The BBC weather forecast promised that it would be sunny all this week, but it just goes to show that even Auntie can get it wrong.
The morning started fine and I breakfasted on melon followed by bread and honey before leaving to meet the others. On the way there were ominous rumbles of thunder in the distance. By the time we were ready to leave for our destination - an organic farm called La Ginestra - the sky was beginning to darken.
However, the rain held off for the duration of our tour of the farm. One of La Ginestra's main products is honey and we had a tour of their production sheds, and had a chance to taste the raw (as it were) honey before it was removed from the cones and filtered. It was acacia honey and had a very delicate flavour.
La Ginestra also rears pigs and we got to see them rooting around their enclosures - some in fields, others in woodland. The pigs are related to the wild boar and there were a few piglets running around which one of the owner's dogs was paying rather too much interest in and had to be held back.
The farm also produces spelt, chickpeas and olive oil amongst other things.
From there we went to the restaurant that is run by the farm, and on the way the weather turned. Hailstones battered the car and you could barely hear yourself talk!
We arrived in the restaurant under brolly cover and went to enjoy some wine and nibbles before the meal.
The meal started with bruchetta that had the sweetest tomatoes (I don't usually eat tomatoes) and was then followed by a potato and herb cannelloni. The cannelloni was really light.
We then had roasted vegetables and salad that was then followed by fennel in a saffron sauce (yum). Finally we had a chocolate cake and cream.
After finishing the meal, I bought some honey and olive oil to bring home and we all went back to base to prepare for this afternoon's pasta making.
On the way we decided to take the dirt track back to the apartments and very quickly got stuck as the car started sliding sideways through the mud and off the track. We all got out and pushed and, with the help of some passing Belgians, we finally got the car back on the road and made our way back to base, with enough time for a short rest before the pasta making starts.
Regards,
Gary Nicklin
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