In the second entry of our lifestyle series, we worked with a few ideas on place settings. We took the idea of incorporating nature and textures and mixed it with flatware adding some fun to the place card concept.

We loved the idea of weaving herbs and floral into the tablescape as a whole. As you can see from the first photo, we took a single sprig of rosemary and the simple yet beautiful Michelangelo flatware and tied them together with a rich velvet ribbon, setting them on top of a crisp, off-white linen napkin.

It’s easy and elegant and also provides your dinner guests with a wonderful scent of rosemary.

 As shown above and for the purposes of our photo shoot, we chose to keep the beauty of the wood table as the base instead of displaying a Biancheria ivory placemat in full. But as you build your own tablescape, the placemat provides an elegant backdrop to your favorite dinner pieces.

As you build out the rest of your place setting, use natural elements mixed with different pieces to layer your table. As you can see below, the table setting we chose includes a dahlia and some eucalyptus in a small glass votive. We then used the napkins from our Biancheria Green collection and layered them in a gentle roll mimicking the curved stems on our Villa d’Este amber glassware.

Again, the focus is on elegant yet simple beauty through the mixing and layering of natural textures and patterns.

Next - Appetizer Serving Displays

What does the longest suspension bridge in the United States have in common with some of the best wines in Italy?

Most of us are familiar with the name Verrazzano from the bridge connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island in New York City. It is named after Giovanni da Verrazzano (though spelled differently) who discovered the bay of New York in 1524. I learned, when researching a trip to Italy in October, that he was born in a 1000 year old castle on the grounds of a large vineyard nestled between Florence and Siena, now known as Castello di Verrazzano. Unimaginable in our young country!

The castle and the surrounding vineyards were restored by the Cappellini family in 1958 paying careful tribute to the rich history. Today Luigi Giovanni Cappellini and his wife and daughters continue to provide an opportunity to enjoy incredible wines, wonderful meals created largely from their produce and a perfect venue for guests and events. 

We were lucky enough to tour the property and have a wonderful wine tasting overlooking the vineyards. An unexpected favorite was the balsamic vinegar made on the grounds as well. Our experience was understated and intimate, something we have found to be possible when brave enough to rent a car to explore the region!

We hope you enjoy the photos and experiences we share from time to time. Whether you have been to Italy or dream of going someday, it is our pleasure to offer a piece of this incredible country to you.

As October arrives, most of us begin thinking about the fast approaching holidays. It’s the time of year when we look forward to sharing our precious time with family and friends, and enjoying the traditions and festivities of the season.

Additionally, it’s a time of year where many of us want to extend our generosity beyond traditional gifts through the giving of our time and money to those causes that have special meaning to us, for whatever reasons.

For us, October carries a great importance because it’s Rett syndrome awareness month.

What’s the significance to us? Because, it was just 18 years ago when our family first met a wonderful young lady named Bea. Ever since that introduction, she’s been a blessing in our lives along with her parents, grandparents, and sister.

If you’re not familiar with Rett syndrome, it’s a rare non-inherited genetic postnatal neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in girls and begins to show its effects in infancy or early childhood. It can often be misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy, because it causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor, and autonomic function. These can then impact learning, speech, sensory sensations, mood, movement, breathing, cardiac function, and even chewing, swallowing, and digestion.

As one can imagine, Rett syndrome can present numerous challenges to those living with the disease, as well as those caring for them. But with therapy, assistance, and endless amounts of unconditional love, every single one of them can benefit greatly by participating in typical life activities like school, social, educational, and recreational programs. Even our Bea was able to attend her first prom like any other young girl her age.

Years ago we made the decision to do something to not only help raise awareness about Rett syndrome, but to raise funds for the incredible research underway.

Hence the Angel Plate was born.

In 2014, we started by producing one each year with the idea to create a set of four that could be displayed together on a wall or shelf, or used during special occasions. We explained the significance to our artists and partners in Italy, and they have been honored to design and produce Piastra Angelo with great care. 

2017 marks the final year for the Angel Plate Collection. These plates are a one-of-a-kind gift, limited in number and signed by the artist. 100% of the profits go to Rett syndrome research. You can order the new 2017 plate, or you can collect all four as we still have a few from the previous years available. 

While we know our contribution is a very small one, we like to think that we’ve been a part of helping further research, and ultimately finding a cure for Rett syndrome.

The amazing news is that researchers have been making wonderful strides over the past several years. Their research strategy has yielded unprecedented results, including that researchers now know what causes Rett and have proven it’s reversible. For the first time, they potentially have a treatment, Trofinetide, which could profoundly impact the disorder. Trofinetide increases the amount of connections in the brain that control thought and movement. Trials have shown improvements after less than two months, and because of the way it works, they could expect to see continued improvements over a longer period of time. Trofinetide potentially offers measurable change to every person living with Rett syndrome.

It’s for research such as this that we continue to bring attention to Rett and look for ways to raise funds for more critical research of this nature.

If you’d like to learn more, visit www.rettsyndrome.org for ways you can support this important cause.

We are incredibly grateful to all of you for your continued support. Thank you on behalf of all of us, and most importantly, our lovely Bea and her family.

It’s finally October and the air is turning crisp. Before long, the leaves will be turning and we’ll all be donning our sweaters and jackets, ready for the brisk coolness of the season. The days are getting shorter, but the nightfall with the smell of burning fires is quite magical.

And what’s more quintessentially Fall than a freshly harvested, big and bountiful pumpkin? With its deep orange hue and fiber rich flesh, it conjures images of hayrides and bon fires, spooky scenes and tricks and treats, and even luscious pies with billowing whipped cream.

But the pumpkin really is so much more than our short-lived holiday prop.

To start with, pumpkins are actually a type of winter squash and therefore, technically considered a fruit. So the use of pumpkin for our holiday pies makes perfect sense – it’s a fruit pie. Although most canned pumpkin purees that you buy from the store are made from other squash varietals and less of the traditional pumpkin itself.

In the U.S., we celebrate the pumpkin during the autumn season by carving jack-o-lanterns or making all those sweet treats such as cakes, cookies, and pies. But primarily, that’s about all we do with it. I know, there’s that whole pumpkin spice thing. But as a dear friend of mine says, that’s an abysmal trend that needs to end. I sort of agree.

The truth is that the pumpkin’s broader versatility and varietals are often overlooked in the United States.

In Italy, the name for pumpkin is zucca (pronounced ‘suca’). The word is actually used to talk about the head given its shape. There’s an old expression that’s used frequently, especially in the Tuscan region, which says “Avere sale in zucca.” It roughly translates to having some salt in the head, meaning being smart.

Maybe it’s time we Americans get smart about making greater use of our pumpkins.

The zucca is celebrated in a number of foods and festivals across all regions of Italy. But Italians carve their pumpkins for eating and not for decoration. As a matter of fact, more pumpkins are actually grown in Italy than in America. This is probably because Italians take greater advantage of the multiplicity of this seasonal sweet. You can find it in pastas, risottos, soups, and gnocchi. It’s roasted, pureed, mashed, and baked. It’s eaten for dinner, and consumed as a snack. And yes, it’s also a starring feature in their desserts like flan, gelato, and pastries too.

But nowhere is the zucca more celebrated than it is in the Veneto.

In the seaside community of Chioggia, they are known for their heirloom sea pumpkin called Marina Di Chioggia. This varietal is large and bumpy with a dark blue-green shell. On the inside, the flesh is a deep orange color and tastes dense, silky, and full of flavor, making it perfect for sweet treats or savory dishes.

Once it’s cooked, it takes on a rich sweetness that almost tastes like a confectionary. As a matter of fact, it’s said that vendors used to walk the streets of Venice carrying wooden planks on their shoulders piled high with slices of these roasted treats selling them to schoolchildren as a sugary snack. They don’t do this anymore, but you can still buy slices of this delightful delicacy in the Rialto markets.

In the U.S., it may be difficult to find this variety, although some gardeners have successfully grown them for personal use. Instead, the butternut squash, which is very easy to find, is a pretty good option and goes well in both sweet and savory dishes.

Italians have nurtured this delightful fruit and continue to incorporate it into the family meal. They’ve made it a regular staple in their daily cooking arsenal and leverage that versatility to it’s fullest.

To mark it’s importance, our Modigliani artists took from their Italian heritage and love of the pumpkin and created these unique pieces as part of the Zucca Collection. The rich colors combined with the zucca imagery make for a bountiful backdrop to any fall meal.

And if you love Halloween as much as I do, sprinkling these adorable Festa Pumpkin votives around your home is a nice way to introduce the autumn holiday spirit.

So go ahead and embrace the pumpkin in our favorite American traditions, but give our fall friend a chance by expanding your culinary skills with more sweet and savory dishes. Take a page from our Italian friends and roast, puree, or stew up a new dish for your family and friends. Their time on the seasonal food calendar is short-lived, so get creative and enjoy the pleasure that is pumpkin.

As fall quickly approaches, I’m reminded of the incredible gifts my favorite season brings. The crisp air, the changing leaves, the smell of bonfires, and of course, the food.

Fall serves up hearty meals that awaken the senses and warm the soul – it’s a visceral experience for me.

As I sit here browsing the Lungotevere collection with its beautiful color palette and thoughtful details, my mind returns to the autumn I traveled to the Abruzzo region for an unforgettable gastronomic adventure. 

One of my most prominent memories is an early morning truffle hunt we experienced as we were learning about the seasonal ingredients of the region.

Joined by an eclectic mix of solo travelers who loved food, wine, and adventure as much as I do, we dragged ourselves out of warm beds and into the hotel lobby just before dawn. Skipping our morning cappuccino ritual, yet incredibly excited for the new experience, we climbed into our awaiting van and struck out into the countryside of the Majella National Park.

Led by Primiano our trufiano, or truffle guide, and his furry doggy sniffers, Ruby and Miss, we had absolutely no idea where we were going or what we were doing. We did, however, quickly learn that dogs are now the preferred truffle hunting choice, as pigs tend to eat what they find – who knew?

As we drove for miles in the dark and the sun began to peak through the mountains, we finally reached our destination. Donned with our warmest jackets, mittens, and matching wellies, we stood at immediate attention in the cold as Ruby and Miss darted off sniffing every tree, ravine, and moss covered patch. We ran after them thinking it would take a bit of time before anything actually happened, but just like that, eureka!

The more seasoned of the two dogs, Ruby, began scratching the surface and digging like mad while Primiano pulled her back so she couldn’t damage the delicate skin. Armed with a small spade and his bare hands, he dug the rest of the way himself and was rewarded for his efforts. First spot out of the gate and we found two perfect black truffles. Amazing!

It almost felt too easy, but we continued following the dogs as they scratched a few more dirt patches. This time, no luck as they just smelled previous digs where someone had already removed the black beauties. Again and again, someone had beaten us to the treasure. 

Just as we were about to give up and call it a day, Ruby gifted us with one more trophy. After Primiano shoveled even deeper into the soil, we couldn’t believe our neophyte eyes – a glorious pile of the most aromatic black truffles we’d ever seen. This made the caffeine free, early morning trek all the more worth it. Needless to say, we were incredibly grateful that the last group of hunters missed them completely so we could experience a fruitful hunt our first time out.

Later that day as we made our way back to the Hotel Villa Danillo for our next cooking lesson, we too were rewarded for our hard work as we sliced and grated our glorious treasures onto homemade pizzas and handmade pastas. Pungent and pleasing, a meal infused with this Italian delicacy discovered just hours before was a most memorable gastronomical moment for my new travel companions and me.

I can still smell that aromatic fungi as we speak, hoping some day soon to return to one of my favorite fall travel adventures.

Mangiamo!

RECIPE AND WINE PAIRING

We couldn’t talk about truffles and not give a recipe and wine pairing, but this recipe is really quite simple – you just have to get your hands on a black truffle.

There are many recipes for pasta with black truffles out there, and it is rather easy to adjust to your liking should you feel creative, but keep in mind the strong flavors when you do.

In this recipe, I use spaghetti, but you can use fettuccini or you can toss it with your favorite ravioli or even gnocchi.

RECIPE:

Spaghetti with Black Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 2 Tbs. kosher salt 
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 to 2 black truffles
• ¼ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta per the instructions. You’ll want the pasta al dente; so reduce the cooking time by 1 minute to reach that consistency.

While your pasta is cooking, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan. Once it’s melted, grate one of the truffles into the melted butter and lightly sauté – 2-3 minutes should be enough.

Once the pasta is finished, and before you drain it, reserve about 2-3 ladles of the cooking water in a bowl for later, then drain the rest of the water from the pasta in a colander.

Transfer the drained pasta to a warmed serving bowl. Add the sautéed truffle, the remaining melted butter, and the optional cheese if you like. Toss it well to combine, and add some of the reserved cooking water for consistency as needed – not all at once, just add, as you need. You don’t want the dish to be too sticky or dry. The salted cooking water not only adds moisture to the dish, but also a nice flavor as well.

Using a truffle shaver if you have one, or a vegetable peeler will do, thinly shave the second truffle over the top. Give it another light toss and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6. 

Note: If you’re new to truffles and think the taste might be too much for your liking, you can skip sautéing the grated portion and simply slice the truffle over the top at the end.

WINE PAIRING

Truffles are very earthy and aromatic so you’ll want a more mature wine to match the flavors. For Italian reds, look for something like a good Barolo, Brunello, or Nebbiolo. If you want to go French, look for a good burgundy. And with American wines, a nice pinot noir could be a good match.  You want a wine that is a bit more delicate so the flavors aren’t competing with one another.

If you’re already spending good money on a beautiful black truffle, I recommend you splurge on the wine as well.  You won’t regret it if you do. Here are a couple of Italian Barolos to choose from, slightly different in price.

On the lower end, but still around $36 a bottle is the 2011 Reversanti Barolo from Piedmont, Italy.  It has a nice ruby red color and you’re going to get flavors of licorice, berry fruits, roses, and hints of vanilla and tobacco. That complexity makes it a nice companion to the black truffles.

If you want to spend a bit more, and maybe prefer a California wine, try the 2013 Gloria Ferrer Gravel Knob Vineyard Pinot Noir, Los Carneros for around $50. This wine can go with a variety of foods to be honest. It has a nice blackberry spice, dried strawberry, and earthy quality. If you love pinot noir as much as I do, this is a nice splurge.

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”

Nowhere else does art and artistry encapsulate everything they do, what they create, the professions they choose, and how they ultimately live as abundantly as it does in Italy. It has arguably been the epicenter of art in all its forms for centuries.

A guest post by Tara Jantzen

This month is more than half over and many of us in the U.S. are thinking about back-to-school and the end of our summer vacations. While we’re exhausted from shuttling the kids around to every summer activity or outing, and now dreading the inevitable workweek, most Italians have closed up shop and are still at the beach or in the mountains for the entire month of August. They are ready for dolce far niente, or, the sweetness of doing nothing.

On August 15, Italians celebrated Ferragosto, a public holiday coinciding with the religious celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It’s marked across the country with fireworks displays and processions of locals carrying statues of Mary. It’s also a period of relaxation and completely disconnecting from work life. It means spending time with family and friends, soaking up sunshine, enjoying great food and wine, and doing pretty much anything other than work.

This is what they call ferie, or holiday.

Italians have a very different perspective on work and holidays than we seem to have in the U.S. Don’t get me wrong, we usually intend on being completely offline and fully engaged in the leisurely life. But inevitably, we grab for the smartphone or open up the laptop. The Italians are different—they have this holiday thing down to an art form.

First, you’ll likely hear most Europeans say they’re “going on holiday,” whereas Americans are “on vacation.”  The word vacation originated in the U.S. with the affluent as they ‘vacated’ their estate homes for other extravagant locations—a term that never quite caught on in other countries.

Secondly, in Italy work fits around social and family life, not vice versa. They experience everything quite fully, including their work, but they separate the two much more easily and happily than Americans. You’ll never hear of Italians forgoing vacation days like we heroically do in the west. They relish in their personal time and don’t take it for granted even for a second. They live in the moment, and they live passionately.

And you certainly won’t hear of them spending their holidays attending cooking classes or volunteering for a social cause. They take rest and relaxation quite seriously, and they almost always do it with their extended families in tow.

Spending time with the family, la famiglia, is extremely important to the Italian culture, and it goes well beyond the nucleus members of parents and children. Italian families are consistently inclusive of the entire extended network—grandparents, cousins, in-laws, grandkids, you name it. The children often continue living with their parents well into their twenties and even thirties, until they themselves are married.  But they are raised to remain close into adulthood, integrating their future families into the larger group, and so on. They take great care of each other and thoroughly enjoy spending time together. It is the Italian way.

Italians aren’t big on planning every moment of their holiday in advance like the rest of us. They tend to rise late and mull the day’s plan over an espresso. Always accommodating these social creatures, they stay as a group and plan accordingly. 

And they often plan around the simple pleasures of food and wine. You’ll often find large families gathered on the beaches dining in the local cafes or picnicking together in the mountains—just as they would at their home tables—replicating the large meals carefully and lovingly prepared in mother’s kitchen.

Not veering from tradition in any way, they break for a lengthy lunch around 1-2:30 pm, and an even longer dinnertime anywhere between 7:30 and 10 pm. These extended meals are not just to feed the body, but more importantly, they are social rituals—rituals where they also view alcohol as an important accompaniment to meals rather than inebriation and vacation escape.

If you are lucky enough to holiday in Italy and you happen upon one of these carefree clans, you can’t help but be struck by the pure ease with which they live, laugh, and love together. It’s hard not to be just a bit envious of them. They embrace life and never resist. They lift it up and live within it. It is the epitome of la grande vita!

Tara Jantzen is a freelance writer living in Southern California. Throughout her extensive career she has traveled all over the world, but considers Italy her favorite destination. She’s spent many trips learning first-hand about food, cooking, olive oil, wine, and the spirit of the Italian lifestyle. She has also completed the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits and hopes to continue her wine education with Level 3 in the near future.

Guest Post by Tara Jantzen

Enticed by the surrounding hills, rugged cliffs, warm sandy beaches, and the deep turquoise sea, the relaxed vibe and salty air of the Mediterranean makes you want to immerse yourself at an outdoor café, kick off your shoes, and stare at the sparkling water as you sip a crisp glass of white wine.

And let’s not forget the food.

Fishing villages in the Mediterranean are abundant with al fresco dining and Trattorias serving up the most wonderful, and often simplest, of local seafood dishes. There is nothing more Mediterranean to me than an aromatic seafood meal prepared with ingredients caught that day.

The Mediterraneo Collection reminds me of warm summer evenings wrapped in pink, orange, and blue skies as the sun begins to set. When I look at the whimsical movement of the artist’s scenery, the sandy texture of the surface, and the imperfect shape of these beautiful handmade serving pieces, I dream of coastal escapes and casual meals with family and friends. Homemade meals and a shared experience are fundamental to the Mediterranean lifestyle. I feel inspired to cook up a large bowl of one of my favorite summer dishes—garlicky mussels.

Fresh mussels from the sea, steamed in an herby white wine sauce, a big piece of crusty bread for dipping, and the minerality of a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to wash it all down. The time is definitely right for a dreamy Mediterranean evening.

If you’d like a glimmer of your own Mediterranean experience, try our recipe for mussels and wine pairing this weekend!

RECIPE

Garlicky Mussels in Herbed White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 lb. fresh mussels
• 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs. unsalted butter
• 5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry, crisp, herbal white wine, such as the Sauvignon Blanc you plan to serve
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• Your favorite crusty bread or baguette torn into large pieces for dipping

Rinse the mussels thoroughly under cold water, ensuring they are clean. Remove any beards your fishmonger may have missed, and be sure to discard any mussels you see that have prematurely opened—these are no longer good.

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large, lidded pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and minced shallots cooking until they are soft and translucent, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Carefully add your mussels, wine, and about half of the fresh parsley. Put the lid on the pot and increase the heat to high, cooking for about 5 minutes and tossing only once during that time. At this point, the mussels should be opening wide.  If not, cover and give it another minute, but watch carefully.

Toss in the remaining parsley and spoon into individual bowls. Serve with the crusty bread pieces and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

WINE PAIRING

California White

For pairing with our mussels recipe, Sauvignon Blanc is a nice balance to the herbs and garlic used in this dish. A good option is this Hanna Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California, which received a 92 rating from Wine.com.

There are so many wonderful Sauvignon Blancs accessible in the U.S. for under $20. If you can’t find our recommendation, just ask your local wine merchant for one of their favorites.

And be sure to buy a couple of bottles so you can use some in the recipe and the rest for enjoying with your guests.

About the author

Tara Jantzen is a freelance writer living in Southern California. Throughout her extensive career she has traveled all over the world, but considers Italy her favorite destination. She’s spent many trips learning first-hand about food, cooking, olive oil, wine, and the spirit of the Italian lifestyle. She has also completed the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits and hopes to continue her wine education with Level 3 in the near future.

A magnet for visitors since the Roman times, the Amalfi coast and it’s three magnet islands, have been delighting is visitors. Where the mountains meet the coast, this idyllic area’s beauty in incomparable.

Here are two of our favorite locations to visit when in the Amalfi Coast:

When traveling to the Amalfi Coast, be sure to visit Villa Cimbrone. This historic building, dating to the 11th century AD, was once home to the Accongiogioco, a noble family. During it’s history,  Villa Cimbrone, has passed through the hands of various other wealthy families, and at one time was even part of a monastery. In 1960, it was purchased as a private home, then transformed into a hotel.

During your stay, be sure to tour the Duomo, or Cathedral of Amalfi. This gorgeous structure is a 9th century Roman Catholic cathedral. The remains of St. Andrew were reportedly brought to the Duomo from Constantinople in 1206 during the Fourth Crusade.

If you can’t travel to the Amalfi coast, but would like to bring a touch of it home, you’ll love our Amalfi Collection. It highlights the lemons grown in the terraced groves on the Amalfi Coast with flowing blue detail on a creamy white background. Our Condotti blue flatware and Tivoli marine blue tumblers are a wonderful compliment to these accent pieces and platters.

Lemon groves nestled in terraced hills with a bright contrast between the green leaves and blue sea, the strong scent of lemon blossoms or "zagare", and views that are breathtaking all create the atmosphere of the Amalfi Coast. The environment produces unique lemons "sfusato amalfitano" which have a distinct shape, color and flavor, and is the inspiration for our latest collection, Amalfi.