Jet lagged but happy, we gathered at Antica Taverna Casagrande for our favorite Tuscan meal - bisteca alla fiorentina. But would our favorite waiter, the one we have privately called Yosemite Sam for 3 years in reference to his mustache/beard still be there? We needn't have worried, we opened the ristorante door to see his smiling face. He told us his name was Frank ( it's not, it actually is Stefano per Vivi the daytime waitress) and then he put on Sinatra in our honor. The wine flowed and kept on flowing. As patrons left their half filled bottles would mysteriously find their way to our table and glasses. "More gasolina" said YS.
As we wound up the hill towards lunch at Verrazzano winery (Getti en Chianti), lunch not a tour was on our mind. We didn't understand, lunch was only included with a tour. The words hung out in the air, just as two giant tour buses were heading to the large parking lot full of our countrymen. The guide who met us at the road said, "I am leading this group, I will speak to my colleague", When Felipo came around the corner, we all smiled. Felipo had toured us around the grounds on our last visit. He looks like an Italian Tom Cruise, hates French soccer teams, and has lived at Verrazzano his entire life. Felipo's father was the farm manager and today Felipo is assistant to the owner. He normally doesn't do tours and to get him twice was very unusual. He promised we would stay away from the crowds, just as a couple from CA whose GTS had lead them wrong would join us. Our group of seven had a personal and up close view of the winery. We joined the large group for a typical Tuscan meal of 5 courses. As we left David and I thanked Felipo again. David told him the last time we met in 2006, he bought a bottle of Verrazzano Chianti Classico. He had just started his doctoral degree at the time and he vowed to keep it unopened until he completed. He explained to Felipo that on December 18, 2008 he defended his paper via phone conference in our kitchen. The first thing he did after hanging up the phone was to uncork the Verrazzano Chianti to celebrate. Felipo thanked him for allowing their winery to be a part of such an important moment.
Full of culture and feeling empty of food, our group was leaving the Palantine Gallery at Pitti Palace when one of our members fell face first down two steps. Pitti staff translated as the EMT placed our friend on a back board and loaded her into an ambulance. Sunday was the Florence marathon and they did not know which hospital could take her. Many people pulled together to get us the hospital information and directions. Those of us left behind went to a cafe to regroup. When we asked our waiter for more driving directions, he got one of the bartenders who worked at the hospital to draw us a map and show which exit. When we realized our phone was not working, we asked if we could pay to make a call - they dialed the number and would not accept any payment. Upon leaving, they all wished us well and hoped our friend was ok. The night manager at Villa Casagrande is not as fluent in English as the rest of the staff. But, when we had not heard anything about our friend and were very worried, he called the hospital to find out she had been checked out and released.
After a morning spent practicing some retail therapy at both the local leather outlet and the wonderful Co-op(a grocery store with everything in the world), we returned to the villa to pick up our friend who had been resting all morning after her stressful day before. Our 2006 lunch at CD Cafe was part of the reason we decided to return to Figline Val D'Arno. Local Tuscan foods served in an unusal way and we returned for dinner that same evening, we were greeted as old friends and served champagne. We shook off our umbrellas and came in from the rain, it was comforting to see the decor was exactly the same. The delicious meal affirmed our decision. I explained to the owner about our decision to return to Figline was due in part to our wonderful lunch in 2006. He smiled and said thankyou. His beautiful wife chicly dressed in a wrap sweater, stilletto boots and a silk scarf had just come from the kitchen and he translated our compliments. We realized then our Penne with funghi and Ravioli con Chingahle had been prepared by this lovely creature. (I think Giada DeLaurentis and Nigella Lawson should watch their backs). After the meal, the owner and his wife walked us to the door, shook our hands and asked us to return again soon.
It is Europe's history, culture and cuisine that make me wax poetic. And I am sure in an upcoming post I will recount our days in Assisi, Cortonna, Greve and Florence so far. But, I wanted to share Tuscany's greatest resource, the force behind the Renaissance, the David, and Chianti wine - it's people.
