As the broken down car occupants made their way up the switchbacks and passed through the quaint town of Gaiole for the first time, memories of the mess on the side of the road were overwritten by the beautiful villa that awaited us. It was much more extravagant than any of us expected. The true icing on the cake was the aroma of authentic Italian food emanating from the villa’s kitchen. Two cooks were preparing our “welcome dinner”. Antipasti, caprese salad and pasta with homemade sauce was ready for the dining room table at our arrival! We were ravenous and this all tasted so very good and definitely welcoming! We ate the pasta to our heart’s and stomach’s content… when the two platters of melt-in-your-mouth lemon chicken arrived. There was enough food for 20 people. We did our best, but enjoyed the lemon Danish-like cake for breakfast the next day…along with several helpings of the welcome dinner leftovers!
When we ran out of wine with our dinner, (please, just a couple bottles of wine for 7 wino travelers and Bob? After 20-some hours of travel? What were they thinking???) the cooks got in touch with the villa owner who also happens to run a nearby restaurant. We got to meet Betty as she came to our villa, loaded with more wine. What a Dear she is!!! In return, we gifted her with a couple of homemade treats from Pennsylvania and a “beautiful relationship” was born!
When we ran out of wine with our dinner, (please, just a couple bottles of wine for 7 wino travelers and Bob? After 20-some hours of travel? What were they thinking???) the cooks got in touch with the villa owner who also happens to run a nearby restaurant. We got to meet Betty as she came to our villa, loaded with more wine. What a Dear she is!!! In return, we gifted her with a couple of homemade treats from Pennsylvania and a “beautiful relationship” was born!
Of course, she leaves out the part where the first group in the working car had to stop and ask for directions...twice. The first time, it was "Villa Betty? (confused look) Il Prato? (confused look) Castello di Meleto?" Finally an answer. And that was only the FIRST reason to be thankful for the large winery and castle located just up the street from the Villa!
ReplyDeleteSecond stop for directions was slightly easier - the woman we startled as she walked out of her car was nice enough to point out that our villa entrance was just across the street...see that narrow dirt road that's hardly noticeable that juts out to the left? That's home.
And so it was.