"The Cerchio del Vento (Circle of the wind) is a place with unexpected qualities. It’s the only grocery store in the village of Sant'Angelo in Colle, with a room with some tables and an equipped kitchen, a cosy spot next to the medieval gate of the village. At lunchtime, Agostina cooks every day for her family (husband, daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren), which meets in the store around 1 pm. They are between five and seven people, who – as in the old families, especially in rural areas – taste delicious local dishes changing daily, with fresh selected ingredients, prepared by the mother, with skill, lot of work and love. Agostina cooks always for some persons more, as the surplus is shown on the counter of the store and sold during the day by portions to the villagers, or served to the few customers who come and sit at the tables. The dishes change all the time and it’s impossible to find something similar in the even excellent restaurants in the village and the area. There is a truly amazing use of seasonal vegetables: zucchini, peppers or eggplant stuffed with meat, onions and various flavours; zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, either fried or with tomato sauce; tuscan ratatouille; delicious meatballs with zucchini and onion; all kinds of roasted meat, from roast beef to porc fillet or polpettone stuffed with carrots and spinach; noodles all’aglione (local garlic tomato sauce), home-made bolognese, and sometimes wild boar sauce with laurel and rosemary; high variety of soups according to season (ribollita and panzanella, and a very special soup of chard and ricotta cheese). Excellent sheep cheese, porc cold cuts and wines (we are in the middle of Brunello land). A family service of great kindness ruled by Agostina&Luciano’s daughter Raffaella (also an excellent cook). A price you would not believe!"
