One of our
reasons for coming to live in France was the fact that it was central to many
other countries and regions of Europe. Hence we thought that we would be able
to get around to visiting some of the places that we have always wanted to see
but found it hard from Australia.
After three
years here, we had made it to London, Barcelona and San Sebastian, but that was
all we had achieved. So we decided this year that we would make an effort to
undertake a bit of exploration.
As a first
step, last week we flew to Bologna in Northern Italy to explore that region and
to see whether we could go back there for a longer visit later if need be. A
couple of nights in Bologna, a couple of nights in Florence, a couple of nights
in a agriturismo (farm stay) near Mantua and a final night in Modena before
coming home.
Kerrie will
provide some specific blogs on each city and no doubt add her impressions, but
I thought that I might kick it off with a total overview.
The flight
from Bordeaux to Bologna was uneventful and we arrived to find our hotel right
in the middle of the old town. It was right opposite the Duomo and pedestrian
area in fact. We could walk straight out the door and into small alleyways with
lots of bars and restaurants, trattoria and food shops. We discovered a new
favourite aperitif in Bologna….the Aperol Spritz, which everyone was drinking
and we loved it with a great plate of local Parma ham and cheese.
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| The food stalls seen from our window |
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| Another view from our hotel in Bologna |
We took the
fast train from Bologna to Florence and had hoped to see a little of the
“rolling hills” that one expects to see as you cross into Tuscany.
Unfortunately, as the trip only took 37 minutes, we did not see a lot as 99% of
the trip was in fact in a bloody tunnel.
Florence to
me obviously has the culture and history of the Renaissance, but even though it
was not yet tourist season, the town was full of tour groups and crowded.
Anyone that knows me also knows that I do not like crowds and so Florence was
not a favourite. Sure we had the beauty of the Duomo, the Ufizi and the Ponte
Vecchio, but it was difficult to put up with the crowds. We purchased tickets
for the Ufizi “to beat the queues” as they advertise, but then we still had to
queue up to collect the bloody tickets…….Grrrr!!!
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| The Duomo in Florence ....our rooms were just next door |
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| Some of the crowds building up |
After
Florence, we returned to Bologna and rented a car, where we drove to our farm
stay property. The staff and owners could not speak English but went out of
their way to make us feel at home. They run their own restaurant using their
own foods and ingredients and that is why we wanted to stay there…..to try some
good local food. Well they spoke to us at breakfast and asked us what we wanted
to eat and our host said that they would make a couple of dishes up for us especially
on request…..tortellini en brodo and a
ravioli con zucca. Both dishes were really enjoyable and the serve was just the
right size for me. Accompanied by grilled fresh vegetables and some good local
Lambrusca it made for a great meal………….until the table next to us, who had
ordered off the normal menu for the night were served this amazing plate of
bifstecca…..it smelt and looked so good I almost cried. After three years of
bad beef in France, this was just perfection, but unfortunately we couldn’t eat
another thing……..so maybe next visit.
We explored
the city of Mantua (Mantoya) and found that it had a very similar history and
culture to Florence, but without the big names (Michelangelo etc) but also
importantly without the heavy crowded tourist groups. It was indeed well worth
a visit.
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| The Oldest church in Mantua....built in the late 11th Century |
We also
managed a drive to the southern shores of Lake Garda and it was very promising.
No doubt I can see us return to explore Venice, Verona and the Lake at some
time in the future. Did I say Venice ..........more bloody crowds !!!!!
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| Lake Garda and the hazy mountains opposite |
Finally, we
headed to Modena, home of Ferrari and Balsamic vinegar. As it was a Sunday, it
was not easy to find too many places open for lunch and we settled on fresh
Japanese for a refreshing change. Dinner that night was much more traditional
and very enjoyable. The colours of Modena were more what I had expected of an
Italian town and it proved to be a very pleasant town to visit.
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| Our B & B in Modena |
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| The colours of Modena |
Some overall
observations from me…..
I ended up
speaking more French in Italy than I do in France…..not quite sure why, but it
just happened.
As wonderful
as it is to visit and absorb the culture of Florence, I personally preferred
the less crowded towns of Mantua, Modena and of course Bologna. The latter was
really the food capital of the north. Florence may have the culture but Bologna
had the food.
The people
and the food of this region were amazing, friendly and fresh. I have no doubts that
we will return one day. However, it may well be Venice and Verona next or
better still we both have a great desire to explore Sicily.
In June we
are off to Madrid to spend a few days with our daughter and later in the year
we are hopeful of spending a little time in Amsterdam, so our exploration
continues…..
A friend of mine has just returned from Florence (professional visit to research carpet) and said she would recommend staying in Pisa rather than Florence. On the other hand, another friend has just come back from northern Italy and really didn't like Pisa, but loved Lucca. I can recommend Milan, and I reckon Pavia would be worth checking out.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your beef with French bovine meat? It's not as good as British beef but how does it differ from Australian? I've not eaten Australian beef regularly for 20 years so have forgotten what its particular qualities are. I find French beef is fine, especially if you buy from the butcher and cook it French style. The big difference between French beef and beef from anglo countries that I'm aware of is that French beef consumers value flavour over tenderness in steak, so fillet is the least popular cut and mostly you get the flank cuts, done along the grain, not across it. You have to know how to cook it. Slow cooked cuts, which are not always from beef breeds, are also popular, inexpensive and I find highly satisfactory. Once again you need to know how to cook it.
Do you find beef in restaurants unsatisfactory or just beef that you are cooking at home?
Hi Susan......thanks for your comments.
DeleteWith regards to Florence Vs Pisa Vs Lucca, we simply did not want to venture too far into Tuscany on this trip as that will be for another time. From my research and friends, it looks like Lucca over Pisa all of the time. On this journey we simply preferred the offerings of Mantau and Modena over Florence.....but you do have to go to Florence if you have not been there.
With regards to beef, clearly the French do not hang or age their beef in 95% of cases and we have tried Charolais, Blonde d'Aquitaine and Limousin, but are yet to find a lot of flavour. As you say, the French also butcher their meat differently to Anglo countries. Every peice of bavette, aloyeau etc that I have tried is very tough, chewy and has lot's of grissle. I have tried Fillet & Faux Fillet and while it is less common for the french, it is more edible, but still lacking in the flavours that I am accustomed to. There is a frequently used argument that the French use so many sauces just to hide the quality of some of their viande.
Seriously though, this is just a personal observation (supported by quite a few non-french friends). We have settled in well here and enjoy our lives fully, but dio find that the French restaurant business is often very reluctant to change the way they cook. A little like the wine scene......why try anything else when we have the best in the world anyway......a little myopic and insular in real terms.
Cheers
All those steaks cut along the grain have a tendency to be tough if you don't cook them skillfully and eat them quickly. Some of the cuts, like hampe, are just tough anyway, but bavette d'aloyau is often good and should be completely gristle free (what is your butcher doing, letting it out of the shop with gristle?!). I find entrecote and faux fillet a bit fatty. I think there is something in the law that prevents the hanging of carcasses in France, and I must admit, it surprises me. In the UK it was the extremely poor quality of supermarket beef and chicken that caused me to shop exclusively at farmers markets, where meat was not pumped full of water, E numbers and was hung for a week or more. Supermarket meat wasn't hung (not on the carcass, anyway) even when it said it was. I don't recall meat being hung in Australia for any length of time -- a few days maybe, just as a result of storage.
DeleteHere in the Touraine, there are of course plenty of chefs and vignerons doing just what the previous generation did, but the ones I notice more are those who are interested in experimenting a bit and marrying the best of the old traditions with the best of the new. There are plenty of those here too. I don't worry too much about the fuddy duddies and give my business to the more interesting restaurants and wineries.
Agree with your comment about beef in France Graham, it is the one thing on the menu where you take pot luck. Generally, everything else is first rate, as far as we have discovered ... duck, pork, rabbit, chicken and lamb. Our hunters' lunch the other day was brilliant, wild boar, deer and pork. Anyway, enjoyed reading your account of Italy, and also can relate to your discomfort with crowds. We are looking forward to exploring the Mediterranean islands off the coast of France and Italy and the mainland of Greece, south of Athens, the Peloponnese .. so good to be here in France eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks Tony.
DeleteGlad the repas de chasse went well. When are you going off to the islands ?
May be later this year, not sure, haven't made definite plans. Going to Rome in September for a christening, Cliona's Adelaide friends' second child. They are of Italian descent and he used to be a policeman at the Vatican ... so the christening is there!
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