In Lubriano, Just an Ordinary Italian Lunch

As we entered a favorite eating spot in Lubriano, the sign at the entrance already enticed: fresh porcini mushrooms on the menu that day at Il Vecchio Mulino (“The Old Mill”).

I knew Pino would be ordering them and sure enough, they joined his contorno (“side dish”) along with roasted potatoes.

Chef and owner of Il Vecchio Mulino, Barbara, brought a handful of porcini to our table for Pino to select..

Those porcini starred not only in Pino’s side dish with the roasted potatoes…..

…….but also in his main course, bocconcini di vitello con porcini (“veal tidbits with porcini mushrooms”).

I skipped the secondo, opting instead for a tempting primo that Barbara had created: bucatini con pistacchi con guanciale croccante (“thick spaghetti – with holes in it! – with pistachios and crispy pork cheek”).

I’d only ordered from our server, young Francesca, a half-portion of the pasta course……

……..as the abundant antipasto prior had filled me up.

Both the grilled vegetables and Barbara’s pappa al pomodoro (no one makes this Tuscan summer tomato/bread soup like Barbara!) had appealed as antipasto: a dilemma. Barbara’s solution? A “half-portion” (sort of!) of pappa al pomodoro flanking the vegetables.

Pino’s antipasto choice had been the tripe salad:

Many a client had ordered the house antipasto, fantasia del Vecchio Mulino – and Francesca often dashed passed us with an oval metal serving tray bearing the goodness:
A young couple from Rome out on the balcony had ordered that fantasia….