IL Cacio Brillo

I have mentioned this enoteca before, but it is certainly worthy of its own page. Roberto and Lucia are the owners and are here daily to serve and satisfy. The name, loosely translated, means drunken cheese. Apparently, their invitation is to enjoy cheese, drink some vino or birra, and thus feel good… and that’s exactly what happens at this lovely place on Piaza Signorelli.

Caccio Brillo is the first place Len and I lunched at in Cortona. We shared a plate of mixed cheeses and salumis, all locally produced and freshly cut. The main cheeses we eat are a variety of Pecorino, while the salumis (salami and sausages) are boar…all very delicious, even though I am not a big salami eater. To wash it down, we often drink a delicious and very reasonably priced glass of brunello,  but there are many wines and beers to satisfy any palate.

There is a small lovely room inside, but the best part is sitting outside observing all the people and events happening in the piazza, and meeting people. This is definitely a local gathering place, which we love. Meet Oreste, pictured below, who is often here with his buddies. He has never been outside of Italy, never been on a plane, and only been to Firenze because his in-laws live there. It is also from here that we observe the local children play soccer some evenings.

We have also met some lovely American and UK travelers, and today met the Hilder family from the UK. Even though they had their own tour guide, we had fun sharing some of our experiences and knowledge about Cortona with them. After all, we have lived here now for 11 days!  Many people from the UK tell us they visit Italy to get away from the rain. Although Mrs. Hilder was a tad worried they had brought it with them, the threat today cleared. Happy travels to the Hilder family!

Ciao,

Judy