Looking for Mushrooms and Chestnuts

This week in our demo the Chef made Chestnut Bread. It was easy and very tasty. If this bread had salt on the top it would taste like a pretzel. The outside is dark and crusty and the inside very soft and dense. For those of you who want to try your hand at a simple bread recipe, here it goes.
Chestnut Bread

1. 700g semolina flour
2. 300g chestnut flour
3. 20g brewers yeast
4. 20g salt
5. 100g pork fat, lard
6. 450g luke warm water
7. Mix everything together ( do not knead much)
8. Put in a oiled bowl, rub top with a little evoo, cover with plastic wrap let it rise for about 2 hours in a warm place
9. After 2 hours shape in 2 loaves and let rise 25 mor minuyes
10. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes ( because of the chestnut flour it will be a dark brown)
11. Turn oven to 375 degrees and bake another 20 minutes

I think you will enjoy. For all of us small town people you may have to order your flour and yeast. It will be worth it.

On sunday we went in search of mushrooms and chestnuts. My Italian teacher took us to her family land about 1 1/2 hours from Colorno. We started our adventure by trying to rent a car. Automatics are hard to come by here. Well we got a minivan and was surprised when 8 people actually got up to go, 6 in the van two in the teacher's car. Our first stop was caffe' and something to eat. Nothing is done in Italy without a Caffe'. Then on to the food shop for a picnic lunch. We were prepared and ready to go. Next stop the mountain, a pretty scary ride. Irene,( who was driving) told us later it was even scarier for her, narrow roads, cars passing on hairpin turns, and a minivan. Well we were alive and ready to climb the mountain in search of mushrooms and chestnuts. No more than 40 yards and the bottom fell out. Again another weather forecast that was WRONG. We decided to continue with our adventure wet or dry. All along our walk straight up the mountain we picked up chestnuts, chestnuts and more chestnuts. No mushrooms to be found but trumpet mushrooms. We were told they were not very good. We reached the point to turn around and meet up with Irene and Kathleen for lunch. Still raining puddles in the path. I am sure glad Steve water proofed my hiking boots before I left. The ground being so wet we stood in the rain and ate our very good lunch. We checked this lower area for mushrooms but still none, lots more chestnuts. Back to the car and tea at Guilia's house. Her mother made apple strudel, crazy bread with fruit,( good but not sure how to describe it), fresh bread with homemade plum jam, nougat candy, shortbread cookies, and rose tea. What a nice way to finish our adventure. Now nice and dry, we continue back to Colorno discussing what we should do with all those chestnuts.

I have been trying to publish pictures to this blog but again the internet does not have a strong enough signal. I will try them alone like I have done before.

Having a wet time in Italy, Yvonne