Through the years, Rita and Stefano had returned to Alba, taking three days off on two consecutive weeks, to find the best truffle deals and bring the precious fungus back to Ristorante Girasole. It was a much-anticipated holiday, one that allowed them to blend business with the pleasure of visiting Alba, one of Italy"s truly convivial old cities.
This year, they returned to find little to bring back and, although they tried to enjoy revisiting familiar restaurants and cafés, the disappointment with the truffle harvest laid heavily on their hearts.
The morning after their return to Alba, Rita and Stefano"s thoughts were on each other. Restaurant owners worked long hours, and usually late into the night, so it would seem logical that most would sleep late into the morning. But most season
