I don’t eat a lot of meat, but when I do, I want the best. I an very lucky to be able to have a choice of several great butchers in various towns near me. Often, I make a day-trip out of shopping and head over the hills and through the woods to Panzano in…
Meat Museum- The Masters of Meat
As you all know, I adore my butchers. The men and women that turn meat into meals. I was inspired, as I often am, but my soul-sister Kate in Camont, France. Her article on the red and white butcher shops reminded me of the foto shoot I just did for Dario, my master butcher, in…
Domenica da Dario
Just another Sunday lunch with friends but at the Officina della Bistecca-you leave with more friends than you came with! I feel really blessed to have worked for several years with Dario, before he became such a media star, when only a few journalists like Faith Willinger were writing about artisans in Tuscany. Thanks to…
Don’t Bogart those herbs… my friend
Recently David Lebovitz wrote a cute entry on his blog which had me laughing again remembering our day together. It is funny that erbe… herbs.. in Italian is slang for yeah.. that stuff. I found a cute jar in Siena, that I keep my oregano in, that says Maryjuana. Everyone has their own blend, I…
a Day with Dario
I feel very blessed. When I first came to Italy, I met several people with a passion for Tuscany that changed my life. Burton Anderson, wine expert,who’s book on the winemakers and their wines, shows a true love for the people behind the bottle. His later book The Treasures of the Italian Table, did the…
Ferragosto- August summer festivals
August 15th is a biggie in Italy. If you are not already on vacation, you will be! In anticipation, my food guru Dario Cecchini threw a big party for 1,000 of his closest friends. He created a new holiday the Festa del Nocciolo, the hazelnut tree party. Of course, August 15th is a big religious…