Friday July 25: Lunch at Farmhouse San Basilio
Breakfast is served at 8am Agriturismo Nonno Ninuccio. It seems we are the only people staying here. Each of us received a plate with a slice of orange cake and a slice of pound cake, a yogurt, and a cappuccino. Then for the table, there was cantaloupe, sliced bread, pre-packaged bread, and crackers with butter and jam on the side. Extreme carb overload.
Back to the room for a post breakfast nap and to get ready for the day. We had a 1:00 reservation to have lunch at Farmhouse San Basilio which was about 20 minutes away on another hilltop. We decided to go to the beach after lunch but Phil and I did not bring beach towels so we had to stop in to a few stores to find them.
First we went back up the mountain to Gioi and stopped into the alimentary, which is mostly a butcher shop but also sells random groceries. We picked up some thin sliced pancetta to get a little protein post breakfast and to bring with us to breakfast tomorrow :) while we were in the store, my moms cousins from Rochester stopped in to the tiny store as well. It was pretty full in there with 4 of us, then there were 6, then there were 8, and remember, Italian AC is basically a fan so it was hot, everyone is talking at once, phil stepped outside due to chaos. I managed to get the pancetta after way too much time in the tiny store. We stopped into all the stores in Gioi (3), besides the butcher, there was a pharmacy where we got sunscreen and prosciutto baby food for Julian, and a random store with clothes and home goods.
One of the high priority items needed at the store is an outlet converter for Nan. On the way to lunch, we passed a store called MaxIdea, which looked like it would sell electronics. Turns out, MaxIdea sells nearly everything. Imagine a dollar store, but things are more than a dollar. We found the converter, but they also sell plates/kitchen items, bed sheets, beach chairs, baking items, soap, refrigerator, toys, clothes, basically a little bit of everything you could want or need. So we got two beach blankets and two beach towels (Spider-Man for phil and Mickey Mouse for me). Additionally I bought some tubes (flamingo and duck), Nancy bought beach umbrellas, more sunscreen, and I got citronella stickers to keep the mosquitos away. I was thrilled with our purchases.
On to lunch! Farmhouse San Basilio is another Agriturismo, there were a few families staying there, kids playing in the yard and in the pool. We were seated outside in a pretty covered area. Unfortunately there were no fans outside and the only downside of lunch is that it was just over 100 degrees yesterday and I personally was melting as lunch went on. I was putting ice cubes in my shoes, a wet towel on my neck, but the overheating was real.
Massimo came out and told us about the menu of the day where they basically bring you 4 courses and it all sounded amazing. We ordered a bottle of wine to pair with the meal: a local white wine blend that was lighter than last nights wine.
The first course was so much food it was really enough for an entire lunch. I would have been happy if we stopped after that. But instead I ate until I literally could not take another bite.
First we each received a plate with meat and cheese. The cheese was homemade according to Massimo. Additionally there was this friend dough that basically was a zeppoli but without sugar. Then there were zucchini flowers, marinated zucchini, more fried dough but with anchovies in it, some potato croquets, and thin sliced marinate pumpkin that was so different and so delicious.
Already full, but next comes the pasta course. The pasta was so soft, and the sauce was creamy zucchini with speck. It was another unusual item that was so so good. None of us could finish the pasta and the lady thought we didn’t like it! We all loved it but there was still a meat course ahead.
The meat: pancetta that had been slow roasted in a wood oven. The skin was crispy, the meat was juicy, the fat was flavorful. I didn’t want to eat anymore but I couldn’t help it. And a salad of tomatoes on the side! Look how red they are! I could have cried with happiness at the tomatoes but I was near death with overheating and fullness.
And just when you thought it was over…dessert. Please let it be a gelato, something iced, something light. We laughed guessing the heaviest items that could emerge from dessert. And it was…
A cannoli. Sort of. Light shell with chocolate and vanilla pudding inside? Definitely not a light dessert to eat in 102 degrees temps.
They did have a pool at the farmhouse, which they offered to let us use, but we wanted to go to the beach. And we thought it would be funny (rude) if we unloaded all of our beach purchases (tubes, etc) at the pool. The most amazing part? This lunch for 4 was only €158. We were all shocked at the amount of food we ate for that price. A nearly 3 hour feast of amazing food. I would totally return, but we only need have the food next time.
The best part of driving to the beach was sitting in the air conditioned car. We drove to a beach in Ascea called Nardinos Beach. It was super cute, not too crowded and we set up shop right next to a granita cart. We got some lemon flavored shaved ice and then jumped into the water. I felt alive again it was so refreshing.
I fell asleep on the beach after some swimming and woke with a tummy ache. Probably my intestines stretching from too much food.
We didn’t get back to the Agriturismo until maybe 7:30pm. Even after showering and sunset, it was still hot. We drove up to Gioi to have to 10€ gin and tonics at Bar Max to end the day. (Yes, the drink fixed my stomach.)
The sun took it out of me, I couldn’t wait to sleep!
