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The Fontodi winery has a fabulous villa overlooking the vineyards in Panzano.. ( it is not private, there are other units) I can give you more info on the area if you like.. There are also some other fabulous estates in the area with private villa's.. it is halfway between Florence and Siena.. in the heart of Chianti Classico

depends what kind of lardo you are making.. the collonatta style is pork fatback ( I believe) with little or no "meat" the whiter the better.. It is salted, spiced and aged in marble boxes.. The there is whipped lard, Burro di Chianti that Dario Cecchini makes..and in that style.. as for Nduja here is a site. that gives a general idea.. if you need help with the Italian, let me know

look for NEWl in wine shops! In Rome I enjoy winebars, lots of young people and lighter meals! Try Cul de Sac Piazza del Pasquino, 73 and Hosteria dell’ Orso 80 via del Orso,33 for a fabulous Antipasto meal! In January I ate at Ditirambo Piazza della Cancelleria, 74 and loved it, hear they also opened a new little pizza place across the road too! Gusto,Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 9 loved eating here too, they ahve a bistro, or a buffet, or a restaurant.. lot's of locals. WAnted to try this, but didn't get there the last time Obiko mozzarella bar Piazza di Firenze, Angolo Via Dei Prefetti

I was only in Senigallia for a short time..and had so much fun exploring Moreno's food...and some other smaller places, that I couldn't do another michelin star place. I did go and read the menu at Uliasse and it looked very nice and will go on my next trip. As far as price, I found Madonnina to be in the norm for a high quality meal, and much less than a similar place in Florence! It think we spent about $200 euro ( tasting menu 80 per person plus wine and extra dessert and I bought his book Susci) WE had excellent service, it was not stuffy , staff dressed in a casual elegance! I am originally from California and loved the style, I ahve also eaten at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence and found it a little too stuffy for my style. When I ate there about 4 years ago it was 2,000 lira for four of us ( with 2 bottles of Pergole Torte 1988.

Moreno Cedroni, of Madonnina del Pescatore is president of the Young Chefs Organization.. is place is outside Senigallia on the Road to Ancona.. FABULOUS.. also in town there is a small stand ANIKO where you can get snacks, and also buy his products, infused oil. I adore the clementine oil.. and also his canned foods.. the monkfish tripe.. guy has a great sense of humor and respect for food..and is so creative! I don't know if his third Venue is open in the Winter.. called CLandestino, a beach place that turns into a wine bar.. cigars and more! I didn't get to Uliasse, but saw the menu.. looks fabulous!

Since your book covers only the north.. ( and we are all waiting for the south) what are your favorites now?

last winter I went to chocolate school and did carmels with chocolate and topped with sea salt.. loved it! also did a solid red pepper jelly stick( like the old orange ones) in chocolate.. chocolate dipped red chili peanut brittle.. I quess living in Italy I get cravings for some of the old American favorites.. but here is my Wild Boar in Chocolate sauce!!! Sort of a Tuscan Mole!

here in Florence we also have quite a large truffle production from San Miniato and from San Giovanni D'asso near Siena. I have had truffles twice now.. can't help using them in class, it is such a fun product to use. We made potato gnocchi and grated fresh white truffles into butter,melted it in a pan over hot water, drained the gnocchi into the butter and added a tiny bit of the cooking water..and some grated 4 year old Parmigiano RISERVA from BONAT.. Simply Fabulous.. I am not good at slicing the truffles and use my microplaner instead! The truffles are nutty..earthy and I paid about 50 Euros today for a walnut sized one.. there were 8 of us for lunch.. so as a per person cost.. not bad..

PerhapsI am biased. but think on the whole it is easier to eat good food in Florence than in Rome. I went to a market in Rome at Ponte Milvio, that is also supposed to have a pre christmas market ( objects... not food) that I really liked. Remember for the holidays that lunch is the big meal, not dinner and that the day after is also a holiday! I have a rather long list of places I like in rome if you would like to email me.

Saw Terra Madre onm TV today.. what a fabulous place.. the true UN of food! Hope this really brings the focus of the importance if OGM free food. They also had a meeting in Tuscany and are setting regulations to have OGM free zones in Italy.I am sure soon we will road signs like for nuclear free!

Here in Italy.. I find that the flour is low in protein.. the O flour is not bread flour..and hence absorbs less water.. loaves look great! how's your ciabatta?

Sorry I can't make it this year... Last show I really enjoyed the section that was food from Italy's national parks.. including eel, salt, aged beef... the presido's are in their own section... It is much better than the first time..when sardines were next to chocolates! I have never attended the organized tastings.. there was so much to see and taste.. I did stay in Torino..and have a couple of great meals, saw the market. ate chocolate! and walked!!! It is like trying to see all the Louvre or Uffizi in one day. Pace your self... go outside for air every once in a while.. take notes! gather brochures... ENJOY! I am jealous! The Salone del Gusto alternates with a Tuscan SLOW FOOD event.. so will catch that next year.. so much to taste.. so little time

Being an honest observor... I should have said in Tuscany.. I live here in FLorence...and also outside in the countryside Certaldo. Most everyone I know has pasta a small 80 gr portion for lunch and dinner. Myself... I eat with my students in class, where we almost always do a pasta..and then don't have pasta for dinner... but my husband will. Another friend that works all day, has over 10 types of pasta at home, because she doesn't know what kind of sauce she wants for dinner..so covers her bases. I do think that Italy is changing... no longer the long lunch ..so no going home to mamma... fast foods and the winebars are offereing new alternatives to the Menu fisso. When I first moved here in 1984, workers would all come in for lunch... perhaps a 10,000 lira meal ( then $5) and would get a plate a pasta ( 80 gr) and a main course with veggie ( 100 gr of meat), fruit wine, water and coffee.I still see this in the local trattoria's where workers go. same size portions.. same menu.. before in restaurants and trattoria's, only full meals were served.. with the euro now.. doubling the prices... you can just order one course. Most tourists, that would be pasta.... they have also put large salads on as a meal. I see stores open on Sundays..no more Sunday lunches??? I am sorry to have generalized... Scarpetta being a professional chef.. how many clients order a meal with out a primo? or do they have soup or rice or polenta instead?

In Florence Italy.. we serve a hot chocolate... made thick.. by adding chopped chocolate pieces...and they melt in the milk.. perhaps if you used Ice cream...and the chocolate..and heat it.. it is a hot shake??? We also do a ice cream and expresso.. but the ice cream cools down the expresso and we drink it cold. the recipes are on my site.. Good luck!

I don't want Russ to send me to my room!!! But I have been living in Florence Italy for 20 years, am married to an Italian.. MOST Italians have dry pasta twice a day. once for lunch and once for dinner. an 80-100 gram portion as a first course. Light lunch menu's will have pasta, meat ( also a 100-150 gram portion) with veggie for lunch.. about 10 Euro. Fresh pasta is usually held to Sunday lunch, weddings and big parties as it is hard to digest and makes one sleepy! not good to eat when you need to get back to work. Those who can't go home for lunch ( in a recent research.. 79% of Italians go home for lunch) may only eat a sandwich ...but mom will always have pasta! Buon appetito!

I know there is a place called Eau Vive.. run by french nuns.. don't think the Pope eats there, but hear it is fun! If you can. stay for the Befana festivities.. January 6th.. that was traditionally when Italian kids get their toys.. from the Befana( witch) if you are bad you get coal in your stockings.. in Piazza NAvona you can get stocking filled with candy.. or Coal ( black sugar, looking like coal!) and see the Befana!

Most Italians eat dry pasta twice a day.. DeCecco and Barilla probably being the most available. At the Coop grocery store in Tuscany now.. we have a Tuscan Wheat Pasta that I adore! To me Latini is starchy on the whole, I like the Senatore Cappelli a lot, Pasta from Gragnano is great ( Setaro is made there) many producers have their pasta's made there and then private label it. In Chianti there is a great producer Fabbri.. and of course the Calabrian pasta's are now some of the up and coming favorites.. the hard wheat pasta's,bronze dies and drying techniques differ so much.. it is like comparing apples and oranges at times. My Italian best friend probably has about 10 types of pasta at anytime as she never knows what sauce she wants..and that is how she chooses the pasta she will use! I do adore the flavor of Setaro pasta though, a favorite with Napolitano's! and when we look at what we spend to eat out.. it amazes me when people complain about ingredient costs.. Even traditional balsamic vinegar is only a $1.00 per person cost! 100ml is about 100 portions $100 per bottle..Traditional only cost around 45-48 euro in Florence... great deal!

ORE.. are your classes in Italian? are you coming to Florence before you leave.. I adopt young students!

been offline for awhile.. blew up my computer screen in a storm! OOPS and try getting things fixed in Italy in August!!! would like to correct myself.. yes pesche noce are nectarines... ORE...Congrats on getting fennel pollen harvested.. but you may want to save it for yourself!!! I have had the BISOL prosecco it is lovely and inexpensive!!! had it at the Wine Academy in Rome, right at the Spanish stairs..a fun place!

with that budget sounds easy.. write to me via my site!

Pesche noce are peaches..and peaches are Pesche There are the fabulous white peaches, and traditional yellow ones too!

To attend SLOW FOOD you don't need to be a member... the admission is cheaper if you are a member.

I live here in FLorence and will be glad to help.. more info please.. budget..how fancy..time

Thank god for Julia's wonderful love for food.. be it classic french cooking or a fish taco! My IACP memories of Julia are also one of a generous, nice woman....but isn't that what food should really be about.. nurishing ones heart and soul as well as feeding hunger. MERCI!

here is my panforte recipe and My ricciarelli recipe ( the foto was tweeked by my web guy, the aren't pointy!!! Enjoy! I adore the black pepper in the panforte..and the chocolate powder makes it dark or not.. The fabulous Droghe Toscane, used for the flavouring , are similare to pumpkin pie spice, but better.. cinnamon, mace. nutmeg, coriander and more! There are several blends, they are also used by butchers for seasoning sausages and I use mine in my ragu... tomatoless... as in pre-Columbus !!!