|
For
sumptuous Italian and other recipes, click here
|
 |
|
 |
||
| In September 2000 I visited the Tuscan countryside. I'd read so much about the spectacular scenery and atmosphere of Tuscany that I had to see it for myself. It was truly beautiful. My trip started in my favourite city in Europe, Florence, and ended in the picturesque fortified town of Lucca. |  |
|
 |
I
was fortunate enough to stay in a 12th century medieval castle (left) in
the Tuscan hills for 3 nights also. 'Castello Ristonchi' was once run by
Monks in the 14th century but is now run by a British woman. |
|
| The
monastery (right) was absolutely beautiful, with services still being held
on Sundays for guests staying in any of the 19 castello's. The food their chef cooked was absolutely delicious, with home made minestrone soup for starters, then little potatoes cooked in olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary and sage, fresh peas cooked in olive oil with bacon and capsicum, a cucumber salad, bruschetta bread and smoked raw ham, topped off with a bottle of chianti classico. It was a hard life!! |
 |
|
 |
The
castle grounds were a myriad of colours with an abundance of sunflowers,
olive trees, apple trees, hundreds of grape vines and countless vegetable
patches of ripe red juicy tomatoes. |
|
| Here
is just one of the many beautiful villa's in and around the Tuscan and Florentine
hills. Tuscany is truly like one big woven patchwork quilt. The landscape
is incredible, with olive trees, apple trees, walnut trees and the pencil
pines which you see in all the pictures of this region. |
 |
|
|
|
||
