Long time no post! It was a wonderful (if exhausting) trip but I'm very happy to be back. It was almost two weeks ago that I met Pasticerra (Marla) and her husband Fabrizio on the sunny slopes of Sauze D'Oulx, and she was much more prompt with her post about it, but I have the excuse that I've had no decent net access until today. There was a solitary, ancient Toshiba laptop in the hotel where I was staying, and it was almost as unreliable and slow as the positively antique, dust-encrusted 1998 "desktop" (it needs a desk the size of a snooker table) I have in my London flat. When I tried to let the main "Redacted Recipes" page fully load on it I crashed the thing completely. It's not only good to be back home, it's good to have the use of a real computer again!
We were lucky with the weather during the week I was in the Alps. The snow had been pretty sketchy in the weeks prior to my visit, and when my companions and I took a few quick runs on the Sunday we arrived it was clear we'd be dealing with plenty of patchy, icy conditions unless we got some more, and soon. Fortunately the 8-10 inches predicted for the following day came to pass, and we spent that day enjoying fresh, fluffy snow both on and off piste, much to the delight of my companions - snowboarders all. For the rest of the week we had nothing but clear blue skies and cool but pleasant temperatures, as you can see from the pictures. That single snowfall just about saw us out nicely.
Fabrizio and Marla
On Thursday Marla, Fabrizio and I met for lunch in one of the central parts of the Sauze D'Oulx ski area. I recognised her immediately and we settled down for a chat over panini and the sloppiest burger I have ever eaten (it was very tasty, though). Marla surprised me with a gift: a lovely box of Italian chocolate liqueurs and a sweet little bottle of truffle oil (you can see them in the picture on yesterday's post). We swapped stories about our histories, chatted about blog-related matters and then decided we should do a couple of runs together. Now, I can ski okay - in that clumsy, graceless way we once-a-year Brits tend to have - but as soon as I saw Marla and Fabrizio zoom effortlessly away it was clear that skiing had been part of their lives for a long time. Indeed, Marla had skied as a child growing up in Colorado, and had also spent several years as a ski rep. Fabrizio just skied like someone fortunate enough to have been around the mountains all his life (I don't know if this is actually the case, but it certainly looked like it!) He had a casually energetic style that reminded me of my first Italian ski instructor, and it was obvious he was greatly enjoying this rare opportunity to get away from work and enjoy the slopes and the beautiful weather. I felt pretty pleased just to be able to keep up with them (although had they decided to put the hammer down I'm sure they'd have left me eating powder in no time).
I began to feel guilty for not meeting up with my friends after lunch (as we had half-agreed to) so I said farewell to Marla and Fabrizio as they set off for a few more runs, then attempted to contact my group via walkie-talkie. Over the course of the trip these gadgets proved invaluable - so long as all you wanted from them was the opportunity to hear a bunch of snowboarders saying, "Dude... where are you? Where? Dude... you're breaking up... *KZZZKKKKH*... Dude?" However, if you wished to arrange an actual meeting, they were as much use as the proverbial chocolate teapot. So, after a couple of trips to the top of the lift ("We said the bottom, dude!") and a couple of runs down to the bottom ("Dude! We're on the way up to meet you at the top!") I decided to give up on them. As I prepared to ski down from my final wait at the bottom of the lift ("Dude! We're at the top!") I saw Marla and Fabrizio again as they were about to make their way home. We said a second farewell and I headed back to Sauze D'Oulx where, a couple of hours later, I finally located my friends. No walkie-talkies were involved; I just searched the town bars. The application of common sense can sometimes make technology superfluous.
It was a great day. Thanks again for the gifts, Marla!
Jack and Marla
Sounds like an instant friendship was made on the slopes Jack :D
Posted by: Bellini Valli | February 21, 2008 at 08:21 PM
That sounds like a lot of fun-- not seen snow before. (however, I have been on a glacier on some Swiss mountain.) When I look at those "World's Worst Sports Injuries" TV specials though, it freaks the hell out of me (WELL, what did I expect?). I just saw the Bella Baita site-- that's just absolutely breathtaking.
So, a 1998 desktop? Does it accommodate 5-1/4" disks? You know, with a drive lock that turns 90 degrees? When it boots, it goes BZZT-BZZT-BOINK! I'm surprised it could handle a modem. Maybe for BBS or something.
I want to commend the toddler that took yours and Marla's picture! Hahaha :D I'm thinking it was probably done on a timer on the table surface :)
Posted by: Manggy | February 21, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. Anytime you want to ski in Colorado give me a call. I don't ski myself; I have a rule about using a major force of nature (gravity) against oneself, but I hear the slopes are fine and not very far away.
Can't wait to hear what you will cook up next.
Posted by: Donna | February 22, 2008 at 09:55 AM
What a nice post and what a pleasure to spend a lovely lunch and some sunny alpine skiing together in our backyard. I don't think you give yourself enough credit for your skiing. I would have never been able to ski that well if I only had gone once a year. Just a little update...Fabrizio is the one who grew up skiing when his grandfather use to take him so he could get out of always working at the restaurant. Me, I came late to skiing, moving to Colorado in my 20's and didnt really get the hang of it until I worked for a ski company where you got free lessons. In addition to my bakery duties there, I also fed the kids ski school and instructors, so they looked after me and made sure I learned how to ski,and I will always be grateful for such access to a great sport.
Now we look forward to meeting Ann someday on your travels to this part of the world. We do hope you make it soon!
Posted by: Pasticcera | February 22, 2008 at 10:30 AM
That looks just awesome -- I love skiing but have never tried it in Europe! I grew up skiing in Vermont every March though. :-)
Posted by: katy | February 22, 2008 at 11:40 AM
What a grand trip, beautiful skiing weather and a lovely meet-up -- good of you to wear an "L" shirt in the photo too!
Posted by: Marla -- (the one who does not ski -- or bake!) | February 22, 2008 at 07:59 PM
Bellini - Indeed. We got on fine and I really hope I can get over to see Marla and Fabrizio again with Ann. Ann doesn't ski but I know she'd love the area. And the food. :-)
Manggy - My old 1998 beast can't handle 5-1/4 disks; it can barely start itself up - but when it does I'd say the noise it makes is more like a handful of nails in a coffee grinder.
It actually was a toddler that took the picture. I told him to make sure I looked suave and handsome in it. I guess I should have given him more than a 20 eurocent coin for a tip...
Donna - One day, one day... I would really like to ski in Colorado.
Pasticcera - It was really nice to meet you and Fabrizio and I seriously hope to get out there with Ann.
katy - I love European skiing for many reasons, one of which is the cute mountain restaurants and the lovely carb-n-dairy-heavy food they serve. Just the thing when you're expending all that energy!
Marla - Yes, that "L" shirt is pretty well-travelled. It's always fun to see how many people know what it is even in places far removed from NYC.
You don't bake? Shame on you!
Posted by: Jack | February 22, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Jack, you don't know how envious i am of you. I wanted to go ski too!
It looks beautiful!
Posted by: Zenchef | February 24, 2008 at 11:33 PM