Deruta

So today, we drove down to Deruta about 40 minutes south of here.  What a zoo or "casino" as the Italians say.  They are repaving the center of the Centro Storico this means parking which is always impossible has now become a true game of wits in the hands of 3 year olds who need a nap.  Fortunately, the Stoic One was calm and persistent, 3 circles around town and we found a primo parking space.

We were picking up plates that we had ordered several months ago from an Albanian artist. Really.  If you have ever seen a piece of Italian pottery it probably came from some nest in Deruta before it sprung wings and flew away.  We have lots of Italian pottery, and I wanted something a little different this time. The Albanian does a Monet type motif to the pottery.  I liked the colors very much, and we ordered 8 sottopiatti, or plate chargers.

 Here is a picture of the lovely plates.

Because there was no parking any where near the store, we had to trudge up a mountain side with tiny little stairs made for munchkin sized feet.  Fortunately, it was a curvy climb so I couldn't tell how much farther we had to go.  Huff and Puff.  Going up and down those 65 stairs has not helped with my stamina.  Anyway, once we got to the store, the artiste was oh so happy to see us because people had wanted to buy our plates, and he was getting ready to put them in the back.  The Stoic One said this is great, I'll go down and get the car, we can put the plates the in car and drive on.  I said, but what about shopping? We're here in Deruta the center of all ceramics, and I am sure there is something that we need I haven't thought about.  Unfortunately he was hot footing it down the path to the car while I stayed and chatted with the Albanian.  A very nice and friendly man.

To reward me for not whining,  we stopped in at Tre Vaselle in Torgiano for lunch.

http://www.3vaselle.it/en/cuisine/

The food here is exquisite.  We started with Zucchini blossoms stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese, with tiny cherry tomatoes cool on the outside on hot on the inside.  They were cooked in a tiny bit of olive oil and and a little bit of thyme.  Heavenly. Here it is.

The Stoic One ordered tagliatelle with duck sauce.

These dishes are so light.  No cream, very little olive oil.  Just the best ingredients blended masterfully together with the right amount of sauce.  Italians think we use too much sauce.

For dessert it was some kind of sorbet with berries.

Enough of the food.  Remember how I didn't have any mirrors, well the mirrors showed up for bathroom number one, our bathroom, today.

I finally have a place for all of my stuff.  After the scorpion incident, I was creeped out about my things on the floor and asked the Stoic One to give my basked a good kick before I got any of my things.  He  did with great gusto.  I wonder if this means anything?

A friend of mine and her friend arrive on Sunday.  The men are back playing cards beneath the window screaming at one another.  All is well in Life at the top of the Piazza.