There was a restaurant on the Borgo's property that sat about 25 people, all at 3 large communal tables. Food was served family-style, and reservations had to be made by 11am the day you wished to dine there, as the chef (Dina, she spoke little English) cooked everything that day, using fresh vegetables, herbs, and hand-made pasta. Everything swam in olive oil, but amazingly enough was not heavy - just GOOD.

The menu was seasonal, and was the same weekly, but different each day of the week (there were no choices - this is what was served!). The manager of the place had asked Neil if he would like a reservation the day we arrived, and we took him up on it. Little did we know it was Pizza Night, as it was every Monday! After 10 hours on a plane, 3 hours in a car, and an afternoon of trying to stay awake and fight jet-leg, this is what we were in for:

Pizza al proscuitto e funghi (cured ham and mushroom)

Pizza al tonno (tuna - with olives!)

Pizza alla salsiccia (homemade sausage)

Piaaz alle verdure miste (mixed vegetables) - shown here with our neighbors up the hill, Ian and Barbara, who were very English and very nice - and rather fun!

Pizza alle cipolle (onion - our favorite - it was SO sweet and yummy!)

Missing: Pizza margherita (tomato and fresh mozerella), Pizza napolentana (capers and anchovies). Each pizza was very thin, very crisp - and drenched in delicious olive oil. Everyone at the table had at least one slice of each, green salad to start, and lemon gelato and limoncello (a liqueur made from lemon rinds, sugar syrup, and alcohol) to finish the meal. What a welcome to Italy!

Here is our pizza night table. Ian and Barbara on the left, Jules and Mark in the middle (they were also British, as most of the guests were - they were also cops!), and the very tired and full newlyweds on the right.

Here is our last night at the Borgo - this time we ate with a couple from Philadelphia (we discussed Curtis and the Philadelphia Orchestra's new performance hall, of course), and 2 other couples from Britan. The couple across from us, Rob and Jane, were spending their first anniversay here! They spent THEIR honeymoon in Vegas, Hawaii, and San Francisco, but were obsessed with Chicago. So we may have visitors next fall!

The Last Supper consisted of:

Insalata di farro (spelt/barley salad marinated with seasonal garden vegetables)

Tortelloni al tartufo (fresh homemade ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta, tossed in a black truffle sauce - some of the best pasta we've ever eaten)

Tagliata di Chianina al rosmarino e pepe verde con legumi e verdure di stagione cotte nel forno a legna (Charcoal grilled Chianina beef steak, sliced and served with olive oil and rosemary - which was growing everywhere - and green peppercorns; accompanied with oven baked vegetables and beans.)

Dessert was.... GELATO! Yum.

Here's a few other photos we liked from Borgo di Vagli, taken inside our own Apartment No. 2.

On to Cortona!