portico

portico is italian for porch, or covered terrace. we are fortunate to have an expansive portico off many rooms of the tuscany house. in the summer it serves as the principal living room. we eat, play and drink there on a daily basis. when building the house spending time outside was a top priority so we wanted to make sure we created an area that could facilitate those moments even when the temperatures dropped. enter outdoor fireplace stage left. 

surprisingly this took a lot of persuading to get permission from the commune of siena, where we had to apply for all approvals during construction. while pizza ovens are a norm, outdoor fireplaces are not. i think the authorities that be were concern it was our way of setting up an area which we would later close up and do what they call an abuso, or an illegal addition to the house. we were eventually able to technically call this a bbq and it passed. here she is in all her glory, our favorite spot on an autumn evening, by the fire on the portico. rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves in the distance. i had dreams of roasting marshmallows with the kids, but so far we've only gotten as far as red wine and the occasional dinner. 

here was the same are after a little rearranging. we moved around the couches and some nearby table to create a fireside dining spot when a couple of friends joined us for dinner. 

and yes, we are still missing the second hanging light on the right. it a saying that everyone knows and for good reason, whatever you haven't completed by move in, will most likely take another ten years to complete! 

Coffee in rome

if you are around piazza di spagna and in the mood for a quick coffee or snack then i highly suggest you pop into la buvette. it is located just off via del babuino on the cobble stoned street of via vittoria. a jewelry box of a a cafe with limited seating inside and out. they have great coffee and munchies, try it for breakfast or lunch. if you go early just after school drop off time you will be engulfed in a wave of chic italian and french mommies who have just dropped their kids off at the nearby italian private schools and french lycee. you will have to fight them for a spot, but you'll squeeze in some great people watching while you wait your turn!

                                     

la buvette
Via Vittoria, 22  00187 Rome
066 790383

zero kilometer shopping in rome

if you're in the north of rome and looking for a good organic fruit and veg shop look no furthur. la capra rampante is about a year old and aside from being cute as a button it is also very well stocked. i have found that it has the nicest and most consistent supply of fresh organic fruits and vegetables along with a solid array of dried goods and house cleaning and beauty staples. baby c and her rolls are a great testament to how yummy their products taste. happy shopping!

la capra rampante

via Donatello, 65 - Roma (Quartiere Flaminio)

tel. 06 94359365 · fax 06 94359366

e-mail: info@lacaprarampante.com

terra etrusca

yesterday my husband and i found ourselves in the car with no kids and an hour to kill before lunch at tullio in capalbio. we decided to drop by an organic market, restaurant, b&b place called terra etrusca. it opened a few years ago and specializes in farm to table produce. 

entering from the road there is ample parking, nice views and lush gardens

inside you find whatever they have in production, depending on season and avaliabilty. when we walked in they had just received a big, gorgeous box of little strawberries fresh from the fields. we served them for desert with a sprinkle of sugar and lemon juice. divine. 

they also have a small but valid selection of homemade sauces and canned veggies, jams, oils and local wines. all 100% bio and produced within a stones throw of the shop.

Terra Etrusca S.a.r.l.

Via Piemonte, 6

58011 Capalbio Stazione (GR)

tel. +39 0564 898699

fax +39 0564 1882001

info@terraetrusca.it

super easy spicy tuna pasta with rocket and lemon

When I first moved to Rome 11 years ago, the only person I knew was my husband. I didn't speak a word of Italian beyond Ciao, so in an effort to fill my first days, I signed up for a week long cooking course with local ex-pat Diane Seed.  Truthfully I only remember one recipe from that course, but it's good, simple and quick one, the best kind! As soon the weather warms up, this is the perfect dish on the terrace with a glass of cold white wine. 

Ingredients:

1 box of linguine 

1-2 can or jar of good Italian tuna, buy the best you can

1 big handful of washed and roughly chopped wild rocket

the juice of 2 lemons

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2-3  whole dry red chili peppers (more or less depending on taste)

a splash of extra-virgin olive oil

To make:

1.) heat your oil on a medium flame with the garlic and chili peppers.

2.) as soon as the garlic starts to change color, add the drained tuna and stir while cooking over a low fire.

3.)remove the pan from the flame and place to the side while you cook the pasta. you can also remove the red chili now, as their spice will have already been absorbed by the tuna, garlic and oil mixture. 

4.)add your linguini to boiling slated water. make sure to take it out about 2 minutes less than what it says on the box! 

5.)once the pasta is done, drain it and add to the pan holding the tuna mixture and mix together while over a low flame. 

6.)squeeze the 2 lemons over the pasta and toss in the rocket, mixing it together. 

7.)remove the pan from the stove and mix well with wooden spoon and serve immediately!

Enjoy!