Do You Need Another Reason to go to Italy this Year?

Just a reminder, only one month left to get the "early bird discount" for our Chianti to the Coast trip in September.  See website for more details.

In case you need another reason to get yourself to Italy this year, my friend Erin is leading a beautiful retreat
in Italy in July.  It is called Eat, Pray, Move.  Don't you love the name?  It involves all of my favorite things to do, and if I could be there in July, too, I would sign up.  Besides Erin's inspiring yoga classes, you can visit historical Tuscan towns, visit a spa and eat incredible dishes both at the villa and at some typical restaurants.  The accommodations are at a beautifully restored countryside villa on the Tuscan-Umbrian border owned by a lovely couple from England whom I met in the blogosphere several years ago.  And Erin herself really knows this area of Italy, having studied and lived here for over a year.  Her understanding of Italian culture, language and her connections with the locals will make this trip a learning and fun experience for all.  Check out the trip details here.

New Tuscany Trip Announced!

Chef Leonardo Curti

I am thrilled to announce a new Tuscany tour, this one for September 5-11, 2011 called "Chianti to the Coast."  I will be co-leading this tour with Chef Leonardo Curti of Trattoria Grappolo and the focus will be on food and wine, of course!  We decided to hit some of our favorite spots in the heart of Tuscany - Chianti, Montalcino, Cortona, Radda, and then head over to the Bolgheri region on the coast.  This is an area of Tuscany that most tourists by-pass and they shouldn't.  It has rugged, beautiful mountains, inviting beaches and it is the home of the world-famous Super Tuscan wines.

We have planned some exciting events like two top-notched cooking classes with local experts, winery appointments at "hard-to-get-into wineries", a visit to a world-famous butcher in Chianti and more!  And with a maximum of 14 people, we have insured all participants of an intimate experience.

Please go to my website for a more detailed itinerary and further information.

Newly Announced Italy Programs

I represent two wonderful schools in Italy - one for cooking and one for language.  Both have announced some new programs and dates.

The Language Center in Todi, Umbria has announced special fall/winter deals called "Warm Up Your Winter in Todi".  Click here to read more details.

Toscana Saporita cooking school has announced their 2011 dates and prices.  I have those posted here.






And stay tuned...I am announcing soon a fall 2011 food and wine trip to Tuscany with a renowned chef.  If you want to be notified when I release the information, please click here.

Taste of Sta. Rita Hills

From Italy to the Central Coast of California...

My husband and I just opened a wine tasting room and retail store in the "Lompoc Wine Ghetto" on the Central Coast of California, not far from Santa Barbara. The store is dedicated to only Sta. Rita Hills wineries that do not have tasting rooms at all or their tasting rooms are not open regularly. My husband, Antonio, has been a fan of the wines of this area for some time and wanted to promote those gems that most people never get to taste. He has spent the last year and a half working with local wine people, searching for these hidden treasures of wine and learning about the unique geography and terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills.

These are some of the great wineries he is representing now: Seasmoke, Brewer-Clifton, Huber, Gypsy Canyon, Diatom, El Rey, Prodigal, Thorne and soon our own wines under the Moretti label.


By the way, the wine appellation of Sta. Rita Hills has to spell "Santa" as "Sta." by law (due to a law suit from the Sta. Rita winery in Chile.)

Antonio is planning to be open Thursday-Sunday, usually 11 am - 5 pm, or by appointment. Please see the website for more details and directions.

Come by to taste, learn and tell my husband you read about him on my blog!

The Undiscovered Heart of Italy

Announcing a July 2010 trip to Umbria and Le Marche! I'm calling this "The Undiscovered Heart of Italy". See my website for full details, but read here for the personal details behind it.

I love putting these tours together. This is my calling. I feel so fortunate to be able to follow my bliss and share my passion for Italy with others. For those of you who don't know, I have been in the Italian wine business for many years and have extensive knowledge of Italy, Italian food and culture from years of travel there and being married to an Italian. I have been privileged to see many wineries in Italy and meet wonderful winemakers through the wine business. I realized that most of these wineries are not open to the public and the few that are usually do not give much of a tour and tasting like California wineries do. I also have been fortunate to dine my way through many regions which fueled my desire to learn as much as I could about the distinct regional culinary traditions and artisanal foods. My tours were born from the idea that I wanted people to experience Italian wineries like I have been able to do, AND experience authentic regional cuisines of Italy.

This trip is especially exciting and personal for me for so many reasons. Umbria and Le Marche are two of my favorite regions of Italy. In the past, the demand for tours tends to be for the popular destinations, like Tuscany. Of course I do those tours and still enjoy them, but I always wish I could show those tour participants more of Italy off the beaten path. I figured this was the year to put this tour together because off the beaten path usually also means less expensive. And indeed, this turns out to be the least expensive tour I have ever done.

Another reason this trip is extra special is that my husband is from Le Marche. I have spent much time there that it has become my adopted second home. I have traveled extensively in Umbria and think it has much to offer in many ways. The two regions share some similarities - some of their cured meats are similar (and in my opinion the two regions make the best salumi in the country), their Central Italian terrain (both have the Apennines as their backbone and both have rolling green hills coming down from the mountains), and both have a "slow" feel to them, almost like stepping back in time.

I am thrilled that three of the nights on the trip will be at La Tavola Marche's Agriturismo in Le Marche. I met the one of the owners, Ashley, through LinkedIn and then followed it to her website and blog. I fell in love with what they have created in the countryside of Le Marche and was looking for a good excuse to bring a group there. Well, I found it! I have made sure to include a cooking class with Ashley's husband, Jason, a professional chef.

This trip is limited to 10 people. Nice and intimate! The better to really take in the culture and experiences in an individual way.

I hope you can join me on this journey!

Maori Follow Up

I got broken and ripped apart by the Maori healers. I have hesitated to write about it for fear of diluting its effect on me and for fear of not having words to describe the whole experience. It really is beyond words and our language cannot do it justice. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to seek them out when they come to your area and give yourself over to their healing.

Here are my notes on the experience written one week after the healing:


My Maori Healing Experience

One week ago I experienced a session of traditional Maori healing and here I sit still not sure whether I can or should write about. I feel that somehow if I carry the experience just as that – experience – without putting words to it, then it might be more powerful. Certainly much of what I experienced there are no words for.

As a compromise, because I really want people everywhere to be aware of these healers and their work, I will paint some broad brushstrokes of a picture of their work.

There were three of them working in a studio at the same time – this is the way they normally work, side by side, talking, sharing, helping with each others’ clients. I was assigned to Manu – the big “scary” one who must weigh over 350 pounds. I knew him from watching him treat my husband and he also treated my friend and sister. I felt I was in trustworthy hands…hands that belonged to a man as wide as a doorway. No, nothing to be scared about, Jeni! I had filled out a health form prior, and I had written primarily mental/emotional/spiritual reasons for wanting to see them. Yes, I have a few physical issues, but nothing dramatic. Manu seemed to understand what I needed without asking me anything.

The sessions always start with the feet. (I’ll tell you right up front, I don’t have any knowledge of how their systems work, only that they do. Whatever I put forth here is my experience and perceptions. My words may not reflect the way that they would describe their work. ) Manu started with my feet, but then I don’t really remember what came next other than I was flipped over and he was sitting on top of me. Yes, all 350 pounds of him. He said he was opening up my circulation, and if the redness in my ears and face and pain in my neck was evidence, it was working. He stayed there for quite a while before he got on his knees and used his knees to walk all over my butt and legs. That is when I remember the pain starting. I had the gift of having my dear friend, Christina, with me to hold my hands and whisper soothing words in my ear, continually reminding me to breathe. At many points the lungs could simply not take a breath for the weight on them. The pain in my legs and knees was excruciating – definitely the most pain I ever felt in my life. I was letting the screams pour forth, the sighs, the cries. I let it all out. He was opening my shoulder blades, cracking my upper spine, bending my feet, stretching my arms backwards over my shoulders, poking my knees and getting all the pressure points where I felt pain. There were a few moments when I thought I couldn’t take any more and was just sobbing. One of them was when he was sitting on top of me, on my back and put his extra large hands on both sides of my skull and squeezed until I thought my skull would break. That was the only part of the treatment where I got worried. After all, how could one fix a broken skull? Or could my temporal arteries explode? I squeezed Christina’s hands with all my might, screamed and cried at the top of my lungs like a baby being born. Wait a minute! Was I being birthed here?

During the session, the woman who owned the studio that hosted them, Larisa Stow, was playing her harmonium and singing and chanting. Her music lead me deeper into my heart. It opened up wider and aloud more tears to pour forth with the sounds.

I was back over then on my back for more work on the legs, bending me in different directions, having an assistant sit on top of the back of my thighs with my legs over my head, and then to the abdomen. The navel area is sacred, according to them and many traditions. It is the link to our birth. Manu had his fist in my belly, like they do to many patients. This was probably the most powerful part of the treatment to me in terms of emotions. He put my hands around his wrists and he concentrated and pressed and pushed and then pushed harder. It felt very vulnerable. Then he moved up to the end of breastbone and did the same thing and then right between my breasts. Three pops in a row, almost like a release. This physical part of the session lasted about 45 minutes. Manu moved to my head behind me and spoke loudly for all to hear. “Fear is a choice. We cannot live in fear. We can let fear, anger, sadness control or lives, or we can choose not to.” And then, “Stop taking care of those who don’t take care of themselves.”

Then I was lead outside to lay belly-down on mother earth to somewhat return to “normal,” although I could never be “normal” after that. My girlfriend had her hand on my back and said, “you are buzzing.” It took me about 10 minutes to be aware of my buzzing body; I was vibrating very quickly, almost imperceptibly at first.

I’ve heard them say that the treatment is the equivalent of a “reboot” of our system. I think that is an accurate description. I also felt ripped apart, and when I told Ata, one of the other healers, she wisely asked me, “Do you want to put yourself back together with the same glue?” I said, “absolutely not.”

The after-effects of this treatment are still with me. Initially, for a few days following the healing, I felt stoned, spaced out; my head was in the clouds. I liked it that way as I tend to think too much and not let things just “flow”. This flowing has continued, but not as intensely. I feel an opening in my heart, both literally and figuratively. I am less afraid of feeling whatever comes my way. I am focusing on Manu’s words and repeating them to myself daily, knowing that I have a unique energy and I have to let it come forth. I can’t be afraid of showing my true self or letting my desires come to fruition. If I cut off those vital parts of myself out of fear, I will die. And lastly, despite it being the worst pain I have felt in my whole life, I would go through this invaluable experience all over again.

The Maori Are Coming!

Are you ready for a transformational experience?


Do you need healing done on a physical, emotional or spiritual level?


Do you want to meet some of the most down to earth and "connected" people in the world?


If you can answer yes to those questions, you should think about meeting the traditional Maori healers from New Zealand who tour the world due to great demand for their services. They are blessing Long Beach, and some other cities, with their presence this month.


I have collected lots of stories from family, friends, and friends of friends that attest to the power of the Maori's healing. I have personally witnessed it. My husband had a shoulder injury 30 years ago that left his shoulder crooked. They put it back in place, in addition to straightening his spine in front of my eyes. They also released some long-held emotions and it was immediately obvious when it happened. Now it is my turn. I feel scared, but ready for a transformation. I want to free myself up from myself, if that makes sense. I want to let go of holding on so tightly. I want to be more expressive, actually, I want to be very expressive. Of course there physical issues that also need to be fixed. I'll let everyone know how it goes.


You can visit their blog here: http://maorihealers.wordpress.com/. On the site, scroll down to their dates in the U.S. and there is contact information for each venue.

The Passionate Palate Update

Oh my gosh it's June!

I don't know if I am back to regular blogging or not, but I am making an attempt to get back to some blogging. How's that? I miss the blogging community and all the joy that comes from the blog.

I have had a very full 2009 which accounts for why I haven't updated the blog. We moved in January from Long Beach to the Central Coast of California. This was a dream come true for me. I always wanted to escape the city and live near or in nature again. I spent many years on the Central Coast, mostly in Santa Cruz, but some in Santa Barbara and have always felt so at home here. My husband, Antonio, adapted immediately. Being Italian, as soon as he got his hands in the dirt, there was no turning back! We have a big garden and hope to plant a vineyard here one of these days. I have found so many benefits in being close to nature again, and indeed have begun to wonder how much damage we do to ourselves by living in a congested, dirty, ugly city cut off from nature.

Other updates: We went to Italy in March to be with Antonio's dying father. I got a real lesson in Italian hospitals while hanging out in one for a week. His father lived until a few weeks ago. He was 93 1/2 years old. (Yes, those 1/2 years become more important as we get older!) Shortly after returning we adopted a 5 month old puppy who ended up having distemper and died two weeks later. In May, I helped lead a wine tour in Italy for my wine sales company. We went from Puglia to Piedmont in a week, and of course tasted a lot of wine!

Has anyone ever seen King Frederick's castle in Puglia, outside of Andria? It was one of the cultural highlights of the trip. It is a fascinating, almost modern looking, structure built on ancient mathematical, astronomical and mystical principles.

Photo courtesy of Bridgette Fox

And for a dose of pure happiness , we got another puppy just a week ago. Mingus is 11 weeks old today and going to be a monster. Our 7 1/2 year old Ruby likes her new brother.

Antonio and Mingus


Wine tourism is way down, but we are planning two trips in 2010. By then, I hope our economy will be better and there will be more optimism.

That's the update in a nutshell. More soon, I hope.

HAPPY 2009!

Happy New Year to all of my friends, family and acquaintances out there, as well as those I have never met. While I have not been posting lately, I felt the need tonight. 2008 brings to end a year that was a personal challenge for my husband and I, but brings it to end on a positive note. We feel better than ever and are excited about the possibilities and promises of 2009. I don't believe we are the only ones with hope and gratitude.

I would like to say my "gratefuls", as my Dad calls them, out here in the blogosphere. I am grateful for life, to learning how to live and learning from my mistakes. I am grateful for employment and the possibilities of doing more Italy tours in the future. I am grateful for my husband, who after having had to jump many physical and emotional hurtles this last year, not only cleared them, but came away jumping higher than I ever would have thought. I am grateful for the 5 wonderful years I spent with my dog, Golia, whom we had to put down this year. I am grateful for the opportunity we have to move in the next few weeks to a glorious piece of country on the Central Coast of California, where serenity reigns supreme. I am grateful to an amazing and supportive family, who I am lucky to count as my true friends besides being related to them. I am grateful for friends, old and new, who walk the path with me. I am grateful for my health, yoga, teachers, travel, abundance and nature.

May your new year and beyond be filled with peace, happiness, love and health. And just for some inspiration, I give you this quotation from Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.We must ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you NOT to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not in just some of us; it’s in everyone.And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Piccola Cucina and Coming Back

I took a hiatus from blogging for many reasons, but feel a bit more restored and rebalanced. Regardless, I have missed blog-hopping and connecting with all of you out there. I am doing okay, just too busy like all the rest of you. I think I am still recovering from a very traumatic year and just now reconstructing a bit of a new life. I appreciate all the emails from concerned and caring bloggers who missed me. Thank you!

I am excited to announce Piccola Cucina's fall classes. You may have read about my cooking and language classes here before, but this fall, my partner and I have moved our venue to a wonderfully roomy culinary store in Long Beach - Kitchen Outfitters.

You can hop over to our Piccola Cucina site to read all the details of the classes, and I hope those of you in Southern California come and join us for one or more of the classes.

On a completely different note, if you have never tried La Quercia products, I highly recommend them. They are an artisanal producer of cured meats in the U.S. - one of the very few that creates products similar to the Italian originals. I first tried their meats at Mozza in Los Angeles, and have since bought them on-line. Again, I am very impressed with their quality and hope that you will be.

Computer Issues

We all experience them, don't we?

My computer is on the blink and being repaired. I don't expect to have it back for two weeks. So, my computer time is cut to a minimum as I share my husband's (slow) computer. Oddly, I welcome the respite from so much computer time, while being challenged at how to keep my businesses running on one cylinder in stead of four.

I'll be back with more posts just as soon as I can. In the meantime, have a passionate Thursday!

Italian Events & Festivals

Here are some random events and festivals happening in Italy currently and for the next few months. I hope you are lucky enough to be going to Italy. Don't forget, if you need any help in planning your Italian vacations, please contact me through Passionate Palate Tours (my email is in my profile of this blog.)

Venice: Now, we're talking! Many of you know this is my favorite city in Italy, so I love to spread travel tips and help for "La Serenissima".
Now through October 12 - in celebration of Peggy Guggenheim's arrival to Venice 60 years earlier and the mark she left on modern American Art - "Coming of Age: American Art, 1850s to 1950s" at, of course, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Florence: Now through September 7 - "I Grandi Bronzi de' Battistero: L'Arte di Vincenzo Danti, Discepolo di Michelangelo." "The Great Bronzes of the Baptistry: The Art of Vincenzo Danti, Disciple of Michelangelo."
When I was there I really wanted to see this exhibition a the former prison of Florence - the Bargello. Unfortunately, the museum was closed every time I had some free time. I hope you can see this exhibit of the artist who created three of the great doors of the Baptistry.

Verona: July and August - the great Verona opera season is in full swing. See their site for full details.

Macerata, Le Marche: July and August - the other great opera venue is the Sferisterio in Macerata (my husband's home town!) Not as many Americans venture into Le Marche, but it is worth it. The details of their opera season can be found on their site.

The Maremma

After the wonderful week of wining and dining through Tuscany with my fantastic group, I headed west. I left Florence and drove to west to Vinci stopping to see the Da Vinci museum which I had wanted to see for years. I was not disappointed. For you Da Vinci fans out there, as well as all of you who can appreciate a brilliant mind, this museum is FASCINATING! It holds none of his art, only his inventions. Each invention is shown as working model, some real-size, some on a smaller scale. I came away more impressed than ever with this man's mind and talent. To be such an amazing artist, an inventor, a scientist, an architect, a physicist, and more, is mind-boggling.

From there I headed southwest to the Maremma area. This is the "wild west" of Tuscany, with miles of meandering coastline, islands, mountains, pastoral and agricultural lands. My first stop was in the mountains above Bolgheri at an agriturismo I had read about and had wanted to visit. It is an old restored villa - Tenuta La Bandita. One of the things I love about Europe is that you can feel like you are in the middle of nowhere, as in the case - 45 long minutes on a windy road to the nearest small city or freeway, but you can have all the comforts and culture that you could ask for. This place is run by a lovely young woman who looks like she could be on a fashionable street in Milan. Yet here she is the middle of mountainous country overseeing hectares and hectares of crops (vegetables, fruit and lots of olive trees), cinghiale, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, workers, a lovely hotel with about 20 rooms and a first-class restaurant. How does she do it? When I asked her, she sighed and couldn't really give me an answer, but her tired look spoke volumes. Almost all the food you eat there was grown and made there, and it was delicious.

The grounds are lovely, with sculptures and views of nearby medieval hamlets:



I was very fascinated by these wild, dangerous creatures being raised for food. Can you see the cinghiale?
I took leave of this lovely sanctuary and headed south to see a very famous and ancient Etruscan town. I was in no hurry, which was a good thing because those mountainous Maremma roads are tedious to drive, but worth it for their views and tranquility. The solitude was good for my soul. What felt like three hours later, I reached my destination of Pitigliano. I had heard this "city of the tufo", or a city built on this tufaceous rock, was a must-see and now I know why. As I approached the city, I couldn't see it. The road signs kept stating I was getting closer, 10km, then 8 km, then down to 2 km and I still could not see it! I didn't understand as I know this city is built up high. I rounded a corner and the view took my breath away, literally. I exclaimed to no one, "Oh my God!" I pulled over as soon as I could to take in this view.

It turns out that I had been driving at about the same level as the city, the trees obscuring any view, but the city is surrounded by a kind of ravine. As if a river had naturally worn away at this rock. So, while it is high, it stands in a bit of a valley/ravine.

This is a big tourist attraction, although it is difficult to reach. Parking is at a minimum, so go when you have plenty of time.

After parking, I walked a bit to get into the city and stopped and admired yet another amazing view of this Etruscan marvel:

You can see the ravine here on the bottom, and in those trees are tunnels called Vie Cave, which the Etruscans used to safely moved their people when under attack. I assume these tunnels somehow reach the city itself, but in my laziness, I did not ask anyone.

Once inside the city, one is greeted with the lovely cobblestone streets and charming houses of most small, Italian hill towns. The restaurants were all packed with tourists and the prices are not cheap here. Despite that, it is indeed a "must see".

From there I headed west toward the coast to one of my favorite hotels in the world - Villa Il Tesoro. It is run by the Guldener family who make the famous wines of Terrabianca. They artfully restored these old stone farmhouses into modern and spacious guest suites. There is no detail overlooked here - from the toilet paper holder to the gracious staff that learns your name immediately and never forgets it.

The only downside to Il Tesoro is that is romantic and I was all alone with about six or eight couples! I did need some quiet time, so I welcomed it, but when it came time to leave was really anxious to see my husband.

I should note here, I could probably not afford more than one night here on my income, but I had received many "free nights" here from sales programs I had won years before for selling their wine. I never had enough time to use the nights while working in that sales job, but I was able to use them now.

Each night my table for one was prepared by the window with the most amazing views over vineyards, gardens and hills. I watched the sunset while counting my blessings for three lovely nights in a row.

The grounds are as tasteful as the inside of the buildings. With artistic and tranquil touches everywhere.
There are many hectares of vineyards here, too, growing Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot. Terrabianca also has a winery and vineyards in Chianti Classico.

I took day excursions to the coast to see the gorgeous area of Punta Ala, only about a 30 minute drive and the next day to Porto Santo Stefano and Orbetello. Punta Ala has pine trees that come right down to the beach and a peaceful, low-key atmosphere that really attracted me. I made a mental note to return to Punta Ala for a week at some point, or sail the coast in order to see more.

Perhaps I was a bit bored, but definitely relaxed, while watching a storm roll in from my room I was playing with the view out my window. I dubbed this "A Matter of Perception."

I vowed upon leaving that I would be back, and next time with my husband.

Tuscany - Through Its Wine and Food - Part Four

Ah, bella Tuscany! I count myself fortunate to take a group of people to Italy and share with them the Italy that I know, in the same way that I have come to know it - through its wine and food. Yes, indeed, I LOVE doing that. I feel that through wine and food, one can understand a culture. It is not the only way, but it is one way. I like that old saying - "a way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I believe it is also be true for women. When I see the look on people's faces when they taste something that is quintessentially Italian, or a flavor that we do not have at home, you see this look of "Ah Ha!" or "Wow!" Then when one tastes the local wine with the local food and has spent time with the locals, all the elements start to come together and one's understanding of the culture bloom on many different levels. But enough of philosophy.

My most recent Tuscany tour began in Florence, where after a welcome dinner, we departed the following morning for Montepulciano, in southern Tuscany. Our first stop was to the spectacular Avignonesi winery. Our VIP tour was lead by the lovely and elegant Signora Fulvo, the owner, who led us down into the ancient barrel caves,

then into their Vin Santaio, where there very special Vin Santo is made, or should I say where it rests and makes itself. The mother for their Vin Santo is centuries old, and they treat their aging wine like gold, as they should. These little half bottles of very precious liquid sell for over 100 euros a bottle and fetch perfect scores, yes 100 points, from top wine magazines. Amazing. Here is a shot of a barrel of Vin Santo:

We also visited the stunningly beautiful property of Vignamaggio in Greve. Vignamaggio is the ancestral home of the Monna Lisa - yes, there really was a Monna Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci painted at this property on several occasions. Because of its beauty and views, I understand why. With their delicious array of Chianti Classicos and Super Tuscans, we were served a typically delicious lunch.

After lunch, we walked around their immaculate gardens where "Much Ado About Nothing" was filmed. Leaving was the difficult part. "Celebrating the Harvest" (my title). One of the many garden sculptures at Vignamaggio.

One of the highlights of the trip was a day of cooking lessons at Badia a Coltibuono winery, the home of Lorenza di Medici and her family. She founded the famous cooking school and now her son runs it, deftly teaching typical Tuscan dishes with a great sense of humor. Everyone loved it so much that after the long lunch with dessert, dessert wines, grappa and coffee, I had a hard time getting everyone on the bus!

My group, firmly planted, not moving from the comfort of Coltibuono.

Some of Coltibuono's cellar collection.

Some of the many bottles enjoyed at tastings and at meals.

We started our Montalcino tour at Poggio Antico winery, owned by the talented and lovely Paola Gloder. Her Brunellos are always elegant, stunning and top-rated. The winery and grounds are extraordinarily situated and beautiful. And by the way, there is a fantastic restaurant at this winery if you are ever in Montalcino.

Next stop was Costanti winery, ancestral home of a long line of Counts. Yes, Conti Andrea Costanti gave us the royal treatment. Don't let his title deceive you, he is one of the most accessible, gracious, generous and sweet human beings. He is devoted to making small amounts of some of the best Brunellos coming out of Montalcino. They are worth seeking out! He spoiled us with giving us a magnum of 1999 Brunello to have over lunch. That was one of the best bottles of wine we had on the whole trip!

Our last winery tour was in Chianti Colli Fiorentini, close to Florence, at Le Sorgenti. The make elegant Chiantis as well as some powerful Super Tuscans. The winemakers cooked us lunch in this gorgeously painted room.
In between all this wine tasting and fine dining, we had time to tour Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and Volterra. This was a tremendous group of people, all genuinely interested, kind, easy-going and responsible. The tour could not have been better. We celebrated its success with a fabulous meal our last night in Florence. At Il Latini, known for their roasted meats, we not only ate like kings, but drank like them as well. The staff treated us great and stuffed us like pigs! Most of us took a late walk around Florence that night to help digest what we ate.


I invite you all to come on one of my tours. I will be posting two 2009 trips on my website in the next month or so. Hop on over there and sign up on my email list if you want to receive more information when I have it.

So Many Reasons to Celebrate!

Happy Father's Day to the Best Dad in the World!

My husband and I (and our dog Ruby) drove up to Santa Barbara to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. This morning we had breakfast in a cafe' right on the beach - and how glorious it was! I happen to love the fog and cool weather, and that is what we had, but it was the company that was the best. To be able to take my dad out, and have my husband there as well, was a real treat.

The second reason to celebrate is that this is my 100th post and my blog is one year old today!

I wish I had so much more time to post more - more pictures, more stories, more photos, more recipes. Alas, life is a balancing act, isn't it? I am so grateful for this outlet and the wonderful readers who find there way here, and especially those that keep coming back. You make me feel heard and validated. Does that make sense? Thank you!!!

There are many more reasons to celebrate, like:

Being alive

Having a wonderful husband

Having a sweet, smart dog

Having a roof over our heads and food in our bellies

Not living in a war zone

Being blessed with wonderful friends and family

Having good health

...I could go on and on!

Tuscany - Through Its Wine and Food - Part Three

ANOTHER MEETING WITH A BLOGGER IN FLORENCE!

I count myself very fortunate to have met the lovely Erin of The Olive Notes while I was in Florence. We met at a hip wine bar called Sei Divino (or "You Are Divine" - but it can also means something like "You Are Of Wine" if it was written like this: Sei di Vino.) Erin has a delightfully bubbly personality and is full of knowledge of Florence. She gave me lots of tips for my short visit there and even escorted me to a palazzo that evening that was open for a poetry reading. Her blog has followed she and her husband's year in Florence and is full of lots of travel tips for many parts of Italy. They just moved back to Florida where they are adjusting back to the American way of life. I can tell Erin has the enthusiasm and lust for life that will lead her many interesting places.

Here we are. And she is as lovely inside as out!

Here are a couple more of my favorite sights in Florence:

Tuscany - Through Its Wine and Food - Part Two

Upon arriving in Florence, before the beginning of my tour, I had the great pleasure to meet up with the author, chef and photographer, Ilva, of Lucullian Delights. Her blog was one of the first blogs I was drawn to and have continued to be a daily reader of her beautiful posts. If you haven't seen her site, you must! Her photography shows that she has a very keen eye, her recipes are truly original and inspiring, and her personal notes either leave me giggling or crying, as she has this straightforward honesty about her that I so appreciate.

We met in front of the Santa Maria Novella church, and I had no problem spotting her through the crowd. My Swedish aunt insists that in each country, people have a distinct walk. Many times she has shown me the difference between a Swedish walk and a Danish walk. I have no idea if this theory would hold up under scientific testing, but when I saw the Swedish Ilva walking, I new immediately it was her. Maybe it was instinct.


I instantly felt like I had found a long, lost and very delightful friend. She has a bright mind with a natural curiosity about everything. Our conversation covered so many topics, from illuminated texts to food to Alzheimer's. (We have both lost parents to that disease.)

We strolled through Florence, spending quite a bit of time in the San Lorenzo market - the great food hall. It was a feast for the eyes and senses. I was drooling over the products that are available there that we cannot get in the U.S., like these lovely porcinis:

...and capretto, or goat (tail and all!):

...and wild strawberries:

Of course there are some items I could certainly live without, like all parts of the cow and pig that I couldn't imagine eating! (No pictures necessary here.)

Ilva took me to a quiet lunch spot above the crowds with this incredible view:



I took a couple of photos of Ilva, but somehow I think the one of her behind the camera captures her spirit (and I think she is a bit shy of showing her face.)


Thanks Ilva for a great afternoon, and I look forward to our next meeting!

Tuscany - Through Its Wine and Food - Part One

I've just returned from two and a half fabulous weeks in Italy, one week of which I was leading a wine and food tour through Tuscany. I had a ball! I was fortunate enough to have an incredible group of guests. I couldn't have asked for a better collection of people; everyone was easy-going and got along tremendously. We had six days of visiting wineries, beautiful towns and eating well (sometimes too well!) There is no way I can post all the pictures I took, or go into enough detail, but instead will do an entry for each day, including the free days I had before and after the tour. If you are interested in seeing our itinerary, you can visit my Passionate Palate Tours website for the details.

My next trip planned is for Piedmont in November. If you would like to see more details on that trip, click here.

Upon my arrival to Italy on May 22, I drove from Rome to Todi, Umbria to see my friend Stefania. I have mentioned her before, as she owns a terrific language school in that city. You can read about her classes here. I had a delightful visit, walking around Todi and eating one of the best rabbit dishes I have ever eaten. I will try to recreate it and post the recipe at some point.

The next day we visited some of my friends that own a beautiful agriturismo in San Venanzo, Umbria. (An agristurismo is a country inn/bed and breakfast that must produce some traditional product or raise some agricultural or animal product that is typical to that region. It is one of the many ways Italy protects its regional products.) You can see more details about Colli Verdi here. They had just gotten some samples of their nearly finalized first vintage of wine and wanted me to taste through them and give them my professional opinion. I was telling the honest truth when I told them how impressed I was. These red wines, based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, were all impressive, elegant, and balanced. I'll keep everyone posted as to whether they ever make it to the U.S. market. In the meantime, I encourage anyone who wants to get away from it all for a few days, to visit their piece of paradise.From there, I went to Torgiano, Umbria for a visit to Lungarotti winery, their wine museum and their lovely hotel. It was a relaxing and beautiful place to stay, and for you wine-lovers out there, I highly encourage a visit to that museum.

A fountain/sculpture depicting the God Janus, after whom the town is named.

On to Tuscany, where the next stop was the famous and picturesque town of Cortona, made popular by Frances Mayes and her UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN book. It is filled with expats - mostly American and British - but still worth a visit for its beauty. My friend Patrizia lives in the heart of the old town in an incredible, ancient house. She is such an inspiration to me, because in her retirement, she decided to follow her dream of living in Italy and packed her bags and made it happen (not even speaking the language.) Now, she can speak very well, and walking through the streets of Cortona she is greeted by all the locals with a big smile on their face. Everybody loves her! "Basta! Stop taking pictures of me!"

I was lucky enough to be in town for an impressive medieval flag-throwing celebration, a reenactment of some of the festivities that happened about 500 years earlier for an important marriage between two prominent families. From Cortona, I continued north to Montevarchi, where my friend Gia and her husband Beppe live part-time (the other part of the year in Chicago.) They produce very interesting television programs and films, many relating to Italy. Gia and I met 25 years ago, had been college housemates and had not seen each other for 20 years! It was a fun reunion and felt like no time had passed.

The next day I made it to Florence where the tour was starting from the following day. I had time to meet up with two fellow bloggers...stay tuned for the next installment for my visit with them.