Wintertime and the weather is dreary. Streets are slushy and it’s cold and it’s grey. You’re seeking some colour, not just during the day. (Okay, apologies to George and Ira Gershwin.) But you get the point. I’m sick of winter and would love to see […]

It’s that time of year again in Italy. It’s olive harvest time! Wherever you go (especially in Umbria), you’ll see cars parked and nets spread under trees! People are out in full force picking olives! Olive picking is fun, but it’s also a lot of […]

Hands up if you are a fan of Antipasto trays? You know, those beautifully-colourful trays of marinated and pickled vegetables – artichokes, roasted red peppers, pickles, olives, onions – usually served with meat and cheeses. I love them and I have to admit that they’ve […]

After the winter we had in Toronto, I swore I would not complain about the heat this summer. Italian summers can get pretty hot, especially if you’re walking around Rome or Florence. If you’ve ever been to Italy on a hot summer day, chances are […]

The Renaissance was a time of enlightenment and advances in art and culture. No city in the world is identified with this period more than Florence. Art, history, culture….Florence is a city that needs no introduction.  Florence, or Firenze as it is known in Italy, […]

Last summer, Pete and I were in Marsala, Sicily to attend the beautiful wedding of our friends, Matteo and Giovanna. We were very excited to share our friends’ special day. As an added bonus, we had an “excuse” to go to Marsala, a town that […]

  I started off 2017 with Red Lentil Ragu, so I guess it is only fitting that I end the year with a Red Lentil recipe. Italians are superstitious. For the incoming New Year, you must wear red underwear for luck. The underwear has to […]