Making the New Oil

The day I’ve been waiting for arrives. It’s time to go to the frontoio, the olive press, to witness the oil extracted from the olives.  Later will come the first taste, the gift I’ve anticipated since I arrived in Italy. I’ve dreamt of this for the past three years of lockdown. Though I have witnessed […]

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In the Countryside

In the summer, Cristina and Luca live in their house, Acquafregola, in the Vallombrosa forest.  With winter coming, they move back to Paterno, a 20-minute drive down the mountain. They will return daily to feed the feral cats and fill jugs with fresh drinking water from the spring.   I believe this water has medicinal […]

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When Women are in Charge

Our First Three Days It was a long journey from Toronto and Connecticut but we all met in Brussels and continued on together to Florence. Marcie and our driver were there to greet us and whisked us to the countryside, to the tiny village of Poggio Alla Croce. Some of us walked around the property and explored the nearby agriturismo of […]

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How we do it in San Cerbone

We buy our everyday wine at the Sfuso.  “loose wine”  (“unpackaged” ). More properly defined: bulk wine, dream come true, wine on tap, wine from the cask (the barrel or container where wine is fermented, matured, stored or shipped) Bring your own bottles or container, and you can taste before you buy.       When […]

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Our Home in Poggio Alla Croce, San Cerbone

My friends Elettra and Andreas have been renovating their property for the past 8 years. The first stage is three separate apartments each with two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and living room.  So that’s a total of 6 bedrooms plus there are 4 sofabeds. Here are some  photos:   Here are some exterior shots       […]

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