With a couple of days left on the island our plan was to drive around Etna, cross the Nebrodi Mountains and head north up the coast to Termini Inglese where we had a reservation for the ferry back to Civitavecchia. Approaching Etna we realized she was acting up. The volcano was spewing black lava dust…

Seventeen years ago Michael and I shipped a brand new VW camper van to Sicily from Ontario.  When it arrived  we got on a plane, flew to Palermo and took a taxi to the port. Amidst a sea of containers, we located the one holding our camper and with surprising ease drove off to explore…

Christmas at Petraia comes at the end of our busiest season when I am already exhausted and seriously in need of some dietary reform. This year I decided to limit my holiday baking to sugar and gluten free items. My plan was to use nut flour and honey to make traditional cookies and cakes like Torta…

It’s almost Christmas but the harvest season at Petraia is not finished yet.  At this time of the year we are busy preserving winter vegetables to keep us going over the coming months.   Brassicas and root vegetables do well left in the ground till spring and it is wonderful to have them there.  Going…

  Matefaim, are what happen when you cross an Italian frittata with a French crêpe. These are delicious eggy pancakes made in various parts of southeastern France as well as some alpine regions of Italy and Switzerland. Seldom found in restaurants, matefaim use a variety of local ingredients including cheese, potatoes, spinach, apples, ham and sausage. The…

Our Grande Finale for the 2013 Season

Our last event of the season was put together for the local enoteche, restauranteurs and other clients who purchase our wine.  It was a grand affair and I believe one of our best meals ever.  Here’s a look at the menu…. menu SORRISO crack, crudo, cotto, stagionato PICKLED egg, radish, beet, kohlrabi, turnip, carrot, rye…

In the harvest season around here it can easily take twice as long to get anywhere on Chianti’s already curvy, slow and intoxicating roads.  In September and October tractors pull grapes to local wineries and in November they haul olives to frantoi, the mills that, for a brief period each year work around the clock pressing…

At La Petraia, our menus are based entirely on what the property provides us.   The list is staggering and includes our  fruit, vegetables, wine,  meat, game, honey, milk, nuts, cheese, olives, vinegars and even some of our own grain. We forage for a wide variety of wild nuts, berries, herbs, mushrooms and seeds while…

    Dear Friends,   This week at Petraia we enjoyed the last guests of the 2013 season, and as our year draws to a close it’s time for our annual update.  Just like every other year we were blessed with interesting and appreciative guests and again were fortunate to welcome so many of you back.  Thanks to…