Have you ever seen “buchette del vino” in Florence? Maybe yes but you didn’t know what they were… In English could be translated in : “wine windows”, for wine lovers since the XVII century when , due to some export restrictions the Florentine noble families decided to sell wine produced in their countryside estates , … More “Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!
Buongiorno from my birthplace, Pistoia! This morning I after having visited the clothes market that as I wrote in another post of some time ago, it is on Wednesday’s & on Saturday’s in the main square of Pistoia since the Middle Age, I took a walk at the vegetable market on the “Piazza de La … More Summer colors of Pistoia : sun is here,on our food market today
What about having a taste of France in piazza della Santissima Annunziata in Florence? Not just food but even scented soaps ,parfums, herbal infusions , clothes , lovely hats, table cloths and much more. As soon as I ‘ve been arrived in the piazza suddenly I felt like being in France but on the back … More A bite of France in Florence
Have you ever tasted Colomba Pasquale ( Easter dove in English )? Not yet? Here follows some photos I took on the ‘backstage’ of Fratelli Lunardi bakery in Quarrata – Pistoia – http://www.fratellilunardi.it This special kind of soft pastry needs many rising hours to be ready for the oven in this case the Lunardi brothers … More Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!
Ever tried ‘croccante’ ? It’s an onomatopoeic word thst sounds like ‘crock’ & in fact it crocks under your theeth! When I was a child I was used to have it during the traditional Carnival in Pistoia ,when the street food trucks were coming to town & spread all over a yummy smell of caramelized … More Made in Pistoia : how to make croccante
Have you ever heard about “scole” ? In Italian it sounds like “scuola – scola ” = school in English but it has nothing to do with this . When I was telling about how tasty they were to my friends living just 10 km from Pistoia , they told me they have never heard … More A special sweet , yummy roll from Pistoia!
This morning I was prepearing lasagne for tomorrow lunch to celebrate my daughter 18th birthday at home, and was thinking the importance of cooking for someone you love, thinking of her/him/them while you are doing this . Both my daughter & me decided to do it at home not just because it is the best … More Food & feelings about cooking
With me, yes, you can! Visit a family run business with the owners , explaining their experience about the Chianina cows ( it is one of the best meat quality you can find in Tuscany) they started with just 3 animals & now they are almost 100 .Their passion for this job : to feed … More Made in Pistoia : ever visited a Tuscan farm with cows?
Every November I really need to find an old mill to …smell the aroma of the new extra virgin olive oil ! I said “I need ” because without this sensorial deep experience I can’t start winter time :for me it’s the easier way to try to forget summer time & live the autumn mood … More Made in Pistoia : morning in a Tuscan old mill pressing olives
Everybody speaking about Pistoia but I am sure you are wondering : where is Pistoia? in Tuscany, of course! in the Norhtern part of it! close to many more popular and touristic cities such as Florence 30 km Lucca 50 km , about 67 km from Pisa (International airport ) just near the Appenine mountains … More Pistoia , a must see but ..where is it?
Yesterday I was strolling in the Florence city center & I’ve heard a drum sound …so I stopped: I thought it was like being in another century … then I saw a police woman on a horse & lots of people standing at the border of the Calzaiuoli street that leads to Piazza della Signoria … More Celebrating 300 years of Chianti Classico wine 🍷: 1716 September 25th & today 🍷2016
I have already told you about Pistoia that has been called “city of green” because of its nurseries plant & greenhouses , exporting plants & trees all over the world to create fab private & public gardens /parks ,right? This time I wish to share with you this beautiful location where having a yummy & … More Pistoia’s gem :ever had an aperitivo in a greenhouse & in a kitchen garden? Here you can!
http://www.grandhotelsitea.it What does it make your visit in a new city an unforgettable & pleasent experience to be remembered forever ? In my opinion where you choose to stay is very important to determinate your first impression: the hotel or b&b or farmhouse ,becomes your home away from home for some nights & days so … More Where to stay in Turin with class: Grand Hotel Sitea ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another summer, another lovely dinner in one of my fav restaurant on the Emerald coast : “Belvedere” near Porto Cervo.It first opened as a gastronomy shop to take away & then during the years it became a real restaurant with few seated places & with excellent seafood dishes . This time we tasted a local … More A fish cooked in a brick : a seafood dinner in Sardinia
Agriturismo Gallura by Pieruccio is located on the way to Paradise costal few kilometer from Santa Teresa di Gallura. Just open in June but with a glorious past: Pieruccio open it in another location where we used to go almost every week in the past years when we wished to taste the real Sardinian specialities: … More Typical Sardinian dinner
Imagine a group of beautiful ladies from the States – headed by my dear friend Suzanne Stavinoha Waltz – sharing a stunning typical Tuscan villa “under the Tuscan sun” , on a green hilltop , in the countryside of Chianti area : amazing view, great landscape , vines & olives groves around it , aromatic … More Cooking class & sweet memories in a Chianti Tuscan villa
Here again after a long long ,busy year I can enjoy the same seaside & this marvellous sea, the granite marble big rocks 🌊☀️🌻🌴🌺meet my old friends from different regions & nations, tasting great food & excellent wines!🍾🦀🐠🐬🦂🌴🐚🌞🍷🍸🍹🍧☕️ This summer I have to add more memories to those I have collected in more than fourty … More Sardinia fascinates me !
One of my best friend , Chiara , who knows me so well since ever, talked me about a special place I had to see : GARTEN3 www.garten3.it in the outskirts of Pistoia, Quarrata city. Of course ,she was right : GARTEN3 is located in the main square of this town & on the same corner … More Gelaterie Garten 3 : a corner of sweetness!
Amazing views, great wines, beautiful plants & trees from Tuscany – from my Pistoia, called city of green , beacause of its greenhouses – provided by Moreno Menci who exports his plants since more than twenty years in Czech Republic www.vivaimenci.com , a traditional Tuscan architecture for the farmhouse that is a 4 star hotel where … More A small Tuscany in Czech Republic
Since more than 40 years I have been stopping in Livorno just to leave it , yes by boat , direction…Sardinia island. Never a walk , never a look around , never some time to shopping or seeing its streets , its buildings : it has been since ever just an harbour to me, not … More Tuscany : Livorno, not just a port but a charming city
Ever heard about “farro” ? it’s an old cereal used in the past on our mountains especially in the Lucca area , spelt in English. Since I was a child my grandmother told me about this special kind of “brown rice “she tasted by her friends in the Garfagnana district. At those times – about … More Ever tried farro beans soup ? a Tuscan traditional dish
What a wonderful idea travelling all women together in the Chianti countryside enjoying food,wine & lovely landscapes! This is one of my fav tour : ladies only …..💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 A stop in Greve in Chianti, for a beautiful & yummy cappuccino , a tour among hanging hams & salami by Falorni historical butchery, lunch by “Il … More Tour,lunch & shopping with Texan ladies in Chianti
What a great Sunday yesterday ! Some months ago I had the pleasure to meet a foodblogger from Prato – Stefania Storai www.minaelesuericette.ifood.it & she invited me to this event in Prato called : Pastamadre day , litteraly in English could be “mother dough “: the name is easly understanding , because it is from … More Prato & PastaMadreDay : sourdough for homemade bread & focaccia
My interesting walking tour in Genova stopped not only by a bakery to taste focaccia genovese but also here : by a fresh handmade pasta maker : PASTA FRESCA FABIO & ALESSIA run by two brothers that run this family business in the historical center (have a look to the ceilings :old afrescoes overlooking the … More Fresh pasta made in Genoa ~ Ligurian style !
Last Friday I had the pleasure to visit Genoa with a special guided tour planned by Confartigianato Liguria association, CNA Liguria , IN LIGURIA regional agency touristic promotion & with the best Genoa’s licensed guide, Cristina Gelvi , in occasion of the Genoa Pesto World Championship 2016 . So nice to meet this new folk … More Sapori di Genova : a crunchy , soft focaccia Ligurian style
TRATTORIA MEGABONO Via Ser Lapo Mazzei ,20 PRATO -TUSCANY – ITALY PHONE +393385950477 http://www.facebookcom/Megabono Had the pleasure to be invited to dine by this small restaurant ( just 20 seats ) in the city center of Prato just close to the City Hall square in occasion of a BlogTour planned & lead by Armando Alibrandi … More Megabono : a typical Tuscan trattoria in Prato
This time in Rome I wanted to visit the old ghetto near Campo dè Fiori & just close to the nice Isola Tiberina . I had in my memory the deep yellow/orange colour of the Jewish quarter I saw in a beautiful film of some years ago titled : “La finestra di fronte ” by … More Eating in Rome as Romans do since 1923 …
Usually I do not eat where I sleep but in this case it’s a must. http://www.estrobar.com it’s the Abitart hotel restaurant & I loved it! The location is so beautiful: many original paintings on the walls & such a great food experience , really unmissable. Prices are also fine to be in a such fashionable location … More Where to eat in Rome?
Sooo many tasty things to try here! Loved this typical Roman restaurant where my good friends invited me last week for dinner just near Piramide quarter . Ever tried ‘ carbonara with artichokes’ ?DELICIOUS! & what about ‘Abbacchio alla Romana’ lambs meat cooked in a very good way with aromatic light sauce & a tender … More Rome it’s a city 4 foodies : Cotto & Magnato a typical trattoria
Firenze is beautiful sun or rain but with some chocolate to taste strolling in the street it’s even better! So have a look to these stalls just in front of Basilica Santa Maria Novella near the train station…
Baci Perugina are from Perugia ( a renowned city in Umbria for its chocolate production & where the Perugina’s factory comes from) .Invented by a woman – Luisa Spagnoli – in 1922 & in 1939 the first shop in New York was open! To know more about it , have a look to the web … More Baci Perugina : sweet Valentine!
As my grandmother Gina used to make with me, now it was time 4 me with my daughter Francesca! From my old receipes’ book ( a bit dirty, sorry ! I know, but it is also full of good memories & I don’t want to have any new other one but …THIS!!) . Different names … More This is for my foodies’ friends: “cenci”a typical fried dough 4 Carnival
Live the literary life, Tuscan style! Yes, this will be my next tour in Tuscany : read the book , visit the setting! Brunelleschi’s Dome or Death in Florence, or Mona Lisa or Dan Brown’s Inferno….here they are now : are not only in your mind and fantasy but in the locations we will visit … More Book Club in Tuscany with …me!
You know I love my birthplace , Pistoia, as I am writing about it since some years on my blog & posted many many photos on Instagram & Twitter of it. So now that has been just declared the Italy’s city of culture in 2017 I think you should follow my blog & have a … More Pistoia, in Tuscany, it’s a hidden gem to be discovered with ….me!
In Pistoia since two days & until this evening you can visit this chocolate kermesse ! So many different kind of handcrafted chocolate producers – made in Italy – in different shapes, tastes & colours & consistence ( as the liquid tiepid chocolate to be sipped with a spoon as it is not … More MadeinPistoia : Chocomoments, a sweetness celebration
Not just arts & fashion in Florence, it is also a city worldwide renowed for its goldsmiths shops on the Ponte Vecchio , the small artisans studios & also this kind of gold :genuine 23 kt gold & genuine silver available in flakes ( yes as corn flakes😂😂) crumbs ,powder & leaves to be … More MadeinFlorence : Manetti , edible gold to enrich your Christmas dishes
Ever tried it with pears or feoia? or fresh fennel? I tried it with some quincy +ginger jam ( homemade by myself ) & fresh rawsberries…it is really fantastic!!! Such a tasty pairing with these kind of cheese that I really love! It can be served as a starter, as a main dish or at … More Gorgonzola cheese : great pairing with fruits!
How many delicious products we make in Pistoia? So many!!👏👏👏this is another kind, similar to Cialde from Montecatini with an anisette scent . It’s an old tale that a nun named Brigida created them by mistake while she was supposed to make host for the Church , from her they took their name. They are … More MadeinPistoia : brigidini ~ crunchy & thin as autumnal leaves🍂🍁🍂
Ever seen before? ever tried? A typical product from this thermal city in Tuscany that is Montecatini Terme, just 15km from Pistoia. Loved them since I was a child : simply as they are or together with ice cream, vin santo dessert wine or an espresso coffee or hot chocolate ….😋😋😋 They are made of … More MadeinPistoia : cialde di Montecatini Terme ( Pistoia’s district thermal city)
Let’s start a new category for my blog : I DON’T WANNA BE MASTERCHEF ! Who said Italian women are always cooking elaborated meals?? We are very busy as every woman in the world is but….we don’t like to buy cooked food by other people ( or at least is what I am not doing … More I don’t wanna be Master Chef : my easy pumpkin & leek soup ( as Italian women are not all chefs!)
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