Staff Trip to Tuscany: La Cucina Povera

One of the places I really wanted to take our staff to was the town Radda in Chianti. It’s one of the small, hilltop villages… Continue reading

Staff Trip to Tuscany: Visiting the famous butcher and indulging in everything MEAT

Our chefs were stoked to visit the internationally renowned butcher Dario Cecchini from Panzano in Chianti at his butcher shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini. He’s been… Continue reading

Staff Trip to Tuscany: Is that a Church or a Winery?

Volpaia house

A visit to Castello di Volpaia Continue reading

The Traveling Somm Returns to Italy!

Villa a Sesta

After having a baby, opening a restaurant and surviving a pandemic, The Traveling Somm made a trip back to Italy! Continue reading

Embracing the Euro Camping Life

European camping challenges our Western expectation of privacy and space Continue reading

Embracing Slow Food in a Fast Paced World

The Slow Food Movement started in 1986 when Italians protested the building of a McDonald’s in Rome with pasta…that’s right, penne pasta! Here’s a slow food recipe that’s easy and delicious: braised lamb shanks with red wine. Continue reading

‘Tis the Season for Barolo

For me, the holidays are the best time for slow cooked meals, good company and powerful red wines. The combination of cold temperatures, short days… Continue reading

Living the Dream in a Relais & Chateaux in Tuscany 

My first year as an International Active Tour Guide took me to a place where I had only dreamed of living: Tuscany! It seemed too… Continue reading