“This is the classic ragù that my grandmother taught me: a delicious, versatile sauce that can be used in many ways. Added to lasagne, any type of pasta, served with meatballs…” Lella from Cuoche in Vacanza

Italian food. Until I went to Tuscany, I have to confess that I just didn’t get the excitement. Pizza….Pasta…Chopped tomatoes on toast. Not only were…

Beneath the arches, a cloaked man walks through the shadows, his head bent, his hands supporting an open book. I can hear my footsteps, distorted through the darkness by the basement’s wet gravel, a hesitant chord to the beat of dripping water.

Vespa. On the one hand there’s the breathless icon, the vision of beautiful Italian limbs perched upon beautiful Italian design, zipping past fountains, ochre walls and cafes practically swaying with romantic intrigue. On the other, there’s a bald man in a shirt and tie. The man…