Rock of Ages

As you wind your way on narrow hilly roads, you view yet another improbable structure, in this case a castle built by the the Medieval powerhouse in this area, the Aldobrandeschis. The castle arises out of hard rock. The town has a church at its center with some impressive 16th century frescos. But the biggest delight of the trip to the foothills of Mt. Amiata was the chance encounter with an 82 year-old hearty resident who took us on a tour of a Medieval mill, across a swift creek, and to the other side on a plank that he lifted as if it weighed as much as a stick. The incredible heartiness of this gentle man, his willingness to spend time with us, is a reflection of the very friendly people we have encountered throughout the area and we are ever thankful.


As we were looking around Roccalbegna, Kate spied a man working in a vegetable garden. A buon giorna was all it took to get a lively conversation going, an explanation of the town, its history, and a tour of an old fattoria used by early town residents. It even included a visit to his small farm and pets for his donkey.




Thankfully, we had Kate with us to translate as the gentlemen explained how the early inhabitants of Roccalbegna diverted the water from the river to a holding pond where the water was then channeled through an opening in a wall to turn the wheels to grind olives for olive oil, wheat for flour, grain for fodder and various other foods for sustenance. He told us that when he arrived in Roccalbegna 50 years ago, the fattoria was already not in operation. Suffice it to say it is an ancient structure.




Just outside Roccalbegna sits a modern cheese producer, Caseificio Il Fiornio. The sleek tasting room belied the traditional pecorino (sheep) cheeses being served. We tasted progressively aged pecorino cheeses from very fresh and new, to one aged in wine and the other in straw, and finally a mild blue veined cheese. We purchased a large chunk of the blue vein pecorino, an innovation of this particular producer as it is apparently a difficult process to get this effect, and a round, parmesan looking cheese that was aged in straw and with a distinctive taste. (www.caseificioilfiorino.it)

After the cheese tasting, we headed to yet another picturesque town perched on a rock before returning home.