Buona Festa!
Buona festa a tutti!
Buona festa is the Italian catch-all for happy holidays, no matter what holiday that might be! Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, your birthday - just say Buona Festa and it means "we wish you merry!"

If you're still trying to think of a fabulous Christmas gift for your significant other, might we recommend one of our wine and food tours!? Our new trip to Veneto in May has a few spots open. What's the Veneto? Only one of the most beautiful and historically significant regions of Italy! Read more below to be convinced. Let us know if you still have questions?

Some of the best Italian Christmas desserts come from Northern Italy: panettone from Milan and pandoro from Verona. Both cakes are tall and golden colored. Panettone is studded with raisins and candied fruit, while pandoro (literally “golden bread”) is shaped like a tall crown. In Verona the best pandoro comes from a bakery owned by the same family for 5 generations. Both desserts are easy to find in the US. Not all are created equal though. Artisan bakers make panettones that are light, airy and buttery with the perfect balance of sweetness. Some of these master bakers take 24 - 36 hours to make these perfect panettoni. In our family panettone is eaten for breakfast on Christmas, while pandoro is for after dinner. We recommend you pour a rum syrup over the pandoro cake and serve it with whipped cream.

Buon Festa & Buon appetito! Don't forget the Fernet when you over indulge!!"
Gina and Mary
Panettone
The Arena in Verona - still holding performances and the summer opera
Verona is a beautiful city in the Veneto and our base for the tour
What is the Veneto and Why you should want to go there...
Veneto is the northeast region of Italy that contains the cities of Venice and Verona. It is one of the most important wine regions in Italy and has deep historical significance. Architecturally speaking, there is no more important area of Italy. From an abundance of Roman ruins to the wealth of the medieval Republic of Venice, to the Palladio villas that stretch from Padova to Venice and the awful fascist buildings of Mussolini. The buildings tell the story of Veneto's history. Medieval towers and the Roman arena of Verona romance you back in time. 

The foothills of the Alps, covered in grape vines, produce some of the most important wines of Italy: Valpolicella, Amarone and Prosecco. Lake Garda, the largest of Italy’s lakes, has a micro climate that produces the only olive oil north of the Appenines, as well as fresh lake fish and excellent wines like Bardolino and Custoza. 

The cuisine relies on polenta, grilled meats and vegetables like radicchio, indigenous to the area. It is a beautiful region, filled with sunlight reflecting off its many canals. In the spring, the air is filled with the scent of flowers and the fields are lush and green. Grape vines are just flowering, roses are in full bloom and fresh picked strawberries and cherries greet you in the morning. 

It’s one of our favorite places in Italy and we’re excited to add it to our repertoire! Our small group tour to Veneto May 25- June 1, 2023 still has a few spots available.
Custoza - one of the many white wines in Veneto
Veneto wines - so many to explore
This month's Italian saying:
"Buon Natale" - Merry Christmas!
Join one of our small group tours in 2023 or 2024
May 25- June 1, 2023 (5 spots left); June 1- 8, 2024
Veneto - Amarone & Valpolicella wines, Verona, Lake Garda, Padua, Prosecco Road, Bardolino, Asolo

June 13- 20, 2023 4 spots left); June 10-17 and June 18 - 25, 2024
Piedmont - Turin, the Alps, Barolo wines, quaint villages & ancient castles, Alba, Bra, cheeses, chocolates!

September 26- October 2, 2023 (6 spots left!); Sept 23 - 30 and Oct 1-7, 2024
Puglia - Bari, Alberobello, Ostuni, Locorotundo, Gallipoli, Lecce

October 7-14, 2023 (2 spots left) and October 14-21, 2023 (4 spots left); Oct 12- 19 and Oct 19- 26, 2024
Tuscany - Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Montalcino, a villa in Tuscany on an olive estate, Brunello, Chianti Classico & Vino Nobile. The perfect tour for a first time traveler to Italy!

May 20-27, 2024 - Details coming soon on our newest tour - Bologna & the Emilia Romagna region

Join one of our groups, or form your own group of 10-12 and enjoy a week filled with delicious foods and regional wines. Our small group tours are perfect to be with like minded people to explore the culture and history of Italy through its foods and wines.
Call (972) 342-8308 or email Mary to get registered or with any questions.

Experiencing Venice before our tour last May!
Michael might have a new career?!
Storming the castle in Chianti!
Gina Stipo and Mary Stipo Potter | Ecco La Cucina | 1-972-342-8308| Email | Website