Cellar Tastings

Marinara derives from the Italian word for sailor, marinaro and simply means "sailors style". The tomato introduced to the Spanish Kingdom of Naples around 1550, and was popular with the local sailors. This sauce was a favorited by returning seamen as it is easy to make and tastes great over kind of pasta.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped up or run through a garlic press
• 1 35 oz. can of imported Italian tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped onions (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Preparation

Place garlic and olive oil in a large sauce pan. Turn the heat to medium and brown the garlic.
Crush the tomatoes and add their juices. Diced tomatoes can be substituted for easier crushing. Tomato paste can be combined with the tomatoes, but you must add the sugar to cut down on the tart flavor of the paste.
Fill the empty tomato can 1/4 of the way with water and pour in with the tomatoes. I skip this usually, because the diced or stewed tomato cans usually have enough liquid. Adding the water makes the sauce too runny.
Add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Fresh leaves are best, but the dried versions can be used also.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
Cook until thickened.

What a divine country! From the medieval hill-topped towns and vineyards of Tuscany, to the Greek ruins and virgin beaches of Sicily, to the "Citta d'Arte" (Art Towns) of Florence, Venice and Rome, to the Alpine scenery and charming villages of the Dolomites, to the Truffles and Barolo of Piedmont, to the fabulous Mediterranean coastline of Liguria (from Cinque Terre to Portofino), Italy is quite simply wonderful for food, wine, and art loving tourists. Wine lovers can visit ancient cellars in gorgeous "Terra di Vini" throughout Italy. For those who think that Italian food is homogenous, they will be pleasantly surprised with the amount of regional diversity in cuisine. For those who studied art in college, seeing the works of Botticelli, Michelangelo and Da Vinci in person is fantastic. While the main cities can be over touristy, the villages offer an authentic glimpse into "La Dolce Vita".

Amalfi Coast and Capri

Capri is probably one of the most glamorous spots on earth, a sparkling island visited by jetsetters, millionaires, and gawking daytripping tourists from Naples. Capri has been favored by the rich and famous since the 1950's and is a throroughly enchanting island. Located in the Bay of Naples, Capri has steep cliffs, luxuriant coves and hidden beaches and charming narrow streets in the old town. The Grotta Azurra, Blue Grotto, is one of the most famous spots on the island, a magic silvery blue grotto and cave that you can take boat trips through. The Villa San Michaele, a gorgeous villa built on the ruins of the ancient villa of the Roman ruler, Tiberius, is open to the public. Behind the villa, you can enjoy the dramatic sweeping views of the turquoise blue sea.The Amalfi Coast, or Costa Amalfitana, is a 30 mile strech of fantastically beautiful coastline that strecthces from Sorrento to Salerno, just south of Naples. Charming historic towns built into the steep mountains dot the entire length of the drive. Amalfi town, Positano and Ravello are among the most picturesque villages.

Florence

Florence is simply a living museum. It’s beautiful beyond words and quite chaotic, with seemingly thousands of tourists flocking on one main square. Our advice is to stay on the opposite side of the Arno river away from the Piazza della Signoria, in the lively Santo Spirito district. During the day, you can take in the museums (the Uffizi Gallery with its Boticelli paintings and the 13th century Bargello are a must), enjoy day trips (to the Roman village of Fiesole, only 20 minutes from Florence) and enjoy the lovely walks around the renaissance Boboli Gardens. Another great thing to do in Florence is enjoy the wine bars and café life. Perhaps one thing that stands out above all else, is to climb the campanile of Florence’s mind boggling Duomo cathedral. The Duomo is the world’s fourth largest cathedral and truly impressive.

Liguria

Liguria is located in the northwest of Italy along the Mediterranean coast. In fact, it is most famous for the gorgeous coastline and the pretty villages of Cinque Terre. The splendid town of Portofino (a hotspot for honeymooners) and the port town of Genova are also located in Liguria. Called the “Italian Riviera”, it is a prime tourist destination and the sweet little medieval towns and resorts full to the brim in the summer months. Genova, while having some of the negative connotations associated with a port town, is still an interesting place to visit if only for being the birthplace to both Christopher Columbus and Pesto. The coastal villages of Cinque Terre can be extremely picturesque, Vernazza being one of the cutest ones. Other lovely places to visit include the graceful towns of Santa Margherita and Rapallo.

Lombardy- Milan and the Lakes

Milan, while an industrial and sometimes rough around the edges city, has a magnificent cathedral and some excellent restaurants. It is also the Mecca of shopping opportunities, being the home of fashion. It is a good starting base to begin your tour of the fabulous Italian lakes, namely Lake Como and Lake Garda. Lake Como and Lake Garda couldn’t contrast more, both fabulous but very different. Como is long and narrow with steep hills around both sides and discreet, very wealthy villages lining the lake, which breaks into two on the southern end. The western end of Como is prettier, especially around Lenno, Tremezzo and Menaggio. Bellagio, the jewel of Como, is by no means discreet, but is at any rate a lovely place to visit. Spend a night there to get a real feel for the place, away from the daytrippers.

If Como is mellow, quiet, with romantic villas buried behind gardens and pine trees, Garda is brash, fun and young. The lake is huge and water sports even bigger. The town of Sirmione, with its preserved, fairytale 13th century castle, is a great base to explore Garda. From Sirmione, you can easily reach the historic towns of Cremona, Mantua, Bergamo and Brescia. Lastly, Lake Iseo, a tiny lake about halfway between Como and Garda is in the heart of Franciacorta wine country, Italy’s classy sparkler. L’Albereta is a wonderful Relais Chateaux nearby.

Piemonte

Famed for Turin’s chocolate, Barolo wines and Truffles, Piemonte is also the land of endless vineyards and castles, and is extremely romantic. Positioned between the French and Swiss Alps, Piemonte has taken some of the gastronomic and architectural influences from both countries. The delightful city of Torino (Turin) was created under the 11th century House of Savoy and is now equally famous for café life, beautiful squares and for its chocolate. Asti is a principal wine town, boasting a lovely 13th century cathedral and many fine examples of Baroque architecture. Pretty villages include Saluzzo (in southern Piemonte, very near the “Castle Route” and a good base, Alba (famous town in the heart of Barbaresco wine country, which still has its medieval center and is home to a host of gourmet restaurants), Cherasco (another medieval town complete with castle and incredible views) and the tiny hamlets of the Langhe wine district.

Rome

Rome is Rome is Rome, the eternal city. It is the city of unbelievable traffic and unbelievable beauty and charm. It’s a city that evokes passion and feelings of fascination and amazement. The Roman empire and Christian church have enjoyed Roma as their headquarters and the monuments that testify to this heritage are quite breathtaking. Saint Peter’s cathedral, the Vatican and the Coliseum are probably the most visited sites, but Rome is full of smaller interesting attractions. Easily plan for one week in Rome, just to scratch the surface. Trastevere is a lively district, quite trendy, which also has a lovely Basilica, the Basilica di Santa Maria. The Campo de’Fiori is a delightful square, lined with wine bars and trattorie, where there is a colourful flower market held Monday through Saturday. Interestingly, it’s also the site where many an execution took place during the Inquisition. While impossible to summarize Rome in a paragraph, a short list of top attractions would include the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Piazza Colonna, the Roman Forum, and the Villa Borghese.

The Veneto - Venice and Verona

The northeastern Veneto region of Italy is home to the Art Cities of Venice, Verona, Vicenza, and Padova. The area is also the epicenter of serious wine production, with the most esteemed wine being Amarone della Valpolicella (an intense red wine) and the most typical wines being “Fragolino” (sweet strawberry wine) and Soave (a light white). Venice deserves at least a long weekend as there is so much to see. Despite the fact that this great city is literally sinking and that too many of the buildings are in decay, Venice retains a magnificent amount of beauty and grace. Henry James famously said, ”Dear old Venice has lost her complexion, her figure, her reputation, her self respect, and yet with it all, has so puzzlingly not lost a shred of her distinction.” It’s as true today; there just aren’t any other cities quite like Venice.

“Must sees and dos” in Venice would include: visiting the Piazza San Marco, Rialto and Basilica San Marco (expect throngs of tourists, but definitely worth the visits anyway); hopping on a vaporetto to discover the Canal Grande; and visiting the islands in the lagoon (particularly Murano to buy the famed glassware, Burano to buy lace and Torcello, simply for the charm). Verona, the town that claims to be the home of the characters that inspired Shakespeare to write Romeo and Juliet, is also home to a spectacular Roman Arena that holds an opera season and concerts. Verona is easily one of the prettiest cities in the whole of Italy and well worth more than just a day trip from Venice.

Tuscany

Probably one of the most wonderful places on earth, Tuscany draws back repeat visitors and many people even end up buying their vacations here. Why is it so attractive? The landscapes are sublime, with rolling hills, medieval villages (many of them fortified), spectacular vineyards and superb scenery. The food is to die for, with traditional fare including delicious pastas like pappardelle, followed by Florentine style steak and accompanied by velvety Brunello de Montalcino wines. Almond biscuits and sweet “Holy Wine”, Vin Santo, complete the feast. Tuscany has a huge concentration of the “Art Cities” including Florence, Siena, Pisa, Volterra, and San Gimingano. Chianti wine country is gorgeous and offers visitors the unique opportunity to lodge in working farms and wineries, enjoying wine tastings and homecooked meals in lovely rural and rustic surroundings. Radda, in the Chianti region, is particularly sweet with historic center and some terrific restaurants and trattorias. Other fantastic villages and towns include Monteriggioni (walled town, gorgeous), Montecatini Terme (for Spas), Cortona and Arezzo (for architecture), Barga (our favorite Tuscan village in the Apuan Alps, where JFK used to spend every summer) and Porto Azzurro on Elba Island.

The Islands- Sicily and Sardinia

Italy’s islands of Sicily and Sardinia offer some incredible scenery and views, a mix of Arabic, Roman and Greek architecture and some terrific gastronomy and wine. Sardinia, located smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean, just south of France’s Corsica, has some phenomenal places to visit. The island draws a bizarre mix of visitors from the ultra rich (who holiday on the Costa Smeralda, to the ultra hippy and trekker (who hike on the rugged interior and climb the magnificent Gola di Gorropu). The main town of Cagliari, in the south, is pretty with some Roman ruins and a medieval Centro Storico. Sicily is spectacular, a large island with tremendous architectural heritage and beautiful beaches. Top attractions in Sicily include: Montreal Cathedral (outside of Palermo), the Greek ruins at Syracuse, the Castello di Lombardia (a massive medieval fortification in central Sicily), the gorgeous village of Cefalu, the Greek ruins of Solunto, Selinunte and Segesta, the Norman castle of Erice and the virgin islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa. The Aeolian islands are beautiful places to visit as well, especially Lipari with its fireworks display. Lastly, Mount Etna and the lovely resort of Taormina are not to be missed while visiting Sicily.

Wine Routes in Italy

Italy is, after France, one of the best countries in Europe in terms of its infrastructure for wine loving tourists hoping to visit cellars. Chianti Classico, Montalcino and Montepulciano, in Tuscany, all have a variety of wineries that are open to the public and offer guided tours in English. Top wineries in Tuscany to visit include: Castello Banfi, Antinori, Castello di Verrazzano, Castello di Volpaia, and Tenuta di Castelgiocondo. In Piemonte, if you’d like to visit the vineyards of Barolo and Barbaresco, or perhaps Gavi or Dolcetto, there are plenty of enthusiastic estates to welcome you into their cellars. Fabulous producers include: Rocche Costamagna, Giacomo Borgogno, Marchesi di Barolo, Fratelli Brovia and Michele Chiarlo. In Verona, another of the most prestigious wine regions of Italy, you could visit: Masi, Romano dal Forno, Zenato and Fratelli Tedeschi. Wine tasting in Sicily, Sardegna and the south is a bit trickier, but not impossible. Planeta, in Sicily, is receptive to visits, as are Sella and Mosca in Sardegna.