In the spirit of Halloween I’ve decided to post a pumpkin recipe this week, proving that pumpkins can be used for more than just carving ‘spooky’ faces!





Ingredients: 

Set like an oasis in the dramatic Middle East terrain, the eco-chic Evason Ma’In Resort & Spa is the destination of choice for those seeking the perfect haven to relax and be pampered whilst enjoying the therapeutic benefits of Ma’In hot spring waterfalls, in use since the time of King Herod.

Growing up I would spend hours sitting up in a pine tree on the property where we lived. It provided me with a bird’s eye view of the world. I would sit there staring up at the infinite sky wondering what my future would be like; imagining what I would do, where I would live, places I would visit, who would ask me to the dance and what I would wear. (Keep in mind I was a 10 year old).  Some days I would sit there alone and other times my best friends would join me, each of us sitting on our assigned branches, watching the sunset through the treetop. It was our secret hideaway!

As the season gets colder and colder I crave the necessary pick me up that only a rich bowl of comfort food can provide. Foods like thick stews, warm minestrones and heavy pasta dishes. Orecchiette with sausage and cherry tomatoes is the kind of meal you’ll enjoy during a cold, rainy day, especially if you pair it with a bold, cherry-dense glass of Merlot!
·         1 pound orecchiette pasta
·         1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
·         3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
·         1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
·         1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
·         Salt
·         2 ounces aged provolone, shredded

For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of owning a home in the Tuscan countryside; a place with history that I could restore to escape the stresses of life to find refuge in an oasis of calm. A place others could visit to share in this utopia of organic living. So universe, if you’re listening – help!
Lately that vision has slightly changed. I want to turn my haven into a small B&B, a place where people going through hardships can come to visit, courtesy of a not for profit organization, to stay in a place that will help nurture their spiritual and emotional growth. To provide my guests with a locale that is committed to sustainable and environmentally-sound practices where they can pick fresh herbs and vegetables from a garden to help me prepare our meals. A place they can enjoy bike rides along the countryside, picnic lunches and a glass of local wine, as well as other therapeutic activities like yoga, spa treatments, cooking classes, and excursions to local vineyards, villages and artisan shops.




You may ask yourself, why share a private paradise with other people? The answer is rather simple, because I believe there is no delight in owning something unshared. How great would it be to experience magical moments with people from all walks of life. To share our life stories, experiences and pleasures, and to one day write a book about these encounters in hopes that it will help others.    



Cheers to dreams and making them come true!

I dedicate this 'Recipe of the Week' to one of my loyal followers who requested this delicious Alsatian meal. Hope you enjoy this with someone special...



Various legends trace coq au vin to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar. In Alsace, a beautiful region influenced by both French and German cuisines, a somewhat similar recipe, Coq au Riesling, is made with mostly the same components as coq au vin except the vin in the recipe is not red, but a fresh, mineral-rich Riesling.

 

At hotel Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, guests get a true taste of Matera's history. Located in southern Italy, the village of Matera is famous for the houses carved into the volcanic hillsides, some of them dating back to Paleolithic times.


Literally cut into the volcanic tufa of the Matera hillside, the caves of hotel Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita were originally a stronghold for Italian peasants. Forcefully removed in the 1950s, many of the peasants came back against the government's wishes. Today, the area has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is attracting curious travelers to its snaking rooftop streets, rocky hillside drop offs, and stone cathedrals.


Here the hotel rooms occupy the 9,000 year-old Italian cave homes themselves — needless to say the look is not exactly frilly or delicate, but the Sassi di Matera is dedicated to its own version of luxury.




Albergo Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita is a place where one can escape the chaos of life and go back to a simpler time when a warm bath, great meal and good glass of wine were all the comforts they needed.

If I were to escape and live in a small boutique hotel Jardins Secrets would be it. It’s a storehouse of diversions and pleasures, a maze of objects offering a thousand and one places for lovers to disappear together...

Travel with me to another side of France, to the southern areas of Corsica for some scenic relaxation. Run away with me.....

corsica from emeric on Vimeo.

Take a horse back ride along the beach of Mont Saint-Michel....
escape with me...

Escape the ordinary...

Scarole e Fagioli
Escarole and Bean Soup

Typical of Calabrian minestre, this soup is thick, not brothy, with just enough liquid to bathe the beans and vegetables. The escarole should be very soft, offering no resistance. My mom would leave the whole hot peppers in the soup and enjoy them in small bites. Simply delicious and nutritious!