Confession time. Cate may have had ulterior motives for getting all of her Thanksgiving cooking done a week ahead of time. Yes, part of her motivation for making all of those delicious recipes was so that she could share them on the blog. But for the first time ever, we were not going to be celebrating Thanksgiving in America (traitors, I know). Cate and I spent the week of Thanksgiving and Cate’s birthday – aka the two biggest food holidays of the year – in Paris and Brussels….
Modena, Italy
Our last post on Italy (until next summer…) centers on the small town of Modena. Modena is located within the Emilia-Romanga region and is home to some of the best food in the world. Traditional balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Lambrusco are all geographically protected specialities of the region. In addition to the incredible food, we loved walking around the small city center. Unlike many of the stops on our trip, Modena is not a tourist destination. There was little English spoken, every menu was in Italian, and no one ventured outside during “siesta hours” (something I can get on board with). …
Osteria Francescana – Modena, Italy
Our review of the world-famous Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. Chef Massimo Bottura has created an amazing and special restaurant.
TheBetterHalf, Chef Massimo Bottura, CateyLou
CateyLou and I like to go out to eat. A lot. This may come as no surprise to loyal readers of the blog but our recent trip to Modena was the first time we actually picked a travel destination based on a restaurant. In our defense, we’re not just talking about any restaurant. Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy is by all accounts one of the best restaurants in the world. It has three Michelin Stars and in 2013 was ranked as the #3 restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Its chef and proprietor, Massimo Bottura, has won various domestic and international chef of the year awards. Our experience at Osteria Francescana was truly memorable and definitely worth a special trip to Modena. …
Villa Armena – Tuscany
For our time in Tuscany we stayed at Villa Armena in Buonconvento. The Renaissance style villa was completely restored in 2012 and consists of 10 unique and well appointed guest rooms. It is located just 20 miles south of Siena and not far from the popular wine towns of Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Chianti.
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Tuscany – Montalcino and Montepulciano
The next stop on our Italian vacation was Tuscany. Despite what the Maestro told us about there being no vacancies in Tuscany, we were lucky enough to snag a room at the lovely Villa Armena in Buonconvento (more on that later). Buonconvento is located a half hour south of Siena and close to the famous wine regions of Montalcino and Montepulciano. After the jump, some thoughts on our wine tours, along with the misadventures of TheBetterHalf driving a rental car in Tuscany. …
