A book for New Zealanders and Italians

Maybe this is becoming a bit of a book blog, but I wanted to share with you a project that we have been working on for over a year now. And I believe that this is a very special book which means a lot to many Italians and Kiwis alike.

For 50 years after the end of the Second World War, most people in the Chianti region between Florence and Siena did not know that New Zealand forces had been the ones to liberate them from Nazi German occupation in the summer of 1944.

It took research by Stefano Fusi, then mayor of Tavarnelle (near Florence), and his New Zealand wife Jill Gabriel, to affirm that the liberators had been not Americans but soldiers of the 2^nd New Zealand Division, many of whom never made it home.

Last year we were in Italy to celebrate 25 April (both Anzac Day and Italy liberation Day) in Tavarnelle, it was a wonderful and moving occasion, I have already written about it here.

The city of Tavarnelle has build a monument to the fallen soldiers, the New Zealanders' names (listed here) sit at the top, followed by the names of the Italian soldiers. 

The Tavarnelle monument to the fallen soldiers (for a full list of the NZ soldiers click here) 

Then in 2009 a book - I Giorni della Liberazione: Le truppe neozelandesi da San Donato alle porte di Firenze, was published in Italy, and tomorrow the New Zealand edition - To the Gateways of Florence: New Zealand Forces in Tuscany 1944, will be launched in Wellington. More launches in Christchurch and Auckland will follow during the next 2 weeks. Stefano and Jill, as well as the current Mayor of Tavarnelle, are here in New Zealand for the occasion, if you are interested in history, or if you are a descendant of a WWII soldier in Italy, you can find more info here.

I know that my dad, who experienced Nazi German occupation and war, would have loved this book, and I wish that he was here to see it, so I will save a copy for my children instead, because history is important.

Photo of Tavarnelle monument by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Pisa and Firenze...and a Chain before going to London

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Here are my lasts (I promise...for now) photos of Tuscany. Florence is truly special, but I thought not of publishing the photos of Ponte Vecchio, David and Campanile di Giotto which are everywhere. But for Pisa...it is another story. We didn't stay long there, not many visitors do, just Piazza dei Miracoli and the famous tower, and there was an impressive thunderstorm!!! Fortunately we didn't get wet., but the sky was impressive against the Baptistry.

Two days after in Florence was splendid, and hot! We walked around eating ice cream and drinking water. You need good shoes in Florence.

The highlight of my trip was a private tour of Palazzo Medici Riccardi, here are the gardens.

And here the ceilings of the room where we had our aperitivo.

This is the bedroom used by the President of Italy (President, not Prime Minister) when he visits Florence.

And here my one of Filippo Lippi's most beautiful Madonna con Bambino.

Now, Yari from Il Cucchiaio di Legno passed me this chain, if you are keen to do it please go ahead, I have put ten names here (not obliged to do it, of course). And If I didn't put your name but you are keen to do it, just go ahead!

Rules (Eng-Fr-Ita)

1. Put the rule on your blog - Mettre les règles sur votre blog – Mettere le regole sul vostro blog

2. Name the person who sent you this chain and put the link to their blog - Indiquer le nom de la personne qui vous l’a décerné ainsi qu’un lien vers son blog– Indicare il nome della persona che ve l’ha assegnato così come un collegamento al suo blog.

3. Answer the five questions - Répondre aux cinq questions – Rispondere alle cinque domande.
4. Send to ten other bloggers (specify their names and links here) - Transmettre le tag à dix personnes, en précisant noms et blogs – “Taggare” dieci persone, precisando nomi e blog.

Signe particulier:
Segno particolare:

Distinguishing Mark: Talk a lot...?

Mauvais souvenir:
Cattivo ricordo:

Worst memory: (Culinary, I expect...) Collapsing pavlova before a photo shoot...

Souvenir d’enfance:
Ricordo d’infanzia:

Childhood memory: Foraging (berries, mushrooms, greens, chestnuts, wood, anything edible or useful really...)

Défaut:
Difetto:

Defect: Vane, Lazy, Glutton... do you want more?

Film “bonne mine”:
Film preferito:

Favourite movie: The Battleship Potemkin. Seriously! I saw it with the live orchestra once, unforgettable.

(And it is a food related movie)

And here are my 10 names, follow if you like:

Vanille at Down Under

Saretta at Defelicitateanimi

Nigel at Curious Kai

Sasa at Sasasunakku

Enza at Io da Grande

Arfi at HomeMadeS

Bence at Tokyoreloaded

Michael at Herbivoracious

Mangocheeks at Allotment 2 Kitchen

Mary at One Perfect Bite

Well, greetings for now, on Monday I am going to London for a week, I will not blog but may have a chance to visit you.

Ciao

Alessandra

San Gimignano, Volterra and Volturi

Pilgrimage for a Twilight fan

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

San Gimignano

I have to say that my best impression of San Gimignano is from far away. It sits on a hill in the picturesque Tuscan countryside, and as you approach you can see the walls and towers. Once inside the walls you can appreciate why this town has been declared by UNESCO to be a World's Architectural Heritage site, but only if you look up. The small streets are completely invaded by tourists, and every single door or opening in the Medieval walls seem to be have been turned into shops selling souvenirs. So most of my photos were taken with the nose up in the air!

The drive from San Gimignano to Volterra is one of the best drives I had in Tuscany. The scenery is just spectacular, pity that all the photos were taken from my passenger seat (yes, sorry about the bad quality) as, unlike New Zealand, here there aren't designed 'look out points' where you can just stop the car and get out to take a picture.

Volterra

Here too there are tourists but, as the city is bigger that San Gimignano, you can still find quiet streets to explore. Many of the souvenirs shops sell alabaster goods, since Volterra is renowned for this material.

Volterra has registered a considerable increase in tourism thanks to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series.

The City's tourist office assistant was wearing a New Moon T-shirt,

and gave us a few flyers and info about the film locations

(actually, the main scene was filmed in Montepulciano, with a fake building and fountain)

and told us to come back in the evening for a special Volturi City tour with surprise ending. We couldn't stay for the evening tour, so we had to do with the special New Moon map of Volterra (available in English from the Tourist Office) which followed the yellow Porsche drove by Alice through the city's door, and then Bella's run to save Edward. I have never seen my daughter look at a map so closely!

And if you are not interested in Vampires you can still appreciate Volterra for its Etruscan history (an Etruscan city door is pictured here), Roman history

(beautiful Roman Theatre and Ruins), and its Medieval look. I did :-)!

Prato and Biscotti

During our week in Tuscany we stayed with my childhood friend Erika and her lovely family outside Prato. We had wonderful weather and the setting was idillic.

My children sketching the Tuscan countryside.

We also visited Prato, Tuscany's second largest city. Below is the Cathedral.

Castello dell'Imperatore

We went to buy some fresh raw milk from an automatic distributor. These facilities are scattered around Italy, and it is great to be able to buy raw milk, which is still looked upon with suspicion in New Zealand.

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

The gourmand pilgrim should head straight for the old Biscottificio Antonio Mattei in the city centre, the original creator of the Cantucci, or Biscotti di Prato (simply known as Biscotti in many countries outside Italy). Mattei makes biscotti but also many other traditional sweet treats, and the recipes are patented, and secret!!!! Still, there are many versions of the famous biscuits, and here is mine, from my book Sweet As...

Biscotti

150 g sugar

2 eggs

250 g flour

1 tsp baking powder

100 g unbleached almonds

1 tsp lemon or orange essence (optional)

Beat the sugar and eggs together, then add the remaining ingredients. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon. When the mixture thickens, use your hands to make one or two long rolls, about 7.5 cm wide x 3 cm high, and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20-30 minutes. Turn the oven off, then cut the roll or rolls into small biscuits with a bread knife and return them to the warm oven for a further 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately 40 biscuits

Anzac Day in Tuscany

April 25 is ANZAC Day, celebrated in New Zealand and Australia, and it is also Liberation Day, celebrated in Italy. As a self-proclaimed pacifist I commemorate, because even if I don't personally remember war, I feel that it should not be forgotten, especially when is still happening around the globe.

This year we 'celebrated' in Tavarnelle, a small town in Tuscany liberated by New Zealand soldiers. First we went to a small wood in Pratale, near Tavarnelle, to remember the 12 farmers brutally killed there for no reason by the retiring German soldiers. It was very moving, a reminder that war also brings numerous civil casualties, and massacres.

Pratale

Below: The mayor and the citizens of Tavarnelle in front of the war memorial.

The band played The New Zealand and the Italian national anthems, and Bella Ciao

After the ceremony we went to the Council buildings for a presentation and talks by war historians. There was an exhibit of photos of New Zealand soldiers, which have also been used for the book "21 luglio 4 agosto 1944 - I giorni della Liberazione - Le truppe neozelandesi da San Donato alle porte di Firenze" (21 July 4 August 1944 - The Liberation Days - The New Zealand troops from San Donato to Florence)

Below: the monument with the names of the New Zealand soldiers who died in Tevernelle (click here for the full list).

No ANZAC Cookies for us today, but cantucci, or biscotti di Prato, which can be dipped in Vin Santo. But I will post the recipe for these (the biscuits, not the wine!) next time.

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©