The next afternoon after we had meet Doriano we were again in his Calla, this time on foot, I may have learned a lesson yesterday, but this trip is still young. So after a visit to the 6th century Castle that sits on the top side of his stone house. His house was once for the workers of the castle, so all interconnected with small calla and loads of stairs. It was a wet afternoon and our look around the castle was with a Italian guide which was interesting to say the least after all it is not a tourist area so an English speaking guide was not ever going to happen. So our little man all 4 foot 2 and was a real comedian and I'm sure he must have been related to Danny Dorito, he took on the task with great excitement to take us around. So the front gate is closed, "so your not expecting any more tourist this afternoon than" ? So with a smile and him with his huge set of oversized keys. So again I ask more questions like "so their was no master keys in the 6th century then" ? Again more smiles and we are directed to follow him and we are escorted around for the first 20 min and given further direction in sign language and are shown the importance of the castle, oh and the toilets, well not the new ones, the ones the king would have sat on, he thought it was real funny as we laughed so he than took it apron himself to show us more of the toilets that the king would have used. So after several I said to Sandy stop entertaining him or else all we are going to see this afternoon will be the toilets. He left us in the final demonstration area with how to get out and get back to the car park, the main hall with all the information in Italian written on big boards describing the past and the future restoration and as it was bigger he thought we may be able to read it! I'm not blind I say to him, I can't read Italian, and with a smile again he is off so a bit more of a look around and we are off also!!!! An amazing place and I will google it to fined out a bit more information later.
We leave the castle and as we are in Doriano's neighbourhood I wanted to drop in a white linen Aussie hanky with a kangaroo logo in one corner as a small thank you for yesterday kind help. We always travel with some little Aussie things you never know when they may come in handy. We find his cantina and he is not there, his wife Carla is there with 3 of their friends and are waiting for him to come back from his afternoon run. I gesture that I want to leave this for him but she gesture that we will wait. Hmmmm a bit uncomfortable to start but the friends understand a little English so between us we work out a bit of conversation. A frantic phone call to Doriano is made and to tell him to perhaps, pull your finger out as the Australians are here again so with a smile back she says Pleasea... Waita... O....Ka...? Doriano is bringing some cheese.
So some more glasses appear from inside the cave and wine is poured and Carla is probably hoping this will keep us quiet till Doriano get back. But no not even the lack of a language will ever stop me from talking and with 20 questions, lots of sign language and the help of our learn Italian in 12 weeks picture book we are all laughing and all trying to understand each other.
Doriano's mate told me that Doriano had rung him yesterday to say how happy he was to have met us and how sad that we came into his life in his calla and that he would never see us again, so you must stay he wanted to see me again.
So poor Carla who has the least english of them all start to bring out some bread maybe if wine won't shut them up the food may stop the interrogation.
Beside Italians don't drink unless they are eating and as they seam to be alway eating I suppose they are always drinking.
Well it would have but as it tasted so good I asked " Posso averse questa ricetta vorrei avere" and with a hmmmmm from them all!!! What did he say?
It is established that we would like the recipe. Yep my few words of Italian are crap and as I didn't pronounce it correct I could have been speaking Hindu.
So with our pad and pen out it is decided that Lucia who made the bread will write us the recipe.
Farina 250 g
Vova 4
3 Cucchiai di olio
Mezzo bicchiere di vino bianco
Pancetia
Olive nere
Formaggio ( Parmigiano )
1 bustina di lievito
Cuocere per 40 minuti a 180 deg
Great I will whip one up tomorrow once I get it translated.....
But if you think a bit it's flour, eggs, oil, white wine 1/2 glass, pancetta, black olive, Parmesan, baking powder, mix and cook 180 deg 40 mins and serve to people that just seam to keep dropping in and asking to many questions!!!
So at last Doriano arrives back in his running gear with his beanie on and a Kg wheel of pecorino cheese, he is fit looking and is 52, yep when communication is a bit challenge you, start to ask question that are simple and swap personal information that doesn't take a uni degree to answer.
He is soooo happy to see us so that's a relief, his english is the best of them all and he translates as we go, soon the friends start to communicate more and it is surprising how well all keep chatting. Over a nother drink the 2 guys between them they try to explain to me that Doriano was running today with a sad heart thinking about us and when Carla rang him his dream came true to see me again. He said It's amazing how quick you bond with someone when you have to concentrate so deeply to talk and thats sure is true.....
So the afternoon disappears and feeling like we don't want to over stay our welcome we try to make may attempts to leave but all unsuccessful . Finally we must be off, but no you have to stay for dinner so them all begging I say to Sandy I don't think we are getting out of here soon!!! With in seconds the fire is lit, the large lounges are moved to the back corner and from in the cave a huge heavy table top appears with the prefab solid legs from another corner and with me on one end and the mate on the other Doriano quickly clicks together the legs. Carla, Lucia reappear with all the table dressings for dinner, the girls then take Sandy back into the kitchen for some last minute whip together and it on the table. We have some pasta with a tuna ragu, tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, zucchini and onion that were cut in 1/2 a bit of olive oil and bread crumbs and baked in the oven, this seam to be a typical antipasto dish, a capese salad ( fresh tomatoes in slices with mozzarella and basil ) .
A steak, 3 local pork sausage and 2 chicken kebabs, more bread and cheese so a simple family dinner with old and new friends oh and their 20 year old son and his girlfriend as soon as the meat hit the flames in it's wire rack they appeared. So it's the same the world over as soon as they smell the food they are at the table. I was a bit concerned seeing the little amount of meat thinking that we were taking away from them but all was cut into thin slices and the table was feed very well indeed. So getting on for 10 pm and another failed attempt was made to move, again more pleading so we linger yet longer this time trying some of his own cherries that his father had grown they were small but so tasty and in a large bag placed onto the table still with their fresh leave attached, but you can't have them without some of my home made wild cherry leave or my walnut liquor.
So by 11 pm, 7 hours after we turned up to say thank you with the Aussie hankie we head back up the small calla on foot with 3 litre of his home made fabulous red wine that we were not allowed to leave without and through the narrow tunnel that bought us all together just yesterday, wow what a experience that I will treasure forever. Doriano escorted us to our car and chatted all the way and said it was a shame that we didn't arrive in his Calla a week ago. Alora he said we were alway going to meet as I truly believes in karma and destiny and that we were a small part of the story in his life.
He looked to the far hills and tells me he will be going truffle hunting with his dogs in October if I would like to come back. I just love truffle I reply but I can't see me being back in October as it is my 50th, that OK I will send you some. I take off some stone beads from Aussie that I,m wearing and put them over his head. So with several double double double cheeks he turns around back down his calla and we all have a tear or 2 in our eyes...... We will see you again someday ,somewhere.....we just have to......
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