Gabriele Corcos Is Under the Tuscan Gun Discover Anghiari We Visit This Fairytale Town in the Tiber Valley Plus Where to Eat Where to Shop Expert Advice

THE FREE Ski Tuscany We check out Abetone: the ski capital of Tuscany Gabriele Corcos is under the Tuscan Gun Discover Anghiari We visit this Fairytale town in the Tiber valley plus Where to eat Where to shop Expert advice

Proud Media partners with

Fondazione Festival Pucciniano

Note from the editor:

elcome to the winter edition of The Tuscan Magazine. THE Yes – we changed our name and hope you agree that FREE W Ski Tuscany We check out Abetone: the new one is a little more snappy. Absolutely nothing else has the ski capital of Tuscany Gabriele Corcos changed though, except we have added a handy new ‘Directory’ is under the Tuscan Gun Discover Anghiari section where you can find all the services you need in Tuscany. plus Where to eat Where to shop Expert advice As the days darken and we all begin to appreciate the wonders of a warm Proud Media partners with

Fondazione Festival Pucciniano

FOOD & DRINK | FAMILY MATTERS | HOMES & GARDENS | FASHION & SHOPPING | BODY & SOUL fire, this edition brings you news of the best local skiing, gorgeous recipes to SOCIETY | ADRENALINE | TRAVEL | BUSINESS & FINANCE | PROPERTY | PLUS LOTS MORE cook up in your own kitchen & plenty of invaluable wine tips to make your Editor: Sarah Fraser Christmas party all the merrier. If you plan on having a drink with your friends [email protected] this party season and then driving home it is worth you flicking straight to page Advertising & Publisher: Richard Turnbull 47 where we give you the lowdown on Italian drink driving laws. And of course, [email protected] there is all the usual priceless and entertaining information about Italy. Design: www.kohd.co.uk Romilly Bean, John Ferguson Seasons Greetings & a Happy New Year’ from all of us at Photographers: The Tuscan Magazine Ian Nolan – Nolan Photography Anneliese Rabl – www.annelieserabl.com Subscriptions: [email protected] Sarah Fraser Website: editor www.thetuscanmagazine.com Contributors: We are truly an international lot at TTM… Marta Chiavacci: Award winning Contents Regulars Sommelier - Canadian Zara Nelson: Columnist – British UPFRONT 04 Prof. Anne Hodges: Artist and 04 Focus on Gabriele Corcos Lecturer – British 06 The Befana Anneliese Rabl: Writer – German SOCIETY 08 Fiona StelFox: Legal Expert – Irish 08 And the winner is... FOOD & DRINK 09 Marlene Wallace: Interior Design 10 Chocolate heaven Expert – American Sarah Fraser: Journalist – British 12 Italian New Year Resolutions FAMILY 28 Emanuele Cutsodontis: – Italian 13 Festive Italy Richard Turnbull: Promotions - British FASHION & SHOPPING 30 Paul Darragh: Sales - British 15 Tuscan recipes Trisha Conover: wine and health expert 20 Restaurant reviews HOMES & GARDENS 34 – American Kieran Mullen: Architect Expert – Irish 23 Wine tasting Giovanni Del Carlo: Divorce Expert – BODY & SOUL 39 Italian 28 Tongue tied Jonathan Smith: Travel writer - British 30 TTM Christmas shopping guide ADRENALINE 46 32 Mystery shopper Direttore Responsabile: PROPERTY 50 Emanuele Cutsodontis 34 Dressing up your windows TRAVEL 58 Printed by: 37 Focus on Italian herbs Gelli Grafiche Srl, Via G. Leopardi, 11 50041 Calenzano - Firenze. 39 Tuscan troubles NEWS & GATHERINGS 61 Tel. +39 055 8824630 Fax +39 055 40 Have a healthy wine 8827446 www.grafichegelli.it COMPETITIONS 65 41 Survive the party season Autorizzazione del Tribunale di Pistoia No. 1/2010 42 Nature’s cosmetics - Bay Registro periodici del 21/04/2010 44 A fresh relationship When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it or pass it on. 45 Divorce facts 46 Skiing in Abetone Terms and conditions: All material is strictly copy righted and all rights are reserved. 49 Falconry No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of TTM. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the 49 Ask the expert information contained in this publication, the publisher can not be held responsible for any errors it may contain. 54 Guilt free heating The publisher cannot be held responsible for any material, solicited or unsolicited. The views expressed in this 59 Anghiari publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or those of the advertisers. No cash alternative will be offered THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 3 for competitions and the editors decision is final. UPFRONT UPFRONT

The new TV series ‘Extra Virgin’ follows the life of the family through their cooking exploits in Italy and the USA

Focus on: to be a household name by this time next year. And the marketing machine is in motion. Gabriele is already talking of restoring and Gabriele Corcos expanding his Farm in Florence. He wants to convert the farm to a B&B with a cookery school attached. Gabriele Corcos is hot property. A good looking Italian bloke who There are already plans to increase on the ten thousand olive trees can cook... and speak Italian (even better; speaks English with an already on the estate and replant Italian accent). No wonder Gabriele Corcos is going places. the vines to produce branded food based merchandise for the US orn in Tuscany, Gabriele is a “About 8 The first time they met they talked market. Bprofessional musician. He met his years ago food about having babies. Within three Gabriele is certainly seizing the wife, Debi Mazar whilst she was visiting wasn’t a hot months they were married and pregnant. moment. subject and Italy. Debi is famous. She’s been on no one would And watching the pair of them together “The really great part is that my TV constantly for the last 15 years or print it. But I you can see that this isn’t a ‘repent at abandoned music career has been more, appeared in a host of Madonna’s love food and leisure’ scenario. They are obviously best kick started because I was asked to music videos and has had some great thought that buddies and the chemistry between write and produce the music for the there was film roles too, including Goodfellas, The a need for them is awesome. show and now that it is done it has Doors and Batman Forever. Gabriele this kind of Once in the US Gabriele decided to attracted a lot of attention.” wasn’t famous (yet). He was just a young simple cookery develop his musical career, So it looks like the sky is the limit musician trying to earn a living when he with easy “ I tried really hard to make a go of the for the lad from Fiesole. Does he miss explanations.” dropped everything to follow Debi back music thing in America but the business But this boy had tenacity as well as Italy? “Yes and no. I love Italy but when to LaLa Land. The romance of it is almost had bombed out at that point and it was ambition and, being Italian, Gabriele has I’m there it drives me crazy that nothing unbearable. almost impossible to find work “ been brought up properly. seems to change. Thirty years pass By which I mean he can cook. He’s and still the same conversations about been instructed by his Tuscan nonnas politics. The lack of opportunities, and mamma in the fine art of Italian the backwards communications… I cooking and he realized that this was couldn’t work in Italy at the moment.” perhaps where his real direction lay. blossomed into a hit web show. Gabriele Finally, after much persistence, the But the family are planning to move to It all started off with a book he wrote, and Debi film themselves making show was picked up by mainstream TV New York to be nearer Italy – it’s as near inspired by Debi’s pregnancy called ‘The traditional Tuscan recipes in their own - The Cooking Channel. The format is as you can get without getting wet and Tuscan Cookbook for the Pregnant Male’. home and post this plus the method similar to their web shows. Each episode from NY it’s only a nine hour flight to Italy. Despite finding an agent the book didn’t and ingredients on the website. It has a of ‘Extra Virgin’ follows the life of the “I’d love to bring my girls up in Italy get published. huge following, which is understandable family through their cooking and there is but at the moment it’s just not practical. ‘About 8 years ago food wasn’t a hot because this way of learning new recipes always a theme, such as a birthday party Maybe in a few years we will be able to subject and no one would print it. But I is fun to watch (the couple are a hoot in or ‘hunting’ (which sees Debi teetering spend more time in Italy.” love food and thought that there was a the kitchen) and you can actually see the down to the firing range in LA to learn We certainly hope so. Tuscany needs need for this kind of simple cookery with methods, which makes it really easy for how to shoot in preparation for their visit young Italians like Gabrielle to stir things easy explanations.’ the less experienced cook to follow. to Fiesole and roast pheasant). up a little. Thus was born ‘Under Gabriele explains that even with a high Debi and Gabriele spent the best The Tuscan Gun’ which profile wife like Debi, the TV chef world is part of last summer filming in LA and started off as a hard to break into. “I’m not a trained chef. Florence, where Gabriele was born and website blog with I just know how to cook. I know it’s maybe raised. The filming location is his families recipes and upsetting for some highly qualified chef picturesque olive farm in the hills outside Under The Tuscan Gun: that I am teaching people how to cook Florence. fresh, healthy, traditional but hell, I’m good at it.”. It’s no empty Already in second series negotiations boast, the website has proved that and with the rights being sold all over the tuscan recipes. Gabriele has what it takes to be a TV chef. world, it looks like ‘Extra Virgin’ is going www.underthetuscangun.com

4 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE UPFRONT UPFRONT

she flew into one of the town squares riding on a bicycle suspended from a crane. Suspending my disbelief alongside her bicycle, I joined the wide-eyed children gathered in the square below. A chorus of breathless Oohs and Aahs accompanied her slow and magical descent from the starry evening sky, followed by a speedy and not-so-magical stampede for the goodies she had in her sack as soon as she touched ground – not unlike the opening of the doors at Harrods’ January sales. I have also met the Befana in Fibbiano, a tiny ‘borgo’ or hamlet with a population of just 50, in the hills between Lucca and Camaiore. On the evening of January 5th, all the parents secretly prepared the stockings for their little treasures, labeling them carefully with their names, and leaving them hidden outside their front doors. At some point in the evening while we were having dinner, the stockings the mysteriously disappeared. A couple of hours later the Befana rolled noisily into town on a tractor decked out with fairy lights, and distributed the stockings to the Befana biscuits – a By amazed and delighted children. Well, not all were delighted – my son was too small great recipe to try with Zara Nelson and too sleepy to cope. When faced with the Befana, crooked hat and warty nose, he dissolved into tears on my shoulder. The sweet and crunchy Befana biscuits the kids. Little hands befana he found in his stocking were a great consolation though. love kneading, rolling broomsticks, babies and biscuits – and cutting the dough. an Italian holiday tradition. Little mouths love eating the delicious In Italian folklore, La Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to results too! children throughout the country on Epiphany Eve - the night between Ingredients: 500g flour 5 and 6 January. The Epiphany is the Christian feast day that 300 g sugar 150 g butter commemorates the visitation of the biblical Magi to the baby Jesus. 4 eggs odern Italian Christian legend has it that the Magi invited Befana to join in popular culture and folklore. One common belief is that her name derives Milk, as needed Mthem on their journey to find the new-born Jesus, but she declined, from a mispronunciation of the Italian word ‘Epifania’, but there is also Half a packet ‘lievito vanigliato’ (or being too busy with her housework and baking. Later, poor Befana had a evidence to suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman 2tsp baking powder and 1 tsp vanilla change of heart. She quickly packed a sack with food and gifts for the goddess named Strenia, who presided over the Roman new year essence) baby, took her broom to help the new mother clean her house, and celebrations and gift-giving - ‘strenna’ is a word still used in Italian Dash of rum (optional) set out to catch up with the Magi. She searched and searched all for gifts given around the Christmas and New Year period. Grated rind of 1 orange through the night, but couldn’t find them, and to this day she is What is certain is that Befana predates Christianity, and Pinch salt still searching alone for the little baby. On Epiphany Eve she has probably been integrated into the Christian calendar Hundreds and thousands goes to every house where there is a child and leaves a gift, in the way that many pagan customs were adopted by just in case... the new Church. Italian anthropologists Claudia and Method Befana wears a full dark skirt, apron with Luigi Manciocco, in their book “Una Casa Senza Porte” Befana has a house in northern Tuscany, in the beautiful Garfagnana eave the butter out of the fridge so it is at room patch-pockets, shawl, crooked hat and worn out (House Without Doors) actually trace Befana’s origins valley, on the foothills of the Appenines – the sprightly old lady has Ltemperature. slippers. She is a smiling and good-hearted, if back to Neolithic beliefs and practices. On a lighter made her home near Barga, on the road that leads to the little hamlet Pile the flour on a clean work surface and work in 3 of ugly, old lady, trying to make amends for note, many Italian children simply believe that Befana of Renaio. Children (and adults) can visit her every Sunday or feastday the eggs, the sugar and the butter. If needed, add a little what must be the mother of all errors of is Santa Claus’ wife and lives at the South Pole. Santa afternoon - or, if you let her know in advance, she will make sure she is milk to soften the dough. Knead in the grated orange judgment. She flies over the rooftops Claus cannot always satisfy every child’s requests, so in on weekdays too. She can be contacted through the ‘Associazione peel, the rum, the pinch of salt, and the raising agent on her broom, descending into the Befana tries to make amends... dissolved in a little milk. Knead the dough vigorously, houses through the chimneys to fill the Like Santa Claus, she is remarkably quick on her per le Tradizioni ed il Folclore della Valle del Serchio’, Via del Giardino until all the ingredients are evenly mixed and the dough stockings that the children have left delivery rounds. There are nearly 8.5 million 173 bis, 55051 Barga (LU). Call the Association any day between is soft and smooth. hanging out for her. The children also under-14’s in Italy, and even estimating a 8.30pm and 10pm on 0583 724090 for directions or to confirm a visit. Make it into a ball and leave it to rest for at least half an leave a small plate of food and a glass generous 2 kids per household (the reality is She even has an email address – [email protected] – although I hour in a cool place, or in the fridge. of wine by the chimney. The next that the average family unit in Italy is composed imagine she has to take her broomstick into Barga to the internet point Roll the dough out to about half a centimeter thick. morning, together with the gifts in of just 2.8 individuals, and if we assume there to check her emails. Cut out whatever shape biscuits you like – circles, stars, their stockings, they find the snack are 2 adults, that leaves just .8 of a child...) that I would recommend checking with the Association before making crescents, hearts, flower shapes. Beat the remaining is gone and there is a mysterious means Befana has to make 97 deliveries per egg. Butter and flour a baking tray, shaking away the sooty hand print on the plate... second for 12 continuous hours without even any trips specially to see her – I dropped in on the off chance one day excess flour. Lay the biscuits in it, brush them with the Befana’s origins are lost in time pausing for an espresso! when I happened to be in the area, and although Befana was not in, beaten egg and sprinkle them with coloured hundreds and history – descended from Most towns in Italy have some sort of event she had thoughtfully left a note stuck on the front door. In that spidery and thousands. Bake at 180° for about 20 minutes, until prechristian traditions and entwined organised for the Befana. Last year in Lucca, handwriting typical of very, very old ladies, she had written “Sono a the biscuits are golden. funghi. Torno dopo.” Which translates to “Gone mushroom-picking. Back later.” Good for her – her physical fitness is enviable, at well over 6 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE 2010 years old! THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 7 SOCIETY Seasons Greetings The grand opening of the Lucca, Via Fillungo MyWalit Store from all at Da Sandrino

Fred, a member of MyWalit staff Chris, MyWalit owner, chats to a Alan (MyWalit Shareholder) and and a customer share a joke customer Tiziana (MyWalit Italy) and Karl Richard (Order Admin. UK) are on (MyWalit UK) enjoy a glass or two bar duties… and it was certainly a of prosecco busy night for them! ‘Dine like a Tuscan, not a tourist’ Chef and owner Attilio is the great – great grandson of the founder of da Sandrino, which opened way back in 1863. Lisa, Carola (MyWalit employees) Paola (MyWalit Lucca Shop The event was so busy! Bernadette and Simone had a great time… more (customer) and Marlene (Web & prosecco anyone? Manager) toasts her new shop Marketing Manager) are obviously with Kieran (Architect – Lucca) enjoying the atmosphere! Situated in the world famous Sorana bean producing area, in a magical valley, next to a And the winner is... bubbling stream. Opposite the restaurant is a private Cittadini del Mondo a Lucca held their 2010 ‘Most Influential Foreigner park where children can in Lucca’ award ceremony in the Lucca Camera di Commercio. Friendly staff play football, explore the Kartogroups manyfacturing plants and stream and you can sit retained the 500 employees, making Wepa a serious employer in the Lucca area. back and soak in the Gustav Kuhn restored the famous sun after your meal. Convento dell’ Angelo and has turned it into an institution of culture and learning. Visitors with serious musical talents from A warm welcome around the world find a place to here relax and let their creativity flow. and a superb Maren Westerman received her prize selection of the finest for her unswerving promotion of peace The award is going here to Martin Krengel and cultural understanding between the food and drink awaits you. German and Italian people, specifically Birthday parties and special he winners were Martin Krengel – Wepa, following the massacre of St. Anna di occasions are also catered for TGustav Kuhn - Accademia di Stazzema outside Lucca in WWII. Montegral, Maren Westermann - Director of President of CDMAL, Cornelia Henkel says either in the restaurant or outside the Italo-German Association of CDMAL “We know CDMAL can help socially, in the park. Hire a bouncy castle, Amici dell’Organo della Pace di Sant’Anna di economically and culturally. We are here play cricket, have fun. Stazzema because we love beautiful Lucca. Within CDMAL Attilio Marsili, owner and chef Martin Krengel bought the company Wepa there are 11 different languages and cultures. At some years ago when it was in financial least half of the members work here in Lucca. difficulties. Last year they took over the struggling CDMAL is here to help them.” Trattoria da Sandrino, Ponte di Castelvecchio, Sorana, Pescia 8 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE (0039) 0572 407014 or 3346434658 FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK ChocolateChocolate

Tuscany heavenheaven is justly famous throughout the world for it’s wine and olive oil. But there is another product, an upstart industry blossoming in the Florentine – Pisa valley. Chocolate. ot just any old chocolate. As with Not satisfied with his success so Nwine and oil, Tuscans take their far, Andrea has a vision to put Tuscan chosen speciality very seriously. It’s not chocolate on the map alongside the enough to be merely ‘good’. world famous oil and wine. To this end In the last 15 years a hand full artisan Slitti are in the process of building a chocolatiers have started up in Tuscany. visitor centre onsite at Monsummano In the highly competitive world of Terme. Due to be opened in September gourmet chocolate, holding their own 2011, the sleek new building will have with chocolatiers internationally, is Slitti: a chocolate laboratory on display to a small, family run business on the fringe the public (although Andrea adds, very of Montecatini Terme. seriously, that there will have to be also Andrea Slitti started the chocolate a secret lab where the new confections business in 1988. Previously his father are developed). There will be viewing had developed a prestigious coffee tasted the chocolate at Slitti. galleries throughout the different stages brand of the same name. Andrea’s The The confections are fabulous. The of chocolate production and, most brother took over the mantle of his father “approach ingredients top quality. But most of all interestingly of all, there will be a special with the coffee, leaving Andrea casting is it is the combination of flavours and tasting room. Andrea talks of sensory about for something to do within the innovative textures that belies the fact that when deprivation, specialist lighting and family business. and Andrea Slitti talks of his ‘laboratoio’ he sound, all to aid the appreciation of the “It made sense to choose chocolate. exciting really does mean that the chocolates chocolate experience. I like it for one thing. And, as with coffee, and the undergo extreme taste and sensory There will also be a conference and

there is such a huge difference between energy testing in a laboratory before they appear event suite for meetings and parties in

good chocolate and the stuff that is mass behind the in the shop. a unique atmosphere. The approach is produced. It offers you the opportunity Although not nearly the size you would innovative and exciting and the energy “concept to become a master, an artist.” is very expect of a chocolate master (he’s a behind the concept is very evident. It is One might be forgiven for thinking that evident. very dapper young chap with a waistline impossible to imagine that the enterprise it could be an exaggeration to classify a showing he has plenty of self restraint will not be a success. And will bring a lot of chocolate maker as an artist. However, when working with his confectionary), tourists to this sleepy little town. this is only before you have seen and Andrea is obviously passionate about Perhaps Slitti are preparing for bigger chocolate. His eyes sparkle as he things? A sell out? A string of Slitti The confections are fabulous. The“ confides that his wife gets more than franchises across Europe? ingredients top quality. But most of all it is a little bored with his obsession. “It’s ‘Absolutely not’ says Andrea firmly. He when we are on holiday that I get most is of the view that the only way to keep the the combination of flavours and textures inspiration. Away from the bustle of work prestige of his business is to stay small. He that belies the fact that when Andrea Slitti I have more space to think about recipes doesn’t even want to sell online because talks of his ‘laboratoio’ he really does mean

and creations. I carry a book with me at he believes that word of mouth is the best

all times so I can write down any ideas I advertisement and that coming to his that the chocolates undergo extreme taste have no matter where I am.” He produces shop or visiting the factory, is the only way and sensory testing in a laboratory before“ a little black book from his pocket. Inside you can really appreciate his chocolate. I he shows me a veritable cornucopia weep for those of you who don’t live close they appear in the shop. of jottings and sketches of chocolaty to Monsummano! ideas. Partly one can sympathise with Although Slitti does run a couple of his wife because Andrea is obviously a shops in China, one in Australia and is driven man. Mostly though, one marvels considering other worldwide locations. at the sheer dedication to his art (and Mrs You can also buy online from various Slitti’s luck at having free access to tones shops who are supplied by Slitti so all is of chocolate). not lost.

10 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 11 FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK

Festive Italy Italian New Year There is a phrase in Italy ‘Natale con tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi’ which translates as ‘Christmas with Resolutions your family and Easter with friends’. hristmas is an important festival in Italy, certainly in religious terms. Easter dinners go on Cdating back to Roman times, but there is all day with a myriad of courses. Forget losing weight, getting fit, saving money and stopping no fixed menu. Throughout Italy three things will If you are invited to either occasion to an always feature at Christmas dinner: Prosecco, Italian household it is advisable to wear an elastic smoking. These are the 10 New Year Resolutions that you really pasta & panettoni, beyond this the choice of waistband and always arrive with some sort of food depends on the region. food based gift. should make if you are spending your last few hours of 2010 in Italy. Easter is arguably a bigger event in Italy, Learn one new Italian word Get in touch with friends Visit somewhere you have 1 every day 5 and family regularly 8 never been before The key to learning any language properly is to When you are abroad it’s easy to lose touch It’s easy to get e Ang use it, so choose a word that you have heard in with friends and family. Give them a call, or even stuck in the rut of hre el a conversation and not understood. Once you better, write a letter. Facebook and email are a visiting the same T s know its meaning say it over to yourself at least great way to stay in touch and feel like you are old places. Make Casa del Sole 10 times (preferably checking with an Italian still involved with your loved ones on a daily basis. a resolution to go ONLINE SHOP that your pronunciation is correct). Then make somewhere new a concerted effort to use that word at least two Do one activity a month that and preferably times in your conversation that day. After this 6 you have never done before off the beaten your brain should have assimilated it into your track. The best way to ‘discover’ new places is to Italian vocabulary without actually having to ask your Italian friends or neighbours where they Unique Christmas Gift ‘learn’ anything. recommend you visit – it’s rarely somewhere you’ll find in the guidebooks. Go out more ideas direct from Tuscany 2 Seemingly the opposite of most Plant a fruit tree Authentic wood recommended resolutions! But, if you live in 9 This is the perfect time of year to plant a COLD PRESSED, UNFILTERED ORGANIC Italy there is never a pub nearby so it’s easy to tree & the Prato-Pistoia valley in Tuscany is world fall into the trap of not going out regularly. Find famous for its nurseries. OLIVE OIL, CHUTNEY, HONEY AND cooked Pizza and a bar or enoteca with a buzz and force yourself Fruit trees look wonderful when they bloom to get glammed up and go for a couple of drinks and, given just a little watering in the first year MANY OTHER TUSCAN PRODUCTS Italian Cuisine with pals once a week. It’ll make you feel more to establish themselves, they will thrive and at home. Admittedly, this gets more tricky as you get older produce lovely sweet fruit for you for years to New season Sorana Beans only available but it’s a great way to keep fit, active and it’s great come. online in our shop Private dining Try something new on the fun to organize a group of friends into a club to If you live in Italy choose whichever fruit tree your (up to 40 people) 3 menu do regular activities. Try skiing lessons, help a garden is lacking or your favourite fruit. Do not choose pasta with ragu or pizza for the neighbour with the olive harvest, take a day out If you are travelling back home to somewhere zillionth time. Go for something that’s a mystery. on the train, go for a hot air balloon ride, learn to within Europe, you can buy bonsai citrus trees The best way to ensure you eat something good make fresh pasta, learn to play tennis, go to your or olive trees at most garden centers. Pack Taking bookings NOW for is to ask the caminieri what they recommend local museum, go pony trekking. them safely in a box and take them home in Christmas and New Year from the menu. hand luggage. Shop locally for a week. Drink like an Italian 7 It’s easy to stick to the supermarket when Recycle Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 61, 4 (and avoid a hangover) buying your weekly supplies. But shopping locally 10 Italy has one of the best and most As seen on Start off with is so easy in Italy because the town centers have simple recycling systems in Europe. Do your 51017 Pescia television Perfect an aperetivo of all been preserved well. Because so many people bit for the environment by collecting your tins, International “The Great Italian Christmas prosecco (just live in towns and the tradition of walking to the plastic bottles and containers and glass bottles delivery on one glass) when local shop for your bread and fruit is still alive, you in one bin, use the recyclable bags from the Escape” 0572 490142 most items Gifts the sun is over the will find the little shops are perfectly adequate for supermarket for your organic waste and have a yardarm. Don’t your general needs. You will also find that there normal bin for your household waste. At most have anything else are a lot more local products in these shops and garbage collection areas there are bins for alcoholic until you are eating your meal. Always you will also make friends with the locals and aforementioned recyclables and also paper. Under new ownership drink water in equal amounts to wine. Finish your get a bit more human contact. You can also use Doing your bit for the environment not only meal and drinks, then ‘close your palette’ with a this opportunity to practice your new word for makes a difference to the planet but also makes www.casadelsoleshop.co.uk large shot of grappa. Ecco – no hangover. the day! you feel good about yourself, too.

12 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 13 FOOD & DRINK

Stella Polare CAFÉ – RESTAURANT – PIANO BAR – COCKTAILS – APERITIVO – ARTISAN ICECREAM Tuscan recipes Breakfast, lunch, dinner, American Bar

ishing W Sarah Fraser is a food and lifestyle writer living in Tuscany. The following seasons For details of special events and themed evenings greetingsour recipes are taken from her new book, due for publication in March 2011, to all please refer to our page customers called ‘How to Grow and Eat Italian Food’.

Group and party bookings welcome arah keeps her large family fed, to the most Olive Focaccia Spart, by the land. The importance of easy to Open 7am to 12 midnight cook, seasonal food is something that we have imple yet delicious, this Italian bread tastes lost touch with. ’How to Grow and Eat Italian Sgreat, looks impressive and baking it at home Via V. Veneto, 21/23 Lucca, 55100 Situated on the corner of Piazza Napoleone – Food’ shows us how to fit this kind of rustic makes your house smell wonderful. simplicity into our busy modern lives. Making bread (especially focaccia, which isn’t +39 0583 496332 [email protected] the main square of Lucca meant to rise too much) is really easy – especially if you have a bread machine to do the hard work for you. The recipe is the same for all sorts of focaccia – you can have it plain or top it with cherry tomatoes or sliced onion and Fontana (soft) cheese. Focaccia is also called Schiacciata in Tuscany, which means ‘squashed’. 1 loaf of 1.5 lbs 1 1/8 cups of luke warm water 1 ¼ tsp yeast 2 tbsp sugar 2 ½ tbsp olive oil 3 cups strong white bread flour 2 tbsp salt 10/15 olives

Method If you have a bread machine place all the ingredients in the pan in the order written above and select the ‘dough’ option. If you don’t have a bread machine: Add the yeast to the water in a jug, leave for 10 minutes. Place the flour in a large bowl and add the yeast and water and other ingredients. Then knead the dough for about 15 mins. Leave to rise for around 1 ½ hours. For both methods: place the risen dough in a baking tray which has been greased with olive oil Making and squash down flat. Make holes in the dough bread especially with your finger or thumb at regular intervals focaccia is really and drop an olive into the hole. easy so give it Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the a go top of the dough and place in a cold oven. Light the oven at 180 degrees and cook for about 40 mins or until golden. Remove from baking tray and leave to cool – sprinkle with rocksalt to taste.

14 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 15 FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK

Panettone 1 cup warm water milk, softened butter, egg, anise and almond Make a large 3 cups all-purpose flour extracts. Stir in the yeast mixture and knead batch and freeze his is the traditional Italian Christmas cake. 1/2 teaspoon salt to form a soft dough. Add the drained raisins, it in portions for TYou can’t visit a house in the festive season 5 tablespoons granulated sugar chopped dried mixed fruit, and pine nuts. Place quick dinners without bringing one of these cakes as a gift. The 3 tablespoons powdered milk in a greased bowl, turning once to coat, cover, shop bought ones are often ‘re-gifted’ but giving 5 tablespoons butter, softened and allow to rise until doubled; about 1 1/2 hours. a home made panettone is a real statement of 1 large egg Punch down; form in a greased loaf pan*, and goodwill and is always much appreciated. 1/2 teaspoon anise extract allow to rise again; about 1 hour. You can leave out the dried fruit or candied 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or peel if you prefer. 3 tablespoons chopped candied citron until the top is browned. 2 tablespoons pine nuts Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve. Makes 1 loaf. 2 tablespoons of sultanas 1/2 cup raisins Traditionally panettone is baked in a tall cylindrical 5 tablespoons rum Method shape but if you don’t have a tall dish just bake in 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast or 2 1/2 Dissolve yeast in warm water. a cake tin. teaspoons In a bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, powdered

Panettone is as traditional as it gets at Christmas time

Ragu Sauce 1tbsp plain flour for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it 425g can of chopped tomatoes (if you have sticking to the bottom and burning. agu is what we foreigners would call fresh tomatoes to use up then use 500g of After 45 mins taste the sauce and season with R‘Bolognese’ sauce. It is a signature Italian them and dice them up – the taste is excellent salt and pepper as you deem fit. sauce used for pasta, gnocchi, lasagne and when the ingredients are all fresh) Serve with plenty of fresh grated parmesan . polenta (but not actually with spaghetti if you 1 cup vegetable stock, or red wine want a completely authentic Italian dish – in 1beef stock cube Tuscany it is normally served with penne or 1tbsp fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried) maccheroni). ½ tsp grated nutmeg A good ragu takes a while to make (although Large slurp of olive oil the process is very simple) so I make a large batch and freeze it in portions for quick dinners Method and easy-make lasagne. Slurp a big glug of olive oil into a large, heavy bottomed pan and heat. Soften the onion and Serves 6 celery in the pan for a minute or so. Add the 2 large onions – red or white, diced pancetta (or substitute) and fry for a further 4 celery stalks, diced couple of minutes. Then add the mince. Once 175 pancetta or streaky bacon (smoked is browned sprinkle on the flour and stir in. The tip best), diced in the tomatoes, the wine and the stock cube. 2 large garlic cloves, minced Stir and then add the oregano and nutmeg. ‘How to Grow and Eat Italian Food’ by Sarah Fraser, Anova. pub date: March 2011 500g minced beef Cover the pan and simmer on a very low heat Pre-order by email: [email protected]

16 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 17 Gli Scozzesi FOOD & DRINK Gli Scozzesi is a new restaurant with a fabulous menu and an amazing view. There is a large terrace for outside dining in summer from which you can see to Lucca and in the other direction to Florence. Lars Stork launched his new book at The management of Gli Scozzesi are passionate about the Montecarlo Wine Festival. good food and source local ingredients. You will find them here was much local interest, including TV (Channel 10). in the early morning buying fresh fish at Viareggio and The book is a homage to the local wine growers of the area, visiting their local farmers, where they source all their meat. T detailing their stories, methods and anecdotes. With its beautiful No wholesale produce in sight – just top quality local and evocative photography, the book is a must for any wine food and there is no freezer on site either as all the dishes at lover’s coffee table. Gli Scozzesi are freshly prepared and produced always with an eye to the season. “Much of our produce is IGP – which assures the customer that it is of the highest quality and 100% authentic Tuscan fayre.” Sample Winter Menu

Fish Il Polpo all’isolana con olive – Island octopus with olives La zuppettina di cozze e vongole allo zafferano – Soup of mussles and clams

with saffron Channel 10 Lars Stork signing one of his books Vittorio Fantozzi – Sindicato di Montecarlo La pera con spuma di gambero e verdure – Pear with prawn and vegetables Gli Spaghetti “Martelli” – Spaghetti with ‘Martelli’ sauce alla Carbonara di Mare – Seafood carbonara La Lasagnetta con calamari e gamberi – little lasagne with prawns and squid Open for Lunch La Millefoglie di polpo – layers of octopus and dinner La Grigliata di pesce – grilled mixed fish Closed Thursdays Earth Lo Strudel di pecorino e confettura – Sheep cheese pie with conserves L’ Insalatina di Carciofi e Grana – Salad of artichokes and grana cheese La Battuta di manzo al coltello – Beef Steak Gli Gnudi gratinatai con crema di zucca – Grated Gnudi with pumpkin cream Il Risotto porro, crescenza e zafferano– Leek risotto with saffron La Farinata – Farinata La Pappa al pomodoro – Tomato Soup Il Filetto in tasca con radicchio e gorgonzola – Fillet steak with radiccio and gorgonzola sauce Il Cinghiale alla maremmana con polenta – Wild Boar with polenta Pucci’s has been run by the same family since it first opened in 1950. La Bistecca di “Mucco Pisano” – Pisan Beef Steak Today they offer a full menu of top quality traditional Tuscan meat and fish dishes as well as legendary pizza and pasta. Dolce Croccantino rum e cioccolata – Rum and chocolate slice The beautifully restored building is a perfect setting for romantic meals Cestino di frutta con crema chantilly – fruit with chantillly cream or a larger gathering. There is a delightful garden area for al fresco Pere al vino con mandorle tostate – Wine poached pear with toasted almonds dining in the warmer months.

Situated in the centre of Pescia at the edge of a beautiful piazza next to the ornamental fountain. Gli Scozzesi | La Costa | Uzzano | Pescia Via Amendola 4, Pescia. +39 0572 476176. Visit us on Facebook – ‘Quelli che hanno mangiato dal Pucci’ Tel: 0572 490158 | Cell: 320 0423474 | Email: [email protected] The restaurant can be found by following signposts to Uzzano Castello, then taking a right towards la Costa. THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 19 Follow the road until you get to the end and Gli Scozzese is on your left. FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK

THE Restaurant Reviews Bio Cafe, Lucignano McDonalds – Sesto Fiorentino Pucci’s – Pescia Da Leo – Lucca

he brevity and simplicity of the menu is decided by the selection of local ucci’s restaurant is a traditional Italian establishment offering excellent Torganic products sold in the deli part of the operation, consisting of just PTuscan food. eight dishes plus a changing daily special. In order to get the most from our It is family run and they obviously take pride in their work. Pizza here is visit and sample diverse products we asked for mixed vegetarian platters wonderful but I also highly recommend anything seafood based. Their and ordered prosecco, apple juice and spelt beer from the extensive drinks antipasti al mare is particularly good. menu. I recently had the tagliata as a secondi and it was superb. Ask for ‘ben cotto’ Four types of bruschette graced each platter: mushroom, fresh tomato, if you don’t like to see too much blood. spicy salsa and sundried tomato with chilli. Each was enjoyable, but we all Ask the waiter to recommend what is good on the menu. The younger agreed that the spicy salsa with deep licorice and anise flavours was the most one speaks great English so can translate everything for you if you need it. delicious. It put me in mind of Madras curry and I’ve never tasted anything He can also recommend the correct wine for your meal. like it on an Italian menu. My companions platters included slices of young Taking of waiters, the elder one, who is Mr Pucci Senior, has a trick of pecorino cheese smeared with honey or chilli jam. The chilli jam won the day pretending to spill coffee down your front. Whilst this is hilarious on some on this occasion. They also enjoyed the gnocchi in cheese sauce included levels, when he did it to my friend she was so startled she threw her red wine on their plates. I’d asked for an all vegan platter and so the cheese was down herself (adding a new and somewhat unexpected level of humour to substituted by almond stuffed olives with the creamy crunchiness of the the situation). Pucci Senior was mortified. But not enough to stop doing his almonds contrasting with the soft saltiness of the olive flesh. The portion party trick so beware… of spelt grain salad in lieu of the cheese was so generous I shared it with the The absolute best thing about Pucci’s though are the home made others. When I’ve ordered this in other establishments it’s often been under- desserts. Baked cheesecake, chocolate bombe, torta della nonna jostle with cooked and gritty. On this occasion it was delightfully creamy with a tangy the more traditional tiramisu and gelato. It doesn’t matter what you choose, dressing and a suggestion of lemon. you can’t go wrong thanks to Mrs Pucci’s fabulous cooking. In the spirit of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ we adopted the same approach to The prices are mid range. Three course dinner with a good bottle of wine dessert and ordered a platter of three organic ice creams: pistachio, hazelnut is around €25 per person. and vanilla together with a portion of raspberry sorbet and a mountain of [for further details see page 19] apple cake. My companions decided the ice-cream could have benefitted from a rest out of the freezer before serving, but in terms of flavour they hit the spot. The sorbet was heavenly, intensely flavoured with a dusting of sharp a Leo is a local trattoria tucked away just off via Buia in Lucca. lemony sugar - and I’m not naturally a sorbet kind of guy! The moist textured know it’s almost sacrilege to count McDonalds in a restaurant review. After D I went there on a personal recommendation – always a good thing to apple cake was like the sort of thing you’d experience in an English tea shop Iall, Tuscany has such amazing native food. BUT there are many amongst do. They serve traditional Tuscan food (not pizza); it’s a real ‘where and didn’t require dunking as Italian cake often does. us who cannot manage without their fast food fix. the Italians eat’ experience. They advertise as ‘Cucina Casalinga’ a direct Our host was friendly, very helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about There are several McDonalds in Tuscany (and I have reluctantly been to translation of which is ‘Housewife’s Cooking’ which is an accurate description the products. Before leaving we bought Italian organic cider (another first most of them due to a husband who loves hamburgers) but the one at Sesto of the food and ambience. in Italy) and a couple of jars of fruit spread - cherry and plum. I forgot to get Fiorentino is definitely the pick of the bunch. Our table was for a large group and even so the service was good. The some of the ‘curry’ salsa, so that will have to wait until next time. The restaurant is fresh and has a stylish décor. Outside there are even waiters were friendly and helpful. It was even fine that extra people turned sofas for lounging on hot summer days. The obligatory play area is clean up to dine with us on a Friday night (which has been known to fluster many and safe. restaurateurs). Inside, the floor and tables aren’t sticky and the toilets are pristine. It’s Our food arrived pretty much together (although there was some issue Bio Cafe, Via Roma really quite a revelation! with the temperature of some of the pasta – which was replaced immediately The food is obviously the normal McDonalds fayre so there isn’t much to without a quibble). n.2/c, Lucignano (Centro talk about here. However, there is also a coffee bar which serves great coffee The food was tasty and wholesome. It is all home made and prepared Storico) and nice pastries too. For those of us who are not used to being able to drink fresh. The menu changes according to availability of ingredients. In truth I Tel: 0575 1786577 alcohol at McDonalds you should be advised that in Italy they serve McBeer . have had better meals and the presentation was a little slapdash BUT it was Web: www.biocafe.it Most of the staff speak English and seem to be of a slightly brighter hue a lot better than much of the food served in the tourist restaurants within than the standard McDonalds worker. They were happy and friendly; one can the Lucca walls. And there was lots of it; portion size of the secondi could only assume that they are treated well in this particular restaurant. certainly be called ‘manly’. Open 10.00 - 22.00hrs So, if you must indulge in the pinnacle of junk food then do so at Sesto The price, for Lucca is mid to low: €20 per head feeds you well and ensures Thursday - Sunday. Fiorentino your fill of house wine. Lunch around €15 per They even have WiFi for all you people who are desperate to get online. To sum up, da Leo is an excellent place to take the family for an Italian person two courses Via Lucchese ang. via Pratese Sesto Fiorentino (FI) experience. drinks included. 055 3436556 Via Tegrini, 1. 55100 Lucca. 0583 492236

20 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 21 FOOD & DRINK

In 1998, Knauf created its own wine estate within the luxuriant context of Bolgheri, an area of Tuscany known for its dramatic countryside and high-quality wine.

Campo alla Sughera consists of hectares of vineyard specialised in Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes.

The philosophy of the company is to produce great red wines and search for new ways to express the Bordeaux vines, reflecting the vocation and characteristics of the Azienda Agricola Bolgheri area while at the same time producing a wine capable of offering intensity, Locanda di Bacco elegance and longevity. TERENZUOLA di IVAN GIULIANI & C SS Wine tasting made easy by Richard Turnbull Campo alla Sughera also produces to quality Grappa and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Just inland from the spectacular have to admit that I’m no connoisseur. I like Cinque Terra is the outstanding Ito taste wine and not have to spit it out. I also Tours & Tastings vineyard of Terenzuola. believe that wine is something that should be enjoyed in context, with good food (though I Visitors welcome – buy direct don’t know which wine should go with what) and

with good company. Campo alla Sughera is available for guided tours by appointment by phoning: +39 Via Vercalda, 14 - 54035 Fosdinovo (MS) I was delighted to be invited to an evening of 0 565 766936 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. During the Telefono e fax: +39 0187/670387 Email: [email protected] wine tasting and dinner. The heat was off: I was tour you can visit the estate’s vines which stretch as far as the famous Fossa di supposed to drink it rather than sniff it. I didn’t Bolgheri, see the different varieties of grapes and the various terrains and follow have to look like an ass by ordering the wrong the wine making process from harvest to ageing, all in a journey which takes you wine with my meal because the menu was fixed and designed around the wine by professionals. from the vineyard to 10 metres below ground then on to a wonderful tasting room Best of all, I didn’t have to smile and nod knowingly with views of the vineyard and a striking area of cork oak (Sughera) trees. as I tasted the wine as though I knew exactly what authentically Italian? grape was in there because an English spoken The next week I came back to check out a The tour includes a tasting of our wines, grappa and oil. Products are available representative of the vineyard visited each table different vineyard: Terenzuola presented some to buy during office hours: from Monday to Friday from 8.30 until 12.30 and from and spoke to us in lay language about the wines. excellent wines. I certainly now know where 14.00 until 18.00. Otherwise, it is possible to book tastings in small groups by I have truly never enjoyed wine tasting more. to go to get my cases of wine for Christmas. appointment (maximum 15 people). I spent the evening with good friends, fabulous I thoroughly recommend this form of wine wine from the Campo alla Sughera vineyard tasting: uncomplicated, unpretentious and The vineyard is easily reachable from the exit of the Donoratico-Castagneto and ate excellent food… what could be more 100% enjoyable. Carducci motorway; follow directions for Castagneto Carducci; follow for approximately 1 km and turn left down Via Bolgherese at the Bolgheri junction (at the corner of the Hotel Zi’ Martino); follow this road for approximately 3 km and you will find Campo alla Sughera on your right (the entrance is on Via Bolgherese).

Situated in the historic centre of Lucca | Serving the finest traditional Tuscan cuisine. Offering a vast selection of excellent regional wines | Special wine tasting and ‘degustazione’ evenings. Closed on Tuesdays

Località Caccia al Piano 280 - 57022 Bolgheri, Castagneto Carducci (LI) Tel. +39 0565 766936 - Fax +39 0565 766938 [email protected] - www.campoallasughera.com THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 23 FOOD & DRINK

“After twenty years here I feel, and I matraia think the best word is Enoteca Calasto advert: October an English one: colleverde fulfilled” Extract from Lucca Wine Treasures ENOTECA CALASTO www.lucca-wine-treasures.com Matraia One of Lucca’s most famous noble families, t’s a long way from the bustle of Roman the Guinigi, chose Matraia as the location for L Itelevision production to the quiet of the Matraia their summer residence. The magnificent Villa hills. But for Piero Tartagni, an ex-documentary Guinigi, built by Tommaso Giunigi in 1546 was maker, it’s been worth it. “After twenty years here heavily utilised for the production and storage EnotecaEnoteca Calasto is Calasto pleased tois informpleased all toour inform current alland our potential current customers and potential of our main activity in I feel, and I think the best word is an English one: of oil and wine and although it has been more fulfilled,” he says in his deep cinematic tones, with recently converted into apartments, it remains a customers of our mainNovember activity inand November December. and December. the smile of a man who is indeed very happy with dominant feature of the surrounding landscape. his lot. Fattoria Colle Verde, once part of the original Look around the Fattoria Colle Verde Guinigi estate, has become a symbol of the We are organisingWe are six wine organising tasting evenings with the six local vineyards.wine The tasting program will be as follows: property, with its breathtaking panorama down excellence of the local Matraia produce, thanks the Lucca plains, its regimental rows of vines, and to the passionate belief of its owners Francesca cluster of classic Tuscan farm buildings basking in Pardini and Piero Tartagni. . Their stories from the Lucca Wine Treasures book. the sun, and it’s easy to see why. evenings with the local vineyards. Colle Verde sits to one side of the Matraia Piero and Francesca . Listen to their passion for the land, their approach to innovation and their village, on the steep northwest slopes of Lucca, ut the adventure in Matraia that has become search for perfection. a settlement that dates back to at least the Btheir life project had rocky beginnings to say that had lasted 500 years. Fortunately the world The program will be as follows: Lombard era, around 570-770 AD. Working the the least… of the farmer is a world that adapts rapidly to new . Presentation and tasting of their latest wines accompanied by local delicatessen. rich earth has been the mainstay of life in Matraia “We knew nothing about wine or agriculture, technologies that work and now you can hear Their stories from the Lucca Wine Treasures book. for centuries, thanks to the natural amphitheatre but we did know about working in teams,” says the pneumatic pickers all through the valley at . Questions and answers of terraces and full south-facing sun that has Piero. He launched himself into viticulture as he harvest time!” created a unique and highly fertile microclimate might have a television program on a subject he The couple have always pursued an organic where vineyards and olive groves dominate the knew nothing about, consulting the best expert approach to wine-making and a few years ago they Listen to their passion forPrice the perland, person their € 15.00 approach to innovation landscape and just about everything grows. he could find. decided to convert to a completely biodynamic and their search for perfection. Lars & Carole Stork Matraia is also famous for its flinty grey In this case his name was Donato Lanati, a production. Like his friend Saverio Petrilli on sandstone, la pietra di Matraia. Many of Lucca’s promising young oenologist who helped the the nearby Tenuta di Valgiano farm, Piero has churches, noble villas and houses are adorned couple restore the vineyard and olive groves that become increasingly convinced of the power with steps, windowsills and doorways made more than 20 years later are producing wines and of biodynamics to create a wine that reflects Presentation and tasting of their latest wines complimentary from Matraia stone, and an ancient quarry still oil acclaimed both nationally and internationally. this unique terroir, minimising intervention with coffee & cake at the end of the evening. operates in the area. Their instincts were right about Lanati, who chemicals and artificial products. has gone on to become one of Italy’s foremost The only fertilisation he now uses is oenologists and wine researchers. His Piedmont Preparation 500, a thick paste derived from cow research centre Enosis provides some of the manure buried under the ground for six months Special discounts on wines at each event. most cutting edge wine knowledge available in cow horns, and pulverised cow horn silica, that today and while he consults for giants like Banfi, is diluted and sprayed over the vines in miniscule Piero is proud to be his smallest client. doses but with massive results. Like many of his At each of the 6 events there Yet the Matraia locals were deeply suspicious neighbours he also employs the biodynamic 5.00 of these ‘foreigners’ from Rome and their ‘foreign’ sovescio method, planting certain legumes that will be a free prize draw. per person oenologist, keen to implement new methods and grow during winter and are dug back into the earth € technology in their quest to get the best out of in spring to return nutrients to the soil. One lucky winner per evening will go this special microclimate. “We had an organic philosophy from the home with the acclaimed book Piero remembers when they first bought beginning but we had to be secure technically pneumatic pickers for the olive trees: “The locals before we took the decision to go biodynamic, (rrp 65.00) Lars & Carole Stork ‘Lucca Wine Treasures’ would line up at the top of the road to see what and that took time,” says Piero. ‘fulfilled’ in every € we were doing. Many came on a kind of pilgrimage sense of the word. to tell me how we were destroying the trees Lucca Wine Treasures is available to buy online Piazza San Giovanni, 5 Lucca, Lucca, Italy 55100 working with these pickers, destroying a history from www.lucca-wine-treasures.com +(39) 0583 954267 24 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE www.lucca-wine-treasures.com FOOD & DRINK FOOD & DRINK

Cooking the Tuscan way Key The wines of Lucca Top Wine with Michelle Tip Mimmos organic toms, oming to Italy Wine Cand not indulging filled with tuna and our own yourself in good wine caper sauce, famous tuscan and Montecarlo is unthinkable. A little panzanella, mushroom risotto by Marta Chiavacci insider knowledge can ontecarlo has a for her. The soldiers brought with them vine go a long way to making made with freshly picked local Tours long history of cuttings and planted their favorite varietals in the your experience of M funghi. Chicken breast in quality wines. The latin area. So, after existing for hundreds of years, it Italian wine a whole lot sorrentine lemon sauce. Michelle name for the Montcarlo seemed right to allow them in the DOC. more satisfying. area was Vivinaria or The Colline Lucchesi DOC is more traditional. Vivinaia which means Established in 1998, it’s wines are made up of ‘It Wines’ – what’s fashionable right now? Want to join us?.. Small or individual, cookery courses, the wine road. This more classic Tuscan varietals. The whites may Certainly there trends in the wine world. One year in the heart of Tuscany referenced the road that contain Trebbiano Toscano, Greco, Grechetto, rose might be all the rage and the next prosecco is Tailor made to suit you needs • Transport available crossed the Montecarlo Vermentino, Malvasia, Chardonnay and selling like wild. At the moment the trend is towards hills. Montecarlo was most famous for it’s white Sauvignon Blanc. While the reds are made up organic wines which is great as it is encouraging more Lovely accommodation • Beautiful setting wines. Between the 1400 – 1500’s, Montecarlo of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and up to 15% growers to register as organic. Biodynamic wines white wines commanded the highest prices in Merlot. are also very popular at the moment. Biodynamic For info and brochure the Florence markets. In 1408, Pope Gregory Trebbiano Toscano is the most common growing and production follows organic principals Phone. 39 0572 409065 or Cell 39 3388255245 XII wanted only Montecarlo whites on his table white varietal in Tuscany. It is the same as Ugni and combines this with a quasi-pagan following of the E.mail: [email protected] and personally came to Montecarlo to taste the Blanc which is used in Cognac production. It isn’t lunar cycle. wines. the most noble white but it does produce a nice Montecarlo has been a DOC region since 1994. dry, crisp white wine. Sangiovese is Tuscany’s It was one of the first DOC ‘s to allow International most planted red. Brunello di Montalcino, Vino (French) varietals. Trebbiano Toscano, Pinot Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti’s and Morellino Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, di Scansano are all Sangiovese based wines. Vermentino and Roussanne are all allowed in the The wines from Montecarlo and Colline white blend while the reds can be made up of Lucchesi are wines that in general are meant to Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Syrah, be drank young, especially the whites. You can with Malvasia, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon hold on to the reds for a couple of years if you and Merlot. want. The whites are crisp with a nice level of Elegant, customised and intimate all-inclusive tours. The reason why the French varietals are acidity. Perfect on a hot summer day. The Marta Chiavacci permitted is simply that they have been reds work well throughout the meal, • The finest and largely undiscovered vineyards here for hundreds of years. During from antipasto to steak. The wines FISAR SOMMELIER • Learn about and enjoy exquisite Tuscan cuisine the Napoleonic period, French have an excellent quality to price OF THE YEAR 2007 soldiers were predominant in ratio too. The chances of • Small groups and personalised service Italy: the area. Napoleon has ties to finding these wines abroad are • On staff sommelier to maximize your experience Lucca via his sister Elisa. She slim so it’s best to enjoy them 0039.347.690.2935 settled in Lucca and was the while you’re here. Tours are organised in small groups and can be completely tailor made. one who brought the Magnolia There is no better pairing to Guests are accompanied at all times by an English speaking sommelier. Vancouver: tree to the area. One of Lucca’s local food than local wine. 778.998.9480 main gates, Porte Elisa, is named Salute! Pick up and drop off service from any airport – you need not worry about transport at all during your stay. [email protected] www.frontierwinetours.com [email protected] +39 338 608 5634

26 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 27 FAMILY FAMILY

Music Together Tiddlywinks Lucca iddlywinks Lucca is an informal, non-profit, Tongue Tinternational playgroup in Lucca centro storico, providing opportunities for socialisation and fun for both children and adults. We meet several times a week, with no restrictions on attendance and no booking necessary. Operating since 2008, we organise activities TheTied Italian language, we are told, is simple and relatively easy to learn. It is phonetic, such as action painting, baby massage, swimming, music n the West African country of Ghana, there is no word for and movement, recycling workshops, story-telling, and so should be easy to pronounce. It has regular sentence structure and far fewer I“performance”. The act of sharing music is instead called “play”. Children spend their days crafting elaborate clapping and singing birthday parties. Expectant mums are also more than ‘exceptions to the rule’ than English. Plus it has only 22 letters in the alphabet. There games, and their nights watching adults sing traditional songs. Singing welcome! are only around 250,000 words in use in the Italian language, compared to around accompanies most daily activities. Music generates togetherness. See www.saperi.net/tiddlywinks or call Zara Not so in our modern society, where many people have grown up (+39) 340 862 6615 for more information. 300,000 English words. It should be a doddle. Of course, many of us do struggle with feeling that music is a special gift, not a skill innate in each person. In Tiddlywinks Lucca operates under the patronage of the Comune di Lucca. reality, making music and exploring movement is for everyone. It’s not Italian. Beyond ‘pizza’ and ‘spaghetti’ and ‘ciao’ things can get a bit messy. about performance; it’s about expression, celebration, growth, fun, and community, and in the case of Music Together in Italy, it’s about NEW! COMING SOON - Visual expression laboratories Regular mistakes: Potentially messy: Trick words: language. for children 3-8 years. Exploration and development of Mettere il pane nella lavatrice.” Put the bread This is the spirit behind the groundbreaking program “Music Together”, figurative and non-figurative imagery, colours, shapes Embarrassing: in the washing machine – should be “mettere kicking off in Tuscany this fall with locations in Lucca and Pisa, offering Mille – thousand, not million and forms, rhythm and materials, the body and other Penne (little tubes of pasta) is said ‘pennne’. il pani nella lavatrice’ – put the dirty clothes in – not actually a classes for kids in a combination of English and Italian. Music Together It is regularly confused with pene (penis), said the washing machine. Fantastico cultivates children’s musical development with classes where parents instruments. ‘pene’ – frankly, the difference is miniscule and word and kids sing, dance, chant, and play instruments together, creating a you’re very likely to ask for a bowl of willy at Asta la vista – Spanish level of comfort by using the music to help increase verbal skills in both some point. Bimbo – baby boy languages. Specially trained teachers encourage the innate ability in all Basta! – enough! human beings to make music and develop language skills. Coffee & Chaos Playgroup Caldo – hot Deborah Conquest, Director of Music Together Lucca Pisa says, “years ago, before the birth of modern technology, there was always someone in the home who played an instrument, and the rest of the Florence family gathered around singing. Music Together was born from a desire Know when someone is being to spend more family time making music. Research shows that children • We are an informal, non-profit, multi-lingual, rude to you: entering elementary school know only 3 or 4 songs by heart, one of run by its attenders, for the attenders. which is “Happy Birthday”. You don’t have to be a professional musician We meet at the Methodist Church via de’ Benci 9, to make music as a family. At Music Together, there are no recitals, no • ‘Hai qualche problema?’ – between Santa Croce and Ponte alle Grazie. Have you got a problem? competitions, no judgement. What matters is just being a good example for your children and having fun doing it. As a mother and professional • €1/family covers coffee, drinks and snacks, classical singer, I found in Music Together an opportunity to teach other and other materials. ‘Che cavolo vuoi?’ – What the families how to interact with their children in a meaningful, musical way.” • We are open to everyone – there are no heck do you want (lit: What Like the people of Ghana, those involved in Music Together— restrictions on attendance and no need to book. Just wrong: cabbage do you want?) administrators, teachers, parents, and children—have made music a Snacks will be fruit or biscuits. Adding ‘o’ to the end of a word does not make way of life. It is not performance, it is play, and it enriches all they do. it into Italian. For example, ‘spoono’ is actually Drop-in any time on Thursdays Plain daft: cucchiaio. ‘pantio’ – mutanda, ‘footo’ – piede. ‘Ti faccio un culo cosi’ – I’ll In Lucca, Music Together offers classes Tuesdays at 17,00 and At the builders merchants don’t ask for sort you out (lit: I’ll make you a 18,00 and Saturdays at 10 and 11, while in Pisa classes are 10am-12noon adhesive to stick the pipistrelli to the walls – bum like this) offered on Wednesdays at 17,00 and 18,00. Classes are taught the word for tiles is piastrelle. Pipistrelli are in a combination of English and Italian. bats. Worrying: ‘Ti rifaccio la ‘Il mio bimbo dorme nel culo’ Free demo lessons are available. rather than ‘culla’ –translates as ‘my baby dentatura’ – sleeps in an arse’ I’ll rearrange Registration is now open for classes. rather than a cot.” your teeth for you. For information on openings in “Music Together Lucca Pisa” classes, please call “Music Together Lucca Pisa” at “Vai a cagare sulle ortiche” 377/1282512, email: [email protected] Pastora Alison Walker or visit our website at 055 288143 [email protected] - Go take a dump on some www.musictogetherluccapisa.com I speak English and Italian. Parlo inglese e italiano. stinging nettles.

28 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 29 FASHION & SHOPPING FASHION & SHOPPING

tuscan Personal Sorana Beans Shopping THE Famous IGC Beans €8.50 for 250g Available online www.casadelsoleshop.co.uk Specialising in making your shopping trip mas shopping in Tuscany successful and enjoyable Guide Shopping in Italy is amazing. It is the home of fashion and style. Yet it’s so much easier with someone who knows their way around, who knows the stores and who speaks Italian. Bag a designer bargain at the outlets or live it up in Florence visiting all your favourite flagship stores.

MyWalit Tri Zip Shoulder Pouch in Sangria Multi This three-tiered zip pouch keeps your items separated, yet readily available for those quick outings to the store Outlet Shopping • Label Shopping X €49.00 in Florence & Lucca • Door to Door Available online at www.mywalit.com Service • Purchase delivery anywhere in the world • Hair and Beauty makeovers • Style consultation Personal Shopping service starts at €200 (not including transport) Let us make your day’s shopping into a Trend Naturale – Florence Hooded Jacket for Him 100% eco friendly clothing relaxing treat €199,00 Only available in the Florence boutique www.trendnaturale.com English & German spoken. From 1 client driven in a Ferrari to 5 clients driven in a customised Hummer. Happy to accept male or female clients. Friendly, professional service from a young and innovative company. Simply tell us what you want and we will structure your day and give you a comprehensive quote. Tuscan Wine Treasures – book Bellissimo & Bellissima Perfume Hardback coffee table style book giving in depth history and Created by master perfumiers Pura Toscana information about the wines of Lucca and Montecarlo €140.00 €65.00 Call +39 3661861582 or email [email protected] Available online www.puratoscana.com Available online at www.lucca-wine-treasures.com

Ge&Vi creates innovative fashion accessories combining style and practicality. Ge&Vi was born from the meeting of two different women, from the union of two worlds: the first creative and eccentric, the other rational and steady. From here grows a new style dictated by the demands of practicality and glamour. Inspired by every day objects and fusing indisputable elegance with maximum functionality. Leather Back Pack From the designers at GeVi, a stylish and View the unique collection of bags,& footwear online at Chocolate Spoons practical hand bag www.ge-vi.it Artisan chocolate from master €200.00 chocolatiers Slitti Only available in the boutique at Camaiore From €5.00 www.ge-vi.it Buy online from www.mediterraneandirect.co.uk Or visit the boutique: Via Vittorio Emanuele 85, Camaiore (Lucca) 55041 Tel:+39 0584 980616 | [email protected] | www.ge-vi.it

30 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 31 FASHION & SHOPPING

MYSTERY SHOPPER “

“The staff were to a leopard print heaven! I finally settled absolutely on a lovely little dress which was €175 , lovely reduced from €365 and a couple of tops and the which were also reduced by 50%. atmosphere The staff were absolutely lovely and once you are the atmosphere once you are in the shop in the shop is casual and un-opressive. is casual Shop: Let’s face it, you would only and un- ever pass this place if you are going for opressive. meatballs at IKEA or looking of a bargain Cavalli number. It’s awful on the outside but lovely once you are in. Service: Top notch – well done Sara Destination: Roberto Cavalli Outlet season’s, most are current. And there Goods: Exactly what you would expect Address: Via Volturno 3/3, Sesto were a lot of pieces. You can even find from an outlet – lots of variety and Fiorentino, Firenze 50019 things which are ‘out of season’ here – masses of bargains Phone: +39 055 317754 which is wonderful when you are planning Value: Most certainly a trip to the opposite hemisphere and Overall: A wonderful shop which has n honesty this is the very first time I have can’t find anything appropriate for the converted (or should I say ‘hooked’) me Iever frequented an ‘outlet’. weather in the normal shops. to outlet shopping The very word is shudderingly coarse. The Cavalli Outlet was also an Top Tip: Tell the sales girl what you are Hence, my expectations were low. Aladdin’s cave of bargains. Some of the after – she knows her stock. Cavalli’s ‘outlet’ is worryingly near current season wear was only slightly to IKEA, just off the Pisa – Florence less expensive than in the boutiques If you would like your shop to be autostrada. It wasn’t looking good. but, if you dig around a little, you can find reviewed by our ‘Mystery Shopper’ We were buzzed in to the drab looking some astoundingly good buys: 20, 50, email us with your details: building and clattered up the stairs. Once even 80% off the retail price made me [email protected] at the door of Cavalli things started to look almost giddy with the excitement one up though. The recognizable audacious only feels when bagging a complete and Se vuoi che noi visitiamo il tuo negozio style reached out and enveloped us in utter bargain. come ‘Mystery Shopper’ manda a warm embrace. The shop itself is big. Bags, underwear, shoes, formal wear un email con i tuoi dettagli: editor@ Although some of the clothes are last and casual… I felt like I had died and gone tuscanlivingmagazine.com

Trend Naturale Stockists of: n Florence, across the river, is a little shop that KANABEACH BIOLOGIK – Designer organic streetwear from France Isells big ideas. The owner, Romain believes that HEMP HOODLAMB – Street & Surfwear from Amsterdam clothes shouldn’t cost the earth - literally. They sell BLACK SPOT SHOES – 100% recycled materials. eco friendly natural fibre clothing but, this being Pure hemp organic bags and wallets. Italy, everything is super stylish and trendy. Bags of MNMUR – www.mnmur.com Even more exciting, they have just opened Underwear from h-earth – www.h-earth.com a workshop on the premisses. The designer all made in Italy and seemstress can stitch you up a completely unique, made to measure outfit in no time at all. Trend Naturale now also produce their very own range of You can specify your design and have it made to fit eco-friendly wear and have their own in store laboratory you exactly. They design everything from wedding Romain Picard – (00) 39 055 5391655 - English spoken dresses to hotpants - all with the ethos ‘to tread lightly on the earth’. Lower your carbon foot print and hot-foot it over there today! The staff speak English, French & Italian .

32 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE HOMES & GARDENS HOMES & GARDENS

“You can use a window Dressing up treatment to enhance the architectural your windows elements of the By Marlene Wallace space.” Selecting a window treatment provides you with a wonderful closed at will allows you to enjoy natural light opportunity for making changes that can affect how you use a room, when you want it or close it out when you don’t . your sense of well being or level of comfort when you are in the Selecting the right window treatment can be confusing. There are so many things to consider: room, and the visual appeal or success of the overall décor. the architecture of the window, the style of the room, your lifestyle and budget, and how you want the window treatment to look and function. And like any other aspect of good design, can help you make the perfect choice for every home. Once you have completed this process, dressing a window takes a concentrated effort to type of window you have. She will guide you she will help answer the questions of lifestyle and get it right. Hiring a professional window designer through the decision-making process, step by budget. can help you determine the best approach and step and help you see the “big picture” by first Choosing a professional who can help you gather suggestions you may not have otherwise analyzing the structure of the window and its make decisions about your window treatments considered. place within the architecture, then showing is a smart move – no more worrying about costly By presenting a wide range of fabrics, window- you how to take that information and study it mistakes. And, the end result will turn your house treatment types and styles, a window designer alongside the other decorative elements of your into a comforting and lovely home.

hen you think of the important role a The correct window treatment can do any Because conditions of light, heat, and lifestyle Wwindow treatment plays in your decorating of these things. But it can also establish a dictate changes over the course of the day or plans, consider a number of factors. Do you decorative style, whether it is contemporary, even from seasons to season, it’s wise to select need a way to control sunlight and glare? Can traditional, country, or period. On a large or a style that is easily adjustable. For example, you use the window treatment to limit heat prominent window, the right dressing can also natural light that streams over your shoulder, during the summer or cold during the winter? Do create a focal point in a space that lacks this while you sit in a chair with your back to the you want to hide an undesirable view? Are you important visual anchor. window, is lovely for reading a book. However, if DON’T CRASH – FLY looking for a way to create privacy? Can you use Window treatments are basically anything that you’re working at a computer that is in the direct Computer sales and assistance a window treatment to enhance the architectural is used to dress your windows – from draperies, path of harsh sunlight, the glare on the monitor elements of the space? Can you use it to set a to shutters, to roller shades, blinds and more. caused by the sun’s reflection will make it difficult Brothers Fabio & Filippo Santolin pride themselves in offering the very best advice when mood, establish a style, or bring color, pattern, Window dressing can even include the use of to read what’s on the screen and may strain your considering a new computer or accessory purchase, knowing that their customers can and texture into a room? stained glass. eyes. A window covering that can be lowered or feel safe in the knowledge that every product benefits from a full after sales service. Same day service – whenever possible At home / on-site visits arranged Service throughout Tuscany English spoken

Via del Castellare, 38 51012 Castellare di Pescia - Pistoia Tel 0572 445340 – Fax 0572 445340 Partita IVA 01576030470 www.flyinformatica.it – [email protected]

34 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 35 HOMES & GARDENS

F FOR ALL YOUR OCUS ON TIMBER NEEDS T L Service throughout Tuscany I A IAN Project design & construction H RB: Internal and external E S Words and photos by BY Anneliese Rabl he first timeA I came across bay from school that Cesar loved to Tleaves in the soups and stews wear a bay leaf crown but already my mother used to prepare for me centuries before him the ancient and my family with love and a special Sumer people used to award the eye towards herbs and spices. She winners of the boxing matches with was the one who taught me that the bay. The Greek deity Apollo declared From secateurs to big boys toys plant did not grow in cold countries the plant sacred because it was and advised me to be careful not considered a symbol of knowledge, to use too much of it because the wisdom, triumph and glory. Whoever For all your gardening needs flavour would increase (become distinguished himself through brave stronger) during cooking. I did and fearless acts had the right to Garden Machinery, Sales, Service & Hire not totally refuse the strong and wear bay wreaths. A little at a time Stairs aromatic smell but I wasn’t really things changed and if a famous • Throughout Tuscany, Showroom 5 minutes from Autostrada A11, (Exit Chiesina Uzzanese) keen to have it on my plate. Let me English writer at the beginning of • Pergoda add that the dried, brown, partly the 20th century exclaimed …Is crumbled smelly pieces did not look there something more beautiful in • Carpo rt very appetizing either. Therefore, life than a bay crown?... a German Porches when I moved to Tuscany and colleague found bay “a bitter leaf, for • started to write my first books about the one who is longing to possess it Decking the people and their food I was quite and the one who has it. By the end • astonished to find a completely of the 20th century an Italian author Log Cabins different bay. The leaves, in fact, talks about bay as “mere vegetable • were glossy, dark green on the upper which fades quickly away”. Today, 30 years experience Gates • side, light green on the lower one, leaving out the use in the kitchen, Same day service whenever possible • M. OTOR • very aromatic and spicy, perfect to the leaves find a certain application Collection and delivery Mezzanine Floors • give a special touch to venison, ragù, • • Repairs and modifications for its antiseptic, calming and • Home visits arranged fish stews and other tasty dishes. I stimulating properties. • Swimming Pool Surrounds A. GRI Vast selection always in stock was equally surprised when I saw Growing Bay: • the dimension of the plant: vigorous Used equipment (bought and sold) Bay grows well in pots or in N ew and Restored Roofs in Wood • bushes often • All machines and workmanship guaranteed the ground. If in a pot it must • used as hedges G. ARDEN be watered in the dry months or big trees, once a day to stop it drying out. ten to fifteen V i a V. B e l l i n i – P e s c i a Bay will withstand frost but AUTHORISED DEALERS: meters high. not a hard freeze, especially By now I was in a pot. Prune vigorously, (0039) 0572 47061 curious to learn particularly a the top of the Via F.Parri, 79 • Uzzano more about plant unless you want it to Tel: 0572 452837 (Italian). For assistance in English: Tel: 339 2749177 email: [email protected] this giant. Of grow into a mighty tree. www.vad lin ievo leg len ami.it course I knew

36 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 37 BODY & SOUL

Tuscan

troubles Malcolm Coward – Psychotherapist & Councellor Sometimes living abroad or travelling isn’t as easy as you might expect for internal, rather than external reasons. Malcolm Coward is a semi- retired Psychotherapist and Counsellor with 25 years experience and here he helps one reader with a fairly typical ex-pat problem…

Dear Malcolm, Before I respond to your problem, there are lot of money on a property that is not easy to My wife and I moved over to Tuscany three a few questions that I’d like you to answer renovate, rebuild or live in. I imagine a lot of us years ago to a farmhouse in the Garfagnana. honestly between yourselves first. Firstly, whose here can relate to this experience. Whilst the place is isolated, we are only a 10 ‘dream’ was it to move to Tuscany? What did When a couple moves abroad, a long way from min drive from Barga. I love the life here and you want from your move to here? Finally, and home then one or the other is highly likely to do not mind the solitude and find it a positive most importantly, what was the state of your feel homesick from time to time, therefore boon not to have the family dropping in every relationship before you moved? communication with friends and family at home tow minutes but my wife is pining for the UK and I regard a relationship as consisting of three is crucial (for them and for you). A phone line and missing her friends and family. It has got so bad elements; i.e. each of the two individuals, and the internet etc are essential elements for keeping recently she is even talking about moving back couple. Each of these three elements requires up home contacts and for giving each individual to the UK with or without me. I admit that our support and nurturing to function well. Maybe an emotional supportive outlet outside of your circumstances are tricky - we haven’t got a something is out of balance in these elements. relationship. High speed ADSL phone line and the house has needed a lot of Perhaps she is not talking to you because you I also think that everything you have to do work doing so we always seem to be busy. are not listening to her needs at the moment. in Italy (or any other culture with a different We have 99% connection for We have never spent so much time together Maybe you are not spending enough time ‘being’ language) takes up twice at much psychological coverage everyone. and I almost feel like I don’t know her because I with each other rather than just working together and physical effort. It sounds like you are still don’t know how to resolve this situation for her. every day. I think there is a difference. relishing the challenge after three years but your She’s currently not speaking to me so ‘talking’ There can be a lot of strain on a relationship wife sounds like she is worn out, tired and can no isn’t on the cards. because there is a mutual dependence on each longer see the joys of Tuscany. Maybe patience What can I do to convince her to stay? other, when you need the support of the ‘other’ and understanding from you will show her that Yours, Anon. so much more than when you were at home you are willing to wait for her to catch up with you. having separate roles and working lives, and You already sound as if you have some empathy It is not only your farmhouse that sounds possibly much more financial and work security. with your wife’s feelings when you say that you isolated, it sounds to me like you are both feeling Rather than being in Italy where you might have admit that “circumstances are tricky”. Maybe isolated too! taken a financial gamble and probably spent a you can go one step further. Rather than trying to convince your wife to stay, it might be better to discuss how you can help her to keep up with Isolation and Confusion life in the UK whilst hoping that she will eventually adjust to what sounds like your dream to live in in Rural Tuscany rural isolation in your Tuscan idyll. Italia Wi-Fi Hotel & Apartments In Car Wi-Fi It sounds like a frightening prospect to have to Italian Wi-Fi offers Super High Speed This allows everyone in the car to connect Wi-Fi: choose between your relationship and your new ADSL (up to 28.8mbps download and to the internet via one connection. The Want to offer your customers reliable home here. However there may be other ways 14.4Mbps upload speed available in internet access? We can provide a high in-car router means you have high speed around the problem, perhaps your wife needs almost all areas of Italy. No matter speed internet connection, wherever you internet access wherever you go. to go home and spend a little more time there whether you have an existing line or not, are, which can be shared between an Friendly customer service and full back so she can find out what she really feels about we can install a wi-fi system in 99.9% of unlimited amount of people. up in English means that all of your Tuscany, and the relationship. This would give homes – even those in remote areas with internet access problems are at an end. each of you some chance and distance to really no current telephone or internet access. assess what it is you want from each other and For more information contact Italia Wi-Fi on +39 3341085438 (English and Italian spoken) your new life. Malcolm Coward is a semi-retired Psychotherapist and Counsellor and can be www.italia-wifi.com contacted on [email protected]

38 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 39 BODY & SOUL BODY & SOUL

What makes the difference in these wines? According Survive the to Dr. Corder lthough Adifferences party in the amount of procyanidins [OPC’s] in red wine clearly occur because of season the grape variety and the vineyard doers gather for “Ideas Worth Spreading”, in environment, the We find 10 things to do during the February 2010. Dr. Li says, “By examining the winemaker holds potential of antiangeogenics in food, we will find the key to what party season without putting on It’s estimated that we consume around 500 extra calories answers to cancer all around us…In our groceries, ends up in the bottle. The most important 6 per day over the festive season or when we are on holiday. in our food, and in our glasses”. aspect of the winemaking process for weight and suffering too many You can burn these off by choosing two of the following Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in the skin ensuring high procyanidins in red wines is hangovers exercises: 15 minute run (not jog): 30 minutes fast walking: 45 and seeds of red grapes, is one of the agents the contact time between the liquid and minutes swimming: 1 hour high impact gardening or housework that can inhibit cancer-feeding blood vessels. the grape seeds during fermentation when When out for the evening chase every alcoholic drink you (including digging or scrubbing). It has gotten much of the credit for healthy the alcohol concentration reaches about 1 have with water or a fruit juice to reduce your benefits. The other important agents are called 6 percent. Depending on the fermentation alcohol intake and increase your hydration. Follow Tired eyes get sore and develop bags. Soothe them with OPC’s (oglimeric proantho- cyanidins). OPC’s temperature, it may be two to three days this rule and hangovers will be a thing of the past. 7 green tea. Use organic green tea bags, make a pot of tea, are the other antioxidants in the grape seeds or more before this extraction process drink it, then pop the bags in the fridge until chilled. Once cold, and skins. In his book titled, The Red Wine Diet starts. Grape skins float and seeds sink, New Year’s Resolution to start an exercise pop them on your eyes for 10 minutes, lie back and Healthy Italian Roger Corder says it is the OPC’s not resveratrol so the number of times they are pushed 2 regime? Do it slowly and work out a sensible relax. which are suggested to be the real longevity down and stirred into the fermenting wine plan which gradually builds up the exercise over Wines: factor in red wine. Roger Corder, BSc, MSc, PhD, also increases extraction of procyanidins. four weeks. Suddenly shocking your body in January Overeating is catching! According MRPharmS Wines that have a contact time of less than with a lot of exercise is detrimental to your health and Have a non 8 to the Journal of Consumer The Difference is Professor of Experimental Therapeutics, seven days will have a relatively low level of common sense dictates that you are more likely to alcoholic drink Research if you see someone between is a scientist at the William Harvey Research procyanidins. Wines with a contact time of continue with an exercise routine if it is sensible and eating you are more likely to want Skin Deep drinks Institute, London. The author studied locations ten to fourteen days have decent levels, and manageable. to eat and also subconsciously t has long been realized that red wine brings such as Ger, France, where the citizen population those with contact times of three weeks or eat competitively. So stay away Ito our bodies a group of organic chemicals over 90 is twice that of the rest of France. He then more have the highest. Downsize your portions, especially if you are from overeaters. that can serve as clot-inhibiting, bad cholesterol studied the OPC content of most of the world’s Dr. Corder points out that deeply-colored 3 eating out at lunch and dinner. Ask for a salad or reducing, antioxidant-enriching properties. How grape varietals. reds are more likely to be richer in OPC’s. The stick to a main course, without the Choose your pudding with do the wines of Italy stack up in delivering these The good news is that Italy’s native grapes debate continues on whether it is the agents bloating primi. If you need to take two 9 care. If you must indulge benefits? have very high OPC rankings along with the of the wine, the way the wine is made, the way courses to be polite then choose an yourself (and frankly, why shouldn’t The latest studies on red wine have been tannat grape of Ger, France. the wine is consumed, or how we live our lives antipasto low in carbohydrates and a you?) make sure you are not piling on truly amazing. The health effect of wine drunk in that is most responsible for the long healthy main course with vegetables. extra unnecessary calories. Don’t have moderation are not just the anti-atherosclerotic OPC Five Star Italian Wines lives of many wine drinkers. However, the extra cream or ice cream. Choose the fruit (anti-plaque in vessels), antithrombotic (anti-clot evidence seems clear that regular, moderate The Absolute Best Time to work off the option if available – the fruit in Italy is so sweet and formation), but also are the angiogenic (inhibit 1. Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano, consumption of red wine is beneficial to 4calories you have just consumed and gorgeous that it’s a huge treat. Anything with pastry has a the production of blood vessels) properties Arnaldo Caprai, Umbria your health. So here’s a toast to your health! are feeling guilty about is the following day. So, high fat content but not quite as high as tiramisu which is against tumors. Many new therapeutic cancer- 2. Rosso Superiore del Mandrolisai, Cantina del Salute! no matter how late a night it was, get up early positively packed with non useful calories. No one will be fighting drugs work on the premise that the Mandrolisai, Sardegna and go do some exercise. This has ‘lifting you up’ if you eat this dessert more than once a week! prevention of growth of new blood vessels About the author: the added bonus of kick-starting inhibits the growth of tumors. These tumors OPC Four Star Italian Wines ricia Conover is a your metabolism thus raising your De-bloat after a binge by eating celery and need new blood vessels to grow. TC.W. P., Certified spirits and giving you more energy 10asparagus – they promote the body to get rid of Red grapes, dark chocolate, blueberries, 3. Barolo Ciabot-Berton, Piemonte Wine Professional, from for the rest of the day. excess water. Dandelion and green tea have the garlic, soy and tea are some of the ingredients 4. Langhe Nebbiolo De Forville, Piemonte the Culinary Institute of same effect, as does a teaspoon of cider vinegar. that starve cancer while feeding our bodies. 5. Dolcetto di Dogliani, Luigi Einaudi, Piemonte America, Napa Valley. Believe the Old Wives’ To prevent bloat in the first place, don’t chew Dr. William Li, M.D., Medical Director and 6. Palazzo della Torre, Allegrini, Veneto Tricia has a B.S. in 5 tales: a glass of milk before you go gum to freshen your breath – try carrying a President of the Angiogenesis Foundation, 7. Morellino di Scansano, Le Pupille, Toscana Environmental Health out really will line your stomach. Make mini toothbrush and paste in your bag which Cambridge, MA, USA, was recently covered by 8. Morellino di Scansano, Lohsa, Toscana from Purdue University. sure it’s full fat though because it is much more effective. Avoid fizzy drinks Wine Spectator Magazine for his presentation 9. Poggio Bestiale, Fattoria di Magliano, Toscana She is the founder of GrapeStone Concepts, is this specific kind of fat that too, even sparkling water makes your at the TED Conference, a small non-profit 10. Aglianico Contado, Di Majo Norante, Molise and is a wine and travel writer. Visit her blog protects your gastric lining stomach swell and all that gas has to organization where the world’s thinkers and at: www.grapestoneconcepts.com from alcohol. come out some way or another!

40 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 41 BODY & SOUL

Natures Cosmetics ' Words & images by Anneliese Rabl Bay The use of bay leaves or berries in the cosmetic field is not very large but lovers and walkers of high heeled shoes will surely appreciate this footbath recipe - specially after a whole day on your feet. original prints for sale Photo size 50x70 cm bay infusion Price per photo Euro 100.00 1 handful of bay leaves Worldwide delivery. 1 liter of water “Videobites”, promotion on websites etc. Anneliese Rabl is on Method Bring water to boil and add the bay leaves. ® Simmer for about ten minutes, then turn of the heat and leave to infuse until the water is lukewarm. Pour into a basin, add hot water and enjoy your footbath for ten to fifteen minutes. Anneliese Rabl is available for photographic and literary commissions TEL: 0572 1900222/320 5713506 | [email protected] | www.annelieserabl.com The magical field, at the contrary, is rich in small rites and secrets capable of changing your life. Magic to attract money Method Health tip: Of fundamental importance is your tenacity! Cook all the ingredients in boiling spring water on Hate queuing up at the piazza Martini 147, 51015 Money will come – or at least it should… a low flame for about thirty minutes, then remove Monsummano Terme (PT) from heat and leave to cool. Pour the liquid into a doctors? If you have a 1 liter of water possible spring water (purity) spray bottle. Spray under the soles of your shoes standing relationship with 1 spoonful of bay leaves (success) and around your house or apartment. your doctor in Italy you can 1 cinnamon stick and some basil leaves (money) sometimes call them and tell 1 handful of cloves (good luck) Or... 1 small spoonful of ginger (overcoming of the them your problem over the difficulties) If your nature is practical and you don’t believe in phone to be issued with a A sage sprig (happiness) magic but would like to use bay leaves because prescription without having ½ spoonful of grated nutmeg (good luck) you like the smell? Prepare sachets for your to have a consultation. cupboards: no moths will survive… Or for a quick diagnosis

2 spoonfuls each of the following herbs: online go to Bay www.allabouthealth.org.uk, Lavender key in your symptoms and Marjoram learn if you need to see your Rosemary doctor or if you can recover Sage at home, without having to “Unisex Hairdressers – World Champion Stylist - Kérastase Affiliates – Thyme Orris root (iris roots/erboristeria) sit in a waiting room with lots Tuesday - Saturday open all day Handkerchiefs or pieces of cotton or linen of other contagious people Acconciature Unisex - Campione del Mondo - Salone specializzato Ribbon for an Kérastase - Orario Continuato tutti i giorni hour Method or so If you are in Italy and don’t know where to go for a good haircut, The Tuscan Magazine makes a personal recommendation for this salon. Transfer all ingredients into a container with a The stylist, Steno, has won international competitions and the staff are 100% friendly and helpful. Trust them with your hair – you won’t be disappointed. lid, mix them very well and leave in a cool, dark before and dry place for a couple of days. Transfer the being mixture on the cloth, close with a ribbon and seen. Tel. 0572 - 950714 Mob. 393 - 1761487 e-mail: [email protected] distribute in the cupboards. www.iromaniinternational.com

42 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 43 BODY & SOUL BODY & SOUL

A fresh facts Over the past ten years marriages between Italians and foreigners have tripled and now represent almost 15% of marriages each year Rebecca Winke moved in Italy. By Giovanni Del Carlo from the US to live in Italy and children, in particular relating to custody of children, the allocation of the matrimonial home, maintenance of spouse and with her Italian husband. the children. Then he will transmit the proceedings before the investigating judge who will be tasked with investigating the case. They are happily married There are a number of different ways to go about gaining a divorce but the simplest and most widely used is the ‘three years and run a B&B with separation’ of the spouses. At this point you apply to the court for a separation order and apartments in Umbria then live apart for three years. After the three years is up you can (see the accommodation directory for details). then apply for a divorce. The law requires that in this period of separation is continued walked in on my husband the other day who was busy applying without interruption. Literally, if you spend the night under Iour son’s children’s toothpaste to his penis. the same roof and one of you declares this to the court, your This is an example of one of those precarious moments in separation is nullified and you go back to square one. a marriage where the future of the relationship hinges quite In the Italian system, it is not normally possible to get a divorce delicately on what goes down during the subsequent, oh, forty without first obtaining a court decision of separation. seconds. Where: The proceedings in the case of a joint application Experience has taught me that it is human nature, when will be brought before the Court of the place of residence or lying, to fabricate a story in which one is not cast in the role of a domicile of either spouse. Where the application is made by one complete, drooling idiot. So when my husband started weaving complainant spouse and the other spouse has moved away, the a tale which involved his member caught in the zipper of a pair of Judge will be responsible for allocating a Court, which is normally Levi’s, a subsequent lesion, and the unfortunate coincidence of ven if you were married abroad and neither spouse is Italian, There are a that nearest the last common residence of the spouses. both the tubes of zinc oxide diaper rash cream and toothpaste Eif you are resident in Italy you must petition for divorce within number of However, if the defendant spouse is resident abroad or being white with red screw caps, I knew it had to be the truth. He Men take view of religion. They generally love and respect the Pope, but Italy and so will be governed by Italy’s divorce laws. different otherwise unavailable, the request is made to the court of the was lucky, really, because Tom’s of Maine Nature’s Toothpaste penile don’t pay any particular attention to what he says. He’s sort of The divorce law was introduced in Italy only in 1970, with the ways to go place of residence or domicile of the applicant and, if that is a about gaining for Children is strawberry flavoured. I doubt there have ever been injuries, even like an old dottering uncle who gets the place of honour at the reform of family law which took place at that time. It is important resident abroad, in any court of the Italian Republic. self-inflicted, a divorce clinical trials done, but my gut feeling is that applying peppermint Christmas dinner table, but is greeted with lots of half-hearted to remember that Italy culturally does not support the idea of but the Giovanni Del Carlo is an Italian English-speaking lawyer in Lucca. very, very Tel: 0583 467120 Email: [email protected] flavoured toothpaste to an raw genital sore produces a sensation seriously. “there, there”-ing and eye rolling when he starts going on about divorce and this is reflected in the procedures necessary to simplest and that falls somewhat short of refreshing. Also, note to self: Men take Laughing so “the trouble with young whippersnappers today” again. obtaining one. most widely used is the penile injuries, even self-inflicted, very, very seriously. Laughing hard that However, in Italy, divorce is certainly not a social phenomenon you both ‘three years Other interesting facts: so hard that you both cry and pee your pants is guaranteed to cry and pee at the level of other western industrialized countries. At only Who: Separation (you must apply for this in the first instance), separation’ of Recently, with Law 54, (February 8, 2006), the produce a spouse who is sulky and peevish and makes a show your pants is about 12% of marriages, the rate of divorce here is among the as well as divorce can be proposed jointly by both spouses or the spouses. legislature sought to amend the rules concerning of wincing visibly every time he sits for at least the next few days. guaranteed lowest in Europe and lags dramatically behind the US. individually by one complainant spouse. custody of children. But the moral of the story is that my husband turned out to produce a It seems to me that in the States many marriages end because Why: The separation may be sought when there are facts which spouse who This legislation rules that the welfare of children not to be a pervert or closet fetishist. Basically normal, though couples have taken the plunge a bit too precipitously, without render intolerable the continued cohabitation of the couple or is sulky and is the first and foremost priority of the court. admittedly tragically uncoordinated (I mean as normal as any peevish and really getting to know one another. Here in rural Umbria, the things which are adverse the mental health or physical wellbeing straight man in his mid thirties can claim to be who lists as his makes a show norm is to date someone from about the age of 13 until your of children in the home. To check that your complaint about your This regulatory change has sought to strengthen favourite musician Freddy Mercury. I mean, I think his death was of wincing late twenties, and then marry him or her because, well, that’s spouse is sufficient to warrant a divorce in the eyes of the Italian the burden of responsibility for both parents even visibly every untimely and tragic and everything, but it’s not like I have a black what your mother and everyone else expect you to do. And court you should visit a family lawyer. time he sits in the event of parental separation or divorce. The satin Queen flag stashed away in the attic somewhere and tear for at least then you realize, after all the dust has settled and the new china How: The couple are first summoned to appear personally children will therefore be placed with one parent, up every time I hear “The Show Must Go On” like someone I could the next few is put away, that those annoying habits your partner has had before the Court and on this occasion the President of the Court where they will live and pursue their social life, days. name.). So, we’re not divorcing over this. Though we may be when since the sixth grade (like, for example, sleeping around) don’t will attempt to reconcile the spouses. but parental responsibility is shared equally be- he finds out I’ve just posted about it on the internet. magically disappear once you’ve got a ring on his or her finger. Or If this attempt fails and if the application is joint, the Court And that’s what we’re talking about here, folks. Divorce. you realize that twenty years was the half life of your relationship, will examine the agreements reached by the parties with their tween the estranged spouses. Both must have the Divorce has been legal in Italy since the early 1970’s, despite and at 33 you’ve pretty much played it out. So now it’s time to solicitors and will proceed if they are not injurious to either party. same active and meaningful role in providing for the vocal protests of the Catholic Church. Abortion is also legal say, “Arrivederci e grazie”. Or, more likely, “Ehi, corrrrrrnnnuuuto! If there is no agreement, the President of the Court will only the social, moral, educational and economic needs in Italy. I have found that most Italians have a very pragmatic Toh!”. But how do you actually go about it? deal with any urgent interim measures in the interests of spouses of the children. 44 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 45 ADRENALINEFAMILY “Abetone is also one of the safest places to ski. There has never ever been an avalanche in the ski areas and you are within

15 minutes

helicopter ride to the“ big hospital in Abetone Florence ski capital of Tuscany

What is so great about Abetone is that Tips: Try to arrive before 10am because after this there are often queues for skipass and ski hire. it is compact yet has plenty of ski miles, Book lessons in advance – schools have plenty of instructors loads of diverse accommodation and a but they only turn up in the office if they have people booked in. Remember 1pm sharp is Italian lunchtime. If you want to avoid brilliant safety record. the rush then eat a bit earlier. Don’t leave it late though or they may have closed or run out of food! Most accidents happen in the afternoon when your legs have got tired. Slow down after lunch and don’t push yourself too hard. Season: Mid December to Mid April

Altitudes Slopes Top station 1900 m Beginner 4 (1 km) Base station 1388 m Intermediate 18 (47 km) Vertical drop 512 m Advanced 19 (42 km) Expert 6 (47 km) Slopes total 47 (137 km) of the slopes are typically atmospheric for skiers. On a sunny day you will find Abetone means “big fir” The name the decks outside packed with people comes from a huge tree that once sunning themselves in deck chairs as their lunch settles. stood in the village until it was cut At night the après ski is fairly quiet down in the mid-18th century. unless you are there for one of the parties on the mountain with torchlit ski down at midnight – this is really fun. Predominantly this is a family resort, though there are a couple of funky bars he resort is perfect for families abandoned due to the outbreak of WWII. an avalanche in the ski areas and you are and a cheesey club on the main square Twith differing abilities because It is such a shame because Abetone within 15 minutes helicopter ride to the where you can let your hair down after a there are plenty of nursery slopes and would certainly benefit from an on slope big hospital in Florence. Plus, included in hard day on the slopes. excellent multilingual ski schools yet also luxury hotel. the price of your ski pass is free mountain The resort is easy to drive to and has some more challenging routes for the The ski runs extend for over 50 km and rescue so if the worst does happen you plenty of parking. You have to have snow experienced skiers. across four majestic valleys so you can ski don’t necessarily have to claim on your chains in the car by law on the road up The setting is beautiful. Val di Luce is all day on different runs. insurance. An the very best part is that but you’ll only need to put them on if particularly pretty and you’ll love skiing For snowboarders there is the new the mountain rescue team are all pretty the weather is particularly bad. Check past the big old abandoned hotel which Abetone terrain park, a state-of-the-art gorgeous (silver linings and all that). this with the live webcam and weather looks like a cross between something facility boasting half-pipe and 10-foot There are loads of good restaurants forecast at www.abetone.com out of Scoobie-Doo and the Shining. jumps. It is a great place to hang out for a but a favourite during the day is the Swiss you can entertain smaller children and Abetone is the safest ski resort in Italy. Abetone experienced a tourist boom in rest and to watch the young and fearless chalet down at the bottom. It’s the first keep them happy if they are too young There has never been an avalanche and the 1930s when engineer Lapo Farinato inevitably spending more time in the restaurant you come to as you reach to ski. you are only 30 mins from excellent degli Uberti started to construct the ski snow rather than on it. Abetone. It serves the best lasagne and There are plenty of places to have hospitals. Mountain rescue is free and resort. This huge stone hotel in the Val di Abetone is also one of the safest cakes that you’ll find in Abetone. lunch, every major run has a restaurant at not only efficient but good looking too Luce was the last building to be started places to ski. There has never ever been Opposite is a childrens play area where the bottom of it but the two up at the top (well, there always has to be a sliver lining). and unfortunately the project was

46 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 47 ADRENALINE Sponsored by ADRENALINE

Tennis Colleviti Falconry Ask the Expert Dear Expert, Enjoy the sun and keep fit. Italy isn’t all about art and culture. Treat It seems everyone has an aperitivo and drives home ay back around 600AD, falconry was brought to Italy from the East via but I’ve heard that the allowable blood/alcohol levels Wthe silk trading routes. the family to an exciting day out and everyone will feel better for it. It is the sport of kings yet it was originally developed in harsh terrain and are very low. So what exactly are the drink driving laws Sports, Cars, Hobbies – anything that gets your heart pumping! desert regions as a practical way of providing meat, especially if you were in Italy? travelling. The training of a bird and its mastery took a long time and required Wine Lover, Cortona ffering sport & relaxation in beautiful great skill, which is why the sport was adopted by the aristocracy – you Osurroundings, Tennis Colleviti is needed money to be able to indulge in this hobby. situated just above Pescia, in the beautiful In Italy the art of falconry is alive and well. Young men such as Fabio countryside. Bonciolini are training in the art. When you see a falconer fly his birds one can We have three clay courts and our highly only be impressed that this wild and somewhat savage creature allows itself qualified staff offer all levels of coaching for to be harnessed by man. It’s not all plain sailing though says Fabio Bonciolini, both adults and children. Birds have to be fitted with a tracking device so that, if they do decide to take We also have 2 indoor all weather courts so flight, they can be found. “One of my young birds decided to go awol. I jumped you can play whatever the weather. in the car and tried to follow but we are restricted to the roads and a bird can soar free. The range of the tracker is only about 20km and I lost him heading Via Dante Alighieri, 5117, Pescia. off towards Grossetto. It took 3 days of driving up and down Tuscany just Tel: (0039) 057247342 – 3299390707 waiting for my tracer to bleep so I knew he was in the vicinity. I found him eventually on the border with Umbria in a large stand of pine trees. He just “per fare felice un bambino basta una palla flew down to me when I arrived as though he had been waiting for me.” ed un maestro che si ricordi di essere stato “Birds of prey are not affectionate at all, it’s not in their nature. But you can bimbo.” build a relationship with a bird which is a lifetimes bond. If you have a good relationship with a bird it means that you respect it’s needs and character and it will respect you if you are firm, calm and fair. There is also a lot of bribery in the form of food that takes place!” At Monteriggione in early July there is a huge medieval festival where re- enactments of medieval hunts on horseback with falcons takes place. It is a Dear Reader spectacular sight and you can but marvel at the level of horsemanship and s in most countries, when driving in Italy one must always be aware of bird handling skill that is required to do both things at once. Athe drink driving laws. These were updated in July of this year making Fabio Bonciolini gives falconry displays and runs courses from penalties for driving whilst under the influence of drink (or drugs) more severe beginners to advanced bird handling in Tuscany. +39 3394101374 or than ever before. The penalty varies according to the level of alcohol found Morgan Europa [email protected] in the bloodstream: The only breeder of Morgan horses in Tuscany 1. 0.5g – 0.8g per litre carries a fine of between €500 and €2000 plus a A small selection of high quality youngstock available. All horses imprinted and sold with impeccable manners and character driving ban of between 3 and six months, 2. 0.8g – 1.5g a fine of between €800 and €3200, a driving ban of 6 – 12 months and up to six months imprisonment 3. above 1.5g a fine of between €1500 and €6000, a term of imprisonment of Our horses are 6 – 12 months and a driving ban of between 1 and 2 years with the possibility bred to be a of this ban being doubled if the driver is not also the car owner. In the third instance, a further problem arises if the driver is the owner part of the family. of the vehicle as that vehicle is immediately confiscated by the police and subsequently sold at auction with the proceeds going to the state. This is the They are safe, sane, case even if you are on holiday in Italy and driving your own car which your brought from home. It does not however apply if you are driving a hired car athletic and fun. since you are not the owner although the other sanctions remain the same. It is often the case that driving licences are removed at the scene and returned You can’t help only at the end of the period of the ban. In the event of an accident, drivers of but love them. vehicles involved are routinely breathalysed and if the driver at fault is found to be over the legal limit for alcohol, the penalties may be doubled, especially if he/she is under 21 years of age. All things considered, readers should be very careful about that extra glass of wine when driving in Italy.

Stallion stands at stud in Pescia: Justin Quizative – an outstanding example of the breed. Avvocato Giovanni Battista Santini attended the University of Florence before travelling widely. He currently operates from three offices: Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Lucca and Florence. Address: Via Garibaldi 28, 55032 Call Sarah on 0572 478034 or visit www.morganeuropa.com Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Lucca, Italy. Email: [email protected] Tel: + 39 0583 62131 Tel: +39 3393341169 (mobile)

48 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 49 PROPERTY Sponsored by

Ask the Expert Dear Expert, Dear Expert, I am self employed in the UK but want to I’m confused because I have been looking at houses with get a mortgage on a home in Italy – can I do an agent for the last few months. They have their own this? I have my accounts up to date and my geometra and they reassure me that all the houses I see accountant can write a letter to confirm my are sound. I have heard some bad stories about people income this year. I will still be running my buying old properties and then having problems with business in the UK, even though I am buying planning, legal issues and other various things that were a house in Italy. Will I need to have all the undisclosed at the time of the sale. What can I do to keep documents legally translated? myself safe? James Fint - Surrey Roger Binns - Texas

Answer provided by Italian Mortgage Specialist, Answer provided by Kieran P Mullan who is a UK registered Architect, Ingrid De Falco of Baydonhill FX consultant to AAarchitects

Hans Polsen (pictured left) – Project Manager Dear Reader Kieran Mullan (pictured right) – Architect. urchasing a property in Italy can Pbe complicated and risky if you do not do your homework. I would advise always to employ a local independent professional, either a geometra or architect (but it is better design wise to get an architect. Architects also have a strict code of conduct which ensures they are obliged to provide a professional service to their clients.) to check out the property before you enter into any type of agreement. The first step would be to Dear Reader investigate the property on a etting a mortgage for an Italian property if you are self employed number of issues. Gis definitely possible. As a self employed applicant, Italian a. The planning status of the lenders will ask you to provide your last 2-3 years personal tax existing property, is it registered as returns and will use this average when calculating your eligibility for habitation and if so is the whole building registered as habitation. the new Italian mortgage. A stand alone letter from an accountant b. What are the local planning conditions pertaining to the property and the does not have any weighting with an Italian Credit Committee and surrounding areas. furthermore, will not be accepted to confirm any additional income c. Is the property in an earthquake/landslide or flood area. that cannot be proved in tax returns. Lastly, it is important that your d. Are there restrictions on extensions to the property or the construction of a pool. business has declared a profit over the last 3 years, as company e. What services are available, ie electricity, water, telephone, internet, public sewer, accounts are usually requested and lenders are not keen to assist and road access. an applicant whose business may appear to be fragile. f. What is the structural state of the building, and is it capable of being converted to Many Italian lenders are uncomfortable dealing with English suit your requirements. documents such as Company Accounts and Tax returns, due mainly g. What are the likely costs of reconstructing the property. to the language barrier. Therefore, the services of a specialist Italian mortgage broker is invaluable, as he/she is able to communicate Once you have ascertained the suitability of the property it would be wise to obtain fluently with the lender to make sure that all documents have been legal guidance before signing any documents. interpreted correctly. In many cases, this can mean the difference In this way your purchase in Italy is as safe as it is possible to be and you are unlikely between a mortgage acceptance and a refusal. to come across any problems or nasty surprises.

If you would like more advice on this please call us on +44 (0) 207 594 Kieran P Mullan is a UK registered Architect, consultant to AAarchitects ,Lucca ; tel 0555 or email me on [email protected] 0039 3405482251 web site www.AAarchitects.it e-mail [email protected].

Please submit your financial, legal, tax & property questions to [email protected] TTM does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the comments made by the Experts. This page is meant as a reference only and readers are advised always to take individual advice from a qualified source.

50 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE Nel 1998 nasce l’azienda Il Il Serchio Service svolge la Serchio. Da allora, grazie ad un propria attività nel settore della LA STORIA impegno costante e alla volontà PROFILO pulizia, sanificazione e disinfezione di ampliare e migliorare i servizi utilizzando macchinari specifici e offerti, Il Serchio ha concretizzato SERVIZI prodotti qualitativamente ottimi. una continua crescita ed uno La nostra società è in grado di sviluppo costante, incrementando offrire, oltre ai servizi tradizionali il proprio fatturato, acquisendo di pulizia e sanificazione di sempre nuovi e più importanti ambienti industriali e civili, clienti, aumentando il numero la pulizia e manutenzione di di dipendenti e la qualità e strutture commerciali, sportive e di la tipologia di attrezzature e ristorazione. Grande competenza macchinari. nella pulizia e manutenzione delle La crescita è stata continua pareti esterne degli edifici (anche e costante tanto da favorire e ad altezze elevate) del lavaggio richiedere l’ampliamento del di vetri e vetrine, imbiancatura, parco macchine, l’acquisizione di facchinaggio, piccoli tecnologie d’avanguardia fino ad traslochi, custodia e arrivare, nel 2007, ad ottenere la portierato. Certificazione di Qualità. “THE TEAM BEHIND THE DREAM” One of Tuscany’s largest builders merchants, supplying everything you need to repair, renovate or build your home in Tuscany. Your Helping Hand in Tuscany

Property Management & Maintenance Il SERCHIO SERVICE Srl. Oggi Il Serchio Service è sede: Via Pastino, 1 Keyholding & House Securityun’azienda altamente qualificata, Il Serchio Service svolge la Nel 1998 nasce l’azienda Il 55020 DIECIMO (LU) LʼAZIENDSerchioA in. gradoDa allora, di svolgere grazie al ad meglio un ogni propria attività nel settore della Swimming Pool Maintenance Tel. 0583 838033 LA STORIA impegnotipo costante di servizio e allaall’interno volontà delle PROFILO pulizia, sanificazione e disinfezione Garden & Grounds Maintenance P. IVA 02178480469 OGGIdi ampliareaziende, e migliorare a partire daglii servizi uffici, fino utilizzando macchinari specifici e Utility Bill Managementofferti, Ilad Serchio arrivare allaha concretizzato produzione. Questo prodottiuffici: qualitativamenteVia Bemporad 12 ottimi. grazie anche alla professionalità SERVIZI una continua crescita ed uno La nostra50127 FIRENZ societàE è in grado di Airport Transfers & Car Hireed all’esperienza dell’organico, sviluppo costante, incrementando offrire,Tel. 055oltre 32 ai45 servizi121 tradizionali acquisita nel tempo con corsi il proprio fatturato, acquisendo di puliziaFax 055 e 32sanificazione46087 di Specialist Cleaning Servicesdi formazione, (cotto aggiornamento tiles, marble, pools etc) ambienti industriali e civili, sempree nuovi specializzazione e più importanti effettuati web: www.ilserchio.it Building Work & Project Management la pulizia e manutenzione di clienti, aumentandoperiodicamente il numerodalla nostra ditta. e-mail: [email protected] • Septic tanks • Screws and Nails di dipendenti e la qualità e strutture commerciali, sportive e di “Paolo, the proprietor, la tipologia di attrezzature e ristorazione. Grande competenza • Water tanks • Insect spray macchinari. nella pulizia e manutenzione delle • Drainage • Gloves not only is extremely La crescita è stata continua pareti esterne degli edifici (anche e costante tanto da favorire e ad altezze elevate) del lavaggio • Roofing • Guttering knowledgeable about all di vetri e vetrine, imbiancatura, Small and richiedere l’ampliamento del Distance parco macchine, l’acquisizione di facchinaggio, piccoli • Stone • Insulation aspects of small and large large jobs no object • Plaster • Plus every other undertaken tecnologie d’avanguardia fino ad traslochi, custodia e building works but also arrivare, nel 2007, ad ottenere la portierato. • Cement type of building Certificazione di Qualità. • Gravel material imaginable. speaks English. His help • Wood • Delivery service, has been invaluable to our Made to Measure Doors, Windows, Kitchens, Pergolas, Porches & Furniture • Gas even to difficult renovation project.” • Power Tools access sites. Mr K Aggas Via Mammianese, 159 • Pietrabuona di Pescia (0039) 0572 408067 • [email protected] Il SERCHIO SERVICE Srl. Oggi Il Serchio Service è sede: Via Pastino, 1 un’azienda altamente qualificata, LʼAZIENDA in grado di svolgere al meglio ogni 55020 DIECIMO (LU) tipo di servizio all’interno delle Tel. 0583 838033 TraditionalOGGI Tuscanaziende, a partire dagliCraf uffici, finot smanship in ChesP. IVtAnu 0217848046t or9 Pine ad arrivare alla produzione. Questo uffici: Via Bemporad 12 For a free quotationgrazie anche alla please professionalità call or email Massimo50127 FIRENZ Baldaccini.E ed all’esperienza dell’organico, Tel. 055 3245121 acquisita nel tempo con corsi Fax 055 3246087 (0039)di formazione, aggiornamento 334 123 2779 e specializzazione effettuati(Traversagna) web: www.ilserchio.it [email protected] dalla nostra ditta. e-mail: [email protected] Assistance in English – Richard (00 39) 339 2749177

THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 53 PROPERTY Stone for Building and Ornamental Works

Everyone wants to help the environment and one of the biggest contributions an individual can make is to increase the energy efficiency of his home.

neutral cycle because when wood is FACTS burned it releases only the same amount Wood with of carbon dioxide when burnt as it would no moisture: if it were left to rot. 5.5kW/h per kg Unprocessed means cut and dried Freshly cut with the minimum of energy expended wood: on the process. 1.0kW/h per kg Every time you move a piece of wood it uses fuel and therefore creates a Seasoned Fireplaces Benches carbon footprint. So, when sourcing your wood (2 years): wood always buy locally. Sinks Water Features 4.5kW/h per kg Buying pellets from recycled materials he single biggest change we can is also good for the environment but Shower Trays Letter Boxes make is to reduce the carbon Buying wood remember that the pelleting process T by weight is footprint of our domestic heating and paying for uses energy and the transport to the Door & Window Frames House Signs hot water. water! distributors and to your home is using Carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 valuable energy, too. Again, try to source Tables Monumental Works that is released into the atmosphere as a locally produced pellets. result of changing fuel into energy. Not all of us have access to woodland of heat and release less CO2 into the Current levels of CO2 emission to cultivate our own wood. For those atmosphere than unseasoned wood. are causing severe global weather who do, the most important thing to Open fires look good but are actually The unique partnership of Marco an Angelo make ‘la phenomenon. Coupled with this, the remember is to season wood before inefficient at providing heat. This is natural fuel resources (coal, oil and burning it. because you cannot regulate the airflow, gas - the stored wealth of energy from Seasoned wood is wood which has which means that the wood burns fast Cava di Vellano’ a one stop shop for all your structural and prehistoric times) will run out at the been dried out. Wood should be stored and inefficiently, sending most of the present rate of consumption. We clearly for at least a year before burning. heat up the chimney, along with only ornamental stoneworks. need to be using carbon neutral and The traditional method is to cut a tree partly burnt particles (this is soot) and renewable energy sources as much as and leave it to dry in the open for a year. unburnt gasses (inc. CO2). possible. Then the wood is brought into a covered An easy way to tell if you are burning So, when building or renovating a place, cut and stacked for another year to your fuel efficiently and if it has been From Fireplaces to fountains | Beautifully crafted in stone home, to save you money and to make dry. This wood is well seasoned. It should well seasoned is to look at your chimney you feel good about your environment, burn well, giving an optimum amount – if the smoke is almost see-through Individual designs | Commissions welcome you should seriously consider how it is a great sign of efficiency and good you are going to heat your home in a wood. If the smoke is dark and belchy responsible way. your wood is likely to have a high water The single most environmentally content and there could also be too La Cava di Vellano produces the world famous ‘Pietra Serena’ friendly method to heat your home is much uncontrolled burning happening unprocessed wood. in your fire. which every local will tell you was used on the Brooklyn Bridge! The best systems to install are high There is a second reason to make sure energy efficiency stoves. A wood burning your wood is of optimum dryness. Wet stove with a back boiler to heat water for wood burns and releases large amounts household use and central heating is one of soot up the chimney. This clings to the www.cavanardini.it – quarry 339 5438705 – Marco of the best uses of natural resources. sides and eventually, unless the chimney Wood differs from fossil fuels (oil, coal is cleaned regularly, there is a high risk of www.angeloviola.it – sculpture 347 8225057 – Angelo and gas); it is part of the carbon/carbon the chimney setting on fire.

54 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE To visit the quarry head through Vellano and it is 500m past the village on the left hand side. Property Fairy Cottage Vellano Farmhouse Vellano Terrace Cottage Reduced to €45,000 €250,000 Price €75 000 The 20 msq cottage is Situated just outside the hill town of Vellano. 50 mins to Pisa habitable with a kitchen, airport. 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, new kitchen and double bedroom large open plan dining/living area. and bathroom. All There are further rooms as yet unrenovated which could the original features be converted into a separate 1 bed apartment or extra (wooden beams, accommodation for the main house. exposed stone etc.) Outside there are acres of olive groves & woodland. have been retained. Downstairs there is room for a single sofabed making this home perfect for couples or small families. To the side there is a large, flat terrace with great view - perfect for ‘al fresco’ dining. There is a ‘semi-sunk’ pool on this terrace - perfect for those hot summer days. The Cottage has recently been re-roofed, had wall ties inserted, walls underpinned and foundations redone plus new Situated just off the main square in the heart of this medieval plumbing and electrics installed. hill village. This compact house has been renovated to a There is no phone line but cell phones generally function high standard with chestnut windows, central heating and well at the house. Surrounding the house is an acre+ of well modern bathroom. On three floors, there is a canteena on maintained land, planted with mixed fruit trees, olives and the ground floor, dining kitchen with open fire on the first other ornamental trees. floor and double bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. Just a short walk from the nearby car park this would Colognora Town House make a great Tuscan ‘getaway’ or holiday rental property. Call 00 39 339 2749177 €95,000 Pescia Villa €765,000 An amazingly restored 4 bed country villa/stone house Vellano Town House with stunning views over medieval Pescia with private pool. €140,000 7 acres of olives/fruit trees and woodland. 5 mins walk to market, restaurants etc. Situated in the Centro Storico within the fortified town walls Chef’s dining kitchen, lounge and study/bedroom & of old Vellano. (10 mins drive from the bustling market town bathroom on ground floor. of Pescia. 40 mins from Florence, Pisa and 20 mins from Upstairs 3 double bedrooms and house bathroom. Mater Lucca). The property is over 3 floors. bedroom suite with private terrace. Ground floor - 2 characterful cantinas. 1st floor - kitchen/ Outside terrace for al fresco dining. living area 2nd floor - 3 bedrooms & bathroom. A 1st class investment and a perfect home for those wishing The house has many interesting features (exposed to enjoy the best of Tuscany. stone-work, open fires, cotto floors etc). It has been well maintained and is immediately habitable. Perfect as a HALF PAGE holiday home or rental or for anyone looking to enjoy Tuscan village life. LANDSCAPE…we strolled AD through

A delightful village stone house in need of renovation. Located in the hill village of Colognora above Collodi;the tranquil vinyards and olive famous home of Pinocchio. Lucca is 20 minutes away. The nearest airport is Pisa (50 mins) 180mm wide Ground floor; Cellars and storage rooms (easily converted to accommodation) First Floor: Entrance hall, living area, kitchen, dining room 125mm high Second Floor: 3 main bedrooms, space for en suite groves towards a honey gold bathrooms or house bathroom. Most rooms overlook the valley beyond with superb views and are light and airy. There is a small garden adjoining the house. There is also additional land near the village included in the price (exact abbey half as old aas time… quantity to be confirmed).

Casa del Sole is a house finding service. Visit our website to see more houses from all price ranges. We also produce booklets which help you understand the process of buying a house in Italy and what it is like to live in Tuscany for an ex-pat. (00 39) 339 2749177 Richard – English spoken www.casadelsole.co.uk TRAVEL TRAVEL

Tourism – beating the crisis in 2011 Tuscany has struggled through the credit crisis of 2010. Almost everyone who relies on the tourist industry as their primary source of income reports a serious drop in business last summer. A n gh i a r i rivate holiday villa owners have been Sun Festival in Cortona. There is more Pparticularly hard hit with a reported competition for the reduced number Jonathan Smith shares his passion for the Fairytale town of Anghiari. 50 – 75% reduction in business whilst of travellers who are out there and you hotels are down approximately 20–50%. can rely less on word of mouth because festivities with music and performance art set Anghiari at night Obviously it’s not just accommodation. as business drops there are less people within the romantic backdrop the streets and The knock on effect reaches to to pass on the good word. Advertising in squares of the old town. Classical performances restaurants, bars, service providers specific journals, trade magazines and by the South Bank Sinfonia from London have such as guided tours, rental cars, tourist increasing a good internet presence are become a regular fixture of the festival. shopping: the list is endless. vital to catch the attention of clients. Food looms large in the Tuscan imagination Make sure that people know about and in late October I Centogusti dell’Appennino Who is suffering? your special offers and discounts. Use showcases the best of local produce. A It’s not just Italy. I’m writing this on a flight email and your website to offer early gastronomic fair is laid out in the little shops of from the UK to Alicante. It’s a Saturday in booking savings. It is always sensible to the old town offering visitors the opportunity to the middle of the August holidays and the use this ploy when paying for advertising understand more about local culinary traditions flight should be running at full capacity because it gives you the edge over other and importantly, to ‘try before you buy’. The fair but there are at least 20% of the seats advertisers who may not be offering is also an opportunity for local producers to empty (which is fortunate as my children discounts. expand their markets as it attracts many working are currently using the spare ones as a Certainly in the present financial in the food sector. playground). climate clients are looking for a bargain I have come from a camping holiday so a sensible business person gives their rom the western approaches to Anghiari, “Whilst it gets it’s share of visitors Anghiari hasn’t been hollowed out in Wales, where the owner of our customer what they want and expect. there is a point in the road where many first F by mass tourism and is still very much a lived in, working town. “ delightful bunkbarn accommodation A key point is to make sure that your time visitors are awestruck as the entire town says business has been slow this year. advertising is slick. Remember that good suddenly pops into view as the car rounds a hairpin Indeed, the town is renowned as a centre for There’s so much more that could be written One of my camping companions was photographs are very important. Clients bend. I recently heard a young girl comment to antique and furniture restoration and hosts about Anghiari but it’s better that you go and find from Devon where she runs a beachside “Another expanding rather than tightening her belt have no other way to judge your product her parents that it seems like a scene from the an antiques fair on the thrid Sunday of each out for yourself. Below are a few pointers to help pub and traditional tearooms. Normally good idea is Sophie from the Fiat 500 Touring Club other than how you present it on paper movie Shrek! And it’s true, with it’s colossal walls, month as well as the huge Mostra-Mercato you get the most from your visit. heaving during the summer months, is ‘out of in Florence. “Having a unique product or the internet so make sure that it looks winding stepped streets, tunnels, bell towers dell’Artigianato della Valtiberina at the end she tells me that this year business is the box’ that enough people are interested in is fabulous. and comanding presence over the Tiber valley, of April to promote the work of Anghiarese For accommodation in Anghiari please noticeably slow. advertising all important. In this way you can sit back Another good idea is ‘out of the box’ Anghiari is the quintessence of the of the Tuscan artisans. The famous Busatti textiles are still see the Accommodation Directory at the So the assumption that the exchange such as and let the product do the marketing advertising such as auctioning weeks on hill town. It was here in 1440, on the plain below manufactured in the town as a visit to the uber- back of the magazine. rate has caused people to go on holiday auctioning for you.” Sophie believes that a good eBay, giving all your friends fliers to hand the sturdy fortifications, that the Florentine army stylish Busatti shop will confirm where you can within their own country is wrong. More weeks website, a strong presence on Trip out at work and writing press releases to defeated the Milanese at the Battle of Anghiari. hear the mills running beneath your feet. likely is the theory that people were doing on eBay, Advisor and delivering an excellent your local paper. Invite journalists to try This victory, celebrated by Leonardo da Vinci in A much anticipated date in the town’s without a holiday entirely in 2010. giving all service is the key to success. “We try your service in the quiet months whilst his “lost masterpiece”, is now believed to have calendar is June 29th: the Palio della Where is Anghiari? your friends to be honest with our clients, we make you have time to devote to interviewing. been found behind another fresco in the Palazzo Vittoria which celebrates the battle North east of Arezzo, between the Arno What can we do? fliers to sure they have a good time. We deliver But most of all, the key is a positive Vecchio in Florence. in 1440 and culminates in a race and the Tiber close to the border with Umbria. Some businesses are not struggling hand out at more that they expect and this means mental attitude to your business and Whilst it gets it’s share of visitors Anghiari beginning at sunset with the History: Palazzo del Marzocco, Piazza Mameli - An through the credit crunch. Or at least work and that they spread the word about us. We this only comes if you enjoy what you do. hasn’t been hollowed out by mass tourism and winners awarded the Palio, exhibition related to the battle in 1440. they are very minimally affected. I spoke writing work ridiculously hard. Having your own is still very much a lived in, working town. The or banner, honouring their Shopping: Ravagni Frantoio, Corso Matteotti - Fine oils, to Jan, an owner of two holiday houses press small business means horribly long hours Take heart: neat narrow lanes and spotless squares, ablaze commune. The Anghiari Wine, Vin Santo & olive oil based toiletries all from a local in northern Tuscany, with almost 100% releases to but being small means you are better • 43.7 million tourists with geraniums, jasmine and roses all summer, Festival throughout July estate; Busatti, Via Mazzini - Fantastic fabrics and furnishings, occupancy throughout the summer your local positioned to survive the crunch.” visit Italy each year. conceal art, ceramic, and furniture workshops. and August continues the very appealing design and display. of 2010. What was his secret? “My paper. “ Clever marketing and exploiting your Eating & Drinking: Bar Baldaccio, Piazza Baldaccio - Very houses are with an agency. They do USP (unique selling point) seems to be • 20 million English Anghiari The beautiful streets friendly staff serving excellent pizza and ice-cream at very good all the marketing and have a huge web the way forwards. speaking people visit prices. Giardini del Vicario, Piazza del Popolo - Enjoy a glass of presence plus glossy brochures. They Also, inventive and persistent Tuscany every year prosecco whilst taking in the lovely view from the garden. take a large percentage but ensure that advertising seems to pay off most. “It’s • Tuscany’s tourist Close by and worth a visit: Monterchi, Monte Santa my houses are full to capacity throughout important to advertise your business revenue from English Maria Tiberina, Poppi, Chiusi della Verna, the summer which is worth the money I even more in times of financial trouble,” speaking people per Caprese Michelangelo, Sansepolocro, pay them.” says marketing guru Tristen Hennings Lucignano. Another business owner who is who is in charge of promoting the Tuscan year is €7 billion.

58 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 59 TRAVEL NEWS & GATHERINGS

Two Beautiful holiday homes in Tuscany ½ price over Our cosy bed and Christmas and New Year!!! breakfast in Tuscany Amazing views | Full Central Heating | Groups & Gatherings The Tuscan Magazine We welcome you into our 16th century Log Fires | 1 hr to: Pisa, Florence, Skiing | is delighted to 30 mins to Lucca | 1.5 hr to Siena Lucca traditional Tuscan home. Set in a delightful What: Lucca Expats and Friends Meet Up Group introduce the new When: Regular social events medieval hilltop village. Tranquil but not Casa Where: Lucca - www.meetup.com/The-Lucca- isolated. Ideally situated. Expats-Friends-Meetup-Group Contact: Marlene - [email protected] Tuscan We offer great hospitality, lovely accommodation What: Tiddlywinks International Playgroup When: Tuesday 16 – 18.00, Thursday 10 – 12.00 Verde Where: Lucca, Piazza San Gregorio 4. and the possibility to savor all things Tuscan. Directory Contact: Zara Nelson 347 559 0911 Where: Camiaore - Centro Civico Seimiglia, Everything you need The Dream Goes on Orbicciano When: Every Wednesday 4 – 6pm for your house or in Tuscan Hospitality, Contact: Lorena 348 540 3498 What: Cittadini del Mondo a Lucca holiday in Tuscany. Art, Culture & Fine Food When: Friday Night 6pm meet for aperitivo Where: Lucca – various bars – call to confirm The Tuscan Directory offers excellent value venue advertising, promoting your product to the Contact: [email protected] 0583 1806099 world. If you would like to advertise in the Florence Directory please email 10-14 2-4 [email protected] For info and brochure What: Florence Family network people people When: regular play groups and meet ups or call Richard on +39 3392749177 Phone. 39 0572 409065 or Cell 39 3388255245 Where: Florence – www.firenzemoms4moms.net Contact: Kim [email protected] E.mail: [email protected] €100 €50 What: American International League of Florence per night per night When: 1st Tuesday of every month Where: British Institute Library - Florence Contact: [email protected] +39 055 8547951 Cooking Together Small group cooking lessons and

email for more details and photos. HOME SERVICES Pisa personal home-chef services in the Italian and English spoken [email protected] What: Pub Quiz in English When: Every 1st & 3rd Tuesday Lucca area. Specialising in authentic, Where: The Nelson Tavern, 64 Scali d’Azeglio, traditional and seasonal recipes using nowTaking for Christmas bookings Livorno Contact : Marino 348 748 2789 local and organic ingredients. & New Years Eve What: La Spezia Playgroup When: Friday 10am – email to confirm • Cooking Lessons - Immerse yourself in the rich Italian Where: La Spezia – Children’s Waterfront traditions with a cooking lesson in your own home Playground • Cooking for Kids - Children love creating their own Contact: Lynda [email protected] pizzas & cutting out their own biscotti. Great party idea! • Personal Chef at Home - We will cook a special meal Classifieds for you in your own home, taking care of everything from Tenuta San Pietro is a top class hotel and restaurant the shopping to the presentation of the food. Sit back FOR SALE and enjoy… in the hills overlooking Lucca Vintage clothing collection for sale by private English spoken, friendly chefs collector. Over 60 pieces, 1930’s-1980’s, day The ideal location for a romantic dinner on the panoramic terrace or Fully catered weekends in our beautiful en-suite and evening wear, bags (including Bellestone and [email protected] or a weekend of relaxation by the pool and superb Italian food. Guillot), hats and accessories - selling as a block call +39 340 862 6615 bedrooms cost only €295 per couple. Italian holiday or individual pieces. Price to be agreed. Part of Tenuta San Pietro is also the perfect place for weddings and parties. Please contact Valentina collection visible in catalogue at www.saperi.net/ We have an on-site event organiser to fulfill your every need. (who has perfect English) for more information. teresas-collection. Email [email protected] apartment or call (+39) 340 862 6615 for more information or We also organise cookery courses, oil and wine tastings and even to view. olive picking vacations. between Florence & Pisa WORK • The Renaissance Management & marketing Anglo-Italian couple with extensive experience HOME SERVICES • Relaxation in tourism (small group incoming operations, agriturism management & marketing) seeks Conserve • Walking collaboration with B&B or agriturism to manage or co-manage, launch, relaunch or run. Cookery Courses • Culture Languages - English, Italian, Swedish, French. Country-lovers, CV & references available. Would you like to learn how Visit Our Holiday Rental Property at: Email [email protected] or call (+39) 340 to make jams and marmalades www.tuscanyholidays-casaverde.com 862 6615 out of your own produce or Part-time Music Education those gleaned from the Tuscan Read Our Casa Verde blog at: Seeking singer/dancer who is high energy countryside? www.tuscanyholidays-casaverde.com/blog and loves children to teach infants, toddlers, I can come to your home (bringing all preschoolers and parents in music and the necessary equipment) and instruct movement classes. Must speak Italian and Telephone us on: English. Training available. Send resume you in the art of Italian preserve (+39) 0572 409143 and cover letter with related experience to: cookery.English/German/Italian Telephone 0583.926676 - 392.989.24.97 [email protected] spoken professional lady cook. See Casa Verde on Please submit your Group or Gathering for listing to: or visit www.tenuta-san-pietro.com Facebook @ ‘casaverde’ [email protected] [email protected] +39 3205713506

60 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 61 DIRECTORIES DIRECTORIES

Visit Beautiful Tuscany! OFFICINA Less than an hour Fattorini Vegetarian B&B with self to International S.R.L. HOME SERVICES HOME SERVICES HOME SERVICES ACCOMMODATION catering apartments in ACCOMMODATION Pisa Airport the ACCOMMODATION LAVORAZIONE IN FERRO Keep Warm this Winter peaceful, country setting unspoiled Apuan “Everything you near the medieval hilltown of Alps awaits you. need for your home Woodburning Anghiari in Tuscany. Florence, Lucca, Bagni Di Lucca Spa, Beaches, Marble Two traditional Tuscan farmhouses in Mtns, hiking, horseback, Pinocchio Park, Olives, in Tuscany.” stoves and logs private gardens with a pool. Chestnuts, Wineries-chose your tour and have a ball... Centrally positioned with Florence, Siena, or do nothing! Local English tour guide also available. Wood & Pellet Burning fires, in stock now Montespertoli, Tuscany -Casa Alina – Arezzzo, Cortona and Gubbio within easy Call to book your reservation! 2 bedroom, 1 bath plus stoves, ovens & boilers. Vast extra twin-sleeps five. Refrigerator, gas stove top, Individually Designed Delivery available 2bd/2bth 12thc. Villa, 30 km to Florence driving distance. Vegan and gluten free range of white goods and fireplace, woodheater, linens. Metal Work and Siena, 20 min to San Gimignano, catered for. accessories. Bottled Gas Via Mammianese 159 €375 per week or can negotiate a Gates, Fencing, Security Grills, eat-in gourmet kitchen, antiques, VIEWS! Tel +39 0575 422010 long term month to month rental Balconies, Spiral Staircases, Delivery anywhere Pietrabuona Winter Special $675/USD per week! Mobile +39 331 5079131 Bespoke commissions welcome www.casaalina.com www.vegetarianbandbtuscany.com US Cell: +1 (423) 593-8713 Via F. Parri 6, 51010 Pescia Via Cairoli Benedetto, 11. 0572 408067 (401)225.9157 [email protected] [email protected] Daniele: +39 3395708055 [email protected] Pescia +39 0572 476501 [email protected] Sh t Happens * Blocked Drains Cleared HOME SERVICES HOME SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS MISCELLANEOUS ACCOMMODATION ACCOMMODATION Sceptic Tanks Emptied Water Delivered for Home, Garden or Swimming Pools Residential Summer Schools New Season Escavazioni 2000 Top UK boarding schools hosting Accommodation on a beautiful, working Umbrian Stunningly restored 4 Organic | Extra Virgin international language & adventure farm. Near to the historic town of Assisi Earth Moving & Excavation weeks throughout summer 3x self catering holiday homes taking 2-4 guests bed country villa (sleeps Cold Pressed each. The entire accommodation can be booked for Building & Road Works Hand Picked | Olive Oil • Children from 9yrs upwards • a group of up to 10 guests. 10) with private pool. Drainage & Concreting Highly experienced and qualified staff • Owners are American and Italian and always on hand to help. Internet access. Terrace and BBQ. Available from December Distance no object. Pick up point at Pisa airport • Close to shops, supermarkets and restaurants Limited quantities - order now • Fully escorted travel – or drop them off yourself • etc. Ideal as touring base for Tuscany www.brigolante.com Del Ministro s.n.c • Learning and Fun combined • 1.5 litres : €15 + p&p Via Ponte dei Marchi 11 Pescia +39 0572 409172 +39 3932095364 or , +39-075-802250 [email protected] +39 0572 476398 | 335 5333425 + 39 3393822760 [email protected] [email protected] Skype Name: brigolante [email protected] www.casadelsole.co.uk [email protected] [email protected] www.learnexperience.co.uk

Athena’s Gift – An Olive Harvest By Anneliese Rabl Giovanni Bottle L iterature L iterature L iterature

MISCELLANEOUS Salvatori MISCELLANEOUS wholesalers MISCELLANEOUS Thinking about living in Italy? COMMERCIO CONTENITORI IN VETRO ...unveiling the heart of Italy Downloadable pdf books: Huge selection of everyday and Illustrated and packed full of all the information designer bottles for olive oil, Beautiful events, weddings and you need from the experts in Tuscan Living. parties wine, jams, honey etc in Tuscany and Italy Italian Artwork | Artists Materials | Unique villas, farmhouses, castles and The Definitive Guide to buying a property in Italy: £2.25 A Taste of Tuscany Autobiographical story of an olive harvest, an Picture Framing | Fast and Efficient Service Wholesale prices - exquisite hotels essential part of Tuscan life and a perfect way to A Social Guide to Living in Italy: £1.50 | Large Exhibition area | Regular local, 26 special Tuscany recipes from crostini The Right ‘Good Life’ Property: £2.00 Direct to the public describe these deep-rooted, tough and cheerful national and international exhibitions UK +44 (0)7876 115692 - to cantucci, introduced through amusing people. It includes information on olives, olive oil, Italy +39 333 5072195 short stories. By Anneliese Rabl olive oil tasting, olive oil in skin care, food & magic... Buy all three of the above for just £4.50 Open Monday to Saturday Via SS.Lucchese, 373/5/7 [email protected] Via Amendola, 85 Pescia Zone - Capannori (LU) www.joellemarie.co.uk Available to buy online. €10.00 inc P&P Available to buy online €10.00 inc P&P www.casadelsole.co.uk/literature_shopping.php [email protected] [email protected] or email [email protected] 0572 476235 Tel: 0583 927407 www.lucavetro.it events . weddings . parties

62 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 63 Se vuoi che il tuo business raggiunga tutti i possibili clienti che COMPETITIONS parlano inglese hai la possibilità di promuovere la tua attività nel l’unica rivista italiana in lingua inglese distribuita gratuitamente.

THE La puoi trovare gratuitamente in ogni luogo in Toscana WinWinWin Hotel • Agriturismo • Ristorante • Spa • Golf Club • Bar • Aeroporto Win a meal for 2 Gli Scozzese Restaurant at La Costa near Pescia is offering a free romantic meal for 2 at their beautiful restaurant. (See page 18 for details of the restaurant) Simply answer this question: What is the Italian word for winter?

Please send your entries to [email protected] Win a case of wine Campo alla Sughera is giving away a case of their outstanding wine to one lucky Tuscan Magazine reader. This offer is only open to those who can pick up the wine from Lucca, Florence or from the vineyard itself (Livorno province) To enter this competition send your answers to the question below to [email protected] Traditionally Grappa is drunk to: A: Make you go blind B: Close your palette C: Help you sleep Funziona! Advertising with THE FREE Ski Tuscany The Tuscan Magazine works! We check out Abetone: the ski capital of Tuscany Gabriele Corcos is under the Tuscan Gun Discover Anghiari plus Where to eat Where to shop Expert advice

Proud Media partners with

La puoi ricevere anche in abbonamento in tutto il mondo e puoi consultarla on-line gratuitamente all’indirizzo web Contact/contatti: Richard Turnbull on www.thetuscanmagazine.com +39 3392749177 | [email protected] | www.thetuscanmagazine.com Contatti: Richard Turnbull (00 39) 339 2749177 [email protected] THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE | 65 COMPETITIONS Destination Lucca

Luxury self-catering holiday accommodation in the historic centre of Lucca photo “The food, the wine, the art, the music will penetrate your soul and stay with you forever. Words cannot describe Winners just how special Lucca is. Hire a bike and ride around the streets, stop for a coffee, shop at a deli, buy some fresh competition bread, walk the Walls and enjoy the view - the sights, the smells, the sounds - you will not be disappointed.” Send your photos and captions to: [email protected]

What you lookin’ at David?’ The winner of last issues photo competition was Brian Haley from London

Join The Tuscan Magazine team and other readers on Anne Ridgeway (UK) and Christie our Facebook page for fun facts, extra Wanamaker (USA) were delighted to win free Tuscany info. and tickets to the ballet at the Cortona ‘Tuscan all sorts of amusing Sun Festival’ in last issues prize draw. anecdotes from Italy.

Subscribe to

THE

FREE TTM and ensure Ski Tuscany We check out Abetone: the ski capital of Tuscany that you never Gabriele Corcos is under the Destination Lucca specializes in luxury apartment accommodation in Lucca’s centro storico Tuscan Gun miss a copy (historic centre). We have a range of apartments varying in size and style, most with a terrace. Discover Anghiari plus TTM is printed four Give The Tuscan Magazine We have everything from a small studio apartment (which is a great alternative to a B&B) to a huge Where to eat times a year. subscription as a gift – worldwide. Destination Where to shop four bedroom apartment (sleeping up to ten adults). Full details can be seen on the Expert advice Lucca website (www.destinationlucca.com) or check out our five star reviews on TripAdvisor. Keep friends and family 1 year subscription: outside Tuscany up to date with Proud Media partners with what is happening. €15.00 Italy €18.00 Europe Fondazione o o Festival % f % f Pucciniano 40 F 5 F | | FASHION & SHOPPING BODY & SOUL €25.00 USA | HOMES & GARDENS FOOD & DRINK | FAMILY MATTERS | PLUS LOTS MORE | | PROPERTY Pay only minimal P&P to have | ADRENALINE | TRAVEL BUSINESS & FINANCE this winter in 2011 SOCIETY TTM delivered to your door. €26.00 Rest of World Winter Special: 40% off weekly and short term Mention this add and receive a 5% reduction on all Log onto www.thetuscanmagazine.com and click on ‘SUBSCRIBE’ rental (see the website for full details) 2011 bookings (for bookings confirmed by end 2010) Or write to us, enclosing a cheque and the destination address for the subscription: TTM, Sarah Fraser, Via Speri 1, Pescia – PT, 51017, Italia www.destinationlucca.com | contact: [email protected] tel: +39 333 671 4853 or tel/fax: +39 0583 48295 66 | THE TUSCAN MAGAZINE Piazza dei Servi, 7 Lucca, Tuscany