Italy 2015 - Part 5 - Road Trip to San Miniato, Vinci and Pistoia

Friday, June 19, 2015

It was time to get Susan out of the house for more than just an evening restaurant.

We decided to drive out to San Miniato, a beautiful ancient town with narrow roads and 13th century structures.

Unfortunately, I was driving and didn't get many (or any rather) shots...so you'll have to Google the images of the town yourself.

While in town, we saw signs for a restaurant called Il Convio, of which we had heard wonderful things, so we drove out into the country, parked the car...

 ...and found pleasure in the fact that there were activities for kids on the property.

 Among the restaurant's specialties...

 

 ...there was this house recipe of pici pasta (fat, hand-rolled spaghetti) with leeks, hazelnuts and speck ham...

 ...which Max seemed to love...

 ...and truffles on everything from pasta...

 ...to eggs.

We ate so well that, by the time we got to Vinci to see Leonardo's house...

 ...someone fell deeply asleep.

So I stayed in the car with him as the others visited the house...

 ...and then we continued on to Pistoia...

 ...so that Max could get his wish...

 ...and finally see some animals.

 The zoo here wasn't that big, but there were plenty of animals near each other...

 ...with some at a respectable distance...

 ...and others right in front of you.

And it did take Max some convincing before he would feed the giraffe.
  That night, we ate in Vorno at the restaurant Dello Scompiglio.       It was a beautiful setting...        ...with herbs growing only a few feet away.
   Cheeses, honeys and many products were made right there...

...and we enjoyed pastry, thinly sliced meat and apple...

...an ewe's milk tart with pears and honey, side of braised radicchio...
   ...a side of veggies and pork steak...     ...and dark chocolate cake and ricotta cherry cake.  

Everything was delicious!