You know Spring has arrived when you start to see Baccelli (fava beans) in the markets and on Tuscan tables. Known also as fave (fava beans) in the rest of Italy, Baccelli is the Tuscan word for fava beans.   These beans always remind me of my Nonno in Australia as he used to grow so […]

Mugello, as I mentioned in my last post is known as the green valley of Tuscany. The Mugello territory was very much loved by the Medici family (in particular Lorenzo the Magnificent) and they left many signs of their dominance in the area, not only with their buildings (notably the Villa of Cafaggiolo in Barberino, […]

I will never forget my joy when many years ago, I found my very first porcino mushroom. I really couldn’t believe my eyes when after what seemed like endless hours of climbing up and down a mountainside in the hills above Pistoia, about an hour from Florence. There he was in plain sight, almost like […]

Tuscan Slow Cooked Braised Beef with Red Onions by Luciano Ghinassi Luciano starts his day early at the restaurant and this is one of the dishes that he makes first thing so that it cooks long and slow to ensure the muscle breaks down and becomes tender, while the onions soften in the wine resulting […]

It’s been a while since I last posted as I took a little (long) break at the end of the year to relax, re-energise and reflect on the direction of the magazine which I have to admit was a huge labour of love.  I was stretching myself too thinly between my main job, home, being […]

Our cover brings a bit of resort to the city with the stunning exhibition by Florentine visionary, Emilio Pucci.  We take a look at the incredible man whose designs have an elegant and timeless appeal to women of all ages.  I couldn’t think of wearing anything else but Pucci while sailing on my Benetti superyacht […]

It’s finally here – our MAY JUNE Issue! https://thistuscanlife.com/product/may-june-2018/

This recipe is by Arturo Dori, from the May issue of my magazine, This Tuscan Life. Before all of these lovely vegetables go out of season, I highly recommend you give it a try.  The pasta is added to the saucepan to finish cooking and absorb all of the liquid, in turn giving its starch […]

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 […]