Not Cheap, But Easy

It was evident from the twinkle in the eye, the flirty posture, the arched eyebrow, and the knowing, expectant look that accompanied a hand casually placed on hip.  “Good, . . . no?” was the question in heavily accented English.  “It was amazing!” she answered breathlessly in flawless English.  Language was not going to get in the way.  I was somewhat embarrassed to witness such blatant seduction and surrender, but I should have been used to it by now.  When the Food Slut (aka Thrifty Posh) meets a Food Madame, the results are predictable.

Here’s the whole story…

One of the best things about eating in Italy is that so many people preparing the food are as passionate it about it as we are.  Many times, in very unassuming restaurants, we met people with this passion.  One of our favorites was a little restaurant in the Tuscan hill town of Montecchiello.

We had tried to eat in Montecchiello the first night we were in Tuscany, and our hosts recommended a restaurant.  We arrived to find that Osteria La Portal was closed for a special Slow Food event.  We wandered around the twisting streets of the tiny town and finally spotted another restaurant, but alas, it wasn’t open either.  We finally ended up in nearby Montepulciano for dinner that night, but planned on returning to Montecchiello at the first opportunity.

That chance came a couple of days later at lunch time.  Again, the highly-touted Slow Food restaurant was closed, so we wandered up the hill to what apparently is the only other restaurant in town.  It was open and smelled inviting, so we walked in.  Meeting us at the door was the matronly Italian proprietess, who was properly attired in a flowered dress, sensible shoes, and spoke virtually no English.  Behind her was the pass-through to the kitchen where a character who had to be her husband was working.  The language issue was not a problem, Thrifty Posh’s Italian was up to getting us a table and menus.  The place was tiny, 8 tables total, in a brick-vaulted cellar-like room.  There were nice linens, elegant stemware, and heavy silverware on the tables.  It was evident that a lot of pride went into the place.

As was our wont, we looked first for the wine list.  It’s such a civilized custom – drinking in the middle of the day followed by a nap.  Somehow we had adapted to and adopted the habit early on.  However, there was no wine list – there was something better:  a chalkboard list showing the bottles that were open that day that we could order by the glass.  We were like kids in the candy store… ”We’ll take one Nobile de Montepulciano and one Rosso de Montalcino to start”.  By a happy accident of geography, "our" town, Montecchiello, was located atop a promontory in the valley between Montalcino and Montepulciano, so none of the parochial loyalty required in either of those major wine producing towns was necessary.  Montecchiello is a town for wine sluts.

When the menus came,  excitement crackled in the air as eyes scanned the pages.  What would catch our eye?  Then suddenly, a gasp followed by a grin!  There it was - Sformato!

By now we were eating these savory custard flans whenever we saw them on a menu.  Madame’s version had broccoli with a cheese sauce and dusting of walnut flavor.  Food Slut was lost.  Madame’s eyes lit up when it was ordered.  She delivered it without comment, leaving the plate on the table, and with studied casualness sauntered slowly away.  There it was.  A slightly firm mound of greenish soufflé garnished with the velvety smooth cheese sauce and bit of walnut.  It smelled divine.  With the first bite Food Slut let out a low moan.  Then a grin crossed her face.  Declaring it a cloud-like souffle that tantalized and teased her taste buds, she didn’t want to share at first, but a quick arm wrestle won me a taste.  I knew what all the fuss about.  I may have moaned a bit myself. 

It was over too quick.  The plate was empty, even licked clean.  Madame came to clear with that twinkle in her eye.  The rest of meal matched the Sformato.  You’ll always remember the first one…but you’ll also always remember the best one.  Madame’s was one to remember.

Find the Taverna di Moranda in Montecchiello at:  http://www.tavernadimoranda.it/index.htm