Things We're Living For (And Loving!) This Autunno
Falling for Fall in Italy
There’s that moment when you know estate is coming to an end. In Rome, it’s usually marked by a day of pouring rain followed by gusty wind and cooler temps at night. And the shift in light. Life in Rome is marked by quasi-eternal sunshine, and so I’m quick to take note when it’s slanting a degree or two in a direction that means no more sweltering beneath the sheets, instead it’s time to get cozy under a warm autumn blanket.
For a country filled with orchards, gardens and vines, Italy is in full swing with the vendemmia. Picturesque borghi come alive with harvest festivals known as sagre, be it truffles, olive oil, chestnuts or cinghiale (wild boar). We could patter on, waxing poetic about the beauty of the season, falling for fall, and so on, but we’ll save that for Hallmark. Instead, let’s get down to the nitty gritty with a Q&A to share what each of us is most looking forward to this season. Rest assured, none of our picks have anything to do with PSL (meno male!)
Erica, tell it to us straight. What are 3 things you're living for this fall?
As much as I love the summer, by about October 1st, I am ready to enjoy a little bit of a chill, and get excited at the idea of closed toe shoes. I know, I sound weird but remember for about five months of the year, I’m in sandals and by the end of September, I am craving a change. Also, my tastebuds want something less fresh and way more cozy. By mid-October, I’m ready Rome’s cioccolato caldo (hot chocolate), and by that I mean, Willy Wonka-inspired churned, liquid dark chocolate with freshly whipped cream. There is nothing quite like it.
Fall also means back to school, back to work, and most exciting, back to art- galleries re-open with new exhibition. This fall is all about Helen Frankenthaler, one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century. In Rome, we can catch Helen Frankenthaler: Painting on Paper, 1990–2002 at Gagogian, from September 30 through November 23, while in Florence’s Palazzo Strozzi hosts the blockbuster Helen Frankenthaler: Painting without Rules September 28 through January 26.
I am so old school. I go to the same places that my nonna went to, not just for nostalgia but because these are vintage cafes with old fashioned service - silver trays, side cups of panna, and uniformed waiters. I love the original Bar Pompi just off of Piazza Re di Roma (Rome). In Florence, I'll split my time between Rivoire (for the view) and Gilli (for the people watching). In Milan, it's only Cova for me.
Now let’s talk scarpe coperte (closed toe shoes). Any specific stivalo that you’re coveting this season? And, given that you stroll so much, what's the most beautiful walk you've ever taken and why?
I have a penchant for ankle boots. Chelsea boots, stiletto heeled ankle boots, motorcycle boots. I love them all. The most beautiful walk will always be a walk through Rome’s history. I love starting out on Via Banco di Santo Spirito (where Italy’s very first bank was), crossing over the Angel bridge to Castel Sant'Angelo- and taking a peek at all the booksellers that line the Tiber. Then I walk north-ish to Ponte Cavour, which is a gorgeous bridge celebrating Italian unification, and head directly to the Ara Pacis, Richard Meier’s travertine box with Augustus’s awesome temple.
Tocca a te, Alison. What are three things you’re living for this fall?
I’ll admit that fall was never my favorite. An autumn gloom would usually set in around the first week of September and continue long after I put sundresses away. But honestly, with incessant, scorching summer temps year after year, I now look forward to the season with a burst of energy. There are quite a few things giving me life!
To begin, (and as you know first hand, Erica), I can’t wait to get my hands on the Tuscan holy trinity of sweet fall carbs - schiacciata con l'uva, pan co' santi, and castagnaccio. For those who have never met these bread-based delights, here’s a primer: schiacciata con l’uva is a focaccia bathed in uva fragola (American concord grape), while pan co’ santi is a spiced red-wine and extra virgin olive oil EVVOO bathed bread filled with walnuts and raisins, traditionally served during the period around All Saints Day, November 1. Finally, castagnaccio is a low rising chestnut flour cake made with EVOO, and topped with pine nuts, raisins and rosemary.
I don’t know if it’s nostalgia for the many years living in Siena or because I do, in fact, eat like a grandmother but I dream about carb loading all year long on these different spins of doughy-nutty-dried fruit concoctions. To avoid any ruffled guelfi and ghibelline feathers, I should point out that schiacciata con l’uva is strictly Fiorentina and pan co’ santi is Senese.
Also, high up on my list is hiking, or as Italians call it, trekking. I rediscovered the mountains in recent years and now I can’t get enough. Call it a Rocky Mountain High a la Apennine or Dolomiti, but getting out in nature and breathing in the fresh air while the heart is pumping up a dislivello of 1,000 mt is my kind of fall weekend. Add some arrosticini (skewered grilled sheep meat) in Abruzzo and I’m golden.
Finally, olive picking. It’s definitely not as dreamy as one would think. So many people have this romantic idea of being in a pastoral landscape, basking in the sun, picking the precious fruit to fill up your basket. One forgets the angle of a tree. The reality is you’re standing and craning your neck for hours, peering up into the trees trying to get every last little drupe.
Why do I like it then? It gives me a sense of connection to the land, to the earth’s rhythm, and there’s a gentle camaraderie that you share with your fellow pickers. Days are spent hard at work and evenings we celebrate with delicious, hearty meals. Also, you usually get to take home the fruits of your labor with a liter or two of pure liquid green gold.
Your love of schiacciata is truly amazing (and I still can’t believe how much bread you buy). You always take me to amazing bakeries. What are some of your favorites?
Bakeries are truly heaven for me. The fact that Italy distinguishes between forno (bakery), panificio (bread shop) and pasticceria (pastry shop) leaves a carb-loving girl giddy. A bakery is truly the first place I search on google maps when in any destination, even worldwide!
My favorites for la schiacciata dell’uva include Florence’s old school Antico Forno Giglio and Forno Palatresi which also has delicious sweets. I’ve been buying pan co’ santi from Il Magnifico panificio in Siena for 25 years but I also love the beloved-by-locals Pasticceria Buti which originally hooked me back in ‘99 with their baci di dama and ricciarelli. For castagnaccio, that is a hard one as my friend always shares some that her mother has made homemade. Go to any forno in the different towns in Tuscany around November and you’re sure to stumble upon it. However, I have done so many taste tests and still haven’t found the perfect one.
Other bakeries I love include Panificio Lintozzi, Le Levain, Forno Mosca and Forno Roscioli in Rome. I also think Massi 2000, one of the city’s best hidden secrets, has some of the best cornetti ever. I usually do cornetto al pistacchio (pistachio infused cornetto with pistachio filling), but I was recently converted to crema, a cream filled cornetto which brought me to tears. Mind you, I have never been a crema fan. But I’ve veered us a bit off course. Maybe we’ll address cornetti/breakfast spots in another newsletter if you all behave.
Umm, behaving isn’t one of my strengths, but being picky. On that note, do you think Tuscan olive oil is the best? What are you favorites? And how can I send some to my best friend in California?
Ah, this is so subjective, especially since I was heavily influenced by my Tuscan friends early on. I think the best olive oil is found in Tuscany, Umbria and Puglia. But there’s also one from Lazio I like. I know we’ll create a firestorm around this though! My favorites include Quattrociocchi (Lazio), Ultima Pietra (Tuscany), and Mimi Coratina (Puglia). Now I await all the naysayers who tell me I know nothing and share the best of Sicily, Sardinia and beyond.
Who needs a pumpkin spice latte when we’ve got seasonal breads, art-filled cities, mountain hikes, beautiful boots, and acres of olives to pick?!
Want some wine? Check out Ciao Bella for great wineries to explore.
Hey Cecile- wow! Thank you!! this is why we love writing Ciao Bella!
You posts are inspiring, causing me to want to travel to Italy. My next trip will be to the Aosta area. I loved Ice Cold Murders (Prime?) set in that area