Sunday, May 11, 2008

Secondi Piatto - "Second Course"

Chiribiri, gnocchi, and tiramisu!

The next Tuscan dining highlight came in nearby San Gimignano- a medieval town famous for its many towers. Only fourteen of the original sixty remain, but their imposing presence recalls a turbulent time of rivaling families. To get this photo, we climbed the largest of the fourteen towers - Torre Grossa. It was quite a climb and quite a view!

After climbing the 200 ft. tower, we were ready for dinner. But the tiny Trattoria (restaurant) Chiribiri we had read about was full; reservations were not available until eight.

We decided to wait (we were starting to get used to it by now). Once we were seated, with little more than elbow room between tables (so unlike our personalized open air dining at Il Castello!), we became reenergized with the buzz of happy diners. Here I enjoyed by first gnocchi-- potato dumplings in a tomato sauce—and I have been hooked ever since.

Geoff complimented the minestrone soup---it is Italian, after all---and ordered the grilled pork. I tried the beef in Chianti wine. A dish much like a pot roast with vegetables, but not being a red wine drinker, I felt like the wine overpowered the dish, rather than enhance it. Not bad, but not my favorite either. But wait, there’s more!

My appetite usually limits me to one or two dishes, but climbing those towers, waiting an extra hour for dinner, and perhaps the wonderful Tuscan scenery, all inspired me to order a famous Italian dessert: tiramisu. And it was fantastic! The best I have ever had…anywhere in Italy, anywhere ever! Yum!

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