Tag: La Figlia di Annibale

Afterthoughts

A year ago today I set out on a journey to visit my grandparents’ birthplaces in Calabria, Italy. I’d daydreamed about going for years, and when I zoomed in on their birth towns via Google Earth, I knew I had to turn the dream into a reality.

Crucoli

I carefully researched what I wanted to see. During my visit I did everything I wanted to do, and left myself open to unplanned moments. I felt as if I were in a gelato store with a wide variety of choices, given a little spoonful of something new and exhilarating, but there is so much history, culture, and natural wonders in Calabria that a little taste wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

I’d intended to return this year and stay three months to wander and savor as much as I could. And then Covid19 came along and changed how we are living and will live for the foreseeable future. We don’t know when we will be able to travel again, and when we do, how the way we travel will change.

For now, I must content myself with memories that are like the moon on a still sea; a reflection of a bountiful land of olive groves and vineyards, ancient villages perched on sheer cliffs above fields of red poppies growing wild in the rolling terrain.

Casabona

It is difficult to say what impressed me the most, what I enjoyed the most, what I miss the most because every experience was rich and full. It may sound strange, but what I am left with is regrets.

I regret the times I didn’t carry my camera with me. After a while it felt heavy and cumbersome. Sometimes, even though I had my camera with me, it was easier to use the phone’s camera. I missed capturing interesting moments because I fiddled too long with settings and the moment was gone. There were times I was so drawn in by what I was seeing that I didn’t think of using the camera, but those pictures are fixed indelibly in my mind.

In spring the roadsides of Calabria are adorned with red poppies and wild flowers. Red poppies are said to be the gift of the goddess Demeter, the Bringer of Seasons, expressing her joy at being reunited with her daughter, Persephone, returning from her life in the underworld.

The poppies dominated the landscape between vineyards and olive groves as we drove along country lanes on the way to Casabona, the birthplace of my paternal grandparents. The red of the poppies was enhanced by dainty yellow marguerites that grew beside them. They took my breath away. Most likely, they are in bloom now. I close my eyes and I am in a meadow surrounded by them; their red blossoms feel like silk to my touch.

Field of red poppies in Calabria

Many of the meals I ate were remembered tastes from my childhood. I ate whatever I wanted, but limited bread to one slice if it was part of the meal, with an occasional second slice. Now I regret not eating more of the delicious bread that was set before me. La Figlia di Annibale served a delightful yellow bread. The waiter said it was made with “grano d’oro.” Every morning my host at La Corte del Geco, Daniele Tricoli, served a different kind of bread fresh from the bakery. At Com na Vota the bread was dense and chewy, served with sardella, a paste made of sardines and peppers.

And gelato, I wish I’d eaten more gelato.

My greatest regret is the Missed Connection when I got off the train in Catanzaro Lido. But life isn’t lived in regret. I am grateful for the memories I’ve collected, and for now I will enjoy the beauty of my garden while I wait with the rest of the world for healing and new ways to live.

Crotone

I am struck by the beauty of Calabria. The gently rolling hills are illusory; they are higher than they appear and lead to villages on steep ridges. The hillsides are covered with olive groves, fruit and nut trees, and of course, vineyards. Between vineyards cows and sheep that provide milk for the delicious cheeses of the area can be seen in little clots rather than large herds. A wide variety of produce that is bountiful and beautiful is grown here. They are so fresh I could smell the aromatic finocchio, or the sweetness of the fragola, or the greenness of the cicoria as I walked through the farmers market.

Calabria honors its ancient roots but also lives in the modern world. Wind turbines stand in lines across the hills. The use of solar panels is also increasing, but I was saddened to see rigs used for fracking for natural gas in the Ionian Sea.

Crotone was my home base while I explored the villages of Crucoli and Casabona, the birthplaces of my grandparents. The pace of life in Crotone is laid back and easy. The people seem to be aware and with the times, and yet hold to old traditions, especially in family life. Businesses shut down between 14:00 and 17:00 and everyone rests. In the evenings they fare una passaggiata (take a walk). One of the main streets is closed to vehicular traffic and families from noni to bambini stroll, chat, and take the evening air. In the Piazza Pitagoro there is an old fashioned puppet show.

Dinner is late here. The first night I went to a pizza restaurant recommended by Daniele Tricoli, my host at La Corte del Geco B&B. It was 20:30 and Conca d’Oro was empty. I was greeted warmly by the owner and seated at a table. Soon others came in, and before long the restaurant was full. It seemed everyone there knew each other. As people passed my table they acknowledged me with a smile and a nod, or said “Buona sera.” The service was attentive, but not hovering, and the pizza was delicious.

I had two other memorable meals in Crotone, the first at La Figlia di Annible. Everything was fresh and flavorful. The polenta was creamy, the risotto al dente, the fish delicate, and all of the flavors danced in my mouth. I had bergamot ice with amarena cherry surprise that was the most delicious dessert I’ve ever had, and a perfect way to end a perfect meal. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the owner/chef, Sondra is lovely. When I asked her if it was safe for me to walk home in the dark, she assured me it was, but gave me a ride back to the B&B to make sure I felt comfortable.

My last evening in Crotone I ate at Com na Vota. A sign outside the restaurant states “food cooked the old way.” The restaurant was full when I got there, but the owner set a table in the corner for me with a basket of focaccia and a dish of red paste that he called Calabrian caviar. It is sardella, made with young sardines preserved with salt and hot pepper. My first bite was tentative, but it was delicious and not as hot as I’d anticipated. It’s a delicacy my father loved. For dinner I ordered baccala which is reconstituted salted cod, baked with potatoes, tomatoes, and olives, the way my mother made it. Memories of my parents made me feel as if I was having a family dinner. While I waited for my check I was served two little plates, one with peanuts, and the other with lupini, a tasty bean. A basket was placed on the table with bottles of homemade digestives. I sipped both the amaro and anisette

Calabria is still devoutly Catholic and May is the month of Mary. In Crotone they celebrate La Feria di Madonna da Colonna. I left on the last day of the celebration and missed the night time procession through the city when the icon of the Blessed Mother is paraded through the streets. Daniele said that at midnight he would make a pilgrimage to the cathedral at Capo Colonna with his family and many others from the church. It is a twelve kilometer walk and he prays the entire six hours, “Not just for me and my family, but for the whole world.”

One thing about Crotone that stood out to me is how happy and well behaved the children are. Whether on the evening walk, or in a restaurant, I didn’t see one pout or temper tantrum.

When I finished a tour of the archeological museum, it was pouring rain. I waited in the lobby for the rain to subside when a class of eleven or twelve year old children entered two by two. There was no jostling or loud talking. In an orderly manner they hung their coats in the closet and put their umbrellas aside. They didn’t complain because they’d walked there in the rain. I sensed their respect for the space they’d entered and for the shared history they would now see.

I was just beginning to find my way around Crotone when it was time to leave. Four days weren’t enough to explore and see everything I’d hoped to see, but every day was filled with interesting sights and people, delicious food, and learning about Calabria.

My visit was made even more special and enjoyable by Daniele Tricoli, the owner of La Corte del Geco B&B where I stayed. He served a delicious breakfast every morning, and the accommodations are immaculate and comfortable.  Daniele and I had interesting conversations, and if he represents the soul of Crotone, it is one shining with light.

 Daniele made arrangements so that I could visit the birthplaces of my grandparents. Padre Salvatore Corrado, an Anglican priest, was my driver and translator. During our drives to Crucoli and Casabona we had long talks about religion and life in general. He also has a good sense of humor.

This visit exceeded my expectations, but there is still more that I’d like to see in this area of Calabria. I guess I’ll just have to come back again.