Teatro di Sale and the Accademia....
Today after class we all met in the Piazza San Marco and took a city bus to the St. Ambrogio area near the Synagogue. They have a wonderful antiques market here as well as a general market where many Fiorentini do their produce shopping.
We have a group lunch date at the Teatro di Sale.
Florentine chef Fabio Picchi is one of Florence's living treasures who steal the Sant'Ambrogio show with his eccentric, good-value members-only club inside an old theater. Everyone is welcome and the annual membership is 7Euro. He cooks up weekend brunch, lunch and dinner, ending at 9:30 PM in a live performance of drama, music or comedy arranged by his wife, artistic director and comic actress Maria Cassi.
We have our membership tickets, good for one year, and Simona guides into this very eclectic place.
We enter through a gift shop/haberdashery with cook books, note cards, purses, leather jackets and even tweed sport coats for sale. Spigots from a bright red pipe pour still and frizzante water. Another spigot pours red wine.
A big spread of antipasti is arranged for us and we gather at tables set under the high ceiling in front of the stage. Once a warehouse for a convent it is cool and dark. Chef Picchi is a bit shy but comes out to meet us as we taste stewed green beans, beet salad, polenta souffle, carrot salad, farro salad and numerous cold dishes.
Then the pasta course, followed by a baked vegetable timbale. Now out comes the lampredotto. Now this was not explained to us, but lampredotto is the fourth stomach of a cow. It is usually cooked, sliced and served inside a crusty roll with a vibrant green sauce as condiment. Our version was more like a mini meat loaf topped with a marinara sauce.
Eventually they pull some espresso for us to enjoy with the various dolce on display. Lunch takes two hours.
At least we walk to the Accademia to join Emma, the Art and Architecture guide, for our tour of the museum. She really is a wonderful resource so we don our headsets as she spends the afternoon talking about Michelangelo, culminating with our viewing of The David.
Before we leave, we will also see a collection of antique musical instruments with two Stradivari pieces. Emblazoned with the silver Medici crest, they need to be played and are exercised with some regularity by members of the conservatory.
This evening we will all likely stay in. Some people were having some air conditioning problems and were most unhappy. Rig and I have been quite comfortable. So this evening the management is hosting a reception for us in the dining room to pour oil, and likely wine, over troubled waters.
Italian BS of the day....I could never believe there would be a camicia the color of your eyes!
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence/restaurants/italian/il-teatro-del-sale#ixzz4B66FbE5x
Today after class we all met in the Piazza San Marco and took a city bus to the St. Ambrogio area near the Synagogue. They have a wonderful antiques market here as well as a general market where many Fiorentini do their produce shopping.
We have a group lunch date at the Teatro di Sale.
Florentine chef Fabio Picchi is one of Florence's living treasures who steal the Sant'Ambrogio show with his eccentric, good-value members-only club inside an old theater. Everyone is welcome and the annual membership is 7Euro. He cooks up weekend brunch, lunch and dinner, ending at 9:30 PM in a live performance of drama, music or comedy arranged by his wife, artistic director and comic actress Maria Cassi.
We have our membership tickets, good for one year, and Simona guides into this very eclectic place.
We enter through a gift shop/haberdashery with cook books, note cards, purses, leather jackets and even tweed sport coats for sale. Spigots from a bright red pipe pour still and frizzante water. Another spigot pours red wine.
A big spread of antipasti is arranged for us and we gather at tables set under the high ceiling in front of the stage. Once a warehouse for a convent it is cool and dark. Chef Picchi is a bit shy but comes out to meet us as we taste stewed green beans, beet salad, polenta souffle, carrot salad, farro salad and numerous cold dishes.
Then the pasta course, followed by a baked vegetable timbale. Now out comes the lampredotto. Now this was not explained to us, but lampredotto is the fourth stomach of a cow. It is usually cooked, sliced and served inside a crusty roll with a vibrant green sauce as condiment. Our version was more like a mini meat loaf topped with a marinara sauce.
Eventually they pull some espresso for us to enjoy with the various dolce on display. Lunch takes two hours.
At least we walk to the Accademia to join Emma, the Art and Architecture guide, for our tour of the museum. She really is a wonderful resource so we don our headsets as she spends the afternoon talking about Michelangelo, culminating with our viewing of The David.
Before we leave, we will also see a collection of antique musical instruments with two Stradivari pieces. Emblazoned with the silver Medici crest, they need to be played and are exercised with some regularity by members of the conservatory.
This evening we will all likely stay in. Some people were having some air conditioning problems and were most unhappy. Rig and I have been quite comfortable. So this evening the management is hosting a reception for us in the dining room to pour oil, and likely wine, over troubled waters.
Italian BS of the day....I could never believe there would be a camicia the color of your eyes!
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence/restaurants/italian/il-teatro-del-sale#ixzz4B66FbE5x
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