We deposit Sheri at the airport Wednesday a.m. and head back to Perugia. This time we find the tourist office and the market is still open. After a quick lunch outside on the main piazza. Without luck finding an unlocked wi-fi spot, we head back to the train station, find the cafe where I’d found the wi-fi and pound the internet until our computers lose their charge. Back in at Joan’s we dine at the place she’d recommended, Il Granario, in nearby Cozalaro. Its charming with well-executed pasta and pizza dishes.
On Thursday, Stan and I decide to take the back road over the hill to Cortona, a short 34 km away in Tuscany. After a pleasant, windy drive along a ridge we descend to Cortona and BAM! There are cars everywhere and they’re all American tourists. Cortona is a very nice, bustling town but without significant features to distinguish it from most of the other hill towns of equal size in Tuscany and Umbria. But Tuscany’s not Umbria. Americans know Tuscany, so it’s swarming. We find the nice enoteca that Joan has recommended and chat with the owner (in English). He’s pouring 4 wines, which we taste, buying 2. Perhaps I’ll return next week for the winemaker’s dinner he gives me an invitation for.
Then we begin our search for Il Falconiere, another Joan recommendation, for lunch. It’s just down the hill at the end of several twists and turns but when we finally pull in the lot, we see it’s fabulous. By then I noticed from the directional signs that it was a Relais et Chateau property, so I was expecting something special. The grounds are manicured, tasteful art and artifacts are everywhere and we are shown to a table in the lovely dining room by a waiter with an eyebrow raised at our T-shirt and shorts attire. But the food is amazing. I have a fettucine with a rabbit ragout that full of flavor and Stan has a roast pigeon that he declares the best every (this from a guy who once sent be to a pigeon restaurant in Hong Kong). It’s so good we make a reservation of dinner the following night, Stan promising that he will stay awake on the drive home to keep me company.
On the drive back, we head to Arezzo and then over toward Citta’ di Costello and back to Umbria. Along the way we find the Joan-promised mushroom and vegetable stand in Montechi where for 20 euro we get sacks of porcini, chanterelle, fruit, veggies and a black summer truffle. The evening meal is simply mushrooms and vegetables so fresh you can still taste the earthiness.
