Porcini mushrooms - Tuscan style

The Villas at Podernuovo, are set in a rustic country setting with modern facilities where we have had some memorable and enjoyable holidays. 

Alvina has agreed to share some of her Tuscan secrets re the beautiful bounty of this fertile land.  Clara

Here in Tuscany we are sometimes fortunate to come across a porcini or two. Once I found a very large one which, through my ignorance thought it had to be toxic! I was soon set right by the excavator man who went wild with joy and ran off to try and find one for himself! The following is how he said I should cook it.

Dust and brush off any debris, leave as much stem in place as possible, slice into at least 1cm, thick pieces and cook quickly in oil and finely sliced garlic, until brown. Sprinkle over some finely chopped parsley and season to taste and serve immediately.

Alvina's porcini mushroom
which she prepared and served
for lunch

This way the true porcini flavour is enhanced and not obscured. Some porcini that we find  have obvious signs of insect infestation so these we

clean and then dry in the dehydrator. These can then be used for risottos, soups or casseroles.

Here on Monte Amiata, these mushrooms are highly sort after, and in the season, people travel long distances to go to their favourite place hoping to find them. These favourite places are never divulged to anyone - an indication of how prized these special mushrooms are.
Alvina

www.timeintuscany.com






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Picking up Walnuts in Tuscany

We have been very fortunate to spend some wonderful time in Tuscany, with Alvina and Umberto at their Villas at Podernuovo.  I am missing the tranquility and the fertile abundance so am treating myself to a few retro blogs which you may not have seen.



It took a while to pick all of these and now the task
is to crack  them to release their bounty.  We became adept at this.

They say 'A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.'

In the British Journal of Nutrition, a rodent study found a walnut rich diet reverses the effects of brain ageing.

G picked more than I did?   What are the secrets of filling up the bucket?...... Yes, I know the basic stuff - like the walnuts fall off the tree - (helped sometimes by extension and shaking of the human hand etc) but next time I go to Tuscany, I want to win!!

I also am aware of natural physics, such as that walnuts will roll down hills - so look there first. (I have a theory that G was told this and gathered all the good ones before I joined him in the exercise.)
Then you had to think laterally - like if they didn't roll downhill, perhaps they went sideways and settled in any depression or were caught by other foliage etc.

I spent happy times on my own picking up walnuts, enjoying just being there, then of course to enjoy 'Pasta with Walnut Pesto'.  Recipe will be on my next blog.
Clara
http://www.timeintuscany.com/  Visit the website for images of Podernouvo.

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