Our August dinner will be on Saturday, August 14th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, August 15th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Marche, home to Spokane’s sister city in Italy, Cagli and home to Monte Vettore!

Marche also called “Le Marche” is one of the twenty regions of Italy. The name derives from the plural of the medieval word marca or march, originally referring to a borderland territory of the Holy Roman Empire, such as the March of Ancona and others pertaining to the ancient region. In English, the region is referred to as The Marches.

The region is located in the central area of the country, bordered by Emilia-Romagna and the republic of San Marino to the north, Tuscany to the west, Umbria to the southwest, Abruzzo and Lazio to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Except for river valleys and the often very narrow coastal strip, the land is hilly. A railway from Bologna to Brindisi, built in the 19th century, runs along the coast of the entire territory. Inland, the mountainous nature of the region, even today, allows relatively little travel north and south, except by twisting roads over the passes. Urbino one of the major cities of the region, was the birthplace of Raphael as well as a major center of Renaissance history.

Most of the region is mountainous or hilly, the main features being the Apennine chain along the internal boundary and an extensive system of hills descending towards the Adriatic. With the sole exception of Monte Vettore, 8,123 feet high, the mountains do not exceed 7,900 feet.

Our August dinner will be on Saturday, August 14th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, August 15th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Marche, home to Spokane’s sister city in Italy, Cagli and home to Monte Vettore!

Marche also called “Le Marche” is one of the twenty regions of Italy. The name derives from the plural of the medieval word marca or march, originally referring to a borderland territory of the Holy Roman Empire, such as the March of Ancona and others pertaining to the ancient region. In English, the region is referred to as The Marches.

The region is located in the central area of the country, bordered by Emilia-Romagna and the republic of San Marino to the north, Tuscany to the west, Umbria to the southwest, Abruzzo and Lazio to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Except for river valleys and the often very narrow coastal strip, the land is hilly. A railway from Bologna to Brindisi, built in the 19th century, runs along the coast of the entire territory. Inland, the mountainous nature of the region, even today, allows relatively little travel north and south, except by twisting roads over the passes. Urbino one of the major cities of the region, was the birthplace of Raphael as well as a major center of Renaissance history.

Most of the region is mountainous or hilly, the main features being the Apennine chain along the internal boundary and an extensive system of hills descending towards the Adriatic. With the sole exception of Monte Vettore, 8,123 feet high, the mountains do not exceed 7,900 feet.

Our September dinner will be on Saturday, September 11th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, September 12th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Lazio.

Despite its large size, importance to the country’s economy and beautiful countryside, Lazio can be a bit of an unknown to tourists visiting Italy. That’s because the name of this region is nowhere near as well-known as its most famous city, Rome, which also happens to be the Italian capital and home to some of the most important cultural and historical events, buildings, movements and cooking in the whole of Europe. But while throngs of visitors head directly for Rome to see its stunning architecture and indulge in plenty of pasta, there’s much more to see, do and taste in other parts of Lazio, which is home to some stunning beaches, beautiful medieval hilltop villages and rolling fertile hills producing fantastic wine, fruit and vegetables.

In terms of regional cooking steeped in history, it’s true that Rome trumps the rest of the area with its famous pasta dishes, traditional meat cookery and world-famous restaurants, but places like Amatrice and Antrodoco have made their names through food too. Then there’s the little towns along the coast and further inland which are home to hidden little trattorias serving up awe-inspiring simple dishes that encapsulate everything good about Italian cooking (without a tourist trap in sight). Whether you’re heading to Rome for a spot of sightseeing or venturing outside its walls into the Lazian countryside, you certainly won’t be short of delicious things to eat. Here’s what to look out for when you’re there.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it shows. No matter how many times visitors visit Italy’s capital, there will always be something left to discover; be it a hidden corner which has lay hidden for centuries or the latest street art installation.

Despite the slow-paced character often attributed to its locals, Rome is always on the move, bustling with constant innovation in the arts, culture and food, often mixing elements from the city’s characteristics; glorious and popular, stately and genuine, traditional and daring.

Across the city’s streets, the magnificence of its historical heritage lies alongside its underground culture. Fine dining restaurants mingle with the colored chaos of neighborhood markets, something that must be seen and experienced for anyone who wants to know the city better than an average tourist.

Rome is a huge, sprawling city, but there are little pockets of culture throughout where you can find fantastic trattorias, dedicated artisans, awe-inspiring artworks and buzzing markets brimming with fresh, vibrant produce.

This list of places to go and things to do in Rome shows the capital under a different light; internationally acclaimed art that isn’t confined to gallery walls, popular food markets serving both traditional local dishes and trendy new street food delicacies and courses that show you how to eat and drink like a Roman offer a fresh lens with which to discover the city, complementing all the beautiful icons it’s come to be famous for.

Our September dinner will be on Saturday, September 11th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, September 12th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Lazio.

Despite its large size, importance to the country’s economy and beautiful countryside, Lazio can be a bit of an unknown to tourists visiting Italy. That’s because the name of this region is nowhere near as well-known as its most famous city, Rome, which also happens to be the Italian capital and home to some of the most important cultural and historical events, buildings, movements and cooking in the whole of Europe. But while throngs of visitors head directly for Rome to see its stunning architecture and indulge in plenty of pasta, there’s much more to see, do and taste in other parts of Lazio, which is home to some stunning beaches, beautiful medieval hilltop villages and rolling fertile hills producing fantastic wine, fruit and vegetables.

In terms of regional cooking steeped in history, it’s true that Rome trumps the rest of the area with its famous pasta dishes, traditional meat cookery and world-famous restaurants, but places like Amatrice and Antrodoco have made their names through food too. Then there’s the little towns along the coast and further inland which are home to hidden little trattorias serving up awe-inspiring simple dishes that encapsulate everything good about Italian cooking (without a tourist trap in sight). Whether you’re heading to Rome for a spot of sightseeing or venturing outside its walls into the Lazian countryside, you certainly won’t be short of delicious things to eat. Here’s what to look out for when you’re there.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it shows. No matter how many times visitors visit Italy’s capital, there will always be something left to discover; be it a hidden corner which has lay hidden for centuries or the latest street art installation.

Despite the slow-paced character often attributed to its locals, Rome is always on the move, bustling with constant innovation in the arts, culture and food, often mixing elements from the city’s characteristics; glorious and popular, stately and genuine, traditional and daring.

Across the city’s streets, the magnificence of its historical heritage lies alongside its underground culture. Fine dining restaurants mingle with the colored chaos of neighborhood markets, something that must be seen and experienced for anyone who wants to know the city better than an average tourist.

Rome is a huge, sprawling city, but there are little pockets of culture throughout where you can find fantastic trattorias, dedicated artisans, awe-inspiring artworks and buzzing markets brimming with fresh, vibrant produce.

This list of places to go and things to do in Rome shows the capital under a different light; internationally acclaimed art that isn’t confined to gallery walls, popular food markets serving both traditional local dishes and trendy new street food delicacies and courses that show you how to eat and drink like a Roman offer a fresh lens with which to discover the city, complementing all the beautiful icons it’s come to be famous for.

Our October dinner will be on Saturday, October 9th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, September 10th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Campania.

Sitting to the south of Rome, Campania has a history that is inextricably tied to the Roman Empire. The province was part of the Roman Republic from as far back as the fourth century BC, and continued to be an important part of the Empire for many centuries – the imposing walls of Naples famously rebuffed Hannibal and his elephants in the Second Punic War, and one only has to visit the ruins of Pompeii to get an idea of what life was like in Campania some two millennia ago.

Roman history has had a profound effect on the food eaten across the region too. The Romans always valued Campania for its vast pastureland and nutrient-rich soils, and many practices that continue to exist today started in Roman times. Fishing was a Roman staple too – the ancient towns of Amalfi, Cetara, Positano and Amalfi are famous today as picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but they started life as Roman fishing villages. Despite the increasing tourism trade, a significant portion of Italians still make a living from fishing along the Amalfi Coast, returning with hauls of seafood ranging from anchovies and sardines to squid and octopus.

Seafood, unsurprisingly, makes up the majority of the coastal diet, alongside a bevy of fresh fruit and vegetables – typical Mediterranean fare. As you get inland, there is ample grazing land available for livestock, making meat dishes more common. Although their origins are disputed, Campania is also home to native water buffalo, and has been for many, many centuries. Where there are buffalo, there is buffalo milk, and where there is buffalo milk, there is mozzarella di bufala – one of the great cheeses of the world.

Mozzarella, of course, leads us to the birthplace of another of the world’s favorite foods – Naples – where the combination of fresh buffalo mozzarella, ripe, sun-kissed tomatoes and fresh bread created the very first pizza margherita over a century ago. The pizza is perhaps the best example of food in Campania – the simple combination of incredible fresh ingredients, where a few things come together to make something very special. Whether you’re exploring the jaw-dropping coasts, the busy hectic thrum of Naples or venturing inland, Campania never disappoints. Find out more below about the ingredients, flavors and dishes that make up the cuisine of the region.

Our October dinner will be on Saturday, October 9th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, September 10th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Campania.

Sitting to the south of Rome, Campania has a history that is inextricably tied to the Roman Empire. The province was part of the Roman Republic from as far back as the fourth century BC, and continued to be an important part of the Empire for many centuries – the imposing walls of Naples famously rebuffed Hannibal and his elephants in the Second Punic War, and one only has to visit the ruins of Pompeii to get an idea of what life was like in Campania some two millennia ago.

Roman history has had a profound effect on the food eaten across the region too. The Romans always valued Campania for its vast pastureland and nutrient-rich soils, and many practices that continue to exist today started in Roman times. Fishing was a Roman staple too – the ancient towns of Amalfi, Cetara, Positano and Amalfi are famous today as picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but they started life as Roman fishing villages. Despite the increasing tourism trade, a significant portion of Italians still make a living from fishing along the Amalfi Coast, returning with hauls of seafood ranging from anchovies and sardines to squid and octopus.

Seafood, unsurprisingly, makes up the majority of the coastal diet, alongside a bevy of fresh fruit and vegetables – typical Mediterranean fare. As you get inland, there is ample grazing land available for livestock, making meat dishes more common. Although their origins are disputed, Campania is also home to native water buffalo, and has been for many, many centuries. Where there are buffalo, there is buffalo milk, and where there is buffalo milk, there is mozzarella di bufala – one of the great cheeses of the world.

Mozzarella, of course, leads us to the birthplace of another of the world’s favorite foods – Naples – where the combination of fresh buffalo mozzarella, ripe, sun-kissed tomatoes and fresh bread created the very first pizza margherita over a century ago. The pizza is perhaps the best example of food in Campania – the simple combination of incredible fresh ingredients, where a few things come together to make something very special. Whether you’re exploring the jaw-dropping coasts, the busy hectic thrum of Naples or venturing inland, Campania never disappoints. Find out more below about the ingredients, flavors and dishes that make up the cuisine of the region.

Our October dinner will be on Saturday, November 6th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, November 7th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Abruzzo.

Almost half of Abruzzo is either a national park or a nature reserve, which helps paint a picture of just how untouched this part of Italy is. While it is located in the center of the country, most Italians see Abruzzo as part of southern Italy, and that is certainly reflected in its cuisine, which is often simple, traditional and makes the most of humble ingredients. Bordered by Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and Molise (which was part of Abruzzo until the 1970s) to the south, the region is split into four provinces: L’Aquila (the capital, which was hit by an earthquake in 2009); Teramo (famous for olive oil); Pescara and Chieti.

Abruzzo’s motto is ‘forte e gentile’ (strong and gentle), which is said to represent the people (known as Abruzzese) and the landscape. When it comes to the cuisine, the most iconic elements are the abundance of lamb and the use of chilies (dried or fresh, depending on the time of year) as a seasoning. But there’s much more to discover if you’re ever in the area – get to know the ingredients, produce, wines and famous dishes of the region and become an expert in the local cuisine.

Lamb is eaten with abandon further inland, but on the Abruzzese coast fish makes up the majority of the diet. Anchovies from Vasto are held in high regard, and all sorts of fresh fish and seafood are made into soupy stews, often flavored with plenty of local white wine. Salt cod is also a popular ingredient, and along Abruzzo’s shores you’ll find traboccho; wooden pier-like structures with little shacks on the end. These unique buildings are traditionally used to fish from, and you’ll usually find restaurants nearby that serve up simple, rustic, traditional seafood dishes to the locals.

Many Italians might sprinkle grated cheese over their food just before eating, but in Abruzzo they’re just as likely to scatter chili flakes, drizzle chili oil or even snip thin slices of fresh chili over the top instead. The Abruzzese love the warmth of chili and diavolino – the local variety – can often be seen hung up outside doorways to dry.

It might not produce much of it, but the eight hectares of Abruzzo dedicated to saffron farming is famous throughout Italy. That’s because the flowers’ stems are picked by hand and gently toasted over an open fire, resulting in some of the highest quality saffron in the world. It used to be produced on a much larger scale, with the strands making their way to the richest families in Italy, who loved turning their food a golden color with it as a show of wealth. Today, it can be bought in L’Aquila and the surrounding towns.

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Our October dinner will be on Saturday, November 6th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, November 7th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Abruzzo.

Almost half of Abruzzo is either a national park or a nature reserve, which helps paint a picture of just how untouched this part of Italy is. While it is located in the center of the country, most Italians see Abruzzo as part of southern Italy, and that is certainly reflected in its cuisine, which is often simple, traditional and makes the most of humble ingredients. Bordered by Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and Molise (which was part of Abruzzo until the 1970s) to the south, the region is split into four provinces: L’Aquila (the capital, which was hit by an earthquake in 2009); Teramo (famous for olive oil); Pescara and Chieti.

Abruzzo’s motto is ‘forte e gentile’ (strong and gentle), which is said to represent the people (known as Abruzzese) and the landscape. When it comes to the cuisine, the most iconic elements are the abundance of lamb and the use of chilies (dried or fresh, depending on the time of year) as a seasoning. But there’s much more to discover if you’re ever in the area – get to know the ingredients, produce, wines and famous dishes of the region and become an expert in the local cuisine.

Lamb is eaten with abandon further inland, but on the Abruzzese coast fish makes up the majority of the diet. Anchovies from Vasto are held in high regard, and all sorts of fresh fish and seafood are made into soupy stews, often flavored with plenty of local white wine. Salt cod is also a popular ingredient, and along Abruzzo’s shores you’ll find traboccho; wooden pier-like structures with little shacks on the end. These unique buildings are traditionally used to fish from, and you’ll usually find restaurants nearby that serve up simple, rustic, traditional seafood dishes to the locals.

Many Italians might sprinkle grated cheese over their food just before eating, but in Abruzzo they’re just as likely to scatter chili flakes, drizzle chili oil or even snip thin slices of fresh chili over the top instead. The Abruzzese love the warmth of chili and diavolino – the local variety – can often be seen hung up outside doorways to dry.

It might not produce much of it, but the eight hectares of Abruzzo dedicated to saffron farming is famous throughout Italy. That’s because the flowers’ stems are picked by hand and gently toasted over an open fire, resulting in some of the highest quality saffron in the world. It used to be produced on a much larger scale, with the strands making their way to the richest families in Italy, who loved turning their food a golden color with it as a show of wealth. Today, it can be bought in L’Aquila and the surrounding towns.

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Our December dinner will be on Saturday, December 4th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, December 5th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Sicily.

icily is a very special place. As the largest of Italy’s islands, it’s certainly got its own feel and culture – ask someone who grew up there if they’re Italian, and they’ll usually say, ‘no, sono Siciliano!’ With ancient customs and traditions famous the world over, the locals are fiercely proud of their heritage, and that makes visiting Sicily a unique and magical experience.

For lovers of good food, Sicily is a must-visit. Walk around the cities of Palermo, Catania or Messina whilst eating deep-fried arancini or satisfy your sweet tooth with some freshly made cannoli. Pasta comes served alla norma, inspired by Mount Etna with the most flavorful aubergines stirred into a tomato sauce alongside plenty of basil and ricotta, or con le sarde, with the island’s incredible sardines put center stage. It’s also home to some of the world’s best pistachios, harvested every two years in Bronte, while ingredients such as pine nuts and raisins are a common sight thanks to the island’s North African connection.

With a history and culture that would take a lifetime to discover, architecture that’s unlike anything on the mainland and some of the best examples of cucina povera in the whole country, Sicily is an incredible destination for anyone looking for a holiday rich in good food, good wine and good culture.

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Our December dinner will be on Saturday, December 4th at 6:30 PM and Sunday, December 5th at 5:30 PM.  The menu includes five courses and four wine pairings.  It will feature the region of Sicily.

icily is a very special place. As the largest of Italy’s islands, it’s certainly got its own feel and culture – ask someone who grew up there if they’re Italian, and they’ll usually say, ‘no, sono Siciliano!’ With ancient customs and traditions famous the world over, the locals are fiercely proud of their heritage, and that makes visiting Sicily a unique and magical experience.

For lovers of good food, Sicily is a must-visit. Walk around the cities of Palermo, Catania or Messina whilst eating deep-fried arancini or satisfy your sweet tooth with some freshly made cannoli. Pasta comes served alla norma, inspired by Mount Etna with the most flavorful aubergines stirred into a tomato sauce alongside plenty of basil and ricotta, or con le sarde, with the island’s incredible sardines put center stage. It’s also home to some of the world’s best pistachios, harvested every two years in Bronte, while ingredients such as pine nuts and raisins are a common sight thanks to the island’s North African connection.

With a history and culture that would take a lifetime to discover, architecture that’s unlike anything on the mainland and some of the best examples of cucina povera in the whole country, Sicily is an incredible destination for anyone looking for a holiday rich in good food, good wine and good culture.

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