Etsy and Bottega Designs This week I spent some time setting up our Etsy store and named it Bottega Designs as a tribute to our old deli. We will continue to add new products so feel free to visit often. We were reminded of our deli days this week when we stopped in a Little […]
Italy
Our tales of food and culture, and the recipes we collected along our way from our travels through Italy.
Where to stay in Italy
Food, Culture & Beauty Italy, the word alone conjures up images of beautiful scenery and delicious food, but what about accommodations? For every picture perfect scene there is a disappointing lodging situation. We all know the saying, if it’s too good to be true… Of course if you’re trying to save money, a few nights […]
Tipsy, Tired and “Visiting” Florence
The following is a guest post courtesy of Mathieu Bolduc. “Do you know where we are?” Marie-Joelle asked me as we stumbled down a small cobble stone piazza. “Sure! It’s this way!” What I didn’t tell her is that I had only chosen the street that looked least likely to host an Italian version of […]
Honest Food Tales – The Beehive Rome
Convenience “foods” Growing up, I never saw a fresh herb in our kitchen. My mother came from a generation of women for whom less time in the kitchen was a measure of success and since my parents both worked full time – our refrigerator, freezer and pantry were full of convenience “foods”. Home cooked meals […]
A Perfect Day in Ottawa
Ottawa is a great place to spend a vacation during any season. With so many festivals, events and museums, you would be hard pressed to decide what to do with a limited time. These are just some of the things you might want to fit into your schedule. La Bottega Nicastro and the Byward Market […]
The City Of Painted Walls
Every two years Dozza is a town located in the hills of Emilia-Romagna, about a dozen kilometres east of Bologna. People come here to see the 13th century fortress equipped with its own dungeons, the Romanesque church of Santa Maria and the painted walls. Every two years internationally renown artists get together in this town […]
MEATBALL: Where Did You Come From?
Italy, Turkey, Greece or China I wanted to write a quick little blurb about where the meatball originated and post a great recipe. But there doesn’t seem to be a cut and dry answer. It seems like every country has their version of a meatball and a few like to say they invented it. This […]
Lapping Up Imola In Emilia-Romagna
RIP Ayrton Senna As a self protested car lover, imagine how excited I was when we were invited to lap the famous Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, etched into racing history and the gorgeous hillside of Imola, Italy. It is the place of legends with an incredible track that lifts and turns and then drops and […]