It’s been a busy two weeks in Italy so we decided today we’d stay in Pico and do our best to relax. 

As it was a Sunday morning, the church bells rang at 8am, 9am, 10am…no idea if there were three masses but the bells were definitely different on the hour and lasted several minutes. While I awoke to the church bells, D awoke on the floor with his air mattress completely deflated. We offered to buy a bed the first day we arrived but he wanted the air mattress, so now he’ll have to wait for the next trip. 

Paul and I went to the L’Angolo Bar for cappuccinos and croissants (Paul’s was whole wheat and mine was stuffed with apricot). At least 50 people were milling about the town center, socializing and having coffee. 

While I did six loads of laundry today in preparation for our next trip, Paul got his hair cut and built the IKEA wardrobe for the bedroom. D spent most of the day on his computer and playing the guitar. 

For lunch we made pasta salad with tomatoes, fior di latte cheese, and peppers from our neighbor. We snacked on an apricot tart and local olives in the afternoon. 

Carlo came by the house to see the progress on the house. Massimo, the local painter, stopped in as well to look at the work we want him to do while we are gone. 

For dinner we went with Carlo to Lo Stuzzichino in Campodimele, a neighboring town to Pico which has been researched by scientists for the longevity of its residents. As Carlo knows the chef well, we did not order off the menu and instead put our meal in his hands. We started with antipasto plates with a selection of salami and cheese local to the region, local itani olives, two fritters, grilled eggplant, plus the chef brought out a platter of four mini lamb burgers and a platter with four local mushroom bruschetta. Then there was a bowl of cicerchia (local lentil stew), a bowl of cannellini beans with escarole, and a bowl of tripe in a tomato broth with pecorino cheese and mint. I was so full after the antipasto course.

For the primi, there was two types of pasta: le candle di mamma which was candle-shaped pasta with veal from the monte Aurunci region and sliced apples, and il pacchero estivo which is pacchero pasta with tomato, basil and cheese. We just couldn’t eat any more and asked to skip the main course and go straight to dessert which was “an homage to campodimele” — a ricotta tart with farina crumble and a pear and local honey drizzle. 

Not pictured: a basket of homemade breads, four glasses of pear liquor, a glass of rosemary liquor and a glass of fennel liquor.

The chef, Francesco, and his brother Roberto who waited tables, prepared and delivered a meal that was just exquisite. They are desperate for help waiting tables and the restaurant can seat over a hundred. At several points the chef was bringing out the food he prepared to tables because they lack staff. Sounds like a great opportunity for D next summer, if only he spoke some Italian!