February 2025: News from Elizabeth
Restaurants in Umbria, Bean Soup & Links
A lot of people complain about how long and dreary January is. And while I admit that this past month proved newly challenging on many levels, I still won’t give up my love of the 31 days of cold temperatures and long nights. It’s the sense of a seemingly endless month that I wholeheartedly embrace. It’s kind of how I felt about summer as a kid: it just never ends. But in a good way.
January includes some of my all-time favorite activities. Plopping myself down in front of a fire with a book? It’s one of my superpowers. Making a meal out of whatever odds and ends I find in the freezer? I could write a book about it. And even if our vegetable garden in Umbria isn’t at full steam, I look forward to deliveries of oranges, grapefruits, and avocados from one of my favorite farms in Sicily.
I have to admit, the hibernation mode I embrace in January truly recharges my batteries. By the time February hits, I am full of new ideas, projects, and much more energy than I had in November. Does anyone else feel this way?
WHAT’S NEW
I’m very glad my batteries are recharged because February is actually one of our busiest months of the year. It’s when we do the bulk of our planning, making sure reservations are in place not just for the upcoming season but also mapping out the schedule for 2026. Emma and I are busy at our desks, while Sophie is making a few trips this month to work on some completely new itineraries we have coming up (stay tuned for more on that soon, and in the meantime, follow Via Rosa on Instagram for some hints).
As Via Rosa grows, we have been welcoming more guest hosts, and the response has been beyond what we could possibly have wished for. Recently, we have announced tours by people I’ve long admired like Corre, Justine, Shereen, Meryl, Jenny and Zöe, and the response has been overwhelming. Receiving hundreds of requests for tour spots is definitely a challenge, but one we’re grateful to have. If you’ve recently discovered Via Rosa, thanks to our new guest hosts, welcome! And if there is anyone you’d like to see hosting a tour in the future, please let us know in the comments below.
What many people don’t realize is that by the time I’m actually on a tour, the hard work has already been done. Hosting is definitely the fun part. Seriously, I think I have the best job in the world—traveling to beautiful places, eating incredible food, and doing it all with like-minded people who share a passion for discovering culture through food. So while I love the planning part that goes on, I’m definitely looking forward to our tours starting up again in March.
In the last month, we’ve added several tours to the fall 2025 schedule. Although many are sold out already, there are still a handful of spots left for the following tours:
Remember to sign up for the Premium newsletter to be the first to hear about new tours before they sell out.
For our full 2025 schedule, click the button below:
WHERE I’VE BEEN
Aside from our now-annual trip to Saturnia we’ve been spending as much time as possible up in Umbria. Although we mostly love staying home for dinner, we also try to head out for lunch or dinner at least a couple times a week. I know many people visit Todi or rent a villa nearby, so here are five of my favorite restaurants in the countryside around Todi (you’ll definitely need a car for these!):
Cibocchi – Just a 5-minute drive from Todi, this is our go-to local trattoria. It feels like the next step up from just eating at home. We usually start with a mix of their vegetables, plus freshly baked torta al testo (flatbread) and prosciutto. If I’m in the mood for pasta, it’s always fettuccine al tartufo. If I’m feeling like meat, I have a hard time choosing between pollo alla cacciatora, rabbit, stewed wild boar, and grilled lamb chops. Locals know to go here for their delicious and very affordable pizza.
Osteria Novecento – A 15-minute drive from Todi, this trattoria has a lovely terrace overlooking the pristine countryside. The menu is market-driven and seasonal, changing often. On Fridays, they serve a special fish menu, which is not easy to find in landlocked Umbria.
La Mulinella – Just down the hill from Todi, we love going here in the summer and sitting on the shaded terrace. Look up and you have a beautiful view of Todi. I usually order the grilled meats, especially guinea hen when it’s available. My father swears by their stinco (roasted pork shank).
Le Noci – A bit further afield, but perfect for long leisurely lunches. In winter, their roaring fireplace makes it extra cozy. They are known for their filled pasta, like ravioli and tortelli, as well as their gnocchi, often served in interesting and rich sauces that often include heavy cream and truffles.
Cerreto - We love this family-run restaurant near Cannara which has its own sprawling vegetable garden out back. They also raise their own chickens, rabbits, pigs, and sheep, so the quality is excellent. We always make sure to order their signature dish: Onion Parmigiana. It’s as delicious as it sounds and well worth the trip.
WHAT I’M READING
This article about a so-called “new discovery” concerning cacio e pepe nearly sent me over the edge. Why would a group of scientists waste their time to “perfect” a dish that is already perfect? Turns out, they did just the opposite. They basically reinvented the same fake cacio e pepe sauce you can buy in a jar–by adding a chemical stabilizer. Come on New York Times. You can do better than this.
I’ve still got my head buried in the Sara J. Maas fantasy sagas. I am pretty sure once I finish the Crescent City trilogy I’ll be caught up. The big question: do I stay in this completely escapist genre (which seems a good idea for the foreseeable future) or switch directions entirely? Let me know your recommendations in the comments.
People often associate over tourism with places like Florence, Venice, and Rome during the summer, but last weekend’s post by a Neopolitan influencer resulted in an avalanche of local tourists at a remote mountain ski resort.
I’m all for spending time in often overlooked smaller cities in Italy, and this post reminded me that I need to get myself to Verona.
Looking for something to get you in the travel mood? Here is a giant reading list that should last you forever:
Are you going to bake something chocolatey for Valentine's Day? Sarah Copeland’s got you covered.
If you’re in the New York area, my sister Robin is hosting an art-filled weekend in the Hudson Valley in March. And make sure you’re signed up for her newsletter to find out about future trips.
WHAT I’M WATCHING
The Pitt – For anyone who loves a good medical drama, but mostly for those of us who still carry a special place in our hearts for ER. This series, starring Noah Wiley, feels so completely real and is extremely compelling. Amazing acting.
Slow Horses – I just finished season 3, and it keeps getting better and better.
Prime Target – A fun mix of math and espionage, with the added plus of Leo Woodall (from White Lotus) and one of my favorite actresses, Sidse Babett Knudsen (from Borgen).
A Complete Unknown – We so rarely make it to the cinema (for no good reason), but I’m so glad we saw this bio-pic of Dylan. Timothy Chalamet was extraordinary, and for anyone our age, the music was like one big warm hug. What got me more than anything was the way they captured the grittiness of New York in the 60’s and 70’s.
WHAT I’M EATING
Mixed Bean Soup
January’s pantry purge meant using up all those random bags of beans and grains lurking in the cupboard. Every time I make soup, I leave behind tiny amounts—just a quarter cup here, a handful there. Eventually, they add up. So, I threw them all into my Instant Pot and let them have a party.
Here follows my ‘recipe’ which I can barely remember, even if it was only last week. So don’t feel too married to the ingredients, but just follow the process on your own left-over-beans journey. If you’re wondering if you really have to add the pork, my response would be yes if you want it to taste as good as this one did. But really, it’s up to you. Also? This soup does not win any beauty contests. In fact, when I went to look for a photo of said soup, the only think I could find was this moody video taken right before we sat down.
Note: I used an Instant Pot, which is my secret soup weapon. I LOVE it. If you don’t have one, it will just take a lot longer. The magic of the instant pot is that you don’t have to soak your beans. If you are doing this in a regular pot, then definitely soak the beans for at least 6 hours before cooking.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch red pepper flakes
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
100 grams/ 3 oz chopped prosciutto or capocollo
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup small white beans
1/4 cup cicerchie
1/2 cup pearled farro
1 cup leftover cooked rice
1/2 cup black beans
1 cup tomato puree (I used some frozen cherry tomatoes)
2 teaspoons salt
Parmigiano rind
3 cups packed Swiss chard or spinach, chopped
parsley and bay leaf
4-6 cups of water
Set the instant pot to saute, and add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, carrot, celery, onions, and capocollo. Let cook until veggies are softened.
Add the garlic and salt and stir for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients. I can’t quite remember how much water to add, so if it doesn’t seem like enough, add a bit more. It should cover the ingredients by about 2 inches.
Place the lid on the instant pot, turning the knob to seal. Cook on high for 30 minutes (if you are using chickpeas, you might need an extra 5 minutes.
AND FINALLY…
I know that many of you here choose not to use TikTok, and so may have missed the whole hoopla around the banning, then un-banning, thing that went on last week. I’m definitely on TikTok and have somehow amassed over 350,000 followers. So you would think that I’d of been in a bit of a tizzy with all that going on. My response was kind of the opposite. I have long since realized that these platforms come and go. And many of you have been following me since I was writing books on real paper. You name the platform, I’ve been on it. The one thing that has remained pretty constant for a while is this newsletter, which existed long before Substack. So I just wanted to take a minute to thank you all for following me here. And since I have control over the mailing list, even if one day Substack somehow goes the way of so many of the long-lost platforms, I’ll still be able to share everything I love about Italy. We’ll always find someplace to hang out.
x,Elizabeth
Love your newsletter and I will follow you wherever you write them! And I too loved ER but working at a hospital, the number of times we had to explain that no, every procedure does not actually get done in the ER:)
Love your recipes. Thank you for sharing