Cooking in the Countryside

Another busy week leaves so much to say & little time to do it {or little motivation to acutally do so}. In fact, just before I posted this my computer charger caught on fire and my battery is on the verge of dying thanks to a power outage while my laptop was plugged in. But now that my rant is over, yesterday's excursion deserves a bit of unrestricted space so brace yourself, I wrote like my autobiography is being published tomorrow...

From the time planning began last year, cooking in the countryside topped my Italian adventure wishlist. Naturally, the chance to cook with esteemed Tuscan food blogger,Giulia Scarpaleggia of Jul's Kitchen would be the cherry on top. Giulia's blog introduced me to the joys of Italian cooking so I was ecstatic when she graciously extended a welcome to come cook with her! Giulia recently started offering private cooking lessons in her  family's {BEAUTIFUL} restored villa, I Tigli, in Colle di Val D'Elsa, a medieval town that is everything you dreamed the Tuscan countryside would be.

Gusta Gnocchi

The more I settle, the more I want to explore! Unfortunately it was a bit rainy this weekend which forced me to learn to do laundry {they do things a little different in Italy} & fight with my gas stove top that wouldn't light. I wasn't able to figure out the stove and my clothes ended up soaking wet, even after I had watched two YouTube videos & used Google translate to translate all the knob.

Let down by my American ways, I left the apartment {after it stopped raining} and ventured across the Arno for the promise of good pizza {thanks Allyson for the tip!}. It was a beautiful night and had cooled down to the high 70's. Walking from the city center where I live to the bridges that cross the Arno is quite the shift. On the other side of the Arno things are a bit more peaceful and trees fill the hillsides. I {LOVE} being in the center of the city and having everything at my fingertips {including listening to the bells of Santa Croce ring as I type} but sometimes escaping across the water is a nice change.