace and quiet, horseback riding, or any of the above, this is a great place.

Heading off to the Lazio region, but that’s a story for another day.

Thanks again Hank! Love your additions to the “tree”.

Umbria with Hank and Ellen

February 22, 2015 by midgeguerrera, posted in Stops Along the Journey - Sites Off the Tourist Track

Erstwhile travelers Hank and Ellen Sinatra have more stories to tell about their Italian adventures. I adore this cousin of mine, Hank’s life would make a great movie and George Clooney should star.

Follow the Sinatra’s to Umbria as they “do it there way.”

Hank: We are on the road to Umbria. It is a more mountainous region that has some interesting views and great food and wine. We were both saddened and excited to leave Pienza and hit the highway. This road trip features areas both old and new – to us that is! Our first goal was to reach Spello, a picturesque town that is East of Perugia, by nightfall. Ellen planned a stop along the way – in Deruta to tour one of its many pottery factories. I’m so glad she did. It was stunning. When I think of pottery, I think of small plates and such.

Although they had some of these standard items, they also specialized in table tops. We loved them, but couldn’t think of a use for them in Texas. Deruta was South of Perugia on the E-45. We were chasing a storm, and finally caught up with it outside of Spello. What a down-pour. We could hardly see through the rain.

We finally got to our hotel, “Nuovo Albergo Il Portonaccio,” which is just outside of the walls of Spello. It was a nice place to stay and had a very large covered patio where we could sit and watch the rain while I had a cigar.

The rain finally let up a little, and, since the weather was iffy, we didn’t want to get very adventurous about where to eat our evening meal. We opted for the restaurant next door. The name of this little gem is “Il Vecchio Opificio Osteria-Pizzeria.” Ellen and I had a great meal and some of their award-winning Olive Oil, which was fantastic. Later, we walked up into Spello to see the church “Santa Maria Maggiore.” And, when I say UP, I mean UP. It was quite a hike, but worth it.

Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore

The hotel had a very nice breakfast to help us on our way. Our next stop was a two-night stay in Norcia. It is South of Spello, then East of Spoleto. We headed to Norcia, a place that specializes in Wild Boar products and truffles. The road from Spoleto to Norcia is a narrow two-lane road that twists and turns. It is also a major thoroughfare used by many trucks, some semis with double trailers. I would not recommend this drive to novices or at night. It rained on us most of the way, but the weather turned on a dime, which is typical of the weather in the Umbrian mountains.

The hotel we stayed in was the “Best Western Hotel Salicone.” It was a clean, comfortable hotel just outside of the Walls of Norcia. It was a nice hotel with an excellent breakfast and is worth another stay. It did not, however, live up to its advertisement of providing robes and slippers on request. We visited the Piazza Santo Benedetto, which had a statue of their famous son. The Piazza was simple and beautiful, as was the man himself. If you go to Norcia, you have to visit the Grand Piano, which is a great plain area. There is a small town on the mountain just North of the Piano called, Castelluccio. It gives you a wonderful panoramic view. Can’t wait to go back!

Hank and Ellen – you are terrific travel guides and have shared a ton of wonderful information! Gracie Tante!

Dott. Pasquale Palumbo

February 9, 2015 by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo

This past December I got smacked with a bizarre malady – perpetual dizziness. Now, I know that I have been called a “dizzy broad” but this was terrible. A hospital admission, followed by the alphabet list of tests and the mystery dizziness continues. Leaving the hospital they told me to see my Primary Care Physician. So I called my PCP and the gatekeeper said “We can see you in 10 days.” Ten days?! Are you f’n kidding me. I’m dizzy today.

I may be dizzy but during this insanity I saw clearly one of the differences between health care in Pontelandolfo and New Jersey. Need to see my Primary Care Physician in Pontelandolfo – no appointment necessary! Right, NO waiting ten days after a hospital stay to see your PCP – just walk in!

There are other parts of the Italian Health Care system that may not be so easy to wrangle – we’ll save those stories for another day. Today, I want to talk about Dottore Pasquale Palumbo.

HIs studio medico is on the third floor of Piazza Roma 1 – correct, there is no elevator. I know what you’re thinking. How the hell is a doctor whose office on the third floor of a ancient building with no elevator accessible? HE MAKES HOUSE CALLS! Remember those? When I was a wee one – when the dinosaurs roamed the earth – Doc Husted came to the house. Now you need a concierge doctor on retainer if you want that. In Pontelandolfo, the charming Dottore Palumbo regularly visits his patients in their homes. The first time we met him he was visiting our landlady – he pops in to check her blood pressure. He recognized Jack and said – “I know you, you’re the crazy man who walks at noon – walk earlier.” Every time I see him, he reminds me to tell Jack to walk before noon.

When I first got accepted into the Italian Health Care System, the administrator at the Azienda Sanitaria Locale asked me to be honest and tell them whenever I was leaving the country. That way, no practitioner would be paid for me when I wasn’t in the country. Apparently, there are folks on the list who immigrated and never took themselves off the list – what a lousy thing to do. Pontelandolfo is part of the Distretto Sanitario Benevento Nord-Est – Morcone ASL and I made sure to stop by and tell them we were heading to the USA.

Dottore Palumbo practices Medico generico. Since he is in our home town, I picked him as my general practitioner. That means, I’m on his list as a patient and he gets paid regularly for me. He is my primary care physician.

My first visit to Dottore Palumbo had me huffing and puffing up those three flights. When I got to the top and looked at the view, I raised my victory fist in the air. The steps are a great free cardio workout!

Yoo Hoo Can You See Me Up Here?

When you go through the door to the office, the most noticeable thing is the absence of staff. There is no receptionist, no nurse, no billing department – niente! What a great way to cut those costs. I walked into the waiting room, looked at who sat waiting in the chairs and knew I went after them. An elderly gentleman peeked in the room and said, Chi è il prossimo? The next person went in – we didn’t need a receptionist. When it was my turn, I proudly walked in and gave him my new Tessera Sanitaria.

My Tessera Sanitaria and Codice Fiscal. Health Care and Social Security Cards

Dotter Palumbo didn’t ask me my name, he knew who I was – this is a very small village – asked me about my cousins, husband and myself. Pulled my new record up on his laptop and asked me why I was there. Bronchitis. After the exam he gave me my ricetta. No euro changed hands. I will not be billed – visits are part of the health care system.

I walked down the stairs across the piazza to la farmacia and got my drugs. ( Here’s the link to a pharmacy story – http://wp.me/p3rc2m-bh) When patients call Dottore Palumbo for refills he writes the prescriptions and when he goes home for lunch, he carries them across the piazza himself.

He is a great man and everyone loves him. What is not to love, a doctor who comes to your house, has great office hours and is always smiling. Now, I don’t want to be sick, but when I get back to town I will be sure to stop by and bring the good doctor a caffè.

(TRUTH TIME – when the gatekeeper in NJ told me it would be ten days before I could see my PCP after a wretched time in the hospital I promptly hung up. Having learned how to work the medical system, I called back, hacked into the phone, talked through my nose, coughed repeatedly and got in the next day.)

Feeling like a Queen at Queensley Country Resort

January 24, 2015January 24, 2015 by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo, Stops Along the Journey - Sites Off the Tourist Track

I was staring out my dining room window this morning and thought, how magical the snow covered trees look – like the setting for a Russian love story. Then I walked outside the door to smell the clean winter air – it’s freakin’ freezing. Dashing back into the house I knew I had to think summer thoughts.

Winter blahs getting to you too? Tired of snow, sleet and brr? Take a breath – close your eyes – NO – I mean pretend you’re closing your eyes. Imagine sitting in the bottom of a salad bowl and looking up at every color green in the spectrum. Green to the right of you. Lighter green to the left of you. Cascading greens floating down the side. That is what it feels like to be floating in the pool on a hot summer day at Queensley Country Resort in Morcone (BN). Ahhhhhhhh.

When one of my Pontelondolfesi pals told me about the swimming pool in Morcone, I thought they were exaggerating about how gorgeous it was. We are in the hills of Southern Italy – not on the Amalfi Coast at a swank resort. Under duress, I took a ride one afternoon to see this really “elegant” swimming hole. Yawn, could we go for gelato yet? We road around the whirly gigs of hill roads, came to a tired sign and made a left up the longish driveway. Holy Shit! How did I get to the Beverly Hills Hilton? Were we beamed up to some super chic spa in Tuscany?

No my friends you can find this ten minutes from our little village –

Private Spots with a Great View!

Ten euros gives you a full day of feeling like a princess. The price include a lettino – a lounge chair. It is more to reserve the Prive Bellavista – 4 spots for 100€. The club like resort opens from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The youngsters tell me it is open at night for the restaurant, bar and general partying. In July they had a Toga Party – free admission with a DJ! It started at 10:00 PM. We never made it.

My first trip was with my worldly London-living niece, Alessandra Rosaria, she quickly grabbed up one of the brown circular lounges, globbed on the sun screen and declared she had found sunbathing heaven. That day, not knowing what to expect, we packed our lunch and dragged bottles of water. We noticed the more urbane folks getting incredible looking sandwiches getting delivered to them – wait – this place has a restaurant? Yup – to eat at the restaurant one needs a reservation.

Caffè or Campari????

To munch pool side you can order food from the “bar” – even caffè, campari soda and all the wonderful drinks that go to my italo-americana brain. The locals tell me that the restaurant is top drawer – of course one goes for dinner at 9 or 10. We vow to nap one day next trip and try the restaurant out.

Elegant outdoor dining.

We did see people shedding bathing suits for dressier attire and lunching here.

Perhaps someday I’ll drag a bag with a breezy summer dress and change for lunch…. One visit, we ordered panini from the bar. They were huge and OK but for a scant 1€ in Pontelandolfo we could have gotten the same thing to go. We decided to buy our lunches to go for the next visits. Still, of course, availing ourselves of the Queensely Bar.

The folks that we saw poolside were a mixture of working class woman with a day off – we met a few from a local factory, moms with their children – though the price point makes that difficult for most, Americans visiting their families and lots of gorgeous young men and women. I particularly loved watching the gorgeous young men oiling themselves. Whew it got hotter.

When by BFF, Janet, came to visit she instantly chatted up everyone and discovered folks I didn’t know from Pontelandolfo. Other days I bumped into my English students and women from town. This is the place to ward off the heat of summer and luxuriate in surroundings found in tonier towns. I am so glad I was introduced to Queensley Country Resort.

Here is their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Queensley-Country-Resort/496928613745805

Hmmmm, summer will soon be here. There now – don’t you feel warmer?

Come With Me to Sardegna!

January 13, 2015April 27, 2016 by midgeguerrera, posted in Stops Along the Journey - Sites Off the Tourist Track

Forget the tours.

Ignore the guide with the raised umbrella.

Travel Independently With

Nonna’s Mulberry Tree.

Come to Sardegna.

Jack and I like to travel and we are particularly partial to Italy. Friends enjoy our tales of traveling sans a big bus and a tour guide. Yes, we find our own hotels – sometimes we can’t fit in the shower. Yes, we figure out how to get fed – once Jack stared at what he ordered and gulped . Yes, I make language snafus and am often surrounded by lots of laughing folks who haven’t a clue as to what I am saying. Those experiences are stories to share and learning adventures to build on. Join us as we improve our Italian language skills at Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera. I wrote about the school a few months back – http://wp.me/p3rc2m-oW – and readers have asked me if they could study with us next time.

This October 3rd – October 17th 2015 is the “next time” and we are inviting you along. The trip is restricted to only 15 adventurous people. People who want to learn or improve their Italian Language Skills, immerse themselves in Italian Culture, live like a local, shop the market and stroll Alghero’s sea wall.

We’re partnering with Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera, a world class Italian Language school, to facilitate our adventure. Check out their web site. (http://www.pintadera.info/home)

Here’s the deal – You make the Decisions!

Language and Culture €550 (Time to learn how to convert $ to €)

First night Welcoming Gathering at a local bar. First glass of wine is on us.

Jack is waiting for you!

Sunday – October 4 – Un Pasto e Conversazione at a local restaurant. We’ll share a meal and plan the week.

Monday – October 5 – You start your 2 weeks of Italian Language Classes with a native speaker. These are full immersion classes and I think the best way to learn. The first day you will be given a placement test at 8:30 AM. This insures everyone is grouped appropriately. Classes run from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Monday thru Friday with a midmorning coffee break.

Included Cultural Courses:

Alghero – Walled-City walking tour with a local. Discover the ancient city, through the history and architecture of the old town center. (OK, this is the one time you might follow an umbrella – but it’ll be a whimsical one.)

Finding your Family – I’ll tell you my tales of researching my family, visiting the village my family is from and reconnecting with relatives that I didn’t know I had. Genealogical short cuts, services and hints will be shared by all.

The Dark Side of Sardinia – Banditry The origin of banditry in Sardinia from the Spanish colonial period up to the end of ‘classical’ banditry. The link between the isolation of the island and criminality, and the culture of vendetta and kidnapping.

Dolce Vita or Is It? Ex-pats share their stories of what works for them and what drives them insane. I will be joined by other ex-pats who spend all or a great deal of the year in Italy. We will hit topics like health care, daily life, taxes and of course money.

If you want to take even more classes – for an extra fee – you may. Here is the list: http://www.pintadera.info/course.html#cultural

Travel to Sardegna – You Decide How and How Much

Use your air miles. Look for the greatest deals. You book your own transportation to Algerho planning on arriving on Saturday, October 3, 2015. At the airport you can take a taxi to your apartment .

Housing and Sustenance

Pintadera will provide assistance choosing the right housing arrangement for you. Want to live with a local family? Want your own apartment? Want to meet new folks and share an apartment. Depending on what you want, the cost will range from about €400 to €600 for two weeks . Check out this link to the service Pintadera offers us. http://www.pintadera.info/accommodation.html#costs

Fresh Tuna Tonight?

This is a chance to explore the restaurants and markets of Alghero. Shop the markets and cook in your apartment! Or grab another student and hit the local eateries. You decide where to eat, when and how much to spend or whether you want to stay in and cook your own meal with fresh ingredients purchased at the market.

Registration and Payments

This trip will only happen if a minimum of 10 people register to go. Send me an e-mail, call me or leave a comment telling me that you are definitely in.

To summarize the cost – A €550 language classes and cultural actives fee. €400 – €600 housing for two weeks. Pretty Cheap!

After I am sure we have the minimum of 10 people joining Jack and I, I will then send you the information needed to send a €200 deposit to Pintadera using the easy and inexpensive wire service: https://www.xoom.com/how-to-transfer-money-using-xoom This deposit is for the Language Classes and Cultural Activities. On the first day of class you will pay the remaining €350.

Then you coordinate with Pintadera on your housing. Upon your arrival, the housing cost will be paid in euros.

You will need to have your debit card handy and bring euros with you. We use our debit cards in every country and have never had a problem.

Any Questions?

Send me an e-mail with your phone number and I’ll give you a call. As we get our group organized I will be sending additional hints and information.

Buon Viaggio!

2014 WordPress Report – Interesting

December 30, 2014 by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for Nonna’s Mulberry Tree. Who knew!?!? I thought it was interesting and those of you who are number crunchers may find it amusing!

Here’s an excerpt:

(These are WordPress’ words – I swear.)

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,700 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

The busiest day of the year was August 29th with 127 views. The most popular post that day was I See My Father.

Your most commented on post in 2014 was Learning Italian in Sardegna – Centro Mediterraneo Pintadera.

How did folks find us?

(Thank you for clicking on these links!)

The top referring sites in 2014 were:

facebook.com

web.mail.comcast.net

pontelandolfonews.com

semalt.com

linkedin.com

Where did readers come from?

89 countries in all!
Most visitors came from The United States. Italy & Brazil were not far behind.

Thank you for being a part of my blogosphere.

You make it easy for me to tell my tales. Grazie Tante.

Felice Anno Nuovo!

See you in 2015!

Buon Natale! Felice Anno Nuovo! Auguri!

December 24, 2014December 24, 2014 by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo

Poor Babbo Natale – Some Kids Never Grow Up!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vi auguriamo un Natale pieno di amore, pace e felicità.

We wish you a Christmas filled with love, peace and happiness.

Buone Feste e un felice Anno Nuovo!

Happy Celebrations and a happy New Year!

Con i migliori auguri,

Midge & Jack

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alla tua salute!

Thank you for being the best subscribers a blogger could ever want. I look forward to hearing each and every one of your comments as 2015 continues our adventure.

Love,

Midge

Christmas Menu – Franco Perugini’s Savory Porchetta

December 22, 2014 by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo, Food - Eating In and Out!

Perugini Franco Macelleria – A Yummy Place to Shop

Hey Babbo Natale – Listen up La Befana – All I want for Christmas is…..

My God, my God, I kept repeating as I slowly slid more into my mouth. Every part of my being was tingling with the sensation. I groaned and stared at the ceiling. Everyone in the macelleria looked at me like I was crazy, had sprouted a second head and would soon be banished to hell. Nicla, whispered to her father the butcher, Lei ha detto, “il mio dio.”

Franco Perugini – Master of Porchetta

This incredible taste bud experience was literally the best one I had during the frenetic August Festa di San Donato. San Donato had blessed me by sending me into Perugini Franco Macelleria and introducing my taste buds to this heavenly porchetta made in Pontelandolfo (BN). Now, as I think about Christmas dinner, I don’t lust for goose, I don’t lust for beef, I want porchetta!!!! Oh, you’re wondering, what the heck is porchetta?

No I Never Bought the Whole One! I Wish I Did.

It is a boneless loin of pork that has been butterflied – cut in half so it opens like a book – filled with a herb mixture, wrapped in pork belly – skin side out and meat side seasoned- rolled like a log and tied with string. I think Franco also seasons the outside. It is roasted at a high heat and the outside gets crispy while the inside is tender and flavorful. (Most of what I have tasted at festas and in bars is not.) When it is sliced you see ring inside ring of good tastes.

According to Wkipedia –

Porchetta has been selected by the Italian Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale(“traditional agricultural-alimentary product”, one of a list of traditional Italian foods held to have cultural relevance).

Now that I have tasted the porchetta made by the Perugini family, I can understand why it is honored as a cultural tradition. Franco tells me that folks buy it from him and he vacuum packs it to take back to America. Napolitans, who have weekend houses here, buy it to take back to Naples. Next time I have a party in Pontelandolfo, I intend to buy one, show it to my guests and not share.

Nicla Perugini proudly follows in her Dad’s footsteps making incredible pork products.

After discovering this family’s porchetta and sausages, I must admit we ate them often. The porchetta was great reheated in a covered skillet with barely any water covering the bottom. We also ate it room temperature on wonderful crusty bread. The sausages – particularly the hot ones – could be found on our table regularly.

Next time you are in Italy, I challenge you to try the best porchetta anywhere. Stop by Perugini Franco Macelleria Moderna, Via Nazionale Sud, Pontelandolfo (BN). I wish they had a web site and shipped to to the USA. If they did, I know what we would be having for Christmas Dinner.

Cozy Entrance Features Produce

Next year before we head back to the states, I’m getting some vacuum packed to go – a lot of it!

Buon Natale and enjoy whatever you decide to make for Christmas dinner!

PS – send a letter to Babbo Natale – http://www.babbo-natale.it

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