Like many an Umbrian mountain village, the townspeople of San Pellegrino di Norcia generally celebrate Christmas by bringing it to life – literally! – enacting a “living manger scene” (presepe vivente) on December 24th and then again on Dec 25th, 26th – and on January 6th when the Kings bring gifts to the Christ Child.…
The Christmas stage is is set for you even before you enter the Basilica di San Francesco for the annual Christmas concert: a life-size crib scene – set in the Middle Ages – fans out on the lawn before the entry. And the number of police around hint that this is an important event, confirmed…
Lunch with Giuseppa and Paolo at their Deruta countryside farm is not only a feast for the palate. It’s a joyous experience of family warmth – even more so if grandchildren Irene and Edoardo are there, too. Friend Iva recently joined in on a visit to Paolo and Giuseppa. She had an idea of the…
Actually, every time we stop at La Baita, roadside stand outside of Rieti, our snack is always more than “just a bite.” How to pass up the goodness? Although the famous Baita porchetta sandwiches tempt, I never veer from my favorite Baita sandwich, grilled local sausage smothered in pickled bell peppers. But this time, I…
Assisi’s towering Christmas tree, rising tall outside the entrance to the lower level of the Basilica di San Franceso, is dedicated to all the victims of the central Italy 2016 earthquakes and comes from the Valnerina this year, that southeastern Umbrian mountain area walloped by the Ocotber 30, 2016 earthquake. The tree is here not…
On many a trip to L’Aquila with Pino, we savored that abruzzese cucina genuina (rough translation, “authentic Abruzzo cooking”) at Agriturismo San Gregorio, just outside the town. On a recent trip, we asked owner Massimo to fix us up an antipasto abruzzese. First came bruschetta with a patè di fagioli (“bean pate’ – of cannellini…
We always celebrate Thanksgiving in our Assisi farmhouse…with a little italiano input. Pino’s turkey takes center stage. A winter squash dish from the island of Ustica, off Sicily, is always a side dish. I learned to make it years ago from Signora Giovanna at Ristorante Umberto on Ustica. ….and here’s the recipe: Zucca Agliata “Garliced…
Every year as fall moves towards winter, I play with ways to use up our summer garden’s last gift, those green tomatoes. For Thanksgiving this year, a green tomatoes/peppers sauce was on the table as a turkey condiment. Here’s how to make the sauce. Savory Green Tomato Sauce Ingredients: green tomatoes (and a few red…
We always enjoy having our apartment guests to dinner – but guests don’t generally help make the dinner and set up the tables. Nor do they pay for it! Ann and Warren did when they stayed in our Assisi apartment, Nido Tranquillo last September We were having a benefit dinner for twenty (as many as…
Can there be a more sublime setting for a sublime concert than the grandiose Upper Basilica di San Francesco, adorned with the late 13-c frescoes depicting the life of our San Francesco? At times during a recent November concert night, the frescoed vaults over the altar of the Upper Basilica di San Francesco glowed a…