easyfrascati.com
Contact us
  • Home
    • History of Frascati
    • ''Where wine was born'' Why?
    • Villa Falconieri Vivarium Novum
    • Villa Taverna Borghese Parisi
    • Voynich Manuscript and Villa Mondragone
    • Panoramic spots
    • What to buy apart from wine?
  • Online Wine Tasting course
  • A Unique Day at Lake Nemi
    • Other Things to do >
      • Roman Ruins on Tusculum (Ancient Frascati - The Philosophers' Hill)
      • Where (and what) to eat >
        • Cacciani Restaurant and Hotel
        • Zarazà Restaurant
        • Ristorante Belvedere dal 1933
        • La Vecchia Frasca - Restaurant/trattoria
        • Osteria San Rocco
        • Spirito diVino
        • La Stanza del Duca
        • Dario Rossi "Greed "Ice cream parlour
      • Activities >
        • A great local, giving great tours
        • Mountain Bike trails (bike provided) >
          • Mountain Bike picture gallery
        • David Morton's Roman Road Walks
        • Horse riding through the vineyards and countryside
        • Polo Club - Polo lessons and Horse Riding
        • Vulcano Archaeopark Open Air Museum
        • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
        • Lympha Spa
        • Ferrari Test drive, Limousine and deluxe car hire
        • Youngsters >
          • Vulcano Archaeological Park Open Air Museum
          • Paintball
          • Garden GOLF University
      • Where to Sleep >
        • Hotel Flora
        • Villa Tuscolana Hotel
        • Tenuta di Pietra Porzia
        • Cacciani Hotel and Restaurant
        • Casale Sonnino - Monte Porzio (VIlla rental)
        • Merumalia Agritourism and Winery
        • Green (Pet) Hotel Poggio Regillo
        • Hotel Pietra di Ponente (Ciampino)
        • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
        • Locanda Il Mascherino
        • B+B Il Cucù
      • Get Married! (Weddings and Engagements)
      • Golf Club Castelgandolfo
      • Garden GOLF University
      • Theme Parks >
        • Cinecitta World
        • Rainbow Magicland
  • Frascati Wine Tours
    • Principe Pallavicini Winery
  • Getting around
    • Audioguide info
    • Train Times From Termini
    • Taxi Castelli Romani
    • moped/motorbike/car hire/microcar hire
    • Chauffeur driven car or minibus- NCCservicedrive
    • Ferrari Test drive, Limousine and deluxe car hire
  • Travel Agent Information
  • Wine Glossary Italian-English
  • Expat notice board
  • Blog
  • Markets
  • Contact
    • Maps
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and conditions of use of this website
  • Frascati Cooking That's Amore
  • Risorse per le Cantine e Service Providers di Frascati
  • Free Castelli Romani Guide book download
  • Free Foodie's Guide of local recipes and typical products

The 'Chiarata'

3/4/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
Right now, in these days of the Easter festivities, I was reminded of the odour of eggs that during this period you could once smell around the lanes of Frascati and Marino, where the doors of many cellars were flung open.

Between March and April thousands of eggs were cracked open, often coming from hens kept in the campagna in and around the vineyards. This was nothing to do with the rebirth rite connected to Easter. And nor were they chocolate eggs with surprises inside. The whites were separated (I can remember so well sticking my fingers in the soft yellow spheres!) so that the ‘chiarate’ could be prepared: a Botte barrel of a thousand litres would need 30 beaten whites, that descending through the wine would clarify from any impurities suspended. Dragging them to sediment on the bottom, leaving just the limpid and perfumed wine behind.

The yolks became our biscuits, ciambelloni cakes, tozzetti (or the hard chewy mostaccioli if honey was added), but never, ever, cantucci!

An ancient oenological technique that of the chiarata, centuries-old, descending through the wonderful world of farmers that always had a watchful eye on health and knew how to live well with little. Disastrous to lose such people.


1 Comment
Gareth link
8/4/2015 05:06:47 am

Beautifully written a from a strong knowledge base. Unusual in wine and food writing all too often. Bravo. A joy to read.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Easyfrascati

    a group of people, that have lived and experienced the wonderful atmosphere of Frascati for many years, and now wish to share it with you.

    Archives

    September 2021
    February 2020
    January 2017
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Boia
    Frascati
    Lake Regillo
    Lake Regillus
    Mastro Titta
    Romans
    Tiber
    Wine
    Wine Cart

    RSS Feed



Copyright © easyfrascati.com 2022
Picture
Contact