The Rome Sustainable Food Program (RSFP) at the American Academy prepares community style daily meals for the fellows and also maintains a rich organic garden and orchard. Head chef Kyle Pierce and I chatted about the Academy, the RSFP kitchen and garden, and the RSFP food philosophy and internship program. About Kyle Pierce Kyle first...
Culture & Lifestyle
Sicilian Food & the Monsù Cuisine
The history of the monsù cuisine in Sicily dates back to the 17th century when French nobility traveled to Sicily, along with their chefs (the monsù), who created a fusion of elegant and refined French food with luscious, agriculturally based Sicilian dishes. About Angela Macaluso Angela is Sicilian born and has been living in Cefalù...
Calabrian Citrons, ancient and aromatic
Citrons, the most ancient and aromatic citrus fruit, first came to Italy in 200 BC. It has almost no juice but the perfume and aroma of the peel and thick pulp make it perfect for candied fruit and other culinary uses, not to mention its importance for the Hebrew harvest festival Succoth.Calabrian tour guide and...
Dante and the 700 year old Alighieri Wine Estate
At the Dante Alighieri wine estate, Possessione Casal dei Ronchi, the Alighieri's have been making excellent Valpolicello and Amarone wine for the past 700 years. Today Cynthia Chaplin, sommelier and wine connoisseur, and I chatted about Dante and the Alighieri wine estate, and the fabulous wines produced in this region. Find out more about Cynthia...
Two Trailblazing Women in 19th Century Italy
Italian author Maria Teresa Cometto writes about two trailblazing women in 19th century Italy. The book La Marchesa Colombi was published in 2020 and her book on Emma Stebbins will be published in fall 2022. About Maria Teresa Cometto Maria Teresa is from Novara Italy but has lived with her husband in New York for...
Spannocchia: an exquisite 13th century estate in Tuscany
If you're looking for a spectacular holiday at a breathtaking estate in Tuscany with outstanding food and wine just a short drive to both Siena and Florence then look no further than Spannocchia.Randall Stratton and I chatted about this spectacular estate he and his wife Francesca own and operate. Spannocchia has been owned and run...
Palazzo Farrattini and Amelia
Palazzo Farrattini Amelia owner, Ettore Farrattini Pojani, has written two books and a third is underway. Although not exactly a trilogy, the three books go hand-in-hand and represent different parts of Ettore's personal and family history, and the history of Palazzo Farrattini and Amelia.The first book, Nisa - A Woman, Her War recounts the story...
Violinist Robert McDuffie and his Guarneri del Gesù violin
About Robert McDuffie Robert McDuffie (Bobby) is an internationally renowned violinist who has played with just about every major orchestra in the world. He's originally from Macon, Georgia and his musical background is a fusion of southern rock'n'roll, church music and Bobby’s ten years of study with a Hungarian refugee who’d studied at the Liszt...
Italy travel update for travel to Italy this summer 2021
There are two things everybody has been asking about... The first question is all about travel restrictions Last week the European Union finally agreed to open up its borders to travelers from low risk Covid countries who are fully vaccinated, or provide a negative test result from a Molecular RT-PCR Covid swab test, taken within...
The 5 best places in Italy to buy Italian hand-painted ceramics
There are five amazing places in Italy to find gorgeous hand-painted Italian ceramics, each of them quite different from one another. If you're interested in purchasing beautiful hand-painted Italian ceramics then these are the places that are a MUST to visit. About Liz Brewster Architect, Urban Planner & Restorer Liz Brewster shared her insight and...
Vatican Museum Art Access for Blind & Deaf Visitors
Although Rome’s hilly terrain and cobblestone streets make it a complicated city for visitors with disabilities to navigate this is in many ways offset by the accessibility afforded at Rome’s major tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants. Particularly so at the Vatican Museums where art access is available to blind and partially sighted visitors, and other...
Puglia Stories - Podcast Episode 50
Holly Grabow has been charming me for years with her delightful Puglia Stories mostly centered around the ordinary life of her wonderful in-laws. About Holly Grabow Holly moved to Italy as a young woman and has been living here for almost 3 decades. She started off her Italian life in Gioia del Colle in Puglia...