It is Sunday in November - and such a spectacularly wonderful day that a few telephone calls are made to quickly organise a lunch befitting this out-of-season warm sunshine.

 

Picnic baskets around town are being packed with some of the local region’s specialties as you and your group of friends pack each persons’ contributions for a lazy afternoon in the park.

 

You all arrive around 1pm, select a table that sits firmly in the sunshine, and start unpacking your goodies. But first, because this is Italy, someone spreads out a floral heavy linen tablecloth over the wooden table.

 

The first thing placed on the table is a large bottle of wine without a label - this has been bought by someone who’s cousin has just released the new wine from last year’s harvest. Next to this is placed a similar bottle, but which contains Tuscany’s ‘liquid gold’ - olive oil. The olive harvest took place just last week, so this new season cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is foggy with all the flavour and goodness that it contains.

 

Freshly baked bread is placed on the table, on a hand-crafted chopping board which someone notes was made by their grandfather with wood from his olive grove. As the bread is sliced, more delicious wares are placed on the table - grilled capsicum, zucchini and eggplant, which is drizzled with the new oil and freshly chopped herbs.

 

Some fresh goat’s cheese is presented, the soft centre oozing from the white crust of the round form of the cheese as it is sliced open, ready to be spread on the fresh bread. The cheese was made by a neighbour who has a goat farm nearby.

 

With each new item placed on the table, there seems to be a direct link between the person and the item - even the tablecloth was handmade by this person’s nonna when she was a teenager and it has been passed through the family ever since.

 

A bowl is placed in the middle of the table filled with chopped tomato and freshly torn basil leaves - from someone’s garden, of course - as well as peeled cloves of garlic to rub on the bread before putting on the bruschetta tomato mix, followed by a drizzle of the new oil.

 

All seated around the table, the plates and cutlery are presented as you start to indulge on the antipasto. The boys are sent over to start the barbecue in preparation for the cooking of the meat. In true Italian style, the girls, one by one, go over to the barbecue and put in their two cents worth about the wood used, the fanning of the fire, the turning of the meat. 

 

But there is plenty of laughing, and chatter amongst the group. Memories are shared, gossip exchanged and jokes told as the air slowly fills with the smokey perfume of the cooking meat.

 

Firstly, the table is presented with a large tray of grilled ribs. Forks arrive from all directions to take a piece of the meat, but are then discarded as the meat is eaten using their hands. The only moment in which there is more than a second of silence at the table, is when all are consumed with the task of enjoying the delicious meat.

 

The tray of ribs is almost empty. Two remain. Each person has a fork in hand, but is too polite to be the one to take the last two ribs. Luckily, another platter of fresh ribs hot off the grill is placed in the middle of the table. Cheers go up from as forks go out and down, triumphant in their meaty find!

 

Just at the point when hungry tummies are starting to be satiated, yet another lot of meat is placed before you. This time the reward is salsiccia, Italian sausage. The first bite burns your lips, but you are not deterred as you bite in, enjoying the burst of flavour.

 

You wash this meal down with the wine, a typical Chianti blend that has a prominent use of Tuscany’s famous grape - Sangiovese.

 

Content with the delicious lunch, you put your knife and fork together on the plate, lean back and enjoy the feel of the warm Autumn sun washing your face, already paling, as the season fades into the depths of winter.

 

It is therefore with surprise that you smell a new delicious fragrance that makes you open your eyes to see laid out before you a platter with pancetta, thin strips of pork that comes from the stomach. It is extremely fatty, but so delicious that you cannot resist this local delicacy.

 

You steal one piece, re-taking your knife and fork from their positions of defeat to undertake one more battle against the onslaught of flavour!

 

Suddenly one girl, Maria, coaxes another, Alicia, to admit to all that today is actually her birthday. Shyly she admits today is her special day. Cheers go out as there is a flurry of throwing onto the grass any water in the glasses to replace the cups with wine, and all glasses are topped up to contain some ruby liquid as a toast to your friend is announced.  Maria rises from the table and returns with a cake decorated with candles. Alicia is embarrassed as the group starts singing Tanti Auguri to her. How is it that the Happy Birthday tune is the same in seemingly every language?

 

Alicia slices up the cake, the famous Tuscan Torta di Mele (Apple cake) and it is shared out amongst the group. For the second time today, there is silence at the table, which is broken only by a dozen ‘mmmmm’s.

 

As the food finally is finished, the wine all gone and the sun threatens to start its final descent, you all rise and start to clean up.

 

Plates, cutlery, and trays are collected to be taken home. Finally, the linen table cloth is carefully shaken and folded and put away, in a fittingly symbolic gesture for a Sunday afternoon.

 

Cheek kissing everyone goodbye seems to take about an hour as you all continue to talk. The daylight starts to dim and when jackets are required, you realise that it is time to get back home to houses, and to dinner….