Once again the dawn breaks and we are looking ahead to a day full of adventure. This morning we are going to the country with Chef Umberto and Mieke to the region of Abruzzo. We will visit the homes, farms, vineyards, olive groves, olive oil processing plant and the castle of the Masciarelli family. 

The Masciarelli’s have lived in Abruzzo for generations. Mr. Masciarelli’s grandfathers grew grapes, but didn’t produce wine, so two generations later, after traveling to France and around Europe, Gianni Masciarelli came home to Abruzzo to make wine. His grandfather told him that he wanted him to make wine, but wouldn’t just give him his grapes. Instead Gianni would have to purchase the grapes from his grandfather. For years Gianni paid his grandfather for the grapes and made his wine. When his grandfather passed away, they found a stack of checks that he had never cashed. He didn’t want Gianni’s money, he just wanted to teach his grandson a business lesson. And it worked.

Gianni Masciarelli has not only made some of the best Trebbiano, and Montepulciano wine in the world, he has created an imports business, has been a developer, farmer and had been converting a 17^th century castle, once owed by a baron, into a boutique resort in Abruzzo.

Sadly, a week before we arrived in Italy, Mr. Masciarelli passed away suddenly at the young age of 53. He left behind a young wife, Marina, and three beautiful children. Despite his family’s heartbreaking loss, their friendship with Umberto is so strong they insisted on showing Umberto and his guests from America the world of the Masciarellis. For that I am eternally grateful.

This is a polite, gracious and generous world filled with family, friends and passion, especially for the wine they produce and the region in which they live. Our visit starts after a scenic three-hour drive from Rome. We arrive at the wine-making facility of the Masciarelli family greeted by Rocco, a kind gentleman of great grace and hospitality. We are also greeted by Angela, she, too, is amazing and she speaks English as well which is going to make my day a lot easier!

Rocco tells us we must first have lunch as the day would be long, so we are whisked off to an old restaurant called Torre di Pretoro which is literally carved into the mountain side. The room we sit in for lunch is surrounded by the carved walls of the mountain. The granite walls naturally cool the room. Who need air conditioning when you can carve your restaurant out of a mountain?

The chef there is a sweet Italian woman who is a real nonna. We begin with, zucca three ways: blossoms with anchovy and fresh pecorino; grilled and stacked with tomato and mozzarella; and baked with a scrambled farm fresh egg. We pair this with one of the Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo wines, which are so balanced, so special and unique in the world of white wine making.  We move on to the spaghetti a la guitarra, thin pasta cut with an old world hand cutter called the guitarra, the guitar. This pasta has thin strips of green squash, olive oil, herbs and some of the freshest ricotta cheese I have ever had, more Trebbiano –  this one rounder and smoother with a slight touch of mineral.  Then the star of the show comes — the cannelloni. I can still taste its gentle soft pasta filled with veal ragout, borage and parmesan cheese topped with the richest, lightest and most amazing tomato sauce that I have ever had, then finished with some fresh basil.

The cannelloni is paired with a Montepulciano, the prince of Abruzzo, one of many we would try that day.  I look at Umberto he looks at me at the same time –without words only gestures, we agree that the basil with the cannelloni is genius. This lunch is proof that simple and fresh are all you need. Everything on the table is “0 kilometers,” which means that everything is all from the land surrounding us. Everything we are eating is produced here in Abruzzo, literally yards away.

We finish with roast leg of lamb with fresh rosemary, roasted potatoes and, of course, more Montepulciano. We are then offered Neapolitan coffee and some small homemade cookies. I don’t think I have ever had a better Italian meal, so filled with love, passion, technique, local ingredients, simplicity and integrity –  this meal was pure. We toast one more time to the passion and memory of a great man  - Bravo Gianni!

Now it’s time to leave. We hug our chef and express our appreciation to her. She is so sweet and so happy to please us, we say good bye and gaze at the valley below. It’s now time to see the grapes and learn how the wine is made. Didn’t I tell you it was going to be a long day?

Spirituality has always been a part of who I am – throughout my life, my spirituality has helped me be strong and focused when I didn’t think it was possible.  Today, we are headed to Vatican City to spend the day in one of the most religious, and for me, spiritual, places in the world.  The Vatican is the capital of the Catholic Church, the residence of the Pope, and, the place where the tomb of Simon Peter, the Rock upon which the Church was built, rests quietly deep below the beautiful mosaics. For me, and for many people, regardless of which church they belong to, the Vatican is a symbol of hope, prayer and respect for all religions and faiths of the world.

Today will be another walk through time and history of ancient Rome. The Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica and Saint Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museum  – we intend to experience all of them in a day, which will be tough.

Fortunately, the line this morning is not very long.  We are lucky and we quickly escape the heat of midday Rome and slip in to the Museum.   This entrance to the Museum is also the way to the Sistine Chapel. The Museum is filled with art, artifacts and history of the Roman Catholic Church and all of Italy.

We stroll the amazing courtyards, the long hallways, first the maps of the region, through the tapestries and then past the Egyptian art and the 20-foot marble and bronze Roman statues, then more artifacts and an endless array of pottery, jewelry, furniture, text, and ceramics. It’s an amazing journey of art and history, mosaic floors that boggle the mind, hand painted walls and ceilings that leave you breathless. How can you NOT have a religious experience here?  These works of art are inspired by God and made with God-given talents.

We wind our way through the compartments and corridors, each one more spectacular as the next, as we make our way to the Sistine Chapel.  Finally, we reach the doorway of the chapel. It is a profound experience to walk into the Sistine Chapel for the first time. We agree that no matter what you have heard or seen in photographs about the Sistine Chapel, nothing compares to seeing in person. It will take your breath away, a true wonder of the world.   Michelangelo’s talent, devotion, perfection -  all for you to consume.

No speaking. No photographs. No sitting. You are only allowed your thought and observation and right now I will leave those thoughts to you.

As we leave the Chapel, we go around the corner following the large walls constructed to guard the church during the crusades, the walls end and we enter Saint Peter’s Square.

We’ve all seen TV coverage of crowds of people filling the square waiting for the Pope to appear. The balcony is empty on this day but you can sense the power of what’s behind that window just by its very existence. We enter the square, which is so much larger that you get a sense of on TV, and find ourselves in the line to the cupola the rotunda the top of Saint Peters Basilica. Again, we are glad that the line moves quickly around the square, we enter and decided to walk rather than take the lift.  Step after step, this journey to the cupola reminds me of the walk up Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Statue of Liberty – this is a tourist’s physical challenge.  We reach what we think is the summit taking a turn around the cupola looking down on the Basilica. You can only imagine how large this palace of worship is. It’s the largest Church I have ever seen times 10.  We make our pass and then proceed to climb the narrow steps to the top of the copula and the ultimate panoramic view of Rome.

Step after step turn after turn, narrow hallways with bent walls around and round we go, and finally, the outside -  a shoulder-to-shoulder bedlam, everyone of us wondering how we got up here and everyone of us jockeying for the perfect view of Rome. It is breathtaking.  We look down at the row of apostles standing guard around the courtyard. From the ground they look huge. From here they look tiny.  We have gotten close enough to see their size, which is actually about the size of a Chevy Suburban standing on end. They are that large, which again illustrates how massive this complex is.

We descend the numerous steps and after several moments and countless circles around the tower, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of Saint Peter’s Basilica. We tour the various chapels, the alters, the confessionals, and the Holy Sacrament of Communion is being offered nearby.

This majestic house of worship is overwhelming to say the least.  The tombs of the Popes, the bronze statue of Saint Peter – this is certainly an immersion in religion!  And after 10 hours of this, I have run out of superlatives and things to say.  I’m exhausted.

We grab an easy dinner at a nearby enoteca wine bar to quench my thirst and feed my stomach after the day of feeding my soul. We indulge in lasagna, gnocchi, antipasti misti and a few nice red wines. This has been a true Italian experience today. We eat, we laugh, we feel moments of relaxation and friendship.  We talk of our trip  in the morning to Abruzzo. Ciao and God Bless.

After great night’s sleep, we are off to a day of site seeing in Rome, the birthplace of modern civilization. The city is amazing. The people here are beautiful and sophisticated and the look so modern, yet throughout the city you see ruins of ancient times. It’s a real reminder that there are those that have come before us and those who will come after – we’re all just passing through.

Rome is not a big city, I think you can walk just about anywhere in a few hours, but the fact that it is 2000 years old is mind boggling.  We went to the coliseum and we could see where the lions, tigers and gladiators all co-existed. It’s not in my imagination. We can see what the ancient Romans created is something we still can see today.  It’s fascinating.  The cell phone, the computer, wi-fi — these are all inventions of the day just as scissors, the magnifying glass and the creation of left and right shoes were inventions of the day in ancient Rome.  When I’m in Roma, I can’t escape the thoughts about how civilization was created, the prolific innovation of the day, the cultivation of society, the development of the arts, architecture and, of course, amore – all parts of my life that I love and are in one way or another, translated into my cooking.

It’s amazing what being in a virtual time warp can do to your concentration!  I’m here on a quest for the best food and wine. Umberto told me to go to Via Della Croce and seek out the Antica Enoteca wine bar. Amazing! Many different wines, at least 100 different tapas style plates, salumi, pasta, pizza, fromaggi, etc. It’s an incredible display of beautiful everything you can imagine. I started with a crisp Gavi with some cheese, olives and salumi then moved on to a brunello to sip with the lasagna, gnocchi and slightly heavier dishes.  I love Spain and France, but I really love Italy. This is a perfect lunch.  When I finish my Amarone, I check out and head back to the hotel for a swim on the roof-top pool before a pre-dinner run around Rome.

Tonight’s dinner is at the restaurant in the Hassler, a legendary Roman Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps.  Remember Roman Holiday? Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant.  This is pure romance. The restaurant is Imago and it has a spectacular view of the city. The food was very good.  It was noting cutting edge but good quality, well-prepared food.  I enjoyed my sidewalk lunch so much that I’ll admit, it was hard to beat. 

Tomorrow we visit the Vatican so I will call it a night.  A domani.

With a bittersweet farewell, I leave the hotel in Biarritz and take one last glance at the ocean. We’re headed to the airport for a quick, 55-minute flight to Lyon then on to the Eternal City of Rome.

Mieke and Umberto

In Rome, we are set to meet up with Umberto and Mieke, close friends of the Mansion’s Managing Director, Duncan Graham. Umberto is a renowned chef here in Rome and throughout Italy.  Mieke is practically a life-long friend of Duncan’s and is the Executive Housekeeper for the Hassler, a world-class hotel across in Rome.

 I don’t drink coffee, which might seem odd to some since I’m a chef and I work long hours.  But I never touch the stuff. But today, as I sit beneath a sun-drenched umbrella drinking coffee, I think to myself, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” So I’m drinking coffee and I like it.  But I draw the line at smoking cigarettes! That’s one very Italian habit I won’t take up.

 Mieke and Umberto tell us that they have planned the day for us. They, as are most people in Rome, and all of Italy for that matter, are on holiday. They have graciously taken one of their vacation days to take us to the sea. Yeah, open water! I thought I wouldn’t see it again during this trip. No waves this time, we are on the tranquil Mediterranean which is a shockingly bright blue with a light breeze which carries the scent of salt water.

 We drive in Umberto’s car to a small town 30 minutes outside of Rome on the Mediterranean. It’s called Ladispoli-Palo Laziale and our ultimate destination is La Posta Vecchia. In 2 B.C., Palo Laziale was discovered by affluent Romans and merchants who thought the seaside would be the perfect place to spend the hot summer months. During this period, Marcus Aurelius and the emperor Tiberius constructed gorgeous villas. La Posta was built as a hostel to accommodate visitors who came to the emperor’s castle, which is still adjoining the property.

In the early 60s J Paul Getty purchased and restored this beautiful piece of Roman history and made it into his little private museum. During the renovation of the property, the ruins of two ancient Roman villas dating back to 2 B.C. were discovered. Remnants of these ruins can still be seen today in this five-star Relais & Chateau hotel and one Michelin Star restaurant.

 I am going to have lunch in a villa that was part of the birth place of modern civilization! I love it. We stroll through the chef’s gardens that are filled with vegetables, herbs and various local produce. Hello? I believe this garden-and- restaurant thing has been going on for century, no?  That’s exactly why we installed a vegetable and herb garden at the Mansion. It’s an idea that’s survived centuries.

 We are escorted to a patio with umbrella tables; only a brick wall separates us from the sea but the smell of the salt air is already starting to excite me. The fundamentals of the celebration arrive, Henriot champagne, which would make The Mansion’s lead som, Michael Flynn proud.  We served Henriot at the James Beard House dinner I did in June. It’s beautiful champagne. The canapés, tomato water, salmon, and cheeses just keep coming. After an hour of laughter, great conversation and a little more champagne, Umberto says in the beautiful rhythmic language of his country, “This is the time in the meal where my grandfather would go to the table,” so off we go.

Stuffed squash blossoms

We amble further down the patio to another table – this one set for lunch – yes, a four hour lunch! I could get used to this.  We have a splendid feast. There’s fish, pasta and more fish. Course after course featured spectacular and artfully prepared dishes. First the vegetable stuffed squash blossoms, fresh from the chef’s garden, then the crudo, raw fish with fresh herbs and olive oil – three different choices! The crudo was layered like ravioli and stuffed with fish and more vegetables from the garden. We ate spaghetti with octopus, garganelli with mushrooms and cream, then a whole, skin-on all codfish with salt cod and spinach, orata with peppers and eggplant, spiny lobster with fresh vegetables and foie gras. Last but not least, bass with basil and tomato –  each so fresh, so simple.  I have a hunch that the chef doesn’t shop the market, he just sticks a fishing pole and his hand out of his window every time he get an order.

Heavenly cheeses

We wash all of this amazing food down with a white wine from Sardinia and another from Sicily. My friends at the table are ready to burst. Me? I am looking for more! I never want to leave this place. I just want to sit here, smell the sea air and grow old gracefully!  I’m brought out of my fantasy by a progression of Parmesan cheeses. I would love a glass of red wine with them but I pass. As they say in Italy, “Basta!” Enough!

We have a happy ride back to Rome and take a walking tour of the neighborhood – one more activity planned by the lovely Mieke. Umberto has left us to attend to his beach house where, tomorrow, his new kitchen is being installed. A chef must be there to oversee this kind of installation. Mieke will meet him there and they will spend more of their holiday on their little sailboat on the Mediterranean. This is, indeed, la dolce vida!