Balmuir & Ella Kanninen – Una Giornata Italiana
Balmuir blog 20th May 2022
Balmuir spends the summer in Castellina in Chianti – a romantic, small village situated in the heart of Tuscany, a part of Italy that’s well-known for its rolling green hills speckled with vineyards and lively, old towns. There we are met with the lovely Ella Kanninen, who is a Finnish reporter and presenter and with whom we have the pleasure of spending a memorable day together.
But what does the perfect Italian day look like? This we find out when the presenter arrives, already bustling with energy: “The perfect Italian day begins with a cup of high-quality Italian coffee enjoyed in my own yard in the morning sun. It withholds a visit to the market to shop the day’s groceries, such as fresh vegetables and cheeses. The day is full of good food, friends, laughter and joy, as well as a long lunch or dinner shared together around a long table. Then a riding trip in the evening, or if that’s not possible, a long walk in the undulating landscape, following the paths along the vineyards and old Italian dirt roads,” she tells us. Ella has a long experience with the Italian lifestyle, as she has lived many years in Tuscany with her family. Even though she and the family now reside in Finland, she still spends a lot of time in their second home in Italy.
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From Ella we learn that the Italian days begin slowly and the morning coffee is enjoyed peacefully. Today we enjoy it with her on the terrace of our Tuscan villa, from where we can appreciate the breathtaking views of the vineyards stretching out below us, glistening in the morning sun. While admiring the view, we have time to ask more questions:
What do you miss the most in Italy when living in Finland?
“While I’m in Finland, I miss my home in Tuscany; its familiarity, the tranquility of our road and the nightly sounds. Our home is in the countryside in the middle of nowhere. The stars are clearly visible and the night is full of different animal sounds from croaking to hissing.” The longing goes both ways: “When I’m in Italy, I miss the freshness of Finnish tap water, the sauna and our summer cabin.”
When the morning coffee is finished, it’s time to go grocery shopping for the night’s dinner party where we’ll meet Ella’s friends. The dinner ingredients are of course found fresh from the local market and a small, charming deli called Gastronomia Porciatti.
One of the goals of Balmuir is to take the mundane, everyday moments of life and to add a little luxury to them. Naturally, our next question posed to Ella is what adds luxury to her everyday life?
“Being able to enjoy food made of fresh, high-quality ingredients either at home or at a local trattoria is something that feels luxurious to me – that and also walking in Firenze or some medieval city.”
Next, we find our way to our neighbouring vineyard, Brancaia, which is headed by a family and is known for its delicious Chianti Classico wines. There we are joined by Ella’s friend Sari, who lives nearby and has come to help us choose a wine for the dinner party held later today.
What is Ella’s favourite area in Tuscany? Of course, the question is a little biased, as both Ella and Sari have their homes in Chianti, where we are located at the moment as well. “The entirety of Tuscany is very beautiful, with scenery ranging from seaside to mountains with lovely ski resorts. Naturally, the Chianti area where we live is my favourite, because I have a lot of acquaintances and friends here. The area also has a very nice environment for biking and hiking.” When the right wine is found, we part ways with Sari for a moment and return to the villa to where dinner preparations await.
Doing things together is a big part of the Italian culture and spending quality time together. Thus, it’s no wonder when Ella’s friends arrive early to help with dinner. It is interesting to note that none of the guests arrive empty handed. Soon the little kitchen station built on the terrace is filled with heartfelt laughter and buzzing conversation when Ella, Sari, Paola and Antonella cook together and catch up in each other’s lives. The joyous atmosphere continues, as the friends settle around the dinner table set outside, decked with candles and elegant linen napkins. It’s time to ask Ella the final question of the day:
What is one tip you would share with someone travelling to Italy?
“In Italy it’s good to keep an open mind and a flexible approach. Most restaurants, particularly those situated outside tourist routes are not open around the clock. Therefore, the best times to go eat outside are at 13 and after 19. You should also reserve some extra time for commutes, because even if the route looks quick and easy on a map, it hardly ever is that with the winding, serpentine roads.”
We are left to admire the setting sun on it’s way down behind the now golden vineyards and to enjoy the infectious laughter and interesting stories of Ella and her friends.
