Odd Job Italiano: Malga Festa

Sunday 21st Sep Today off to the Malga festa. Malgas are like communal dairies / pastures which originated back in old days when people on the plains and foothills brought their cows up to the altopiano for the summer pasture. They are in forest land on the altopiano which was bequeathed to the Commune di Caltrano for the use of the people, so as you drive through the beautiful tall timber forest you come across clearings of pasture and the dairy buildings. Originally the malga keeper would milk the cows, make cheese, feed the whey to the pigs and make salami and the cow owner would get a share. Now sounds like someone gets a contract to run the malga and it's like a little cheese/salami making factory. This open day one could stroll, run, ride or drive around to various malgas and taste their wares. We ended up walkng to the closest - after waiting for John and then having to have cappuccino and macafame (a local cake made from stale bread, apples, dried fruit, spices and grappa - ok but Frank's mum's was better) and then chat, chat, chat - old home week, most of the people in the district have a relative in Adelaide, have lived in Adelaide and then come back or are relatives and John knows them all! Even Frank met his cousin's wife sister. Finally had lunch at Bar Alpino, nice fettuccine with venison ragu. After festivities down to the home town to visit 90 year old Aunty Isetta. Frank and she conversed in Italian while I tried to stay awake... wine at lunch not a good idea. Also if I taped her talking it would be a cure for my insomnia.... not nice, but true.