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Amalfi Coast, Here We Come!

11/17/2016

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 The Amalfi Coast/Puglia Tour continues....

The group has allotted three nights to the Amalfi Coast, and I have decided to homebase us in the stunning town of Positano, where the buildings spill from the mountains to the sea.  We have so much to see and do and eat and drink. Let's get started!
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Though our time in Naples was a little bit cloudy and damp, once we arrive to Positano, all that changes....nothing but sunshine!
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​As a surprise for this special group, I've organized a full day, private boat trip to the Isle of Capri. (They thought they were taking the ferry for a short tour.)
We cruise our way to Capri, then spend the whole morning making our way all around the island at our leisure. With our small boat, we can nose right into little grottos to admire the rocks and crystalline waters. The weather in this late moment of September even permits us a swim! And then we get to go right through the rocks, and raise our wineglasses in salute as we do so!
Once we're done touring the island by water, it's time to tour it on land. Our open-air taxis await!
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Look waaaay down there! There are the rocks our boat went through on our way here!
The taxis bring us to the lovely town of Anacapri. Once there, we take the individual chairlifts to the tippy top for Amazing (yes, with a capital "A") views!
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By now, we've really built up an appetite (even though we had delicious snacks and Prosecco on the boat). Time to take the chairlift back down and go eat! We have a really wonderful Slow Food lunch waiting for us.
Well, we are filled to the brim, and our taxis and boat await. There's just a little time to do some shopping, then off we go back to the marina where our captain, Roberto is waiting for us. As the sun lowers, we make our way back to Positano.
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As we approach Positano, Captain Robbie gives us a farewell serenade with Bocelli music. (He never even told me he could sing!)

Today has truly been a Bella Giornata. We've had so many memorable experiences. We've seen such natural beauty, eaten fantastic food, danced, sang and laughed our hearts out. Thank you to my wonderful colleagues in Italy for making the day so special. Thanks to Robbie, Lavinia and Vicenzo. Until we meet again!

Tomorrow....we work for our food!
Stay tuned for more fun adventures with the Bisaccia Family.
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Naples: A City Well Lived In

11/5/2016

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Continuing the Journey on the Amalfi Coast/Puglia Tour:

Naples is really a city like no other. I always call it a "city well lived in". Why? Well, it has a reputation for many things; chaotic traffic, petty crime, chaos in general...all somewhat true. Rome has all those things too, but Rome always feels so touristic, while Naples feels like you're just witnessing life happening. 

Here, the group is posing around the famous Pulcinella statue. Pulcinella was a classic character from Italian theatre. Represented as a "fool", the character in fact rather thumbed its nose at government rules and bureaucracy...I guess that explains a few things right there.

Lest you think Naples is all negative connotation, nothing could be further from the truth. Its streets are simply fascinating; filled with history, great food and traditions, and beautiful art. Naples is full of things to see and deserves any amount of time you can afford to spend there. 

​Here are a few things I found while wandering:
Turns out we were in the nick of time to help the city finish celebrating the Miracle of St. Gennaro (This occurs on Sept. 19, and we arrived on the 20th). Here's a link to an explanation: 
​https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/09/19/famed-blood-miracle-san-gennaro-unfolds-naples/
We were visiting the Church of St. Gennaro and got to see the liquified blood! The priest below is holding the ampule and people were welcome to come and give it a kiss. Also notice the shape of San Gennaro's hat...below on the right, on the bronze bust.
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Of course, because it was such a special time, the pastry shops were also creating something special to help celebrate. I tasted a San Gennaro hat-shaped pastry....it was delicious! There was even an explanation of what was in it.
A lovely tradition in Napoli is called Caffe' Sospeso, or "Suspended Coffee". What it means, is you can pay ahead for a coffee for someone who will need one and not have the money. So if a coffee shop advertises this service, I can pay for a coffee for someone in need. At any time, someone who can't afford one, or forgot their wallet can stop in for a "free" coffee....not on the house, but on whoever chose to pay for one. So civilized.
We saw many sights on our walking tour with our officially licensed guide, but what better way to take in the traditions of Napoli than with a pizza lunch?

And to end the evening? We made our own karaoke party!
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Oh those knuckleheads! Maybe everyone was a little rummy from having just arrived to Italy yesterday. Or maybe, this is just a fun-loving group! 

You'll see in the days ahead.....

Next stop: Pompei and then the true Amalfi Coast begins!
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Meet Claudio Riso

4/17/2015

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One of my personal passions is seeing how things are made. Regular readers know I love food and wine. Nothing pleases me more than spending an afternoon at a winery or an olive oil mill or with a cheese producer. But I love seeing how anything is made; whether it be a pencil or pasta. And this is one of my favorite things about Italy: It is so easy to see how things are made! A walk through one of my favorite neighborhoods in Rome will take me past an upholsterer, a man who makes custom picture frames, some fabulous seamstresses, jewelry designers and artists. What is so wonderful is there they all are, sitting in their shops, actually making their products. A casual stroll becomes a learning experience. It’s like a living museum. This isn’t true to just Rome. It’s true to all of Italy.
I was recently in the beautiful town of Lecce located in Puglia, the “heel” of the “boot” of Italy. Lecce really has it all: Beautiful archaeological ruins located in the heart of the town, elegant Baroque buildings, delicious food and wines, and wonderful people. A stroll through the historic center took me past several artisanal shops. One in particular caught my eye.

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I was enticed in by the display of disembodied body parts, and the interesting statue, made of straw in the entry. I was about to enter into the world of Claudio Riso. Claudio’s workshop is where he creates amazing works of art from…..paper. Paper Mache to be more precise. 

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Claudio and his small crew of artisans make two distinctly different types of sculptures, but they all start the same way. Firstly, he makes large religious statues which are ordered by churches and others who simply want a sacred figure in their presence. When I was there, they were packing up a life size figure of Christ on the cross in a specially built crate to be sent to a church. When I realized how prevalent his Paper Mache figures were, I started taking a second look at all the “statues” in Lecce’s churches. Sure enough, so many of them were actually Paper Mache! 
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The second type of sculpture he creates are small figures from everyday peasant life. These figures are often placed in a diorama type setting, and represent the history of the area. Every bit of the diorama is made by hand, and often by corresponding art specialists. For example, a kitchen scene might have real miniature ceramic pots and little brass cooking pans all made by local artisans. A fishing scene will have fishing nets made by area fishermen. Wood carvers are employed to make certain bits. Everyone and everything has its place. 

Whether he is creating a large religious sculpture or a small diorama scene, the human figures begin the same way. A core of iron wire is lined with straw, and wrapped tightly with string. This “figure” can be posed as need be. Someone’s job is to make nothing but little terra cotta heads, hands and feet which are mounted on the figures. Now, we are finally ready for the Paper Mache to clothe the figures. Special paper soaked in flour glue is wrapped, pressed and formed to create the main body of the figure. After a drying process comes the painting and coloring. Voila! A very realistic human form has been created.
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At one time in the history of Lecce, there were an abundance of Paper Mache artists. But as with many things, over time they disappeared. Claudio was apprenticed as a youngster to study this special process of Paper Mache, and now he has apprentices working with him. Claudio and his staff work hard not only to make these charming figures, but also to maintain this dying tradition.

It’s fascinating, isn’t it….to see an artisan at work….to witness the creation of something special by someone who is passionate about what they do? I can’t get enough of it. Come with me to Italy….to Puglia….to Lecce. There is so much to see and do there. We can go meet Claudio, watch him work, even have a lesson if we want to get our hands dirty. Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s start planning your next trip to Italy.

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Sausage and Black Celery Festival…..a great evening in Trevi

11/10/2014

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My clients have long come to realize that when they travel with me…..they eat well.  Sometimes, I admit we eat too much, but we do eat well. Today, is no exception. We have a couple of great treats in store; a lovely lunch, a riotous wine tasting, and finally the unique treat of a Sausage and Black Celery Festival. Whew! But first, we need to build up an appetite. And what better way to do that, than with a few hours of shopping for ceramics!

We are in luck today because Marco, a member of the Gialletti Pimpinelli family is in the shop today and very willing to give us a tour. Though the artisans are not working (as it is a Sunday), he explains all the phases of ceramics making to us and shows us about the factory. He and his sister are the 3rd generation to be involved in the factory. His grandfather, (Gialletti) founded the company and his father, Graziano is the master ceramist. 
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True to form, shopping has made us hungry. We have an appointment for lunch at a lovely restaurant on the main piazza of the charming town of Bevagna. So many times, I have come here to find a fun event happening in the piazza, and today is no exception. There is a little craft and antiques fair going on, and I purchase a fun necklace. I love this town! It’s so small, but I always find something good to eat here, and best of all, it has one of my favorite wine shops. Today we’re dining at Ristorante delle Mura, recommended to me by Fabrizio Antano….of my favorite wine shop.
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Lunch is delicious! Each person gets their own appetizer plate…..tooooo much! But so good. Then comes gnocchi. But this is no ordinary gnocchi. The sauce is made from Sagrantino wine, my fave! Again; too much, but so good. And lastly, three big silver tureens arrive to the table. Each is filled with the house recipe for wild boar stew. Oh. My. Goodness. I was wondering what that little special something was in there, and upon close inspection, I find a few tiny grapes in the stew. Unique and wonderful.
After lunch, we only have a short distance to stroll to reach my favorite wine shop. I’ve blogged about Fabrizio Antano’s shop before. It’s a great combination of truly wonderful wine, Fabrizio’s generous pours, and his wonderful personality. Today, we’re in for a special treat as Fabrizio’s friend Pino has decided to pay a visit as well. Pino is a great photographer whose most recent subject matter are the flowering fields of the plains of Castellucio. These fields of lentil plants in Umbria erupt into riotous color at certain times of the year. You can see Pino’s photos on canvas in the background of one of the photos.
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After a little more time to explore the booths in the piazza in Bevagna, we load into the van and head to Trevi for a really unique and special treat. We happen to be in the area during the time of the annual Sagra di Salsicce e Sedano Nero, or the Sausage and Black Celery Festival. Everyone knows sausages are incredibly delicious in Italy, but Black Celery? In fact, the celery itself is not black; but the seeds that it grows from are. This particular celery, indigenous to this area, is quite hearty. It has a stronger flavor than the celery we are used to, and is denser, with less water content. The celery farmer below is the first place winner for this year's celery!
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But there is more to this festival than sausages and celery. Though the festival goes on for the whole weekend, we have come on a special night. It is the night of the Scene Medievale or Medieval Scenes. The townspeople have cordoned off certain cobblestoned streets, and local actors dressed in period costumes, re-enact the history of Trevi in the streets. Though we have a hard time understanding the Italian actors (our translator is working madly in whispers), we are nonetheless entranced by the emotions displayed on the candlelit cobblestoned streets. 
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And when we have finished the nightwalk, we are just in time for our reservation at a pop-up taverna. These little restaurants aren’t open for the bulk of the year, but at special times, open up and serve delicious local food. Tonight, we have reservations at one that has received awards for its food. It’s a boisterous atmosphere. People are flush from watching live enacted battle scenes, and from drinking local wine. 

We order toast covered in fresh ricotta drizzled with the famous local olive oil. Another toast arrives which is slathered in a sausage spread (This is the sausage fest, remember?) And best of all, we order stuffed black celery. It’s a little hard to describe, but the local celery is packed with a sausage, vegetable mixture, then baked and lastly slathered in a delicious, yet simple tomato sauce. 

It is just so good, and the local wine served in terra cotta cups flows. The crowd is loud and casual. We are loud and casual. It is: So.Much.Fun. These are the experiences that simply can’t be replicated in the U.S. Everyone around us is speaking Italian; we are the only tourists in the building. 

I’m dying for one of the adorable terra cotta cups and ask if I can buy one. “Just take it”, says the owner with a smile. 
I don’t know about my clients, but I am so happy. (Actually, I know my clients were pretty happy too.)


It's been a long day, we've done so many fun things, and had lots of wonderful food. But.....this is a sausage festival after all.


So on our way out of town, a couple of my clients decide they really must taste a grilled sausage sandwich from Trevi's piazza.


Good for them. My kind of people!
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A Farm to Table Day

11/8/2014

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(Still trying to catch up on blogging my most recent tour....)
Today was simply all about food. That’s not bad, is it? Seeing as this is billed as a “food and wine tour”, that’s actually pretty, darn good in my book.
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We start the day at Granarium. This is a place I have blogged about before. It’s a place I love, and will continue to return to. Granarium is a farm, flour mill, bakery and storefront all rolled into one. It’s amazing isn’t it? In order to create delicious bakery products, the folks at Granarium start with growing the wheat. It’s kind of like the story of the Little Red Hen….they grow the wheat, turn the wheat into flour, use the flour to make fantastic doughs for pizza, cookies and cakes, and then sell it all in their tiny little shop.  Notice our shopping bags :)

Tiziana is our tour guide today, and she explains to us how the process works. 
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After she shows us how the flour is made, she opens their amazing oven so we can have a look. This is the biggest wood-fired oven I have ever seen. Yes, it is wood-fired! Can you believe it?! Every day, they churn out a huge array of delicious products from this oven; the only oven they have in the place. 
At the end of our tour, we find that Tiziana has set out a huge variety of samples for us to try. And then we all cram into the tiny shop and make so many purchases because it’s all simply so good. Their whole wheat biscuits are my morning go-to staple with a cappuccino. When I eat one, it holds me until lunch, it’s so filling, and just so darned tasty. (That's them in the upper, right hand corner of the photo.)

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After good-byes at the mill, we are off to our next food destination; cooking class! Yes, this is our second cooking lesson after our earlier wood-fired pizza making lesson. Today, we’ll be cooking an entire classic Umbrian meal under the tutelage of Wendy Aulsebrook and her local helpers at Antonelli winery. 

We have so many dishes to prepare, it’s nearly mind-boggling, but the group is so excited for today, and everyone is ready for our hands-on lesson. Here's our menu:
We start with appetizers: We make focaccia bread with fresh rosemary from scratch. On the right, you see the finished focaccia bread. It's served with local cheese and the winery's own jam made from Sagrantino grapes. In addition, we've made our own liver pate which you see served on some crusty local bread. This first course is served with Antonelli's white wine. 
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Next comes the classic first course. Our "primo" is homemade pasta with a basic tomato sauce. The table is set for pasta making.....and everyone works hard for their lunch!
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Of course, our pasta has to have a sauce, so we are taught how to make a basic, fresh tomato sauce:
For our main course, our "secondo", we're taught how to make a classic, Umbrian roasted chicken.
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This chicken is amazingly flavorful and tender. It has been rubbed with a garlic and fresh herb mixture. Fresh lemon juice and liberal amounts of olive oil are poured over the top. Then it is baked in a convection oven. We can't get enough! 

Our side dish, or "contorno" is a roasted combination of potatoes, zucchini and tomatoes. So delicious...especially the little bites of tomato!
And what meal would be complete without dessert? We get to have two! First we make panna cotta with a chocolate ganache topping and also some delicious red wine cookies. We are so lucky. And it is all paired with the fantastic wines from Antonelli vineyards.
As usual, it has been a full and productive day. We are so grateful to Wendy and her helpers for showing us how to cook classic Umbrian cuisine. Everyone declares it.....truly delicious!
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A Wild Way to Start the Day....

10/31/2014

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Yesterday, I let everybody off the hook easy. Today, we're going to ramp it up a bit. In fact, we're going to get everyone's juices flowing by starting the day with a wild cage ride! 

The beautiful hill town of Gubbio has had these "birdcage" rides forever. They are so fun! There are two circles painted on the platform. One person stands in each. As the cage approaches the first circle, the attendant swings open the door, and the first person hops on while the cage is still moving. Then the second person hops aboard, the attendant slams the door shut, and you're off!

The ride takes you up the mountain side for spectacular views over Gubbio and the surrounding countryside. The trip is quite vertical, and today, it's quite windy. But my intrepid crew is ready for the adventure!
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Ok, we're all on board. Up, up and away we go!
The ride up is exciting and exhilirating and the views are spectacular!
The view on our way up.
The view of the historic center of Gubbio.
We're about to arrive at our destination at the top of the mountian.
It's a blustery day, so we just take time for a few photos and a look about before heading back down.
Back down to earth from our ride, our driver drops us off in the historic center of Gubbio. The group now has a little free time to walk around and explore this beautiful hill town before we meet up for lunch.
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The troops begin to gather....it must be time to eat! We are trying out a new lunch spot today, and we are so glad we did!


Lunch was outstanding and the service was really grand. We fell in love with our waiter Marcello who was just such a nice man. And to top it off, the owner of the restaurant himself, Ulise, came out and spent a lot of time talking to us about truffles. He was so passionate about his ingredients, his food, his restaurant....really lovely. And...the food was delicious!
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Gubbio has been so fun and treated us well, but it is time to move on. We're on our way to the Eurochocolate Festival (Yes, can you believe there even is such a thing?!) in Perugia, but we have a quick stop to make on the way. 

We'll be stopping at Frantoio Trampolini, an olive oil mill where we will have a chance to see how the oil is made, as well as have a taste. Antonio Trampolini, the patriarch of the family shows us an old mill stone, explaining how the olives used to be crushed in years past. Then he takes us inside to see the modern equipment used today.

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And now it's time to taste the oil. First we are offered a taste of the oil from last year's harvest. It's delicious, but then Antonio gives us some great news. Though it is early, just yesterday, they crushed a small amount of olives. So......we are so lucky to be able to test the freshly pressed oil! You can see (and taste!) the difference between last year's oil and the new oil. Delicious!
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Luckily, we arrive early....on the first day of the festival, really just as it is getting underway. I have been to this festival in years past when it has been so crowded as to be nearly unbearable. But this evening is perfect...we go our separate ways, strolling, ogling the chocolate, tasting the chocolate, buying the chocolate......
After lots of purchases and hugs goodbye, we pile back into the van and make the very short trip to Perugia for the EuroChocolate Festival.
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We're headed back to Spello now to end our day with a lovely dinner and more fantastic wine from Umbria. So I leave you with this final photo of the day, taken from the top of Perugia looking back over the countryside as the sun is going down.

We've had a long and very productive day. The back of the van is filled with olive oil, chocolate and other purchases made during the day. Ahhh.....Italy. Sigh.


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A Day in Assisi

10/28/2014

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After last night's gigantic wine tasting dinner, I thought it best to start off slow this morning :)
Everyone gets a chance to sleep in if they'd like, or to explore their new town, Spello on their own for the morning. There are no committments until noon when it's time to climb back into what has become affectionately known as the "clown car". You know what "noon" means, don't you? Yes, that's right....it's time for lunch!

Our lunch today is at a favorite place just outside of Assisi. The building itself used to be used to house animals way back in the day. It's very rustic and delicious. Just take a peek......
On the left is polenta topped with a sausage ragu along with delicious beans, and sandwiched between the two are some ricotta and spinach dumplings. On the right is the mixed contorni plate filled with veg either done on the grill or in the ashes. What ashes you ask? These ashes...! So many delicious meats are done on the grill here, and potatoes and onions are buried in the ashes to cook as well.
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Now that our bellies are full (yet again), we have the stamina to head off for the sightseeing portion of our trip to Assisi. We are joined by our official guide who escorts us through the famous and lovely Basilica of San Francesco. We are thrilled to see the beautiful frescoes and awed by the crypt of St. Francis.
 
The group has the remainder of the afternoon to explore Assisi on their own, stopping to see whatever they would like to take a closer look at.

Personally, I'm always amazed by the number of bakery/sweet shops in Assisi. People from this town seem to have an crazy affinity for sweets...my kind of people.

We have a very full day ahead of us tomorrow as we ramp up the schedule a bit. So this evening, everyone gets to relax, have dinner on their own back in Spello and enjoy each other's company. Tomorrow.....wild cage rides! Stay tuned!
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Making our Way into Umbria

10/27/2014

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Time to leave the slow life at the agriturismo, and pick up the pace a little bit as we continue deeper into Umbria. Heaven forbid we should pick up the pace too quickly though. Before we leave Fontanaro we take a stroll past the grape vines, past the bee hives, and on to the olive oil mill. 
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Fontanaro processes all of its own olives on the premises. We take a quick peek at how it is done, before saying our good-byes.
After lots of olive oil purchases, and lots of hugs, we load up the van and say a final farewell. 

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But we don’t get far. It’s already lunch time, so we stop in the tiny town of Paciano for a really delicious lunch. 




This is the appetizer plate for one! We eat fabulous dishes like a cold salad made from locally sourced beans and perch from nearby Lago Trasimeno. Someone orders pasta filled with local greens and herbs, and their grilled meats are delicious. Okay, now….....we’re really going to hit the road.

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We’re on our way to Spello, but first we make a quick stop at one of the loveliest churches I have ever seen. It’s not the church itself that impresses as much as what is hiding inside of it. Inside this gigantic church is a tiny gem called the Portiuncula; the hut-like, but heart-stopping tiny church that St. Francis rebuilt himself as a gathering place for his ever-increasing number of followers back in the 1200’s. 

(Note: This photo was taken on a previous trip. Photos of the interior of this church are not allowed.)

Finally we arrive to Spello with plenty of time to settle into our individual apartments before our big wine tasting dinner tonight. Spello is one of my favorite Umbrian hill towns and holds a special place in my heart. For some reason, I find this town very relaxing. For its tiny size, it holds an inordinate number of delicious restaurants and cute shops. Yet, it retains its very small town feel. Meals here seem to go on forever just like the panoramic views seen from the medieval walls. I love it here.
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Tonight we dine and taste with Roberto and Irene Angelini, the father/daughter team of Enoteca Properzio. Our group has a private room to ourselves. Food begins to arrive, wine begins to flow…. As each course arrives, Roberto and Irene pop back in to pour a new wine and tell us a little about it. Then we are left alone to enjoy our meal until the next item arrives. The food is wonderful and the wines are fantastic. The evening continues on with lots of laughter, conversation, jokes…..no one is looking at a clock. This is how a meal should be enjoyed.

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And so ends another day of the tour! Tomorrow we’ll be spending the day in nearby Assisi. Stay tuned…

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It's Pizza Making Day!

10/26/2014

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Our visit to Agriturismo Fontanaro has come at the perfect point in our itinerary. We are about halfway through our trip, and everyone could use a little "down-time".

My group of clients, all family and friends, have a whole villa to themselves! After last night's late birthday dinner, today they get to sleep in a bit, and fix their own breakfast when they feel like it.

They just have to be ready by noon today. What's happening at high noon? It's pizza-making time!
Before we start making the pizza dough, we have a little olive oil tasting lesson. We're tasting the olive oil that is produced at Fontanaro. We look at the color, smell the aroma, and have a taste.  It's just like tasting wine!
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We will be making our pizzas in a wood-fired oven. It actually takes many hours for the oven to get hot enough, so the fire has been burning in the oven all morning.



Now comes time to make the pizza dough. Anna shows us how to make the dough from scratch. She builds a well of flour, adds a pinch of salt, some olive oil and a yeast mixture. Then comes the mixing and kneading. 


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Because the dough needs time to rise, the dough we're making is not actually what we'll be using today. Anna already prepped our dough earlier in the day. Isn't it beautiful?

Everyone takes their turn working the dough, stretching, kneading...until it is nice and smooth. Then the dough gets a second rising on the pan, before it is finally ready to roll out.


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We start rolling, and building a huge variety of pizzas. The first pizzas are topped with the classic Umbrian ingredients of sweated onions, and fresh sage. And of course ALL the pizzas get a liberal drizzle of Fontanaro's delicious, organic olive oil.
Next up, the classic Margherita pizza:
And, one of my personal favorites; zucchini blossoms both, with and without anchovies. (I prefer with.)
Here's another pizza that was new to all of us. Lucia cooked two blank pizza doughs in the oven. On top of the first one, she spread a delicious creamy cheese. The cheese was topped with lots of fresh arugula, then she pressed the second cooked pizza dough on top; like a sandwich. It was a pizza with fabulous contrasts. In each bite, you got the crispy crust with the creamy cheese and hot dough with cold arugula...very interesting and delicious.
Here are a few more photos in case you're not hungry yet:
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And last, but not least.....did you know dessert can be made in the same oven? Lucia whipped up these delicious brioche buns, and after they came out of the oven, we split them open and filled them with ice cream! I know.....over-the-top deliciousness!
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Alina Pinelli
We have had a simply fabulous day with Alina, her mom Lucia and Anna in the outdoor kitchen. The group thoroughly enjoyed their relaxing stay at Fontanaro. Though they swear they can never eat again, the group manages to cook themselves their own supper in their villa this evening. Tomorrow, we will be leaving Paciano for more adventures in Umbria.  Click on the link below to see a lovely little video of our group making pizza (made by Alina).  http://t.co/eqad5rKUDn
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Making our Way to Tuscany

10/18/2014

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With four days of Rome under our belts, it is time to leave the city and make our way north to southern Tuscany. We’ll get there via a couple of interesting stops along the way. Lazio, the area surrounding Rome is filled with hidden treasures like these:
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First stop is a stroll through the Sacred Woods of the Parco dei Mostri in Bomarzo to view some unique and somewhat bizarre creatures hidden around every corner. It’s a great place to stretch your legs, and have a whimsical walk in the woods.
Then it’s on to an ancient and crumbling village perched high atop its own little bluff. It is a bit of a trek to get to it; lots of uphill climbing. But that only serves to build up your appetite, and you’ll need a good appetite for all the tasty little lunch treats in store for us here.
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Next stop, the beautiful hilltop town of Orvieto. The duomo here is one of the most beautiful in Italy, and inside are some really fantastic frescoes (which we are not allowed to take pictures of). We have a nice little guided walk here before moving on to our final destination; a B & B in lower Tuscany.  

We had some great adventures today! What's in store for tomorrow? Food, Wine.........and Romance!
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    Italophile......
    are  you one?

    According to Webster's, if you are "friendly to or favoring what is Italian", you are one! Interested in Italy?  Me too! Follow my ramblings and recipes if so inclined.  I'll try to visually capture memories of Italy and share some of my favorite recipes.  Want the real flavor of Italy though?   Then.....let me take you there.

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