Many hands make light work

sausage in grape

We’ve been very lucky. The weather was beautiful and in two days we managed to collect almost 4 tons of grapes! Many friends  arrived from Rome on Saturday  and others  from Allerona village. The Romans took their time to arrive and of course were wearing  super-trendy clothes. So after they changed outfit , we  provided them with scissors and gloves and put them to work. As usual my brother Pierpaolo the cheeky one of the family , created a bit ‘of a chaos among the grape pickers , cutting bunches of grapes  from any line he happened to be passing (not grape picking etiquette). Plus my cheeky brother ,every time we had to carry and empty the buckets of grapes in the big container , he found a way to make you sweat more and work double. Every year is the same with him, but I must say it is a real pleasure to have him here , as I always  laugh so much. So a big thanks to my brother.   

This year we also had some American friends, all very nice people that  have moved here in Umbria and for the first time they came to us for the harvest.  Estelle, Bruce, Ellen and David all talented and hard working people. We had my nephew Zeno, Tommaso and Camilla three children who have grown up in this vineyard. Also my best friends Lara, Lucia and Arianna  that besides being three experts in good shopping and good fun, if you give them a pair of scissors and gloves these three girls become real farmers. We also had a new entry this year Maura and Andrea, who had their first harvest and did a great job.

 My parents of course worked hard like every year. I think they are real super heroes. Infact a  few hours before the harvest  begun ,they also started to stack the wood for the winter….God save the Parents.  Anyway, many friends, family, different generations and people from different countries all  together for a sunny and lovely weekend.  Everything seemed to be going great, then disaster struck. Maura cut her finger with the scissors and the 2 boys Zeno and Tommaso were attacked by a swarm of wasps.  A station wagon was suddenly loaded with the injured (plus accompanying parents)  and sped off in the direction of Orvieto hospital.  Luckily we had already nearly finished ,so Nick wasn’t too worried about losing half his squad.

Grapes,  grapes everywhere and clearly I could not miss the opportunity to cook some good recipes made with grapes. In addition to the chicken with the white grape, that I had tried a couple of days earlier,  I made for them  Sausages with red grapes, nice and gently cooked in our wooden oven. Mamma mia, so much food and so much wine, after Sunday lunch we were so tired and  all had  full bellies…… but we also had the happiness to have shared a great experience with new and old friends. Thank you all and remember … … …. we’ve got the olives to pick next

P.S For those of you who might be worried about the injured, I can happily report that they returned from the hospital , all feeling much better and with hearty  appetites.

4 servings
two bunches of red seedless grapes
4 pork sausages

Balsamic vinegar

Salt

How it works:

Stand a colander in a bowl and crush the grapes(1 and ½ bunches) so the juices drain into the bowl.In the pan or a oven pan poor the juice from the crushed grapes .Cook and reduced for 1/3. With a fork make few hole in every sausage add the sausages to the grape juice. Bake or cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Add  a handful of whole seedless grapes, salt and cook for 10 more minutes. Serve with a dash of balsamic vinegar .