
While global warming and climate change meant an Easter weekend of flooding and blizzards in the UK..... in Tuscany, instead, we've had the early and unexpected arrival of summer! Very unexpected, since it isn't even the end of March, and already today the french windows were left wide open for much of the day, as gloriously warm sunshine streamed in, and shirtsleeves were in order for some heavy-duty garden work. Many of the spring bulbs are in a state of shock, as they've been politely following the dictates of a more normal weather progression, and have been behaving until now as though it should be jacket-and-scarf weather here for at least another month......(a little like the Italians themselves, who tend to keep strictly wrapped up until after May 1st,

With the arrival of summer, the town immediately begins to smell differently. No, not the scent of flowers coming into bloom, but the wonderfully nose-twitching smell of good coffee. At the first indication of warm weather, all the cafés set chairs and tables out, outside their premises, and throw open their doors to let the mingled smells of coffee and pastr

It was in the course of strolling rather than walking that I registered the presence of a new stall in the market. Cheese, salami, and honey. The sort of thing that makes a regular appearance in the monthly mercato di contadini in Piazza Cairoli, but which I've always assume

This time, I stopped. And looked. Truckles of promisingly ancient-seeming pecorino, and baskets laden with different kinds of home-made salami, prominent amongst which were fennel, and wild boar. In a small vitrina he had some of his own gorgonzola, which looked intriguing, and several different kinds of home-produced honey. All looked worth a try, and in the

The pecorino was excellent, though - aged and crumbly, with the sedimentary texture of old Gouda, and an agreeably edgy flavour: quite complex but not too aggressive.
I felt well-set up for several hours of garden-work thereafter: hacking, and slashing, and weeding, an

Which, actually, is also what happened to the pecorino, come to think of it. Ah well....tomorrow is another day. And, with any luck, summer will still be with us.....
Tonight's Dinner:
Chicken Salad.
Baked Spigola, with Anchovy Sauce; Green Beans.
Limoncello Panna Cotta.
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