When we say Renaissance, what is the first city that comes to mind? For us, and for most, it is Florence. A cradle of architecture and artistic growth under the patronage of the Medici, Florence was seminal in the development of western art and culture. On our upcoming Virtual Weekend in Tuscany, we will explore…
Missing Italy? Here’s a little glimpse of one of our favorite towns in Tuscany. A short taxi or bus ride from the city center of Florence, Fiesole doesn’t feel quite as ambitious as a day trip. Yet its history is distinct and important. No trip to Florence is complete without a side trip up into…
Anyone who has been following our exciting Virtual Events on Zoom knows that our Tuscany UnTour staff person Tracy has become a regular. As she teaches the Italian classics in fun lessons broadcast live on Zoom from her kitchen, she has developed a loyal following. You can check out her upcoming classes here. In the…
If Italy is the king of wine in Europe, then Tuscany is the jewel in its crown. Tracy Hyde is our on-site staff person for the Tuscany UnTour. She is also our cooking teacher for UnTours at Home Virtual Events, with a loyal following of Zoom students. But better still, she is a wine expert and…
Semifreddo is Italian for half-cold, and it is a favorite traditional dessert for warm weather. This is one of the dishes Tracy has taught in her online cooking classes, live from her kitchen in Tuscany. This recipe uses crunchy Torrone (Italian almond nougat), but you can put almost anything in this ice cream. Try chocolate…
Come to our virtual Tuscany kitchen! Cooking with Tracy is one of our new UnTours at Home virtual experiences! Done live from Tuscany over Zoom, our Tuscany UnTour host Tracy is teaching some of the classics. Here is her recipe for mushroom risotto, part of one of her most popular cooking classes. Risotto ingredients: 8 ounces carnaroli arborio rice…
Like many families, I have spent a lot of time with my kids lately. I’m acutely aware of this precious opportunity to bond and make memories. At 12 and almost 14, they are not too keen to be in our company for very long. But joint walks and meal preparation have become activities we share….
Cooking with Tracy is one of our new UnTours virtual experiences! These cooking lessons are done live from Tuscany over Zoom. Our Tuscany UnTour host Tracy has invited us into her kitchen to learn some of the classics. She has lessons coming up for Tiramisu and Eggplant Parmigiana. You can sign up here. Here is…
The Scuole Grandi (Great Schools) of Venice were fraternal organizations, established between the 13th and 16th centuries. They operated as charitable and social organizations for non-noble Venetian citizens of standing and wealth. They played an important role in their communities and in the arts. The schools were normally associated with a church and built nearby….
Our colleague Helen Glave, UnTours on-site staff in Florence, shared this update with us this week from Florence, where residents are under Red Zone restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Italy. It was really lovely to get your heart-warming message. For many people it is a period of great anxiety as regards both…