Ottobre Trevana

This festival in Trevi runs from the 25th September to the 24 October and one of the many events but obviously one of the highlights will be the first ever exhibition by Rachel Williams. This is already very exciting and nerve-wracking for said RW but I am sure it will be a great success.

For a full list of events try this link:- www.protrevi.com/protrevi/autun10.asp

My other must go is the metre and a half of Nutella!

Red or white.

Popped over to Montefalco today for their wine festival. Montefalco is renown for red wines based on the sagrantino grape. These are big wines with an abv varying from 13 to 15%.

Luckily the Italians never ever drink without having a little something to eat so we had a nice Sunday afternoon tasting wines and nibbling on various snacks.

Rachel picked up a nice white called "Pecorino" and even that is 14%. Otherwise the local whites based on the grechetto or the trebbiano grape are generally to our minds poor.

Cycling

Cycling is hugely popular here in Italy and most weekends you can see the groups of cyclists, or peloton, cruising along the main roads of Italy.

Among them there are a disconcertingly large number of middle aged and overweight riders risking a heart attack. This has given rise to the acronym Mamil - middle aged men in lycra!

Laden

This tree is laden with fruit and the branches are bending over with the weight. A good sight for an olive grower. When the fruit is picked then the branches will snap back up into the vertical.

The barber

Yes it was time this agricoltore had his locks chopped and so it was to Trevi I went. As with all barbers there was some good gossip to be had.

When I dropped the lead-in of "I hear the newly crowned Miss Italia is local girl" little did I expect what was to follow.

The new Miss Italy is not only Umbrian but from San' Eraclio, a place that makes Trevi (pop 6,000) seem big.  And not only this but that San' Eraclio can boast of not one Miss Italia but 3.

What are the chances of that.

Optimo lavoro

Great race with Alonso fully deserving to win. What a great pit stop.

Chillies

As well as making yet more passata I bought some of these gems from the market on Friday. I have pickled them with vinegar and after a few weeks they will be just great with a bit of porchetta or any other pork product in fact.

Rachel also stuffs them with potato, anchovies and sage and then bakes them in the oven for 20 minutes or so. Yum.