Fontana Del Papa

MAKING LIMONCELLO -- I have to say that I returned from my ‘weekend quickie’ to Italy with memories of a great vacation that was a bit more than I imagined. Especially because the original reason for the trip, which was to view properties for sale in and around the town of L’Aquila, was cancelled due to a catastrophic earthquake on April 6, 2009. I had a plane ticket and time off from work that I was not willing to give up, so I put the word out to friends that I was looking for an alternative p...

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MAKING LIMONCELLO -- I have to say that I returned from my ‘weekend quickie’ to Italy with memories of a great vacation that was a bit more than I imagined. Especially because the original reason for the trip, which was to view properties for sale in and around the town of L’Aquila, was cancelled due to a catastrophic earthquake on April 6, 2009. I had a plane ticket and time off from work that I was not willing to give up, so I put the word out to friends that I was looking for an alternative place to go. When life gives me lemons I make limoncello. In four short days I had one of the most relaxing and interesting times I have every experienced in my twenty plus years of traveling in and around Italy. And, most importantly, I did not have to plan anything other than making the reservation. Everything was provided by the owners of the Fontana del Papa, Assuntina Antonacci and Claudio Pierotti. Fontana del Papa The Fontana del Papa, a lovingly restored 16th century farm house, is located on a very expansive piece of land. Wide open views across olive groves, rolling hills and valleys compete for your attention with the views of the nearby hill town and ruined castle of Tolfa.
Most foreigners know this region as Lazio, in association with Rome, which is less than an hour south and slightly to the east. While that is how it is referenced in most travel books, the locals refer to the area as Etruria. In fact, Etruria also encompasses portions of Tuscany and
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Umbria. Tolfa was very valuable to the Etruscans because of its coastal and mountainous terrain and also because of alum, a natural resource in the area. Here can be found ancient ruins of homes, castles, tombs, roads and more. In Monti della Tolfa wild boar, foxes and horses still roam free and the lucky travelers who come upon this area are encouraged to do the same, roam freely. Your imagination is waiting for you. Fontana del Papa, the Pope’s Fountain, is more than an average bed and breakfast. In addition to a comfortable, well appointed room with good local art on the walls and a private bath, you are treated to three meals each day, off property excursions and roundtrip airport transfers. If you are so inclined, you may also participate in cooking lessons. I did not opt for the culinary classes; however I did have a wine lesson with Claudio, who is a certified sommelier. His advice was priceless. Assuntina and Claudio, along with their three children and some wonderful local help, have created an experience for their guests of what it is like to live with an Italian family. Each guest has the option of doing as much or as little as they wish. For myself, I chose the latter. Guests are invited to share in the day to day activities of the farm, exploring the countryside with or without a guide, visiting the village of Tolfa and its ancient castle, now in ruins, as well as taking short excursions by car to see Etruscan tombs in Cerveteri or Tarquinia or, a trip to the nearby hot springs of Bagnarello. Many more options are also available. It is up to the individual to decide what they want to do. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were served family style. Breakfast was an “as you like it” continental style meal served on the outdoor dining terrace overlooking the ponds below and the valley beyond. Lunches and dinners were prepared by students in the family’s kitchen. Depending on the weather, you either sit outside on the terrace or in the dining room in front of a very large fire place. The lunches and dinners, prepared by whoever decided to take the cooking lesson that day, were never disappointing. Freshly made pan pizza, created in the kitchen by the students and cooked in the outdoor wood burning oven, were my favorite dish. There is also a variety of other local dishes such as handmade ravioli, fettuccine, ragu’, salads, fruit dishes and desserts. A large portion of the food prepared was taken from the organic vegetable gardens on the property. Fresh eggs from chickens and geese were used. Pizza, fresh from the oven.
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Stefano at the pizza oven. Vegetables and fresh eggs from the garden & chicken coops. One is a big goose egg. The kitchen was a very lively place to be mid-morning and late afternoon. Singing while you work seems to be a normal activity in this kitchen. A visitor coming in and out of the kitchen to check on the progress of the students was totally acceptable. Julia, far left, instructs on how to make fettuccine, MY TRIP I arrived on May the 1st, a Friday morning, an hour earlier than planned, to the Fiumicino Airport. I knew to look for a yellow sign being held by a greeter with the name Fontana del Papa on it. Since I was so early I thought it best to call to let them know of my early arrival. Apparently I missed dialed the number. However, what happened because of my mistake only showcases why I so enjoy traveling in Italy.
A gentleman answered with what I have come to know as the standard Italian greeting when answering the telephone. They say “Pronto”, which means they are ready to listen, go
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ahead and speak. So, using my very rudimentary language skills, I indicated I was at the airport and would stand by until I spotted the greeter with the yellow sign. The gentleman then began to sing to me and ended by letting me know that I had reached a wrong number. First time I have been serenaded by a total stranger. How wonderful is that? Eventually I did make contact with Assuntina Antanucci. She let me know that she was expecting another guest, Virginia, coming in from London. We had about an hour and a half to wait. So, she treated me to a cornetto and tea. We proceeded out to her car, met her husband Claudio Pierotti, and then left the airport for a quick stop for some groceries at a local store before coming back to pickup Virginia. In less than an hour of landing, I have been treated to an Italian serenade, a fresh cornetto and a shopping trip to a local grocery store which allowed me to see what products the locals prefer. One can only wonder what will happen over the next few days. After getting Virginia at the airport, we proceeded north to the homestead. Upon arriving I met Linda, visiting for a week from Australia, and a couple from Rome who had come up for the holiday weekend for a little getaway with their daughter. Giordano and his wife, Luisa, and one year old Martina, added even more Italian flavor to the mix. This batch of limoncello is going to be delizioso! Lunch was awaiting us and had been prepared by Linda and one of the two cooking instructors, Julia. We had a fresh salad that was an entire meal within itself and a locally made white wine with a warm, amber, gold color. Wish they sold it in the stores, but it was not possible to get a bottle to bring home. Linda explains to Virginia & Assuntina what is for lunch. After settling into my room and taking a much needed two hour nap (I had been up for over twenty-four hours) I was refreshed and back downstairs in time for a quick trip into the village of Tolfa. Linda and I had a leisurely stroll around the piazza and the gardens near the town hall. Then I was treated to a nice cone of gelato. There is nothing quite like Italian ice cream to make you feel marvelous. We also visited a leather shop where you can watch a craftsman make the leather products on sale in his shop. Soon, Claudio came to collect us as Linda needed to help prepare the evening meal.
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For the next two days I ate like royalty, spent my time between lounging by the pool in the warm sunshine reading a book, walking around the property and being chased by hissing geese, interacting with fellow guests and family members and going on excursions. My Saturday sightseeing trip was to one of the most ancient and important cities of Etruria. Located on the western coast about a thirty minute ride from Tolfa, is the city of Cerveteri. Here you can visit the Banditaccia Necropolis, the most important necropolis of all Etruria. Visitors are allowed to enter into the “fossa” or pit tombs of the early Etruscans. Many of the tumuli, such as the Tomb of the Reliefs (4th to 3rd century BC), allows you a look back in history to what was important to life in that time. This particular tomb is of the Matuna family and indicates their wealth and nobility. The interior is magnificently decorated with friezes and contains many of the ordinary day to day items found in the household. It is all shown behind glass that, while protecting the interior of the tomb, is not conducive for photography. Entrance to Tomb of the Reliefs On Sunday, another day of relaxation, I got to meet Mary Jane Cryan. Mary Jane is an American who came to this area of Italy over four decades ago. As she said, “I fell in love with an Italian, married years later and the rest is history.” I had not met Mary Jane in person before this trip. She and I were introduced by a college mate of hers and we became internet friends. It is because of her that I found this lovely spot of heaven. She and Assuntina are friends, thus the reason for my being here.
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Fulvio, Assuntina, Mary Jane and me.
Mary Jane is an author who has written about Etruria and has a wonderful website I suggest you visit to learn more about this area. You can also learn more about the books she has written and order them for yourself. www.elegantetruria.com I encourage you to take a look. Later in the afternoon, Virginia and I take another trip into Tolfa for the sole purpose of climbing around the castle ruins. The trek up the hill is not overly difficult and well worth the effort. However, the day we went up was windy to the point of almost blowing us over. But we persevered. The view from the summit is breathtaking. The castle ruins.
Good thing there is a fence to back me up.
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The countryside of Etruria. After our descent back into the Tolfa, Virginia and I took our time walking around to check out the local outdoor vendors. We also stopped in the leather shop I had visited on Friday to buy a gift for a friend back home. I couldn’t resist buying some fresh olives to nibble on as we walked. Claudio came to get us and proposed that we have a cappuccino before heading back to the farm. As Claudio left to get our drinks, Virginia and I were approached by a young man who said he was so starved for the English language he hoped we did not mind his intrusion. His name is Kevin and he hails from Michigan. He has been in Tolfa for two years working as an archeologist on a dig site here that has to do with some of the Etruscan ruins. He sat down with us and told of his tour in Pompeii before coming to this area. Overall, he has been in Italy for eight years and says he can speak very good Italian, but at times misses being able to speak English. Kevin and Claudio in the main piazza of Tolfa
For my final night at the Fontana del Papa there was only Virginia and I as guests. Rather than sit at the big dining table we were invited to join the family in the kitchen for dinner at their table. The conversation was lively and fun as we discussed the daily concerns of their lives.
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Luca, the oldest, is trying to decide what is next. At 25 this is a big decision. He will spend the summer at the farm but after that does he go back to school or go away for a job? Emma, the middle child at 18, is very much involved with the family business. Andrea is your typical 15 year old who is more interested in his motorbike and friends than he is his schooling. We all tried to cajole him into admitting that he honestly does enjoy school. I spent my last meal having conversations about things that all families talk about around the dining table. There is nothing different between Assuntina & Claudio’s family in regards to their concerns and questions about life than any of my own relatives. I truly felt I was a part of their family.
You too can become a member of their family. Plan a trip to the Pope’s Fountain. Visit their wonderful and informative websites at www.cookitaly.it and www.fontanadelpapa.it. You will be changed in a positive and unexpected way. And you will be offered friendship as you have never experienced it before. The limoncello flows freely and is made right before your eyes. When life gives you lemons, well, you make the best of it. As little Martina taught me, I now make a loose fist out of each hand, with the thumbs extended, and bring them up to almost touch each cheek, move them in a semi circle back and forth and exclaim “Buono, buono!” “Limoncello e’ buono.”

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We did not know what to expect when we booked this B&B for Christmas. We were delighted at the beauty of this place and the wonderful food!

Spending Christmas in an Italian countryside 16th century farmhouse was a risky proposition. Like so many other Americans, the holidays are usually a time that we spend with family, enjoying the food and traditions that we cherish. This year, we decided that it might be fun to try something new. With our grown children’s blessing to ’go and have a great time’, we ventured to a small Italian town situated between Rome and Florence, high up in the hills of ancient Etruria, Italy. The results were extraordinary.

Claudio and Assuntina Pierotti, owners of ’Fontana del Papa’, along with their children, Luca, Emma and Andrea, welcomed us like members of their family and immediately we felt at home.

Our suite included a very large and beautifully appointed bedroom, complete with a romantic fireplace, four poster bed with delicious soft down quilts, beautiful bed linens, unbelievable paintings by a gifted local artist; a sitting room with a comfortable sofa, club chair, armoire, and table filled with books describing the region and all of its history. We felt as if we had gone back in time, but with all of the comforts of today!

Each day proved better than the last. Fontana del Papa offered cooking classes by a local woman, a culinary genius, who patiently and lovingly showed us step by step how to create true Italian feasts with simple preparation and a few essential ingredients. One of those ingredients is the olive oil produced from the hundreds of olive trees that embrace their landscape and lend a sense of tranquility to the countryside.

Claudio, a sommelier, offered us expert tutorials on the essentials of knowing good wine from ’not so good’ wine and each lesson ended with a wine tasting of many of Claudio’s finest collection.

During the day we took trips to surrounding towns, like Tarquinia, steeped in Etruscan history predating ancient Rome. The journeys included lively conversations with Claudio, a knowledgeable historian, with a wonderful sense of humor.

In the evenings when we returned to Fontana del Papa, we found a fire burning in the fireplace and the smells of culinary miracles coming from ’la cucina’.

This year we gave ourselves the best gift ever, the trip of a lifetime in one of the most beautiful places in the world. The added blessing was sharing it with this extraordinary family who will remain in our hearts forever - a risk that paid off “molto grande”.

We followed this initial trip with a longer second stay at Fontana del Papa of ten days that included both Christmas and Hew Years. We rented a car at Fiumicino and found our way to the Casa – having a vehicle enabled us to visit nearby places like Lago Bracciano, Montefiascone, Bolsena and a day trip to Orvieto but always returning in the evening to our home away from home in the land of our ancestors. Whoever said you can never go back had not visited Fontana del Papa and met these wonderful people. We will return next year.

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