Florence Dawn to Dusk and by Night

Annamaria on Monday

Here are some sights I've seen over the past week, which began with the celebration, last Sunday with the Feast of the Epiphany, which in Florence is called La Befana, after the Italian equivalent of Santa Claus.  This gift-giver is a woman and comes on the day commemorating those legendary gift-givers, the Magi.

La Befana in a chocolate shop

Over the past few years, it has become my tradition to invite the family that so generously includes me in their Christmas celebration to enjoy a special lunch with me on La Befana.  This year, we gathered to taste the delights of Chef Eduardo Tilli at his Agriturismo Podere Belvedere near Pontassieve in the Tuscan countryside.

Tilli is a kitchen magician.  I don't want to risk pins of envy being stuck in dolls meant to resemble me, so I won't describe all the six courses.  I offer only one example: my dessert.  It was described as orange cheese cake - a totally inadequate moniker for this:

It looked like a fresh orange balanced on some chocolate bits.

Inside, it was ambrosia!  Sweet creamy cheese filling between
two layers of the subtlest bright orange sugar glaze,
with an intensely-orange filling.  The chocolate bits only
added to the fun!  I wanted another one, IMMEDIATELY!
I want another one RIGHT NOW!

Our fast-developing chef Lorenzo Brandini with Chef Tilli

That evening, we took one last look at the view from Chef Tilli's front door and drove back to Florence for one last look at the holiday projections.

I spent the intervening week enjoying the gorgeous atmosphere of my home away from home.

Dawn

Dusk

Dome of the historic synagog.

Dome of the duomo

Nightime

"Speranza" means hope.  May hope light up our lives!

In the intervening hours between dawn and dusk, I have been hard at my work in progress.  Writing a book is an act of hope.  I hope that one day, I will have a lot more to say about the story that is forming in my imagination now.