Hello IFF Subscribers! June 13th 2013

I am pleased to say that the weather has significantly improved dramatically this week, and we are now getting used to waking up to sunshine once again. It has been a busy week here in Umbria as our niece and her family were visiting, so we took a few day trips to show them some of our favorite spots to visit.

Florence was our first stop and we spent a full day shopping and stopped for lunch at Trattoria Mario where we all shared a huge Bistecca alla Fiorentina. It was lovely to be back in Florence again! Sunday we headed down to Spoleto for the monthly antique market where we bought a few treasures to decorate our farmhouse. We had lunch at Osteria del Matto where we all enjoyed a leisurely 2 1/2 hour lunch.

Tuesday we decided to head to Lago di Trasimeno, Umbria's largest lake, to visit Passignano and Castiglione del Lago where we bought a few typical Umbrian products, and had a lovely seafood lunch al fresco. Our company has now headed to Rome so we are catching up on our chores before we head to Venice next week for a quick trip.

Creamy Chickpea & Farro Soup
The first month of our stay here in Umbria has been cold and wet although the weather finally seems to be taking a turn for the better and this past week we had a few gorgeous days with sunshine and temperatures in the 80′s. I do now have hope that we may end up with a nice summer! When the weather is cool and damp though, our farmhouse is not a very comfortable place to be and I have to layer up to keep warm. A nice big bowl of steaming soup is always a great way to keep warm, and I tend to make hearty bean and grain soups often during the cooler months for when we need a nice warm bowl of soup comfort. Get The Recipe......

A Florence Break - June 2013
One of the best features about our farmhouses in Umbria is the location. We sit up on a hill with gorgeous views and have complete solitude and the only sounds I hear throughout the day are usually church bells or birds singing. We are just minutes off of E45 however, and can reach many Umbrian hill towns in under an hour. Being situated in central Umbria also means we are equal distance between Rome and Florence, and when we want to get away from our quiet country life for a taste of a larger city, we often head off for the day to either Rome or Florence. A day in one of these wonderful cities usually includes lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, shopping for me, and a leisurely stroll to admire some of the amazing landmarks. Read More......

Romano Beans With Pancetta & Tomatoes
Green beans are always a great vegetable side dish since most people are familiar with them and I do not think I've ever met a person who didn't care for green beans despite the fact that they may think of beans as a boring vegetable. Properly cooked and seasoned however, green beans can be a wonderful addition to any menu and anyone can turn ordinary green beans into an extraordinary vegetable side dish. Get The Recipe......

Strawberry Walnut Loaf Although I do not consider myself a baker, I do bake rustic cakes, muffins, cookies, and quick breads a couple of times each week for our guests when we are here in Umbria. We have a busy summer ahead of us with lots of family visiting and farmhouse guests arriving right up until we pick our olive the end of October, so I've been busy working on new recipes.

Since it is strawberry season here in Italy, there is an abundance of sweet berries available at every outdoor market and grocery store. I decided to combine walnuts and strawberries in this easy quick bread or loaf and ended up with a moist sweet bread that is perfect for breakfast, or for a snack throughout the day. Get The Recipe......