Return to La Torraccia
I never understood why some people would return to the same places over and over again when traveling. With a whole world to explore out there and so much to see that no human could do it all in just one lifetime, how could anyone ever justify going back to the same place twice? That was before I ever made any profound connections to the people at a certain place, a vacation spot, before I met my favorite chef in the world, before I drank my favorite wines and fell in love with the peace and joy a certain place can bring. That was all before Torraccia Di Chiusi.
Over three years ago, Roberto and I first had the opportunity to visit the Agro-Turismo,Torraccia Di Chiusi. We had a wonderful time there soaking in the beautiful landscapes, visiting medieval villages, eating amazing food, meeting wonderful people who would become friends. While that was all happening, other important changes were going on internally for both of us that were helped along by this visit to this amazing place. Some places give you peace of mind, time away from the grind to have a quiet place to listen to the stirrings of your soul. Torraccia di Chiusi is one of those places for me, where I feel at home, away from home.
Three years ago, we were still living in Florida, planning to move to Vermont and begin our homestead lifestyle. We were full of big dreams and super excited for the change. La Torraccia was like a place of confirmation. Donatella and Stefano, the owners and all the people like Grazia and Bruno, that make the place what it is were already doing the kinds of things we wanted to – raising animals, fruits and vegetables for food and making artisanal products out of those labors of love. Their place, ideas and philosophy were truly beautiful and inspirational, a bucolic dream. We spent time after dinner each night talking about the simple, good life. Just being there and talking to everyone made us see that these dreams we had were very possible. Not just possible, but in many parts of the world very normal. This touched us both deeply and firmly footed us in our dream moving forward.
Things began to change after that trip. First and foremost my food philosophy changed after I met Bruno, my favorite chef, who cooks the amazing dinners at Torraccia di Chiusi. He is truly a master of simplicity. Pasta sauced with butter, oil, cheese and sage was a revelation. Bruno is the true personification of simple is better, and if you want simple, you better get the best ingredients. Bruno doesn’t understand fine dining where the portions are too small, and you leave hungry. He doesn’t see the point. Better to fill people up and really nourish them with good, healthy and soul filling food. He does this, every night at La Torraccia. His integrity when it comes to cooking and life really, I have never seen surpassed. I have to say that Bruno, along with Grazia, Stefano and Donatella are inspirations for Roberto and I, and the way we are now living out our lives, with purpose.
(photo courtesy of Bruno and Grazia)
I would highly recommend Bruno and Grazia’s cookbook, Cucinar Cantando* which is a mixture of food philosophy, artwork (he is also a painter) and words of wisdom, as well as recipes. Well worth it. Not only that, but it was entirely produced by Bruno and Grazia themselves – the writing, the translations from Italian to English, the illustrations, etc. I am the lucky recipient of one of the original 11 copies, each of which have unique covers. The production of those original editions were paid for with all the tips Bruno and Grazia had received from guests over the summer before, another labor of love, to be sure.
When I returned to my own kitchen after that first visit, I really started paring it all down to the basics. My dishes became much more rustic, and I began to rely on simple herbs, good oil and salt to season food, instead of my array of exotic spices I had always relied on before. I had a new and profound appreciation for butter and stock as well as the art of braising and slow cooking. I learned that you can never really use too much olive oil and that local and fresh produce is paramount. If it is not in season, and not fresh what is the point in preparing it? It will never be as good as something that is in season. In Tuscany, you would never think of preparing a dish without local products, let alone produce from another country. Why bother? When dishes start getting too out of touch from these simple philosophies, I summon Bruno in my mind and I am put back on track. Simple is best, simple is art.
Bruno and Grazia especially have become our good friends over the years. We have stayed in touch via facebook and email, and we even did a giveaway of their cookbook Cucinar Cantando on The Foodie Blogroll and there is another one in the works soon! I came to find out that my posts about our visit to La Torraccia has brought them business over the years, and for that I am profoundly pleased because they definitely deserve it. Due to this fact, Donatella and Stefano invited us to be their guests at La Torraccia for a few days to thank us for our support over the years. How could we say no?
We spent 3 wonderful nights and 2 very restful days there. The first day all we did was rest, nap, eat, and spend time walking around the farm seeing all the changes and improvements they have done over the three years. I can tell you, I did not build up the place unrealistically in my mind. It was even better this time around! One of the biggest changes is the developments in their wine-making, which I will talk about in another post. But we had a great time seeing how much they had done in just 3 years!
The second day we took another attempt at walking the Via Francigena to San Gimignano. It was a perfect sunny, cool day and we didn’t get lost! We spent the day in San Gimignano eating (of course) wonderful cheeses, and we went back to Beppone to have a repeat of the meal we have been thinking about for years -stewed wild boar, perfect gnocchi in truffle cream sauce and we topped it off with what I believe to be the best gelato in the world.
La Torraccia and Tuscany hold a very dear and special place in my heart. The people are committed to their local food traditions and the landscape with all its farms and trees remind me so much of Vermont. I just wish we could grow olives here! If we did, my life would be perfect.
*If you wish to order a copy of Cucinar Cantando (and I highly recommend it!) please contact Grazia and Bruno at cucinarcantando@libero.it
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ValleyWriter - October 12, 2011 at 5:02 pm
What an amazing opportunity to go back there – it looks beautiful! Mr. VW & I would love to go to Italy in the future; if we’re lucky, hopefully this can be a stop for us.
Rosa - October 12, 2011 at 5:53 pm
That is a lovely place!
Cheers,
Rosa
Grazia - October 13, 2011 at 2:58 am
Dear Jenn, Dear Roberto,
it was such a pleasure to read your report about Torraccia, about Toscana and about all of us here at the farm; the day you left we had the feeling that you were still around; you 2 seem somehow to be part of the farm, maybe because with your keeness to be here and your positive and appreciative attitude you seem to embody who we work for;
throughout the years we found out that the reason why we all work here together is because we want to try to make people happy; none of us was a ‘born’ professional host, we all have very different background and life experience, but we feel we have in common the great desire to live simply in the nature, sharing with others silly little things, like a glass of grappa after a good meal; we keep thinking the those silly little things will make a great day for us and we hope the same will be for those guests who will be happy to be contaminated by our attitude;
Looking and reading your report I felt very happy this morning;
the past 2 days we had some guest coming to sit one of Bruno’s cooking courses and afterwards we were commenting over the phone, while going to our home after work, how special it becomes to share with people you ve never seen or met in your life an important issue as what and how to prepare the food you’ll be eating; for us it’s about a thread with being humans, despite all the continuos threats we receive from the outside world, that want to make us think that we are part of a tellie fiction or of an advert; we still find it amazing, every time, at the end of each course, at the end of each meal, that people will become gradually or suddenly so relaxed, so willing to share their own thoughts and food ideas and experience with us
Thankyou for your report !!!! I’ll show it to all the others 3; Stefano is out for school run with Margherita, Donatella is busy upstears getting ready for the day, Bruno will be here at 3 p.m. to start his cooking;
Today is the first day since March that there are only 3 guests in the farm, the sun is not out yet, we are getting ready for the busy week-end to come;
Big Bags of Love from here, have a good day
:), Grazia
angela@spinachtiger - October 13, 2011 at 9:24 am
I love this food approach. It’s what I believe and I call it modern comfort food, but it’s really that paired down rustic food with olive oil and salt. I’ve been wondering where you were. What a great life you are having!
Arlene (Mom) - October 13, 2011 at 10:13 am
Ah, the good life! Guess I need to put this place on my bucket list.
kat - October 14, 2011 at 10:18 am
It sounds like a place Matt & I would love to visit.
Joan Nova - October 16, 2011 at 10:40 am
Love this post! Particularly since I returned last night from my trip to Tuscany and it is everything you said. Although I’ve been to that area before and I remember all the food being delicious, I was particularly struck by the ‘simplicity’ of each dish, as you mentioned. I guess 3 years of food blogging was educational after all. 🙂
P.S. I went to San Gimignano too. I recognize the gelato place!
bellini - October 16, 2011 at 11:52 am
What a wonderful way to spend some time in a beloved country Jenn and Roberto. This makes me want to go to Italy right now instead of waiting a year.
jackie - October 16, 2011 at 4:49 pm
What a fabulous time you both had in Tuscany. I was in Sienna for the summer years ago and now rent an apartment in Cannes on the Mediterranean for 1 1/2 months in summer. You are so right, Jenn, Here we often think we need many confusing spices for a dish to be good. Often simplicity is the best recipe. In any case, in Tuscany as in parts of rural France, the rustic approach to cooking makes it more fulfilling for the tongue, for the health and for the soul. Congratulations to you both for seeking and finding such a warm and human haven!