Buon anno! I hope the first month of the new year has started off well for you.
We began ours con il botto, like we sayin Italy: with a big bang! (Fare il botto is a popular expression that means starting something with great energy, excitement, or success.)
We decided to renovate the floor in our kitchen, and what a task it turned out to be! We had to remove the old tiles, move all the furniture (it’s incredible how much can fit into one single room), and live upstairs in one of the apartments we now rent out which we call La Casa Toscana.
That’s actually where we lived 27 years ago, when we first moved to Tuscany and this place was just a rundown farmhouse from the late 1800s.
We started the renovation in 1999 when I was still working as an architect and this house actually became one of the first sustainable architecture projects in Tuscany. We lived upstairs in one of the apartments, with no heating and old windows, and I still remember those freezing Tuscan winters! Moving back into that same apartment now has brought back so many memories. My daughter was just a toddler back then, and now she’s an architect herself… life really comes full circle.
It took three years to finish the renovation and another 25 years to turn what was once just rocks and weeds (plus a few olive trees) into the garden we have today. In the pictures below you can see the oak trees we planted 26 years ago…
The house has some history too. The elders in the village told me that during World War II, it was bombed, and part of the roof collapsed. The garden and fields around it were part of the base camp of the U.S. Fifth Army, led by General Mark Clark, when they came up from the south to liberate Italy from the Nazis. Some of the worst battles happened not too far from here; it’s hard to imagine when you look at how peaceful it is now.
One day, during a cooking class, a guest told me that his grandfather had been stationed in this part of Tuscany during the war. Later, he even sent me a photo of him from that time. I looked at it and thought, he must have been right around here, maybe even standing under one of my olive trees. I still get goosebumps every time I tell this story.
The weather has been so mild this winter that we’ve been able to ride our bikes around the villages, up and down the hills. Even after traveling by bike around the world, I still think this is a true cycling paradise. The view of the Mediterranean is just unique, it gives this part of Tuscany something truly special.
I started thinking about the garden and planting some fava beans and sweet peas. They’re great not just for eating, but also because they help enrich the soil. I still have kale and herbs that I use in my daily cooking and soon for my in-person cooking classes.
One of the seasonal vegetables I use most in winter is escarole. You can cook it in many ways, and one of my favorites is Sautéed Escarole with Olives, Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Capers, or, as we say in Italy, scarola in padella.
It’s a simple dish, where the tender greens are gently cooked with garlic, olive oil, capers, and raisins, creating a perfect balance of savory and sweet. You can find the full recipe here.
Winter is also the moment when we’re getting ready to welcome our first guests in April and October for our Food & Wine Trips here in this magical coastal corner of Tuscany. These are tailor-made journeys for small groups of international travelers desiderosi di scoprire l’anima dei nostri luoghi: eager to discover the true soul of this region.
And honestly, I think we have it all here. Around us are beautiful vineyards where wines like Sassicaia and Ornellaia are made. The hills roll gently, dotted with small medieval villages and olive trees that give us their green gold every year. Not far away, the wild Macchia Mediterranea forests, home to wild boars, deer, and wolves. And then there’s the coast, once inhabited by the Etruscans more than two thousand years ago, where the Mediterranean stretches out in endless shades of blue.
If you’d like to be part of this experience, just reach out to me. I’d love to share more details about our 5-day tours. These small-group trips fill up quickly, so don’t wait too long!
At the beginning of January, we kicked off a new season with our Cooking Club, and I couldn’t be happier! We’ve welcomed many new members, and I’ve already hosted two classes. It’s such a joy to cook together, this big “cooking family” always fills my kitchen (and my heart!) with so much energy.
I’ll share more pictures of the kitchen when it’s ready. So stay tuned!
With love,
Chicca
PS: I have a new assistant in the garden and in the kitchen. It’s Merlot, our new puppy. I’ll tell you more next time!
