LIFE: Ferrari Land Revisited

CHIAVARI, Italy - Ignoring the long line of cars and trucks backing up along the busy road, the police officer standing under the traffic light in front of the gates of the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, holds up a white gloved hand, blows her whistle and energetically waves Robertino and me into the Ferrari compound.

Welcome to Ferrari   

This is Ferrari world headquarters, the home of Ferrari S.p.A and the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team. This is where the cars are built, and the racing and automotive business is managed.

The Public Relations Director comes out to meet us and escorts us into the factory. It’s obvious from the minute we walk in that this is not an ordinary automotive factory, which seems right, as Ferraris are not ordinary cars.  

 Imagine Working on a Ferrari an Being Paid for It!

Robertino, my photographer, starts setting up his photo equipment and I can see the Public Relations Director is starting to get nervous. There are many sections of the factory that are off limits to visitors. He calls for an assistant to keep an eye on Robertino, and then concentrates on figuring out what automotive secret I might be looking to uncover as he tours me around the facility

It’s a singular experience. The factory isn’t open to the public and unless you bought a Ferrari recently or have one on order, you can’t get in. I doubt NASA’s security system is this tight.

Countdown Clock is Ticking - No Time to Fool Around 

Out of the corner of my eye I can see the outline of prototype car bodies that have been hidden under large tarps to keep them away from spying eyes like mine. And some sections, like the space age Research and Development Center, and the Wind Tunnel, where the aerodynamics of Ferrari cars is tested, are completely off limits to visitors

In spite of Ferrari’s never ending quest for speed, no one here seemed to be in a hurry: not the mechanics or assemblers or the seamstresses who calmly sit and hand sew pieces of leather that will be fitted into the interiors of the cars. It’s tutto calma, but not too calma. At some of the work stations there large countdown clocks that tick down the minutes until whatever part is being worked on, needs to move on to the next station.

Ferrari Workers Get Around the Compound by Bicycle  

Dressed in tee shirts with identifying Ferrari logos and white gloves, the workers go about their business, careful to never touch any part of the car with an ungloved hand. It’s a family affair, fathers work next to their sons, mother’s work next to their daughters. Aunts, uncles and cousins all work here too.

The cars in production have already been sold. They carry identification papers from the day the first bolt is put into place to the day the car is delivered to the customer. A wait of six to nine months is normal, it often takes much longer.

Okay, if You Insist, I'll Take a Red One  

After the factory tour the PR Director walks Robertino and I back to our car and gives us directions to the Ferrari Museum, the Galleria Ferrari. As the compound gate slowly starts to swing open we can see that the traffic light has turned green for us. A nanosecond later the policewomen’s whistle blows, her white-gloved hand shoots up in the air, and cars screech to a halt as she waves us out and on to the road. For one small moment, Robertino and I, journalist and photographer, are treated like the King and Queen of Jordon, the Sultan and Sultana of Dubai, and all the other rich Ferrari customers who have passed this way. It’s nice.

Galleria Ferrari is just five minutes away. It’s a big building full of Ferrari memorabilia. One entire floor is dedicated to the racing cars driven by Gilles Villeneuve, Froilan Gonzales, Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher and other Ferrari greats. And if you ever wondered what Ferrari model Eric Clapton, Miles Davis, Mick Jagger, Placido Domingo, and Robbie Williams owned, well they are all here too.

Ferrari Museum  

Experimental models are displayed on the upper floor, including the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina and the F50, along with previous F1 racing cars, engines, F1-type gearshift paddles and other technological innovations developed by Ferrari engineers.

And for those of you who can’t resist the urge to jump behind the wheel of a F1, there are driving simulators just waiting for you to slide into the seat and listen for those magic words: Gentlemen, start your engines. Robertino was in heaven. It was only because I had an appointment to tour Enzo Ferrari’s house at the F1 test track in Fiorano that I managed to pull him away.

The Ferrari House at the Fiorano Test Track in Italy  

The Ferrari F1 test track is just a few miles from Maranello. As we turned down the road that leads to the track entrance we knew the cars were running. Even from that distance we could hear the tantalizing whine of the F1 motors. About one hundred fans were lined up along the fence, drawn there like safety pins to a magnet, hoping to get a glimpse of their favorite F1 driver.

When the drivers are working they stay at the Ferrari house, which is on the same property as the track. This is not Enzo Ferrari’s main house, this is just the Ferrari track house. After a day of whizzing around at break neck speeds, drivers, engineers and managers sit and watch the tapes on the large screen TV in the living room, and analyze their performances.

Enzo Ferrari's Conference Room 

Right next to the living room there is a big conference room where Enzo Ferrari held court. He would sit at the head of the long wooden table like a Renaissance prince, looking out at his drivers through the dark sunglasses he always wore.

The walls of the conference room are lined with photos of F1 cars, while the display cases below hold a large collection of miniature F1 cars. All Ferrari red of course. The bedrooms are upstairs.  

Enzo Ferrari (1898-1988)

Even if you are not a racing fan, or a car person, you have to admit it is a pretty impressive empire. In 1898, when Enzo Ferrari was born, people were riding around in horse drawn carriages. Henry Ford had just resigned from the Detroit Edison Company to concentrate on developing the automobile. When Ferrari died in 1988, at the age of 90, the world had been turned upside down; man had traveled to the moon and back, and everyone and his brother had a car.

In his lifetime the cars the Ferrari engineers built won more than 5,000 races throughout the world and 25 world titles. The story of Enzo Ferrari and the history of auto racing are intertwined for he, more than anyone else, including Bugatti, Bently, Rolls and Royce made auto racing what it is today, and in Ferrari Land they never forget it.

Note:  There are now group tours of the Ferrari factory. I would have included the name of the tour company except the reviews are not good, and I wouldn’t want anyone to think I was recommending it.

AUNTIE PASTA: Classics with a Twist - of Lemon

CHIAVARI, Italy - There are many things to love about the island of Procida, starting with its location in the Gulf of Naples. There’s the lushness of the gardens, the palm trees, the creeping Bougainvillea, the fragrant lemon and orange groves, the colorful pastel houses and the adorable three-wheel microtaxis that haul the weary up and down the steep road to the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.  

 

 Procida, Italy

The volcanic island may be tiny, just 1.5 square miles (3.7 sq.km), but it packs a wallop when it comes to beauty. Its colorful villages and lush scenery have drawn filmmakers from Rome’s Cinecitta to Hollywood, and as you walk around, certain areas may look familiar, for Procida played a key role in the films Il Postino and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Procida is the smallest of the three islands in the Gulf of Naples, but one of the first to be inhabited That happened at some point between the 17th and 16th century BC. The Romans didn’t arrive until many centuries later. In the 6th century AD the island was annexed to the territory of Naples, and it has been a part of Naples ever since.

 

Marina Grande Harbor, Procida, Italy  

The people of the tiny island know that they are often overlooked in favor of their more glamorous neighbors, Capri and Positano. But Procida has something her more famous neighbors don’t have, a simple, traditional way of life that is increasingly hard to find these days.  

The island is home to 11,000 people, most of them from families who have lived here for generations. In some ways it’s the island’s small size that saves it from mass tourism. There simply isn’t a lot of room to build hotels big enough to hold tour groups. Most of the buildings you see when you come into Marina Grande, the main harbor, are private homes, and no one seems interested in having it any other way.   

 Such a Lovely Place 

On a clear day you can see all the way to Mount Vesuvius from the village of Terra Murata, Procida’s highest point. But the volcano was never the island’s biggest threat. Starting in the 9^th century, the Saracen pirates, who plied the waters of the Mediterranean, found Procida an easy target, forcing the terrified residents to seek shelter on this peak.

In the 16th Century, in an attempt to protect Procida from the constant pirate attacks, the ruling d’Avalos family of Aragon built walls around the citadel, which is why it is called Terra Murata, or “walled land”. The pirates might be gone, but residents still live within the fortress walls.  

Santa Maria della Pieta, Procida, Italy 

On 8 May 1535, Procida was once again attacked by pirates and took refuge in the Benedictine abbey in Terra Murata. According to local folklore, an image of St. Michael the archangel appeared in the sky, drawing his fiery sword. The image of the angel struck such fear in the hearts of the pirates; they ran for their lives.  Every year on 8 May, the island celebrates the anniversary of St Michael’s apparition with an evening procession. It is one of the major holy events of the year.  

Market stalls in the shadow of the Abbey of Saint Michael Archangel sell hand-embroidered clothing and foodstuffs, including limoncello. The lemons in Procida grow with especially thick skins – perfect for Limoncello, which is made by steeping lemon zest in alcohol.  

OK, that's enough talk about the island, now it’s time to eat. This week’s recipes are two well known dishes, meatballs and spaghetti with clams, but with a Procian twist – a little lemon juice.  You’ll be surprised what a flavor boost the lemon gives these dishes. I hope you’ll try them.

 

Spaghetti with Clams and Lemon Procida Style  

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS AND LEMON

Serves 4

320 g of spaghetti (3/4’s of a 1 lb package)

1,2 kg (3lbs) of small clams

2 Amalfi Coast lemons  (the juice of)

1 clove of garlic

1 small – and hot – red pepper (or crushed red pepper)

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 dl (about ¼ cup) of extra virgin olive oil

salt

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, and when it is hot, but not boiling, brown the clove of garlic.

Clean the clams carefully, under running water, eliminating those that don’t open

Put the clean clams in the frying pan, first removing the garlic clove. Cover the pan let cook over a low heat.

When the clams open, remove them from the pan and strain the cooking liquid.

Carefully wash the lemons, and with a vegetable peeler take off a very thin slice of the peel, taking care to leave the bitter white part. Finely dice the lemon peel and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the two lemons and strain the juice.

Return the clams, the strained cooking liquid and the lemon juice to the frying pan, along with the crushed red pepper, the diced lemon peel and reheat everything together over a low heat.

Bring a good amount of water to boil in a large pot, add salt and the spaghetti. When the spaghetti is cooked al dente, drain it and add to the clams and sauce in the frying pan. Turn the heat up and mix the spaghetti and clams, and add the chopped parsley. Serve in a large dish, sprinkled with some of the chopped lemon peel.

 

Lemon Meatballs alla Procida  

LEMON MEATBALLS

Ingredients: ground beef gr. 400 grams (3/4 of a pound)

 50g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

 flour

 juice of 1 lemon

 olive oil

 salt and pepper.

In a bowl mix the meat with the egg, cheese, parsley, finely chopped garlic, salt and pepper and let stand at least an hour. Then form the meatballs, (it helps if you wet your hands), and then roll them in flour, shaking off the excess.

Next, put them in a pan with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and cook over low heat for about half an hour turning frequently. After a half an hour, drizzle them with the lemon juice, raise the heat and as soon as the sauce starts to boil, remove pan from heat and serve them, piping hot with a side of sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.