More than about an achievement, today I'm telling you about an endeavour, a continuous fight to wake up early. I usually set my alarm for about six o'clock. I hit the snooze button twice, three times, until I find the courage to put my feet on the ground. Luckily I…
We've been the champions of the Tuscan staycation this year, working throughout August when almost everyone else was on holidays, carving out weekends and mornings to spend exploring our region or simply having a break at home. We made small videos and long naps. In one of our weekend getaways we drove…
It is hard to talk about Tuscan cooking without mentioning our bland bread, a loaf made without salt. It has a crisp golden crust and a soft, dense crumb. It is not easy to get used to this bland bread, I know. It is the first thing everyone mentions during a cooking…
I'll bring some cheese on the table. Almost every dinner ended like this. During the first years of marriage mum gradually learnt to cook: she had never been adventurous, never had the curiosity to experiment with new recipes, but she had always put all the dedication and love of a newly wed bride before and…
I see photos on Social Media of beautiful women picking blackberries with long white dresses, an elegant straw hat and big smiles. They walk gracefully in back lanes, sometimes escorted by furry dogs. I’ve always had different experiences. This is not true for me, nor for my family. We go blackberry picking…
When I prepare a batch of ravioli I usually also put a saucepan on the stove. While the water is boiling in a big pot, I add into the saucepan a generous knob of butter with a handful of torn sage leaves. I carefully adjust the heat: it must be…
Driving back home at the beginning of summer is refreshing. You can almost hear the grass growing, the hedgerows are exploding with white flowers and the fields shine with just the most pale tone of yellow, treasuring the rich green for some more days. You can spot wild fennel from afar. It loves growing…
You can say what you like, but I believe in the magic of Christmas, and I have proof. In the 10 days leading up to Christmas, the proof that this period of time really is magical has been evident for the past four years. Great things happen, leaving their mark,…