Lucca Lucca is a lovely little-walled city about an hour and a half drive from Florence. We were lucky to have visited frequently last year when we were based only ten minutes away in Massarosa. This trip we were based in Barga for the week, with Lucca just over a half hour away, and even […]
Italy
Our tales of food and culture, and the recipes we collected along our way from our travels through Italy.
Hiding In Plain Sight – Teatro dei Differenti
Teatro dei Differenti We had seen pictures of the 18th century theatre that sits in the middle of the old town of Barga, but when we got there, the doors were locked. When we asked the tourism office how we might gain access we were told to go to city hall. Figuring there was no […]
Michelangelo’s Marble
Serchio Valley Installed in our artist’s pad, it was time to go enjoy the Serchio Valley and all its little villages, some stuck in the deep dark woods. The first order of business was to drive up to Trassilico, a tiny village perched on a mountain top at about 1700m above sea level. Our Castellina […]
Return To Barga – PORK TENDERLOIN WITH A BALSAMIC SAUCE
Barga We visited Barga last year with only enough time for a couple of hours of exploration but that was enough to ensure our return. There is something about this little walled village sitting on a hill looking out over the Serchio Valley that wants you to slow down, breath and stay a while. The […]
Driving Through A Painting
Pecorino Amongst the European countries that produce wonderful cheese, Italy definitely ranks near the top. Some of the cheeses we have enjoyed this trip include squaquerone, stracciatella, buffalo mozzarella, asiago, formaggio di fossa, robiola and of course the great Parmigiano Reggiano but by far the most prevalent cheese across Tuscany is my favourite, Pecorino. Pecorino comes […]
Cooking For Italians
Foodie International We headed up to Elyse’s place (from Foodie International) for a welcome glass of wine and to see her recently renovated 200 year old stone house. Perched a couple of hundred feet up from the agriturismo her amazing Italian home has even more stunning views than our sweet accommodations below. A quick tour of […]
Life At Pascianella Agriturismo
Pascianella Agriturismo Arriving in Southern Tuscany we checked into the most modern of our accommodations so far at Pascianella Agriturismo. Just outside the tiny hill town of Castelmuzio this family-run farm, with three generations living together, looks out across the valley toward Montisi offering up the most stunning sunset views. Greeted by Giacomo We were […]
Dario Cecchini, The Dante Quoting Butcher
Dario Cecchini Panzano is a tiny village in the middle of the rolling hills of central Tuscany. There’s nothing too exciting here except for one very unique butcher shop and its accompanying restaurants.Cecchini is run by the now infamous Dante quoting butcher Dario Cecchini, a giant of a man with hands like baseball gloves and […]