Italians really know how to eat! It's not just the food--though it starts there, beginning with excellent produce: ripe red tomatoes dripping with sweet juice, perfect basil, asparagus, wheat, broad beans and other wholesome vegetables raised in the mineral-rich soil. (Much of Italy was watery some 100 million years ago, being under the ocean floor receiving layers of calcium carbonate deposits before the land was lifted and crunched up against the European continental plate.) Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, Parma ham, balsamic vinegar, and Italy's extra virgin olive oil are known the world over for their quality. Give these to a great cook, add extended family, friends, some local wines, a classic setting--say a long table under a string of lights outside on a warm, fragrant evening--plus conversation in abundant servings and you have yourself a real Italian meal.
My Italian friend Luciana is a terrific cook. Out of her kitchen emerge delicious foods. In fact, it was after a superb meal at her place near Lago Maggiore five years ago that I started blogging about food and travel. (See her recipe for Tuna Mousse from my first visit) I had the chance to visit with her again last month on Italy's Labor Day and she prepared a lovely meal to be shared with her family--including "il più' bello zio nel mondo", as he introduced himself ("the best looking uncle in the world"). Family dinners in Italy last for hours because Italians take the time to converse and enjoy the food and wine. (The longest meal I experienced in Italy was 5 1/2 hours long--but that's a subject for another blog post).
"Frittura di paranza" is mix of small fishes washed but left whole, dusted with flour, deep-fried, then sprinkled with lemon, salt and pepper. Luciana had bought baby fish from the Mediterranean: triglia di scoglio which is a reef mullet and gamberetti--tiny shrimp. Clams and mussels were stirred into a sauce for pasta; raw artichokes were trimmed, soaked in water and lemon juice, very thinly sliced and dressed for a raw salad (Tuna Mousse recipe); bread was rubbed with garlic and topped with tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic; and a cheese plate prepared with a quartet of artisanal cheese, including tallegio, mozzarella, and Parmesan. On this beautiful day, we enjoyed a leisurely meal, lingering with a dessert of an ice cream cake covered with meringue and little cups of aromatic Vin Santo served with biscotti.
Families are close in Italy, often living under one roof. Luciana's parents live in the house next door, on a property that includes her father's workshop. Gianfranco Caporali and Luciana's partner Uli, who is learning from the master, create fabulous works in wood: custom cabinetry and "paintings" with intricate wood inlay. Her father has also made three one-of-a-kind cars of wood. These miraculous creations are fully functional. The chassis and engine are the original metal components, but all the accessories like the sunshades, mirror holders, sunroof frame, hubcaps and steering wheel are all crafted from wood. If you are traveling to the lake district of Italy, stop by the little town of Cittiglio to see his creations. His shop is open every day.Visit www.labottegadicaporali.it (website in Italian, but email inquiries answered in English)
See Luciana's Tuna Mousse recipe.
See Luciana's Artichoke Salad recipe.
Our fabulous cruise to Italy, Greece and Turkey is off to a roaring start! Scott and Bobbi Stelzle of 
Scott and Bobbi poured the Venteux 2009 Grenache, 2010 "Raucous" (25% Cabernet, 25% Estate Syrah, 25% Grenache, 15% Zinfandel, 10% Carignan), and 2010 Estate Cuveé (50% Estate Syrah, 50% Estate Petit Sirah). Sherman and Michelle poured the Thacher 2011 Grenache Blanc, 2010 "Controlled Chaos" (47% Mourvédra, 41% Zinfandel, 11% Grenache), and 2010 Vin Rouge (71% Syrah, 29% Grenache) as we mingled and met some of our fellow cruise passengers. Lovely appetizers were passed out, included spring rolls and wontons.
The welcome reception and wine tasting was delightful, and if that wasn't enough, we had lovely gift bags embroidered with the Thacher, Venteux and Touring & Tasting logos, thanks to the wineries. They were filled with goodies, like visors, t-shirts, information on the wineries and the latest copy of Touring & Tasting Magazine. Plenty of room for all the souvenirs we'll find on our port excursions to Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Ephesus, Istanbul, Naples and Rome! 
At our Syrah Vertical Seminar, Venteux and Thacher Syrah went head-to-head for us to compare the effect aging has on the wine as well as sense the difference created from diverse vineyards and winemaker style. Thacher poured their 2010 Syrah Monterey (pre-release) from the Coast View Vineyard, and the 2009, 2008, and 2004 vintages of the same. Venteux their 2010 Tache Le Verre (pre-release) 2009 and 2008 Tache Le Verre and 2004 "Starr Ranch" Syrah. The 2010 were ready to drink, but one could see how the wine developed with time, with the 2004 vintages having a deep bouquet and smooth texture. The Syrah Vertical Seminar was in the Tuscan Grille, which will be the venue for the wine pairing luncheon later in the cruise. Though the photos could not capture the view, through the glass walls of the Celebrity ship, we had a moving "wallpaper" of blue ocean, blue sky and a thin blue line in the center marking the horizon. Enjoying great wine and interesting people is even better at sea!
