Category Archives: Italy

Childhood Holidays

Posted on 11 August 2016 by sheg4184

My father found her hanging around outside the Australian Embassy on the Strand in London, just after Christmas 1975. She was already quite elderly, and ran out of puff at the mere mention of a hill. We called her Bella. … Continue reading →

Posted in England, Italy, Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Childhood Holidays

“I can see clearly now…”

Posted on 11 June 2016 by sheg4184

Last weekend, in a bustling café on a boulevard in the south of France, I watched two trays of Aperol Spritz heading to neighbouring tables, where diners were keen to kick off with a little splash of sunshine before brunch. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, France, Italy | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “I can see clearly now…”

Dreaming of Tuscany…

Posted on 15 November 2013 by sheg4184

Italy: the land of art, architecture and ancient culture, poetry, pasta and wine; of long, lazy, summer lunches at rough wooden tables strewn with wine bottles and the detritus of a simple feast; of broad, shady terraces overlooking vine-draped hills … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, Italy, Philippines | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Una Notte in Italia

Posted on 4 September 2012 by sheg4184

School went back in August, which means we are back to horrendously early starts, long afternoons of soccer practices and weekends chock-a-block with rugby. If there is a spare moment, the boys are out in the back room madly killing … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Italy, Philippines | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Una Notte in Italia

A Splash of Heaven

Posted on 23 August 2012 by sheg4184

When we left Florence this summer, I had secreted a bottle of twelve year old balsamic vinegar I had bought in the Mercato Centrale. Wrapped tightly in a pair of jeans and tucked into the bottom of my suitcase, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, Italy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gelato: a truly Italian invention

Posted on 20 August 2012 by sheg4184

“Filipinos are not settling anymore for the commercialized, not-so-yummy, imported brands [of ice cream]” according to Filipino blogger Anton Diaz in his popular blog ‘Our Awesome Planet’. And indeed I have watched with fascination as local entrepreneurs create their own … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, Italy, Philippines | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gelato: a truly Italian invention

An End to the Affair

Posted on 11 August 2012 by sheg4184

I first went to Florence on a decidedly pedestrian bus tour in the mid-1980s. We struck it lucky with the most magical tour guide, however, an English expatriate who was besotted with Florentine art. Sadly, I don’t even remember her … Continue reading →

Posted in Italy, Local Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Culinary Mosaic

Posted on 18 July 2012 by sheg4184

‘Italy, the country with a hundred cities and a thousand bell towers, is also the country with a hundred cuisines and a thousand recipes. Its great variety of culinary practices reflects a history long dominated by regionalism and political division, … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, Italy, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Culinary Mosaic

To Taormina, with love…

Posted on 21 June 2012 by sheg4184

Almoezia. A three star B&B on Sicily’s east coast. A broad sunny terrace flanked with colourful pots overlooks the coast from Siren’s Bay to Capo Sant’Alessio on one side, and the seemingly inaccessible mountain top town of Castel Mola on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Wine, Italy, Local Culture, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on To Taormina, with love…

Wannabe Italiani

Posted on 13 June 2012 by sheg4184

Most people travel to Florence to experience the Renaissance art and architecture, which is undeniably superb. Guide books warn  about avoiding astronomically lengthy queues to the main tourist attractions by purchasing tickets in advance. We simply avoided the tourist attractions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Food & Wine, Italy, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wannabe Italiani