Gusto Blog – BloGusto!

A different way of doing business…. Sometimes we are struck by the little differences we see living here in Italy as opposed to when we lived in England. The barter system is very much alive and living in rural Umbria.  The longer we live here, the more we see of this very sensible exchange. Nothing…

This’ll be fun, writing on behalf of Mark!  Let’s see how much I remember of what he told me!  This also gives me the excuse of not too many photos, Mark was busy so not too many opportunities to take pics! I wish I’d been able to go to Vinitaly too, but when I saw…

You can tell when spring has finally sprung when you take a look at the new growth on the freshly pruned vines in the countryside around Montefalco. The green is all around you, in the new cereals growing in the fields, the new growth on the trees – that lovely unmistakeable spring green! By this…

Ok, I make this and one or two other desserts – and no more – desserts aren’t my ‘thang’.   However, Mark will beg to differ!  It’s just sleight of hand!  He thinks I can cook anything!  Give me something savoury and I’ll agree with him!  Desserts are another animal entirely….  This is messy, but easy! …

What a beautiful weekend last weekend was! We had our first taste of Spring!  We were very lucky here in Italy not to be hit by those dreadful storms that swept Portugal, Spain and France.  It was very windy, but no rain – for that we were very grateful! Here’s the fabulous group – Mark,…

I thought that as it’s so chilly at the moment I’d share a lovely warming Umbrian risotto recipe with you!  Risotto to my mind is the ultimate comfort food!  Not just for a pasta course, any-time, and if you have enough of it, the only course you need!  So ignore the snow on the ground…

I’d like to paint a picture, let the day wash all over you and make you feel like you were there with us!  Give you a taste of what we do!We picked our guests up one chilly misty November morning as the bells of Spello rang out 10am.  It was a nice coincidence that all…

Although the weather is really changeable at this time of year, there’s still room for some glorious sunny, blue-skied days – perfect for getting out and exploring the beautiful hills in our area of Umbria. It’s January and the vineyards and olive groves are alive with activity.  This is the time that the vines and…

The vendemmia is the busiest time of year for the cantine and it’s best to watch the proceedings from a safe distance to avoid all the equipment that’s snaking over the ground! The cantine usually take on extra people to help over the grape harvest and everyone works incredibly hard to get the grapes in…

….. It was a simple idea, take small groups of folk around the cantine (vineyards) of this area and introduce them to the delights of Umbria – the fabulous award winning wines, the authentic rustic cuisine, the delightful people and the incredible countryside. We’d been on a wine tour in the summer in Napa Valley,…

I’d like to repost this, my first ever attempt at blogging,  as we celebrate our first ever tour a year ago today!   What a FANTASTIC year it’s been! A few years ago we started doing wine tours for our friends and family whenever they came to visit us in our chosen home of Umbria. They…