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In Search of Tuscany's Wild Boar (and other Tuscan side-trips)

October in the gold & crimson changing landscape of Tuscany, and the silence of the hills is occasionally broken by the barking of dogs, and then the "pop...pop... pop" of gun shots echoing back to us. It's Wild Boar season in Tuscany, and as our hire car winds its way up the hillside road offering spectacular views over the Tuscan countryside, the legion of camouflage clad hunters, occasionally appearing at the side of the road, make it look more of an army maneuver, as opposed to the centuries old ritual of the hunt for wild boar. What better place to immerse ourselves in this centuries old tradition (albeit in the more passive and safer activity of a cooking school), than a centuries old hunting villa, called Villa Fabbroni (Panzalla Castle).

One hour previously, on route to Villa Fabbroni from Rome, we sampled our first taste of this centuries old delicacy in the beautiful medieval Umbrian hilltown of Orvieto, on the border of Tuscany. Hidden down an alley off of one of Orvieto's many winding narrow streets is L'Asino D'Oro. Although we didn't know it at the time, (when we came upon the restaurant for our first lunch in Italy), L'Asino D'Oro is one of Umbria's best (and one of Italy's top 5 regional) trattorias, as voted by the Gambaro Rosso, similar to an Italian Michelin guide. Our choice of the restaurant was mainly due to a quick read of the menu, which was hand-written (and all in Italian), so we knew that what we were going to be eating was fresh and seasonal, and what appeared to be (from the little Italian that I could read), very authentic! We were not disappointed. After sampling a selection of delicious Umbrian appetizers, including a beautiful puree of fave beans on crostini, and tripe prepared with spinach, our main meals included Cinghale (Wild Boar) cooked with cocoa, and goose prepared with savoury wild berry sauce. You couldn't get more authentic or more traditional Umbrian dishes than that, so after what was one of our most memorable meals of our visit to Italy, the sounds of wild boar hunting we would encounter during our week-long stay at Villa Fabbroni, seemed quite appropriate !

Villa Fabbroni (also known as Panzalla Castle) is located on a peaceful and picturesque hillside at the end of a private track, a 10 minute drive above the small village of San Polo in Chianti. This rustic, yet palatial, farm villa dates back to ancient Rome, when a Roman centurion, Pantius, received many hectares of land for his retirement and built his "Aula" (house) on a hill.  In Latin, the house of Pantius, translates from Pantius-Aula, and over the centuries the name was altered to become 'Panzalla", the current name of the castle. During the Middle Ages, the property came into the possession of the Buondelmonti family, and the house was transformed into one of the many family castles. The oldest remaining part of the building was constructed during the 19th century and still stands today.

In the course of the centuries, the castle history has been intertwined with that of the "Florentine Republic", then with the "Tuscan Grand-Duchy", and finally, with the "Kingdom of Italy". Most recently, the castle was owned by the counts, Miari Pelli Fabbroni, who gave the house the name "Villa Fabbroni". The Fabbroni family renovated the villa in nineteenth century style and made it their hunting cottage. When Florence was the capital of Italy, King Vittorio Emanuele II was a guest at the villa.

Our caring hosts and chefs for our week-long Tuscan cooking school adventure are Sergio & Stefano, assisted by the lovely Laura (who quickly remembers everyone's name) and who all ensure that we all feel part of the family. Upon arrival, we are shown to one of the many bedrooms located across the rambling apartments and rooms of the "castle". The villa is composed of 4 separate apartments and an independent farmhouse, each with their own kitchen and living facilities. In total, the castle can accommodate up to 34 people, with 17 double bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The apartments are all uniquely furnished, from the antique-style of the main, or "noble" floor, Padronale apartment, to the early twentieth century décor of the wood-beamed ceiling farmhouse, or Colonica apartment.

The villa is ideally placed to explore the towns and medieval hill villages of Tuscany, being positioned in the heart of the Chianti Classico area. Greve in Chianti is 20 minutes away and Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, and Arezzo are all within easy reach for day visits by car. Our cooking programme for the week is ideal for allowing plenty of time to visit the region in your hire car, with three classes conducted on alternate days over the course of the week.

After arriving on the Saturday night, and meeting the rest of our group (15 people all up from Canada, US and Australia), we enjoy a group dinner of Tuscan specialties including the traditional Tuscan bread soup, ribollita, made from cannellini beans and cavallo nero (black cabbage), which we see on every menu in the region. We also get our first taste of autumn's fresh porcini mushrooms, served sautéed on grilled polenta, and then grilled atop a piece of succulent medallion of veal. Unfortunately, in Australia, we are only able to enjoy the dried or powdered form of this delicious fungi, so if you're ever in Italy during their autumn, fresh porcini mushrooms, prepared in any number of ways, must be experienced.

Sunday is our first free day, so we head one hour south on the autostrada to the town of Siena. After enjoying lunch at a restaurant that dates back 170 years, Trattoria Tullio dei Tre Cristi, we quickly adapt to the wonderful Italian tradition of the "passegiatta", the afternoon walk, where we explore our way through the winding alleyways and steep steps of the town, and arrive at the famous, scallop-shaped main square, Il Campo. After a refreshing break at one of the many al freso cafes surrounding the square, we make our way back to Villa Fabbroni, for "cocktail hour" in the main salon of the Padronale part of the villa. After sharing & listening to everyone's own day of adventures, like navigating the narrow autostrada, working out the correct coins for the tolls, and how to purchase fuel, we have our dinner in the converted cellar of the castle, transformed into a private taverna where Sergio & Stefano serve up their wonderful Tuscan dishes to in house guests of the villa.

Following breakfast on Monday morning, we gather in the taverna to commence the first of our three cooking classes. Today's lesson is Antipasti and Primi Piatti (First Course), and, under the tutelage of chef Sergio we embark on the preparation of polenta with a duxelle of those wonderful fresh porcini mushrooms we sampled on our first night; crostini of chicken liver pate; spinach & ricotta gnocchi; and potato gnocchi. With the added experience and expertise of Teresa, we are taught to make and roll fresh pasta, which is soon transformed into little pillows of spinach & ricotta filled ravioli. After class, we savour the fruits of our labour, washed down with plenty of Chianti?s finest, and then head off to relax, have an afternoon nap, or explore the serenity of the extensive grounds of our hilltop hideaway. 

Tuesday morning is our next day at our leisure, and after a typical light Italian breakfast of coffee, pastries and juice we embark on our exploration of the Chianti Classico region with its rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. Journeying south along SS222, also known as the Strada Chiantigiana, we stop at some of the many vineyards offering wine tastings and cellar door sales. We also stop in the small town of Greve, which is a good base for exploring the Chianti Classico region, before heading to the beautiful fortified hill towns of Castellina and Radda. While wandering the medieval streets of Castellina we come upon a couple sitting at a table emblazoned with purple and orange. With incredible patience, and stained fingers, they have spent the morning removing the stamens from the tiny crocus flowers, to produce that highly prized and sought after herb, saffron. Once again, the feeling of centuries old tradition wash upon us, as we witness this task, which will eventually provide its subtle fragrance to a risotto or a delicate brodo (broth). At around $1000 per kilogram, no wonder saffron is said to be one of the most expensive herbs in the world, as this labourious task involves removing the stamen of about 200,000 crocus flowers to produce 1 kilo of saffron.               

After exploring Castellina and Radda, we have decided that lunch should be taken at one of the most picturesque of Chianti hill towns called Volpaia. The town dates back to the 11th century, when it was built as a fortified hamlet. With it's tiny square, there are only 2 restaurants and a bar to choose from, so we find a vacant table at a table overlooking the square at Castello di Volpaia and enjoy a beautiful lunch of fresh pasta, and a fantastic wild rocket salad with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and a drizzle of local wildflower honey. After lunch, another small passegiata around the town before heading back home to Villa Fabbroni.

Our second cooking school day is a lesson in Secondi Piatti, and Wednesday morning we begin with the preparation of contorni (vegetable side dishes) which include stuffed tomatoes and porcini mushrooms. Once again, under the skill of Sergio & Teresa, we are shown how to make a Ragu alla Bolognese and the various methods and fillings for stuffing a loin of veal, with spinach and egg omelette, and then rolled and tied before being roasted up. Similar fillings are used with a whole deboned rabbit and chicken, and after a morning of class we once again take our places at the long table in the taverna to indulge in a long lunch to savour or morning accomplishments.

After lunch we wander the grounds and make our way to Sergio?s other self-catered accommodation called Villa Panzalla, about 400m down the track. Situated on a point, the villa offers almost 180 degree views of the valley and poolside is ideally located to capture the amazing Tuscan sunsets. With our vantage point established, we quickly head back to Villa Fabbroni to gather some sunset refreshments and return for a spectacular autumn sunset (one of many Italian sunsets we would be experiencing during our trip), with views west over the hills of Chianti and the shimmering lights of San Polo, below.

After breakfast on Thursday, the group makes its way in their own vehicles to the town of Grassina, where we park our cars and take the public bus into Florence. At 1 Euro, the 25 minute bus trip into the centre of Florence is a pleasant alternative to the pain of driving in one of Italy's most popular cities and trying to located a place to park your car once you're there. This morning we have arranged to visit the Galleria dell'Accademia to visit the world's most famous of statues, Michelangelo's David. As well as displaying paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries by Florence's most famous artists, the main feature is the David, carved when the artist was 29 from a single block of marble that most other sculptures had refused to work with. After visiting the museum we wander the streets of central Florence taking in the vast marble façade of the Duomo cathedral and its famous sloping dome as well as the many sculpture filled piazzas, which make a visit to Florence one big out-of-doors museum. With the October sun shining, we come upon the Piazza della Repubblica, home to Florence's most fashionable and expensive cafes. Now we know that they say that, unless your looking for a "fleecing" when the restaurant bill arrives, you should steer clear of taking up a place at one of the many tables lining Italy?s more famous squares.  With the autumn sun shining and the captivating elegance of the crystal, wood and glass lined display cabinets overflowing with fine chocolate and Italian pastries, that we stumble across at this corner restaurant of the Piazza, we settle in to our table at Gilli, where Florentine nobility had been gathering since 1773 - the perfect place to spend an afternoon of eating, drinking and people watching as the sun casts its shadow over the 19th century elegance of the original heart of this medieval city.

With the piazza now in shade, and after a few bottles of wine and a shared second plate of Fetuccine al Limone (the winning dish of this meal), the six of us hop into a couple of taxis to head up to Piazza Michelangelo, on the other side of the Arno River, where our traveling companions, David & Trudy, had witnessed one of the most amazing views of Florence at sunset on a previous visit. On disembarking from our taxis, we are met with one of the most spectacular panoramas of Italy, a bird's eye view of the Cradle of the Renaissance, made even more spectacular with the sun setting. We take our place in the corner of the piazza, purchase some sunset refreshments from one of the gelati carts catering to the crowds of people out for an afternoon walk, and with a jazz band playing in the background, we spend the better part of 2 hours gazing upon a view, that Florentines would have been experiencing more than 600 years before, from the views of the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, the River Arno in central Florence, up to the scattered Medici villas perched in the hills overlooking the spectacular view of Florence below. With the sun set, and after what has become one of the most memorable days of our journey so far, we hail a maxi-cab to take us all back to Grassina and to the peace and solitude of our own villa in the hills.

Our last cooking class day commences at 4pm with a demonstration of how to prepare Prato biscuits, the crunchy almond Tuscan biscuits served as a snack or dipped in sweet wine, and Tiramisu. With most of the day at our leisure we venture, appropriately enough, past the town of Prato to visit one of the Medici villas in the countryside around Florence. Built in the 15th century, Villa di Poggio a Caiano is one of the few Medici villas which allows you to view its interior. Being October, and out of the main tourist season, the sprawling gardens were looking a little tired, and we had the run of the villa, taking in the grand ballrooms, bedrooms and spectacular frescoes that once was home to not only the Medicis in the 15th century, but eventually the King & Queen of Italy in the 19th century. Having got caught up in one of the autostradas traffic jams, and taking a wrong turn, we found ourselves trying to navigate through the town of Prato, at about the same time that Stefano would have been showing us how to make the biscuits of this town's namesake.

We did make it back for the Tiramisu preparation, and following that, we prepared ourselves for our final group dinner and our final night at Villa Fabbroni. Dinner was a veritable feast of dishes we had learnt to prepare during the week, from the fresh ravioli pasta with Bolognese sauce (remembering Sergio's advice to us that if you were making a ragu of wild boar, not to add carrot to the sauce as the sweetness of the carrot would detract from the flavour of the boar) to the Tuscan bread soup, ribollita, followed by grilled veal and porcini mushrooms and finally topped off with the ever-favourite Tiramisu. Feeling completely full (for a change!), we all reflected on the amazing week of food, cooking classes and Italian culture we experienced from the base of our ancient hilltop Tuscan hunting villa. With most of the group making early starts the following morning to either head to various airports in Rome, Milan or Florence, or to venture on to visit other parts of Italy, as we were, we all said our goodbyes and extended our thank you's to our generous hosts, Sergio, Stefano and Laura.
 

Early the following morning, as the sun rose over Villa Fabbroni and with a blanket of fog enveloping the valley below, we head away from our hunting retreat, and appropriately enough, past a sign that says ?

"Attention. This area is subject to wild boar hunting during the days of Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from October to January. Maximum attention is recommended when hunting is in progress." 

The first vehicles to make their way past us on the narrow track down the valley are carrying camouflaged hunters and their hunting dogs, making an early morning start for a weekend of wild boar hunting. And not too far off in the distance, our week has come full circle with the echo of gunfire in the crimson & gold hills of beautiful Tuscany "pop...pop...pop"! Will that be ragu'd or roasted?

cooking passions next Tuscan Villa Cooking Tour is scheduled for October 2010. If you would like to join us on another of these special trips, please contact us at nico@urbanprovider.com.au for further details, pricing and full itinerary.

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