Dodici settembre sabato ( September 12 Saturday)

Bel tempo a Lucca (Beautiful weather in Lucca).  Abbiamo camminato le mura (We walked the wall). Mi sento molto meglio e pronto a mangiare (I am feeling so much better and ready to eat). Siamo andati al supermercato (We went to the supermarket). Ever gone to the supermarket hungry? Well I wanted to buy everything but, Dow kept a cool head so we didn't go overboard.

Stopped for a pizza at Gli Orti. It was not our first choice but the other places were packed. Notice the pizza did not have any tomato sauce. Good though. We are going to Katia's tonight so saving our appetite. Katia grew up in Boston then her family moved back  to Lucca. One of her teachers in Boston happened to be a friend of ours and colleague in Spencerport, hence the connection. We have been visiting her for 4 years. Last year the family spent 5 weeks in Boston and we flew up for a weekend to see them.

Katia picked us up at the wall and drove us to her house. We had gifts for all - Dow's good planning. Katia started making focaccia (focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread product similar in style and texture to pizza dough). She and the mother made the dough from scratch earlier in the day and rolled it out, put on topping and then into the oven. She made 8 huge pans of focaccia . Types of focaccia - onion, cheese, plain, tomato, tomato & onion, zucchini, & rosemary. You could make your own focaccia by adding any of the side dishes. Katia had trays of cold cuts, and liver patè (which she made). Also a tray of raw vegetables (to be dipped in your own small bowl of olive oil, vinegar and salt) and a tray of condiments (olives, mixed mushrooms, anchovies & spinach, and marinated garlic cloves. A huge cheese platter - at least 10 cheeses. There was enough food for 40 people (Italians do not want to run out of food). Finished the 4 hour meal with after dinner drinks and expresso. Did not go home hungry. So So Good!

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