Destination: A Tuscan Farmhouse
by Jim Langford

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As an agent, if you've never been to Italy, you cannot oversell the awe-inspiring beauty of the Tuscan hills. Everything you've ever read, every picture you've ever seen and every brochure you've ever racked doesn't come close to the real experience.

Whether you're selling a tour package or you have a group of individualists who would like to try exploring Tuscany on their own, I can only tell you that being there generates a rebirth of your soul . It brings you alive and it is a memorable experience to be cherished.

Unfortunately, Sant'Andrea is booked for the next three years. But, tourism is a viable industry in Italy. And, if you like the idea of maintaining a base of operations for day trips, there are farmhouses and inns galore. Everywhere we went there were tour groups, students traveling in pairs or groups, or those who were just traveling on their own. We made our inquiries around May 2004. We were fortunate enough to find that two-week window this past July.

The leader of our expedition, the 69-year-old Sicilian patriarch of a rather unique English-Scottish-French-German-Swiss and American-Indian extended family, simply said one night at dinner, "I've always had this dream. I want to rent a house in Italy for two weeks. I'll shop for food. I'll do the cooking. We'll split expenses. I'm inviting the kids. Do you want to come?"

How could one say no? This is a man whose table my wife and I have dined at extensively for more than 20 years. We have a standing invitation to share in the traditional Italian dinner of the seven fishes every Christmas Eve. Entry into his extended family of friends, neighbors and business associates is very simple, and very difficult. You have to like to eat, drink and have a good time. And, Salvatore's passion is what he can create in a kitchen. The first week our entourage consisted of four couples and one teenager, Sal's youngest son. In addition to my wife and I, and Sal and his wife, his second oldest son, who also is a chef, was there from Milwaukee with his wife. One daughter, and her husband were there from South Carolina. The best part of the whole trip was having the opportunity to get to know all these people better. It was a fun group.

Cortona

We had arrived in Rome on a Saturday, and, after getting some much-needed sleep, drove up to Cortona that Sunday. In 1639, Giacomo Lauro wrote one of the first known guidebooks of Tuscany for the travelers of that day.

"From a high Tuscan hill, fifty miles from Florence between Arrezo and Perugia rises the equally ancient and noble city of Cortona. Before the city lies a vast and beautiful plain, it is flanked on either side by distant hills and valleys while behind it are towering yet fruitful mountains."

What Lauro wrote more than 400 years ago is equally true today. Our first effort was to discover this quaint beautiful town on the mountainside we had read so much about. You either walk up, or you walk
down. Very seldom are your feet horizontal to the ground. But you are enchanted.

The pictures you've seen of the narrow streets and alleys, the steps that go up and down, the red tile roofs, the apartments over the shops, the balconies full of flowers and the feeling of antiquity doesn't even begin to do justice to the reality of Cortono. Everything is so much more alive. You look around and breathe in the atmosphere with a smile. The shops are charming, the people friendly and the squares are full of tourists eating gelato.

We quickly discovered that Cortono has two piazzas in its city center, and as is true throughout Italy, there are a wide variety of sweet shops, snack bars and restaurants to choose from. We sat outside for lunch, overlooking the second square we had come to at a restaurant called D'Loggia and watched the passing parade of tourists. The veal was outstanding. I can safely say that during our stay in Italy, we never had a bad meal. And, we had quite a few that were better than excellent.

So much food to be eaten, so much wine to taste. So many sunrises and sunsets to enjoy. Two weeks was not enough. Which is why Italy should be on your hit list with your clients and I will be treating OSSN members to future "Tales from Tuscany" over the next few months.

Future topics:

• First Tango in Venice
• A Five-Course Meal at a Winery
• A horse named Rhonda
• Venus on the half-shell