We'll be staying in Proceno - actually it's the northern tip of Lazio but we will be driving to spots in Southern Tuscany (and Orvieto in Umbria - as it's only about 35 minutes away)

We are doing this trip on the spur of the moment - usually I mull and fret and stew over trips for months. So I don't have time to do that - but I need to research all I can in the short time that I have.

We are hoping to find festivals/fairs? Does anyone know of any in May in Southern Tuscany? Also - wineries. We will be celebrating a birthday on May 11, so this might be a good way to do it.

Any suggestions are appreciated, as always.

Carol

Here's a link to a site that has a very comprehensive list. You can perform a search by region & date.

http://www.hostetler.net/italy/italy.cfm

This is the web site of Avignonesi, which makes some of the finest Vino Nobile de Montepulciano wines and a famous Vin Santo. You can arrange a tour and meal there; it is about 20 minutes from Montepulciano right off the highway linking Rome and Florence.
http://www.avignonesi.it/visit.htm

always check on www.whatsonwhen.com also before a trip. I have found many events that way!

THanks for the great suggestions. I tried out the links and found an interesting festival> THE WEDDING OF THE TREES!

I also tried to find out about the restaurant at the winery, but there was no information. Lorenzi, have you eaten there? Do you have contact information?

Thanks again! Love this board.

Carol

Haven' eaten there. There is a blurb about it on their web site under Comunal Table . I have read about their cooking school. Possibly send them a Email for more info.

Once you have selected the towns, mention those and we can respond with recommendations for dinning. If you will be in Montepulciano there is a winery in town where they store their wines, actually several wineries in town. I can't remember the name I'll have to find my pictures. But the facility is hundreds of years old, is carved into the tufa below the city streets under and part of a palazzo. It's huge, lots of wine barrels, some giant sized, intermixed among rooms dating back hundreds of years. Including stairwells or hallways built for horses to pass with the horse tie rings still attached to the walls. Kind of like stepping back in time. They also have tatsings and wine classes. I can send pictures if you have a Email address.

Gattavecchi and Contucci are two wineries in the town of Montepulciano.

Lorenzi & Ekscrunchy,
I know we'll be going to Sant' Antimo - so will be visiting Montalcino for sure. I am not sure about the rest of the towns. I know we will go to Orvieto (only 40 minutes from Proceno) and I think that Pienza is where the Pecorino Romano is famous. Since that's our current favorite cheese, we will want to go there!
We have been to Siena and San Gimignano. So we will concentrate on the small hill towns and villages. Also, we want to visit La Foce if you know about that. It's in the Val d' Orcia (my spelling may be wrong). We need to read more to decide about the other ones.
So much to read about - so little time!

Carol

I wish there were a way to edit! I forgot to leave my phone number and I would love a picture of the winery that you described in Montepulciano. We may have to just arrage to go there!

[email protected]

THanks for the pictures - and for the suggestions.

Another question - I am looking for a guidebook just for that region. Is there one that you know about? I guess it would be called the Crete or the Val d Orcia.
I have tons of guidebooks, but they don't touch on these spots.

Carol

Just a small correction: It is Pecorino Toscano, not pecorino Romano, which I believe is made in Sardinia, that is made around Pienza. the town has many, many cheese shops and you can try the cheese fresh, slightly aged and aged. The fresh one is hard to find outside Italy and is great!

Carol, since you are going to be based in Northern Lazio-on the border of Tuscany & Umbria, try to find a copy of "Northern Lazio" by Kennet & Young-its been out of print for years.
Of the 3 books I have authored about this area, only l
"Travels to Tuscany & Northern Lazio" is still available. Stop by Vetralla when you are here if you'd like a signed copy.
www.elegantetruria.com

Thanks for the correction as to the Pecorino Romano. I was horrified to think that it was only made in Sardinia. I've been doing searches on Google to see if I can find it somewhere else and I found this:

By Lynn Kearney
Food Network Kitchens

Question: I've been looking through some cookbooks recently and have come across some crazy types of cheeses that I've never heard of before. Can you tell me a little bit about the following: Locatelli, Mizithra and Farmhouse? -- Doretta

Answer: Like so many things in the food world, the choices and regional versions of various ingredients are endless. Here's a brief background of the cheeses you've asked about.

Percorino

From the word "pecora," which means "ewe" in Italian, cheeses made from sheep's milk in Italy are called pecorino. Although the majority of pecorino is made in southern Italy (especially Sardinia), the best-known pecorino is Pecorino Romano. Genuine Romano is only produced in the province of Rome from November to June.

So I'm hoping that there are the same names for a different sort of cheese. Now I need to find WHERE in Lazio it just might be made.

I would love to have the book about Northern Lazio & Tuscany - is it only available in Vetrulla now?

Carol

There is not all that much pecorino made in Lazio anymore. If you find it, look for a slight greenish color which comes from the tufa caves in which the cheese is aged. The Sardinian ones are whiter in color. Aged pecorino will often have a greyish tinge to the rind which will indicate that ashes were rubbed into it during the ageing process.

The fresh pecorino Toscana I wrote about is available in the spring months and is sometimes called "marzolino."

And now I am wondering which one it is that we eat here in the states. We don't have it in our small town grocery store, but buy it in the HEB (large store) in Abilene. It is only sold in smallish wedges and is very expensive. We usually grate it and use it for frittats and pastas and salads. I'm not sure if it would even CUT as for eating cheese. I think it would tend to crumble. It is very strong and quite salty and has a wonderful flavour. I wonder which one it is!
Carol

It is probably Pecorino Romano from Sardinia..aged so it is hard for grating.

I brought back two kinds of Pecorino Toscana from Pienza. One is aged about one year and is delicious sliced and grilled a few minutes per side. The other is aged around four years and is of course harder, great for grating, or I use it most by taking slivers off with a potato peeler for Beef Carpaccio. Mmmmm...

There is actually quite a bit to see in Pienza, much more than can be done in the couple of hours most people allow. If you want more information, here is my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34687434
Enjoy!

Carol, I just sent some M-bags to USA with copies of "Travels to Tuscany & N. Lazio" for my book presentations in June. Since you will be here nearby in a short time, it would be quicker to pick up a copy when you arrive. Also a chance to have a glass of white wine on the terrace. Or you could ask your Proceno hostess to have copies awaiting you at the Castello.

I've been reading Trip Reports - and hope I don't get them all mixed up!

First of all ekscrunchy:
I believe it was you who recommened the Avignonese Winery - and spoke of having lunch there. I think I thought it was Lorenz. Anyway, I tried that site and can't find any reference to a lunch or tasting. Did you eat there? I did click under the Communal Table also. Perhaps they are upgrading.

And then about the Pecorino! I'm sure you are right as ours is hard, crumbly but oh so good. I was looking forward to going to the town that featured it. But I know we will enjoy the Pec. Toscano cheese also. Oh, and I LOVED your trip report!

And SusanP, after reading YOUR trip report, there is simply no way that we can miss Pienza! I want to travel just like you do. I loved it that you stayed there and just basked in that lovely quiet city for a couple of days. How smart of you!

Thank you Vitrallo (MJ) for the information. I just wish I were there right now! However we will leave just a month from Friday. I would like to have the book ahead of time, so I will ask if it might be at our lodging. Good idea.

This is such a wonderful thing - for travelers to share their thoughts and their precious finds with others. I'm so glad that I found this site. (quite a few years ago)

Carol

Carol: I did have a tasting and food at Avignonesi. I was on a private visit but the winery is also open to the public by appointment and they will serve food if you arrange this. You need to contact them at [email protected]. (Cappezine is the name of the property I visited near Montepulciano.)