Happy New Year! 2016 is off to a great start especially since Les Vignerons is moving from the off-the-beaten-path area of Tor Pignattara to Trastevere which is a mere 15 minute tram ride from my home. Les Vignerons is my favorite wine and craft beer shop in Rome. While there is no shortage of wine shops and […]
As an Italian-American I grew up with traditions that arrived on the shores of Boston with my grandparents from Southern Italy in the 1930s. These traditions remained somewhat frozen in time and for that I’m lucky. My most cherished tradition – the feast of the seven fishes prepared for Christmas Eve – involves, family, food […]
In the event that you missed it, I launched Casa Mia – Italy Food & Wine – an expanded private food and wine tour company in May 2015. I’m over the moon thrilled to announce that only 8 months after the launch, the Casa Mia blog has been shortlisted in not one, but two Italy Magazine Blog Award categories: “Best Travel Blog” […]
I’d been meaning to visit Puglia for years. Its raw beauty, fabulous beaches, crystalline sea and uncomplicated food like burrata cheese, orecchiette pasta with turnip tops and grilled fish make it a destination for beach, food and wine lovers alike. Reading that half of Italy’s olive oil is produced in Puglia and that Puglia produces […]
I’m a wine drinker to the core. I hadn’t been romanced by Italy’s booming craft beer movement until this year’s unrelenting summer-long heat wave started in June. My interest in craft beer inched higher alongside soaring temperatures. The last time I hosted a beer tasting, a group of enthusiasts challenged what I knew about beer given […]
Whether you’re a Rome resident or visitor if you’re curious to discover another side of the eternal city, where talented chefs are transforming top notch ingredients into creative plates, Mazzo may be the spot for you. Located in Rome’s off the beaten path Centocelle district, Mazzo opened in 2013. The founders , Francesca Barreca and Marco Baccanelli aka […]
When I share a meal with family and friends, I often ask them which Italian wine they like best. Many will mention a red from Tuscany, most likely a “super Tuscan,” a 1980s term for Tuscan red blend that uses wine grapes not indigenous to Italy, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.When I suggest a […]
