Day 5: Volterra
Today was our first full day in Volterra. We had dinner the previous night where Arin enjoyed the Zuppa Volterra (very similar to minestrone soup with a lot of bread in it). Weather wise, it's a contrast to Rome's relatively mild temperatures and sunshine. It got a little colder and wet, but that didn't mean we couldn't have a good time!
Volterra Starts
For our actual tour of Volterra, we met up with Annie, an American who's been living here for many years. She was happy to lead us around the town, teaching us about the early Etruscans, who were here before Romans. As we walked around in this dewy morning, we went to an alabaster workshop and got to see the men at work. It was incredible to see how quickly alabaster turns into smalls bowls, dishes, and other items!
Food & Wine
Following our tour, we got a lot of free time to walk around and explore Volterra on our own. This was the first time Cithara tried ravioli gnudi (basically ravioli with just the insides and no pasta). We also learned that it's not the season for truffles (artichoke for spring, truffles for fall) but they still put some on the ravioli. In Tuscany, boar meat is very popular. Even in the stores, they sold plenty of merchandise with boar on it!
​
Some time in the evening, we went down to get a quick wine tasting with some meats, cheeses, and bruschetta. We learned how to judge wines and even got to try both, red and white wines.
​
Tip: When it comes to cooking with wine, it's pretty simple. Red wine for red meats. White wine for white meats.