Blog Posts - Wanderful Retreats

Affogato... a quick Italian dessert fix!

5/24/2020

Photo by Rustic Kitchen

As the summer draws closer and our departure day for Italia pushes further down the calendar year, we're looking for ways to still get a taste of "la dolce vita" while we're sitting in our apartment stateside.

One of the easiest desserts for both a taste of Italy and a quick sweet fix is an Affogato. The word affogato means "drowned" so think of it as gelato (or ice cream) drowned in the deliciousness of espresso! (Note the lack of an 'x' in espresso, per favore ;) ) And whatever toppings you want to toss on top.

This is an incredibly easy recipe...like, 2 ingredient easy and I-almost-feel embarrassed-typing-it-out easy. You can of course modify it to fit your tastes or customize it just for fun but it's a great one to have in your back pocket. While we think it's tasty just with gelato and espresso, it could be fun to make an "Affogato Building Station" for a summer bbq party!

Well...what now?

5/15/2020

Wanderful Retreats Florence Retreat Italy Art Cooking

I snapped this photo *EARLY* in the morning during the first year of retreats I hosted in Florence in 2016.

Ciao friends.

I've been struggling to find the words during these past 2 months of "shelter at home." I think I've gone through most of the phases of grief after the cancellation of our 2020 summer retreats. There have certainly been a lot of tears, a fair amount of expletives, a *few* glasses of wine and a lot of crushing emails to future attendees and our friends in Italy as we refunded guests and put reservations on hold until who knows when.

Back in February, things were a little shaky as to whether or not we'd be able to actually host our retreats this summer. I was still trying to put on a brave face and stay optimistic that this would all be resolved by June. But as the numbers got worse, both abroad and here in the states and as all our Italian friends had to go into a country wide lockdown across Italy, the writing was unfortunately on the walls.

And now we're 2 months into this global mess. So...now what?

What to pack for Italia?

3/2/2020

What's the hardest thing about traveling to Italy? What to pack!

Honestly, even more than the anxiety of buying my flight or fear of train strikes, my biggest stress every year is what do I bring. Weather wise, Tuscany is very similar to Southern California which I'm very familiar with. This means it can be both chilly at night and very warm during the days.

So how on earth do I pack for these two temperature extremes, multiple weeks at a time, the looming chance of a summer thunderstorm AND still try to keep it all to a carry-on?! Read on to see my tips and tricks and what I recommend for packing during a summer in Italy!

A Day in... Bologna

2/20/2020

Oh Bologna... even though its name is often confused with a interesting deli meat in America, you should never assume the food in Bologna will be anything but exquisite. And I don't use that word lightly.

The food in Bologna is incredible. All of my visits to this town have revolved around it. Yes, it's a town full of amazing buildings, canals, gorgeous libraries and churches, arched hallways of terrazo floors and history...but I will forever return to Bologna for the food. And luckily there's three meals in a day (plus snacks) to take advantage of all Bologna has to offer!

Bologna may seem off the beaten path but I promise it's not. Most people find themselves in this tasty town while traveling from Florence to Venice via train. It's also a great airport hub when flying around Europe. So, if you get the chance to add Bologna to your itinerary, I have two pieces of advice.
1 - Do it. And 2 - Bring your appetite.

How to save a little Euro!

2/11/2020

One of the hardest challenges about traveling to Italy is budgeting. How do you live "la dolce vita" to the fullest and still have euro for that second gelato of the day?

I’ve compiled some recommendations of ways you can save a little money during your trip to Italy that will hopefully give you some more room in your budget to play, eat and explore more.

Because when in Italia...we want our prosecco, and to drink it too! ;)

Fresh Focaccia

12/12/2019

There's few things I love more than freshly baked focaccia. When it's still warm from the oven and crispy and has enough oil that it starts dribbling down your face. I'm a focaccia fiend! One of the first friends I made in Italy with the local focaccia lady, Carmen. Those early conversation days over a slice of fresh focaccia will always be a sweet memory.

Luckily, this addictive bread is surprisingly easy to make. A little time consuming but if you have a lazy day at home to multitask and make some fresh focaccia, it's totally worth the effort. Since it has no preservatives, it can go stale in a few days. If you don't eat it all in time, use the leftover stale focaccia to make some EPIC Panzanella!

Photo by Julia Gartland, Food52

a decade of learning Italian

11/30/2019

My first day in Florence ever! 2009

One of my favorite things about returning to Italy every summer is being able to step off the plane, walk up to the first cafe counter I can find and order a cappuccino and a pastry (or a sandwich...or all three ;) in Italian. Sometimes I get over excited about being back and end up slurring my words together but either way I end up with a cappuccino in hand.

It sometimes takes them by surprise that a little curly blonde can order in Italian. But it wasn't always this way...

Freshly Baked Biscotti

10/22/2019

When I was living in Austin, Texas while going to college, my aunt and uncle lived just north of me. Being avid bakers and cooks (my step-uncle is Italian), I spent many weekends and Holiday breaks up at their house learning to make some tasty Italian treats!

One of my favorites (besides focaccia) is freshly baked biscotti. Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are long, flat cookies that are baked twice...once as a flat loaf and again when cut into slices to crisp them up on all sides. I already have a weakness for freshly baked cookies but these biscotti are another level...especially with the chopped almonds, I'll justify eating a dozen because there's protein in them.

Regardless of my addiction to sweets, these are easier to make than you might think and are great when paired with your morning cappuccino...or just after dinner as a quick dessert served with vin santo! They also make a great housewarming or hostess gift.

Photo by Alan Richardson at The Splendid Table

Which Week Will You Choose?

9/26/2019

Strawberry or chocolate gelato? Red or white wine? Pizza Margarita or Pasta Carbonara? While there's no wrong answer (because, YUM!), it can be tricky choosing between two great options!

We have a similar conundrum when it comes to our Wanderful Retreats. How do you choose between an amazing week in a villa tucked in the hills of Southern Tuscany, or an equally amazing week in the historic center of bustling Lucca?!

While we can't pick for you (or why pick between the two, you could do both weeks ;)), we can help guide you in selecting the Wanderful Retreat week that fits you best!

Stracciatella Semifreddo

8/27/2019

Photo via SBS

When the summer gets hot in Italy, most people think of cooling down with a gelato! It can be tricky to get quality gelato when you're not in la bella paese, but a quick (and easy) at home option is Semifreddo!

Semifreddo, literally meaning half cold, is a frozen treat that you can whip up at home for a simple taste of la dolce vita...even when you're walking distance from the 405 freeway!

We picked this recipe up during our Lucca retreat at our cooking class with Leela from Abbaca-la.