It’s no secret that this summer’s heat wave has hit us quite hard, while 2014 offered a more mild, rainy season – this year we have been reminded of what an Italian summer can consist of. And yes, it can get really, truly, hot. Besides hitting the pool (like our pretty snazzy one above) we have a few ideas on how and where to keep cool.  (more…)

The Mugello valley is home to many interesting towns, churches and even happens to be the birthplace of the Medici family. Since Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort is located here, we want to share all that we love about this vast, fascinating history. Exploring small town life is one of the best pleasures travelers get from hiding away in this area of Tuscany.  (more…)

As the weather gets hotter, we always have a craving for something fresh. While gelato is a delight, there are also many Italian delights that you might never have heard of. While this specific treat is native to Sicily, we enjoy a refreshing coffee granita by the pool quite often these days, plus its made from high-quality Italian espresso which means you can’t go wrong with flavor.  (more…)

Wiggly, long, re-filled, flat – there are a million different ways you can find pasta (or people) in Italy. Every region has their own specialties and Tuscany is no different. We are proud of all that can be done with a bit of flour, egg, water and patience, in our restaurant L’Olivaia, we are constantly trying new recipes and playing around with Italian traditions. For our post of the week, we wanted to share our top three types of pasta that hail from ‘Under The Tuscan Sun.’ 

1. The beautiful, the versatile — Pappardelle

This pasta is one of our favorites, especially in the autumn months when there are so many interesting, and hearty sauces to serve with it. The shape of the pasta itself resembles it’s sister, tagliatelle, broad and large flat pasta – made with olive oil, flour and water. We typically serve this with a wild boar or mushroom sauce, but we like to mix it up with duck and any sort of ragu that compliments the texture of this pasta.

2. Hometown Hero — Potato-filled Tortelli

We hardly could write a post about Italian pasta and not mention the born-in-the-mugello favorite that is potato-filled tortelli. The dough is made with salt, eggs and flour and filled with mashed potatoes. A very filling dish, it is typically served in the winter months with complimentary sauces such as butter & sage, or any kind of Tuscan ragu. (pictured above).

3. Pici – A ‘Thicker’ Version of Spaghetti

Once you have tried pici, your life is almost automatically guaranteed to change. Why? It’s thick texture is unforgettable even if the pasta itself is only made with olive oil, flour and water. Originally, this hailed from the Siena area and you can serve it with a variety of sauce, though we like a very simple tomato and basil sauce, and maybe throw in a few anchovies for fun.