Iceland is surprising, sophisticated and a great jumping off point for your European travels.

Picture an island the size of Kentucky. Then add about 300,000 people and put 200,000 of them in the capital city. Make the people outside the city rugged farmers and. Throw in a long tradition of storytelling (sagas) and a history of rough sea voyages, Viking settlements and bloody battles. Don’t forget to add more active volcanoes than anywhere else on earth, a few huge glaciers and geysers and spectacular waterfalls that drop several hundred feet from lava cliffs. Sprinkle in the many geothermal spas that dot the landscape (and go a long way towards powering the island). There. You’ve got it. Welcome to Iceland.

The iconic Blue Lagoon at 10:00 a.m.

A quick five-and-a-half hour flight from Washington, D.C., Iceland is a land of stark contrasts. In Reykjavik, you’ll find a young, modern city where the partying and music scene go on into the wee hours. But outside the city, it’s a land where sheep, cattle and small horses graze contentedly and where its lava-encrusted countryside looks like a lichen-laced lunar landscape. Every turn on Highway 1, the ring road completed in 1974, takes your breath away.

Whether you’re into history and museums, spa rejuvenation, skiing, whale and puffin watching, ice climbing, horseback riding, rafting on glacial rivers or simply enjoying a steaming cup of swiss mokka and shopping in a vibrant and sophisticated European city, Iceland has something to offer. World-class entertainment came to Reykjavik this year, too, with the opening of the new Harpa Concert Hall on the harbor. And while Icelandic is the official language — not dissimilar to what the Vikings spoke when they arrived 1,000 years ago — most city folks speak better English than we do.

Gullfoss ("Golden") Falls

I confess I’d heard horror stories about meals of boiled sheep’s head, fermented shark meat and smoked puffin. But while those might be available, Iceland is known today for its small, delicious lobsters, lobster soup, Arctic Charr and home-grown lamb. The Icelanders also use greenhouse technology to create an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables — even bananas. And the array of yogurt (skyr) at our breakfast buffet each morning was stunning. But while Icelanders are fabulously proud of their local cuisine, they are also nuts about burgers, ice cream and their own version of hot dogs (pylsurs), made with red sausage and served with “the works.”

What to do in Iceland? First, make a stop at the Blue Lagoon and experience geothermal bliss in mineral-rich water that ranges from 98º – 102º F. You can also book a variety of spa treatments, but you may never want to leave the lagoon itself. Then take the famous Golden Circle Tour and see the Gullfoss (“Golden”) Falls, which tumbles 32 meters into a stunning double cascade. You’ll also see the Geysir hot springs in the Haukadular geothermal field — Strokkur was very accommodating, going off as scheduled every 5 minutes or so. Then go see the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Thingvellir National Park, long the site of the Alpingi, or Viking parliament. Right there also sits the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where Europe and America drift apart — causing many of the earthquakes in the region. Continue on to the South Shore, where you’ll see glaciers and pass by Katla, the volcano geologists expect to blow very soon. You can even stop by the Thorvaldseyri farm that had to evacuate during Eyjafjallajökull’s infamous 2010 eruption, stalling international air traffic for days. And this is just the beginning.

Strokkur Geysir erupting -- right on time

An added feature to visiting Iceland is that you can book a flight into Keflavik Airport, spend up to seven nights in the capital city and then go on to one of several European destinations with no penalty charges. Check out the stopover booking engine on Icelandair’s website for more details. For me, Iceland was a revelation and I’m looking forward to going back.

IF YOU GO . . .

Icelandair flies direct to Keflavik from Dulles Airport, but you can also depart from Richmond and go through JFK. Check out the “extras” on the website (www.icelandair.co.uk) and plan your own tour or look for all-inclusive tour operators.

If you’re a stargazer and want to try for the Aurora Borealis, I recommend traveling with MWT Associates (www.melitatrips.com. Look for the Northern Lights and Lava Fields Tour. Conditions weren’t right the week we went, but the skies are breathtaking nonetheless.

We stayed in the Grand Hotel Reykjavik, on the outskirts of town. The staff was friendly and accommodations were comfortable (www.grand.is). But to be right in town, consider the Hotel Centrum (www.hotelcentrum.is) or the Radisson Blu 1919 (www.radissonblu.com/1919hotel-reykjavik). And Icelandair is opening up its own city center hotel in March 2012, the Reykjavik Marina (http://icelandairhotels.com/news/icelandair-hotel-reykjavik-marina-open-central-reykjavik).

Rainbow over the lava fields

For good eats, don’t miss the Fish Company (www.fishcompany.is/English) and, if you have time, order its eye-opening “Around Iceland” menu. It’s four courses of iconic fish, lamb and yogurt dishes from all parts of the island. For something more casual, stop in at the harborside Sea Baron/Saegreifinn (www.lvoe.ca/index.php?q=node83) and see what former fisherman and Coast Guard chef Kjartan Halldórsson is up to. Choose your order from the case up front — don’t forget the lobster soup — and pay at the cashier. Sit on the little wooden stools and your meal will be brought to you. There’s nothing like it. And if you can plan ahead, don’t miss an experience at Idnó, right next to the City Pond (www.idno.is/english.html).  It’s one of Reykjavik’s most historic buildings and now hosts both a restaurant and theatre. It’s the perfect place for a very special evening.

You’ll probably hear more from me in the future about this beautiful and inspiring place. But for now, please accept my warmest wishes for a light-filled Happy Hannukah and a very Merry Christmas!

Buon viaggio!

On packing: Lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then, take half the clothes and twice the money. — Susan Butler Anderson

‘Tis the season! If you’re planning to travel in the next few weeks, be sure to heed the words of our guest blogger, Holly Miller, a writer for Coupon Croc in the UK. Book your next vacation online and save with the latest discounts and promotions at CouponCroc.co.uk.

Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

As travel plans solidify for the holiday season, you’ve probably already purchased your plane ticket, grabbing the early bird’s discount — but have you remembered the new weight tariff on airplanes? Airlines are charging considerable sums for baggage that is overweight — sometimes $50 or more per bag. Pack light this holiday season, and leave the stress behind.

Limit Bulky Clothing

Pack sweaters, for instance, that you can wear with several outfits and limit the weight you add by taking six sweaters when two or three will do instead. Remember: You’ll probably be wearing one of them on the flight.

Silk long johns are often warmer than the thicker cotton ones, and they certainly weigh less. Consider those instead of the old-fashioned type we wore as kids.

Do you really need five pairs of shoes? If you’re planning a night out while you’re away from home, take one pair of dressy shoes. If you’re planning on more than one night out, take one pair of dressy shoes that coordinates with each outfit you pack.

Recycle

For a week’s vacation, you truly do not need six extra pairs of jeans. Denim weighs a lot, and you probably don’t need more than three pairs total. Wearing a pair of jeans more than one day happens considerably more often than people might tell you, and it’s perfectly acceptable to do so.

Besides, you can throw a load or two of clothes in the washer while you’re away. Machines do work in most places — really. You don’t have to pack laundry detergent. They’re expensive per unit, but buying a small box of laundry detergent in a laundry mat costs far less than a weight tariff tacked onto the price of your flight travel — each way.

Ship Excess

If you’re bringing items for others either on your way to your destination or back home, consider the very reasonable rates the US Postal Service charges in their “any weight” Priority postage plan: So long as it fits in the box, you pay only a flat fee for mailing the box to a domestic address.

Often, that postage is far less than a weight tariff, and with prior arrangements, hotels may accept packages on your behalf if you have reservations there. Don’t forget that you can mail things back to yourself, as well.

Load up on souvenirs and other purchases if you wish, but be clear about how you’ll get them home before you buy. Just think outside the suitcase!

Ignore Holly's advice at your own peril!

Summary 

Airplane tickets cost enough to begin with. Don’t add to your travel costs by incurring weight tariffs with overweight bags. Pack only what you truly need; plan on recycling your clothing, and ship to yourself any excess.

Remember: This holiday season, your luggage is on a diet!

Buon viaggio!

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you’ll discover will be wonderful.  What you’ll discover is yourself.  — Alan Alda

So you go to fine restaurants and subscribe to all the “really-this-takes-12-hours-to-make-but-it’s-so-worth-it” fancy gourmet magazines. You’ve even tried the latest wack-o craze from Britain, food foams. Fine. But for a completely different (and eminently saner and more satisfying) kind of foodie experience, I invite you to give the agriturismo La Tavola Marche (MAR-kay) a go. Lovingly run by a young, hard-working American couple, Ashley and Jason Bartner, La Tavola Marche (inn, restaurant and cooking school) is a jewel in the crown of the rugged Italian countryside. And here they have discovered themselves — and so much more.

First, what’s an Agriturismo?

La Tavola Marche — front door

The agriturismo movement began out of necessity as small farmers started to abandon their farms for the cities in the 1950s. To keep the traditions alive, the government codified the agriturismo movement in 1985 and many abandoned buildings were restored, allowing farmers to augment their income from the farm, and for travelers to experience the bounty of rural life in Italy.

Basically, an agriturismo is a working farm that rents rooms and serves food that it produces. To qualify for the tax advantages provided by an agriturismo status, a farm must recycle most of what it raises or grows back into the house. Eighty percent of the food that Jason serves at La Tavola Marche is from his own land or the land of his neighbors.

Jason, a French Culinary Institute-trained chef and Ashley, a former actress and hospitality maven in New York City, found the old farmhouse, Ca’Camone, in 2007 and immediately  knew they wanted to create La Tavola Marche there. They fashioned comfortable living spaces, developed their cooking school and kitchen and have been virtually adopted by the locals over the last four years. The two studied Italian before they left the U.S. and live as close to an authentic Italian lifestyle as possible in this off-the-beaten-track location, bartering with the neighboring farmers for game and recipes and helping each other with projects. In turn, Jason’s cooking has gained quite a reputation among the Marchese, who are often present at Thursday night pizza parties in the summer and at the restaurant itself throughout the year. There is no higher praise.

Ashley says, “When you think you’ve gone too far, you’re almost here!”

They have most definitely left the “city of their comfort” by coming to Le Marche, a stunningly beautiful part of

Try this at home: Zucchini Carpaccio!

Italy that most Americans never see because most tours concentrate on the holy trinity of Rome, Florence and Venice. I urge you to be bold.

Because while the house is some five kilometers off the road, La Tavola Marche is not only a calming respite in the midst of our “elaborate” lives (thank you, Elton John), it is also extremely well-positioned for a versatile holiday, being close enough to visit Umbrian hill towns like Spoleto and Gubbio and very nearby to Urbania and Urbino, a well-known UNESCO World Heritage Site. Urbino’s Casa Rafaella and the Palazzo Ducale are must-sees, and the city is truly one of the most important in all of Italy for anyone in search of great Italian art and architecture. So while it may seem a bit remote, the pool in season is a big draw for the kids and the day trips that are available have something for everybody.

The food’s the thing

The dearly departed Foghorn Leghorn

But when you come to La Tavola Marche, you come to eat — and to learn. Jason is an excellent teacher and I can honestly say that I have never learned more about cooking than I did here. And I’m proud to say that I’ve made several of his dishes back home. In fact, my birthday present from Tim this summer was a de Buyer mandoline, so I can cut those veggies either wafer-thin or in uniform chunks, like many recipes require.

Anyway, when we arrived at the kitchen for our class, the evening’s menu was posted: Antipasti, Primo, Secondo and Dolce. We were going to do it all! Jason has a simple philosophy about the local cucina povere: let the food speak for itself. Don’t drown it in sauce, don’t cook it to death. Let the tomato be a tomato — a little salt, pepper and olive oil, and you’re done. Simple, flavorful. We cooked seven different items and they were all fantastic.

We had just come from a week in Abruzzo and, as in the fabulous neighboring region to the south, the food in

Sharon & Jerry, hard at work on dinner

Marche is hearty, local and very fresh. Because we had asked for a lot of vegetables after the meat-rich Abruzzo experience, Jason happily complied, with lentils, grilled yellow peppers, stuffed eggplant, homemade tagliatelle with porcini and fresh peas, a tomato bread and basil soup, zucchini carpaccio . . . it was a true delight. And his homemade salamis, coupled with the local cheeses, were outstanding. Ashley, the consummate hostess, finished it all off nicely with her homemade digestivo, after-dinner drinks made from a variety of nuts and fruits, like walnut and prune, that were the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

The farmhouse’s five self-catering suites can hold up to 22 people. They’ve hosted weddings, family reunions, language classes and girl’s getaways and will tailor cooking school and local winery tours, truffle and mushroom hunting excursions and olive oil and other farm visits to suit your needs. They’ve even got a chef friend with a boat  in the port town of Fanno who will take you out for lunch or dinner and cook freshly caught fish while you swim in the crisp blue waters of the Adriatic.

Discover yourself — and save the date!

Ashley, Linda & Jason — are we having too much fun?

But the biggest attraction for me and Tim (and our friends Sharon and Jerry, who are getting just a tad snarky now that I don’t mention them every time we go someplace together) was the fact that, to our ancient eyes, it seems like Ashley and Jason have found the secret to happiness. They were old enough (or wise enough) to know that they wanted something beyond the 9-to-5 grind and were young enough (or brave enough) to let go of the proverbial rock and just take a chance. When I asked her how she did it, Ashley simply said, “I thought, why not? We can always go back if it fails.”  The older you get, the more difficult it is to make big decisions like this. I know this from first-hand experience.

So they gladly quit their jobs, packed their things, sent over what they needed and got down to starting a new life. They haven’t been back to the U.S. in four years. They’re making a name for themselves (see who’s making big noises about the place!) and they’re living life to the fullest.

Now, it’s not all collecting checks and good reviews. They rise very early, tend to flocks and crops, keep the menu fresh and updated, deal with snow and frozen pipes, clean and shop and take reservations and deal with customers and cooking schools, meet the press and clean the pool and chop the wood and drive on unpaved roads and have a heck of a time getting internet service and basically do everything they have to do to live and succeed in a foreign language. Not easy. And we get to see it all through their eyes and benefit from their advance work. Be grateful for them and visit them if you have a chance.

I’m hoping to take a group to visit Jason and Ashley next fall — September or October. It will be great. Costs and itinerary will be coming in the next month or so. But save the date, so to speak. You won’t want to miss it, and space is limited.

Trust me, this is the way to see Italy. After you’ve seen the big cities, discover something that you might not find so easily in the guidebooks. It’s hugely rewarding — and very delicious.

Buon viaggio!

Sulmo mihi patria est. — Ovid

We began our 2011 Italian adventure by creeping out of Rome’s Fiumicino airport and into a major traffic jam — the usual — but only after having our perfunctory rental car adventure. I guess Italian tourists travel with bags the size of fanny packs, because our mid-sized car that we made clear was to hold four passengers for two weeks virtually collapsed after the first bag was launched into the trunk. After a fair amount of wrangling, we were upgraded to a larger car that still barely held the bags, but hold them it did, and we were off, into the aforementioned traffic jam. About 90 minutes and 10 km later, we discovered that there had been a very minor fender bender, which was handled in a typically Italian way: gobs of officials standing around, a cute little portable sign blocking one lane out of the airport, an ambulance (unused, as far as we could tell) and hundreds of infuriated Italians and frustrated tourists rubbernecking around the scene in their cars. Let the good times begin!

We took the autostrada east into the region of Abruzzo,  about a two-hour drive, and  headed for the historic city of  Sulmona, which was to be our home for four nights.  Sulmona is a dynamic town of some 25,000 residents  located in the center of Abruzzo  among the highest peaks of  the Appenines. The views from Piazza Garibaldi, the main  square and home of July’s famed Palio, are breathtaking.  Mists and snow were  frequent on the mountaintops, and  when the sun came out, it was spectacular. Close  to several  ski areas — Roccaraso being the one everybody raves about  — and not too far from the beaches of Pescara along the  Adriatic, Sulmona offers visitors a great jumping off point for drives and recreation of all kinds. Problem, is there aren’t too many visitors. At least not Americans. German and Dutch visitors have found the place, for sure, but we need to bring up the averages, people — this place is great!

Sulmona was home to the poet Ovid, whose presence is felt everywhere in the city, from his statue in Piazza XX Settembre to his famed saying, “Sulmo mihi patria est” (Sulmona is my fatherland) written out or abbreviated SMPE all over town. Sulmona was also a very important artisan and commercial town back in the day and it’s hard to walk a block without seeing a statue or monument of some grace and import. But the tough economy has hit here, too. We were told about a 60% unemployment rate among the city’s youth, for starters. And on our walk around town, we were shown a significant patch of land, maybe 40 feet by 15 feet, under which lay some apparently well-preserved Roman or Byzantine mosaics. The city has carefully covered them up and grassed them over for safekeeping and will restore and reveal them when it has the money to do so properly.

Our B&B was just off P. Garibaldi, right at the end of a 13^th century aqueduct. In fact, one of the arches of the aqueduct actually ran through our bedroom! Sei Stelle offers comfortable accommodations right in the heart of the city. It was a fine jumping off point for our walking tour of the city and frequent trips to shops, restaurants and the local mercato. Run by the Frattaroli family (originally from Sulmona and who now split their time between Sulmona and Boston, where they run the Filippo Ristorante in Boston’s North End), Sei Stelle is an affordable option offering a fine continental breakfast every morning and the option for you to negotiate with the caretaker, cousin Franca, to cook for you (and it’s fantastic). But do be aware that little or no English is spoken here and that with my little or no Italian, we did run into a few glitches. Nothing that couldn’t be solved, but it could have gotten sticky.

So now that we’re here in the middle of the Appenines, in this lovely old city, what do  we do? Well, first we get a tour. Francesco met us at 9:30 after a first good night’s  sleep, and toured us around until lunchtime. We started at the Cathedral of San  Panfilo (Sulmona’s patron saint) which is ancient, and which was heavily damaged  in an earthquake in 1706. Centuries of rebuilding have lead to an interesting mix of  styles, largely Romanesque but with plenty of frescos and wooden, marble and stone  artifacts to keep you guessing. The newest part even has a fresco of Pope Benedict XVI  in bright colors over the doorway! Of particular interest was the display of artifacts and information about the short-lived Pope Clemente II, who served for only one year and who was, perhaps, a bit too reform-minded for the church at that time. Very near our B&B was the Fountain of the Old Man (La Fontana del Vecchio) and of course, the Acquedotto Medievale (Medieval Aqueduct), built in 1256 under the Swabian ruler Manfredi.

But perhaps more than anything, Sulmona is known as the home of confetti. What’s confetti? Ever been to anItalian wedding? Ever gotten a favor of coated white almonds in a little net bag? That’s the American tradition. In Italy, you can get almonds in different colors for all kinds of events, presented in everything from satin bags to Ginori china. White is for weddings and communions; green is for engagement; silver is for 25^th anniversaries; red is for graduation and birthdays . . . and so on. At the Pelino headquarters — one of the oldest confetti manufacturers — we saw the Pelino family members carefully taking orders, arranging boxes of colorful creations or managing the small shop. There is also a museum over the factory that displays all manner of machinery, documents and copperware that have to do with the celebrated tradition. And there are confetti stores all around town selling everything from bagged almonds to stunning almond flowers to unusual almond rosaries.

We had 12 people on this leg of our journey, one of them whose family hailed from Abruzzo. Vicky’s Mom was from a town called Castel di Sangro, not far from Sulmona; her father was from Pescara on the coast. At a pre-trip dinner, Mario Scalzi (president of Parker Villas) told Vicky that she could count on the Abruzzese to pick her out. He was right: the first day in Sulmona, a woman came up and asked Vicky where her family was from! One rainy day, a group went to help Vicky find her ancestral home. No one in the family had been able to get there successfully, since infrastructure was slow coming to many parts of Abruzzo. In fact, the highways didn’t go into some places until the 1970s. Anyway, this time, Castel di Sangro was reached and, as Vicky was talking on the phone to her mother in Cleveland to tell her the news, the church bells rang. Magic.

The Abruzzese people were very friendly to us. Lots of smiles and nods,  and some were curious enough to ask us where we were from. All in all,  it was a delightful place to be. And one day, when we decided to visit the  Celestine Abbey in Badia (Santo Spirito al Marrone) to learn about the  hermitage tradition, we met a woman who not only gave us a guided tour  of the place, but also met up with us later that evening in Sulmona.  Novelia is an Abruzzese charmer who lived for several years in Canada  and then came back to Sulmona. She and her sister Vittoria are a high-  spirited couple of Italians who love where they live and want to show  others why they should love it, too. Next time, we’ll consider staying at  her place in town, La Casa del Cuore. Drinks at the Hotel Santa Croce  Ovidius were a hoot.

We passed our four days here in a flurry of wine tours (Valle Reale,  whose Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano wines were first-rate),  good food and visits to a few neighboring towns like Scanno and L’Acquila. For lunch one day, we drove up to an agriturismo at what seemed like the top of the world to a real find called BioAgriturismo Valle Scannese. We were fed and feted well and they told us tales of snow falling on the piazza in town just the day before. On the way there, we saw shepherds with their flocks of sheep and big white working dogs. We even saw a small cluster of wild boar (cinghiale). This is rugged country, folks, and the real thing.

Tim fell in love with the mountains and the herbal amaro, a local digestivo, and I fell in love with the local rossa (rosé) wine called Cerasuolo. On market day, Tim and I bought a delicious round Romano cheese from a white-haired lady sitting all alone at a small glass display case that she probably hauls around from town to town. We felt a little sorry for her and bought from her instead of from the larger trailer stalls. Then, on the way home, we re-watched The American and saw that George Clooney did the same thing . . . some of the final scenes were shot right there on the piazza. If you’ve seen the movie, you might remember the Easter procession scene — Sulmona is famous for its five-day over-the-top Holy Week celebrations. I can’t wait to come back some day to see it!

Sulmona is a beautiful city with a long history, great traditions and terrific food and wines. I miss it already — especially the church bells ringing all night long, every 15 minutes, reminding me how much sleep I’m missing. But really, I do — there was something comforting about it. There was so much more that we could have done — go to the coast, for instance — but there wasn’t enough time. Just when we were getting used to the pace we had to pack up and go on to the next destination. And that is a story for another day. But put Abruzzo on your list, by all means. It’s a different kind of Italy and you’ve got to see it.

Buon viaggio!

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. — Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

They call it a soft opening. I call it the inside track. At least that’s what I’ve got until you read this. Then you’re going to want in on it, too.

It’s the Belmont Food Shop, Carytown’s new-ish establishment dedicated to the art and joy of good eating. They call it a “back to basics approach to food.” And the results are pretty spectacular, even while they’re on their shake-down cruise.

”They” are Steve Ruscitti and Mike Yavorsky, two CIA graduates (that’s Culinary Institute of America, not that scary place in McLean) who have partnered up to co-found a most welcoming little place that speaks to what can happen when people love food, have big hearts and exude creativity.

The daily menu board

Located at 25 N. Belmont Avenue, the Belmont Food Shop — once an A&P Grocery Store —  shouts local color. It has a storefront presence, with good windows and a spectacular wood and marble bar that’s been lovingly moved and reassembled from Steve’s native Chicago. Art on the walls sets the artistic bent to almost everything you see — chalkboard, apple press, decanters — and extends right into the kitchen. Peek inside the kitchen door and you’ll see the original walk-in refrigerator, an ancient but workable Viking oven, a sink and various makeshift surfaces and cubbies that serve as prep and storage space. And what do they make in this quaint space?

Well, ask anybody who’s been there and the first thing they’ll probably say is “truffles.” Walk by the shop and, if it’s open, you just might get a sample of what is simply the richest, most wonderful melt-in-your-mouth chocolate concoction ever.

French toast to die for!

The other thing the Belmont Food Store is known for around town is lunch. Now, you can get a sandwich most any place.  And a soda. And a side dish. And you might pay less than the $12 (tax included) that these guys charge. But I guarantee you it won’t be half as good. Check out the sandwich menu:

• Roast beef, caramelized onions, focaccia
• Minced pork, mustard vinaigrette, potato bread
• Baked turkey, provolone, pickled red onion, arugula, herbed roll
• Crabcake, sally lunn roll
• Smoked mozarella, roasted vegetable terrine, arugula, black pepper potato bread

Check out the side dishes:

• Potato salad (excellent!)
• Deviled eggs (the best ever!)
• Green salad (they make it interesting!)
• Fresh fruit (ditto!)

Sodas? A variety of Route 66 healthy drinks or — if you’re very lucky — some of their home-made ginger beer, which is so crisp and refreshing it will become your staple all summer long.

They also do catering. I asked for a catering menu and Steve said, “Tell us what you want.”

Things are happening in the back yard. . .

Here’s their catering philosophy. (I love that about Steve and Mike — they actually have a philosophy . . . of sourcing, of eating, of cooking, of serving, of creating an environment.)

• We bring our experience, hospitality, and flexibility to your events
• From elegant dinners (in our space or yours) to corporate gatherings or intimate backyard parties, we work with you to create an unforgettable event of any size or theme
• Our catering menus are designed personally with you and we thoughtfully consider every detail of the dining experience
• Drawing from more than 20 years of professional culinary experience, we will work to execute your vision and showcase flavorful foods and beverages
• Belmont Food Shop can be transformed for most occasions, from cocktail receptions to sit-down dinners served with buttoned-up formality or laid-back family style. Art launches or business meetings will feel right at home.

Don’t you love it already? And just wait until September. They’re working with the city to prepare for the opening of their full-service restaurant that, if lunch is any indication, is sure to be spectacular.

High stylin' in the kitchen!

Tim and I brought a gaggle of friends over for a pre-theatre brunch a few Sundays ago. We asked if they could whip something up so we could show our friends the shop and give them a taste of what’s to come. We put a mighty tight budgetary restriction on it and told them we’d have to be in an out in about 90 minutes. When we arrived, even we were gobsmacked by what they had done. Tables had been set up in front of the bar. No fewer than 5 main courses were being put out, family style, and the ubiquitous truffles were already on the table for a sweet finish. A huge bottle of home-made ginger beer was being poured. Coffee was available. People got to the front door and stopped in their tracks. They never expected anything like this, not in their wildest dreams, and certainly not for the money. Just one more little Richmond surprise.

Sinful Apple Pecan Torte...yum!

There’s no doubt in my mind that the Belmont Food Shop — and Steve and Mike — are going to be an important part of the community centered lifestyle in this historic Richmond neighborhood. They make their breads daily and hand cut their roasted meats, much of which they get from Polyface Farms in the Shenandoah Valley. They use local food purveyors whenever possible, like Manakintowne Specialty Growers, Buffalo Creek Beef and Black Hand Coffee Company. And they feed their friends. Well. Try it out. You won’t be disappointed.

Buon viaggio!

Dream of Italy’s Umbria Harvest Week is a wonderful introduction to the food, the wine and the craft of Umbrian living. I could have used another week because I wanted to keep going. Grazie a Kathy e tutti! — Linda Dini Jenkins

The gorgeous olives

Yep. That’s what I said about it on the evaluation form. And she’s doing it again. Kathy McCabe, that is, Editor and Publisher of the wonderfully informative Dream of Italy newsletter. (If you’re an Italophile, you really should subscribe.)

I went on her 2010 Umbria Harvest Week: Food, Wine and Ceramics. She calls it a gourmet Umbria tour, and that it is. And since my spring trip to Verona fell through this year — and if you really wanted to get to bella Italia this year — consider going on this adventure with Kathy in the fall (November 5 – 11). She’ll show you Umbria like a native, and you’ll eat very, very well. Food is what Umbria, the green heart of Italy, is all about.

Start by staying at La Fattoria del Gelso, a 17^th century farmhouse villa

After the harvest

near  Assisi. You’ll be part of a small, well-cared-for group that shares many adventures. You’ll visit Deruta, Italy’s ceramics capital. Then you’ll eat. You’ll tour wineries and an olive oil mill. You’ll eat. You’ll get a 1/2 day cooking class that will put you in a food stupor, but in a good way. You’ll go to the dogs . . . to hunt for truffles. And then you’ll eat. You’ll get guided tours of St. Francis’s beloved Assisi and the historic Umbrian capital of Perugia. And did I mention you’ll eat?

There’s more — and it’s all included in the price. Room. Board. Food. Wine. Guides. Van. And more. Only airfare and transportation to the villa are extra, and Kathy can help you with that. Check out the 2011 itinerary here.

At the Winery

So think about it. If you wanted a trip to Italy this year and you missed out on Verona — which we’ll offer again next year, so keep the spring open — this is the trip to go on. Tell Kathy I sent you.

Buon viaggio!

I’m going to show you the real New York — witty, smart, and international — like any metropolis. Tell me this: where in Europe can you find old Hungary, old Russia, old France, old Italy? In Europe you’re trying to copy America, you’re almost American. But here you’ll find Europeans who immigrated a hundred years ago — and we haven’t spoiled them. Oh, Gio! You must see why I love New York. Because the whole world’s in New York! — Oriana Fallaci

I was in New York City last weekend. A native New Yorker, I need to go a few times a year, and I am reminded of another quote each time I go. This one is from the writer Sherwood Anderson, who said:  “I think you know that when an American stays away from New York too long something happens to him. Perhaps he becomes a little provincial, a little dead and afraid.” Maybe so; I don’t want to find out.

Anyway, my friend Sharon and I flew up last Friday night for a girl’s weekend. We had tickets to a play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (That’s not true, really — we had tickets to see Alan Rickman. He could have stood there and said nothing for two hours and we would have been happy). And I had a mission. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about a certain little Italian comestibles shop called Eataly.

Hotel Mela: Trendy Lobby Area

We checked into the Hotel Mela (which means “apple” in Italian; I loved that) on West 44^th Street. A super friendly boutique hotel that opened in 2007 right in the heart of Times Square, Hotel Mela is comfortable, features amazing staff, offers free Wi-Fi, has beautiful Egyptian cotton sheets and is remarkably well-priced for a hotel this cool. Best of all, it sits directly across from one of my all-time favorite hangouts, Café Un Deux Trois, which I discovered when I worked a few blocks north in the 1970s. A pleasant surprise was that the Café is now open for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, and it was oh-so-continental to start the day with a steaming cup of caffe au lait under the chandeliers.

And let’s face it . . . I came to eat. So Sunday morning we set off to be at Eataly when it opened at 10:00. The fact that I could even think about eating again after the fabulous dinner we ate with friends Barbara and Geoff on Saturday night in the tiny and tres chic Aurora (Soho) was another thing. It takes practice and, I’ll admit it, I’m well practiced at over-eating good food. Not to mention good wine.

But back to Eataly. Twenty-third Street and Fifth  Avenue (right where, as I once said in a poem, “Fifth  and Broadway do-si-do . . .”) will never, ever be the  same. This was not even a neighborhood when I  lived in New York (and I lived just 4 blocks away!).  The only reason you’d go over to this corner was to  catch a cross-town bus. Especially on a Sunday  morning. My, how things have changed!

Getting there early was a good idea. The entrance  that we chose opened into a little Italian café . . .  authentic coffee concoctions (made from Torino-based Lavazza, of course) were paired with yummy pastries, and couples and families were coming in slowly and filling up the seats. It was friendly and bright and relaxing and we were off to a good start. As the morning went on, the crowds grew more intense and, while I’m not big on crowds, there was something enjoyable about this. Maybe because we were all here to have the same experience. Maybe because there were so many different languages being spoken (including a whole lot of Italian) and it was transporting. Maybe because the places is just so smartly designed and the products are so irresistible that you didn’t care. We stayed for nearly five hours.

Eataly was created in 2007 in Torino (Turin), Italy, the brainchild of Oscar Farinetti, an appliance/food store impresario who had a dream to create an experience that combined the elements of a lively Italian marketplace with a resource where customers could eat, shop and learn. His first 30,000 square foot enterprise began the journey to make high-quality Italian foods available to everyone. Today there are Eatalys throughout Italy (Torino, Bologna, Milano, Asti and Pinerolo) and Japan (Daikanyama, Mitsukoshi and Gransta); the New York City location, which opened in 2010, is the latest venture.

Joined by business partners Mario Batali, Lidia and Joe Bastianich and the Slow Food Movement, Farinetti’s Eataly NYC is a singular experience, sometimes overwhelming but always amazing. The store’s 10-point Manifesto begins with the statement, “We’re in love with food” and sets the tone for the tour. These people are passionate about food and passionate about sharing it with the public. They believe in selling quality products (which means they don’t always come cheap) and offering quality service. I wasn’t disappointed.

Delizioso!

Where to start? What’s your pleasure? Fish? Buy it for later and enjoy the raw bar while they wrap up your gorgeous selection. Vegetables? There’s a produce market like none you’ve ever seen and you can be seated to enjoy fresh-made soups, bruschettas and more. Pizza and pasta? Of course. A little wine and cheese? Go straight to La Piazza for your tastings. Looking for some bread or sweets to take home? There are almost too many to deal with. There’s a selection of house wares in the back, including the always amusing Michael Graves-for-Alessi selections. Restrooms? Of course. And, as the sign says, they’re in the back by the beer . . .

Bello carciofo!

While all the individual tasting areas were more than tempting, Sharon and I opted to have the full Eataly experience and put our names in for a 12:15 seating at Manzo, the formal dining room. I’m happy to report that this meat-centric restaurant has something for everybody, even mostly-meat-avoiders like me. The service was impeccable and the food was to die for. We each started with an appetizer — a roasted beet salad with hazelnuts, poppy seeds and smoked ricotta for one, and then crispy baby artichokes with oven-dried tomatoes on a bed of arugula with a dressing of whole mustard and olive oil. We could have stopped there. But of course, we didn’t.

Ham and Cheese!!

Sharon had the Girasoli di Mortadella with Pistachios and Scallions. There’s nothing quite like a stuffed pasta in the shape of a sunflower to make you smile! And I opted for the Angolotti del Plin with Brown Butter and Parmigiano. These closed-up little guys were stuffed with a combination of chicken and mortadella and the shaved cheese on top was so sweet it almost made me cry. Stop there? Not on your life! Bring on the Torrone Semifreddo and café! Sure, it would have been cheaper if we’d just gone over and ordered a slice . . . but really, who knows when I’ll get back here? I have no regrets, just another pound or two to work off before the next Weight Watchers weigh-in. I only wish I could have stayed for one of the Lidia Bastianich-inspired cooking classes. Next time . . .

And with that, we went back to the hotel to wait for our car to the airport, armed with a few gift selections and good memories of the theatre, the restaurants, the hustle and bustle of it all and Eataly. You should go. Sign up for the mailing list and take a cooking class. Travel to Italy without the passport. Mangia bene!

Buon viaggio!

Travel the Write Way Presents

Word/Play Week

May 23 – 30, 2011

(The writing workshop week that’s not just for writers!)

Hosted by Linda & Tim Jenkins

Word One

Have you ever written in a real palazzo? Or eaten in a restaurant that still features recipes from the Middle Ages? Or marvelled at buildings with Palladian windows — that were actually used by Andrea Palladio? We’ll do this and much more on our Word/Play Week in May.

Join us for six nights in Verona, Italy for an unforgettable experience. Our small group (no more than 15 people) will stay in a boutique hotel right near Piazza Bra, one of Verona’s most vibrant and historic neighborhoods. And we’ll be just a five-minute walk from the spectacular Palazzo Castellani, where we will let our creative juices flow in three morning writing workshops and enjoy a grand farewell dinner. But I’m getting ahead of myself . . .

During the week, we’ll have some amazing adventures, including trips to Padova (Padua) and Vicenza. This is the Italy that most Americans don’t get to see. And we’ll see it in comfort, together, with our writers’ eyes and a passion for fine food and unique exploration.

Highlights of the week

• Daily writing prompts and three morning-long workshops with guided exercises and sharing
• All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners (with wine) included
• One day devoted entirely to local food & wines, including a cooking class
• A visit to two wineries
• Guided tour of Verona, including Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe, the Arena and more
• Guided tour of Vicenza, including Palladio’s Rotunda and Valmarana
• Guided tour of Padova, including the world-famous Scrovegni Chapel
• A visit to the storybook village of Valeggio sul Mincio
• Guided tours with local English-speaking guides
• Van transportation to all sites
• Six nights in a comfortable, well-situated hotel with private baths and Wi-Fi
• Welcome dinner and farewell dinner
• Time to explore Verona on your own and enjoy a few meals of your own choosing

This one-of-a-kind week costs only $1,950 per person, based on double occupancy in a double room with private bath. (Airfare not included.) Single supplement is $300, bringing the total to $2,250 for a single.

Proposed Itinerary

(subject to change, based on openings, schedules, etc.)

Monday, May 23

• Arrive at your home away from home — Hotel Torcolo — in the afternoon
• Take some time to explore your environs or rest up after your flight
• Join us for a festive welcome dinner with wine at a nearby restaurant. Meet your fellow travelers and get a preview of what’s in store for the week.

Tuesday, May 24

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Our first writing workshop at Palazzo Castellani
• Lunch at a local restaurant with our guide
• Guided walking tour of Verona
• Free time in Verona before dinner
• Dinner on your own — or a surprise!

Wednesday, May 25

• Breakfast at the hotel
• A day devoted to local food and wines: we’ll leave around 9:00 and head for the Valpolicella hills
• At the historic Trattoria Dalla Rosa Alda, Signora Alda will open her kitchen to us and lead a lively and informative cooking lesson
• We’ll have lunch together, eating the traditional dishes that we prepare
• In the afternoon we’ll visit two wineries
• Back to the hotel — if we feel like dinner, we’ll find something on our own

Thursday, May 26

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Our second writing workshop
• Around noon, we’ll leave for Borghetto Valeggio sul Mincio, a truly charming and historic village along the Mincio River
• We’ll have lunch (weather permitting) outside, along the river at the fabulous Antica Locanda Mincio (the setting, rain or shine, is to die for)
• After lunch, we’ll tour the Parco Giardino Sigurtà, just a stone’s throw from Lake Garda
• We’ll return to the hotel and either have dinner on our own — or a surprise!

Friday, May 27

• Breakfast at the hotel
• A day devoted to two great cities of the north: Vicenza and Padova
• We will first go to Vicenza to meet our guide and tour Palladio’s masterpieces, La Rotunda and Valmarana, as well as other notable sites
• We will have lunch on our own in Vicenza
• Then we will visit the university town of Padova, have a guided tour and see Giotto’s incredible frescoes in Cappelle degli Scrovegni and the Basilicia del Santo
• Back to the hotel and then to a Veronese  resturant for dinner

Saturday, May 28

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Our final writing workshop
• Lunch together at a nearby restaurant
• Free time in Verona, pack for tomorrow’s departure
• Gala farewell dinner at Palazzo Castellani & sharing of our writing work

Sunday, May 29

• Depending on your departure times, breakfast at the hotel
• Check out time 10:00 a.m.

Additional Information

Transportation

Airfare is not included in the price of $1,950 ($2,250 for single) and, since you will be coming from various parts of the world, you will have to find your way to either Milan’s Malpensa airport and take a train to Verona’s Porta Nuova station or fly directly into Verona from a European city and take a taxi to the hotel. Additional transportation information will be provided when your down payment is received. It is strongly advised that you purchase travel insurance, and your travel agent can recommend some reputable companies.

Payment

To reserve space on Travel the Write Way’s Word/Play adventure, a non-refundable deposit of $750 is due by March 15, 2011. Checks or money orders are accepted, payable to Travel the Write Way, LLC. Completed registration forms will be required along with your deposit. The balance of the cost will be required no later than May 1, 2011.

For more information, or to book your space on this unique Italian journey, please complete the contact form or e-mail Linda at linda@travelthewriteway.com.

About Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda is a freelance business writer, author and writing workshop facilitator. Travel is her passion, so writing stories about her travels just comes naturally. She loves to bring old friends and new friends to Italy and show them the unexplored and unusual and she writes an almost-weekly blog about travel and writing, www.travelthewriteway.com.

She is the author of Up at the Villa: Travels with my Husband (that would be Tim) and  Journey of a Returning Christian: Writing Into God and has been published in a variety of books, newspapers and literary magazines. She is also the author of the one-act play, “Things I Never Told My Mother” and is co-author, with Barbara Worton, of the highly acclaimed play, “If I’m Talking, Why Aren’t You Listening?”

Linda travels around a lot but currently lives in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, Timothy and Maxine, the Wonder Dog.

Hope you can join us for this Word/Play adventure!

Buon viaggio!

Kathy McCabe, Editor and Publisher of the informative — and beautiful — travel newsletter, Dream of Italy, is my guest this week.  Over the last eight years she has published nearly 80 issues, each one chock-a-block full of stories about Italian culture and essential “insider” travel tips for the Italophile and first-time traveler alike.

She’s an experienced travel planner and I recently had the pleasure of accompanying her on her first Umbrian harvest adventure. Read what Kathy has to say about travel, leaving France for Italy and fox terriers!

Did your parents take you traveling as a child? Are they responsible for your getting bitten by the travel bug?

Yes, they did and they deserve much of the credit for putting me on this path. I think it is such a gift to give children exposure to other cultures and places, especially during their most formative years. When I was 10 years old, my parents took advantage of the “new” budget airline People Express (anyone remember them?) and took me to London. I fell madly in love with Europe, history, travel and everything that goes along with it.

When did you first go to Italy and was it love at first sight?

Technically, I first stepped on Italian soil during a short trip around France when I was in college. I was traveling with a friend and we decided to take the train from Nice to Santa Margherita Ligure over the border in Italy. We spent the day and evening exploring Santa Margherita and Portofino and I was completely and totally smitten.

You must understand, I was quite the Francophile at this point, studying international relations with an emphasis on France. Poor France never had a chance after that one day and night in Italy. I remember how we ate gelato in a little piazza as the townspeople took their evening passeggiata. It was the first time I had the feeling I was in an old-time Italian movie. I’ve definitely had the feeling more than a few times since then.

The next summer, I convinced my mom to come back with me to Italy right after my college graduation. We did Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. I haven’t missed a year since and now visit two or three times a year.

What is your favorite region of Italy and why?

This is a dangerous question. It is kind of like asking about favorite children! That said, I will say that my favorite city is Rome, followed in a close second by Torino. I think Turin and the region of Piedmont are still so “under the radar” and well worth visiting. Some of the best food and wine I have had in all of Italy — and I have been to just about every region — has been in Turin and Piedmont.

I’m fairly partial to southern Italy and often say if I had the money I would buy a house near the water (three-quarters of the region is surrounded by ocean) in Puglia – another of my favorite regions. There are farms with vineyards, olive trees and vegetables, separated by neatly constructed stone walls. The giant olive trees, several feet in diameter, twisted and towering, are startling. Puglia is famous for its trulli, small conical buildings made from limestone, first built in the 13th century and are  unique to this region.

As a long-time subscriber to your newsletter, I am always amazed by the depth and breadth of information that comes packed into each issue. How do you get your story ideas?

I’d say the majority of my story ideas come from my own travels to Italy, but I also have been lucky to have some great writers (including Matt Tyrnauer  from Vanity Fair) pitch me with ideas from their own travels. I strive to provide information that can’t be found elsewhere or that is presented in a new way. More than 40% of Dream of Italy’s subscribers have been to Italy six or more times. They are always looking for something new – new restaurants, hotels, exhibits, stores, cooking classes, etc. And I’m always looking to bring my readers educational and authentic experiences that they can take part in or recreate.  They want to experience the “real” Italy and interact with everyday Italians.

I had the pleasure of taking part in your recent small group Umbria Harvest Tour and it was wonderful. Most Americans tend to go to Rome or somewhere in Tuscany — why did you choose Umbria? (I’m glad you did!)

Kathy, tasting fresh Umbrian olive oil

I had been to Umbria several times when, several years ago, my friends the Menards invited me to their newly purchased villa – Fattoria del Gelso. It was harvest time – late October/early November and this is one of my favorite times to visit Italy (what is considered the “off-season”). We had such an amazing week eating, drinking, eating more, drinking more – no really, wine tasting at vineyards, truffle hunting, visiting an olive mill.  I don’t remember running into any other Americans while we took our day trips. This is the real Italy and really jives with Dream of Italy’s mission.

For years, subscribers have been asking for me to personally run some small organized tours and Dream of Italy’s Umbria Harvest Week was my first tour.  I think, as you know, it was an incredible success! Our guests were shedding tears on the last night because they had such a phenomenal time and totally bonded with fellow members of the group.

Will you be doing this trip (or others) again?

Dream of Italy’s Umbria Harvest Week will be held again in November 2011. There’s a possibility I may offer another small group tour in 2011, as well.

I know you love Fox Terriers and that you recently lost your very special doggie, Cooper. Will you be getting another one and can we see a picture?

Thanks for asking about the incredible Cooper Leonardo McCabe. Who would have guessed 10 years ago that this little guy from the New York Avenue shelter in Washington, DC would have such a great impact on my life?  He was so incredible and had a voracious appetite for life and food – he was surely Italian in a former life.

Finney, the happy dog, with his new owner

When Cooper passed away in August, I worked with American Fox Terrier Rescue to establish The Cooper Fund to help homeless and abused fox terriers.  In conjunction with Dream of Italy, we held a very effective fundraiser in the early fall and have something even bigger in the works (and related to Italy) this winter.

Recently, one of the tireless American Fox Terrier Rescue board members – Debi Drake – knew she had the right little guy for me. His name is Phineas, or Finney for short. He’s two years old and is so sweet and playful.

How can people get in touch with you to (a) subscribe to Dream of Italy or (b) to learn more about upcoming small group trips?

A subscription to Dream of Italy comes with a number of benefits, including Italy travel discounts, and you can find out all about them on our subscription page. The Umbria Harvest Week details will be posted in January. Folks can always follow me on Twitter or Facebook for all kinds of Italy travel advice, giveaways, deals, etc.

Thanks, Kathy!

Buon viaggio!

Where the heck is Bevagna? — Tim Jenkins, responding to my text that we had arrived

Millstone in the light, Bevagna

Four of us were being driven from Rome’s Fiumico airport towards what would be our home away from home for a week in Cannara, just outside of Assisi, in Umbria. We were tired, and it was only 9:30 in the morning, and we were trying to be civil to each other, despite the long flight over and the fact that none of us had gotten very much sleep. Our sweet driver, Aldo, had piled our luggage into the back of his SUV-taxi and was carefully negotiating us around all the twists and turns required to get us out of the airport and onto the highway.

After a while, I smiled when I saw the sign on the A1 for Abruzzo. It made me realize that I would be coming back again in a scant six months, taking that very turn off the road to head to yet another adventure. Never had I had back-to-back trips to Italy like this. Life was good.

But we passed it by in favor of the signs to Assisi. It would be a two-hour drive to the agriturismo, La Fattoria del Gelso, so we settled in to admire the scenery and get to know each other a little. Two of the gals were friends, having met on a prior trip. One flew in from southern California and the other, from Memphis. The third lived in New York City, and then there was me, a native New Yorker now living in Virginia. We were all about the same age (anything over 50 strikes me as being in the same demographic group these days) and seemed very compatible. The week would bear that out; we became fast friends.

Aldo pulled off the secondary road we’d been driving on for a while and made the turn towards Cannara. Winding around what had recently been fields of sunflowers, the famous Cannara onions and other agricultural products, we saw one of those amazing Italian sites: a cemetery, protected by poplar trees and fronted by a huge stone structure with a formidable gate. We would go later in the week, and be awe-struck by the elaborate crypts and mausoleums and the loving care shown by the survivors of these tight-knit families.

Aldo made a quick left turn just past the cemetery and drove us down a stand of cypress trees for about 1/4 mile to our villa. It was beautiful. A stone farmhouse originally built in the 1700s and recently refurbished to be an 8-bedroom, 8-bath sight for sore, tired eyes. The owners, Bill and Suzy Menard — Americans from Maryland (more on them in a later post) — were mighty lucky to have found this place, with its good farmland, welcome swimming pool and close proximity to the best Umbria has to offer. The problem was, it was too early to get into our rooms.

We were about to head off to the village of Cannara on foot, when Marco, a prince of a guy who helps run the place when Bill and Suzy aren’t there, suggested instead that Aldo take us into the nearby town of Bevagna. He said that Cannara would be pretty much closed down at this time of day and that it didn’t offer too many options for lunch — which we were in desperate need of. So we piled our suitcases in the living room and climbed back into the taxi for our adventure in Bevagna.

A very, very old fountain

The historic little town of Bevagna sits in the province of Perugia in the central part of Umbria. Both it and Cannara are on the flood plain of the Topino River (remember Topo Gigio, kids? Topino means little mouse). Bevagna, population approximately 3,000, was originally an Etruscan settlement and then a Roman outpost called Mevania, and the Roman walls and mosaics were evident all around town. We entered through the Porto Foligno, the town’s main entrance, which leads to the central square, Piazza Silvestri. There are three churches in Bevagna, including the 13^th century church of San Francesco (he’s pretty big around here) which includes a stone (on the wall, protected by a grate) that is said to be the one St. Francis stood upon when he preached to the birds.

Bevagna, it turns out, is in the middle of white truffle territory and is also an enthusiastic purveyor of the region’s tasty Montefalco Rosso wines. As it was getting on towards lunch time, we walked around town to find a suitable spot. We found one, not yet open, that looked incredible and, as we later learned, is one of the premier foodie destinations in the region. Redibis (which means “I shall return” in Latin) is part of the boutique hotel L’Orto Degli Angeli and many of the dishes offered at Redibis are taken from the 100-year-old recipes of the current owner’s great grandmother, Caterina. How often do you get to enjoy fine dining in a building that is 20 centuries old? How often do you get to experience classical Umbrian recipes interpreted by a young, hip, accomplished chef? How many times do you get to stay in an historic hotel in an historic town — and even attend cooking classes? Stop thinking and, if you’re anywhere near Bevagna on your next trip to Umbria, go. I know I will.

Me and Simone

With Redibis closed, we went off to find Aldo’s suggestion — La Delizie del Borgo, a small, friendly looking place right on Piazza Garibaldi. We arrived around 11:45 and were told we were “un troppo presto” – a little too early — but were advised to make a reservation and to come back in 45 minutes, which we did. We took time to walk around the town, going into churches and climbing up and down the very up-and-down streets, taking pictures. When we returned at 12:30, they were ready for us. The owner, Simone, escorted us to a table and before long, he learned that we were staying at Bill and Suzy’s place, which made all the difference. Suddenly we were no longer a bunch of silly americani who ate way too early — we were friends. He told us that he’d be coming to both New York and Washington, D.C. in a few weeks for some cooking adventures with the Menards; we exchanged cards and told him to give us a call when he arrived.

Turns out we ordered Simone’s favorite red wine, a Montefalco Rosso 2007, and he offered to bring out some of

Le Delizie del Borgo

the local specialties for us rather than have us order from the menu. We soon learned that Umbria is not only the “green heart” of Italy, but it is also Italy’s breadbasket. We ate the local Torta di Testa and all kinds of other white and whole grain breads slathered with chicken liver pate, olive tapenades, olive oil and garlic. There were plates of cheese and salami and even shaved white truffles. At one point, Simone brought to our table a small baking dish covered with a damp white napkin. When he pulled back the napkin, he revealed a bounty of fresh white truffles, worth I can’t imagine how much. He made us smell the cloth and the truffles, each one of us, because they are as precious as gold. Never has mustiness smelled so rich! For dessert, he offered us cantucci (mini biscotti cookies), which we dipped into small glasses of the local Sagrantino Passito di Montefalco, a sweet wine rather like Vin Santo. And before we left, Simone gave us a bag of rich nut and fruit cookies that we shared with the rest of the group on our last night.

It was quite a first day. What began as a jet-lagged slog to an unknown village ended, like so many Italian adventures do, with new friends, a new outlook and a full tummy. By now we were all excited to meet the rest of the group, so when Aldo returned promptly when he said he would, we climbed back into the van and drove back to Cannara, already armed with a fresh new story to tell.

Buon viaggio!