Visit to the Eremo di David Lazzaretti & Santa Fiora
In Southern Tuscany, on the peak of Monte Labbro (adjacent to Monte Amiata) at approximately 1200 meters above sea level, stand the ruins of the Eremo di David Lazzaretti. Construction of the Eremo began in 1869 by David Lazzaretti, the so-called prophet of Amiata, as the home of his new community “Giurisdavidica.” Giurisdavidica, a Christian peasant movement and commune, was formed by David Lazzaretti to unify religious and social issues of the day.
Today, all that remains of Giurisdavidica is a rich composition of ruins. The journey to the ruins (approximately 1.5 km of inclined hiking) begins at the parking area at the base of the peak of Monte Labbro. Ascending the mountain from the parking area to the peak, you witness magnificent views. In the Springtime, the wildflowers are in full bloom. The colors in the landscape along the trail to the peak constantly change, as different species of wildflowers blossom successively as the weeks pass. As the elevation changes along the trail to the peak, the vegetation changes from a prairie environment mixed among craggy rock formations to a steep dense forest. Finally, at the peak, the ruins of Giurisdavidica rise from a grassy knoll. The vast views from the peak are astounding. On a clear day, you can see the Mediterranean Sea.
Eremo di David Lazzaretti near Santa Fiora
My recommendation is to explore the ruins of Giurisdavidica in the morning, and, afterwards, have lunch in Santa Fiora. Il Barilotto in Santa Fiora is an excellent restaurant. Be sure to save the bread from the table. After lunch, take the bread down to the Peschiera to feed the fish (and a couple of very aggressive geese). The Peschiera is a reservoir that was created for trout breeding during medieval times, to supply the noble families in the area with fresh fish.
Feeding Frenzy of Trout in the Peschiera; Large Sturgeon on the Bottom
Speaking of fish, if you want to sample a real Mediterranean treat, try making fish baked in salt. It’s simple to make, and the fish is delicious — and your guests will love to watch you break open the salt crust when the fish is done. Start with a white fleshy fish that weighs about 2 1/2 pounds or so. You can use red snapper, yellowtail or even grouper, but I prefer branzino, which is much like Atlantic sea trout. Keep the fish whole, removing only the guts and gills. Do not remove the scales. The scales keep the salt from penetrating the fish. Open the gut and rub it with a small quantity of salt. Shove some herbs of your choice and some thin lemon slices into the gut. Then, take a large baking pan, cover the bottom with parchment paper and create a 1/2 inch-thick bed of moist coarse sea salt in the approximate shape of the fish. Moisten the sea salt by spraying it as you pour it, using an ordinary spray bottle. Place the fish on the bed of sea salt and begin to pour sea salt over the fish, moistening it with a spray of water as you pour. The sea salt will fall from the fish and begin to fill in the sides. From time to time, use a spatula to tamp down the salt on the fish and to form the sides. The goal is to cover the entire fish with a 1/2 inch sea salt crust. It’s just like building a sand castle around the fish Once the crust is complete, place the fish in a 400° F oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove the fish and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. If you applied enough moisture, the salt crust should be as hard as plaster. After the fish has rested, remove the salt crust with a small hammer, discard the chunks of salt and brush off the fish, so that the salt does not touch the flesh when you are removing the flesh from the bone. Slice the skin along the backbone, the tail and at the base of the head at the gill openings, and simply peal the skin off the fish. Remove the flesh from the bones with a spatula. The flesh will break apart, but that’s fine. It’s served that way. When you finish removing the flesh from one side, carefully flip the fish and remove the flesh from the other side in the same manner. Serve the fish with a fine quality olive oil (and nothing more) drizzled on top. Pair with a vermentino, an Orvieto classico or a dry pinot grigio. Buon appetito!