{"id":2956,"date":"2014-05-18T20:01:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-18T18:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickzullo.com\/?p=2956"},"modified":"2017-06-19T15:44:21","modified_gmt":"2017-06-19T13:44:21","slug":"organic-farm-in-umbria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/organic-farm-in-umbria\/","title":{"rendered":"A Relaxing Stay at an Organic Farm in Umbria"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"#ricksitalytour<\/a>If asked to describe your ideal scene of bucolic Italian bliss, what would it include?\u00a0 How about undulant verdant hills in dreamy soft-focus, banded with rows of grapevines?\u00a0 Cyprus trees lining a meandering road that vanishes into the distant horizon?\u00a0 A rustic dinner table in the open air, abundant with the freshest ingredients that have been coaxed into culinary perfection by local chefs?\u00a0 And the passionate conversation that flows like vino<\/em>.\u00a0 If this description pretty much hits the mark, then you\u2019ll have a very accurate picture of where we were staying last week.\u00a0 Did I mention the award-winning organic olive oil produced on site?\u00a0\u00a0 Seasonal vegetables and herbs from the garden?\u00a0 Homemade organic honey?\u00a0 Sorry, I\u2019ll stop there for now\u2026wouldn\u2019t want to make you too jealous.<\/p>\n

The name given to this little preview of nirvana is Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a>, and it\u2019s a unique organic farm in Umbria (agriturismo)<\/em> perfectly situated on the outskirts of Paciano, near the border of Tuscany and Umbria.\u00a0 The property spreads across 40 lush acres with 2,500 olive trees and a small vineyard of old Sangiovese grapes. \u00a0There are no museums around, but the view itself is all the artwork that you\u2019ll need to gaze upon: a canvas in Earth tones and blue that local Renaissance master Perugino (who died only 5 miles from here) would have been unable to surpass.<\/p>\n

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While the immediate environs are remote and peaceful, if you have a car, exploring medieval hill towns, Etruscan sites, and the bigger historic cities are all within easy reach.\u00a0 We took two day-trips while staying at Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a>; one to Cortona, and one to Montepulciano.\u00a0\"1redi\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In Montepulciano, we toured the most remarkable wine cellar that I\u2019ve even seen. The winery is called Cantine Redi<\/em><\/a>, and for visual impact, it has no equal.\u00a0 Just a few steps from the main square, Piazza Grande, you\u2019ll find the entrance to the majestic Palazzo Ricci; a hulking Renaissance palace built in the late 1400s. Follow the signs to the equestrian staircase that gradually leads down\u2026down\u2026.and down to the basement\u2014or more like dungeon\u2014where the giant barrels of wine are stored. Don\u2019t let this imposing sight distract you from the Etruscan well, which is also present in the cellar.<\/p>\n

The wine is great, too, and I picked up a bottle of their Vino Nobile to go with our tagliatelle al rag\u00fa<\/em> back at Il Fontanaro<\/em> later that night.<\/p>\n

Il Dolce Far Niente<\/h2>\n

So if you don\u2019t have a car or are reluctant to drive, what does one \u201cdo\u201d in the middle of the Umbrian countryside?\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s the good news.\u00a0 At Il Fontanaro<\/em>, there are many options to choose from, including the option of \u201cil dolce far niente,\u201d<\/em> the sweetness of doing nothing.\u00a0 Some of us Americans (myself included) could use a dose of that.\u00a0 Our European vacations are too often reduced to a checklist of famous sites and important museums.\u00a0 Nothing wrong with those places\u2026I love them, too.\u00a0 But if we don\u2019t slow down once in a while and enjoy some country living, then we risk being more tired at the end of our vacation instead of feeling rejuvenated. \u00a0Besides, if you only see the major tourist cities, then you\u2019ve only seen one side of Italy\u2014and perhaps not its best side.\"organic<\/a><\/p>\n

Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a> is owned and operated by the mother and daughter duo of Lucia and Alina.\u00a0 The two seem to be always bickering, especially in the kitchen where egos don\u2019t easily surrender.\u00a0 But if you watch carefully, you\u2019ll notice that there\u2019s always a little smirk at the corner of the mouth.\u00a0 The quarreling is good-natured\u2014a way to say that, while firm in their own ways, the other\u2019s opinion is always respected.\u00a0 They have found a balance that ultimately complements one another for the benefit of their guests.<\/p>\n

But OK, you can\u2019t just eat, drink, and stare at the scenery ALL day.\u00a0 Well, you can (I did), but don\u2019t worry, there\u2019s other things to occupy your time in slow, relaxing way.\u00a0 For example, Lucia can give you a lesson in making fresh pasta\u2014it\u2019s not as difficult as you might think, and then you get to enjoy the fruits of your labors.\u00a0 Hey, if I can do it, anybody can!<\/p>\n

\"fontanaro<\/a>
The Wine Cellar at Fontanaro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alina is a certified sommelier and she\u2019s passionate about her wine collection.\u00a0 Let her show you their cellar and perhaps you can arrange a tasting of local vintages.\u00a0 Then there\u2019s the library, which contains an eclectic assortment of books on travel, wine, food, and fiction.\u00a0 So when you\u2019re finally ready to really<\/em> slow down, grab one of those books, a glass of Alina\u2019s wine, and head to the pool, Jacuzzi, or hammock. \u00a0Now<\/em> you\u2019re on vacation, and that checklist that you were so determined to complete is a distant memory.<\/p>\n

My Cooking Class with Alina<\/h2>\n

What I enjoyed about my cooking class at Il <\/em>Fontanaro<\/em> is that you get a real sense of where your food comes from. \u00a0This is a working farm and you\u2019ll actually see their olive trees, grapevines, and vegetable gardens on the property.\u00a0 During our stay, my wife and daughter picked fresh strawberries for our dessert.\u00a0 These days, it\u2019s too easy to believe that all of our food just magically appears at the grocery store (or worse, in a can or at a fast food restaurant).\u00a0 It\u2019s nice to see the entire process, from field to table\u2014literally.\"strawberries<\/a><\/p>\n

The enthusiasm in Alina\u2019s kitchen is infectious.\u00a0 She speaks about her farm and her favorite recipes with affection, as if they\u2019re part of her family.\u00a0 Which, in a way, I suppose they are.\u00a0 Food traditions are important because they connect us to the land and help define our history.\u00a0 Keeping the traditions alive is a way to locate our identity on the map and celebrate the gifts of our local terra<\/em>.\u00a0 In doing so, we honor those who came before us and believed in these same values and dreams, keeping their memory alive as their spirits celebrate with us.<\/p>\n

\"cooking<\/a>
Something good is always cooking in their kitchen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alina\u2019s olive oil is the starting point for most of her recipes.\u00a0 She\u2019s justifiably proud that it won the Silver Medal for \u201cNorthern Hemisphere Organic Blend\u201d given by the New York International Olive Oil Competition.<\/p>\n

For guidance in producing her oil, she employs only the simple advice of Marco Porcio Catone, who wrote a book in the 2nd<\/sup> century B.C., proclaiming that the best oil is made from olives that are picked just before they ripen on the tree, and then pressed immediately.\u00a0 This preserves all the flavor, leaving a spicy, peppery aftertaste on the palate.\u00a0 If you can detect that, and not just a slimy residue, then you know that the oil is of the highest quality, Alina says.<\/p>\n

An Organic Farm in Umbria<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s often hard for us to slow down in this fast-paced, hyper-connected world.\u00a0 Sometimes we get so caught up in our lives that we forget to take the time to really live.\u00a0 Il Fontanaro<\/em><\/a> is the ideal place to get back in touch with all of that: food, friends, conversation\u2026the good stuff that makes all the other toil worthwhile.<\/p>\n