By:
On:
In: Journal

My number one favorite sweet treat in Italy has got to be gelato. Few travellers (including me) go a day in this glorious country without happily balancing a small paper cup while spooning icy bites of this dense, creamy confection with a tiny plastic spatula. Yes, we have ice cream back home, but to me, ice cream is a cold, distant American cousin from gelato. In Pienza, you’ll find my favorite scoops at Buon Gusto, an unassuming, shop with a simple sign mounted under overflowing clotheslines of sundried laundry. Buon Gusto owners farm their own organic gardens to create eight daily gelato flavors that rivalRead More →

Montefollonico

By:
On:
In: Journal

Most people who plan a trip to Italy almost always include one of the big, historic cities like Rome or Florence. Located in between is where my heart lives, perched high in a hilltop village called Montefollonico. You may not find this medieval village in your traditional travel guides. The population tops out at around 500 citizens and the main “downtown” district is just one stone road. There are no massive art museums, cathedrals or iconic Italian landmarks, and yet, I return as often as I can because in a way I can’t completely understand or explain, Montefollonico feels like home. Local residents and businessRead More →

By:
On:
In: Journal

I met my group of fellow foodies today. We’ll be sharing classes, meals, sightseeing and hopefully lots of laughs together. They are a diverse, interesting group, ranging from yet another honeymoon couple to seasoned cooks, a marriage and family therapist, a journalist and a photographer with a show in Florence. I really like the mix of age and life experience in this group. Here are 15 people who might never have met each other and I find it fascinating that the passionate love for food and travel have brought us here with a common goal—fall in love with Italy while becoming better cooks. This sharedRead More →

By:
On:
In: Journal

My journey with Tuscan Women Cook approaches. I find my way back to paradise via Norwegian Air, an unlikely carrier to offer a non-stop option to Rome. I am excited (and a bit relieved) to enter a new comfy plane bathed in lighting I am told by a flight attendant, that is programmed to offset jet lag. Who knew this was possible? Fingers crossed this lighting will help me disembark with the energy I need to head north by train to Tuscany. It’s going to be a total of almost 20 hours of travel but my adrenaline is pumping and I know that my gloriousRead More →