Before coming to Sardegna, I had always heard of the pastoral heritage of the island influencing the meat-laden cuisine, leading to a vision of a tropical Scotland in my mind. I had not expected the raw beauty of the arid vegetation, called the macchia mediterranea, contrasted against some of the most striking coastline in the…
Food for thought: How to make more hours in the day
Do you feel like you are always on the back foot, trying to catch up with life? Are you letting things slip, like forgetting to pay a bill, buy a key ingredient for dinner or give your son the materials he needs for his school project? Do you feel like your family is never eating…
Ten years ago today, I made a mistake
Exactly ten years ago today, my grandfather passed away. I was working on an important banking deal at the time and was on a business trip in Europe when my father rang to say I may want to consider coming back. He said that there was no immediate need to rush back so I booked…
Is homework harmful to children?
It can be, but not entirely for the reasons you might suspect. After hearing about how my friend’s six year old child studies for 6 to 8 hours after school everyday and knowing she is not in the minority, I was interested in how this work load is going to affect my children’s generation. Child…
Skiing in Courmayeur
I went skiing in Courmayeur, Valle d’Aosta, one of my favourite places to ski for many reasons but mainly because I love the food, the village (see below for recommended places to visit), the people, the variety of ski runs, and the breathtaking views of Mont Blanc. The village is very Italian in that most…
Have any grasshopper sauce in your cupboard?
I often have an internal disagreement between my head, which tells me it makes most sense to buy local products which are fresh and support my local community, and my stomach, which wants to eat a different cuisine for every meal. This week, I may have met someone who can help me achieve the twin…
AsiO Gusto – the first international Slow Food festival in Asia
AsiO Gusto I had the good fortune to attend AsiO Gusto, Asia’s first Slow Food conference, in Korea. Being the first conference, I had relatively low expectations but wanted to see how food professionals in the 40 participating countries in Asia and Oceania viewed their role in relation to the Slow Food movement. What…
A Gastronomic Tour of Tuscany and Umbria
Our little corner of Tuscany near Lucignano had many perfectly distanced options for morning jaunts with small children, ensuring sightseeing and meandering lunches at authentic local trattorias for the adults and gelato and short car journeys guaranteeing a timely return for nap time for the children. Having congratulated ourselves on a nice morning out, we…
Tuscan Villa
Our Tuscan Summer Holiday We arrived at the large gate which opened onto a cypress tree-lined drive leading up to the vast 17th century villa. Set amongst a vineyard, an olive grove, and a small forest complete with pheasant, rabbits, and orange mushrooms seemingly from outer space, this was to be our home…
