Saffron and Montepulciano Nobile

October 26-27

Life on the farm continued: today harvesting crocus for zafferano (saffron).  The family has a relatively small plot of the specific saffron-producing variety, and it is an extremely labor intensive enterprise. They have to dig up the bulbs in June, and then replant them in July for the annual Fall harvest; different from our ornamental crocus that bloom in the spring. Every morning they pick the flowers and harvest the stamens, which have to be very carefully dried before the product can be packaged. The daily yield ranges from 10-20 flowers up to 40 or so and the season is only about 3 weeks. The net production from 20 flowers is only about 1/4 gram of saffron.

Picking crocus

The bright red stamens are the saffron

With Bozena and crocus in our hair!

To celebrate the annual harvest, there is an annual festival in the nearby town of Citta' Della Pieve, so we decided to join the fun. The highlight was a family style dinner and rather funky entertainment by two women who sang Hillbilly songs in Italian, French and English. Very interesting evening!

Gary samples wares at the Zafferano festival

The next day we sadly said goodby to our new friends, left the farm, and headed to our next destination in Eastern Umbria. On the way we were greatly cheered by a diversion to Montepulciano, home of the famous Nobile wine. This is the quintessential Tuscan hill-town with medieval buildings, sloping streets and awesome views of the surrounding countryside.

Whimsical clock tower

Gary shops for knockers

Tablets from Etruscan and Roman times

Panorama of beautiful view

What a better way to spend the afternoon, than to enjoy a fabulous lunch on a terrace with a view and some Montepulciano Nobile!

Lunch on the terrace of Caffe' Poliziano

Montepulciano Nobile and bruschetta

We loved the central piazza with the Palazza Comunale (town hall), reminiscent of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. There was also a somewhat odd display on the piazza of some modern, comical bronze statuary, and Gary couldn't resist this one of the pudgy tennis player. He thinks we should steal this image for our club tennis trophies!

Gary checks out the medieval cistern

Piazza Grande