Death by indulgence. Its been 5 full days since the Camerons have been here and we have no doubt matched then exceeded our limit of intake. That's okay though today we plan to take it easy...oh wait, no we’re not, we are going to have a shmorgishborg of fish and risotto in unadulterated fashion. I could likely fast for a week and still gain weight.
20 Pirates. 10lb T-Bone. Fashion Police. Orvieto. Rabbit Ragu. Endless wine. Montone Cafe. Magnum of Amaro Montenegro. Insomnia. Family style Agriturismo. Food Coma.
This is a summary of how to live well. It’s been nothing less than a whirlwind of sights, laughs, booze, and most importantly food. Now it hasn’t been all fun and games as I’ve been downright overloaded with work, but, if you’re going to burn the candle at both ends, its best to do it with amazing friends (did not mean for that to rhyme, it sounds actually stupid rhyming like that but I am refusing to rewrite it).
On Tuesday Mic came home from the market with what may have been the most glorious T-Bone Steak (yes, you have to capitalize Steak, because it’s that important) I’ve ever seen or even dreamed about. Roughly 10lbs of pure glory. It was all a part of our first time barbecuing together since 2010 back in Carlsbad and we were giddy like school girls (not sure that’s the best way to describe it, but whatever) - anyway - it was super manly in a caveman sort of way, just standing around the pit burning wood to coal drinking Pirate Life like liquid cashmere and teaching Brody the ways of manhood by a grill. I can still remember the first time my dad included me in the bbq experience and it changed my life forever. I hope the same is true for Bro. At the end of it all after hours of labor, beer and smoke inhalation a brilliantly cooked T-Bone was unveiled and thousands of tiny angels were clapping in heaven (not sure why they are tiny for this story, maybe I think the sound of tiny angel claps would sound pretty cool). The night went plenty late, I magically worked after the feast of kings and queens and got to watch the Giants blow their chance at the World Series (which means I was up well past 5am).
No big deal, it was 10am and time to leave for Orvieto. I would be lying if I said the drive wasn’t rough - but by the time we got there I was in tiptop shape and ready for round 2 (or at this point I think we’re on round 20). What an incredible place. The pictures won’t do it justice and neither would a thousand words. On our way home we both agreed to do another trip out and stay a night to experience the nightlife that we are certain goes off. That night we had a lovely dinner at the Ag up the road and the Camerotas joined for just another perfect night.
Then yesterday morning I woke up to the sound of crackle pops from the kitchen and the smell of rabbit meat stewing on the stove. Yesterday we’d picked up Bugs Bunny from the butcher in Montone with the plan of a rabbit ragu over homemade pappardelle and freshly picked (borrowed from the farm behind us) zucchini. The house was invaded with the aroma of my Nonna’s house when I was a kid coming over for Easter dinner. We all sat around the dining table for a late lunch and a couple bottles of white and rose. It felt so Italian. Even Kennedy, who vowed never to eat rabbit had a couple bites and I know she secretly enjoyed it. I have to say my kids adventurous eating makes me so proud as a parent, and, because of it, they like their mom have the best pallets. A quick nap and then it was off to Umbertide to visit our friends at the wine bar. We had an antipasti for days and a couple bottles of red and deemed that dinner. A porchetta panini stop off on the way home and a half bottle of Montenegro and good night.
So now I’m sitting here at the dining table looking out into the hazy grey day watching the kittens wrestle on the back porch and wondering if I should crack open a beer and dive into work, or crack open a beer and play guitar with Brody. Either way, I know a beer is involved so I’m smiling.
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