Author: Jason DiLoreti
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Understanding Traditional Balsamic Vinegar | The Real Stuff
At the Acetaia San Giacomo (acetaia is the facility where vinegar or aceto is made and the sets of barrels are used for aging), Andrea Bezzecchi takes the concepts of time, history and hand craftsmanship to another level. He started out by telling us bluntly that “the Balsamic name means nothing”. Literally over 99% of the…
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At the University of Gastronomic Sciences
We’re back in Italy. I have been accepted to the University of Gastronomic Sciences and am pursuing a Master in Food Culture and Communications, with a focus on High Quality Products. The school is closely related to Slow Food and was found by Slow Food’s Founder, Carlo Petrini, in 2004. This is not your typical…
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Article in the Guardian: WWOOFing with kids
For those of you that may have missed it, we were contacted by the Guardian to do a Q & A about WWOOFing with kids. As you may know, we WWOOFed with our kids in both Italy and the US. Through the process we learned a great deal about farming, our family and about traveling…
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Mixing and Mingling – Slow Food Austin Events
As some of you may know, we are back in Central Texas connecting with local farms and networking with other like minded individuals. It has been a busy week of visiting farms that has been fruitful and inspiring. I’ll give you a recap of our farm visits (Dewberry Hills Farms and Richardson Farms) and all…
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Packing Tips for Traveling Abroad with Children
Here are some packing tips that we used for our family of four while traveling in Italy on working farms during all seasons. This list does not outline every thing we took, but just the important things that made our life easier. Hopefully it will help you on your next adventure, especially if you are…
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Cal’ Bianchino… Such a Special Place!
It’s hard to put into words our experience at Cal’ Bianchino Frattoria Agricola di Carlo e Gigia in Urbino, Italy. I don’t feel my words will do Carlo and Gigia justice, but I will try my best. Not many times in my life have I been to a place so warm, loving, generous, knowledgeable and…
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Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
We have spent the last 114 days in Italy volunteering on a wide variety of working farms. This experience has been inspirational as well as eye opening for our whole family. We are so thankful to have been able to see, feel and touch another place so intimately. This trip has given birth to new…
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TRAVEL TIPS : Banking and Communication Options
We get some questions from time to time about the nitty gritty of traveling internationally. The two biggest questions, besides gear questions, have to do with Banking and Communication options. Both topics have an endless amount of options available, especially with technology ever changing and adapting. If you come across this article one year from…
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The Moretta
What do you get when you get together a rough crew, hard booze, and dark coffee? My first response would be trouble and a bad hangover, but instead a salty crew of sailors and fishermen from Fano, Italy are credited with inventing a delicious cocktail. The Moretta is strong, yet smooth and sweet and can…
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WWOOF Italia Farm – Barbialla Nuova Fattoria
For the last week we have been here at Barbialla Nuova Fattoria in Montaione, Italy. The landscape is amazing, taking you to a place where time stood still. Rolling pasture, olive groves, orchards, and natural woods make up a mix of the property. The white Chianine cows dot the hilltops as we take our morning…