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!
Why should you visit Pistoia? Not just because it is my birthplace , of course! ( or maybe…. just for this ?) not only because it is crowned Italy’s capital of culture in 2017 but first of all for its geographic position in Italy in the second century BC it was chosen by the Romans as a … More Where is Pistoia? More than 10 reasons to visit this hidden gem in Tuscany , Italy’s capital of culture in 2017!
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
http://www.bajmacario.it/ This is not just a traditional Tuscan wine estate in Chianti Classico district ,it is something different : it’s a real experience in the wineyard ,tasting wine spilled directly from the barrel , smelling the grape inside the wood , have a ride on an old car from the Second World War among the … More Enrico Baj Macario : a Count who produces regal wines in Chianti!
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
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
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!
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
If you are travelling in Tuscany don ‘t miss the Leonardo da Vinci birthplace . Not all foreigns know that “da Vinci ” in Italian means “from Vinci ” & it is a small village near Pistoia ~ MY birthplace 😉😄 ~ surrounded by beautiful olive grooves & wineyards, lovely farmhouses where to stop … More Leonardo da Vinci was born here!
In Tuscany we love pork meat , in every possible way! Even raw pork sausages are delicious just spreading them on a Tuscan unsalted slice of bread….ever tried? if not yet ,you SHOULD ! Just buy FRESH ones handmade by one of our ‘norcino’ ( a particular butcher who deals with pork meat only ) … More How to eat a fresh pork sausage for a tasty aperitivo!
Have you ever heard about Certaldo before? Maybe because the renowned writer & poet Giovanni Boccaccio – The Decameron’s author – was born here …..https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio and its home museum so interesting to visit http://www.casaboccaccio.it/ with books & even old shoes dated 1300 and aspectacular view from the tower over the hamlet that till today maintained its old … More Certaldo : a Medieval beautiful hamlet in Tuscany!
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
Another time in Greve for me but the first one for my American group : to see the triangular shaped square, this time with no tourists – except us – as at the beginning of March is still low season and just because of this , more lovely as a typical Tuscan hamlet where to … More Tuscany : Greve in Chianti & the Tuscan navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano
This is Meleto castle www.castellomeleto.it in the Chianti district & of course the symbol of the Chianti Classico , the black rooster , was on the bottles we opened & tasted! The castle dates back Middle Age & the Ricasoli ‘s family owned it for many years,at the present the property has changed . There is … More Tasting Tuscan Chianti wine in a castle dated 1256!
Originally , in the 1300 , the towers were 72 -in a very small village think they were more towers than inhabitans!- but towers meant power at that time & so each noble family showed it through them. Nowadays only 14 left but the atmosphere is like a diamond posed on a hill from which … More San Gimignano : as a small New York skyline with its old towers
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!
Why should you visit Pistoia? Not just because it is my birthplace , of course! ( or maybe…. just fot this?😂😜) first of all for its location in Italy in the second century BC it was chosen by the Romans as a stretegical basis between North & South : the actual Duomo square became in … More Where is Pistoia? More than 10 reasons to visit this hidden gem in Tuscany
If you decide to visit Liguria & 5 Terre don’t miss a schiacchetrá tasting in one of the small cellers of this area.This is in Riomaggiore where there is ” la via dell’amore” the love’s street just on the clift around this village. I love this sweet ,dry , aromatic wine : the production is … More Ever heard about 5 Terre delicious & precious wine : schiacchetrà?
By ristorante La Ruota near Moneglia http://www.laruotamoneglia.it we had a great food experience: starting with a glass of Prosecco everything comes sooo easy for everybody !even the most difficult receipe!👏👏👏 Edoardo , the owner – chef , was so nice & funny to explain his receipes & so we had a lot of fun , … More Cooking class with porcini mushrooms & ..a glass of Prosecco in your hand!
“A Settembre l’uva è matura e il fico pende” this is an old farmers’ saying = in Septmber grape is mature & fig hangs…this morning I had the proof this is trally true !in Pistoia’s countryside lots of sweet grape & figs ! My breakfast was made of this fantastic & organic fruits👏👏 Many hands … More Pistoia : it’s harvest time ( by hand ) in Tuscany!
As many Tuscan & Italian typical specialities this is a very simple one . What is it? A kind of white pizza ( flour ,yeast , water , salt )just topped with extra virgin oil & some salt before putting into the oven😉can be thin & crunchy or thick & soft or crispy outside & … More What is focaccia ? The best ways to taste it !
Yesterday evening I visited the 48th edition of this wine event called “Festa del vino”: Montecarlo is such an amazing small village between Pistoia & Lucca known especially for its white wine but also for the red one . Unfortunately not many tourists know this rich terroire of wineyards …hope with this post it can … More Montecarlo di Lucca : a wine hamlet in Tuscany – wine festival until September 8th!
What a special emotion for me watching at the same landscape chosen by Leonardo da Vinci to paint his masterpiece…and this villa is the Monnalisa birthplace too. Feeling as being part of the history , feeling proud – one time again – to be born in this wonderful region filled of beauties & goodies & … More Chianti : Vignamaggio , Monnalisa birthplace & “Much ado about nothing”
A modern location in the wineyards that produces this good quality wine black & white , Cannonau & Vermentino that I love mostly😍❤️and others. http://www.vignesurrau.it Beautiful art exibition close to wine bottles to remind you that making wine is an art too😉 Enjoy !
“MOlino” is the word we use to say mill in Tuscany “MUlino “is the correct Italian word😉 So, yesterday I was in an old mOlino for lunch looking for fresh air & a cooler temperature as in the city it is too hot this summer😁🌴🌴☀️☀️☀️ The food was so good & the location just over … More Pistoia: on Orsigna’s hills having lunch in an old mill
An unforgettable sensorial experience that includes smell , taste & sight : visiting a small family run cheese factory on Pistoia’s hill. A slow food product called :’raw milk pecorino cheese ‘ entirely made with sheep milk not boiled, to preserve the aroma & the proprieties of the fresh milk . Hand made , organic … More MadeinPistoia : ever tasted warm ricotta cheese just made by a real shepherd ?
Wonderful view eyes open over this landscape A perfect silence around us no cars no people just birds the green of the vineyards the olive trees orange old stones for a typical farmhouse hills made of clay… called ‘balze’ Badia San Giusto overlooking the valley an unreal atmosphere but it’s here it’s Tuscany in … More A Tuscan wine tasting in a farmhouse with a view on the ‘balze’ – Volterra
http://www.caffenewyork.it If you are a coffee lover or simply a coffee addicted you can’t miss this roastery’s experience. Open & run by the same family since 1930 in Montecatini Terme ( 15 km from Pistoia ) & now settled in Pistoia , opened its doors to me & my clients to show us how to … More MadeinPistoia: ever sipped a real Italian espresso in a coffee roastery?in my tour yes, you can 😉☕️👍 Pistoia, a hidden gem in Tuscany
In Via del Parione, 28-32/R ,just at the beginning of this street almost on the corner with the most fashionable street , Via Tornabuoni ,near palazzo Spini Feroni that hosts the Ferragamo’s shoes museum & its boutique , you can find the Florian Café , founded in Venice in 1720. http://www.caffeflorian.com Daniel , the kind … More Florian café : not just in Venice but in Florence too!
Last wek end we hosted a all day round & night 👍😉a kermesse of tuscan food cusine , many different kind of restaurants & trattorie from Pistoia ‘s district under the same sign & roof : Tuscan food! Just finished the second edition & with a great success for Corradossi restaurant who won the award … More Pistoia: La Toscana in bocca = Tuscany by mouth a Food experience!
In an old building – historical palace – that is a Residence in the city center of Pistoia ,www.artemuraresidence.com yesterday I was invited to a wine tasting of Tuscan producers ( one is my friend Lisa Barsi with her farmhouse – family estate www.lepoggiola.com ) combined with fab paintings made by www.danielacorsini.it Behind the palace there is … More Pistoia : a secret garden , wine & art and … whatelse?
Not just wine, not just food , not just Tuscany : here we are in an exclusive location, with a noble lady , by her family estate with a magnificent Italian garden…simply a dream 😍😍 with something more ….excellent wines , extra virgin oil & a special dessert wine : vin santo! Ginevra is the … More My exclusive Tuscany : lunch & wine tasting with a real Italian Countess
What a nice tour we had together in Pistoia ! Such a great group of people , all experts of food and really interested in knowing everything about Tuscan food and wine, of course, and extra virgin oil and plants! An unforgettable 4 days trip with Irish people that I feel so close to Italian … More Slowfood Galway , Ireland , visited & tasted Pistoia ‘s flavours with me
Not only Chianti area , not only a red red wine but also a rosè one…not only Chianti in Tuscany exists! let’s have a look at this enchanting location the Pisa area..& yes, Pisa is not only the leaning tower🍷🍷🍷🍸🍸🍸😂😂😂 This a big estate where you can taste many different kind of wines : … More My Tuscany’s tale : wine tasting ,not only Chianti region exists
my first dinner in Lisbon was a tasting tour for me & my husband only and our guide of course , Silvia. First stop by Casa do Alentejo not at the restaurant that is not very good, but on the ground floor in a small courtyard full of locals 😉😉 we had a kind of … More My Lisbon : a guided tasting tour
You know …..I love old historical cafes ! I am always writing about them beacause I like them for their atmosphere & location ( usually in the city center) , their products ( usually top quality ones) & sometimes for the views too. this just in a very lively square called Praça da Figueira www.cofeitarianacional.com has … More My Lisbon : since 1829 an historical charming cafè with a view
tasting & walking tour to immerse myself in The real Lisbon ‘s atmosphere with its colours, smells & goodies! Mountains of codefish, ( They call it The sea pork as They eat everything of it : toungue & chick too)sardines & pata negra ham so expensive & so lightly tasty as no one else …extra … More My Lisbon : a Food tasting tour remembering Sardinian flavours
So many different kind of cakes, pastries, sweet bread with canded fruits typical 4 Easter time & Lovely old cafè that , as You know ,I love! Lisbon is a real Heaven 4 people like me Who can’t resist to taste everything that looks so attractive to eyes…😍😍😍 I travelled until Belem just to visit … More My Lisbon : in Belem an old patisserie since 1837
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