Ferragosto: August Staycation with Mamma For the two weeks before and after the holiday of Ferragosto on August 15th, it seems as if all of Italy goes on vacation crowding the beaches and mountain resorts and leaving the cities virtually deserted. As with all other Italian holidays, food is the main attraction whether prepared for a festive picnic or stay-at-home summer lunch. "Il Pranzo di Ferragosto"/"A Mid-August Lunch" is a delightful cult film that is a glimpse into the life of a middle aged bachelor living with his octogenarian mother over the long holiday weekend in Rome. Food, appetite, and the need for community are prominent themes along with an intimate peak into the complicated dynamics that exist between Italian...
Spas & Thermal Springs: 3,000 Years of R+R Imagine…a glass in hand, a string quartet playing as you stroll through beautifully manicured gardens. A glass of water full of promises to enhance your wellbeing. The healing waters that gush from the Italian earth are drunk, soaked in and endlessly talked about. With a history of R+R that stretches back thousands of years, the Italians know a thing or two about unwinding in style. Many American spas today tout rigorous weight loss agendas, classes on meditation and strenuous sports activities. Spas in Italy have been popular since the time of the Etruscans and Romans when they would “take the waters” in natural hot springs. They have always been a combination of...
Capri: Blue Waters and Lemon Trees Right at the top of my ever-growing post-COVID bucket list is the return to the Isle of Capri. It has always been a choice of well-heeled international tourists and discriminating Italians. An iconic celebrity destination since the 40s and 50s, it is a glorious balance of idyllic scenery, spectacular coastline, designer shopping and fabulous homegrown flavors. Its cuisine is dominated by a plethora of fresh seafood and vegetables that are at their height now, during the summer months. This week’s menu highlights some of Capri’s most well-loved dishes paired with the region’s renowned Falanghina white wine. A Capri dinner would not be complete without a sip of its lemony nectar – limoncello – distilled...
Tutti al Mare! Tuscans at the Beach
With 5000 miles of coastline, Italy has the most beaches in Europe. Nowhere in Italy are you more than two hours from a beach. Italians absolutely love beach life and are, most likely, the sexiest and most fashionable beachgoers in the world.
La Versilia is a very unique stretch of Tuscan Mediterranean coast backed by the Apuan Alps. It is best known for its golden beaches, nightlife, art communities, and surf-n-turf – Mare e Monti – cuisine. But to fully enjoy the Italian beach culture you need to know its unspoken rules. After all, you do not want to look like a tourist on an Italian beach!
Sardinia: Where People Live Forever
The most interesting fact about the island of Sardinia is that it boasts the largest number of centenarians per capita than any other place on Earth. Their consumption of clean, simple “peasant food,” together with red wine rich in antioxidants and polyphenols just may be the reason for their longevity.
Our Sardinian menu highlights the mainstays of their Mediterranean diet – legumes, vegetables, olive oil, pasta, cheese and seafood. Those together with, Cannonau, a red wine made from grapes indigenous to the island could be the key to living a long and healthy life.
