It was a gorgeous day at the farm. Very sunny and warm…by the fourth glass of wine, I felt the sun in my bones, but I didn’t care. I was having the best lunch ever, on a beautiful hillside 2 km outside of San Gimignano, at Fattoria Poggio Alloro, a working vineyard/farm in Tuscany.

This 3-hour “light lunch” outside began with antipasti: bruschetta (bread with fresh garlic, diced tomatoes and basil with homemade olive oil), a meat and cheese plate (prosciutto and salami, from pigs from the farm), toasted bread with olive oil and mozzarella (I didn’t eat), and a serving of white wine (Vernaccia di San Gimignano).

The olive oil alone was liquid gold. I made a mental note to buy a bottle for my very own…the salami and prosciutto was amazing as well.

The primi platti (first course) was fettuccini with beef and tomato ragu ; the noodles and the beef were made here. Peccerino cheese on the side. A nice 2015 Chianti rounded out the pasta course. 

By this time, I was slowly becoming borderline insane; it’s just SO GOOD HERE!!! Why bother eating anything else? I could die right now and be completely satisfied…but there was more to come…

(By this time, the wind had picked up, and it had toppled over my roommate Jen’s glass, splashing the Toscana Rosso (2015) upon her shirt and canvas shoes. The stain never did come out of her shoes; she calls it now “a great souvenir”. Jen’s awesome…so was the glass of Toscana Rosso.

The secondi platti (second course) featured wonderful roasted meats, chicken and pork (plus, a third red = Rosso “Convivo”), plus a green salad.

The ladies and I were laughing and having a blast. We talked about renting a villa in Tuscany in the next year, everyone’s subsequential jobs at said villa (I was assigned writing duties, and serenading…perhaps, a reality show, “The lost Americans”? Wait…this was a idea first discussed in Florence with spritzers and Negroni cocktails the night before with most gang…sorry, memories are becoming liquid…)

And dessert? Biscotti dipped in more liquor: Vin Santo del Chianti, or a sweet wine. 

After lunch, I was ready to buy the whole store, until I found out if you want to ship wine back the States, you have to order at least 10 bottles at a time. 

(Dammit, blast!!! So, I bought one bottle of olive oil for 7 euros–it traveled safely in my checked-in luggage. Next time, Mia caras, I will order the ten…but, who’s coming back with me?)

Nevertheless, even after a hour-long walk in neighboring San Gigignano, and some gelato (hey, it was hot outside!), I didn’t eat for the rest of the day. Do you blame me?

Enjoy!