I suggested to Pino that we put fewer zucchini plants in our garden this year: to no avail. The “zucchini tsunami” has hit. Our chickens are relishing the seeds and soft pulp…
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Just south of Parma, the region of Reggio Emilia is best associated with parmigiano reggiano cheese. And not only: if you’re a teacher, you’ve probably studied Reggio Emilia’s innovative early childhood education…
Nothing really regal about the farrmhouse of Chiarina and Marino but their welcome certainly is. And Chiarina with daughter Rossanna cook up rural banquets fit for royalty. Have a look at the…
In Italian, “gusto” means “flavor” – and what flavorful rural goodness cooked up by the locals to celebrate la Festa di Sant’Anna, July 26th. And the rural people of the mountain area…
Pam was doing a project on olive oil for her study program in Perugia – and no better way to learn about olive oil – and olive oil lore!- than with visits…
Feasting with Giuseppa is always unforgettable – and not just for the Umbrian goodness she cooks up, but for her ebullient joy as she welcomes guests into her Deruta farmhouse. Starting off…
As you head through the arched medieval entrance of hilltop castle-village, Collemancio, you’ll probably see an elderly lady in black, ubiquitous gold chains draped around her neck, sitting in her chair along…
Pino has to head to Valtopina often these days as his team is doing earthquake restoration work on the nearby tiny hamlet, Giove. There’s only one restaurant right in Valtopina’s centro –…
La Festa della Vernaccia is celebrated in the tiny walled Umbrian town of Cannara just after Easter for this treasured dessert wine is intertwined with Easter in local tradition. The cannaresi traditionally…
In Umbria, when springtime sprouts, so do the wild asparagus. It takes about an hour to walk to Assisi from our house: if you’re not foraging for wild asparagus as you walk.…