Lunch at L'Alchimista in Montefalco

Monday, May 15, 2017 – Our last meal in Italy - sigh

L'Alchimista restaurant

View of Montefalco's piazza from our outdoor table at L'Alchimista

We were ready for lunch by 1:30, and had a reservation at L’Alchimista, right on the Piazza del Comune.  It was quite crowded, with many outdoor tables on the main square under white canvas sun umbrellas, but they had a table for 2 reserved for us. The service was awfully slow, as we came at the end of a busy lunch cycle.  As we were waiting to place our order, big thunder clouds were rolling in, the wind picked up and the temperature quickly became cooler.  As the western sky was turning black, we heard thunder.  Then came the big drops.  The waitress moved us inside, to a cozy little table – along with all the other outside patrons.

Michael at our table - his pink shirt fits in well with the Giro decor

Contemplation

The rain clouds are rolling in -- and they arrived with ferocity

The restaurant receives excellent ratings on the internet, and we found it to be a very good meal.  They served great bread, with Moraiolo single cultivar olive oil – yum.  Mike had a salad for his starter; I had pecorino ravioli with edamame beans.  I ordered a glass of the Montefalco sagrantino wine – and soon decided to have a second one!  Mike had lamb chops- excellent choice.  I had a pork cutlet, which was breaded – it was a bit heavy and seemed more German than Italian.  Our meals came with perfectly roasted potatoes.  I had a chocolate flan for dessert -  It was like a molten chocolate volcano cake, but even more creamy chocolate inside, which was served with millefiore ice cream and a meringue cookie.

My starter - pecorino ravioli

Mike's lamb chops were perfect

Inside table was cozy - and protected us from the spring rain shower

Chocolate flan - warm and delicious, with millefiori gelato

By the time we finished our meal, it had stopped raining.  We walked down the corse back to car, buying a pink mug from the Giro and taking more photos of pink along the way. 

Piazza washed clean by the rain and ready for the Crono Sagrantino tomorrow

Freshly washed pink - the rain didn't dampen anyones spirits

Montefalco: all tricked out in pink

Monday, May 15, 2017 – Celebrating the Giro d' Italia in Montefalco

After our  little adventure in Bevagna, we headed back to Montefalco.  To get to Bevagna, we needed to drive up to Montefalco, and then continue back down another 10 KM or so. As we approached Montefalco, we  saw all the preparations for the Giro D’Italia– lots of pink balloons and decorations.  Pink is the color of the winning jersey in the Giro -similar to the yellow jersey in the Tour d'France.  Tomorrow they are holding the time trials – il Crono Sagrantino and they end in Montefalco.  Outside the city walls of Montefalco, we passed a large parking lot with big vans and mobile RVs, which were associated with the news media and support for the biking teams.  We saw some teams riding along the roads, with a car and/or van along with them (probably for protection from the crazy drivers!) 

We parked our car in the big lot with the vans and RVs.  A sign said it was only for the Giro, but it was dated May 14. (Today is May 15, and while there were lots of RVs, at least ¾ of the lot was empty.).  We entered the city walls at the Porto Agostino and walked up the corso to the central piazza.  What fun – there was pink everywhere.  Every shop was decorated for the Giro.  There were a fair number of tourists as well –probably more than a typical Monday in May, but not overwhelming.  It’s interesting that this is the 100^th event of the Giro. 

Outside the city walls of Montefalco, entering at the Porto Agostino gate

Giro d' Italia cycling teams entering and leaving the Montefalco city gates

The Crono Sagrantino will be held tomorrow, and the ending is in Montefalco

Every shop, trattoria and house on the main streets were decorated with pink flags, flowers and cycling paraphernalia.

More cycling teams riding through town on practice runs today

The Palazzo Comunale, appropriately decorated, and Montefalco's central Piazza

Montefalco is famous for its sagrantino wine, i.e., the name for the time trials, Cronos Sagrantino

Michael dressed for the occasion - his pink polo shirt coordinates well with the flags, don't you think?

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Michael's pink blends in perfectly - he's on the left side of the street

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Goodbye to Montefalco through the Porta di  San Agostino 

A detour to Bevagna for cookies

Monday, May 15, 2017 – Finding a special pasticceria

Mike swam for an hour this morning at the pool in Spoleto; I sat in the car under a tree with the windows open and worked on photos and the trip report.  We left for Montefalco and I asked Mike if we could stop at Bevagna along the way.  Last night, I read something on the internet about the pasticceria in Bevagna, and it reminded me that we had visited the same place during our cooking trip with Marianne Esposito 15 years ago.  The bakery was owned by the family of the woman we had for a guide for 2 days – Analita.  Our group had a lesson on how to make Umbrian cookies and we got to sample the wares.  I remembered it fondly and thought it might be fun to try to find it again.

To get to Bevagna, we needed to drive up to Montefalco, and then continue back down another 10 KM or so. As we approached Montefalco, we  saw all the preparations for the Giro D’Italia– lots of pink balloons and decorations. Tomorrow they are holding the time trials – il Crono Sagrantino and they end in Montefalco.  Outside the city walls of Montefalco, we passed a large parking lot with big vans and mobile RVs, which were associated with the news media and support for the biking teams.  We saw some teams riding along the roads, with a car and/or van along with them (probably for protection from the crazy drivers!) 

The Piazza Silvestri, the church of San Silvestri (1195),  and the Bar that I stopped in to ask directions.

The other Romanesque church in Piazza Silvestri - the 12th Century church of San Michele Arcangelo

Il Palazzo dei Consoli and the fountain in the Piazza Silvestri

Roman column in the Piazza

We made it to Bevagna around 11:45 and parked outside of the town walls. Mike sent me in, as he wanted to just wait by the car.  I entered into the city where the main church and fountain were, at the Piazza Silvestri.  I stopped to ask direction at a Bar -  Sto cercando per una pasticceria particolare…etc, (I am feeling really good about my Italian on this trip!).  They told me where to find it – down the corso and on the left.  I was hurrying b/c I was worried that they might close at noon and it was about 5 to noon.

Amazing options for cookies at the Pasticceria Polticchiana

Found it!  It is the Pasticceria Polticchia. I waited for a good while for another old lady patron buying a number of items.  I was very excited to explain to the woman shop keeper how excited I was to return, it had been 15 years, I met the owners and their daughter, Analita, …  and she was totally blasé. Oh well, it made me happy to be there and to have found it.  I bought a small bag full of mixed cookies – for 7 euro, and headed back to meet Mike by the car.  (But first I stopped in the Bar off the square to tell the young woman who gave me directions that I found it – big smile!)

Bevagna is a most beautiful town - in the valley near the Clitunno River.  As you enter the city through the south gate, you cross a bridge over the river, and on the left is the "Accolta sul Fiume Clintunno"  a dam built to provide power for a grain mill.  There is also a large outdoor basin, once used for communal clothes washing. It was fun to see some of the sights that I had seen before, recognizing the buildings….  but time to move on to Montefalco.

A place to consider for lunch in the future.  The window sign says they are serving lamb testicles.

Piazza and buildings outside the south gate of the Bevagna - the back of San Silvestro and the Palazzi dei Consoli

The "Accolta sul Fiume Clitunno" - a dam built to power grain mills