When thinking about romance we collect memories of our first kiss, wedding, honeymoon but most of all the wedding proposal moment, when all apprehensions fade away and nothing is more important than the three-letters word ‘yes!’.

Let’s go back to the very first moment I thought about wedding and proposing to Pam. I was as determined as when I decided to leave my hometown and move to New York, thrilled and scared at the same time. I had no clue about planning such an event, as I did not want it to be predictable and clichéd. Our vacation to Tuscany was approaching and decided to reach out for our travel consultant to draw from her inspiration. I sent out a message and cast a few keywords to define my expectations about the event to be: simple, genuine, tasty, elating.

Serena came back to me quickly proposing a day out in Vespa, wandering around Chianti, stopping in a farm by sunset time to find our romantic corner set up under olive trees for a picnic. The proposal moment would come with a millefoglie cake bearing my proposal phrase and a ring. I could not imagine a better idea and pushed back my confirmation message to Serena, who started arrangements. My only concern was about finding an effective and not banal phrase…

The day had come, Pam was radiant with joy for the start of our trip to Tuscany, but I was trembling with the idea that something could go wrong…As soon as the rental attendant came to our villa to deliver our Vespa, I kicked back and let the day go… Meanwhile, in San Michele a Torri farm, Franca was frantically working to set up the special picnic location for the couple. The cover had to be laid under the big olive tree overlooking vineyards and Chianti rolling hills, where the sun would set later. Their best Riserva wine was opened to breath and become smooth to drink by the time they would toast. Giovanni came on purpose to bring fresh baked bread, produced with the farm’s wheat and still steaming in his hands.

The fragrant smell filled up the visitors’room and found its way to the old cellars, where Nani, the guide, was leading a tour in the olive oil jars vaulted room. Yum buzz wandered around guessing where it came from…Franca chopped tomato and basil to make bruschetta and crostoni hosed with Laudemio EVOO (the very first extra virgin olive oil coming from selected olives’crush) , sliced the pecorino cheese and some savory cuts of ham and salami. Olives should not be missed and a honey jar to be spread on cheese. She grabbed a bottle of vinsanto wine and some cantucci biscuits to give the final Tuscan touch. Giovanni came back from his van with a small millefoglie cake, whose French pastry had just been baked and layered with Chantilly cream and strawberries. Franca checked the phrase written on it was written correctly and placed it in the fridge.

Pam could not stop watching the panorama of Chianti boroughs, castles, vineyards running in front of her eyes…she held my hands firmly, clutching them every now and then when the vespa was bending on a curve or to communicate her emotions…I could not stop thinking about the big surprise that was expecting her. We parked our Vespa in front of the visitors’ room, where Nani was waiting to show us the cellars and the vinsanto storage rooftop. At the end of the tour, we found ourselves as if inside an impressionist picture of Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe. As soon as we realized this was not a dream, Nani had slipped away and we were one in front of the other. I took the bottle of Riserva wine, which sent out gentle aroma of red fruits and roses, poured it and set the stream of thoughts and emotions find their way in my mind.

When the sun crossed-cut on the vineyards, I opened the refrigerated picnic basket and unfolded the cake from its confection. I will not tell you what happened later, but … I guess you are a bit curious about what Pam read on the cake…A quote from Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera “Tell him yes”… and I followed saying transfixed in her eyes ‘Even if you are dying of fear, even if you are sorry later, because whatever you do, you will be sorry all the rest of your life if you say no.”

For more information:
San Michele a Torri
http://www.fattoriasanmichele.it/