News from Il Borgo

This came via e-mail from our Tuscany host, Alessandro, who has generously kept my family and me on his mailing list since Mom's and my first visit to Tuscany. Whenever he sends an email with a recipe in it, I try it, usually with acceptable results but nothing tastes like it does when eating it while seated on a balcony patio chair at Il Borgo, with such a view as Alessandro included in his email.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Greetings from Il Borgo,

Autumn is a great time to visit Tuscany, as the weather cools off, the colours of autumn warm up, the grape leaves turn gold, then russet and the countryside becomes a photographer's dream and not only for them !

The photo that you see is a view from Il Borgo of this morning.
In November many "sagre" or festivals that celebrate the new harvest with tasting, entertainment, demonstrations will be held in Chianti. In Montespertoli we will have:
Festa del Vino Novello 10-11 of November
PaneOlio and the White Truffle 17-18 November.
In this period the most popular is also the Chestnut Festival located in the neighboring area of Mugello, 45 minutes driving distance from Il Borgo, every Sunday in October (7,14,21& 28).Tourists enjoy the festivities while indulging in the many scrumptious, tasty desserts of the Tuscan region such as fried cakes and roasted chestnuts topped with honey.

If you like to cook here is a recipe:
This is a typical sweet made with chestnut flour, common to the Apennine mountain area of Tuscany. This is our version with rosemary. Its flavour is very special and not too sweet. Despite being a typically autumn and winter speciality, it can be eaten all year round because it can be enjoyed both warm and cold.

INGREDIENTS
500 gr. sweet chestnut flour
½ glass extra-virgin olive oil
50 gr. chopped pine nuts or walnuts
50 gr. sultanas - rosemary - grated orange rind (optional)

Sieve the flour and knead with warm water or milk until the dough is smooth and even. Add the oil, the pine nuts or walnuts and the sultanas previously soaked in warm water and squeezed. Mix all the ingredients and pour in a baking tin greased with oil. Top with rosemary needles, pine nuts or walnuts, the orange rind (optional) and a drizzle of oil. Cook in a mid oven (150-160°C) for about an hour. Buon Appetito !

Sincerly, Alessandro Guerrieri.

Il Borgo di Villa Bossi-Pucci
www.toscanaitaly.com