Lucca - A Saturday - Charlotte's Texas Hill Country

Time Melts

On Thursday we walked to Esselunga, the large supermarket just outside the city walls of Lucca to do a bit of shopping. It was a pleasant walk, along a tree-shaded path. We were having a lovely time perusing the shelves, looking at the variety of prosciutto, salami, and other meats when suddenly an employee came and told us the store was closing. It was 2 pm. We didn’t realize that a supermarket would adhere to the Italian work schedule of a two-and-a-half-hour afternoon lunch break. Much of what I wanted to purchase was left in the store.

Saturday in Lucca

I look at my calendar and can’t believe it is so; we have only six days left in Lucca. Time melts into nothing. I count the days spent on side trips. Nine! The days of rain when we are shuttered in the apartment spending our time reading and looking at the glistening tile roofs. It is an unbelievable five days. I wouldn’t trade one of them, but —

I feel there are streets I’ve missed. Food I have not cooked. Restaurants, still to explore. Much, much lingering to do. We are out the door by 10:30 am.

A Shopping Expedition

I discovered a new recipe, Exploded Beans. It requires borlotti beans and I know just the store in which to purchase them. It is our first stop. I can’t resist a few extras — dried Zuppa Garfangana mix. Penne pasta.

We leave the store, retracing our steps, turn left, and arrive at my favorite little vegetable store. I select an eggplant for David Rocco’s Rolled Eggplant with Smoked Provolone, fragola grapes for Michael, and two cans of what I hope are diced tomatoes. Pomodori is not listed above — or below — the picture on the label.

We walk down via Caesare Battisti to check out a restaurant I read about on the Internet. Arriving at its doorstep we see it has been totally changed for the Comics Festival, selling hot dogs, hamburgers, and panini. I cross it off my list.

Before heading back to the apartment to drop off our purchases, we make one last stop at the tiny grocer within a block of where we are staying. I forgot to purchase onions at the produce store. I put on a plastic glove and pick two small cipolle, and a head of garlic — aglio. Next, I head to the produce scales and punch in the appropriate number, placing the sticky tags on the papery skins. I head for the deli and pick up some Parmesan. I need cream — pana. My arms are getting full and I forget the olio extravergine — only a tiny bit remains in our pantry.

Lunch at Cantine Bernardini

By noon we are sitting in the cozy cellar of Cantine Bernardini. It is among my favorite Lucca restaurants. It has been closed the last few weeks — Bernardini is on vacation according to the Internet — and we thought we had lost our chance to eat here again. Taking a break from vacation, open for four days, the comics festival saved us. No one can pass up a sure crowd and the promise of extra profits.

I order fried codfish nuggets on a cream of zucchini for my antipasti, worrying needlessly that it may be too much. Mike and both have the beef braised in chianti wine and peppercorns for our entrée — over sixty peppercorns per plate. The granello di pepe nero are softened and pungent, adding a wonderful touch to the rich beef dish. My crème caramel is perfectly cooked, silken, and slightly sweet. A litre of wine washes everything down.

Exploring Lucca

I say, “Nap?”

Mike says, “No.” After our two-hour lunch, I am told, “We need to go for a long walk and work all of this off.”

We head in a direction we haven’t walked since the first week we arrived in Lucca. We window shop. Cakes and plates. Every single pottery store calls my name and I have to stop and look. My fingers itch with the desire to possess, but my mind wins. Getting the pieces home will be all but impossible. We walk on, stopping for gelato so we have an excuse to sit and linger on a park bench.

Lucca’s Walls

We discover a new path through the walls, take it and return through the Porto San Jacapo, winding our way down ancient ways to the Piazza San Giovanni for a glass of vino rosso at the newly discovered wine bar, Enoteca Calasto, where a glass of casa di vino is only 3,50€. It is crowded, and we wait for fifteen minutes for a table to be free. Sitting. Sipping. Watching the parade of people pass by.