August slipped away with a windstorm, and it feels like we’re already on the edge of saying goodbye to summer. We’ll have to wait another year for the hottest sun, the long days, and those beach afternoons that offer such sweet relief from the heat.
We’ve been busy welcoming guests to our apartments. We love to make them feel at home, sharing our deep love for this region and its traditions. Whether it’s offering local tips for gelato, our favorite cycling roads and beach, or simply being there when needed, we try to connect our guests with the people and places that make Tuscany so special.
If you’d like to know more, take a look at La Casa Toscana—our beautifully restored 18th-century country house on the “Wine Road” between Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri. This is the heart of a renowned wine region, where some of the most famous Super Tuscan wines are produced just a few kilometers from our home. We can help arrange visits to world-class vineyards and cellars, or take you on private tours to learn about the prestigious Bolgheri DOC.
And now, as we step into September, the grape harvest has begun. The vines are heavy with clusters, soon to find their way into your glass. It’s one of the most magical times of the year—the landscape alive with the promise of wine to come. If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting, harvest season is unforgettable: walking through vineyards, tasting grapes straight from the vine, and raising a glass made just steps away—it’s the kind of memory that stays with you.
These past weeks, I was also busy putting love into our Cooking Club with new recipes and ideas. We gathered with our cooking family for the first live class of Season 18 after a three-week break, and it was so joyful and great to see all the familiar faces that have been cooking with me for over five years. If you’re curious about these classes, you can check here: https://cookingintuscany.cc/club/​
The rest of the time was filled with the usual mix: lots of laundry on changeover days (when one guest leaves and another arrives), emails answering requests about the Cooking Club or Food and Wine Trips, paperwork, and plenty of meals for family and friends. Nothing dramatic, just the daily rhythms of life.
I enjoy those ordinary moments—the morning ritual, chopping vegetables, tidying a corner of the house. They’re the behind-the-scenes moments that never make it to Instagram, but honestly, in a world that’s always shouting at us to move faster, do more, they’re the ones that remind me why I love living simply.
One of my favorite things about summer is how little effort food requires. The season practically cooks for you. Without rules or recipes, just me and the joy of cooking all’istante (in the moment).
My garden provides us almost all the veggies we need, but Tuscany spoils us with markets and farm stands where fruits and vegetables are so fresh they need almost nothing more than olive oil and salt. Summer brought all kinds of salads to the table, from leafy mixes to simple, juicy tomato salads every single day.
Eggplant parmigiana was on repeat in my kitchen—I could easily eat a whole casserole by myself, and I’m definitely not the only one in the family. If you’d like to master this Italian classic, I would love to share my easy Eggplant Parmigiana recipe and the class replay video with you.
This recipe and class replay are exclusive for Chicca’s Cooking Club members, and it’s available for you  here.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it goes! And if you don’t cook it, I’d still love to hear from you—just let me know how you’re doing!
With love from Tuscany,
Chicca
