Monthly Archives: December 2014

The Villa

The Villa has 6 beautiful bedrooms, 3 queen + 2 king, with private bathrooms and 1 dual twin bedroom with bathroom to share in hallway. The Villa rental has full access of all amenities exept owners and staffs quarters. The Villa has a charming Tuscan kitchen with a vintage table to seat 8, complete with a… Read more »

Corsis di Cucina

Madonna dell’Oliva is extra-virgin artisanal olive oil from the five-hundred-year-old Villa Lucia, a private, organic property in Montevettolini, Italy. Nestled in the rolling hills just north of Florence, in an area known as the nursery of Europe, popular for its artisans and hand crafted traditional foods, Villa Lucia’s olive trees are natured in the lavish… Read more »

L’amore mis Amicis

Another one of my favorite food artisans is the Slitti family, makers of chocolates as done years ago. I had no idea that the the basement of a coffee shop in our neighborhood was also the setting of a chocolate making kitchen, until hearing the announcement that they were the winners of the Medaglia d’oro… Read more »

Venire A Visitare!

The Taccini family of Vinci, well known in Tuscany, has been making ceramics for the last 500 years . They have major works of art that have left their bottega outside of Vinci, for countries around the globe. I met the 4 Taccini brothers and their father soon after arriving to Tuscany in 1985. Our… Read more »

Meet Lucia

As a first-generation Italian, born in Connecticut and raised in a European household where old traditional values and customs prevailed, making fresh pasta was a daily activity. With an extended family of relatives from Italy, traditional food habits prevailed in our household. Fruits and vegetables grown in the family garden were canned every summer, and… Read more »

The Coops

Each Lodge can be rented individually for one couple, or together. Perfect for two couples, or a family of 4 or 5. Both Coops are attached and have parking behind the units. The Chicken Coop -The Chicken Coop is situated on the property with its own spectacular view of the valley, and includes a large… Read more »