Basilicata -Our Sojourn for Seven Weeks.
16th September – 4th November.
Our Long Stay in Basilicata – MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
Hello – this is Jackie back again to tell you about our long stay at Masseria Mazzapede. As Graham said, we were a little disappointed not to be nearer a small community, as we had expected. Instead, after a wonderful tour through France down to Southern Italy we found ourselves in a different adventure, ensconced in what had obviously been a very grand house; the wide, arched verandas and spacious rooms were ample evidence of this; but it had evidently not been lived in for some years, and was consequently sadly shabby…
I wrote the following notes shortly after our arrival:
It’s 26C today, but we have had 35C during the first two weeks of touring, and yet it feels very hot here. We are in a very rural part of Italy, though happily only a thirty-minute drive from Matera with its incredible Sassi (City of Stones)
We have been through mountains, forests in the clouds, across steppes, and driving amongst 96 extinct volcanoes. Now we will stay seven weeks in this lovely, now somewhat neglected farmhouse overlooking a pretty lake that is surrounded by woods hiding boar and deer, but also, Giuseppe says, wolves in winter. Kites and falcons and even eagles soar overhead – but also vultures. There are two dogs at this villa (one over-exuberant and the other suffering from mange – I wish it wouldn’t lay on the veranda cushions) and five kittens. We saw their almost-feral mother only today.
Giuseppe, our host, is very charming, with excellent English. Wanting to perfect this he requested us not to try out our almost non-existent Italian (which was a small disappointment, after our spending so many hours trying to learn from books and the internet). We could understand this – but we had certainly hoped, in that period, to improve our communication skills, with a little help. Still – we could hardly argue the toss when we were in his home.
The evening of our arrival he sat us down in his living room (which had two wide fireplaces for burning logs; also on one wall the severed head of an absolute giant of a black wild boar. He cooked pasta for us and also for Elena, the Russian volunteer who had come to assist him in clearing his little olive grove. We greatly appreciated this welcome; the more so when next day we realised that we would have had at least another half-hour journey to have eaten out that evening.
We were a bit taken aback that the flat we had rented (comprising most of the upper floor of the villa) was not yet available, as Giuseppe was awaiting men to lay the new laminated flooring. So for the time being we’ve had to move into a smallish room, together with all our luggage for three months; two suitcases, two backpacks and numerous boxes and bags. Luckily there is a toilet just outside the room, with a cold-water wash-hand basin. The big consolation was that the French doors lead onto a fig and rose-entwined veranda overlooking the lake. We would have been able to see Matera in the distance had there not been a large hill in the way.
MY WONDERFUL SURPRISE.
19th September:
‘I am knocked out by the wonderful hospitality we have enjoyed. Not only had Giuseppe cooked our supper on our first evening, but just after our arrival on Friday we were told ‘You are invited to a family party.’
‘On Saturday evening we attended a great big extended-family affair down the road; awnings over long trestle tables groaning with all manner of local home-cooked food, and then a barbecue for the 200-odd people milling around… And yesterday (Sunday) we were told to be ready at 1pm for a ‘family barbecue’ on one of the verandas that wrap around this villa.
Imagine my surprise when I found that I was the guest of honour – Giuseppe had remembered my email stating that my birthday was on 18th.
His mother, Giulia, who has very good English, sat next to me and wished me ‘Happy Birthday’, and my health was drunk by all present (about ten or twelve people – Italians love to gather ALL their family round them for a feast). After a starter of homemade mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, big bowls of crisp salad were passed around, and more wine poured in our paper cups. It was then that Giulia asked ‘Where is Elena?’
The Russian girl had got up from the table just before the toasts, and we were about to move on to hot dishes, which the women were afraid would spoil. After a further ten minutes, and many frowns from his mother Giuseppe excused himself and went in search of Elena, who was more or less pulled to the table, looking very sulky and with wet hair. (It appeared that this teenager was put out by the competition caused by newly-86-year old me! As time went on we all deduced that she was hoping to lure Giuseppe into marrying her).
Now, with Elena seated next to Giuseppe, came the best pasta dish I have ever tasted – I really enjoyed it. It had been pre-cooked by Giuseppe’s rather glamorous sister Angela, and the penne were tender in a tasty sauce full of fine-cut vegetables and meat.
Angela’s husband presided over the large, primitive barbecue, cooking herbed lamb chops and other meats. More wine was consumed with crusty bread while we all waited for our generous portions.
There was then a lull when the stately Giulia rose to read out in Italian and English an extended welcome to ‘the guests of our family’ and then a special, formal Happy Birthday wish for me, at which point an enormous ‘cake’ was brought in – a wonderful concoction of sponge that somehow was crisp like pastry, and as light and brittle as meringue. It hid a centre of fresh lemon paste – the only way I can describe it. (I am wondering if it was a mixture of fresh lemon pulp and ricotta cheese – or mascarpone, or the very creamy stracciatelle). It was absolutely exquisite – light as a feather. There’s masses left, and every time I eat a small slice I feel honoured and humbled by this Italian family’s hospitality.’
Written by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
