OMG- Have we got a restaurant for you!

Yesterday, Tuesday, Mike and I took it easy (as if any other day is hard, stressful work) almost all day while Caitie was in class nonstop from 9:00 until 5:00 (we're glad she is spending our money wisely). Mike read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as if his life depended on it. In fact, while I was out for my walk, I found a bookstore with a tiny rack of English language books and bought him the sequel so that he doesn't suffer withdrawl when he finishes it. I think he will believe my book recommendations in the future. For those of you who have missed it... you are really missing out.


A little after 5:00 Caitie arrived and we visited for an hour until Pietro came to pick us up. Even after the wonderful meal he had served us the previous night, he and his mother had worked on another surprise meal. One of his mother's patients is from a restaurant family. Dad is the chef, complete with white apron and tall hat, and Mom runs the dining room. Patrizia, Pietro's mother had called them and arranged a meal for us; all as another treat from them. We are forever in their debt for the collective two dinners. This was spectacular.


The evening started with Caitie and I piling into the back seat of Pietro's family car for ride into the countryside. Mike rode shotgun while Pietro chauffered us to the seaside. Ferrara is inland about 70 miles or so from the coast, near Venice. Within minutes of leaving our convent within central Ferrara we were buzzing down country highways on our way to the seaside. We stopped for fuel at one point and Pietro filled the car with GPL (I think I got those initials in the right order), which I think is liquid propane gas. This car is rated "green" because it utilizes this low emission fuel, which allows it to be driven on days in which Ferrara is closed to traffic to control emissions. Pietro says that this happens in the winter usually on weekends when the air quality is poor and they want to clean it up. Police locate on the roads leading into the city and stop all cars. Only public transportation, bikes and cars are allowed into the city on those days. He told us that this city is known for its bike travel (which is obvious to any but the densest observer) because the ancient streets are so narrow that driving, and particularly, parking, are too difficult to make car commuting popular.


Our first stop was the tiny town of Comacchio ( http://www.comacchio.it/) which calls itself "little Venice". This little fishing village has canals and bridges that have earned it that designation. Apparently the people there are primarily fisherman who work with the huge migration of eels that breed there, swim through the canals back out to sea, across the ocean to winter in the Gulf of Mexico, then return to breed in Comacchio. In addition to eels, mussels are farmed here and the fisherman go out to sea to bring in all kinds of fish. We parked and walked across a bridge over the canals- enjoying the fresh sea air with whifts of fish, and the beautiful evening setting sun reflecting on the canals. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera, so the photos I have just posted to the blog for Comacchio are borrowed from Luigi, some generous soul who posted his photos in a public site on Picasa. Thanks for sharing Luigi!


We loaded back into the car for our second stop- a little beach resort nearby (sorry- no name). We were clearly visiting a few weeks before the beginning of the season- most of the establishments along the beach were closed. The lido, or beach, had side-by-side beach clubs, gated areas with dressing rooms, eating areas, playgrounds for children, ping pong tables, and sometimes elaborate carnival type activities. Apparently when you visit this area for the summer, you sign on to one of the clubs and sit on the beach in front of them, the area whose access is controlled by the club, charging your drinks, beach access, toy rental, food, etc. which you pay for at the end of your trip. We found an open gate at one of the clubs and parked. Apparently it was not yet open for the season, but someone was there painting and allowed us to walk around and walk down their path to the beach. It was deserted, windy and cold, but Pietro's descriptions of the summer made it come alive with wall-to-wall towels, people and noise. As Mike said when we turned around to leave, "This place can hold a lot of Speedos (in reference to the European men's affection for lycra swimsuits".


We drove through the resort village, which Pietro said his parent's had visited each summer when he and his sister were young, apparently as a right of passage. When the children outgrew the visits his parents admitted to hating the place. It reminded Mike of Jones beach or Coney Island. Worn and tacky but in a great location. We stopped and had a glass of Prosecco (the wonderful Italian sparkling wine Caitie turned us on to) at a deserted, but open Irish pub.


Our final stop was the Osteria dei Colosi (restaurant of the gluttons) in Mesola. Hidden near the beautiful castle in Mesola, the restaurant is amazing- cozy and inviting.(http://www.osteriadeigolosi.it/ ) We were greeted warmly and shown to a private dining room upstairs above the main dining area. Wth slanted ceilings covered in knotty pine, the dining room felt like we were sitting in a special attic dining room. After bringing us a couple of bottles of drinking water, the chef arrived to discuss the menu with Pietro. They had a comprehensive written menu but it was not consulted at all as they decided on our meal. Caitie followed along and provided the voice of reason in portion control, and even with her suggestions we had an enormous meal. The antipasto, or appetizer course, was composed of a wooden platter with small dishes of olives, pickled onions and pickled pumpkin. There was tender and delicious sliced meats. We had a basket of freshly baked bread and another of deep fried goodies that I have never had before, like a risotto-like soft rice ball, but hope to try again some day. All of this was accompanied by a wonderful wine recommended by the chef.


Our next course was pasta - a dish of ravioli and another of tortolini. The ravioli was filled with a tender meat and served lightly in a cream sauce with crushed pistachios on top.. The tortolini had a radicchio filling and was served in a very light butter sauce with shavings of proschuito. Both were wonderful.


As the empty pasta bowls and scraped clean plates were cleared away, two bowls of roasted potatoes and rosemary and two bowls of salad were delivered; the former for the guys and the later for the girls. Anyone who has ever eaten with Caitie knows that she is passionate about her salads. Once the vegetables hit the table, the chef delivered the most amazing beef. It was sliced entrecote with sea salt and rosemary. It was possibly the best beef any of us had ever eaten. The chef told us that after years of working in restaurants throughout Europe and sourcing his beef from places like Argentina and Tuscany, he had finally settled on the best source he had found so far.... Nebraska!

The chef showed up again after the dinner dishes were cleared away to ask about dessert. He conferred with Pietro about affection for gelato (Mike and Caitie) and chocolate (me) and left only to return with profiteroles (Mike and Pietro), frozen rice custard (Caitie) and decadent choclate torte (me). Additionally, we were served two glass bottles from the freezer, with ice on the sides. One with homemade lemoncello (if you haven't ever had this you have to try it... and freeze the bottle, too) and the other with a homemade black licorice liquor. At this point, a clear devide formed...those that love licorice (Pietro and me) and those that don't (Mike and Caitie). We each had a couple of shots of these sweet and wonderful treats and washed them down with our tiny cups of decaffinated espresso.

After this major impressive meal, we were shown to our car without being able to pay. Pietro's mother had arranged to pay for the meal, but it is not clear whether the proprieters would permit her to pay, as they have treated her family to meals in the past. It was an amazing meal and and amzing gift. I suggest that anyone visiting Venice rent a car for an evening and drive out to try this place. Tell them Patrizia sent you. It worked for us!

So now we have sworn off food for awhile. At least for the next half hour until 12:45 when we meet Caitie and four school friends for pizza.

Love, Deanne