March 2024 news from Elizabeth
Venice guide, soup recipes and tours
Hello from a very rainy weekend in Umbria. Not much to report except that I’m very much enjoying keeping the fireplace going as long as I can justify it. Yes, I appreciate the longer warmer days, but give me soup by the fireplace and I’m happy as a clam. I know a lot of people complain about February. Me? I’m very sorry to see it go. (This may explain why today’s newsletter is a few days late.) Now, off to take a quick walk during a break in the clouds.
WHAT’S NEW
March always feels like a back-to-school month for me. My ‘endless summer’ is from December to February, when I’m not on the road leading tours. Even if the ‘off-season’ is getting shorter and shorter in Italy, I am still keeping the winter months to hibernate. But vacation is over, and Sophie and I are busy getting ready for the upcoming tour season. And like all vacations it was much appreciated, and long enough to recharge our batteries. That said, enough is enough! We both are very much looking forward to being on the road again with our guests. Also? When all is said and done, our tours are kind of like being on vacation for us, too. By the time our tours begin, all the organizational work has long since been done and it’s just time to have fun with our guests.
Sophie heads to Bari for the first tour of the season at the end of next week. We love Puglia this time of year since it’s truly off-season. It’s a chance to really see the region like a local, with very few to no tourists around. Sophie is leading several tours there this coming fall, and we still have a few spaces left (click the link below to download the brochure).
Then Sophie and I meet up to take our first group to Palermo! We are super excited to explore the Western side of Sicily. We just went through the itinerary and realized that maybe we had scheduled too many cannoli? Nah! Just kidding. You can never have too many cannoli. If you’d like to explore this area of Sicily next fall, our good friend Annie Fenn is hosting in October. It’s the same tour that we have curated, with all of the delicious culinary history, but through the lens of brain health (click the link below to download the brochure).
Most of our tours this coming Spring are completely full, but we still have 3 spots left on Sophie’s 5 night, Bari-based Puglia/Basilicata tour. Since this tour is 5 nights, instead of our usual 6 nights, it costs a bit less. Also, as a subscriber to this newsletter, I’d like to offer you a special discount. If you are traveling on your own, we’d like to offer you a 10% discount. And if two of you sign up together (you can each have your own room if you need it), the discount is 15% for each person! That translates into €590 - €1035 off. You can download the brochure below and apply this discount to the published price.
For next fall, we also have room on our tours to Eastern Sicily. You’ll spend the week based in the charming seaside town of Ortigia, while spending each day exploring farms, towns, food producers and wineries in the surrounding countryside. This year we’ve asked our friend Odette Williams (one of the funnest food writers we know) to host a week in September. She writes a regular column for the Wall Street Journal called Party Trick (we mentioned she was fun, right?) and is the author of Simple Pasta (which she photographed in Sicily).
Click the link below to download the brochure.
And since all of the tours Sophie is leading to Central Puglia (Salento) in the fall are full, we’ve asked our friend Adam Roberts (a.k.a the Amateur Gourmet) to host our Puglia Tour. It’s likely that you already know Adam since his blog, The Amateur Gourmet, was one of the first food blogs out there. He is super fun to travel with and is really looking forward to the Week in Puglia (click the link below to download the brochure).
We still have some spaces left on Sophie’s tour to Bari and Matera in November. This is our brand new tour that combines 4 nights in Bari (Puglia) and 2 nights in magical Matera (Basilicata). Click the link below to download the brochure.
Note: Someone recently asked me why we are now offering tours hosted by our friends and colleagues. First of all we love them and think you will too! Secondly, there is only one of me and one of Sophie, and while we appreciate your love, we can only do so many tours a year. And finally, collaborating with guest hosts has allowed us to offer the same experiences at a lower price, which we think is great. We realize that our price point is not always accesible to everyone. Also: The more we can help support out of the way places to travel during low seasons the better in our opinion.
WHERE I’VE BEEN: VENICE
I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep repeating it as long as it’s true: Venice is best in the winter. I know many people are tied to summer schedules. But these are often the same people who tell me they had a really horrible time in Venice. It’s because you went in July! Trust me: January/February Venice is like visiting a completely different city than June/July Venice. Here are my top 3 reasons to visit Venice off-season:
Fewer tourists
Fewer tourists
Fewer tourists
Now, you’d think me promoting Venice off season would lead to there never being an off season. But I believe you have to really love Venice to appreciate its charms in January and February, so I don’t think it will ever change that much. Most people think of Italy as a place of constant sunshine. Venice in the winter is definitely not that. But if drizzly foggy canal-scapes are your thing, then this is the time to go. Also? No torrid heat. Full disclosure: We also had a day of bright winter sun while we were there.
But to get to the reason you are reading this section of the newsletter, here are some of the things we did during our most recent trip last month in case you want to plan your own escape.
How we got there:
Train: The direct train from Rome to Venice takes 4 hours. I like to take the one that leaves at 10:35 because I don’t like rushing in the morning. But I do like to get to the Rome Termini station early enough to have a coffee here. You can reserve your tickets through the Trenitalia site. We usually travel in Executive Class. It’s pricey but extremely comfy. Also, lunch is included in the price of the ticket, so we are ready to go when we get to Venice at 2:30.
Water Taxi: You can definitely take a vaporetto (water bus) everywhere in Venice, but when I arrive with a suitcase, I almost always take a water taxi to my hotel. The prices vary depending on where your hotel is. This time we spent €75, which isn’t bad. Our hotel wasn’t on the water, so they had a porter come to meet us at the nearest dock to deal with our luggage. I usually ask the hotel to arrange the taxi, but this is the official site for the taxis.
Traghetto: I wasn’t sure whether to include this in the ‘travel’ or ‘what to do’ section. In theory, taking a traghetto is a form of transportation, but it’s also just a fun thing to do. Since there are only 3 bridges to get across the Grand Canal, the traghetti are gondolas that ferry folks back and forth in between bridges. We took one this past week, and it’s a blast. Also saved us a bit of walking.
Where we slept:
Hotel: We were guests a the incredibly charming and newly opened Hotel Violino D’Oro. This boutique hotel opened last November after a years-long restoration. Three separate, small, 3-star hotels were combined to create what is now a luxurious 5-star retreat. I loved the attention to detail in the restoration: the minimalist aesthetic was created using lush materials and furnishings crafted by Venetian artisans. The central location means it’s easy to get anywhere, and the extremely helpful and friendly staff made our stay warm and welcoming. I loved our room (we were upgraded to a suite), and I would definitely recommend staying here. And if you’re not staying here? The cocktails in their ground-floor bar were excellent!
Where we ate:
Rosa Salva - This is one of my favorite bars. They have a few locations, but my favorite is the original in Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo. I love sitting in the wide-open piazza away from the crowds. We had tea and pastries.
Nevodi - This is my friend Gillian’s local, located on Via Garibaldi. Fantastic seafood in a simple rustic setting. Getting a table is not easy, so make sure to reserve.
Busa alla Torre - More commonly called ‘da Lele’ after the owner, this is everyone’s favorite place in Murano. If it’s nice day out lunch in the piazza is a must. I guess there is a menu? But in reality, Lele decides what you will be eating. Just sit back and enjoy. We had an absolute feast.
Gritti Palace - After our long day in Murano and huge lunch, we didn’t really want dinner. Also, it was raining, and we just wanted somewhere cozy to have a cocktail. While the Gritti is better known for its outside terrace in the summer, the inside Bar Longhi is heaven in the winter. Velvet-covered banquets, low seating around small tables and white jacketed waiters ready to take your cocktail order. I loved my Spicy Martini. About 9:00 we decided we were kind of hungry so each ordered a Ceasar Salad. Not Italian I know, but it sounded right. They were very good, and we had a perfect evening. BUT just so you know, the total was €170!
Cantina Do Spade - I love stopping for cicchetti (the Venetian version of tapas) any time of the day. But my favorite time is to make a lunch of it. Often cicchetti are a stand up affair, but come lunch time I’m tired from walking around in Venice so I want to sit down! One of my favorite places to do this is at Do Spade. I make sure to get there by 12:30 so I can grab one of the tables in the front (they also have more in the back). I go to the counter and order a bunch of things (mostly fishy), and the waiter brings them to the table along with an ombra - a tiny glass of wine just perfect for day drinking.
Antiche Carampane - My favorite restaurant in Venice since forever. It’s not easy to find, nor easy to get a table, but worth it. Amazing seafood. We had a marvelous dinner there.
Al Portego - Al Portego is a great place to go to grab some cicchetti and stand outside under the portico with a glass of wine. But I also love it for lunch. Make sure to call ahead to reserve one of the handful of tables. Go for traditional hearty Venetian fare like we did this past week: Schie (baby shrimp) and polenta; Squid in ink and polenta; and my favorite: Fegato alla Veneziana.
What we did:
Glass Factory on Murano - We met Mickey and Ennio last year while floating in the pool at Saturnia. They kindly invited us to spend the day with them in Murano for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the oldest glass factories there, Ars Cenedese, which Ennio runs. I’d definitely recommend arranging a visit to this or another glass maker. It’s fascinating.
Olivetti Store - If you are a fan of mid-century modern design (and we are), the Carlo Scarpa-designed Olivetti store in Piazza San Marco is for you. After having been closed for years, it is now a museum, and you can visit the perfectly restored interiors.
Rubelli: Many of the fabrics used at the Hotel Violino D’Oro came from one of the oldest fabric makers in Venice, Rubelli. We arranged a visit to their fascinating archives and visited their showroom, where I bought a gorgeous silk/wool scarf.
Tessitura Bevilacqua- Another fabric maker, Bevilacqua actually weaves their fabrics on site on antique 17th century looms. If you love textiles, this is a one-of-a-kind experience. Although the fabrics cost anywhere from €1000 - €6000 per meter (!), we came home with two €80 samples that we are going to make into throw pillows.
Fondazione Querini Stampalia - This is one of my favorite small museums in Venice. I love it for the modern architectural interventions inside (Carlo Scarpa, Mario Botta) but also for the glimpse into 18th-century Venice through their collections.
WHAT I’M READING
Loved this article about a woman suing over the unclear labels on a can of San Marzano tomatoes.
Looking for a swanky hotel in Rome? Lots of new openings this year.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who has issues with Kosher salt.
Despite thinking I had left Sarah I. Maas behind me, I am continuing with A Court of Silver Flames. I still think that this series started out strong with the first book. Love the story lines, but (at the risk of sounding like a prude) I could do with less of the sex scenes in the latest installment. I just wish the characters would get back to fighting off monsters. Am I just getting old?
This post reminded me that I need to make focaccia more often. It also reminded me to remind you to pre-order Jenny Rosenstrach’s new book Get Simple.
It’s not easy to find green spaces in Venice. Here is a handy list.
Whenever we order in pizza I always try to make a salad to go with it. This recipe is perfect! It’s from Alexandra Stafford and if you haven’t already done so you should pre order her newest book Pizza Night. (FYI: it includes 52 salad recipes)
WHAT I’M WATCHING
American Fiction - Absolutely loved this send up of the state of publishing in America and what readers consider black literature.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith - Very fun limited series based on the original film. While I love a good, witty espionage series, I especially love anything with Donald Glover.
Criminal Record - A very smart British series featuring Cush Jumbo, who I love. Extremely good character development and script.
After a long period of not really going to the cinema (post-Covid avoidance plus just too lazy), we’ve started going again. Luckily our local cinema has been restructured, has incredibly comfortable seating, an easy to use app to pre-buy tickets (not a given in Italy), and, best of all, a wide selection of films in the original language. We usually go to the shows around 6 pm, and I usually bring popcorn for each of us, plus sometimes a little flask of chilled martini.
Poor Things - I loved it, but I thought it was about 20 minutes too long. Then again, I could watch Emma Stone endlessly.
The Holdovers - Incredibly sweet movie starring Paul Giamatti. It felt very old-fashioned to me, in a good way. So happy it is getting the recognition it deserves, including an Oscar nomination for best picture.
Wonka - As someone who memorized every single poem from the original Charlie and The Chocolate Factory book, I was going to like this no matter what. Casting Hugh Grant as an Oompah Loompah? That alone should win a special award.
What are you guys watching at the moment? Let me know in the comments.
WHAT I’M EATING
A LOT of soup! But if you think it’s winter soups, you’d be wrong. I’m hear to report that all of my summer soup making then freezing has really paid off. Remember this post from last summer:
Zucchini & Tomatoes from My Garden
It’s that time of year again and not only am I drowning under too many zucchini, the tomato plants are on hyper drive too. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely not complaining. I’m happy to be here in Umbria and have the time to eat, cook and definitely freeze what we can’t get through. I know I’ll be thrilled to have it all when there are no more fresh tomatoes to be picked every morning.
I seriously wondered if all that cooking in the summer heat of my kitchen to turn our overabundance of zucchini and tomatoes would pay off. But I am very happy to report that we are nearing the end of my ziplocked bags of minestrone, tomato soup and just plain frozen cherry tomatoes in time for me to get excited again about filling my freezer this coming year. Here are two of my favorite recipes that I make and freeze with variations. Let me know if you have any to share.
x, Elizabeth
My first trip to Italy started in Venice, in March. On my first day, wandering the streets alone, it snowed as I was walking along the grande canal. So beautiful. Then, a cruise ship went by. I vowed then and there never to step foot on a cruise that went to Venice.
After almost 2 weeks roaming around Sicily The Lions of Sicily moved higher on my watch list (& we got to visit the palace where it was filmed this afternoon)