Many people flock to Sardegna for the perfect blue skies and spectacular coastline, opting for seafood in the Mediterranean heat but I think this is a mistake. They are overlooking the tradition of this pastoral island and the unique culture of the Sardinians. We stayed at a farm hotel (agriturismo) near Alghero called Sa Mandra,…
Happiest sheep in the world?
Sardegna may be home to some of the happiest sheep in the world, thoughtfully grazing overlooking some of the most spectacular coastline in the world. This is reflected in the cheese. The morning we went to the farm of Sa Mandra in Alghero, they were churning the ewe’s milk to make ricotta. First they put…
Scotland’s more exotic cousin?
Before coming to Sardegna, I had always heard of the pastoral heritage of the island influencing the meat-laden cuisine, leading to a vision of a tropical Scotland in my mind. I had not expected the raw beauty of the arid vegetation, called the macchia mediterranea, contrasted against some of the most striking coastline in the…
Follow these 14 rules to bake bread like a pro
Why is bread from a bakery so much better than bread baked at home? Ever used a recipe to bake bread only to find that it looked nothing like the picture? Imagine if you could bake bread using flour, water, salt and yeast and come out with consistently great bread, no matter what season….
How to make perfectly moist cakes every time without an oven
A friend told me that she was baking cakes in her rice cooker because she didn’t have an oven. It is relatively common in Asia to not have an oven and I thought this a poor substitute. I imagined the cakes to turn out burnt and hard on the bottom and undercooked and still liquid…
How much do you know about Easter?
Tradition Easter is a traditional religious holiday to celebrate the day that Christ rose from the grave after the crucifixion. During the Easter week there are religious processions throughout Italy, often with participants wearing traditional dress and carrying palm fronds or olive branches (a reference to the palm branches a symbol of goodness and victory…
A Gastronomic Tour of Tuscany and Umbria
Our little corner of Tuscany near Lucignano had many perfectly distanced options for morning jaunts with small children, ensuring sightseeing and meandering lunches at authentic local trattorias for the adults and gelato and short car journeys guaranteeing a timely return for nap time for the children. Having congratulated ourselves on a nice morning out, we…
Best Wine in the World? A Visit to Ornellaia
Ornellaia Cellar Visit Driving along the cypress tree-lined road towards Ornellaia, we passed winery after winery. With each one a gleeful sound would arise from my husband seated next to me in the car. We are in Bolgheri, a relatively new wine area in Tuscany previously known for potatoes, and a virtual Disneyland of favourite…
Tuscan Villa
Our Tuscan Summer Holiday We arrived at the large gate which opened onto a cypress tree-lined drive leading up to the vast 17th century villa. Set amongst a vineyard, an olive grove, and a small forest complete with pheasant, rabbits, and orange mushrooms seemingly from outer space, this was to be our home…
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 17
- 18
- 19
