November 1 is Reclamation Day

There was only one sign for pumpkin spice anything, and it was at the train station in Rome. Starbucks, of course, and my apologies to all who love the fall-themed brew. But then there was the Trick or Treat sign on the Irish pub (!) in my Italian town of Sulmona. It was jarring. Halloween hasn’t yet come to Italy in a big way, and that’s fine with me. Call me a grump.

Because the rest of the year (as most of you know) I live in Salem, Massachusetts where, over the past 20 years, Halloween starts in early September and runs through mid-November. The crowds are staggering – nearly one million people come into town on Halloween weekend alone. Adults in goth costumes wander the streets, looking for signs of something wicked, I suppose. Or at least something to do. This town of 46,000 or so residents is overwhelmed by traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, who somehow think that it’s a theme park and that nobody really lives here and has to get stuff done. End of rant.

I think it’s tragic that a city with such a rich history in the areas of maritime, literary, architecture and art – heck, the telephone was first tested here – is known mostly for an unfortunate few months when more than 200 people were falsely accused of witchcraft. Twenty were hung and one was pressed to death in a series of sensational trials. It is a devastating story of superstition, misogyny and land grabs. I do not take this lightly. But when it is translated into pointy hats, zombies, monsters and haunted houses, I say please take this freak show somewhere else. Of course, the broom is already out of the barn and witch images are everywhere, from the police cars to the local newspaper.

Just last week, I pushed some guy out of the way on the pedestrian mall so that I could get to my dentist appointment in time. He was just STANDING THERE in some kind of weird costume. A fully grown adult. It brings out the worst in me. But tomorrow, we start to go back to normal. Start. It’s Reclamation Day in Salem.

Another cappuccino, please. Hold the pumpkin spice.

2023: A Pivot

The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things . . .

 

How much we’ve learned since we started running these tours back in 2004 (unofficially) and then, more officially, in 2009. It all started with a trip to Florence with some friends in 2000, and I was hooked on Italy.

Over the years, Tim and I have taken small groups of curious travelers to marvelous places. We’ve introduced some of you to great wines you’ve never heard of, brought you to the plains they call Little Tibet, cooked with you in Le Marche and Lombardia and Puglia, became educated about art and history, laughed uncontrollably with locals, made fun of ourselves and our lousy Italian, driven on death-defying hairpin turns to see castles in the sky, relaxed on the most beautiful terrace in all of Venice, gotten hopelessly behind schedule in Sicily, stayed in gorgeous cave hotels, driven down roads we shouldn’t have, seen ancient ruins and felt like ruins ourselves at the end of a long day, and discovered the world’s largest frying pan (in Liguria) together. And that’s just for starters.

In that time, we’ve gotten older. I don’t know how that happened. But we’ve decided to step back a little and reassess our offerings.

Nothing will stop us from going to Italy (we now own apartments in two marvelous regions of Italy) and we plan to spend more time there, enjoying said food and wine and removing ourselves for a time from the craziness that is America right now. But we will pivot.

Starting in 2023, we will be putting together two tours annually for you — one to the beautiful, crazy wild, and very down-to-earth region of Abruzzo. And one almost to the tip of the heel of the boot, on the sunny and surprising Salento Peninsula of Puglia. We hope you’ll want to join us.

Why Abruzzo? The easy answer would be to refer you to Abruzzissimo Magazine, created by my friend and colleague Anna Lebedeva, who came to me two years ago and asked that I help her bring an online English-language magazine about Abruzzo to life. And so I did. The more thorough answer is that we fell in love with a small city (pop. 24,000) called Sulmona about a dozen years ago, claimed it as our own, and have been exploring Abruzzo’s treasures ever since.

What can I say? It’s the greenest region of Europe, boasting three national parks and a regional park. It has good skiing and 14 Blue Flag beaches. The wine is affordable and fantastic. The food is simple and delicious cucina povera. (I doubt you’ll find better cheese anywhere.) The traditions and festivals — a little bit Christian, a little bit pagan — are year-round and moving. Even the serpent festival in Cocullo, apparently.

The hilltop towns provide relief from the summer heat as well as gorgeous views. There are churches and museums for those who want that. There is an opera house in Sulmona and a 3-Michelin star restaurant in nearby Castel del Sangro, which also has some fine fly fishing. It made its wealth from the wool trade and the transhumanza – the moving of the flocks from Abruzzo down to Puglia for better grazing every winter — is still a thing. Scanno is a fine place for filigree jewelry and Sulmona is the best place for all manner of confetti candy. Come to Sulmona in July and you’ll experience a medieval joust; come at Easter and you’ll see the processions and La Madonna che Scappa in the big piazza. Just come.

The heel of the boot has a completely different feel. With the longest coastline of any region in mainland Italy, Puglia, by virtue of its situation, often feels more Greek than Italian. It has experienced invasions from the Normans, the Swabians, and the Spanish (who left an incredible baroque style of architecture). The cucina povera is still there — here, with more fish — and the wines are phenomenal, even though you probably haven’t heard of most of them before. The city of Lecce, which stole our hearts, is called “The Florence of the South” because of its amazing architecture and sophisticated feel. With a Roman amphitheatre, a Roman theatre, and about a gazillion restaurants, this is the city to see. There’s an extremely well done museum that explores the Jewish presence on the peninsula, as well. And the churches are incredible.

Papier mache is big here, as is olive oil (in spite of the blight that scientists are trying feverishly to arrest). Towns like Galatina (with its incredible school of Giotto frescoes), coastal Gallipoli, Trani with its fort and cathedral, Alberobello with its trulli . . . there’s no lack of places to go. It will absolutely charm you. And a foray into nearby Basilicata for a stay in Matera (which was the European Capital of Cultural a few years ago) is a must-do. We are 15 minutes from either the Ionian Sea or the Adriatic — this is a summer paradise.

So . . . that’s where we’ll be going. We hope you will join us. We’ll be posting particulars by year-end, but welcome your questions and comments any time.

As Mary Shelley once wrote, The name of Italy has magic in its very syllables. We hope you’ll come and share some of the magic we’ve found.

Buon viaggio! 

 

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The View, Seven Months Out . . .

My head has been a bit cloudy these past months — how about you? Dealing with a global pandemic plays a big part, to be sure. We were locked down for a while, and we miss our family and friends and our routine. We are wearing masks, social distancing, washing our hands and still using (and cleaning with) sanitizers. We are locked out of Italy until things get better here, which they aren’t. And won’t, until some big changes are made. Fingers crossed for November 3.

But I hear a lot of talk about the emotional stagnation of government-induced PTSD, and that sounds about right. I wake with a headache and spend the days with a lump in my solar plexus the size of an orange. Some days, it’s hard to get anything done, and it’s r-e-a-l-l-y hard to be creative. I get more migraines than ever before. I feel hopeless, then giddy, then scared to death, all in the same damn day! It’s a pattern that repeats and repeats and I’m getting sick of it. The news has been devastating. More black lives lost, gangs of gun-toting right-wing boymen threatening our streets, and conspiracy theories that make HG Wells stories seem absolutely normal.

The environment is in more peril than it has been for decades; we have alienated our once-steady allies; we are denying science and calling top scientists idiots; we insult our military and call them losers; we mock the disabled; we incite violence and offer to pay for the wrongdoers’ legal fees; we withhold truth, deflect blame, and in short, Trump and his lackies are killing us. As I write this, more than 229,000 of us are dead – while we are being told that we’re “rounding the curve” and that the disease “kills practically nobody” anymore. And the example that these no-goodniks are setting for the younger generations is alarming and possibly irrevocable.

We are through the looking glass, people.

In response to news stories, I have never used the phrase, “What the actual fuck?!?!” as much as I have in these past few months. I saw a Sesame Street spoof on Facebook, showing Burt and Ernie declaring that the year 2020 is being brought to you by the letters, W, T and F, so I guess I’m in good company.

I find brief glimpses of sanity by thinking about the time when we can travel again — maybe even move away for good. Of course, the whole world is suffering now, and parts of Europe (including parts of Italy) are plunging back into lockdown after a few months of virus exhaustion and subsequent COVID spread. So what to do?

We all have our formulas for staying vertical these days. Some people have turned to fanatical exercise. Not me. Others have sworn off the sauce. Also not me. Endless reading of books and streaming movies sounds nice, but I have a job. Scrabble and Solitaire are my constant “break” companions, but my new heroes are the travel guides in Italy who are bringing live tours to their audiences through Facebook Live and Zoom events. Now that’s something I can wrap my head around. See Italy. Learn new stuff. Support the guides who lives have been devastated by the lock-down.

During this pandemic, I’ve been to Venice, to Sicily, to Campania, and to Abruzzo. I’ve learned about art, about cooking, about wines, and about history. I’ve seen how the Venetians handled their own plagues, taken cooking classes, learned about virtual wine tastings, and “walked” through lovely rural villages with local guides. This feeds my soul and keeps me in shape for whatever the new normal will bring.

On the local front, our preeminent Salem historian decided to give noon-time Zoom lectures to a group of fans and history lovers – sometimes as many as 40 – who hung in with him week after week, for about five months. God bless him; his humor and stories kept us from going off the deep end every day.

To learn more about these treasure trips, visit the sites of Luisella Romeo, Danielle Oteri, Anne Robichaud, Anna Lebedeva and, in Salem,  Jim McAllister.

So here’s to our travel and history first responders. Thank you for what you are doing. Please keep it up. And maybe we’ll see you in person in 2021!

Meanwhile, stay sane and stay safe, everybody —

Buon viaggio!

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GUEST POST: Precautions To Ensure A Relaxing Vacation

Thanks to Jane Moore for this terrific and useful post. Jane’s mantra is: travel, eat your greens, move your body. Commit for a month and drop her a line to let her know how you feel! She loves exploring unfamiliar places and writing about her experiences on FitWellTraveler.

There are many reasons to take a vacation. Visiting old friends and family, touring popular sites, or just going to find those out-of-the-way restaurants that serve the best local food are all great reasons. But above all else, a vacation should be relaxing.

That’s the point! You need that downtime to recharge your batteries so you can better deal with the stress of work. But what happens when your vacation is the thing causing you stress? It’s not like you won’t have any fun, but still, a vacation is supposed to be relaxing.

And with a little planning ahead of time, it can be. You just need to be careful about three major sources of vacation stress: travel, lodging, and your place back home.

Getting There Is Half The Problem

Air travel can be really easy — or really stressful. Yet it’s often the best way to get to your destination. So what can you do to make it less stressful? It helps to know your rights as an air passenger.

USA TODAY explains that there are some valid reasons for delayed or canceled flights. Weather and mechanical problems can ground flights, and that’s no one’s fault. If your flight is delayed, be prepared for a longer stay in the airport. Make sure you have any toiletries and medications handy as well as enough money to eat there.

But what happens if your flight is overbooked and you get bumped? As Money explains, the airline must get you a new flight after asking for volunteers. If this happens, you can get money if the new flight puts you in more than one hour later than originally planned.
Lodging And Safety Concerns
You managed to keep your seat on the plane, you’ve landed, and you’ve arrived at your hotel. Your vacation is about to start — unless the hotel lost your reservation. What can you do when your hotel has no record of you? There are several things:

  • Bring a printed copy of your confirmation email proving you made the reservation and they confirmed it.
  • Stay calm and start by asking them to just fix the situation. You may even wind up with an upgraded room.
  • Keep polite no matter how stressful this is. Giving into anger and frustration just makes more stress for everyone.

Check out this article for more ideas on getting your hotel room.

Once the hotel is sorted out, it’s time to finally enjoy the sights. This is one of the best parts of the trip! But to make sure it doesn’t get stressful, you need to be smart about things. Safewise.com recommends keeping your cash and credit cards separately and making a copy of your passport or driver’s license. You never know when a thief might strike.
Will Home Be A Distraction?
Thieves aren’t just a problem for tourists. When you’re traveling, your home is more likely to be robbed. While there is no way to guarantee a safe home, there are a few ways to make it unappealing to criminals.

  • Set lights and electronics (like you TV) on a timer.
  • Ask your neighbors and friends to keep an eye on the place.
  • Make sure all your doors and windows are locked, including those in your garage.

Many have dogs at home to deter criminals, but is keeping them home when you travel a good idea? That depends on your dog’s needs, but you often can. Of course, you will need to have a pet sitter their to take care of them.
You Deserve To Relax This Vacation
Going on a trip should be restful. By taking a few steps for your flights, hotels, and home, you can focus on what you need — that relaxing break from it all.

Buon viaggio!

Image Source: Pixabay

Autonoleggio: The Worst Thing About Travel

No, no, no. There’s no such thing as cheap and cheerful. It’s cheap and nasty and expensive and cheerful -Jeremy Clarkson

I’ve been traveling for quite a while now, and no matter where I go — Italy, the UK, France, Belgium, San Francisco — the absolute worst part of the trip is dealing with car rental agencies. And, when we rent a car in Italy, it’s the gift that keeps on giving: six months later we always get notification of some unprovable speeding violation or driving in a “zona limitato” that results in a mad scramble to pay the bill within 24 hours because, if we delay, it will cost approximately three thousand times as much.

It really leaves a bad taste in my mouth that this country that I love so much will play games like this with its visitors. Sometimes the tickets are already paid for by our credit card (provided by the car rental agencies) and the notifications are just that. A fait accompli. Sometimes, like last year, we are notified that we were filmed in a head-on collision and were expected to pay vast sums of money to the car rental agency to pay for the totaled car. Of course, there was no such collision (we might have remembered such an incident, no?) and it allegedly happened the day we left the country. But that sinking, violated feeling takes a while to shake off.

In early spring, I read a review from my friends at Welcome to Sulmona about car rentals. Katy and Susanna said, in no uncertain terms, that if anybody planned to rent a car whilst in Sulmona or other parts of Abruzzo, that they should contact Riccardo at Orso s.n.c., a start-up rental agency founded and run by a local Sulmonese. I did. And, folks, it’s a whole new world!

First of all, Riccardo is as nice as can be and his English is very good. But best of all, he is all about service. He has studied the rental car market and knows what the other companies are doing wrong. So what you get from him is good, clean vehicles; exceptional and timely service; and no surprises. No fear-based insurance scams, no outrageous holds on your credit card, no bait and switch. Just an honest transaction, beautifully executed.

In May, I needed a 9-passenger van so that Tim could assume his duties as driver/co-tour guide on our Taste of the Mezzogiorno Tour. We would be logging a lot of miles: from Rome to Sulmona, on to Trani (with stops in Polignaro a Mare and Alberobello), on to Matera and then back to Rome. My choices were to go back to one of the two other rental agencies at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, where we had had not-so-great experiences every time — or to take Katy’s advice and try Orso s.n.c.

I contacted Riccardo by e-mail a few months earlier, and told him what I needed: a diesel fueled, manual transmission 9-passenger van in good shape, with unlimited mileage, that could withstand the ups and downs (literally) of the tour I had planned. And he came through with flying colors, keeping me apprised for weeks about the make, model, price, etc. It was more reasonable than any van I’d rented, in better shape, and he delivered it right to Fiumicino for me. And, at the end of the trip, he met us back at Fiumicino right on time.

Our beautiful Opel van

But that’s just the beginning. After we parted at the airport, Tim and I went up to the car rental floor to pick up the car we had reluctantly ordered from another company (because, at the time, Riccardo didn’t have the small sized car we wanted; after 10 days in a big van, we wanted a petite model!). When we got to the firm’s desk, we learned that nothing close to the car we had ordered was even available . . . that they would charge us a huge premium for insurance (which is why their stated rate was so low) . . . and that they would not rent us the car without Tim’s International Driving Permit.

Don’t believe anybody when they tell you the IDP is not necessary – these people seriously would not rent us a car without it. When I couldn’t find it, I suspected that I had left it in Riccardo’s van. My M.O. is to unpack it and put it in the glove box right away, so it’s ready to show to any Polizia or Caribinieri who might stop us along the way.

I called Riccardo (a tad hysterical and borderline explosively angry) and he said he would come to the rental lot and meet me with the paperwork. He was halfway back to Rome to meet a friend, but he (a) searched for the IDP, (2) turned the van around, and (3) found us and returned the license. That’s service!

I cannot recommend Riccardo and Orso s.n.c. enough. He has been adding more cars and vans to his fleet since May and will be ready for us when we arrive in Sulmona in October. He also offers driving services, GPS, child seats and pick-up and delivery at any train station in the Abruzzo region. Tell him Tim and Linda sent you . . . and rest assured that you’re getting the best deal and the best service around!

Buon viaggio!

(Nearly) a Month in the (Old) Country

I am not a great cook, I am not a great artist. But I love art and I love food, so I am the perfect traveler — Michael Palin

It keeps getting better, Italy. And I’m pretty sure that’s not just a comparison to what’s been going on in the good ol’ USA these days. No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, it’s hard to argue the fact that we are of late an enormously divided people who wake up to unsettling news each and every morning.

Celano, en route from Fiumicino to Sulmona

For a little more than three weeks, Tim and I have been back in Italy, answering endless questions (“Is it really true?”, “Did you learn nothing from us with Berlusconi?”) and trying to focus on showing our travelers a good time and enjoying the food, wine, vistas and slower pace that rural Italy offers.

And our travelers! Every tour has its own special ambience, and this year was no exception. Our “Taste of the Mezzogiorno” group was seven enthusiastic people strong and included one fellow who had never even been to Italy before. I love the fact that he was introduced to the South first, before being overwhelmed by Rome, Florence and Venice. Now he understands about the “forte e gentile” Abruzzese people . . . about the strategic importance of the beautiful blue Adriatic . . . and about the rugged communal life of the interior.

Un trabocco, along the Ortona coast

On this tour we tried to show off three ways of life in three different regions: small city life in Sulmona (Abruzzo), a jewel of a port city in Trani (Puglia), and the remarkable sassi settlement of Matera (Basilicata). Along the way we stopped in Ortona, saw trabocchi along the coast, were wowed by Polignare a Mare and got a close-up look at the trulli houses of Alberobello. It was a lot of driving and, once again, my eternal gratitude extends to my husband, Tim, for driving a nine-person van up and around the surreal switchbacks of southern Italy.

In each region we ate local food, visited local wineries and learned about history and culture from knowledgeable local tour guides. I think it’s a great way to experience the authentic (an overused word, I know) Italy. Our small groups receive warm welcomes, hear good stories, make friends and even get an occasional invitation to someone’s home. It cannot be beat.

Trulli in Alberobello

This fall we are doing something a little different. By popular demand from former travelers, we are going to Venice. I said I would do it only if they agreed to see Vicenza, as well. So we go off on a non-driving tour of two great Northern cities, and then Tim and I will return to Sulmona, where our hearts are.

Ciao from bella italia!

Our next tour of the Abruzzo region (and who knows where else?) will be in May 2018. Think about it if you’re up for a small group experience like no other. Watch this space and my Facebook page for more details.

Tim and I go back to Salem, Massachusetts in a few days, where we know a thing or two about witch hunts. We’re looking forward to Venice in the fall . . .

Buon viaggio!

In Abruzzo: Arrosticini on the Range

This article first appeared in DreamofItaly.com

If you’re a fan of spaghetti westerns, you might recognize the location of Ristoro Mucciante, a barbecue-delipicnic spot on Campo Imperatore in the region of Abruzzo. This is the area Italians call “Little Tibet” because of its similar mountainous terrain, but also because of the geography of spirit that the area invokes.

In 1970, Campo Imperatore was the site for a series of westerns, including one called They Call Me Trinity whose star, Bud Spencer, just died this past June. For those who are too young to remember, “spaghetti westerns” were a genre popular in the 1960s thanks to director Sergio Leone’s film-making style. The term was coined by American film critics because most of these westerns were produced on limited budgets and directed by Italians. Think A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Today, what’s left from this era is a log cabin rising out of nowhere, nearly 5,000 feet above sea level at the foot of the Gran Sasso mountain, and there are always scads of cars and motorcycles in the parking lot. And that parking lot? Filled with BBQ grills and coals ready for cooking the local favorite, arrosticini (lamb skewers) that you can buy inside. What’s going on here?

This is the home of the freshest Abruzzese farm-to-table street food imaginable — and the locals make regular pilgrimages out here, hauling their salads, side dishes, tablecloths and kids for a picnic experience like no other. On sale besides the lamb skewers: a variety of sweet and hot pork sausages, gorgeous thick beef filets, three or four different kinds of local cheese (Pecorino is my favorite), homemade bread and an assortment of chips, cookies, sodas, beer, wine and soft drinks. Just add the ambiance — and cook your own meat!

And because it’s well situated between Castel del Monte and the resort at the top of Campo Imperatore, a lot of tourist traffic passes by this curious place as well. Why? For film buffs, this area is famous, having provided backdrops for films like The American, The Name of the Rose, and Ladyhawke. As for Campo Imperatore, its historical claim to fame is that from August 28 to September 12, 1943, the local hotel served as the prison of Benito Mussolini until he was liberated by the German armed forces.

Today, the Campo’s Rifugio Campo Imperatore (www.refugiocampoimperatore.com) is the main accommodation of its namesake ski resort and is a good starting point for hiking on the western slope of the Gran Sasso. There’s even a notable observatory here which, since 2001, has been home to the international program that led to the discovery of some 61,000 asteroids.

Back to the Ristoro Mucciante: it is owned by brothers Rodolofo,

Rodolfo at work!

Roberto and Gianni, who grew up in nearby Castel del Monte, the grandsons of a butcher. They still raise some 500 sheep in the area and their next project is working to earn a “biologic” (organic) designation and complete the vertical integration by raising all the plants their sheep need to eat.

Rodolfo and his brothers do not do this fulltime; in fact, Rodolfo is an accountant by profession. But they are very happy to work with their parents, keeping this unique tradition alive. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s clear they do this as much for love as for profit.

“This is the best work in the world,” says Rodolfo, with a grin. “When people ask me what they should see in Abruzzo I tell them Castel del Monte, Calascio and Santo Stefano di Sessanio. But first, see Ristoro Mucciante.”

Ristoro Mucciante
Localita Madonnina
Castel del Monte
(39) 0862 938357
Open daily from May 1 to October 31, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Open on weekends during the rest of the year, weather permitting.

— Linda Dini Jenkins

And here’s a video I shot with Rodolfo last May, in a raging wind storm. Thanks to Melissa Vice and Cucillo Conad for their hard work!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gwqr5mejaxb5y9j/Ristoro_Mucciante_2016.mov?dl=0

Buon viaggio

Happy National Poetry Month!

Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash — Leonard Cohen

I’m always excited when April comes around, because I can officially come out as a poet.

People who know me well know that I teach poetry at Explorers (Lifelong Learning Institute) at least once a year and that I always offer the option to facilitate journal writing on our tours. Introducing the poetry of travel, and encouraging travelers to make poetry from their travel journaling are favorite activities of mine.

I was lucky enough to be asked to participate in a program at the Salem Athenaeum last month called The Writers in Your Neighborhood and, unbeknownst to me, Tim filmed my part of the program. The first :10 is missing, but the rest of the 7 minute reading is captured here for your enjoyment.

Herewith: a few poems derived from travel and the places that travel and memory take you.

Bon viaggio!

https://youtu.be/koF1cQmXg_E

Italia in 2018! Who’s in?

I spent a college semester in a small town in Italy — and that is where I truly tasted food for the first time. — Alton Brown

Just a quick blast so you can start planning your 2018 Italian adventure with Travel the Write Way!

We are planning two tours next year — as always, one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Both will feature optional journal writing exercises for those who want to better capture their travel experiences.

While dates and details are not available yet (but will be forthcoming by the summer), here’s something to think about:

May 2018

Roma!

Rome & Abruzzo in the Springtime

Spend 4 nights in Rome, the Caput Mundi, the center of the universe. We’ll enjoy at least one food tour, a wine tasting experience and lots of time to see the city of Fellini. Be transformed by this place that is both ancient and modern, sacred and profane.

Then we’ll drive east, to the city of Ovid — Sulmona — where we’ll spend 4 nights in the heart of the Abruzzo region. We’ll have wine tastings, an olive oil experience, a cooking class, and visits to several nearby hill towns. We will eat and drink exceedingly well here in the heart of the Valle Peligna, and you’ll feel like a local by the time you leave.

October 2018

Piazza Garibaldi: Sulmona among the mountains

Le Marche & Abruzzo Food & Harvest Tour

We’ll begin with a 3-night stay at a secluded (and now very famous) agriturismo near Urbania in the Marche, about 4 hours from Rome. Private cooking class and truffle hunting included. It’s a great introduction to this wild and wonderful part of bella italia. Heck, you might even see a cinghiale!

Then we’ll head down to the Abruzzo, where the beautiful city of Sulmona will be our base for 5 nights. After visiting the highest ruined castle in the Apennines, walking through the town where Madonna’s family hails from, checking out the silver filigree in a city made prosperous by the wool trade and touring and tasting at the oldest winery in Abruzzo, you’ll still have time to relax, eat well and bring home lots of memories. And don’t forget the confetti!

There’s something for all Italophiles, foodies and wine lovers on these trips — punctuated (no pun intended) by an optional opportunity to do some writing to capture the moments.

Think about Italy in 2018 and join us!

Buon viaggio!

Happy Anniversary, Cucina Abruzzese!

It was one year ago this month . . .

First, a huge box arrived. It took two of us to drag it into the kitchen. Like the “important award” box in A Christmas Story, the box said in bold letters: FRAGILE. Only this box really was from Italy.

Inside was a cornucopia of all things Abruzzese. There were wheels of pecorino cheese, and there was grated pecorino cheese. There was a well-used chittara and an antique rolling pin. There were many kilos of Pelino confetti. There was salumi — sliced and whole — of every description. Prosciutto, guanciale, mortadella. There were the famed protein-packed lentils of Santo Stefano. There were books and brochures and CDs and recipe cards and display pieces galore.

We already had the wine: a gift from Pietrantonj of their fabulous Montepulciano. We filled in the selection with Trebbiano and Pecorino and our favorite: the piquant and rosy Cerasuola. Of course, Prosecco was involved as well.

Novelia with her chitarra

Vicky and I went shopping in Revere for the right “OO” flour for the pasta, bread crumbs for the shepherd’s balls, and passito for the sauce. We bought many pounds of sausages. We bought garlic and carrots and celery and olive oil and dozens and dozens of eggs. And Novelia gave us orders about what to buy so she could make her famous chocolate cake. We found the secret ingredient (no, I’m not going to tell you) in the North End.

A few days later, armed with pots and pans and serving dishes, we headed off to the first of four cooking classes.

Participants snapped this opportunity up faster than we ever imagined. And four

Amalia Cardelli, all the way from Santo Stefano

friends offered their rather large kitchens and dining rooms for the events. Two in Salem, one in Winchester and one in Danvers. Men and women, old friends and new, came from all over the North Shore — even one from Rhode Island, one from Pennsylvania and one from California — and were delighted. And boy, did we eat well! Mangiamo bene!

And to top it all off, Marco Malvestuto, filmmaker and man about town in Sulmona, was here to capture the moments on video. Herewith, I give you Cucina Abruzzese a la Marco.

Enjoy! And let me know if you want to do it again in 2018!!

Buon viaggio!

Italian Tours

Tours for people who don’t like tours.

Italian Tours

Led by author and blogger Linda Dini Jenkins and her husband, Tim, Travel Italy the Write Way tours are small group, intimate experiences where the locals take the lead. Linda and Tim have forged strong relationships with winery owners, cheese and olive oil producers, chefs, hoteliers, ex-pats and others who, together, will give you an experience you’ll never forget. LEARN MORE…

Italian Vacation Rental

Your home away from home.

Italian Vacation Rental Abruzzo

If you’re looking for an exceptional self-catering experience, consider Casa Linda in the heart of old Sulmona, one of the most beautiful small cities in Abruzzo. Less than two hours from Rome’s Fiumicino airport, Sulmona has everything you need for a relaxing holiday. It’s also close to the beach and skiing/hiking areas. Casa Linda is a charming, well-appointed apartment, lovingly restored by one of the area’s preeminent architects, just steps from the Cathedral of San Panfilo at the edge of the Villa Communale (city park). LEARN MORE…

Books & Writing

Dream. Travel. Write.

Writing has long been Linda’s passion, and she started writing about Italy nearly 20 years ago. Travel Italy the Write Way combines her love for Italy with her love for travel writing, blogging, and finding new ways to tell about the experience of travel in both prose and poetry.

Even if you can’t travel with her in person just yet:

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FROM THE BLOG

November 1 is Reclamation Day

There was only one sign for pumpkin spice anything, and it was at the train station in Rome. Starbucks, of course, and my apologies to all who love the fall-themed brew. But then there was the Trick or Treat sign on the Irish pub (!) in my Italian town of Sulmona. It was jarring. Halloween hasn’t yet come to Italy in a big way, and that’s fine with me. Call me a grump. Because the rest of the year (as most of you know) I live in Salem, Massachusetts where, over the past 20 years, Halloween starts in early September and runs through mid-November. The crowds are staggering – nearly one million people come into town on Halloween weekend alone.…

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