We’re slowly getting back into our routine rhythms with this newsletter after a couple of weeks of more random posts. As there are so many new members since we started this newsletter in January 2021, we thought it was the right moment to give you voice. I know we already had a similar thread long time ago, but let’s keep this the official one!
Let’s start! I’m Giulia, a 41 year old Tuscan born and bred food writer, cookbook author, home cook, and cooking class instructor. I live in the countryside in our family house with my husband Tommaso, our 2-year-old daughter Livia, and two rescue dogs, Noa and Teo. I love collecting cookbooks, English, long walks, writing, baking sourdough bread, eating take aways sushi, watching crime series, listening to podcasts and ‘80s music.
Hi! I’m Tommaso, Giulia’s husband. I’m half from Tuscany and half from Salento, Puglia. Giulia is the author of this main newsletter, Letters from Tuscany, but when I have photos to share I write you Postcards from Tuscany. For Juls' Kitchen, our family project, I work mostly behind the scenes, taking photos of the dishes we prepare (and eating them, too!), videos, editing the podcast, and handling all the technical aspects of our business. I love rustici from Salento, photography, Lego, and day-trips.
Now, we would love to learn more about you, your story, and what brought you here.
Who you are? Where are you from? What are you interested in? Which is your favourite food to cook and eat? or cookbook to read and cook from? Which are your hopes, dreams and projects? Tell us what excites you, what scares you, what you are reading, learning, or working on at the moment. Anything! We want to know more about you!
Hi my name is Lizette Watts. I am 41 and originally from South Africa but moved to Italy (Reggio Appenino area) with my husband, daughter and our Labrador Luna in August 2020 mid pandemic. We moved to Italy to escape city living and the perpetual rat race of corporate jobs and It was our hope and dream to open to renovate a country house into B&B slow-life-inspired retreat. We are still looking for the perfect property so in the mean time I work online as a small business and brand coach and my husband consults in the Logistic industry. In the meantime we cook, bake, bike, garden and love to travel and explore Italy with our daughter who is now 11. I love writing about our journey on Instagram and our blog called Watts in Italy and love reading and learning from others like yourself about food, cooking and life in Italy
Hi Lizette, I'm so happy to have you here! Where exactly do you live? It is such a beautiful area! All the good luck with your projects, and please share more about it next time we open a thread on the Substack App, I guess we all would be curious to see how it goes, and we will be rooting for you!
Thank you for the warm welcome Giulia and all the inspiration you provide through your letters from Tuscany. We live in Toano, Reggio Appennino about an hour from Modena and Bologna. Really hoping that 2023 is the year of us finding a house. Will definitely keep you updated. Instagram is my drug of choice if people wanted to share and watch the journey there it's @Watts_in_Italy or www.wattsinItaly.com
I will also watch for your B&B. If my visit to Julskitchen works out the plan is to drive to Modena on the way to Sud Tyrol. I hope Pedroni still has the Osteria and of course would get some Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale and, if I can land a reservation dinner at Osteria Francescana. We missed it last time in the area but since I took an online "Masterclass" with Chef Bottura whose love for teaching Italian cooking is infectious. The more I learn about him the more I want to experience his cooking.
Hello from beautiful Kentucky. I’m Teresa, 71, retired physician and lover of food and travel. Grew up on family farm in Tennessee and as eldest daughter of 5 kids, I’ve cooked since I could reach table and stove (though I couldn’t always be trusted with hot or sharp til older). My mom was fabulous country cook and together we won many prizes at the county fair each summer. I captured my (52 yrs married and still counting!) husband’s eye and heart cooking for him on early date and I’m still loving to cook, share, and eat! My first cookery adventure in Italy was Tuscany in 1996 with Peggy Markel and I’ve never stopped traveling, feasting, learning and sharing. With friends we own palazzo in Montalcino (location inside city walls is fabulous!) so we go as often as possible. Of course last couple of years have been slooow (not as good as “slow food😉) but things are picking up now.I enjoy this community and the stories are true to heart and palate ...just like the all the foods of Italy 🇮🇹. And as a farm girl where food and family are love and life, my heart belongs to Tuscany
Good evening Jaimi…yes we do. We completed purchase in late 2015andnthoigh it was already beautiful, we started a 5 year adventure of remodel ( new kitchens new bathrooms heat air seciruty etc and it is truly beautiful. We inside the city walls with perfect access to this wonderful walled hill town.I can forward access info if you like. Provide email address or message me on Facebook.
This site is the kind of personal connection that bind those of us who love Italy and especially the small towns and their stories.
Ciao Dr. B. I'd be interested in rental information on your palazzo. As I said in another comment I may be taking Julskitchen course in February and while Giulia has provided great information on some places close to her, I have a place in my heart for Montalcino (even before I read My Italian Bulldozer). Email is robertberlow@mac.com.
Bob I will forward your mail to partners who handle rental. Will come from either Fred St John or Ralph Modena. Hope you enjoy to “look about” on our website www.galassipalazzzotuscany..com.
I'm Rachel, and I'm a full time recipe developer and food writer living in the English countryside. I turn 30 this year (which is crazy when you think I started blogging when I was still in school) and I write a newsletter called ingredient which lets me actually do food writing instead of constantly having to blog recipes I know will do well on Google to pay my mortgage! I always read cookbooks I buy or I'm given cover-to-cover before I cook from them, and I've written two myself - my goal though is to get a publisher interested in my first novel this year! When I'm cooking for myself and now creating a recipe for a client (or the Google algorithm) I cook lots of Korean food, Asian-inspired vegetable-forward vegan dishes, and LOTS of pasta! (Usually dry, but I got a pasta machine for Christmas so I know what I'm doing the next time I have some time off!)
Where exactly do you live in the English countryside? I'm so fond of everything English + related to the countryside. Maybe this originated with my love for Jane Austen's novel, muddy boots and country walks!
I love how you tackle an ingredient each month, this is what drew me to your newsletter!
And good luck with your novel and with your fresh pasta projects!
Thank you! And I’m in Kent, actually not too far from where Austen spent a lot of time with her relatives at Godmersham Park! But also happily close to London so I can also access the big city when I want a bit of metropolitan life. And I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the newsletter - I love doing the occasional food essay, but I love getting my teeth into something new each month - I used to do a similar column for the Borough Market website and I think it is one of my favourite food writing jobs I’ve ever had.
Hello Tommaso and Giulia! I’ve been following the website for the past three years! It was my happy place through the rough months of 2020 while I was living in NYC. I like how hearty foods bring us together, and I love the comfort food provides. I love reading books , baking with my 5 years old son and taking pictures. I’m 35 ,family photographer, originally from Israel and been living in NY for four years now with my partner and our three children.
Hi Allel, so nice to have you here after those rough months. The blog and the podcast were a consolation for me, too, and I found so much connection, inspiration, and solace listening to podcasts during those times. next time we'll do a thread on the Substack App, please share some of your photography, I'd be curious to see it!
Hi, I’m Lenore. I’m 33 and live in a small town in Ohio with my husband and our Australian shepherd. I’ve always loved to bake and ever since we married, I’ve fallen in love with cooking, especially learning to cook meals in honor of my husband’s Italian heritage. We hope to return to Italy to visit his family hometowns in the next few years!
I love learning authentic Italian recipes here as well as glimpses into beautiful places in Italy through the Postcards. I also love to sing at my Church, dance, read, and hike with our dog.
Hi Lenore, I'm so happy to have you here! Where's your husband family from? I really hope you'll get to travel to Italy to visit his family hometowns, and in the meantime, I'll do my best to give you ideas and inspiration for you to cook!
During the pandemic I discovered "Cooking with an Italian Accent", Jul's gentle voice and beautiful descriptions both soothed and inspired me, turning my long daily walks into mini trips to Tuscany. When I'm not working (I'm an actor and acting teacher), I enjoy cooking, traveling, gardening, and being with my husband, children, grandchildren and friends. My time is split between Pennsylvania, NYC and Texas. I hope to return to Italy soon and hopefully take a cooking class from Guilia and learn how to make pici! My name is Rachel and I can't wait to explore Guilia and Tommaso's new cookbook.
Hello Rachel, so happy to have you here. I must confess I miss the podcast. We keep postponing it, but I am sure we will resume it one day (hope sooner than later). As an actor and acting teacher, I might benefit from some advice from you: I don't want to listen to my voice! :D
Guilia, I think very few people like the sound of their own voice...it sounds so different in our heads. But you really have a beautiful voice, and when you speak of the things you love, you accomplish what actors aspire to, which is making the audience feel what you feel and understand your experiences. We would all love for the podcast to return, although with everything you and Tommaso are doing, in addition to raising a child, I am sure finding the time and energy for the podcast would be a challenge. Ciao!
I have never looked at this from your perspective, and it made me immediately proud of my voice, for what it is able to convey. There so much on our table right now, but we do miss the podcast! It might return here!
Hi I'm Linda I am 62 and my parents were born in Lucca. I grew up and still live in the Bay Area but I have spent a lot of time in Tuscany. My Nonne lived with us when I was growing up and they were constantly in the kitchen. We always had a vegetable garden and are now fortunate to have a vineyard and olive grove in Healdsburg. So your site has all the things I love: Tuscan cooking, vegetables and family!
You know my cousin lives in Davis and has married an Italo-American woman whose parents are from Lucca? Many people from Lucca and the surrounding towns moved to California.
Share photos from your vineyard and olive grove in the Substack app chat! :D
Hi I'm Deborah. I'm 71 and have been cooking since before I started school. My Mother desided to teach me, as I was so eager to learn. I have not stopped learning. I took a simple culinary course at a local trade school many years ago. I've always loved to cook. I've spent 50 years working in resaurants. From cooking to managing. That is how I show love is with food. I taught myself Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Vega nad Vegetarian and now Italian. I collect good cookbooks and lots of happy friends. As I am now a shut-in, this is how I travel and see the world through authentic recipes.
Hi Deborah, I'm so happy to have you here! You must have so much to share about your journey with food, with all the different aspects of food. I love when you say that you collect good cookbooks and happy friends! :D it is so true!
I hope this newsletter will make you travel, and I'll make sure to share more photos from my walks in the countryside and market hauls to give you even more insight into this local-to-me world!
Thank you for letting join you on your journey. My kitchen has begun to smell of garlic. Sauces are being prepared. and soon pasta will be produced. (I started with gnocchi. A garlicy cream sauce and a lovely tomato sauce with fresh basil.) I've bought a few hand tools so my pasta will be as pretty as it is good.
I look forward to more travels with you. I am with you in spirit for sure.
Ciao! I’m Marguerite, retired and living in a small town near Cleveland, Ohio. In June 2017, my husband and I took a cooking class with Giulia in her kitchen, after which we enjoyed lunch with Tommaso. Giulia also took us to a cheese producer far out in the countryside -- not something the average tourist in Tuscany could possibly do. Since then I’ve enjoyed cooking those dishes many times along with recipes from Giulia’s cookbooks and blog. My family’s roots are in Abruzzo and I enjoy studying Italian. I’m taking an online course right now to prepare for future travels. Cooking and travel are my passions and it’s even better when I can combine both of them. I find the best “souvenirs” of our trips are recreating the dishes I’ve enjoyed along the way.
Hi Marguerite! I'm so happy to keep our connection alive and strong here on Substack after the cooking class. It's a fabulous way to keep in touch and share delicious food and recipes.
Good luck with your Italian course, next time you'll be in Tuscany we'll have a proper conversation in Italian! I so agree that the best souvenirs are the dishes we are able to replicate once at home: it's a way to experience again our travels!
Hello, I am Zoe, 71, from North Western Ontario, Canada. I live in the forest by a lake and feel so fortunate. I have been vegetarian most of my life. I collect cookbooks and love to read all of them and try the recipes that excite me. I have travelled extensively in Italy and love Tuscany but there are even more places to discover and love. I hope to go back to Tuscany in the near future.
Hi Zoe, so happy to have you here! You should share more about your life I the forest by the lake in Canada, it feels like a dream for many of us (me included). I'll be opening chat threads in the Substack App where we can share more about our surroundings.
Hi There, I'm Barney, 60, from the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, USA, and I also have a place in Cetona, in SE Tuscany. I used to have a catering business cooking for workshops and retreats. Now I'm a real estate agent. I love eating (and cooking) everything under the sun, but mostly I love vegetables. I'm dreaming of a way to spend more time in Italy...
Hello Barney, so happy to have you here! How beautiful is Cetona! I really wish you'll be able to spend more time in Italy. Be prepared for more and more vegetable-forward content here on the newsletter, this is what I'm really now!
Hi, I'm Zara, 56 this year and live in the countryside in Tuscany with my husband Nigel and young dog, Alba. I am learning about and training as a nutritional therapist (very very slowly) and love to cook with the ingredients that are local and in season. Giulia's recipes really inspire me and last night I made gnudi which was immensely satisfying - eaten far too quickly for any photographs. My husband loves to make sourdough and fresh pasta - I leave this to him and focus on the savoury aspects. I love the beach and adore seafood and fish but don't cook it nearly enough.
Hi Zara, I'm so happy to have you here! Where exactly do you live in Tuscany? Interesting to know that you are training as a nutritional therapist, I guess you would have a lot to share here. I'm just like you, I love seafood and fish but I don't cook it enough. I always say that if I'll ever get rich, I'll have a private chef to cook me the freshest seafood everyday. Fresh fish is really a treat for me.
Hi Giulia, I live in San Casciano in Val di Pesa (Mercatale). Tonight I shall cook Spada on the grill with a mango salsa - I was chatting with a great friend in Australia which made me wish for this dish but tomorrow I will be trying your sformato di cavolfiore - my husband loves this dish and as it is his birthday domani - I will attempt it for him. wish me luck that he enjoys my endeavours!
I love that this newsletter has by-far the most eclectic group of readers than any other newsletter I read. I’m Kelcey, I just turned 45, and I’ve lived all over the U.S., but currently live in New Hampshire. I am passionate about supporting local farms and food-economies, and I’m addicted to homey podcasts, which is how I ended up here. I’m so excited for your new cookbook!
Hi Kelcey, you're right! I took some time to read through all the introductions, and it marvels me how food can really bring people together! I remember meeting you through the podcast: I really hope this new year will bring new episodes!
Ciao! I’m Kiki and I’m a 63-year-old (wow. Did I just say that??!) former health and wellness professional living in Tucson Arizona USA with hubby, Dad and labradoodle Lucy. I left my corporate job about 3 years ago and started to work on my mission/passion of helping others to be healthier and happier with my little business “Healthy Sexy Kitchen” and just started a newsletter of the same name along with my food blog and healthy cooking classes. I’m an avid tennis player and also spend way too much time researching health and diet. I have 3 grandchildren- 5 months to 4 years - and get to see them regularly! I’ve been reading Juls’ blog for many years and not only appreciate the food and stories but Guilia’s writing voice which has totally inspired me!
Hello Kiki, I'm so happy to have you here, and what an interesting perspective you have on food. Thank you for sticking around for so long, I hope I'll keep sharing interesting and inspiring stories here! Oh, your grandchildren must be such a joy!!
Tony. 52 from Australia (Brisbane). I've always enjoyed Italian food food, but in 2014 my wife and I went to Umbria and Tuscany for a cooking school as part of our 20th wedding celebrations. That absolutely celebrated our love of Italian/Tuscan/Umbrian cuisine and we take every opportunity to grow Italian vegetables and cook (and eat!) Italian. I've been following Juls Kitchen for about 10 years and am loving it! Grazi!
Hi Tony, so pleased to have you here, and I'm beyond happy to know that you've been sticking around for so long. Stay tuned for more and more vegetable-forward recipes here on the blog, even though they might be slightly out-of-synch, season-wise! :P
Hi, my name is Melinda I'm 71 my niece gave me letters from Tuscany as a Christmas gift. I have enjoyed the first letter and look forward to more letters. I love to learn new cooking techniques and recipes. I enjoy giving causal family and friends dinner parties.
My other interests in life are gardening, bird watching, sewing and family.
Hi! I'm Wayne, retired and living in Walnut Creek, Calif. I publish VINTAGE MORELS [waynechristensen.substack.com]. It's an online boutique newsletter that tries to point readers to ideas, sometimes with questions: "What Did You Have for Dinner Last Night?" Or: "What’s For Dinner?" Since you are in Italy, I understand about all you ask someone each day is the first question. If you are in the U.S.—we may too—for we’re all forced to think about what we’re going to eat for dinner more than 350 times in a year. No wonder we’re searching the internet, newspapers’ food sections, food magazines, and friends’ ideas constantly. Come join us while exploring moments of merriment and epiphany via cruising the highways and byways of food in and dining out.
Hello, I am happy to be here, I am 38. I live in Zagreb, Croatia, where I came to study psychology in early 2000s from Herzegovina (near Medjugorje). I live with my husband who came from Rijeka (Fiume) and daughter Lucija (3 month old :D). I work in market research company, previously worked in dairy and meat industry (marketing) but also I am a psychotherapist in education. I always loved eating and cooking since age of 8. My mum taught me how to make cakes, coffee and later on full meals. Me and my husband got together during COVID, by sharing comments on recipes and our first meet ups were about cooking. Out wedding thank you gifts were our little recipe book. Food and cooking is all around us. I love reading, we have a lot of cookbooks, love researching new recipes. I follow a lot of cook bloggers in Instagram. One Croatian blogger mentioned you, and that is how I came to your Instagram and here. I would love to explore and learn more about Italy and Italian cuisine.
Even now as I am a new mum, one of the first things I did a side from taking care of Lucija is cooking and baking, for us and guests. I hope to connect somehow psychology and food in a fun way, not only talking about eat disorders. I am looking forward to learn more from you and community you are creating <3
oh what a lovely introduction, and I love your love story! It's so nice to meet you here on line. I remember well when Livia was 3 months old, and just like you, I loved to use every spare moment to cook and bake. I think your background and specialization can add so so much to this community!
Something went wrong so I will try again. Friends, one Italian/French heritage gave me a teeshirt - Italian by Osmosis and to some extent that's true. My wife and I started coming to Italy in 1995 and since have traveled at least once per year (except during Pandemic), from Sicily to Sud Tyrol, big cities to small towns, lakes to mountains. I am the foodie, she the historian, I the opera lover, she the visual arts (although I have to say David never gets old), she the steep hills, me not so much. I am a retired civil rights lawyer, she does commercial interior design including several Italian themed senior living facilities, and of course our own Italian farmhouse. In earlier years we spent more time in the cities with her love for art and history always fed by in the great museums and the remnants of Etruscan villages built over in places like, if memory serves, Montepulciano. In recent years we have fallen in love with Sud Tyrol/Alto Adige where we were in August and will return in February but, fingers crossed, if all works out the latter trip will be preceded by 3 days in Julskitchen. To get a taste yesterday I baked your Pan c'o Santi which has another few hours to rest before I indulge. Ciao e a presto.
Hi--I'm Jody. I live in California, but have a home in the Lunigiana area of Toscana, where I am just now, and where my husband and I hope to relocate permanently. I have been enjoying the free parts of the newsletter and finally decided to subscribe! I brought my copy of Cucina Povera with me this summer so I can try recipes with local ingredients. Looking forward to being part of the community!
Ciao! I was born in Santa Margherita Ligure and emigrated to the USA with my family when I was a boy. Aside from y immediate family, the rest of my family resides in Milano, Piacenza, Rapallo e Santa Margherita Ligure. I am fluent in Italian and though I visit Italy infrequently, I stay in touch with my family there. I reside in Nyack, NY with my wife, (a well-known food stylist who was one of the original employees of the Food Network and has worked on many tv shows, books, etc…)our daughter and our two cats. I was an owner of a well know and well reviewed, rosticceria in Manhattan for a number of years back in the 80’s. I am an avid gardener, tomatoes being my specialty, and an accomplished bread baker. Simply said, I love food, eating, preparing, growing. I was introduced to your food through my recent purchase of your wonderful book Cucina Povera.
Ciao Aurelio, e benvenuto! I am so happy you joined Letters from Tuscany it looks like we have so much in common. I am sure you will give much in terms of knowledge and inspiration to this community.
And once again, let me tell you how glad I am you fumbled upon Cucina Povera!
How lucky am i to have stumbled across ur substack. Heading to Greece to cook with Diane Kochilas this summer. Told a friend my new goal is to cook around the world. Hopefully u will offer such a course. What more is there to life than tasting and savoring people , places and FOOD! Thank u for sharing ur gifts!
Hello Martha, so nice to meet you here! You are getting ready for an extraordinary experience this summer, how fun! Fingers crossed we will be meeting soon!
Hi, my name is Clara, I'm 27 years old, a passionate cook and I live in Berlin. I am a long-term reader of your blog and a big fan of your content. My family has a summer house in Tuscany so I grew up spending my summers there and eating Tuscan food. I was so happy when I found your blog and got access to all the simple recipes I missed in many cook books. Your blog - podcast and insta got me through the hard times of the pandemic and I am so excited to be a subscriber now! Best regards from Berlin 😊
Ciao Clara, I am so happy to have you here! Where is your summer house in Tuscany? How nice! And I am happy that here you can find those recipes that bring you back to Tuscany! x
In Vetulonia, a small village near the Coast by Castiglione della Pescaia. I will be spending some time there in June and I'm already excited to cook there with the local vegetable. Unfortunately we don't get so great produce in Berlin, so it's always a treat going to the south
Hello! My name is Ian and I subscribed to Letters from Tuscany due to my love of Tuscan food, sentiment, and personality. I love reading about great food and wine and how these seemingly simple things greatly affect our individual lives and culture at large. The Tuscany Year was one of my favorite books I read in 2023 and it showcased the amazing seasonality and economy of Tuscan cooking. Plus, I just love to read about regional Italian culture. As someone who has struggled to learn Italian for years, your ability to speak both English and Italian is impressive!
I love to eat, cook, and learn and have started my own substack about these topics this year. It's been a bit scary! But a lot of fun too. I can't wait to dive into Letters from Tuscany and order your cookbook, it sounds amazing and at the heart of how I love to approach my time in the kitchen. Grazie,
Hi! My name is Mark and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I have always loved to cook from a young age watching my parents and grandparents in the kitchen. My love of cooking led me from making pizzas for my neighbours, doing popups at local breweries and festivals to opening up a pizza shop in the east end of Toronto in 2020 called Mark's Pizzas. Over the last year I have started making and selling fresh pasta. My "education" on that has gone from Evan Funke, to Meryl of Pasta Social Club to you Giulia! I want to make the best pasta form my family and customers! I've been following along here but recently signed up as a subscriber. My nemesis is fresh lasagna, lol. Still trying to work that one out. Hope to learn lots here and enjoy your journey! You never know, maybe you will see me and my family for an in person class at your place!
Hello Mark, welcome! I am humbled by your words, Mark, as I consider Evan Funke and Meryl such accomplished pasta makers! I'm glad I have been helpful, too! I have. recipe for my family southern lasagna here in the archives, give it a go!
And hopefully we will meet for an in person class soon!
I just had a look and that lasagne recipe was at the top of my list from going through your recipes. Who doesn't like meatballs!?!? especially in lasagna!!!
thanks Giulia, I think you hold your own! It is a tricky process but I will see where it goes! I will check out that recipe, thanks and have a great day! Mark
Hello I am Maria. I live in Virginia but am originally from Chicago Illinois. I am 100 percent Italian and love everything having to do with Italy. I also love cooking. I have been listening to your podcast for several years and just love your passion for cooking. Looking forward to being a subscriber. Grazie Mille
Hi! I just learned about you Giulia, and your book last week, ordered it and made the Pici Cacio e Pepe over the weekend! It was amazing.
My name is Sharon and I’m from Boston, MA in US. I’ve been obsessed with Italy for my adult life 😂
I’ve been to cooking school and I ran a personal chef biz for a number of years. Making homemade, hand rolled/shaped pasta is my jam, though Italian cooking in general is my fave.
I’ve just started to learn to speak Italian and it’s my dream to move to Italy someday 💜
Ciao Sharon, nice to meet you! So happy you have stumbled upon my book and this newsletter, welcome! you'll find so many like minded people here. Where would you like to move in Italy?
I’m not quite sure yet. I’ve visited Italy but only down to Rome and haven’t seen the Southern Part yet. That will be my next visit 💜 I’ve been to Milan, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Rome. But I was younger then and did mainly touristy things. I’m more interested in non touristy things now :)
I look forward to following you and learning so much more about home cooking. I live in an area where my cooking is the absolute best cooking so it’s just better to eat at home. I would like to do dinner parties more for my friends. I’m a good at home cook but want to learn from
Hello Susan, welcome here, I'm so happy to have you with us for this new journey! I so relate with what you say, as I live in the countryside and most of the times my food is the only option! :D
Hello! My name is Cookie Till and I live near the seashore in New Jersey. I've run a restaurant for 26 years serving food that is simple, fresh and as local as possible. Later came a bakery and cafe and then a deli, sandwich and specialty wine store. My latest project in 2020 was acquiring the last piece of farmland in our area. We are a non profit working to regenerate 78 acres as well as educate and engage our community around the beauty of working together to create an inclusive local economy. In our kitchen at the farm the ethos is simple, fresh, nutrient dense and delicious!
When I came across your Letters From Tuscany on sub stack it spoke to me. One, because we seem to share the same sentiments around food and cooking and two, feeling the need for rest, rejuvenation and inspiration, I have been thinking of visiting Tuscany!
I look forward to exploring your posts and learning more. Thank you!
Hello , my name is Johnnie and I am a 55year-old married man with 29 year-old son . All three of us work for an Arabian Princess and we split our time between Suffolk (UK) , Normandy (France) and Abu Dhabi . We manage various businesses but mainly it’s racehorses and show jumpers . Love cooking and food and I particularly love Italian food . Thought your book Cucina Povera was exceptional so wanted to come here , learn more and support you
Hello Johnnie, thank you for joining Letters from Tuscany and for supporting our cookbook, Cucina Povera! What an interesting business and life, you must have so many stories to share!
My name is Jean I am 68 and live in Epping NH. I own both of your cookbooks, participated in your Christmas cookie exchange years ago and I used to frequent your blog. I love cooking and gardening and look forward to getting your newsletters on Substack. I wish you and your family a magical Christmas.
Hi! My name is Kellie Douglas Williams. I live in Memphis, TN and I teach Culinary Arts in an urban high school setting. I also own a catering business "Kelz Kitchen". I make/sell breakfast before going to work and it is the highlight of my day. I grew up cooking and watching my great grandmother and mother cook soul food from the soul. I am a foodie (if that is still a term, lol) and I love to travel and eat. My partner and I are both Army Veterans and our kids (from our previous lives) are all grown and out of the house. We have a small farm "NannyCoop Farms" where we grow tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, squash, okra, cucumbers and purple hull peas in the Summer. In the Fall, we specialize in turnip, mustard and collard greens. I can everything and sell what we don't eat. We are now both 52 and are expanding our brands. I am also an avid writer (got it from my Mama) and I am wanting to start a food blog. I love teaching and I hope to blend my love for food, teaching and writing. I am so glad to be here :)
How nice to run across this wonderful newsletter and community project. My name is Maria Camille and I'm from Santa Barbara, California where our Italian family is 5 generations here. For the last 4 years I've been living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
I'm looking forward to enjoying your Letters and Posts from your Tuscany kitchen. How special.
Hi! I discovered Giulia and this Substack while listening to her on Everything Cookbooks (episode 68 if you haven't listened!:)) I live in the US (Oconomowoc, WI to be exact) but travel 2-3 times per year to my soul-country, Spain. However, I love Italy too! :) I'm a freelance writer specializing in Spain, golf, wellness, travel, and have been at my newsletter for almost a year - What I'd Rather Be Talking About. However, my passion project is taking my dad's emails to his childhood friend and organizing them in the book he always wanted to write, Letters to Louie (letterstolouie.com offers a peek!). Looking forward to getting some new Italian recipes to give to my husband to cook :) (I'm a bit of a disaster in the kitchen!)
Hi! My name is John! Just got back from 3 weeks in Italy including time in Siena. Loved every minute of it. I wanted to thank you for writing your piece about considering traveling to the smaller areas of Tuscany instead of the larger cities which were seemingly overrun with tourists. Thanks you for sharing your recipes and insights of your region and country.
Ciao John, and welcome! I'm so glad that my article has been an inspiration! I'm so happy you spent time in Siena, we love having a walk and a gelato there!
Thank you! Glad to be here. The only travel down side was the many Americans-my fellow countrymen- ordering “American coffee” instead of your glorious espresso in the wonderful restaurants. I’m going to spread the joys of espresso i gelato. Wonderful country. Absolutely fell in love with it.
Buongiorno! I am Honor, currently 42 and an artist and writer from Australia. At the start of the first 2020 lockdown I left inner-city Melbourne (and my beautiful grown up stepson) with my partner and young daughter, to wait out the pandemic in our ramshackle weekender in the Central Victorian countryside. After a month of living amongst the trees and birds and kangaroos (and yes, rodents and spiders and snakes!) we realised we could never return to city living. Though I am city born and bred, I felt exactly as if I had finally come home. This dramatic change in circumstance had a profound effect on my sense of self and shifted the standards I had for myself as an artist and as a human being. I stopped being so anxious about how others perceived me, and this enabled some interesting experiments with my own way of life. I stopped making art almost completely for two years, and instead began writing a children’s novel. I started trying to spend my days more intuitively, rather than trying to push myself to perform consistently in only one aspect of my life. I found an Italian teacher (in the middle of the Australian bush!) and began weekly conversation classes, finally risking the embarrassment of making mistakes and speaking out loud the language that I have been learning almost silently since primary school. I began a veggie garden and became more in touch with the land and the seasons by trying to make do with what is locally available, even when it is only nettles and dandelions! I came across Giulia’s blog only this week, while searching recipes to deal with a glut of green tomatoes as the first frosts set in. In my old life, I taught drawing at an art school, and made a few trips to the Venice Biennale with groups of students, which was magnificent. After two of these tours, I retreated to a Tuscan farmhouse in Molino del Piano with my partner to recover and soak in the unique glories of Tuscany. Reading Giulia’s blog, I felt an immediate kinship with her written voice and approach to life.
thank you so much for such a lovely, heartfelt introduction, Honor! I'm so pleased to have you here! your life and your soul are such an inspiration! And we have the same age! :)
Oh hello! I needed this bright message right now. I’ve spent all day wading through my overdue tax and felt that all romance and creativity has gone out of my world! (Albeit momentarily!) 😂 So, nice to have a warm message from Tuscany - and while I’m cooking risotto, no less!
Hey Giulia, fellow Italian here. Born in the North, raised in the South, gotten adult in the Centre and now living in wonderful Scotland. I'm a data lover and have a newsletter where I create data stories, hence my presence here on Substack. I try to juggle between the fast pace of the tech world and the overarching desire for peace and quiet - I love hand-crafted projects and all the things about exploration and adventure, including with food! And of course, I love my country 🇮🇹❤️
Ah yes it's a great place! I'm in Edinburgh, which I really like as a city. And there's nothing better than an escape to the coast or inner parts for long walks. Great culture overall 😀
Hello. I’m Steve from Massachusetts. I have my own Substack called The Set List about jazz music. I’m here because, well, you need more than music to sustain yourself!
I'm a retired guy who has LOTS of time to try new cooking ideas. I've been doing a lot of cooking experiments(not all of them are "keepers"). I especially enjoy trying other(spicier) cuisines, Mexican, Indian, Chinese etc. I'm "mostly" vegetarian, I eat a lot of beans, and generally use meat in small amounts only as a flavoring.
Hello Patrick, so happy to have you here! the way you approach cooking resonates with the way I like to cook, especially the prevalence of vegetables and beans, and meat used as a flavoring. I hope you'll find inspiration in the next recipes we're going to share! :)
Hello. My name is Rosalie Rinaldi and I've been a subscriber for three years. I really appreciate you and your website. My father was born in Benevento and my mother was born in America. Her parents were Neapolitan so I was raised on the foods of Napoli. How lucky am I?
I am 82 years young, retired, and a foodie. I've loved visiting Italy and seeing the many attractions of Rome, eating the foods and shopping. I visited Avellino with a friend whose father was born there. We were entertained royally. We started with figs and salami, then spaghetti marinara and roast
chicken. It couldn't have been a better visit. The memory of the warmth of the family is always with me when I think of Italy.
I am carrying on the traditions of my mother especially at the Holidays. Pizza Rustica, Easter breads, sweet and with hardboiled eggs. I make the Italian Wedding soup regularly and love your recipe for stuffed peppers with bread and olives. I'll stop now.
Ciao! My name is Jayne and I'm in my early 40s and live a few hours north of New York City, but originally from there. I'm in human resources for the state government and I live with my husband and daughter, also Giulia. 😊 Some of my great grandparents were from Sicilia and Napoli. We have been to Toscana twice, including for two amazing weeks this past summer and hoping to visit Sicilia next year. I really enjoy catching up to the newsletters and trying out the recipe demos when time permits. Grazie for sharing with us!
She is 10 and fancies herself a gelato conneusuer after sampling all over Toscana, even having the chance to make some from scratch at a gelateria. 😊 Her favorites were in Siena, Firenze and San Gimignano.
Ciao Giulia & Tommaso! My name is Jaimi and I currently live in Nevada near Lake Tahoe. I retired from my interior design business a few years ago and my husband and I have been avid travelers for the past 20 years. We love Italy! Last year we spent extended time in Provence and found the cuisine there amazing also - especially all the different ways they prepared fresh vegetables. Despite having very weak culinary skills myself (something I hope to change) we could not get enough of the produce at all the weekly markets. Next up we will be back in Italy and I hope to take a few cooking classes to start build my skills. I was told about your class from a friend's daughter that attended one on her honeymoon in 2018 or 19 and have been following your instagram since then. I definitely will be on the lookout for your podcast when it resumes. Grazie for bringing Tuscany to us virtually.
hello Jaimi, so nice to meet you here! Provence has such an incredible food culture, I fell in love too when I visited! Keep your fingers crossed for new episodes of the podcast!
Ciao, I‘m Stephanie, 50 years old, from Germany. Well, I‘m addicted to Italy for 15 years now. When I crossed the Brennero with friends in 2008 something magical happened to my heart. I returned every year since 2008. Mostly to Tuscany and Firenze ❤️. Since 2019 I‘m exploring also some other parts of Italy … with my boyfriend who was born in Puglia and grew up in Lombardia. Besides traveling to Italy I love taking pictures and of course cooking and baking … the italian way.
Well … I‘m italian@heart. That‘s it. Cari salutoni. Stephanie ♥️🇮🇹
Sunday, Jan. 15. Hello. I am happy to have signed up for a paid subscription. This morning I had a notification that you posted today, but nothing came to my email. I looked in Spam, and also directly with Substack. Did I miss something? Any advice? Don't want to miss your posts!
I came to your delightful site via Domenica Marchetti's "Buona Domenica." I've known her for years, used to live in the same neighborhood, have taken her classes, and have traveled on some of her tours. I began my love of Italy as a college student many decades ago when I had a term in Florence, a place I love (helps that I have friends there to this day.) I've been to Umbria and Abruzzo--lots more exploring the country in the years ahead, I hope. In the meantime will explore via cooking classes featuring different regions. I now live in Lancaster, PA, after a long time in the DC area. Glad to be in a more rural setting, and in season, the farmers markets are wonderful (and inexpensive), if not quite as varied as what I had previously. So I grow more interesting varieties of squash, beans, tomatoes, etc., myself. The soil is awesome here.
So glad to have learned of you and your husband. Thank you! Barbara Wyckoff
Hello Barbara, I'm so happy to have you here, and I have to say thank you to Domenica for this! The notification you got was to announce I had just sent a message in the chat, so you didn't miss anything!
Hey both, my name is Massi, I’m 29 and originally from Iran but I’ve been living in Germany for ten years now.
I’m working as environmental engineer and I’m in love with Italian culture, food and language (Italian in the heart). Last year I lived for 6 month in my dream city Rome and still dreaming of moving to Italy. I really enjoy reading your newsletter and learning about food and life in Italy and hope to visit and discover Tuscany in the near future.
Hi Massi, you have such an interesting job, something that is so useful and important right now. I ready hope you’ll manage to fulfil your dream soon and you’ll get to live your best life in Rome!
Hello both, I am Louis. I am currently in Spain and waiting for my application for residency in Italy to come through. I am a former chef and spend my waiting days writing kitchen tales (fiction) and cooking (reality) plus being a dog owner (new to me). I love reading about cucina povera and hope at some stage to learn even more about food life in Italy (wish me luck!) Thanks for the Letters from Tuscany. I am enjoying the posts. L
I have a Bodeguero cross (bred to be ratters in Spanish bodegas) Easier to see (and apologies for the link but it is only for the purposes of you knowing) @Elmolivingwithlouis on Instagram
Hi all, I’m Ellen and live outside of Raleigh, NC. My husband Dave and I were fortunate to go back to Italy this past June and be part of Gulia’s cooking class. We had a wonderful time and hubby is now angling to go back and do her 3 day experience. In the meantime we are enjoying the recipes and chats on the group. We are both retired teachers (although Dave still substitutes frequently at the high school he taught at for 22 years). I was in early childhood/special education while he does high school. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking and recently started back to breads. Simple and slow cooked meals preferred at our house. I’m waiting on the new cookbook, the pre order was a Christmas gift. Of course another trip to Italy would have been great, but that will come again. For us it takes planning as we have 3 special needs young adults who live at home and we have to rally support for them when we travel. In the meantime we explore wineries and create foods to pair with them and enjoy everything Letters from Tuscany brings us.
Hi Ellen, I have fond memories of our class together the past summer! We'll be working on the 3 day experience, hopefully this will be a way to meet again in-person, but in the meantime we will meet every month for the cook-alongs!
Thank you also for preordering the book, it means so much!
Hi my name is Lizette Watts. I am 41 and originally from South Africa but moved to Italy (Reggio Appenino area) with my husband, daughter and our Labrador Luna in August 2020 mid pandemic. We moved to Italy to escape city living and the perpetual rat race of corporate jobs and It was our hope and dream to open to renovate a country house into B&B slow-life-inspired retreat. We are still looking for the perfect property so in the mean time I work online as a small business and brand coach and my husband consults in the Logistic industry. In the meantime we cook, bake, bike, garden and love to travel and explore Italy with our daughter who is now 11. I love writing about our journey on Instagram and our blog called Watts in Italy and love reading and learning from others like yourself about food, cooking and life in Italy
Hi Lizette, I'm so happy to have you here! Where exactly do you live? It is such a beautiful area! All the good luck with your projects, and please share more about it next time we open a thread on the Substack App, I guess we all would be curious to see how it goes, and we will be rooting for you!
Thank you for the warm welcome Giulia and all the inspiration you provide through your letters from Tuscany. We live in Toano, Reggio Appennino about an hour from Modena and Bologna. Really hoping that 2023 is the year of us finding a house. Will definitely keep you updated. Instagram is my drug of choice if people wanted to share and watch the journey there it's @Watts_in_Italy or www.wattsinItaly.com
I’m going to keep watch for when you open this B&B, I’m planning a trip to Italy... you have a beautiful family!
I will also watch for your B&B. If my visit to Julskitchen works out the plan is to drive to Modena on the way to Sud Tyrol. I hope Pedroni still has the Osteria and of course would get some Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale and, if I can land a reservation dinner at Osteria Francescana. We missed it last time in the area but since I took an online "Masterclass" with Chef Bottura whose love for teaching Italian cooking is infectious. The more I learn about him the more I want to experience his cooking.
Lovely to find you on Substack Liz! Hope the adventures in Italy are going well :)
Hello from beautiful Kentucky. I’m Teresa, 71, retired physician and lover of food and travel. Grew up on family farm in Tennessee and as eldest daughter of 5 kids, I’ve cooked since I could reach table and stove (though I couldn’t always be trusted with hot or sharp til older). My mom was fabulous country cook and together we won many prizes at the county fair each summer. I captured my (52 yrs married and still counting!) husband’s eye and heart cooking for him on early date and I’m still loving to cook, share, and eat! My first cookery adventure in Italy was Tuscany in 1996 with Peggy Markel and I’ve never stopped traveling, feasting, learning and sharing. With friends we own palazzo in Montalcino (location inside city walls is fabulous!) so we go as often as possible. Of course last couple of years have been slooow (not as good as “slow food😉) but things are picking up now.I enjoy this community and the stories are true to heart and palate ...just like the all the foods of Italy 🇮🇹. And as a farm girl where food and family are love and life, my heart belongs to Tuscany
How fun to take part to the country fair competition, you must have such fond memories of that! Share more about your palazzo!
Buongiorno Teresa! Do you rent out your Palazzo in Montalcino?
Good evening Jaimi…yes we do. We completed purchase in late 2015andnthoigh it was already beautiful, we started a 5 year adventure of remodel ( new kitchens new bathrooms heat air seciruty etc and it is truly beautiful. We inside the city walls with perfect access to this wonderful walled hill town.I can forward access info if you like. Provide email address or message me on Facebook.
This site is the kind of personal connection that bind those of us who love Italy and especially the small towns and their stories.
Ciao Dr. B. I'd be interested in rental information on your palazzo. As I said in another comment I may be taking Julskitchen course in February and while Giulia has provided great information on some places close to her, I have a place in my heart for Montalcino (even before I read My Italian Bulldozer). Email is robertberlow@mac.com.
Bob I will forward your mail to partners who handle rental. Will come from either Fred St John or Ralph Modena. Hope you enjoy to “look about” on our website www.galassipalazzzotuscany..com.
Love this idea!
I'm Rachel, and I'm a full time recipe developer and food writer living in the English countryside. I turn 30 this year (which is crazy when you think I started blogging when I was still in school) and I write a newsletter called ingredient which lets me actually do food writing instead of constantly having to blog recipes I know will do well on Google to pay my mortgage! I always read cookbooks I buy or I'm given cover-to-cover before I cook from them, and I've written two myself - my goal though is to get a publisher interested in my first novel this year! When I'm cooking for myself and now creating a recipe for a client (or the Google algorithm) I cook lots of Korean food, Asian-inspired vegetable-forward vegan dishes, and LOTS of pasta! (Usually dry, but I got a pasta machine for Christmas so I know what I'm doing the next time I have some time off!)
Where exactly do you live in the English countryside? I'm so fond of everything English + related to the countryside. Maybe this originated with my love for Jane Austen's novel, muddy boots and country walks!
I love how you tackle an ingredient each month, this is what drew me to your newsletter!
And good luck with your novel and with your fresh pasta projects!
Thank you! And I’m in Kent, actually not too far from where Austen spent a lot of time with her relatives at Godmersham Park! But also happily close to London so I can also access the big city when I want a bit of metropolitan life. And I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the newsletter - I love doing the occasional food essay, but I love getting my teeth into something new each month - I used to do a similar column for the Borough Market website and I think it is one of my favourite food writing jobs I’ve ever had.
Hello Tommaso and Giulia! I’ve been following the website for the past three years! It was my happy place through the rough months of 2020 while I was living in NYC. I like how hearty foods bring us together, and I love the comfort food provides. I love reading books , baking with my 5 years old son and taking pictures. I’m 35 ,family photographer, originally from Israel and been living in NY for four years now with my partner and our three children.
Hi Allel, so nice to have you here after those rough months. The blog and the podcast were a consolation for me, too, and I found so much connection, inspiration, and solace listening to podcasts during those times. next time we'll do a thread on the Substack App, please share some of your photography, I'd be curious to see it!
Hi, I’m Lenore. I’m 33 and live in a small town in Ohio with my husband and our Australian shepherd. I’ve always loved to bake and ever since we married, I’ve fallen in love with cooking, especially learning to cook meals in honor of my husband’s Italian heritage. We hope to return to Italy to visit his family hometowns in the next few years!
I love learning authentic Italian recipes here as well as glimpses into beautiful places in Italy through the Postcards. I also love to sing at my Church, dance, read, and hike with our dog.
Hi Lenore, I'm so happy to have you here! Where's your husband family from? I really hope you'll get to travel to Italy to visit his family hometowns, and in the meantime, I'll do my best to give you ideas and inspiration for you to cook!
During the pandemic I discovered "Cooking with an Italian Accent", Jul's gentle voice and beautiful descriptions both soothed and inspired me, turning my long daily walks into mini trips to Tuscany. When I'm not working (I'm an actor and acting teacher), I enjoy cooking, traveling, gardening, and being with my husband, children, grandchildren and friends. My time is split between Pennsylvania, NYC and Texas. I hope to return to Italy soon and hopefully take a cooking class from Guilia and learn how to make pici! My name is Rachel and I can't wait to explore Guilia and Tommaso's new cookbook.
Hello Rachel, so happy to have you here. I must confess I miss the podcast. We keep postponing it, but I am sure we will resume it one day (hope sooner than later). As an actor and acting teacher, I might benefit from some advice from you: I don't want to listen to my voice! :D
Guilia, I think very few people like the sound of their own voice...it sounds so different in our heads. But you really have a beautiful voice, and when you speak of the things you love, you accomplish what actors aspire to, which is making the audience feel what you feel and understand your experiences. We would all love for the podcast to return, although with everything you and Tommaso are doing, in addition to raising a child, I am sure finding the time and energy for the podcast would be a challenge. Ciao!
I have never looked at this from your perspective, and it made me immediately proud of my voice, for what it is able to convey. There so much on our table right now, but we do miss the podcast! It might return here!
Hi I'm Linda I am 62 and my parents were born in Lucca. I grew up and still live in the Bay Area but I have spent a lot of time in Tuscany. My Nonne lived with us when I was growing up and they were constantly in the kitchen. We always had a vegetable garden and are now fortunate to have a vineyard and olive grove in Healdsburg. So your site has all the things I love: Tuscan cooking, vegetables and family!
You know my cousin lives in Davis and has married an Italo-American woman whose parents are from Lucca? Many people from Lucca and the surrounding towns moved to California.
Share photos from your vineyard and olive grove in the Substack app chat! :D
Hi I'm Deborah. I'm 71 and have been cooking since before I started school. My Mother desided to teach me, as I was so eager to learn. I have not stopped learning. I took a simple culinary course at a local trade school many years ago. I've always loved to cook. I've spent 50 years working in resaurants. From cooking to managing. That is how I show love is with food. I taught myself Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Vega nad Vegetarian and now Italian. I collect good cookbooks and lots of happy friends. As I am now a shut-in, this is how I travel and see the world through authentic recipes.
Hi Deborah, I'm so happy to have you here! You must have so much to share about your journey with food, with all the different aspects of food. I love when you say that you collect good cookbooks and happy friends! :D it is so true!
I hope this newsletter will make you travel, and I'll make sure to share more photos from my walks in the countryside and market hauls to give you even more insight into this local-to-me world!
Thank you for letting join you on your journey. My kitchen has begun to smell of garlic. Sauces are being prepared. and soon pasta will be produced. (I started with gnocchi. A garlicy cream sauce and a lovely tomato sauce with fresh basil.) I've bought a few hand tools so my pasta will be as pretty as it is good.
I look forward to more travels with you. I am with you in spirit for sure.
I can smell the wonderful aromas of your kitchen from here!
Ciao! I’m Marguerite, retired and living in a small town near Cleveland, Ohio. In June 2017, my husband and I took a cooking class with Giulia in her kitchen, after which we enjoyed lunch with Tommaso. Giulia also took us to a cheese producer far out in the countryside -- not something the average tourist in Tuscany could possibly do. Since then I’ve enjoyed cooking those dishes many times along with recipes from Giulia’s cookbooks and blog. My family’s roots are in Abruzzo and I enjoy studying Italian. I’m taking an online course right now to prepare for future travels. Cooking and travel are my passions and it’s even better when I can combine both of them. I find the best “souvenirs” of our trips are recreating the dishes I’ve enjoyed along the way.
Hi Marguerite! I'm so happy to keep our connection alive and strong here on Substack after the cooking class. It's a fabulous way to keep in touch and share delicious food and recipes.
Good luck with your Italian course, next time you'll be in Tuscany we'll have a proper conversation in Italian! I so agree that the best souvenirs are the dishes we are able to replicate once at home: it's a way to experience again our travels!
Hello, I am Zoe, 71, from North Western Ontario, Canada. I live in the forest by a lake and feel so fortunate. I have been vegetarian most of my life. I collect cookbooks and love to read all of them and try the recipes that excite me. I have travelled extensively in Italy and love Tuscany but there are even more places to discover and love. I hope to go back to Tuscany in the near future.
Hi Zoe, so happy to have you here! You should share more about your life I the forest by the lake in Canada, it feels like a dream for many of us (me included). I'll be opening chat threads in the Substack App where we can share more about our surroundings.
Hi There, I'm Barney, 60, from the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, USA, and I also have a place in Cetona, in SE Tuscany. I used to have a catering business cooking for workshops and retreats. Now I'm a real estate agent. I love eating (and cooking) everything under the sun, but mostly I love vegetables. I'm dreaming of a way to spend more time in Italy...
Hello Barney, so happy to have you here! How beautiful is Cetona! I really wish you'll be able to spend more time in Italy. Be prepared for more and more vegetable-forward content here on the newsletter, this is what I'm really now!
Hi, I'm Zara, 56 this year and live in the countryside in Tuscany with my husband Nigel and young dog, Alba. I am learning about and training as a nutritional therapist (very very slowly) and love to cook with the ingredients that are local and in season. Giulia's recipes really inspire me and last night I made gnudi which was immensely satisfying - eaten far too quickly for any photographs. My husband loves to make sourdough and fresh pasta - I leave this to him and focus on the savoury aspects. I love the beach and adore seafood and fish but don't cook it nearly enough.
Hi Zara, I'm so happy to have you here! Where exactly do you live in Tuscany? Interesting to know that you are training as a nutritional therapist, I guess you would have a lot to share here. I'm just like you, I love seafood and fish but I don't cook it enough. I always say that if I'll ever get rich, I'll have a private chef to cook me the freshest seafood everyday. Fresh fish is really a treat for me.
Hi Giulia, I live in San Casciano in Val di Pesa (Mercatale). Tonight I shall cook Spada on the grill with a mango salsa - I was chatting with a great friend in Australia which made me wish for this dish but tomorrow I will be trying your sformato di cavolfiore - my husband loves this dish and as it is his birthday domani - I will attempt it for him. wish me luck that he enjoys my endeavours!
I love that this newsletter has by-far the most eclectic group of readers than any other newsletter I read. I’m Kelcey, I just turned 45, and I’ve lived all over the U.S., but currently live in New Hampshire. I am passionate about supporting local farms and food-economies, and I’m addicted to homey podcasts, which is how I ended up here. I’m so excited for your new cookbook!
Hi Kelcey, you're right! I took some time to read through all the introductions, and it marvels me how food can really bring people together! I remember meeting you through the podcast: I really hope this new year will bring new episodes!
Ciao! I’m Kiki and I’m a 63-year-old (wow. Did I just say that??!) former health and wellness professional living in Tucson Arizona USA with hubby, Dad and labradoodle Lucy. I left my corporate job about 3 years ago and started to work on my mission/passion of helping others to be healthier and happier with my little business “Healthy Sexy Kitchen” and just started a newsletter of the same name along with my food blog and healthy cooking classes. I’m an avid tennis player and also spend way too much time researching health and diet. I have 3 grandchildren- 5 months to 4 years - and get to see them regularly! I’ve been reading Juls’ blog for many years and not only appreciate the food and stories but Guilia’s writing voice which has totally inspired me!
Hello Kiki, I'm so happy to have you here, and what an interesting perspective you have on food. Thank you for sticking around for so long, I hope I'll keep sharing interesting and inspiring stories here! Oh, your grandchildren must be such a joy!!
Tony. 52 from Australia (Brisbane). I've always enjoyed Italian food food, but in 2014 my wife and I went to Umbria and Tuscany for a cooking school as part of our 20th wedding celebrations. That absolutely celebrated our love of Italian/Tuscan/Umbrian cuisine and we take every opportunity to grow Italian vegetables and cook (and eat!) Italian. I've been following Juls Kitchen for about 10 years and am loving it! Grazi!
Hi Tony, so pleased to have you here, and I'm beyond happy to know that you've been sticking around for so long. Stay tuned for more and more vegetable-forward recipes here on the blog, even though they might be slightly out-of-synch, season-wise! :P
They get filed away to pull out at the other end of the year.
Hi, my name is Melinda I'm 71 my niece gave me letters from Tuscany as a Christmas gift. I have enjoyed the first letter and look forward to more letters. I love to learn new cooking techniques and recipes. I enjoy giving causal family and friends dinner parties.
My other interests in life are gardening, bird watching, sewing and family.
How kind of you're nice! <3 So welcome here Melinda, so happy to have you here.
Where do you go for bird watching? Do you like near woods or forest?
Hi! I'm Wayne, retired and living in Walnut Creek, Calif. I publish VINTAGE MORELS [waynechristensen.substack.com]. It's an online boutique newsletter that tries to point readers to ideas, sometimes with questions: "What Did You Have for Dinner Last Night?" Or: "What’s For Dinner?" Since you are in Italy, I understand about all you ask someone each day is the first question. If you are in the U.S.—we may too—for we’re all forced to think about what we’re going to eat for dinner more than 350 times in a year. No wonder we’re searching the internet, newspapers’ food sections, food magazines, and friends’ ideas constantly. Come join us while exploring moments of merriment and epiphany via cruising the highways and byways of food in and dining out.
Hi Wayne, so happy to have you here, and thank you for sharing about your publication, too, that is so interesting!
Hello, I am happy to be here, I am 38. I live in Zagreb, Croatia, where I came to study psychology in early 2000s from Herzegovina (near Medjugorje). I live with my husband who came from Rijeka (Fiume) and daughter Lucija (3 month old :D). I work in market research company, previously worked in dairy and meat industry (marketing) but also I am a psychotherapist in education. I always loved eating and cooking since age of 8. My mum taught me how to make cakes, coffee and later on full meals. Me and my husband got together during COVID, by sharing comments on recipes and our first meet ups were about cooking. Out wedding thank you gifts were our little recipe book. Food and cooking is all around us. I love reading, we have a lot of cookbooks, love researching new recipes. I follow a lot of cook bloggers in Instagram. One Croatian blogger mentioned you, and that is how I came to your Instagram and here. I would love to explore and learn more about Italy and Italian cuisine.
Even now as I am a new mum, one of the first things I did a side from taking care of Lucija is cooking and baking, for us and guests. I hope to connect somehow psychology and food in a fun way, not only talking about eat disorders. I am looking forward to learn more from you and community you are creating <3
oh what a lovely introduction, and I love your love story! It's so nice to meet you here on line. I remember well when Livia was 3 months old, and just like you, I loved to use every spare moment to cook and bake. I think your background and specialization can add so so much to this community!
Something went wrong so I will try again. Friends, one Italian/French heritage gave me a teeshirt - Italian by Osmosis and to some extent that's true. My wife and I started coming to Italy in 1995 and since have traveled at least once per year (except during Pandemic), from Sicily to Sud Tyrol, big cities to small towns, lakes to mountains. I am the foodie, she the historian, I the opera lover, she the visual arts (although I have to say David never gets old), she the steep hills, me not so much. I am a retired civil rights lawyer, she does commercial interior design including several Italian themed senior living facilities, and of course our own Italian farmhouse. In earlier years we spent more time in the cities with her love for art and history always fed by in the great museums and the remnants of Etruscan villages built over in places like, if memory serves, Montepulciano. In recent years we have fallen in love with Sud Tyrol/Alto Adige where we were in August and will return in February but, fingers crossed, if all works out the latter trip will be preceded by 3 days in Julskitchen. To get a taste yesterday I baked your Pan c'o Santi which has another few hours to rest before I indulge. Ciao e a presto.
Hi--I'm Jody. I live in California, but have a home in the Lunigiana area of Toscana, where I am just now, and where my husband and I hope to relocate permanently. I have been enjoying the free parts of the newsletter and finally decided to subscribe! I brought my copy of Cucina Povera with me this summer so I can try recipes with local ingredients. Looking forward to being part of the community!
Ciao Jody, so nice to meet you! I bet you'll find excellent chestnut flour in Lunigiana per the recipe with chestnut flour from Cucina Povera.
Ciao! I was born in Santa Margherita Ligure and emigrated to the USA with my family when I was a boy. Aside from y immediate family, the rest of my family resides in Milano, Piacenza, Rapallo e Santa Margherita Ligure. I am fluent in Italian and though I visit Italy infrequently, I stay in touch with my family there. I reside in Nyack, NY with my wife, (a well-known food stylist who was one of the original employees of the Food Network and has worked on many tv shows, books, etc…)our daughter and our two cats. I was an owner of a well know and well reviewed, rosticceria in Manhattan for a number of years back in the 80’s. I am an avid gardener, tomatoes being my specialty, and an accomplished bread baker. Simply said, I love food, eating, preparing, growing. I was introduced to your food through my recent purchase of your wonderful book Cucina Povera.
Ciao Aurelio, e benvenuto! I am so happy you joined Letters from Tuscany it looks like we have so much in common. I am sure you will give much in terms of knowledge and inspiration to this community.
And once again, let me tell you how glad I am you fumbled upon Cucina Povera!
How lucky am i to have stumbled across ur substack. Heading to Greece to cook with Diane Kochilas this summer. Told a friend my new goal is to cook around the world. Hopefully u will offer such a course. What more is there to life than tasting and savoring people , places and FOOD! Thank u for sharing ur gifts!
Hello Martha, so nice to meet you here! You are getting ready for an extraordinary experience this summer, how fun! Fingers crossed we will be meeting soon!
Hi, my name is Clara, I'm 27 years old, a passionate cook and I live in Berlin. I am a long-term reader of your blog and a big fan of your content. My family has a summer house in Tuscany so I grew up spending my summers there and eating Tuscan food. I was so happy when I found your blog and got access to all the simple recipes I missed in many cook books. Your blog - podcast and insta got me through the hard times of the pandemic and I am so excited to be a subscriber now! Best regards from Berlin 😊
Ciao Clara, I am so happy to have you here! Where is your summer house in Tuscany? How nice! And I am happy that here you can find those recipes that bring you back to Tuscany! x
In Vetulonia, a small village near the Coast by Castiglione della Pescaia. I will be spending some time there in June and I'm already excited to cook there with the local vegetable. Unfortunately we don't get so great produce in Berlin, so it's always a treat going to the south
Oh I've been there, at Baciarino, such a lovely spot, beautiful view!
I used to spend my summer holidays in Castiglione della Pescaia as a teenager, I have the best memories: the juiciest peaches, tomatoes...
Hello! My name is Ian and I subscribed to Letters from Tuscany due to my love of Tuscan food, sentiment, and personality. I love reading about great food and wine and how these seemingly simple things greatly affect our individual lives and culture at large. The Tuscany Year was one of my favorite books I read in 2023 and it showcased the amazing seasonality and economy of Tuscan cooking. Plus, I just love to read about regional Italian culture. As someone who has struggled to learn Italian for years, your ability to speak both English and Italian is impressive!
I love to eat, cook, and learn and have started my own substack about these topics this year. It's been a bit scary! But a lot of fun too. I can't wait to dive into Letters from Tuscany and order your cookbook, it sounds amazing and at the heart of how I love to approach my time in the kitchen. Grazie,
Hello Ian, welcome onboard! I just added The Tuscan Year to my reading list, I didn't know about this book, now I can't wait to read it.
And congratulations on your Substack journey, it's going to be so much fun!
Hi! My name is Mark and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I have always loved to cook from a young age watching my parents and grandparents in the kitchen. My love of cooking led me from making pizzas for my neighbours, doing popups at local breweries and festivals to opening up a pizza shop in the east end of Toronto in 2020 called Mark's Pizzas. Over the last year I have started making and selling fresh pasta. My "education" on that has gone from Evan Funke, to Meryl of Pasta Social Club to you Giulia! I want to make the best pasta form my family and customers! I've been following along here but recently signed up as a subscriber. My nemesis is fresh lasagna, lol. Still trying to work that one out. Hope to learn lots here and enjoy your journey! You never know, maybe you will see me and my family for an in person class at your place!
Hello Mark, welcome! I am humbled by your words, Mark, as I consider Evan Funke and Meryl such accomplished pasta makers! I'm glad I have been helpful, too! I have. recipe for my family southern lasagna here in the archives, give it a go!
And hopefully we will meet for an in person class soon!
I just had a look and that lasagne recipe was at the top of my list from going through your recipes. Who doesn't like meatballs!?!? especially in lasagna!!!
thanks Giulia, I think you hold your own! It is a tricky process but I will see where it goes! I will check out that recipe, thanks and have a great day! Mark
Hello I am Maria. I live in Virginia but am originally from Chicago Illinois. I am 100 percent Italian and love everything having to do with Italy. I also love cooking. I have been listening to your podcast for several years and just love your passion for cooking. Looking forward to being a subscriber. Grazie Mille
Ciao Maria, welcome! we are planning to record new episodes soon!
Hi! I just learned about you Giulia, and your book last week, ordered it and made the Pici Cacio e Pepe over the weekend! It was amazing.
My name is Sharon and I’m from Boston, MA in US. I’ve been obsessed with Italy for my adult life 😂
I’ve been to cooking school and I ran a personal chef biz for a number of years. Making homemade, hand rolled/shaped pasta is my jam, though Italian cooking in general is my fave.
I’ve just started to learn to speak Italian and it’s my dream to move to Italy someday 💜
Ciao Sharon, nice to meet you! So happy you have stumbled upon my book and this newsletter, welcome! you'll find so many like minded people here. Where would you like to move in Italy?
Ciao! Welcome… Giulia and I are both in Tuscany! I also adore Puglia and Sicily, where I go often. But it is a gorgeous country to explore!
I’m not quite sure yet. I’ve visited Italy but only down to Rome and haven’t seen the Southern Part yet. That will be my next visit 💜 I’ve been to Milan, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Rome. But I was younger then and did mainly touristy things. I’m more interested in non touristy things now :)
I look forward to following you and learning so much more about home cooking. I live in an area where my cooking is the absolute best cooking so it’s just better to eat at home. I would like to do dinner parties more for my friends. I’m a good at home cook but want to learn from
You. I’m really looking forward to it ❤️🥘
Hello Susan, welcome here, I'm so happy to have you with us for this new journey! I so relate with what you say, as I live in the countryside and most of the times my food is the only option! :D
Hello! My name is Cookie Till and I live near the seashore in New Jersey. I've run a restaurant for 26 years serving food that is simple, fresh and as local as possible. Later came a bakery and cafe and then a deli, sandwich and specialty wine store. My latest project in 2020 was acquiring the last piece of farmland in our area. We are a non profit working to regenerate 78 acres as well as educate and engage our community around the beauty of working together to create an inclusive local economy. In our kitchen at the farm the ethos is simple, fresh, nutrient dense and delicious!
When I came across your Letters From Tuscany on sub stack it spoke to me. One, because we seem to share the same sentiments around food and cooking and two, feeling the need for rest, rejuvenation and inspiration, I have been thinking of visiting Tuscany!
I look forward to exploring your posts and learning more. Thank you!
Hello Cookie, welcome! If I'll ever manage to travel to the US I'd love to visit you, I absolutely love all your projects!
Thank you! I would love that.
And when my travels lead to Tuscany I will look to sign up for a cooking class with you.
Happy and healthy new year!
Hello , my name is Johnnie and I am a 55year-old married man with 29 year-old son . All three of us work for an Arabian Princess and we split our time between Suffolk (UK) , Normandy (France) and Abu Dhabi . We manage various businesses but mainly it’s racehorses and show jumpers . Love cooking and food and I particularly love Italian food . Thought your book Cucina Povera was exceptional so wanted to come here , learn more and support you
Hello Johnnie, thank you for joining Letters from Tuscany and for supporting our cookbook, Cucina Povera! What an interesting business and life, you must have so many stories to share!
My name is Jean I am 68 and live in Epping NH. I own both of your cookbooks, participated in your Christmas cookie exchange years ago and I used to frequent your blog. I love cooking and gardening and look forward to getting your newsletters on Substack. I wish you and your family a magical Christmas.
Ho Jean it is so good to have you here! We will be working on a new cookie swap for the next year! Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!
Hi! My name is Kellie Douglas Williams. I live in Memphis, TN and I teach Culinary Arts in an urban high school setting. I also own a catering business "Kelz Kitchen". I make/sell breakfast before going to work and it is the highlight of my day. I grew up cooking and watching my great grandmother and mother cook soul food from the soul. I am a foodie (if that is still a term, lol) and I love to travel and eat. My partner and I are both Army Veterans and our kids (from our previous lives) are all grown and out of the house. We have a small farm "NannyCoop Farms" where we grow tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, squash, okra, cucumbers and purple hull peas in the Summer. In the Fall, we specialize in turnip, mustard and collard greens. I can everything and sell what we don't eat. We are now both 52 and are expanding our brands. I am also an avid writer (got it from my Mama) and I am wanting to start a food blog. I love teaching and I hope to blend my love for food, teaching and writing. I am so glad to be here :)
Welcome Kellie, so glad you join us! what an interesting life and so many skills and experience! It must be a lot of work with you farm! :)
How nice to run across this wonderful newsletter and community project. My name is Maria Camille and I'm from Santa Barbara, California where our Italian family is 5 generations here. For the last 4 years I've been living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
I'm looking forward to enjoying your Letters and Posts from your Tuscany kitchen. How special.
For more about me . . . here's my Back Story "From Mafia Wife to Nomad Entrepreneur" from my Substack newsletter; https://mastersmisfitsandmentors.substack.com/p/from-mafia-wife-to-nomad-entrepreneur.
Now, can't wait to get started making some of your recipes.
Ciao Maria, so nice to meet you and welcome onboard! What an interesting background you have! Thank you for introducing yourself! :D
Hi! I discovered Giulia and this Substack while listening to her on Everything Cookbooks (episode 68 if you haven't listened!:)) I live in the US (Oconomowoc, WI to be exact) but travel 2-3 times per year to my soul-country, Spain. However, I love Italy too! :) I'm a freelance writer specializing in Spain, golf, wellness, travel, and have been at my newsletter for almost a year - What I'd Rather Be Talking About. However, my passion project is taking my dad's emails to his childhood friend and organizing them in the book he always wanted to write, Letters to Louie (letterstolouie.com offers a peek!). Looking forward to getting some new Italian recipes to give to my husband to cook :) (I'm a bit of a disaster in the kitchen!)
Hello Abbey, so nice to meet you! I'm really curious about the Letters to Louie project.
And I hope your husband will enjoy some of my recipes, and you, too! ;)
Hi! My name is John! Just got back from 3 weeks in Italy including time in Siena. Loved every minute of it. I wanted to thank you for writing your piece about considering traveling to the smaller areas of Tuscany instead of the larger cities which were seemingly overrun with tourists. Thanks you for sharing your recipes and insights of your region and country.
Grazie mille!
John
Ciao John, and welcome! I'm so glad that my article has been an inspiration! I'm so happy you spent time in Siena, we love having a walk and a gelato there!
Thank you! Glad to be here. The only travel down side was the many Americans-my fellow countrymen- ordering “American coffee” instead of your glorious espresso in the wonderful restaurants. I’m going to spread the joys of espresso i gelato. Wonderful country. Absolutely fell in love with it.
Yes! Espresso and gelato, even better when together in an affogato!
Buongiorno! I am Honor, currently 42 and an artist and writer from Australia. At the start of the first 2020 lockdown I left inner-city Melbourne (and my beautiful grown up stepson) with my partner and young daughter, to wait out the pandemic in our ramshackle weekender in the Central Victorian countryside. After a month of living amongst the trees and birds and kangaroos (and yes, rodents and spiders and snakes!) we realised we could never return to city living. Though I am city born and bred, I felt exactly as if I had finally come home. This dramatic change in circumstance had a profound effect on my sense of self and shifted the standards I had for myself as an artist and as a human being. I stopped being so anxious about how others perceived me, and this enabled some interesting experiments with my own way of life. I stopped making art almost completely for two years, and instead began writing a children’s novel. I started trying to spend my days more intuitively, rather than trying to push myself to perform consistently in only one aspect of my life. I found an Italian teacher (in the middle of the Australian bush!) and began weekly conversation classes, finally risking the embarrassment of making mistakes and speaking out loud the language that I have been learning almost silently since primary school. I began a veggie garden and became more in touch with the land and the seasons by trying to make do with what is locally available, even when it is only nettles and dandelions! I came across Giulia’s blog only this week, while searching recipes to deal with a glut of green tomatoes as the first frosts set in. In my old life, I taught drawing at an art school, and made a few trips to the Venice Biennale with groups of students, which was magnificent. After two of these tours, I retreated to a Tuscan farmhouse in Molino del Piano with my partner to recover and soak in the unique glories of Tuscany. Reading Giulia’s blog, I felt an immediate kinship with her written voice and approach to life.
thank you so much for such a lovely, heartfelt introduction, Honor! I'm so pleased to have you here! your life and your soul are such an inspiration! And we have the same age! :)
Oh hello! I needed this bright message right now. I’ve spent all day wading through my overdue tax and felt that all romance and creativity has gone out of my world! (Albeit momentarily!) 😂 So, nice to have a warm message from Tuscany - and while I’m cooking risotto, no less!
What a perfect moment! Risotto used to be my stress release dish at the end of a heavy day, so I hope this works for you, too!
Yep, it’s working! What is your current stress-release dish? Is there a post about it? x
Hey Giulia, fellow Italian here. Born in the North, raised in the South, gotten adult in the Centre and now living in wonderful Scotland. I'm a data lover and have a newsletter where I create data stories, hence my presence here on Substack. I try to juggle between the fast pace of the tech world and the overarching desire for peace and quiet - I love hand-crafted projects and all the things about exploration and adventure, including with food! And of course, I love my country 🇮🇹❤️
Ciao Martina, so nice to meet you here! che piacere!
Where in Scotland are you based? I absolutely love Scotland, so much that we decided to spend our honeymoon there!
Ah yes it's a great place! I'm in Edinburgh, which I really like as a city. And there's nothing better than an escape to the coast or inner parts for long walks. Great culture overall 😀
Hello. I’m Steve from Massachusetts. I have my own Substack called The Set List about jazz music. I’m here because, well, you need more than music to sustain yourself!
Hello Steve, so nice to meet you! so you have the soundtrack to the perfect meals!
I'm a retired guy who has LOTS of time to try new cooking ideas. I've been doing a lot of cooking experiments(not all of them are "keepers"). I especially enjoy trying other(spicier) cuisines, Mexican, Indian, Chinese etc. I'm "mostly" vegetarian, I eat a lot of beans, and generally use meat in small amounts only as a flavoring.
Hello Patrick, so happy to have you here! the way you approach cooking resonates with the way I like to cook, especially the prevalence of vegetables and beans, and meat used as a flavoring. I hope you'll find inspiration in the next recipes we're going to share! :)
Hello. My name is Rosalie Rinaldi and I've been a subscriber for three years. I really appreciate you and your website. My father was born in Benevento and my mother was born in America. Her parents were Neapolitan so I was raised on the foods of Napoli. How lucky am I?
I am 82 years young, retired, and a foodie. I've loved visiting Italy and seeing the many attractions of Rome, eating the foods and shopping. I visited Avellino with a friend whose father was born there. We were entertained royally. We started with figs and salami, then spaghetti marinara and roast
chicken. It couldn't have been a better visit. The memory of the warmth of the family is always with me when I think of Italy.
I am carrying on the traditions of my mother especially at the Holidays. Pizza Rustica, Easter breads, sweet and with hardboiled eggs. I make the Italian Wedding soup regularly and love your recipe for stuffed peppers with bread and olives. I'll stop now.
Thank you Giulia and Tommaso.
Ciao! My name is Jayne and I'm in my early 40s and live a few hours north of New York City, but originally from there. I'm in human resources for the state government and I live with my husband and daughter, also Giulia. 😊 Some of my great grandparents were from Sicilia and Napoli. We have been to Toscana twice, including for two amazing weeks this past summer and hoping to visit Sicilia next year. I really enjoy catching up to the newsletters and trying out the recipe demos when time permits. Grazie for sharing with us!
thank you for your lovely introduction Jayne! how old is your Giulia?
She is 10 and fancies herself a gelato conneusuer after sampling all over Toscana, even having the chance to make some from scratch at a gelateria. 😊 Her favorites were in Siena, Firenze and San Gimignano.
It must be the name ❤️
Ciao Giulia & Tommaso! My name is Jaimi and I currently live in Nevada near Lake Tahoe. I retired from my interior design business a few years ago and my husband and I have been avid travelers for the past 20 years. We love Italy! Last year we spent extended time in Provence and found the cuisine there amazing also - especially all the different ways they prepared fresh vegetables. Despite having very weak culinary skills myself (something I hope to change) we could not get enough of the produce at all the weekly markets. Next up we will be back in Italy and I hope to take a few cooking classes to start build my skills. I was told about your class from a friend's daughter that attended one on her honeymoon in 2018 or 19 and have been following your instagram since then. I definitely will be on the lookout for your podcast when it resumes. Grazie for bringing Tuscany to us virtually.
hello Jaimi, so nice to meet you here! Provence has such an incredible food culture, I fell in love too when I visited! Keep your fingers crossed for new episodes of the podcast!
Ciao, I‘m Stephanie, 50 years old, from Germany. Well, I‘m addicted to Italy for 15 years now. When I crossed the Brennero with friends in 2008 something magical happened to my heart. I returned every year since 2008. Mostly to Tuscany and Firenze ❤️. Since 2019 I‘m exploring also some other parts of Italy … with my boyfriend who was born in Puglia and grew up in Lombardia. Besides traveling to Italy I love taking pictures and of course cooking and baking … the italian way.
Well … I‘m italian@heart. That‘s it. Cari salutoni. Stephanie ♥️🇮🇹
welcome here Stephanie, so niche to meet you!
Small world Tamzin, thanks so much. Adventures is definitely an apt way of describing life here in Italy!
Sunday, Jan. 15. Hello. I am happy to have signed up for a paid subscription. This morning I had a notification that you posted today, but nothing came to my email. I looked in Spam, and also directly with Substack. Did I miss something? Any advice? Don't want to miss your posts!
I came to your delightful site via Domenica Marchetti's "Buona Domenica." I've known her for years, used to live in the same neighborhood, have taken her classes, and have traveled on some of her tours. I began my love of Italy as a college student many decades ago when I had a term in Florence, a place I love (helps that I have friends there to this day.) I've been to Umbria and Abruzzo--lots more exploring the country in the years ahead, I hope. In the meantime will explore via cooking classes featuring different regions. I now live in Lancaster, PA, after a long time in the DC area. Glad to be in a more rural setting, and in season, the farmers markets are wonderful (and inexpensive), if not quite as varied as what I had previously. So I grow more interesting varieties of squash, beans, tomatoes, etc., myself. The soil is awesome here.
So glad to have learned of you and your husband. Thank you! Barbara Wyckoff
Hello Barbara, I'm so happy to have you here, and I have to say thank you to Domenica for this! The notification you got was to announce I had just sent a message in the chat, so you didn't miss anything!
When you are birder (slang for bird watcher).You watch for birds every where you go.
Hey both, my name is Massi, I’m 29 and originally from Iran but I’ve been living in Germany for ten years now.
I’m working as environmental engineer and I’m in love with Italian culture, food and language (Italian in the heart). Last year I lived for 6 month in my dream city Rome and still dreaming of moving to Italy. I really enjoy reading your newsletter and learning about food and life in Italy and hope to visit and discover Tuscany in the near future.
Hi Massi, you have such an interesting job, something that is so useful and important right now. I ready hope you’ll manage to fulfil your dream soon and you’ll get to live your best life in Rome!
His father’s family is from Pacentro & Sulmona in the Abruzzo region and his mom’s side from Sicily. Thank you Giulia!
Two very interesting regions, food-wise!
Hello both, I am Louis. I am currently in Spain and waiting for my application for residency in Italy to come through. I am a former chef and spend my waiting days writing kitchen tales (fiction) and cooking (reality) plus being a dog owner (new to me). I love reading about cucina povera and hope at some stage to learn even more about food life in Italy (wish me luck!) Thanks for the Letters from Tuscany. I am enjoying the posts. L
Hello Louis, welcome here, and hopefully in Italy, too! Yours sounds like my life: writing, cooking, and loving dogs! What of breed of dog you have?
I'm so happy you are fond of Cucina Povera, I hope our new cookbook will shed light on this essential, resourceful, generous way of cooking!
I have a Bodeguero cross (bred to be ratters in Spanish bodegas) Easier to see (and apologies for the link but it is only for the purposes of you knowing) @Elmolivingwithlouis on Instagram
You are welcome to share all the links, especially when they involve such a cute dog!
Hi all, I’m Ellen and live outside of Raleigh, NC. My husband Dave and I were fortunate to go back to Italy this past June and be part of Gulia’s cooking class. We had a wonderful time and hubby is now angling to go back and do her 3 day experience. In the meantime we are enjoying the recipes and chats on the group. We are both retired teachers (although Dave still substitutes frequently at the high school he taught at for 22 years). I was in early childhood/special education while he does high school. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking and recently started back to breads. Simple and slow cooked meals preferred at our house. I’m waiting on the new cookbook, the pre order was a Christmas gift. Of course another trip to Italy would have been great, but that will come again. For us it takes planning as we have 3 special needs young adults who live at home and we have to rally support for them when we travel. In the meantime we explore wineries and create foods to pair with them and enjoy everything Letters from Tuscany brings us.
Hi Ellen, I have fond memories of our class together the past summer! We'll be working on the 3 day experience, hopefully this will be a way to meet again in-person, but in the meantime we will meet every month for the cook-alongs!
Thank you also for preordering the book, it means so much!
LOL, you have a couple of years. We are looking at ‘24 or ‘25, but if Dave has his way it WILL happen.
In the meantime I will enjoy keeping in touch this way.
There’s no hurry! In the meantime, next week we have a new cook along!
And Dave and I will be joining in!!