The last day at Torre Fiore was spent going to a vineyard, where once again we had another 10 course lunch lasting about 3 hours! Too much food and way too long for me to sit.  I loved all the fresh fruits, vegetables, breads and oodles of olive oil, but the main courses were not my favorite.  Heavy meat based diet again with loads of olive oil.  (take a look at the shots).  Not exactly light fare.  But the ambiance, service and wonderful conversation was fantastic.  Between Frank Giannone and Hazel McCallion, meal time could not get better, especially with Hazel waking before all and outlasting all of us at night!  What a woman.  

A band greeting us at a vineyard

Food from Basilicato. This was one of the next 10 courses

Local made prosciuto and melon

Salad with fresh buffalo mozarella

Just before we left Torre Fiore, I went for my hour run before taking a 4 hour car ride to Naples.  Well, there I was running my merry way beside dozens of farms, when I turned to go back and realized that I was running back longer than the first way.  Which translates into me getting lost!  Now, no cell phone, my Italian is quite limited and no one in sight except for roosters!  A little panicky, I began speaking to any farmer I caught the sight of, playing charades in Italian!  Trying to say, help, I’m a stupid lost Canadian, and my family is waiting at the hotel, bags packed, ready to go!  Not much luck until one farmer asked me to wait “dieci minuti” (10 minutes) and he would drive me over with his 50 bushels of freshly picked plum tomatoes!  Having seen too many murder movies, I was holding onto the car door handle, ready to escape, if anything happened.  As my family always asks, “what’s wrong with you mom?”  As you have now guessed he wasn’t a serial killer and I arrived safely with my entire family screaming at me for being so late!

Onto my brother in laws boat on the magnificent Amalfi Coast.  Eli Reisman, Sam’s brother,  loves boating and this was quite the experience for my family.  A sleek beautiful yacht based in Monaco.  We picked it up in Naples and motored down the Amalfi coast visiting Positano and Capri. Bella!!  Of course I have photos for you!  For an active person like myself boating is a tough adventure when you need exercise.  Yes, for sure the swimming is wonderful, but running and walking can pose a bit of a problem!  But low and behold I’m resourceful.  The captain, Baldo, (looks and sounds like James Bond) had me shipped to shore each day to have my fix!  A long run or a walk to my hearts content.  (I had to do something to walk off those gelatos!)

Our floating home

Kids taking it all in

Magnificent Positano

Sam acting as captain Reisman

Sam taking a dip

Adam taking the plunge

Next GQ Cover!

Man on a Mission

kids being kids

The chef on board must have studied with Mark McEwan (North 44).  He naturally cooked light, creatively and the food was absolutely delicious.  Asian gravlax; seabass with olive roe over a seafood foam with fresh clams!!  Now no offense to Basilicata, where we ate for the first few days of this trip, but this definitely was my kind of food.

The kids are having a blast.  Natalie and Ricky, soon to be married, consider this their pre-honey moon!

Well off to the main land for my morning workout!  Ciao!

Rosa