Pastiera is a traditional Easter dish and is one of the most famous dishes in Naples. The story of its origin begins with a fairy tale, that the Neapolitans made offerings to mermaid named Partenope to thank her for her beautiful voice. They offered flour and orange blossom water to both symbolise the wealth of…
Archives for March 2015
Where do Venetians holiday?
Moneyed Venetians have been holidaying in the Colli Asolani (the hills of Asolo) since the time of the Venetian Republic as evidenced by the many Palladian villas, which were country estates built in the 16th century and designed by Andrea Palladio. A mere half hour drive to the west of Venezia brings you first to Padova…
What do Homer Simpson and Joseph (as in Joseph and Mary) have in common?
The 19th of March is the Festa di San Giuseppe in Italy in honour of Joseph, Jesus Christ’s step-father. It is celebrated as Father’s Day and a type of doughnut, Bignè di San Giuseppe is served. The idea of celebrating Father’s Day with doughnuts reminds me of Homer Simpson rather than of Joseph and Christ….
A Guide to Good Value High Quality wines: What makes a true wine aficionado?
Nowadays many people seem to be of the opinion that loving wine means drinking the most expensive wines in existence. While particularly at the more affordable end of the market, the price tag has some correlation with the quality of wine as it will determine how much the wine maker could afford to spend on creating the…
Top 19 off-the-beaten-track places to visit in Italy
We spent 3 months last summer travelling through 12 of the 20 regions of Italy. Our objectives were to stay as much as possible in the countryside because it was summertime and to visit places we had never been to before. We were rewarded with unforgettable, unique experiences in pristine locations untouched by mass tourism….