The potted herbs are now in the sunroom, safe from any impending snowfall. Not that the sage and rosemaries mind a dusting of snow, but we don’t want the terracotta pots to freeze and break. It sure is nice to be able to walk into the sunroom and snip some…
Getting Away
Barolo – Wine and Truffles
This morning’s activities included a tour and tasting at Vietti’s winery here in Castiglione Falletto. Barolo has long been a favorite of this Gentleman Farmer, and a big part of this trip is getting better acquainted with where our food (and wine) come from. As the harvest is just finishing…
Getting Away
Parma – Parmesan Cheese
Continuing on with our quest to know where our food comes from, we had a great visit to the 4 Madonne dairy in Modena, where they make Parmigiano Reggiano. As with most products that have been assigned a DOP, there are a number of very specific aspects of how the…
Getting Away
Valdobbiadene – Prosecco
We like Prosecco. There’s something undeniably celebratory about the popping of a cork and the sound of it pouring into glasses, so we love to have it on hand for parties (and sometimes just for the two of us). And so a visit to Valdobbiadene, which might be considered the…
In the Kitchen
Rhubart Tart
The rhubarb stocks seem skinny this year (perhaps due to being divided last year) but there are certainly plenty of them. Rest assured that all the leftover bits from this tart did not go to waste: they were boiled up with a little bit of grape juice and a tablespoon…
Getting Away
Adventures on the Amalfi Coast
Rather a full day yesterday, with the drive back to Rome, returning the car, and squeezing in a little sightseeing yesterday, so I hadn’t had a chance to post a few pics from our time in Ravello. I’d had the Villa Cimbrone on my bucket list for some time so…
Getting Away
Artichokes in Città di Ladispoli
When I found that my trip was going to overlap with the Sagra del Carciofo in Ladispoli (on the coast about 25 miles west of Rome), I decided to include that in the itinerary. In spite of a rainy forecast, the sun continues to shine and there are thousands (!)…
Getting Away
Giverny (Monet’s Garden)
Finishing up a truly fantastic trip with an afternoon and evening in Giverny. Monet is a bit of an inspiration for this Gentleman Farmer, as he envisioned the gardens and water lily pond that he wanted, and then patiently created them over a period of years. He was also, by…