at Rapolano Terme there are ancient hot springs caught in stone baths the size of swimming pools where Italians go to heal themselves from old age, stress and cellulite. My ladies went off with robes, flip flops and towels to do nothing all day but lounge in the pools and under the sun with a break at the cafe for a fresh juice or a salad or because it,s Italy, and the everyman spa in Italy has nothing to with denial, a bowl of pasta, an ice cream and in the late afternoon chips and a martini.
Cinderella stayed at the farmhouse; I,m about to pull out a leg of lamb that had to have the bones broken in order to fit in the oven because it,s the whole kit and caboodle from the ankle through the thigh, right up to the chops. I,m going to marinate it with fresh rosemary at the corner of the garden and whole cloves of garlic. An hour before my ladies come back, I’ll start the wood fire on the massive grill on wheels with chimney attached outside. when the coals are white hot, we,ll season the lamb with salt, rub it with olive oil and sear it on all sides. thirty minutes in the oven and then back on the grill to crisp it up. serving pasta with chive, radicchio, walnut and ricotta as the first course. chocolate souffle for dessert.