Hello IFF Subscribers!

It will be three weeks tomorrow since we returned to Umbria and the weather certainly hasn't been very welcoming. Although I am happy to be back, I am honestly looking forward to an improvement in the weather so I can get out and enjoy some outdoor activities such as planting our vegetable garden, walking down into the valley to forage, and perhaps maybe even sit by the pool. Our poor chickens are going to have to learn to swim soon if we have anymore rain!

We just enjoyed a weekend of wine as Cantine Aperte took place on Sunday and we attented a vintner's dinner on Saturday. Though it poured rain on Saturday, luckily the rain held off on Sunday for those visiting all the local cantinas.

This coming weekend is the Spello L'infiorata where the streets are "painted" with flower petals. This is one of my favorite celebrations here in Umbria, and I hope the winds stay calm and the rain holds off so the festival is able to take place!

Panzanella With White Anchovies
Panzanella is a bread salad that originated from Tuscany although you can now find it in many variations across Italy. This is an easy salad recipe which is a wonderful way to use up stale bread, and expresses the Tuscan mentality of simplicity with the use of fresh, ripe, ingredients. Read More......

Return To Umbria – May 2013
We have now been back in Umbria three weeks tomorrow and it has certainly been an interesting month. The weather has been unusually cold and wet with rain almost on a daily basis. Where last year we were running around in T-shirts in May, this year we are bundled up in layers with fleece. The locals tell us this has been the worst May in many, many years as far as the weather goes, so we are just hoping June is much better. Read More......

Chicken Thighs With Pancetta & Tomatoes
I have always loved poultry, but I was a little biased and thought that white meat was the only way to go. I honestly spent most of my adult life only eating the breast meat of our Thanksgiving turkey, and choosing only chicken breasts when I had the option of white meat or dark. It wasn't until we started buying those big economy packs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs at Costco a couple of years ago that I realized what I had been missing. Read More......

Making Almond Milk at Home
I switched from regular milk to almond milk about 6 months ago and never looked back. It isn't that I'm lactose intolerant or anything, but I just do not care for the taste of milk. I gave almond milk a try and loved the flavor and have been using it in place of regular milk ever since. Almonds are also a rich source of protein, Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, selenium, manganese, and iron. This will help build strong bones and muscles, provide antioxidant protection, healthy skin, high energy levels, good metabolism, and other health benefits. Read More......