Milano: A New Journey Begins
It was July 2005, and although Mike and I were now engaged, this was to be yet another of my many solo trips. I had just arrived in the sweltering,…
Intermission
It was June 2004 when Mike and I returned to San Francisco. I had over a year to prepare for my next trip, which would take me once again throughout…
Sagra dei Cjalčons
After a restless night on an uncomfortably hard bed in an overheated room, breakfast at Hotel Valle Verde offered little comfort: just the average spread of rolls and croissants with…
Cormòns: Rental Car Fiasco
Having taken the train from Trieste back to Udine and dropped our bags off at Hotel Principe, Mike and I set out for our very first Italian rental car adventure.…
Castello di Gorizia
The first time I visited Gorizia, it was a bitterly cold February morning, the sky overcast and gloomy with the threat of impending snow. Now that it was May, conditions…
Interview with Gianna Modotti
My second meeting with cooking instructor Gianna Modotti was scheduled for mid-afternoon, so I had the entire morning free. As I pondered my options over a late breakfast, I considered…
Cooking Class with Gianna Modotti and the Sorelle Simili
Around mid-afternoon on the following day, I took a long walk from my hotel to meet Gianna Bellina Modotti, who ran a cooking school out of her home on Via…
Food Shopping in Udine
Traveling to do research for a cookbook sounds like a dream job, but in fact, it can be hard to keep up the pace. With a limited schedule, I usually…
San Daniele: Ristorante Alle Vecchie Carceri
The morning after the Arta Terme festival, I returned to Udine. My bus pulled in promptly at noon, and my plan was to enjoy a leisurely lunch somewhere in the…
Pordenone and Sacile
It was now May—the type of sunny spring morning that soothes you with warm breezes and energizes you with the scent of anticipation. The previous evening, I had arrived in…