 “Shoot - I forgot my digital camera”! I never expected my little excursion to the Bauernhof (farm) Mougin in the neighboring village of Lenste to be so exciting: Banners draped around huge straw men for weeks invite to an “Open Day on the Farm Mougin” aroused my curiosity. I am touched to see how much care, effort and how much “heart” they put into their day & that for their guests! For two long weeks, they prepared for just this one day! You can tell from all the details everywhere around. Its spaces inside and outside feel like an out-door living room! Inviting.
 This day begins with a Sunday sermon on an adjacent field. Straw benches and a straw altar are set up. A glorious day to preach his Sunday sermon overlooking the fields and the sea – and an abundance of nature! Farm Mougin gets blessed and is blessed in all ways…..!
The employees are happy and content and proud to work for the Mougin’s.
The animals have a hay-day: sheep with their lambs, pigs, ducks & their ducklings, ponies and horses, and plenty of chicken, including a set of twin calves (female and male) that are absolutely darling.
 I learn everything about asparagus as the harvest is in full swing now. Mr. Mougin explains on freshly picked asparagus off the fields just now, how it gets washed, how it gets put on an asparagus sorting machine, how it gets sorted into different colored baskets. Each basket classifies the white asparagus into “Very Special”(I call it the VIP asparagus), Class A (Euro 7/kg), Class B (Euro 6/kg), soup asparagus and the tips of the asparagus. The classification depends on the length, thickness and how straight they are.
 I cycle back to pick up my camera not to miss this. Now Peter (originally from Poland) is so kind to explain further: the temperature has to be 7 degree Celsius, the produce can last up to four days in your fridge if you want quality. It takes 20 men (mostly Polish seasonal worker) to harvest 500 kg to 1200 kg a day. The Spargel gets sold: their own store, on markets around the region, and local supermarkets, such as Sky and Edeka. Edeka’s director Dirk Waehler, Groemitz joins in our discussion "Very important for a local supermarket to purchase local grown foods! Bravo.
 Here is Mrs. Mougin handing out coffee & cake. Actually the farm has been in the possession of the family Landschoof/Mougin since 1668. The name Mougin is French: Heinrich’s grandfather, Jean Baptiste Mougin was born 1783 in Fêche l' Eglise, Alsace, came with Napoleon troops to Lübeck-Travemünde (Lübeck was occupied by French troops from 1806-1812) and later became a resident in a nearby village Gosdorf.
Farm Mougin used to be a typical agricultural farm with milk cattle herd, sows & piglet and poultry. In the eighties they began to add a strawberry field, soon they grew potatoes, raspberries, asparagus, and pansies; as well as wheat and flax seeds to bake & sell their own breads and making their own sausages and ham from their own pigs; not to mention eggs from happy chickens and milk from happy cows – all to be sold to you and me.
 Mougin also owns the Café zum Ziegelhof – a wonderful & old world charm café with the best tortes ever!
All right, I know what I want: I purchase my first 500 grams of white asparagus of the season and make dinner plans while cycling home. See photo. They are most delicious and unbelievable fresh and, yes, even crisp. Truly a blessed day!
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He brings out one dish after another: a delicious and filling nan-bread pizza, topped with ingredients like pesto, fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts; a plate that covers seven different dips accompanied by a grass - apple-juice drink (he really took wheat grass and pressed it out!) but I am allergic to grass were my last thoughts before drinking it. As tough as I am, and armed with my bottle of anti-histamine….I closed my eyes! I enjoyed the entire healthy not greasy but allergic experience to the last drop and morsel on my plate. 
That’s one of the most frequent questions heard at the Bolle, the futuristic structure found at the Nardini Distillery in Bassano del Grappa. It’s a fascinating place, and Nardini hosts private tours so you can see this work of art designed by Massimiliano Fuksas, the world class architect contracted by the Nardini family to commemorate their 225th anniversary of grappa making. The structure houses a conference center, laboratory, auditorium with film on the grappa making process, tasting area and store.
I happened to be there the day the cleaning crew came and I saw them up on the top, with a harness clipped onto a steel ring right in the center of the glass bubble. From there they use their bucket and sponge, cleaning as they move across and down the sides. The crew manager is Letizia, a 33 year old woman, and I asked if I could take a ride to the top. Sure, she offered and I hopped in the little basket with her. I can tell you 30 meter is HIGH! We get to the top and I say hi to the workers. “Are any of you mountain climbers?” I ask. Nope, not one. 
The first time I dined at Maria’s house, I made the grave mistake of asking her where she got the phyllo dough for her fantastic hortapita. She went into the kitchen and returned with a dowel (thin rolling pin) and waived it over my head. I had just moved to Crete and had much to learn. 
I didn’t know enough Greek to make up excuses for being overworked or lazy. So, to avoid the chop, I said, “Maria is the best cook in Greece.” My progress reports continued with honest statements such as “I never clean my house.” That is one of her favorites. Another is, “Maria makes the most delicious hortapita I have ever had.” 
She invited me to come to her house and learn how to make phyllo at the convenient hour of 6:00 a.m. It’s much more daunting than I imagined. It would take me a full day to make enough phyllo for one pita. It takes Maria a couple of hours to whip it up, along with her heavenly “milk pie,” pudding layered between phyllo. I enjoy Maria’s treasures and Greek lessons whenever I can – not simply to avoid “the chop.” 
