Cooking   with Danilo

During our second week in Siena, we all traveled to Poggio Alla Croce, where some years ago we met the Becatinni Family—Danilo, GianCarla and Lorenzo and Rina and Dario,GianCarla's parents and doting grandparents to Lorenzo.

For many years, Danilo, with the help of his family, operated a great little restaurant in the town, but with the grandparents aging and Lorenzo now working full time in the fashion industry, they decided to close the restaurant. 

Today they concentrate on hosting tourists visiting the area in the four apartments that they own in the town, which is only 10 miles from Florence. 

However, Danilo, who  is a wonderful traditional cook, misses cooking and whenever the opportunity permits, is happy to show visitors how to make great Tuscan food, like ravioli, panzanella, and tiramisu.   

These are the dishes he demonstrated in a three hour cooking lesson. Simple foods but they have to be done right. 

Mart, Jennifer, Steve and Blythe were the eager students. 

Sue, Larry, Carole and Bob served as cheerleaders and photographers.  

It was a fun time when some of us discovered cooking talents we didn't know  we had, while others of us decided that it was almost as much fun to watch a cooking lessons as to participate in one.  All of us really enjoyed the results of the lesson. 

Danilo asked us to dine in the family loggia that looks out to Florence in the far distance ; he joined us for coffee  and dessert and regaled us with stories and pictures of the family and of their many guests over the years. He is a true gentleman, comfortable  with his guests, and despite not being able to speak English, seems to communicate with ease what needs to be said. It was experience we will all long remember.

We all got to share in the meal created by Danilo and his willing  students, dining in the Becatinnis beautiful loggia...

with its beautiful vistas of the Tuscan countryside. 

The cooks were rightfully proud of their accomplishments!