PodTravels.TV - Tuscany [iPod Travel Video]

Production, consumption and the culture of Lardo di Colonnata have always been linked to the work and life of quarrymen. In order to produce Lardo di Colonnata cuts from the fatty tissue from the animal s back stretching from the occipital region to the rump and laterally to the belly are used. The principal characteristics of the product are its more or less rectangular shape, a thickness of not less than 3 cm, a rind on the lower surface and an upper surface covered with seasoning salt that has darkened from the applied aromatic herbs and spices; a thin strip of lean meat may also be present. The lard appears damp with a homogeneous and soft texture, is white, slightly pink or vaguely brownish in colour. It is fragrant and rich of aroma, with a delicate, fresh, almost sweet taste that can be lightly salty if the cut is from the rump, and highlighted by the aromatic herbs and spices used during the curing. quicktime 25,7 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

Pecorino Toscano PDO is made from whole sheep s milk and veal rennet. The paste is subjected to cooking and breaking until curd granules form that vary in size from that of a kernel of corn for semi-hard paste to the size of a hazelnut for soft . Then it is pressed and salted before being matured for variable periods of time depending on the culinary destination of the cheese. The finished product is a smooth-faced cylinder, and measures 15 to 22 cm in diameter and weighs from 1 to 3.5 kg. The rind can be various shades of yellow and the paste is pale yellow with a delicate flavour and lightly piquant aspect. Pecorino Toscano can be consumed as a table cheese or used for grating, depending on the amount of ageing. When grated, it is put on ribollita (a type of bread soup), pasta dishes or added to meat dishes to give extra flavour. Sliced (either aged or fresh) it goes well with honey, jams, and fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. quicktime 28,4 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

Mr. Giorgio Gori leads his antiques activity since he stopped to work as a bank employ e. The reason why he shows us his little precious antiques shop called Doccia is his true passion for ceramics, majolics and porcelains wares. His love for these handcrafts comes from the place where he lives, Colonnata in the Sesto Fiorentino municipality. Here was founded the Ginori ceramic handcrafts industry that since 1783 became a well known center of excellence not only in Italy but in all the world. The marquis Ginori was an illuminated industry leader that managed his workers and the whole productive process in a very innovative and modern way. The old factory unfortunately has been replaced by new and anonymous civil buildings and actually the handcraft activity in Sesto seems to be at an ending point. But still something remains of the Ginori manufacture: the two rows of houses that were builded to let the workers live in better conditions and that, in some cases, are still lived by the ancient Ginori workers. Doccia Antichit Via Ginori, 45 50019 Colonnata (Firenze) Tel.: +39 0554481447 quicktime 8,8mb Write to Giorgio Gori

Over time, the term Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale has come to indicate a single type of animal belonging to the Chinina, Marchigiana and Romagnola breeds and which is characterized by similarities with regard to morphology and productive performance. Initially used for working the fields, these animals were later selected as specialized, quality meat-producing breeds. Typicity of Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale meat is due to the combination of genetic patrimony of the breeds, the way they are raised and the type of feed used. In fact, the animals are raised on small farms where they are fed and then transform the farm s products. Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale meat is outstanding when grilled, especially when served with a bit of extra virgin olive oil after cooking. quicktime 27,5 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

Over time, the term Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale has come to indicate a single type of animal belonging to the Chinina, Marchigiana and Romagnola breeds and which is characterized by similarities with regard to morphology and productive performance. Initially used for working the fields, these animals were later selected as specialized, quality meat-producing breeds. Typicity of Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale meat is due to the combination of genetic patrimony of the breeds, the way they are raised and the type of feed used. In fact, the animals are raised on small farms where they are fed and then transform the farm s products. Vitellone Bianco dell Appennino Centrale meat is outstanding when grilled, especially when served with a bit of extra virgin olive oil after cooking. quicktime 27,5 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

In Tuscany a rather unique sort of pork breeding has evolved over time: the raising of largely grazed sows to give birth to piglets for fattening elsewhere. Also the original organoleptic characteristics of the hams and cured meats typical of rural production have become famous, giving rise to numerous small, artisan operations where the quality traditions of the peasants product have been maintained. The making of Prosciutto Toscano PDO requires the use of fresh pork hams from animals born, raised and slaughtered in Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, the Marches, Umbria, Latium or Tuscany. The finished product has a rounded shape with an arch-shaped end and normally weighs about 8-9 kg. When sliced, it has bright red to pale red flesh with little fat. It is extremely versatile and is suited to almost any occasion: as a snack, starter or even as a dish to stand alone. Chianti and Sangiovese wines are perfect accompaniments, but generally full-bodied red wines are suitable as well. quicktime 27,7 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

Emmer (Triticum dicoccum) is the oldest grain to reach our times. Due to dietary changes and the consequential elimination of so-called poor foods from the diet, emmer began to disappear toward the end of the 19th century, but in Garfagnana it continued to be produced (also in notable quantities) as it was a product of trade. Growing on hilly areas of Garfagnana, the cold climate is ideal for this grain; neither anti-parasite nor fertilizing treatments are necessary, thus making it a naturally organic product free of polluting elements. Today emmer plays an important role in the local economy, with many families adding to their income through its production. Farro della Garfagnana is very wholesome and is used in flavourful recipes from the local tradition. It is particularly suitable for casseroles or torte salate but is also widely used in soups. Following considerable efforts to recover and add value to this special crop, the European Union has bestowed Protected Geographical Indication status on Farro della Garfagnana. quicktime 22,3 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

There are numerous historical references to the origin of Miele della Lunigiana PGI and its close ties to the territory, for example the considerable importance and specialization of beekeeping in Lunigiana, the centuries-old tradition of using honey in the local gastronomy, the use of products (such as medicines) derived from beekeeping, and the local tradition of candle-making. The Lunigiana zone is an ideal environment for beekeeping due to its largely natural state and extremely limited industrial development. Miele della Lunigiana PDO is limited to only two types of honey: from acacia or chestnut flowers. The Lunigiana zone is almost completely devoid of pollutants, and this factor combined with a favourable succession of flowering and a presence of precious plant essences permits the production of honey having special qualitative characteristics. Its purity of aromas and conformation to standards of flavour are characteristics which, over time, have not changed and render Miele della Lunigiana a unique product. quicktime 17,8 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

With this video TP.tv begins to publish a series of videos about typical tuscan agricultural products realized for ARSIA.TV, official podcasts of tuscan agricultural agency. The ecotype for this bean, which over the centuries has been selected in the small valley of the Pescia river (in the province of Pistoia), is milky white or wine red and slightly different from other beans in its smaller size, almost flat shape for the white variety or nearly cylindrical for the red one, very thin or almost non-existent seed-coat and its particular organoleptic characteristics. Its peculiarities derive from its special cultivation environment: so-called ghiareti which are strips of sandy soil along the banks of the river protected from inclement weather and characterized by limited sunlight and high humidity, as well as irrigated with water which is poor in salts and nitrates. Thanks to these specific characteristics, Fagiolo di Sorana has obtained European recognition for Protected Geographical Indication. Harvested by hand and sun-dried, the white beans are excellent when boiled and dressed with good extra virgin olive oil which the red ones are particularly good in soups. quicktime 23,6 mb Arsia.tv Subscribe Arsia.tv on iTunes

The restoration of the facade of the Duomo in Siena, concluded 30 November 2006 showcases the latest innovations regarding the history of facade restoration in Italy. Beginning in the Spring of 2004, initially as a conservational intervention to limit the decay of the marble statues on the facade, the restoration transformed into a project to regenerate the image of the cathedral; this initiative broke new ground relating to traditional theories regarding restoration and the results illustrate revolutionary progress in relation to the existing images of medieval facades in Italy and Europe. The coulors of Siena /> quicktime 13,2 mb wmv 10,5 mb The project

Sky drops is an installation in the Courtyard of Palazzo Pubblico inspired to Klee. Traditional Christmas installation of the Special Tree by Bambimus, Art Museum for children, which, as from 1998, presents the city with a Christmas tree dedicated to children. The coulors of Siena /> quicktime 13,6 mb wmv 16,3 mb Siena official website

They say that this winter in Italy is the hottest since more than one hundred years. As you can see in this new video the sun shines on also in La Verna Sanctuary, in the middle of Casentino woods, where Saint Francis of Assisi established in 1200 century living here with his companions in hermitage and love for the Lord. Francis said to the Brothers accompanying him that this place was a sign of divine pleasure: ...Jesus Christ is pleased for us to take up our abode in this solitary place . La Verna is now a pilgrimage destination and a center of spirituality: we were lucky, me and Patricia, to visit the sanctuary in a period of the year when nearly no one comes here during the week. That was a chance to melt our hearts and spiritual needs with the nature around us: an intimate respect for this sacred places led us to take only few shots for the video but this experience will truly last for a long time in our conscience. Video sketches by Patricia Garc a Sketches from La Verna Sanctuary /> quicktime 7,9 mb wmv 12,7 mb La Verna Sanctuary official website

For Christmas Eve dinner, as every year, Anna Grazia prepares the Tortellini, a typical recipe from Modena, the city where she was born The preparation is difficult but is a moment where all the family is involved and this dish is crucial in Christmas dinner Grazia choose all first class ingredients, from fresh eggs to local meat. Home made tortellini can be served with butter or oil but the best way to taste their flavour is to serve them with a hot capon broth. Christmas wouldn t be Christmas without Grazia s tortellini. quicktime 28,8 mb wmv 11,9 mb See Home Cooking videos on TP.tv Ingredients for about 500 tortellini For the Stuffing 400 g of veal meat 300 g of pork loin 150 g of prosciutto di parma 50 g of parmesan cheese 2 eggs nutmeg and salt For the Dough 7 eggs 7 hg of sour Anna Grazia is cooking for us

The panello con l uva (grapes cake) is a tuscan country traditional dessert that is prepared during grapes gather time. Each family has its own recipe and keep a secret about ingredients and baking methods they use. But what is really important for a good outcome is the choice of the grapes. Simone loves to use Pampadour grapes that we also call uva fragolina becuase of his strawberry like flavour. He cultivates a few vines in a shadowed place in order to delay the ripening and to get a more intense flavour that is typical to this variety. Panello con l Uva /> quicktime 16,7mb wmv 11,9 mb See Home Cooking videos on TP.tv Mr. Simone Biondi is cooking for us

Ten days after grape gathering the must in the tubs slackens thw boiling. Beppe press the remaining grapes and, with Cesare and Felice, decants wine in other tubs or other little recipients depending on the particular wine he wants to get. This is the first step to produce a good Chianti wine. It is in this precise moment that Beppe understand how much wine he will obtain and its taste and quality. This year he will not obtain a great yeld because of a very hot and dry summer. Svinatura /> quicktime 21,8mb wmv 12,1 mb See Agriculture videos on TP.tv

Within the end of September and the beginning of October Beppe gathers the grapes of his little vineyard of Chianti DOC wine in Laterina, that he grows from years after the manner of old tuscan country-folk. The harvest, that produces about one ton of grapes, is made with simple means and with the helping hands of relatives and friends. At the end of it, all together have the usual open air lunch with pasta , stufato , sausages and beans. Over all, last year wine as much as people want. As reward for their work friends get a bottle of wine and the wish to meet again next year. Grape Gathering in Chianti /> quicktime 24,1mb wmv 11,1 mb See Agriculture videos on TP.tv

Anghiari is a lovely medieval town lying between two rivers, the Tiber and the Arno. The powerful thirteenth century walls made the town an invincible fortress which constituted an important reference point and kept the Tuscan flag flying during the many historical events that occurred in this delicately balanced border area. On the 29th June 1440 the famous Battle of Anghiari, which was subsequently painted by Leonardo da Vinci in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, reaffirmed Florentine rule in Tuscany. quicktime 18,6 mb wmv 12 mb Anghiari official site

It s harvest time in Lilia s little rural paradise. In the first week of September, when we filmed this video, I was stunned by the incredible quantity of peaches in the trees, white and yellow pulp varieties. Visiting the garden in this seasons means to live an olfactory experience. We are talking about biodiversity scents: Lilia s fruits still smells of their own scents, unlike the fruits we buy in stores. When you taste peaches or prunes or apples the flavour is always something new, almost unknown to people who are not so lucky as I am to know Lilia. Lilia s Rural Paradise: Picking Fruits /> quicktime 21,8mb wmv 12,1 mb Write to Linda www.pollodelvaldarno.it Lilia s TP.tv Episodes Here we find Lilia teaching a child how to pick fruits from the trees, showing him the differences between the fruit varieties and letting him taste them to experience what does it mean to eat good fruit. The child was grateful for the opportunity he received and he was asking always for more.

Castiglione della Pescaia is a tourist place with a stunning medieval castle just above the sea side. It is one of the most visited places in Maremma due to the quality of the clean water. From June to September Castiglione is a bathing center with tourists from all over Italy and Europe. The ancient village with the Castle at the top of it is perfectly conserved and from here you have a stunning view of the Maremma coast and of the marshy area called Diaccia Botrona. quicktime 18,5 mb wmv 10,9 mb castiglionepescaia.it Google Map

I arrived in Fosdinovo coming from Fivizzano: suddenly the castle of Fosdinovo stands in front of me as if it were emerging from a sea of green and blue, covered by the sunny fog of early summer afternoon. The castle is still a private property of Malaspina power family that since XIII century builded it with military purpose. Around the castle there is a village on a square plant that stands in silence, suspended in time. quicktime 11,2 mb wmv 6,6 mb Municipality Website terredilunigiana.com Google Map From this point of view you can see the Bassa Val di Magra that spreads wide to the Sarzana bay: a view of stunning beauty that speaks by itself and that reminds me once again how Tuscany is really a place of infinite discoveries. Everywhere you go your aesthetic sense will always be pleased.

Mulazzo is a village in high Lunigiana, a territory of hills and mountains that is maybe the wildest in all Tuscany region. Lunigiana is a valley at the borders with Emilia Romagna and Liguria along the course of the river Magra. Mulazzo is encircled from the Appennines and the Apuane Alps and, despite its historical relevance since it was from the XII century a castle possession of Malaspina family, is not very well known. quicktime 14,2 mb wmv 8,1 mb Municipality Website valdimagra.com Google Map Believe me, arriving in Mulazzo and visiting this ancient villagge is a trip in the past: silence, birds and bees and the magnificent sightseeing of the Apuane Alps in front of you. At the beginning of the last century people abandoned Mulazzo because it was a very poor land. Only in the last twenty years the young men that once leaved their home village to work abroad turned back to live here their old age.

The secret of Lilia s garden is Lilia herself and the way she loves it. I walked for the first time to her little rural paradise last january. By that time the garden was sleeping and other visits followed since then because I was so interested in showing in our videos the season cycle of her garden. July is the month in wich Lilia harvests her great tomatoes, the cabbages and the most of what she seeded in the previous months. quicktime 20,2 mb wmv 11,7 mb Write to Linda www.pollodelvaldarno.it TP.tv Episode #1 TP.tv Show # 55 TP.tv Show # 57 This seems to be for her the greatest pleasure in the world. With her usual generosity she gave me a basket full of vegetables, fruits and eggs. When you taste them you can really appreciate the infinite difference between supermarket products and what men and women, and expecially their sons, should eat when they say they are eating good natural products.

A hot sunny afternoon in the wild Maremma leads me to Capalbio, a litlle XII century village sited on low hills approaching to the Costa d Argento seaside. This village is well known in the italian gossip newspapers because it is often visited by many famous italian politicians, tycoons, showmen and tv personalities. quicktime 19,2 mb wmv 10,6 mb Municipality Website tuttocapalbio.com Google Map In the last twenty years Capalbio became a very exclusive place for summer holidays and despite of mass tourism it didn t changed so much and it remained the same with its medieval buildings and alleys and the Etruscan atmosphere.

Summer in Tuscany is ideal for archeological tourism. The area of Grosseto is rich of roman and etruscan ruins: among them Cosa, near Ansedonia, is a must to see. The town of Cosa stands on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea on a rocky headland (114 m above sea level), that in past ages had been connected to the once island of Argentario by the Tombolo di Feniglia (a sandy rise). Cosa was founded under Roman influence in southwestern Tuscany in 273 B.C., after the defeat of the allied forces of the Etruscan towns of Volsinii and Vulci and the handover of most of the territory of Vulci, including the coastal stretches. quicktime 17,1 mb wmv 10,1 mb Cosa on Wikipedia Ansedoniaonline.it The Etruscan site may have been where modern Orbetello stands; a fortification wall in polygonal masonry at Orbetello s lagoon may be in phase with the walls of Cosa. Within the city walls the urban area was divided into an orthogonal plan, with space allotted for civic, sacred, and private architecture. The plan represents a subtle adaptation of an orthogonal plan to the complicated topography of the hill.

Ponte a Buriano is the Romanesque bridge along the Setteponti Road represented on the background of Mona Lisa of Leonardo da Vinci. Somone says this is a legend but here everyone you speak with is quite sure: that s it. The background of the Mona Lisa is a landscape that in effect is very similar to the view of Ponte a Buriano that you can see in our video. If you look to the Mona Lisa the bridge is perceptible in the right far background. This theory is by the palaeontologist Carlo Starnazzi and the computer expert Claudio Satori. They compared the images in the picture with current photos and old paintings of that place until they found reference points. quicktime 15,5 mb wmv 8,9 mb Mona Lisa on Wikipedia Ponte a Buriano Natural Reservoir Google Map This work allowed them also to find out that Leonardo painted the landscape looking as a bird from the Quarata Castle, disappeared today, where he stayed for a period of time under the hospitality of the commander Vitellozo Vitelli. Therefore, it represents a real place in the geography of the Italian Tuscany. The Ponte a Buriano area became some years ago a Natural Reservoir of the Arno River.

Sonic garden is an in progress electroacoustical botanical installation by the environmental design team Giardino Sonoro based in Florence at the Limonaia dell Imperalino. The team leaders are Lorenzo Brusci, musician and sound designer, and Stefano Passerotti, garden designer. Lorenzo is a long time friend and when I met him a few months ago he invited me to the spring opening of Sonic Garden. I went there and I found my self submerged by a musical and horticoltural experience where the beauty of tuscan typical plants interact with Lorenzo s soundscapes, with the visitor physical presence and with the surrounding traffic sounds of the city. quicktime 21,7 mb wmv 12,7 mb Sonic Garden Timet Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2005 Awards Google Map Walking through the garden you can perceive the single natural/acoustical objects become a global composition with infinite shapes of different sensorial emotions. Sonic Garden is, at last, a perpetual discovery, a new frame that lets you interact in unexpected ways with tuscan nature. Sonic garden won the award for the Most Creative Garden at the UK Royal Horticoltural Society Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2005.

Here I m am again in Lilia s Rural Paradise: a guardian of old time agricultural traditions of Tuscany. You can t understand our culture without meeting people like her. May and June are the months of the year in wich Lilia enjoys the most her garden with the fruit trees and the vegetables that, after the flowering, start to offer thge first fruits. After all the hard work to prepare the soil, seeding and pruning Lilia sees her garden grow and change every day with the proudness of a mother with sons. quicktime 35 mb wmv 20,5 mb Write to Linda ARSIA website www.pollodelvaldarno.it TP.tv Show # 55 TP.tv Show # 57 Lilia s and her daughter Linda take me for a visit to the chicken run where they breed the original pollo del valdarno (a local chicken variety), turkeys and peacocks: the noises of these animals get even higher when they notice me and this makes you feel like an intruder in their private world. A turkey hen is sitted on chicken hen s eggs. Lilia explains me that this is a natural method, very common in the past times when they didn t had industrial incubators: a female of turkey can sit on much more eggs then hens and this was the only way to increase the production.