Photo courtesy of La Chiusa
What do the Bialetti Moka espresso maker, a fancy Tuscan restaurant and Daylight Savings Time have in common? Not much, except they bring to mind a very fond memory from a trip a few years back.
We were spending a week in the southern region of Tuscany visiting towns like Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino and Cortona. We decided to shake things up a bit and rent an apartment for the week. It was a grand apartment, very spacious with a large kitchen and living area. The kitchen was completely outfitted with everything we needed from pots and pans to dishes and cleaning supplies.
After dropping our luggage off, we made a run to the nearest market for a few breakfast supplies: eggs, cheese, bread and coffee. We were all set to enjoy leisurely al fresco breakfasts on our apartment's private patio every morning. Benissimo!
The next morning I was wakened to the clanging of pots. Hubs was already in the kitchen eager to make his first cup of real Italian coffee! By the time I stumbled into the kitchen to assist, he had found the Bialetti Moka and had it disassembled with parts strewn across the counter. We both looked at each other, and by the look in his eyes, I knew he had no idea how to make coffee with this contraption!
The first attempt wasn't recognizable -- thick, muddy and granular. The second and third attempts were not much better. I was OK with giving up. Hubs,on the other hand, had his pride at stake. He drank his fourth and final attempt, a VERY stout brew.
We went about our day touring the countryside. That night, I planned to splurge on dinner. La Chiusa, located just north of Montepulciano in Montefollonico, is a beautiful white-tablecloth restaurant situated in an old oil mill. The food is prepared and presented with great care. When I had read a few write-ups about La Chiusa, I knew I had to try it. So, I made a reservation for 20:00 (8 o'clock PM).
To make sure we made our reservation time, we headed out early allowing time for getting lost (a common occurance when driving in Italy). Driving into the restaurant's parking lot, we noticed there weren't many cars. Then again, an eight o'clock dinner is a little early in Italy. Most Italians begin their dinner hour well after nine. We forged ahead toward the front door but stopped abruptly when men in white aprons and chef's hats sitting on the front patio drew their cigarettes from their mouths to give us a bemused stare.
I couldn't understand the first man who spoke, but assuming he was asking us if we had a reservation, I responded with my limited Italian, "Si, prenotazione, otto ore." A few of them glanced at their watches. We glanced at our watches. The staring continued. Finally, the spell broke when one chef pointed to his watch and said, "Sette." I think I could actually hear the synapses connecting in my brain that reached the sudden conclusion that it was, in fact, 7:00 thanks to Daylight Savings Time (DST)! It never dawned on me that Italy might follow DST. We were so embarrassed.
Nevertheless, one of the white-aproned guys gave us the "it's OK" signal and motioned us inside. And though we sat alone in the restaurant for most of the first two hours of our meal, the staff never seemed to mind. In fact, our server was so friendly, I drummed up the nerve to ask him if he could tell us how to make coffee in a Bialetti. He said, "certo," and motioned for us to follow him into the kitchen. He grabbed a Bialetti, and using hand gestures, he explained how to make the perfect cup of caffe. But, before we could quietly escape the kitchen (still embarrassed by our DST blunder), our server began introducing us to the chef and all the cooks like we were celebrities. I wish I knew what they all were saying that evening, but it really didn't matter. I left on a high from the cheek kisses from all those handsome Italian men!
What an evening! We left that night full from a great meal, unmitigated joy and another unforgettable Italian experience. The next morning, we deliciously sipped on a fabulous cup of Italian coffee!
Do you have a similar experience to share? I'd love to hear about it!
