Conti – Tasty Tuscan Food Products

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Recently I attended “Mondays at the Markets” with the fabulous Judy Witts Francini. Judy not only teaches Italian cooking classes, but she gives tours on how to buy the right ingredients (and wines), blogs and publishes cooking books, and SO much more. Monday, she took her small group (always small, she says, she prefers it that way) on a tour of the Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo (central market) in Florence, Italy, as well as many of the surrounding merchants that she adores.

Today I want to share some of my experiences that day with the Conti family. I met Stefano and Grazia Conti, as well as their son Manuel, who I understood to have recently received some prestigious award that permitted him to be considered an expert on wines or some other culinary honor. [I really need to work in my Italian language skills, not to mention my memory!]


There was so much tasting and so many scrumptious things that I had to narrow it down for this blog post. I choose today to talk about the Conti’s balsamico. I have tasted balsamic vinegar plenty of times – it is a staple in Italian homes and goes well on salads and even pasta. But what we tasted this day was not this. Sure it had the similar tanginess to it, but was so much more intense and pure of flavor (and I think Judy said – no vinegar)! One drop of this thick concoction, and one was thinking of the nectar of the gods. I am not exaggerating.


These images were taken at the Conti’s tasting table inside of the mercato centrale. The first image is of the handsome Stefano and his charming wife Grazia. In the second image, Grazia is showing us one of the family’s offerings, while their elegant and perhaps modest son Manuel lays out the tastings of the day.


In this third image, the fabulous Judy [wearing Florentine purple, the color of the local soccer (calcio) team], explains to us how balsamico is created over a period of many years, moved from one barrel into the next in line. In the fourth image, the lovely Grazia waits for the balsamico to find its way finally to my spoon. When one knows of the time involved to create such treasures and how long it will last (a tiny amount goes a long way), the price becomes reasonable indeed.

And just look at some of their offerings! The bottles are beautiful, as well as the treasures inside: worth every euro. Life can be a dream when we follow our passions. Thanks so much to the Conti family for sharing theirs.

Useful links:
Tuscany Flavours – the site for the Conti Family’s delicious offerings
Divina Cucina – get to know more about Judy Witts Francini and her cooking knowledge
Judy’s blog about food and Italy

Just wanted to acknowledge this: My friend Keith Hogan left this world on the 14th of April. He was a strong advocate for people with disabilities and had the sweetest soul.

Fresco Santa Trinita Church

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

This is the last of this series of images from the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence, Italy. I wanted to show you something that is sad and unfortunately quite common in the frescoes in Florentine churches. In this first image, I give you a snapshot giving you an overall view of the church. But look at the upper left part of the image: In a church in which there is quite a lot of symmetry and order, you can see that this part does not. It is because of damage over the years.


In this second image, you can see not only how much of the original fresco is missing, but you can also see how lovely the colors are. I cannot help wondering how beautiful this original artwork would have looked when it was new.


In these last two images, you can see the warmer fresco colors. I also really enjoy the border patterns and how they placed several complete compositions into one giant composition that worked with the architecture. And not unlike when I destroy my street paintings, I often find beauty in the ruins of . . . well, many things.

I am not sure, but I believe that the cracks and missing parts of frescoes give away their secrets on how they were made, or at least, how the work was separated into batches of plaster. I find it interesting that in the third image, one can see that the shapes of the missing art are more organic in nature. This composition, while having a number of straight vertical elements in its composition is quite different from the one across the space from it (image 4). You can see the lost space wrapping around the one figure in red’s robe.



Whereas the last image depicts a rather rectangular composition and the missing painting in the lower right is also a rectangular shape. One suspects that this artist worked in a very methodical manner perhaps based more on his brain’s way of thinking than even on the way the image was originally drawn. I wonder if he was part engineer?

Italy has such a wealth of important art and finds itself the custodian of so much of human culture and history. It must be a great expense for a generally not super-wealthy nation and it is no wonder that so many of Italy’s artworks appear to be waiting for restoration attention. I, for one, am generally happy that more artworks have not been restored after seeing how Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel was ruined by the “restoration experts.” But this is another topic . . .

If you like what you read, enjoy the photos, and would like to help support this blog(ger) / artist, click here . . .

Religious Art Santa Trinita Church

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I hope you do not mind this short entry – I really want to paint today. Here are more images of some of the religious art inside of the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence, Italy. These first two shots are in an altar area that lies to the right of the central (main) altar inside the church. One must put a coin into a machine in order to view the art with a light.

Altars Santa Trinita Church

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In my last post I showed you a few images I took of the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence, Italy.

Almost every church that I can remember entering in Italy has more than one altar. In fact, the sides of the churches seem to have many different “mini-altars” creating – for me – almost the feeling of “information overload.” I mean that in a good way, in that almost all of these altars have an individual function, often dedicated to one specific holy identity. Each is filled with art. What a great collection any one church has!


I include here a few images I was able to take before being told not to take images. See how each of these altars, viewed separately, has its own personality? One is quite elaborate in its decoration, another relatively sparse. Sometimes the space lies behind gorgeously designed iron gates, to be opened upon invitation or a special event. Each is lovely and quite tranquil.

Santa Trinita Church in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

The Church of Santa Trinita is across the river from my flat in Florence, Italy, not far from the ponte (bridge) by the same name. It is easy to recognize because of the figurative relief sculpture on the front of the church, above the door.


In this second image, I wanted to give you an overall feel of the inside of Santa Trinita. I really love the architecture in these Florentine churches, especially when the stones are alternated in color between the green and white marbles. And the frescoes on the ceilings and high on the walls always impress me with their magnitude of effort, if nothing else.


The Church of Santa Trinita appears to have it all: stained glass, frescoes, mosaics in stone (on the floors and walls), lovely arches, sculpture (of course!), fire, and paintings in several different styles.


The area behind the altar was open to tourists when I first arrived, but by the time I had walked to the back, a priest was shooing everyone out and closing off that part. I hope you enjoy today’s photos. I will be writing more about this church in the coming days.

If you like what you read, enjoy the photos, and would like to help support this blog(ger) / artist, click here . . .

Easter in Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Two years ago, I passed my first Pasqua in Italia – specifically in Florence (Firenze). I wrote about the parades and the Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) here on this blog. Last Easter I was also in Firenze, but I was so busy preparing for my solo exhibit here that I missed out on all the festivities.

Last spring in Florence I met Lili, one of my blog readers. She and her sister Lucrecia had a wonderful time enjoying the Florentine Easter celebration and clued me in on a little known event: the blessing of the Crusadean relic. This year, it was my goal to see another part of the Florentine holiday.

So my flatmate Amit and I met my friend Susan at the Ponte (Bridge) San Trinita and walked across the Arno River to the Piazza del Limbo and into the Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro. It is here that the flintstones awarded the Pazzi family after the Crusades are blessed and then used to light the Holy Fire.



Now, just a disclaimer: While I subscribe to no religion of my own, I am not totally insensitive to the thoughts of others. There were a lot of cameras around from the press and other Italians and maybe a few strainieri (foreigners).

In the second image, the man on the left wearing the banner of Italy’s colors around his chest (with his back to us) is the Mayor of Firenze. I remember him campaigning last time I was here.

I had a strange feeling this year. While inside the church and as the mass was wrapping up, the parade of drummers outside arrived. The rhythmic cadence seemed loud and penetrating to me, while at the same time hypnotizing. I felt transported back to World War II and wondered if this was something close to how it might have felt to be in an old stone building while bombs and shots began to be fired all around you. Well, maybe I should not allow my mind to wander in church!

After we all left the church, the relics were paraded down to Palazzo Strozzi, where they joined the parade for the special cart. I have only included the photos up to the point in which both parades came together. Although the explosion was a little bit different this year, I did not stay long. Perhaps it is because I was so tired after having gotten up early to attend a church service or maybe because I am still adjusting to a life with people (when in Texas, a large majority of my time is spent working alone), but the crowds this morning made me feel … annoyed and a bit bored.
So, if you would like to read more about the Explosion of the Cart, visit my blog entry of Easter 2008

Buona Pasqua

Wine, Women, and Wood

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

In my last blog post, I invited you to Florence, Texas, to watch stone carvers at work and see an arts festival at The Vineyard. That happens both Saturday and Sunday.

Now, Saturday NIGHT, is a different kind of event. I will be leaving Florence around 4 p.m. and headed to south Austin. Won’t you join me?

27 March Saturday evening: 6 - 10 p.m.
"Wine, Women, and Wood"
The Curiouseum inside the Village Green South
6800 West Gate Boulevard
Austin, Texas

featuring Kelly's sculpture and 2-d figurative art paired with Fine French Woodworking by Brittany's Thierry Amisse! Add some wine, pate and a demonstration of Petanque (France's version of boccie), and we've (Susan and Ruth) got a VERY curvaceous evening planned! Live music too! For more info, call Susan Buhrman: 512.925.4085 or Ruth Glendinning 512.744.3411


Both events are FREE. Invite your friends too!
Thank you so much.