Steadfastly gnawing through Orvieto

Because someone has to do it!

After the fiasco (and how!) yesterday, the only thing I wanted to do today was sleep. And eat. Drinking water was nice as well. There... was a little bit of a bumpy start, as my roomie didn't seem to understand the sleep impetus from my point of view, but all is settled now. Anyhoo, I was unfortunately awake at noon, so I decided to get some lunch.

I should have taken pictures of the interior of this restaurant, because it is adorable, but alas, my thoughts rested with water, food, and sleep, so I forgot. Sorry. I also forgot the name, because... I am lame sometimes.

Orvieto misto- clockwise from top left: crostini with sundried tomato and spicy red pepper spread, crostini with fresh tomatoes, arugula with some kind of cured, smoked meat (beef, I'm assuming) lonza (the lighter colored cured meat) procuitto, peppered salumi, rosemary foccacia, 3 kinds of cheese, and a couple spears of pickled veggies in the center. Pretty good hangover food.

Pillowy gnocci with four cheeses. Yum, but very filling!

After lunch, there was sleep, glorious, glorious sleep.

For dinner, I heard of a restaurant in town that does a Chianina beef tasting menu, and decided to check it out. Also, it is very charming... above is the outdoor patio and the front door...

Then you take the steps down into the re-purposed Etruscan cave. I love Orvieto!

View from my table.

And a hearty selection of grappas!

More wine, and their bakery area. Note the stuffed boar's head tucked into the corner.

Everything gets cooked over wood coals, I'm sold. The plethora of wine around me doesn't hurt either.

First course: Chianina carpaccio with pecorino fricco (toasted rounds made of cheese) arugula, fresh oregano, and super-ripe cherry tomatoes.

Chianina beef ravioli, with a Chianina ragu, olive oil, and shredded carrots. These cattle taste pretty good in any form...

And tagliata with grilled vegetables (there's a cheese-stuffed roasted tomato under the veggies-I like surprises).

Coffee semifreddo (essentially a frozen dairy dessert stabilized with gelatin) which made me really happy, even though it wasn't made of Chianina beef.

Tomorrow, we are cooking a six-course meal for 40 people as our send-off from Italy. I'm on salad- no sweat, but I do have to wake up early. I also have a final exam right before dinner, but it's open-note so I am not overly concerned. However, more sleep sounds pretty nice right now.

Buona notte!