We climb up the mountain in the mini bus for about three kilometres, and park up. We then walk into the truffle reserve, where you need a licence to hunt for the truffles. We have son number two today with his truffle tool and two dogs – Otto and Rex. They are extremely friendly, and seem more intent in getting cuddles than looking for the truffles. We walk into the woods, where we learn where the best places are for the black, more common, truffle at 200 euros a kilo are found, and the white truffle at £3,000 euros a kilo are found. The dogs have a good look round, roll in the mud and generally look as if they are out for a walk. When the dogs start digging, Mateo knows that there is a truffle there, and runs to get there before the dogs eat it. He uses his tool, which is like a large flat screwdriver on a broom handle, to dig it up. We all have a look, and to be perfectly honest it looks like a dried piece of dog poo. Doesn't smell an awful lot better either. Don't think I would pay that much money for it. When they find one, they get a biscuit. Fair swap I suppose! Along the mile or so route we find five and a half truffles – the dog ate half before Mateo could get to one of them. I think we are going to have these for lunch. The flowers that we passed were lovely – not only the wild daisies and other colourful makes that I don't know the name of, there were also wild orchids. Beautiful.
To walk back, we come out of the woods, and walk along the edge of the woods and a beautiful grassy meadow overlooking the valley. The views are magnificent. This area is just so unspoilt and peaceful. The walk is a little uneven, but we all get back to the car mostly unscathed. The dogs look as if they had found a nice little muddy patch looking at the colour of the white ones legs! The weather was lovely this morning as well – around 21 degrees and the sun was out. Just right for a country walk. They jump into the back of their truck, and straight into the dog kennel. Well trained dogs!
When we got back to the hotel the little courtyard was just perfect for sitting and having coffee – nobody seemed to ask for wine today, yet! An hour or so before lunch – just time to chill before another round of food. Which didn't take long to appear. The bread today was seven cereal bread – and it was so good. Why do I always fill myself up with bread? The salad came from mamma's garden, and then we had spaghetti. All very healthy!
We had to start with the pudding, as this needed to set. There was one main dish, but we all had a hand in making it. Maximillian (who I have been calling Massimo because that's what his mamma calls him) was our chef again. He was our guiding light throughout the afternoon – and most of this he could make without actually looking at what we were doing. He was so laid back – not a bit like Gordon Ramsey's kitchen. We then had to chop up two whole chickens – after (so he put it) giving them a final shave over the gas. Our chopping was not too precise – but as we were the main recipients of the food I suppose it didn't really matter what we did.
We were also the commis chefs – chopping and cutting vegetables, whisking cream, frying aubergines, smashing herbs in the pestle and mortar among other things. We had a fine afternoon – no-one lost any fingers which was a miracle with the size of the knives we were using. We left the chicken bubbling nicely on the hob, and everything else finished to a point. I am sure it probably needed a few extra touches, but the main part was done.
We were invited straight after this to Ron & Glenda's apartment for pre dinner drinks. They had a room originally on the second floor the same as we did. The problem with this, was if you came down the forty eight steps from your room to the ground floor, or the extra twenty four steps if it was to the breakfast room or into the garden, and you had forgotten something you had to go all the way back up again. It felt like climbing the Himalayas to me – and Marissa very kindly offered to change their room to an apartment in the annexe a couple of doors down. They had their own sitting room and garden terrace, so offered pre dinner drinks for everyone one evening, and tonight was it. We even had nibbles to go with the wine. As it was gone seven when we finished the cookery, we had a quick drink and then an even quicker shower before dinner. It only seemed two minutes ago that we had the last meal!
But it was a lovely meal. Even though I say so myself. The aubergine didn't taste like aubergine at all – not sure if that was a good thing, but it was for me because I don't really like aubergine. The pasta with the pesto sauce we had was fab, the chicken was tasty (but there were a few splintered bones that I think were caused by our inaccuracy with the chopper more than anything else) and the lemon mousse was just divine. I wonder how many pounds we have put on now!
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