Non vedo l’ora. I can’t wait.

The best cheese comes from Italy. Visiting this year is out, and I got hungry,

So I searched on Amazon for Pecorino cheese. Sheep’s milk cheese. I found a great product and decided to order it,

It was shipped UPS Air and arrived in two days from Parma, Italy.

It was packed with a styrofoam inner container with cooling jej.

This is it. Just about 4 lbs.

It even includes a cutting knife.

It is a softer cheese than Parmesan with a wonderful aroma and taste. Pecorino Toscano is a PDO cheese made in the Tuscany region of Italy. You can order directly from them at the following web site

http://www.parmashop.com

For me all cheese that I have eaten in Italy is great, and now I can bring it home. My 2 kilo order cost $79 with UPS air shipping. That was a good price. See the photo below that show a shop window in the Trastevere section of Roma where the price for kilo was 63 Euro.

In Florida you can visit Doris Market in West Palm which specializes in Italian Foods.

June 6, 2020 4

I Never Forget A Meal

I am borrowing the title of a book by Michael Tucker who also fell in love with Italy and has always loved food. Italian food and Italian meals are to be savored and enjoyed. His book was great and you can find copies on Amazon. Also recommended is “Living in a Foreign Language” also by Michael Tucker which is similar to Under the Tuscan Son, but with more humor and a bit of attitude.

We are on the island of Ischia, a small island off the coast of Napoli. We stayed in a small hotel with great views of the area and had a pleasant lunch of Prosciuto e Melone.

We also hand Insalata Capresse with fresh mozzarella di buffala

At anolther ristorante in ischia we had frutti di mare. As fresh as you can get.

While staying on Lake Carda in the town of Brenzone we had a waterfront dinner of Cacio e Pepe

Lunch at a winery in Vicenza

Below is home made pasta in Milano, I took a pasta making class.

Felt is was time to lear how to do it, I had a pasta making machine at home that my bother bought about thirty years ago.

Nothing like your own fresh pasta

Pasta alla Norma

Mixed fruit that we bought at the market in Siracusa Sicily

Below is beefsteak Florentine

You start with aged meet. This is from Il Pandemonio, Florence Italy

It comes rare to medium rate, It is a think steak, about 1.5 to 2.0 inches.

There is nothing like it.

Back in Catania, Sicily

An entire meal of antipasti

My wife Angel and I after a wonderful meal.

Il Torre Del Mangia, Siena

Piazza del Campo

Insalata Capresse

There are more to come. This Brunello from 2011 met it Demis in 2020 as we reminisced about Italy.

May 31, 2020 1

TUSCANY BY BIKE Photos from a great trip.

Last post of 2019, I was off line while transferring all my photos to a new computer and should be doing posts on a far regular basis in 2020, Buon anno a tutti

To really see this ups and downs of Tuscany, do it on a bicycle. Above View from Piazelle de Michelangelo view of Florence

Always stunning views.

There were a lot of hills on this ride, but everyone finished.

Monteriggioni

Easy riding through towns.

Terre del Mangia, Siena

October brought fall colors to the region

Land of Chianti

A nice days ride, GPS track from San Gimignano to Siena

Brunello one fantastic Italian red wine

I was riding by a grove of olive trees when a gentleman offered to take my photo.

Beautiful Cypress trees line the roads into this BnB in Tuscany.

The freshest tomatoes are from Italy.

Last day it rained in Pienza, but the ride was over.

January 3, 2020 2

What I Loved About Tuscany Part 2

Siena is beautiful. From the towers to the countryside, it is full of beauty.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Torre del Mangia towering above of the Palazzo Pubblico

Torre del Mangia.
The Torre del Mangia is a tower in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Built in 1338-1348,[1] it is located in the Piazza del Campo, Siena’s premier square, adjacent to the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall). When built it was one of the tallest seculartowers in medieval Italy.[2] At 102 m, it is second tallest after Cremona’s Torrazzo (112 m (367 ft)) the Asinelli tower in Bologna at 97 m being third.

Piazza del Campo

From the top of the Torre.

My favorite lunch.

We found a wonderful BnB just outside of Siena

The Duomo

A small salumeria we picked out our lunch.

No crowds on the street at lunch time.

Siena is a good home base for touring around Tuscany. It is definitely car country to access all these beautiful spots.

To be continued.

February 20, 2019 0

What I Loved AboutTuscany Part one

Tuscany or Toscana is one of the most famous regions in Italy. Since Frances Mayes wrote “Under The Tuscan Sun” tourism in this region has increased immensely. Also property values have increased also. Toscana comprises a very large area. Plan on a week or more to visit the many wonderful sights. The food, climate and sights are exhilarating. Hills and valleys, morning fog that burns off quickly in the sun. So much to see and feel.

. The movie with Diane Lane helped increase it’s popularity with visions of sunflowers and rustic homes. There are many towns, cities, and regions the compromise Toscana. Florence is a good place to start. Florence or Firenze is the capital of to Toscana. It is a pedestrian city and cars are restricted from the city center.

Florence viewed from Piazzale Michangealo. It is worth the walk across the Arno river and the climb up to view the setting sun. At this time people flock from all over the city to view it. You and have a glass of wine, or a café from any of the numerous bars nearby. I hurried to make sunset and see the spectacular vistas from this perch.

The Duomo, Firenze

Am artist on the Arno river.

Ponte Vecchio Firenze, night time is a great time to walk the city.

An artist work to restore a sculpture at the Uffizi which is a must see. Purchase your tickets in advance with an arrival time and skip the lines. Use the web for tickets.

https://www.uffizi.it/en/pages/how-to-book-tickets

Below, beefsteak Florentine

Start with a good piece of meat

Served medium rare with a side of veggies.

If you can visit Trattoria Pandemonio, Firenze. You will not be disappointed.

http://www.trattoriapandemonio.it

February 9, 2019 0

One Hundred Of The Best Things To Do In Italy From Jen Reviews

I just received a copy of Jen Millers 100 Best Things to do in Italy and was fascinated by the diversity of the list. Almost every day we are bombarded with the “10 Things You Must Do” that usually link to a bunch of JUNK. This is not that type of list.

Of the 100 items on the list, I have only visited 39 that I can recall. That leaves quite a bit to see and do. Here is the link to Jens site which is entitled Jen Reviews. Take a look at it and you may wish to subscribe. This is not just a travel site, she does reviews on various products for he home and other items you may find of interest. Give it a look.

Here is the link to the list :

https://www.jenreviews.com/best-things-to-do-in-italy/

Here is a list of the table of contents of Jen Reviews The 100 Of The Best Things To Do In Italy

Contents

1 1. Colosseum (Rome)
2 2. Pompeii (Naples)
3 3. Venice Gondola Trip
4 4. Duomo Milan
5 5. Sistine chapel
6 6. Climb Mt. Vesuvius (Naples)
7 7. Leaning tower of Pisa
8 8. Solfatara (Naples)
9 9. Cinque Terre (La Spezia)
10 10. Vatican City (Rome)
11 11. Blue Grotto (Naples)
12 12. Trentino Winter Sports
13 13. Gardaland Fun Park
14 14. Nuraghi Sardinia
15 15. Murano glass factories (Venice)
16 16. Medici Villas and Gardens (Florence)
17 17. Arona/Lake Maggiore
18 18. Tremiti Islands
19 19. Siena
20 20. Catacombs (Rome)
21 21. Assisi
22 22. Ferrari Museum (Maranello)
23 23. Sicily
24 24. Sibillini National Park
25 25. Bridge of Sighs (Venice)
26 26. Bolzano
27 27. Castellana Caves (Bari, Puglia)
28 28. Museo Nazionale dell’Alto Medioevo (Rome)
29 29. Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (Stadio San Siro, Milan)
30 30. Alberobello
31 31. Aqualandia Jesolo (Venice)
32 32. Napoli Sotterranea (Naples)
33 33. Kite Festival Cervia
34 34. Civita di Bagnoregio- The Dying Town (Orvieto)
35 35. Pantelleria (Sicily)
36 36. Trevi Fountain (Rome)
37 37. Chocolate Festival Perugia
38 38. San Galgano (Siena)
39 39. Valley of the Temples (Agrigento, Sicily)
40 40. Lake Garda
41 41. Rabbit Beach (Lampedusa) and Rabbit Island
42 42. Valcamonica Rock Drawings
43 43. Etnaland (Belpasso, Sicily)
44 44. Santa Maria delle Grazie (Milan)
45 45. Gran Paradiso National Park (Aosta)
46 46. Palazzo Reale (Palermo)
47 47. Rainbow Magic Land Valmontone (Rome)
48 48. Acquario di Genova (Genoa)
49 49. Medici Aqueduct (Pitigliano)
50 50. Safari Park Pombia
51 51. Archiginnasio (Bologna)
52 52. Castel Nuovo (Naples)
53 53. Treviso Talking Tree Park (Venice)
54 54. Walk the Via Francigena
55 55. Capri
56 56. Ostia Antica (Rome)
57 57. I Sassi di Matera
58 58. The Pantheon (Rome)
59 59. Venice Carnival
60 60. Abano Terme (Padua)
61 61. Bioparca di Roma
62 62. Byzantine Mosaics Ravenna
63 63. Verona
64 64. Cinecitta Studios (Rome)
65 65. Santa Maria in Trastevere (Rome)
66 66. Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Rome)
67 67. Riserva naturale orientata dello Zingaro
68 68. Porta Palatina (Turin)
69 69. Peggy Guggenheim Museum (Venice)
70 70. Lucca (Pisa)
71 71. Galata Museo del Mare (Genoa)
72 72. Orto Botanico (Padua)
73 73. Castelmezzano
74 74. Castle Moncalieri (Turin)
75 75. Positano (Naples)
76 76. Parma
77 77. Caserta
78 78. Amalfi Coast
79 79. Dozza (Bologna)
80 80. Campo del Ghetto (Venice)
81 81. San Lorenzo Cathedral (Genoa)
82 82. Portofino
83 83.Bergamo
84 84. The Ruins of Paestum
85 85. Rialto Bridge (Venice)
86 86. Nora (Cagliari, Sardinia)
87 87. Punta Prosciutto and Torre Lapillo (Porto Cesareo)
88 88. Anzio (Rome)
89 89. Italia in Miniatura (Rimini)
90 90. San Leo (Rimini)
91 91. Tropea
92 92. Cortina d`Ampezzo
93 93. Museo Stibbert (Florence)
94 94. Zoological Gardens, Pistoia
95 95. Basilicata Adventure Parks
96 96. Frasassi Caves
97 97. Sorrento Ice and Pizza Cooking Course
98 98. La Scala Theatre and Opera House, Milan
99 99. Regata Storica (Venice)
100 100. The Chianti Wine Trail

https://www.jenreviews.com/best-things-to-do-in-italy/

The introduction from Jen Reviews

“It is difficult – if not impossible – to limit a list of things to do in Italy to 100, and even more difficult to put them in order of descending significance or entertainment value: home to Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, with islands as diverse as dour Sicily and African-influenced Pantelleria and cultures as far apart as Renaissance Venice and the prehistoric Trulli in Alberobello, Italy is a vibrant and colorful hotch-potch, a land of stark and passionately defended contrasts.

Famous for its ice-cream and its wine and with such characteristic culinary specialities as pizza and pasta (to name but a few), Italy is a land of lovers, of (often tragic) romance, of beautiful churches, ancient ruins and smoking volcanoes, of vendettas and grand opera. It is very child-friendly – Italians love children – and very relaxed with regard to organization and punctuality, which means there is no point getting upset when your train fails to show up. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; take a siesta and enjoy La Dolce Vita. If you are travelling by car, be aware that this cocktail of attributes shows up in their driving, too. Rules are made to be broken, signalling is haphazard and you will rarely see a car without dents. That said, there are few countries better equipped as a holiday destination for all tastes. Buon viaggio!”

May 21, 2018 0

Il mio sogno…… My dream was to bike the hills of Tuscany

People that know me know I love bicycling. Add that to my love of Italy and you have my dream vacation. I told my wife about it, but she did not wish to go back to Italy again so soon, especially as our last trip was an 18 hour affair which was diverted from Miami to Freeport in the Bahamas! For several years I was getting brochures from Vermont Bike Tours and the ones in Italy really intrigued me

So I signed up and started practicing climbing the hills in Vero Beach, Florida. Well not quite, there are no hills here. Best I could do is keep going over the two bridges that the connect the mainland to the barrier island. Add a back pack and some weight and it was a start.

Our trip began in San Gimignano and ended in Pienza. Each day we biked 35-45 miles. By the end of our trip we have climbed more than 10,000 feet. The crowded roads we traveled on!

Olives and Grapes

Quick stop.Always beautiful views.

Each morning Claudio and Elena would give us a briefing on our ride for the day.

Each day brought new sights and some tough climbs.So much beauty. I stopped frequently to take photos.

Monteriggioni, a beautiful walled village.Loved the shirt Elena was wearing.

Torre del Mangia, Siena

From the top of the tower, this where the Palio is held. Our rides took us through the town and alleys.Another amazing duomo.

One of our rides from SanGimignano to Siena.

As always when I am in Italy it is the Food. Fresh produce that has not traveled 3000 miles in a refrigerated truck. Always items that are in season. This was the best bruschetta I have ever had. The tomatoes were RIPE!

I passed by a couple of locals and they volunteered to take my photo. This was on one of those roads where we hardly ever saw another auto. This trip was really a sogno!! I can not recommend Vermont Bike Tours enough. Every aspect of the trip was perfect. Can not wait to do another ride in Italy. Continue reading “Il mio sogno…… My dream was to bike the hills of Tuscany” →

July 27, 2017 0

Posting from my iPad.

The WordPress app for desktop computers does not like to work with my Apple Photos application. I have found several workarounds for this, mainly by opening the Apple Mail app and starting a new message. I then open the media browser and select the album that has the photos for the post I am composing. My photo library has over 30,000 images. That is difficult to manage worth the media browser for mail. But the WordPress app for IOS meshes nicely. I am able to choose from any of my albums. This is so much easier that the other method.

Some photos taken last year in Firenze. Beautiful trip. Climbed up the campanelli and viewed the entire town. This year we are spending 51 days in Sicily and mainland Italy. We will be visiting Cefalù, Castello Buono, Siracusa, Gange, Lago di Garda, and almost three weeks in Roma. Can not wait.