Florence Leaving our cozy digs in Massarosa, we were excited to spend our last two days of the Italian leg of this tour in Florence. Although we both love being in the country we also love the energy of a big city. A huge museum Firenze is like being in a huge museum. Every street […]
Truffle Hunting!
He’s here It was 5:30 in the morning when there was a gentle knock on our door. “He’s here…” I said “and he is half an hour early!” We quickly gathered the cameras (and our wits) and slipped downstairs to where our host for the morning was waiting beside his truck. Giorgio Cortopassi He was […]
Chianti, It’s Not Just About The Wine – ARISTA DI CINTA SENESE and TAGLIATELLE WITH GUANCIALE AND TREVISANO (radicchio)
A familiar face It was 10:30 am when we rolled up to the front gates of Casamonti Estates in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. After ringing the buzzer and waiting impatiently for the gates to open we heard a beep as a car approached, looking in the mirror I saw the familiar face of […]
Garfagnana: The Land Of Wolves And Witches – FORMENTON POLENTA WITH GARFAGNANA SAUCE and CHESTNUT PANCAKE WITH HONEY SPIKED FORMAGGIO FRESCO
The Serchio Valley Another forty degree day was on its way so we decided to escape into the hills in search of cooler weather, unfortunately, we would never find it. Northwest of Tuscany Garfagnana is a territory in the extreme Northwest of Tuscany, dominated by the Apuan Alps to the South, bordered by the Tuscan […]
Hey Lardo! – LARDO WRAPPED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND SWISS CHARD and CURLY ENDIVE WITH WARM PANCETTA AND BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
Apuan Alps Looking back from the coast at the Apuan Alps you would swear that you were looking at snow covered peaks. In fact what you are seeing is marble, widespread in the Alps, reflecting in the sun. Carrara Carrara, the centre of the marble mining industry, is a medieval village nestled into the base […]
A Piece Of Pisa – PIZZA DOUGH
A quick drive It’s a quick drive through the country side to Pisa. A lucky parking find put us within two blocks of the gates to the “piazza dei miracoli” (the miracle square). As we neared the entrance, it was obvious that we were not the only ones eager to see the famous leaning tower […]
Market Day In Massarosa – RIBOLLITA
Massarosa Massarosa is a small town about an hour West of Florence in the province of Lucca. It counts just over 20 000 inhabitants, only one of which we know, speaks some English. This is our home for the month of July. Needless to say, we’ve been learning Italian, at least the essentials. Novelty for […]
Rome Wasn’t Built In One Day – STEAK PIZZAIOLA
Rome Rome greeted us with temperatures in the high 30’s and thick humidity after our eight-hour flight. The long cab ride into the city added to our adrenaline as our cab driver simultaneously took notes, read a map, spoke on the phone and wove through traffic. Forty minutes later we were standing on the balcony […]