Sicily in Bloom.
Beautiful almond trees adorn the Sicilian countryside and are the first to blossom in late February filling the air with an overwhelming scent and promise of Spring. The Valley of the Temples, just outside the southern town of Agrigento is the site of the annual Almond Blossom Festival celebrating Spring’s arrival and the miracle of life.
This week we taste our way through the rustic but ever beautiful (and flavorful!) Sicily all the while paying homage to the fruit of everlasting love and eternal hope - the almond.
LOVE LETTER TO ITALY – Let me count the ways… This affair has lasted well over fifty years. My love has never waned, in fact, it has grown stronger with time. Italy is my happy place. Nostalgia for better times has rekindled fond memories and COVID isolation has led me to reminisce about this extraordinary country. It is not easy to “count the ways” I love her because much of the person I AM today is because of time I spent with her and because of the life experiences I lived and learned there. It is slightly smaller than the state of California, but it delivers a range of landscapes, cuisines, customs, and cultural heritage that is hard to match...
VALLE D’AOSTA – Welcome Travelers. Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland to the west and north, has long been the connector between central Europe and the Italian peninsula. It is the place where people travel on their way to somewhere else. The locals have welcomed travelers since Roman times and have established a culture of hospitality. Travelers are given the same warm welcome now as they were then. The Valdaostani are welcoming and generous people, always eager to share their hearty mountain food. It is the place where cultures meet and eat. Valle d’Aosta shares food styles with Alpine France and Switzerland. Its cuisine is simple, based on fresh ingredients from the mountains, streams, and plush valleys. Our menu this week will...
Cenone di San Valentino a Casa.Valentine Lovers Dinner at Home.
This year, let's create a lover's nest at home to celebrate and nurture those special relationships that light our way.
Your 5 course dinner comes together with a elegant tapered candle and you may choose to add a hand-paired half bottle wine package.
Trentino-Alto Adige: Where the Mediterranean Meets the Alps.
Some call it the sunny side of the Alps, others call it Trentin-Südtirol, and others Trentino-Alto Adige. It is extremely mountainous, covering a large part of the Dolomites and Southern Alps. The interesting historical past makes the region unique, neither completely Austrian nor Italian. It is a place where Austrian charm mingles with the stylish Italian flair.
This week’s menu will be a departure from the well-known dishes of the South – and interesting combination of the cuisines of two cultures.
