Sunday

I’ve been asked what the thrill is of going to a farmhouse, given that I live in such close proximity to the countryside back in Madison. To me, “renting a farmhouse in Umbria” is really a code name for an experience that I think tops most, if not all vacations. What are the essentials?

The farmhouse has to be relatively old, though comfortably modern inside (I am looking for visual appeal here, but I’m getting too used to an easy existence to call “roughing it” a vacation);

It has to be in a stunning setting – certainly hilly, with views, fields of crops of the type that postcards depict (sunflowers, vineyards, etc);

I t absolutely has to be close to a town or village where one can find at least one great but simple eatery where locals congregate to feast on regional cuisine;

That same town has to have a bit of history to tantalize the eye and the mind.

Todi represents all the above and it does so perfectly. Not many outside of Italy (including me until last year) have ever heard of this place. It is a perfectly preserved medieval hill town (the recent attention to “faithful preservation” is in part thanks to the fact that Todi is less than two hours from Rome and many rich artsy types use it as a summer and week-end retreat). It is stunningly beautiful, perched high above the surrounding fields of sunflowers and forests of old oak.

Enough touristy descriptions. I wanted to say that this morning, Todi delivered something equally important: breakfast.