In Tessin-2

Tuesday it was raining, as it did for most of the week,. We had a trip planned to Como, across the Swiss-Italian border by about 5 minutes. The weather was gray but not too wet when we got to Como, and it was about lunch time. We looked for a small store we had been in on another visit, and after a few minutes we found it closed for lunch. Just across the street, there was a very small store that was open. It was my kind of joint with hams, cheese, booze, Balsamic vinegars,olive oils and all sorts of goodies. This great emporium is called Enosalumeria and is located on via Independenza #25 and is open from 8 AM until 8 PM, a decidedly unusual thing where most places close from noon until 3 PM. I went in and asked about grappa. One of my goals for the day was to find and bring back some really good grappa. In years past, I had bought grappa in Como and was particularly impressed with a brand called Nardini. Some of you may know that grappa can be really good, or it can take the enamel off your teeth. Well, Nardini comes in a clear and a slightly gold variety, and it is as smooth as grappa gets. It is also damn hard to find. Anyway, this store had bottles of the stuff to sell. I didn't want carry it around all afternoon, so I asked the man to put four bottles aside for me to pick up later. I wanted some for the week, to take home, and to give to an Italian-American friend in Newport who gave me a nice grappa last year.

Then we were off to find a lunch spot. On the way through the Grand Piazza at the cathedral, we walked by the place in the picture above. Cold, rainy, and gray, but is anyone wanted an al fresco lunch, this place was ready with two tables under a tent. We walked along the street bordering the lake headed eastward and just past the second train station in town. We walked past a door where a guy came out with a load of pizzas, but they also had a nice looking dining room. We went in and were seated in a place that Tony Soprano would love. The menu was extensive
, but one of my two antipastos (instead of a main dish) was a plate of unsalted anchovies. These were about two dozen items made up of two anchovies, flattened, with a sliver of mozzarella between, and then battered and fried. It would make a bulldog break its chain. Next time, I'll just have that. The restaurant is at via Ugo Foscola 11 in Como, and it is called OROLOGIO after a watch, I guess. Both our lunches with some house wine, coffee, and one shared dessert was 55 Euros.

Then it was back to the shop that had some things we wanted to buy for gifts, and for me to pick up the Nardini. While doing that, I also got some aged Balsamic vinegar, some Parma ham, and some Asiago cheese to take back to Locarno. The train was on time, and we made it a day getting back to Locarno in time to watch the Olympics on TV.