The names of Assisi’s traditional Carnevale sweets are a whimsical, playful symphony to the ear: castagnole, brighelle, frappe’, zeppole, panzerotti. Savoring them is poetry to the palate. You’ll find them at the…
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Cafeteria eating elsewhere might not be too tempting, but try a good one in Italy and you’ll be in for suprises. Including the price: our early February lunch for two at a…
On an early February jaunt with Pino to L’Aquila to see a restoration job for his crew, we pulled off the road at a small hut, La Baita, near Rieti. La Baita…
Another “along-for-the-ride” trip with Pino, off to see possible restoration projects for his crew. And this time, not very close to home but in Ferrara in Emilia Romagna. (If Pino’s restoration company…
There’s really no reason to put Bagnocavallo – not far from Ravenna and Faenza in Emilia Romagna – on your itinerary. Unless your Italy travels must include good eating. In such case,…
We seem now to be sliding out of one of the coldest – and most disastrous – winters on record. Sunny today and somewhat warmer. Our wood stove is chugging away in…
Just outside Todi on the road to Orvieto, a nondescript duplex – cars and a Vespa parked out front – flanks the roadside. It’s worth a stop, this Ristorante Da Pisello. We…
In early February, 1998 I headed to the U.S. to lecture coast-to-coast on Assisi’s 1997 earthquake. My objective? To tell the world, that yes, two vaults of the Upper Basilica di San…
In Umbria, we call thick spaghetti “strangozzi” but for Tuscans, they’re “pici.” And no better way to savor those thick ropes of pasta than with cacio pepe (“cheese and pepper”), but pecorino…
No better way to “live Umbria” fully than to “cook Umbria.” Let’s do it in our farmhouse – and before we cook up the goodness, we’ll head out to shop. First stop?…