Travel-4Less

Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack…

Day 53
For the next seven days, I’ll be living between two giant mountains in the Lazio region, without running water or electricity. I feel like a contestant on Survivor—just me, my Mac-book, and nature. There’s a rolling field brimming with fig, peach, cotton apple, and olive trees; the sun sets between the mountains at the far end. During the day, I work on the nearby Italy Farm Stay among goats, sheep, two fat pigs, a horse, chickens, and a donkey. This is an entirely new experience for me, and one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had in Italy.

Kristin and I arrived two days ago during a torrential rainstorm, which, as I’m sure you realize, is not the best time to set up a tent. Fortunately, we had other options. But first, let me explain the lay of the land. I found Italy Farm Stay through internet research and contacted Antonello Siragusa, who coordinates the program. He explained that Kristin and I would be given a place to pitch a tent in the mountains just outside of the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, in exchange for 2 ½ hours of work each day. The fruit and vegetables grown on the farm are given for free to all volunteers and guests. Italy Farm Stay also offers B&B-style rooms for paying guests, as well as another type of volunteer housing, in which volunteers stay inside the actual farmhouse and receive three daily meals in exchange for five hours of work a day. This type of housing was already fully booked when we contacted Antonello, so we chose the camping option, known as Le Moglie.

Le Moglie is an abandoned farmhouse—its age cannot be determined, not even by Antonello, who was born here—with rustic camping facilities. Because it was raining when we arrived, we were given the option to stay inside the decrepit building, in a room fixed up by previous volunteers. On one hand, the room is less than tidy, and the roof looks like it’s about to cave in. On the other hand, it doesn’t leak, and it beats sleeping in the rain.

I’m not going to lie, the last two days were rough. Luckily, I have a lot of experience camping. The first night, I managed to light a fire inside a freestanding pizza oven while the rain came down. We had hot dogs. The next morning, I managed to start a fire in a rusty cast-iron stove and was able to boil a pot of water for coffee. That afternoon, the rain stopped long enough to gather a few dripping twigs and branches (Le Moglie did not come with dry firewood), enough to make a warm meal. Today the rain has held off, and Antonello’s father, Giuseppe Siragusa, says that the beginning of summer has arrived. Tonight we’ll be cooking vegetable skewers, polenta cakes, and Italian sausages over a real campfire. We’ll also be setting up our tent and getting out of the old farmhouse. Hallelujah!

Italy Farm Stay does make up for all this hardship, and quickly! In my next post, I’ll tell you all about the wine I’ve been bottling, the people I’ve been meeting, and the exquisite local hikes (provided I can recharge my computer’s batteries and get internet somewhere). Tonight I’ll sit on the terrace of the silent, old farmhouse with a glass of wine and watch the sun set between the two mountains that I’ve come to think of as my own.

Written by and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack…

Day 56
After a few days at Italy Farm Stay, I’ve pinpointed the reason that it’s so unique: Guests are able to directly experience the lives of the Siragusa family. Antonello manages the Farm Stay; his mother, Maria, teaches cooking classes and prepares lunch and dinner for guests and volunteers; Antonello’s father, Giuseppe, takes care of the livestock, the gardens, and—perhaps most important—the wine.

Kristin and I work 2 ½ hours a day in exchange for a free place to camp, and so far our work has been mostly wine-related. The first day I met Giuseppe, I told him that we might be a little late for work. We had to return the rental car that morning, then go shopping in the nearby town of Sora. From Sora, we needed to walk back to Le Moglie. Giuseppe, who only speaks Italian, responded, “Non fate problemi. La vita é bella!” Do not make problems for yourself. Life is beautiful! In other words, relax and enjoy.

Giuseppe is Italy incarnate (at least my American concept of Italy). He is relaxed and content, loves to spread happiness, and share his homemade wine. We usually begin our workday with a glass of wine (he says that he himself never drinks less that 1.5 liters a day), and if we ever look like we are working too hard, he says, “Con calma, con calma.” Calmly, calmly.

The work is rewarding: I’ve gotten to talk about the wine-making process while bottling over 100 liters of chardonnay (for the whole story, check out my blog.)  It’s not all fun and games, however; today, Kristin and I worked to build a stone wall. Other volunteers are busy stripping and varnishing old wooden doors. Still others are pruning grape vines. The entire philosophy of the place is to build an international community of volunteers in order to help Antonello and his family; currently, they are renovating several buildings, which will be turned into a B&B. As a recent article in the Seattle Times reports,  Antonello graduated from university in Liverpool, then, after working as a waiter in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood, he decided to move home again. He needed to make some money. He instantly thought of bringing tourism to the Lazio area, but he did so in a creative way: by offering low-budget travelers a free place to stay in exchange for work. More offers like these can be found on the Work Away website.

Personally, I think that working 5 hours a day is too much, and I’m glad that Kristin and I decided to forgo electricity and work only 2 ½ hours a day. Further, the Italy Farm Stay does not give days off; the only option is to double up one day in order to take another day off. This is what our new friend Elizabeth did, in order to join Kristin and me on a beautiful hike to a waterfall. Elizabeth is from Austin, Texas, and she is staying on the farm for a month. It quickly turned out that we had a lot in common, and this turned out to be the norm at Italy Farm Stay: The people who stay there, both paying guests and volunteers, are open and friendly. At all times of the day you can find a group sitting on the porch discussing all manner of subjects, philosophy and travel included. This is another reason Italy Farm Stay is an especially rewarding experience, both for volunteers and guests. In particular, the families we’ve met here have enjoyed themselves; their children love getting taken on horse and donkey rides on the surrounding trails. Prices range from 10-38 euro per person, per night.

Lastly, yesterday’s hike to the waterfall was exceptional. The views from the cliff-hugging trails and the slippery walk through the gorge up to the waterfall combined to make me forget my failed trip to Trento and the Alps. We experienced brief altitude sickness, and our legs were tired by the end, but the mist and the raw power of the waterfall made it all worth it. The hike takes 8 hours round trip.

I think that I’m beginning to fall into Le Moglie’s rhythm. I’ve collected enough firewood and learned how to boil water on an open fire, and Kristin has developed an ingenious system for doing the dishes. I spend my morning reading, my afternoons working the land, and my evenings sitting by the campfire. It’s not for everyone, but this type of living isn’t so bad in the short term.

Written by and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack…

Day 49 Part 2
Taking a cooking class in Italy is a great way to connect with the locals, learn the traditions, and spice up your culinary abilities. For me, the ideal cooking class combines relaxed education with friendly companions and good wine. Abruzzo Cibus’s cooking class did just that. When we arrived in the spacious kitchen, Cheryle Cotton-Molino (cooking school instructor) and Massimo Criscio (Managing Director) were waiting. Cheryle quickly took over, handing out aprons.

Cheryle worked among the top-tier management at The Garden restaurant in Philadelphia, where she spent time among celebrities and politicians (notably Julia Child, whose 80th birthday she attended), before moving to Abruzzo with her Italian husband in 2000. She also opened Harry’s Bar and Grill in Philadelphia. Cheryle created a relaxed atmosphere as she doled out various jobs and told us what was on the menu. The fabulous Jersey Ladies have a lot of cooking experience, and an extensive repertoire of Italian dishes passed down by their mothers and grandmothers. There were plenty of jokes about Jersey slang, like “gravy” for tomato sauce.

On the menu were an olive marinade, prosciutto and arugula involtini (recipe below), a fresh cucumber salad dressed with a white wine vinegar (made using a 25-year-old mother—an enzyme that turns wine to vinegar), and Polpettine Cacio e Uova, which is a sort of meatless meatball. All of the dishes were very easy to prepare. The cooking class is ideal for beginners; since most of us were quite experienced, we spent much of the time talking about life and plying Cheryle with questions about Italy.

When it was time to eat, the food tasted all the better because we had worked together to prepare it. It reminded me of something Georgeta Perhald, Sommelier at Rocca delle Macíe , said: “At the table you never get old.” All of our needs were satisfied: sharing, community, food, wine, and laughter.

Later, after testing out Cheryle’s homemade limoncello, I took a walk down the steep hill atop which Palazzo Tour D’Eau is located and explored the town. It was immensely quiet. In the dark distance, clouds were accumulating between the hilltops, carefully smothering the last rays of sunlight.

INVOLTINI di PROSCIUTTO con ARUGULA e PECORINO -  SERVES 4 to 5
(Prosciutto Rolled with Arugula and Pecorino Cheese)

8 to 10 thin slices of prosciutto
8 to 10 shavings of pecorino/parmesan* (from a whole piece)
2 bunches of arugula (washed with hard stems removed)
1/4 cup (60 ml.) of olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon (strained)
salt and freshly ground pepper
15 cured black olives, pits removed (optional)
On parchment paper arrange the prosciutto in a single layer.

Pour the strained lemon juice in a non-reactive bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly. Drop in the arugula, add salt and pepper and toss thoroughly.

Starting at one end of the slice of prosciutto place a small bunch of arugula. Add 1 shaving of cheese. Roll into a roulade making sure it remains intact.

Continue with the remaining slices of prosciutto. Arrange on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper to taste. Garnish with black olives (optional).

* in lieu of pecorino you may use parmigiano, romano or grana cheese.

Written by and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack…

Day 49
What a day. Last night, Kristin and I met our fellow companions on the Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tours . The managing director of the tour, Massimo Criscio, called us down to dinner, and at the table we met four fabulous Italian-American women from Joy-zee (aka New Jersey, for all non-Joyzee folks). One woman’s family was originally from Abruzzo, and Massimo had helped her reconnect with her extended family earlier that afternoon. Massimo says that this type of genealogy work is one of the most personally rewarding aspects of his job.

Over a glass of merlot, which had been made by Massimo’s father, everyone got to know each other. Then the creations of Chef Dino Paganelli began to flow forth from the kitchen. The highlights were the plate of three bruschetta (one topped with truffle oil) and a simple pasta with shavings of fresh, local summer truffles. I interviewed Chef Paganelli, who is a consultant for an Italian delicacies company whose products can be found in Dean and Deluca, to talk more about his work with truffles. After the tremendous meal, everyone retired to rest up for the next day’s trip to a mozzarella factory.

But the next morning started off rough. Kristin and I were the first ones down, but we were wearing sandals, which Massimo informed us were the wrong type of shoes. He also informed us that we were running late. The Jersey ladies hadn’t been awake when he’d knocked on their doors. We had a tight schedule to keep, and, after a hurried breakfast, we left about 45 minutes late.

Fortunately, when we arrived at the Caseificio di Pasquo cheese factory, in the town of Agnano, everything was fine. What an experience! Massimo knows how to give his guests an experience that can be found nowhere else.

He took us through the process of making cheese: First, the fresh cow’s milk is heated and cail (a form of the rennet enzyme) is mixed in to make curds. Second, the curds are drained, then shredded. From here, different types of cheese are made. For burrata, an extremely fresh and creamy cheese, the shredded cheese is again heated up until it acquires a dough-like texture. This dough is blown up like a balloon, then stuffed with the unheated, shredded cheese. When you cut into a ball of burrata, the cream pours out. This cheese has a three-day shelf life, making it difficult (if not impossible) to find in the U.S.

To make mozzarella, the dough is mixed by hand, then individual shapes are formed from it by pulling and tearing. Massimo handed out samples of mozzarella fresh off the assembly line. The taste was pure. Later, he told me a little more of Italy’s cheese-making history: Shepherds once brought their flocks of sheep from the dry land of Puglia up through Abruzzo in search of fresh grass. Their sheep, pecora in Italian, produced milk along the way, and they didn’t want to waste it. Nor did they want to carry it, so they left it in secret holes filled with hay and stone along the way. These holes are called fosse, and today some cheeses are called di fossa, which means they were aged in these holes. When the shepherds returned from the mountain pastures in the fall, they would pick up the cheeses that they’d left along the way. This type of cheese was named Pecorino after the pecora that made it. Imagine walking along a mountain trail and stumbling upon a stockpile of Pecorino cheese in a hole in the ground. . . .

Caseificio di Pasquo specializes in a traditional cheese of the Abruzzo region, caciocavallo. Caciocavallo is shaped like a giant raindrop and aged, while hanging, at least three months. It’s not my favorite cheese—I think it lacks depth. It tastes quite sharp, like a salty, hard provolone.

When we made it back to the Palazzo Tour D’Eau, we had about an hour and a half of down time before meeting Cheryle Cotton-Molino, who would take us into the Palazzo Tour D’Eau kitchen and help us create a meal made completely from fresh Abruzzo ingredients. More about that in my next post.

Written By and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

The Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tour is an all-inclusive tour. Guests choose either the four- or seven-day package and stay in a fabulous hotel (once a palace) located at the very top of an Abruzzo hilltop town. The little-known Italian region of Abruzzo has a lot to offer, and much of it is revealed by Abruzzo Cibus; that’s what really makes the experience special. Guests are guided from the seaside, where a visit with local fisherman slips you into the Mediterranean mood, to a mozzarella cheese factory, to the Vatican’s personal bell foundry, and so on.

The director of the tour, Massimo Criscio, will also plan visits to help you find your distant Italian family members. It’s these unique experiences that make this tour worthwhile, not to mention the cooking classes and nightly dinners provided by the Palazzo Tour D’ Eau’s chef.

But these experiences do come at a cost. This is not a relaxing vacation, and guests should not arrive thinking that they’ll have time to sleep in. For this reason, I’d recommend the Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tour to travelers on their first or second trip to Italy; those who want to see and do a lot in a short time. You’ll learn to cook traditional Italian food (and eat a whole lot of it too), but you’ll have to stay on schedule. This is one aspect of the tour that I wish I’d been told about when I first arrived. But neither I or the other guests were prepared, which resulted in a constant feeling of being late, or being rushed.

This tour provides the personal touch that a bus tour of Italy could never offer, yet retains the highly structured format that connects visitors with local traditions, flavors, and people. Personally, I enjoy more personalized experiences, those that have a little wiggle room for detours. During my visit (on which the next three posts of my travelogue will focus), though there were only four guests, our personal needs were sometimes neglected. Though the Palazzo Tour D’Eau is a luxury hotel, this is not, to my mind, a luxury tour: it is a hurried trip into—and then out of—one of the few regions of Italy that is still off the map.

Photo Tour of  Abruzzo and Palazzo Tour D’Eau

The trip takes you off the beaten path. It features cooking classes that share the culinary tricks of the locals. The native truffles are used with a heavy hand, and chef Dino Paganelli knows exactly what he’s doing. He should; he consults for one of the specialty food firms that provides for Dean and DeLuca specialty food shops.

And I think that once you fall into the groove of waking up at certain times, eating meals at certain times, and putting your personal preferences off, you might be happy to have had this experience. Others certainly have. Check out the reviews of Palazzo Tour D’Eau on Tripadvisor.com and you’ll see that it scores the highest marks across the board. Likewise, the wonderful ladies who stayed at the hotel during my stay deeply appreciated their experiences there. It’s all about what type of vacation you prefer, and these next three posts will take you inside the Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tour.

Written by and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire two months living out of a backpack…

Day #48
The view from the patio of the Palazzo Tour d’Eau in Abruzzo is beyond words. When I asked Massimo Criscio, owner and director of Abruzzo Cibus Culinary Tours, for directions, he said they weren’t necessary: “We are at the highest spot in town.” The panoramic view from the town of Carunchio reveals the beauty of this undervalued region. Many of the surrounding hills are topped with a tiny town. These towns are compact, and the populations—composed of families, which have lived here for generations—are around 700. Cascading grapevines and bales of hay that turn to gold at sunset adorn the unpopulated hills.

Perhaps the geography is the reason the region has remained so pristine: You simply cannot do anything in a hurry. To get anywhere, you have to drive down from one hilltop, then up to the next. I realize that, at this point, I’ve rented more cars than I initially said I would. Budget travel usually doesn’t include car rentals, but some regions in Italy simply aren’t easy to access by public transportation. For the most part, Abruzzo is one such region. This car cost 43 euros a day through Atlas Choice , an online car rental agency that offers some of the best prices around.

Before arriving at the Palazzo Tour d’Eau, where I’ll be staying for the next few days (cooking classes included—I hope you’re getting excited!), Kristin and I spent the day in the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park. The park is a short hour away from Rome, and known for its skiing and hiking, but after a restless night on the night train from Verona, we opted for a picnic and a nap on the mountainous slopes.

Getting to the park by car is easy. From Rome, take the A1 east, then take the Frosinone exit. I drove from Frosinone on the SR156 to Sora, then took SS666 into the park. I was pretty excited to see the mark of the beast running right through the center of Italy. If I’d had an Iron Maiden CD, you know we would have listened to it. Well, I would have. Kristin would have jumped out of the car for a local truffle sampling.

As soon as we hit SS666, advertisements for specialty food stores and farm stands popped up, featuring the area’s local summer truffles. Glimpses of the park from afar revealed snowy peaks and bald slopes covered with mountain flowers, as well as a few herds of pure white cows. Were they Chianina cows? I began to feel slightly better about missing out on the Alps. Picnic spots jumped out everywhere, and we ate with an expansive view. Afterward, we took a much-needed two-hour nap on the grassy hillside.
The Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park is free to enter. It’s full of tall pine trees, and hiking trails are accessible all along the road. The town of Opi is located in the very center of the park. It’s built on a knife-edge of rock and surrounded by vast, spring-green fields. To glimpse it between the pine trees is a surreal experience: like walking into a scene from Lord of the Rings. We walked though the town, lingered for a view of the mountains through a picturesque portico, then headed to Carunchio and Palazzo Tour d’Eau. Tonight, the palace’s chef, Dino Paganelli (who, like me, has a degree in philosophy), is preparing a five-course meal featuring the area’s local summer truffles, which will be served fresh. Tomorrow is an exciting day, jam-packed with a trip to a cheese factory and a cooking class. I hope to get some good sleep tonight.

Written by and photos by Mattie Bamman for EuropeUpClose.com

Italy’s Abruzzo National Park is located just over 50 miles east of Rome, and spans an area of over 190 square miles. The natural beauty of the park makes it popular year round and over 2 million people visit it each year. Filled with gorgeous mountains and plummeting valleys, Abruzzo is a popular winter vacation location, offering downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and bird watching. The tallest, skiable peak is Mount Pratello, which stands at 7,350 feet. In the winter, the park is as cold as it is beautiful, so make sure to dress warmly. Renting a car is not a necessity, however, during the winter, it does make for a more comfortable visit.

There are many places to stay around the park as well as inside the park itself. From luxury condos to quiet bungalows, these hotels are available at a wide range of prices. A bungalow of two rooms and a kitchenette–heat included–runs between 50-100 euro for two people. Cabins that accommodate 6-12 people offer really good deals. These large, traditional cabins often have  complete kitchens and living rooms with fireplaces. Weekly rates begin at 450 euro. If you are looking for a beautiful location to celebrate the Winter Solstice with a group of friends, this is an excellent option.

The most popular towns to stay in are Pescasseroli and Avezzano; both offer a wide selection of hotels and B&Bs. Two small villages that are worth a visit are Scanno and Barea. Each features traditional architecture and cuisine, and  Scanno boasts a beautiful 13th Century castle.

The Abruzzo National Park offers two ski locations: Roccaraso and Rivisondoli. Combined, Roccaraso and Rivisondoli provide around 40 miles of trails. The trails accomodate skiers for all levels of difficulty, from expert to beginner. Downhill skiers and snowboarders can choose between trails on Monte Aremogna and Monte Pratello, which rise up to 7,000 feet. Cross-country trails take skiers through the forests of Abruzzo Appennines. A day pass at the Roccaraso ski resort costs 33 euro, while a one week pass costs 188 euro. Many hotels offer skiing packages that include lift tickets.

The nearby Majella National Park, which is also home to the Abruzzo Mountains, features the lesser-known Pescocostanzo ski slopes. This skiing location promises to never be overcrowded and offers classes for beginners.
And it is possible to visit the Abruzzo National Park without a car. Trains take visitors as far as the city of Avezzano, where buses regularly run into and through the park. Buses will also take you to the towns of Pescasseroli, Scanno, Barea, and other small villages.

One final note: Make sure to check snow conditions when planning your trip because snow sometimes comes late to the region.