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easyfrascati.com
  • 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?
  • Best Frascati Wine Tours 2025
    • Minardi Winery Tasting & Pasta or Pizza Masterclass
    • Cantina Santa Benedetta, chauffeur driven
    • Cantina Imperatori
    • Old Frascati Food and Wine Tours
    • Tours in Rome
  • Cookery course
  • Other Things to do
    • Activities >
      • A Unique Day at Lake Nemi
      • Jo's Culinary Jaunts
      • A great local, giving great tours
      • David Morton's Roman Road Walks
      • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
    • 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
      • La Stanza del Duca
    • 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
      • Hotel Pietra di Ponente (Ciampino)
      • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
      • B+B Il Cucù
    • Get Married! (Weddings and Engagements)
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    • Garden GOLF University
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      • Rainbow Magicland
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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.

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  • 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?
  • Best Frascati Wine Tours 2025
    • Minardi Winery Tasting & Pasta or Pizza Masterclass
    • Cantina Santa Benedetta, chauffeur driven
    • Cantina Imperatori
    • Old Frascati Food and Wine Tours
    • Tours in Rome
  • Cookery course
  • Other Things to do
    • Activities >
      • A Unique Day at Lake Nemi
      • Jo's Culinary Jaunts
      • A great local, giving great tours
      • David Morton's Roman Road Walks
      • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
    • 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
      • La Stanza del Duca
    • 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
      • Hotel Pietra di Ponente (Ciampino)
      • Erba Regina Herb Farm and Agritourism
      • B+B Il Cucù
    • Get Married! (Weddings and Engagements)
    • Golf Club Castelgandolfo
    • Garden GOLF University
    • Theme Parks >
      • Cinecitta World
      • Rainbow Magicland
  • Online Wine Tasting course
  • Getting around
    • Audioguide info
    • Train Times From Termini
    • Taxi Castelli Romani
    • moped/motorbike/car hire/microcar hire
  • Travel Agent Information
  • Wine Glossary Italian-English
  • Moving to Italy
  • 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
  • L'Olivella Wine Estate Shop
  • Grapes in Frascati wines
  • Frascati Wine Consortium
  • Vinalia Roman wine festivals
  • Wine Spectator Tasting Tips