One of my all-time favourite comfort foods is Pappa al Pomodoro and we make it about every other week, usually when we have too much bread that is not going to be eaten.  Thomas loves it (no surprise there) but Matteo has decided that he doesn’t like it even if I smother it with parmesan […]

HAPPY NEW YEAR! January Issue of This Tuscan Life is now available for download. [ebook_store ebook_id=”5045″] January is the month of fashion in Florence with the historical Pitti Immagine trade shows.  An incredible time to be in the city and observe all of the best fashionistas, bloggers and influencers strutting their latest looks.  We cover the […]

December Issue of This Tuscan Life available for download – just click on Ebook in the menu above.

Last week we decided to take advantage of the public holiday and travel to Arezzo to meet some friends for lunch and explore the ‘City of Christmas’ as Arezzo calls itself during the month of December.  With Christmas market, nativity scenes on show and even a special place where the children could write a letter […]

The German Christmas Market is on once again in Piazza Santa Croce and even though it’s called the Weihnachtsmarkt, there are stands selling food specialties from Poland, Greece, Czechoslovakia, France, Holland and Austria.  There is also a British stand where I bought some fruit mince so I am looking forward to making mince pies for Christmas […]

  Via dei Neri is becoming known as the ‘Strada del Cibo’ / or Eat Street and it’s easy to see why.  This last Saturday a new restaurant opened up and is already creating quite the buzz.  Beijing8 is actually a Swedish chain of Chinese restaurants with a focus on dumplings and tea.  With over […]

Castagne is the Italian word for Chestnuts and you can’t walk far in this city without seeing them in some form or other.  Whether it is the Caldarroste roasting chestnuts in the streets or a visit to the local bakery where you will find the traditional Tuscan desert slice, Castagnaccio made with ground chestnut flour, […]

I am very lucky to be in Melbourne this week celebrating my father’s 70th birthday.   One thing that I really enjoy when I come home is going out to eat at the many incredible restaurants that Melbourne has to offer.  When people in Italy ask me what I miss from most from Australia, I always say […]

On this day, the 4th of November in 1966, Florence was literally underwater as the worst flood in the city’s history caused major damage and destruction.  Our local fruit and vegetable shop’s owner, Simone sent me some amazing photos of our street and the surrounding neighborhood with me so I thought I would share them […]