The Birthplace of Eataly: Turin, Italy

Eataly is a delightful combination of food market, cooking school and restaurant. It continues to expand into various Italian cities as well as Japan and Manhattan. But before it completely conquers the world, I wanted to return to where it all began: Turin, Italy.

Eataly (eataly.it) was founded by Oscar Farinetti and opened its doors in Turin in 2007. Oscar Farinetti had previously founded two very successful Italian appliance stores, UniEuro and Trony. But he wanted to return to his first love - food - so he sold the appliance companies and created Eataly.

Rather than just another food store, Eataly is a food experience. It combines professional restaurants, high-quality products and extensive, accessible education. Clear information is posted throughout the store explaining the origins and use of the products. Customers can attend an array of cooking classes given by the store’s expert staff or guest chefs. I attended a class given by the head of the seafood department. His taught the class how to feed 8 people for 8 euro (about $10) by choosing the freshest fish and then cooking and seasoning it in the simplest and most flavorful way.

My favorite aspect of Turin’s Eataly is the cellar: cool, climate controlled spaces are dedicated to wine, cheese and meat. What makes this special is that anyone can rent space in these cellars to age their food or wine. Alberto Peroglio Longhin, the president of Liberi Tutti, a company associated with Eataly, explains it this way, “Even if someone lives here in Torino, they still want to live like they have the advantages of a farm. So for example, they can buy a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and age it in our cellars until it’s ready. Then they can take it home and enjoy it.” You can enjoy photos of the cellar (and the rest of Eataly) in the slideshow below.

Consistent with Eataly’s philosophy that education should be fun, you can pick up an Eatinerario, which is an itinerary in a box, while you’re shopping. This is a special travel adventure designed to bring you to the places in Italy where some of Eataly’s delectable food is produced. Eatinerari are available in different price ranges and last from several hours to 2 days. The shortest itinerary sends you for an afternoon drive in your car to various locations of Eataly growers and farmers. One of your destinations will serve you a delicious lunch from “a rich menu of local flavors.” Other itineraries provide a guide and gourmet dinners. Whichever one you choose, everything you need for your Eatinerario (maps, reservations, etc.) are packed in a small, handy box with handles.

It’s no mystery that Eataly was created in Turin, because it is also the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is an organization founded in 1989 in response to the concept of fast food and all it brings with it: fast life, disconnection from the origins of our food supply and disappearance of local food traditions. Instead, Slow Food protects the heritage of food and culture by strengthening the connections between plate and planet. It believes that farmers, producers, cooks and consumers must work together to protect the world’s food heritage.

The Slow Food organization is a consultant for Eataly. Among other things, its members inspect Eataly’s producers and farmers to ensure that the quality of their products is not compromised to satisfy growing demand. Slow Food helps Eataly showcase sustainable agriculture and artisanal food production. To learn more, visit slowfood.com.

Enjoy the slideshow of just some of the offerings of Turin’s Eataly!

Ski the Italian Alps!

Glide, loop, swoosh. Repeat. Taste, indulge, refine, relax. Breathe, savor, smile, dream. Do it all at the Alpine ski resorts of Sestriere in Piedmont, Italy. Perched among the Italian Alps, Sestriere is one of Europe’s highest resorts and is about 8 miles from the French-Italian border. It features over 275 miles of ski runs, 66 lifts and even offers night skiing. The ski season goes from early December to late April and the nearest airport is Turin (Torino). As the center of the Via Lattea or Milky Way, Sestriere links to the nearby villages of Sauze d'Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana and the border-village of Claviere and Montgenèvre in France.

Sestriere was built by the Agnelli family, owners of the Fiat car company. They believed in creating a snow-sure resort and pioneered snowmaking in the 1970’s, decades before most other European resorts understood its value. Sestriere hosted alpine events in the 2006 Winter Olympics and the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1997.


Elsewhere in the town of Sestriere is Bardonecchia, a ski resort with amazing views, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and 4 ski schools. The unexpectedly named Camp Smith at Bardonecchia is actually named for Harald and Trigwe Smith, two Norwegian brothers who set ski jump world records there in 1909. Bardonecchia has hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics, the Universiadi 2007, World Cup snowboard competitions and FIS Carving cup competitions. Italian, Spanish and American teams train there as well as athletes of Rossignol. It is one of Italy’s top ten ski resorts.


Bardonecchia has over 60 miles of ski runs (many with snow cannons) and 21 lifts. The lift ride to the mid-mountain La Grangia restaurant is breathtaking. Tranquil and stunning, the ride over the treetops glistening with snow was a highlight. Once off the lift, you can go inside the restaurant or enjoy the sun and fresh air by eating at one of the many picnic tables provided. I spent some time at a picnic table, basking in the sun and watching the skiers come down the mountain. Since it was Fat Tuesday, some of them glided down in costume with capes flying!

The area cuisine is hearty, befitting a mountain village in winter: local meat, risotto and agnolotti pasta (similar to ravioli). But don’t forget the truffles or gorgonzola and toma cheeses. And then there’s the wine. The Nebbiolo grape creates complex Barolo and Barbaresco. On the lighter side, Piedmont is the land of Asti Spumante. And for heaven’s sake, don’t forget the chocolate. Piedmont is home to some of the world’s finest chocolate makers: Venchi, Caffarel and Ferraro (makers of Nutella), to name a few.

I was fortunate enough to experience this Winter Wonderland on a trip sponsored by the Italian Government Tourist Board (italiantourism.com), The Region of Piedmont (regione.piemonte.it) and CEIP, the Piedmont agency for Investments, Export and Tourism (centroestero.org).

A note on Alitalia: when the airline was government-owned, I was not a fan of this operation. I objected to indifferent customer service and its habit of going on strike and stranding its customers in the middle of high tourist season. But according to Lisa del Percio, Marketing Coordinator for Alitalia, “Now that it is 100% privately owned, those days are gone. That kind of behavior is no longer tolerated.”

The airline is working hard to rehabilitate its image and I was impressed with my flight experience. Economy class is now “Classica”, but it’s not just the name that’s changed. The blankets are warm, soft and designed by Frette. The in-flight entertainment is the best I’ve seen yet, offering a surprising variety of general release and independent films in English and Italian, along with TV shows and games. In addition, Alitalia has introduced Classica Plus, which is Premium Economy. With 20% more leg room than Economy, you can also enjoy wine and noise-reducing headphones. Business Class (Magnifica) offers an amenity kit designed by Bulgari as well as cutlery and glasses designed by Richard Ginori. It should be noted that Alitalia won Global Traveler’s award for Best Airline Cuisine.

Recommendations:

Booking:
If you’d like to book a ski vacation in Piedmont, I recommend www.worldonskis.com. They are ski specialists with years of experience in the Italian ski market.

Guide:
It would be hard to find a better guide than Carol Bazzani (carolbazzani.it). Raised in Canada and Piedmont, Italy, Carol guided our diverse and crazy group through the best of Sestriere. She can do the same for you, throughout Piedmont. Carol is fluent in English and Italian.

Restaurants:
Du Grand Pere
Via Forte Seguin, 14, 10058 Sestriere
Telephone: (+39) 0122755970
A cozy stone chalet in Sestriere, family run and lovingly serving hearty local specialties with a good wine list. It currently does not have a website.

Belvedere Hotel & Restaurant.
Via Cesana 18 - 10058 Sestriere
Telephone: (+39) 0122750698
www.belvederehotel-sestriere.com
Ask for La Pierrade: you can grill a variety of meats and vegetables on a hot Ardesia Stone, all at your table. It’s a genuine local experience!

L’Ortiche’
Via Assietta 4, Sauze d’Oulx
Telephone: (+39) 0122850329
www.ortiche.com
Located in the old town section of charming Sauze d’Oulx, it’s a casual eatery with a varied, high quality local menu. Great desserts.

Hotels
Hotel Shackelton Mountain Resort
Via Assietta, 1/B - 10058 Sestriere (To)
Tel. +39 0122/750773 - Fax +39 0122/76683
www.shackleton-resort.it
Colorful, quirky and beautifully appointed, they’ve thought of everything, including a telescope in the top floor lounge for stargazing.

Grand Hotel Sestriere
Via Assietta, 1 – Sestriere
Tel. +39 0122/76476 - Fax +39 0122/76700
www.grandhotelsestriere.it
When the crew of NBC-TV needed a place to stay for coverage of the 2006 Olympics, this was their choice. A spacious and luxurious alpine experience.

Noto in Sicily - Breathing New Life into an Ancient City

Noto is a small, picturesque village in the hills of southeastern Sicily that is defying the odds. Many of its young people remain in the town and open small businesses rather than move to bigger cities. Its birth rate is on the upswing, while in the rest of Sicily the rate is below zero. In 2009, Noto’s population grew by 3,000.

What is causing this? Look no further than, of all places, Noto City Hall. In a country where positive things often occur in spite of those in government, Noto is governed by courageous visionaries. Its present Mayor, Corrado Valvo, has a distinct plan in mind:
focus on a particular type of traveler rather than create a mass tourist destination. This deliberate and courageous decision is serving Noto well. The city has become a favorite of cultural voyagers and a haven for painters and artists of all types. Hotels and fattorie operate year round, not just in tourist season. It’s one of the few Italian cities where museums stay open until midnight. Museum staff speak five languages, including Chinese and will soon add Japanese. Noto’s atmosphere is creative and forward-thinking while keenly preserving its past.

As it happens, this is not the first time Noto has been reborn. Mentioned in works by Cicero and Pliny, legend holds that Dedalus stopped here after his flight over the Ionian Sea and Hercules rested in its arms after his seventh task. In the following centuries Noto birthed artists, composers, intellectuals and architects. In 1503, King Ferdinand III dubbed it “the ingenious city”.

This ingenuity would be sorely tested in 1693 when Noto was leveled by a devastating earthquake. It was impossible to rebuild in the same location (now referred to as Noto Antica), so its surviving inhabitants moved about 4 miles south and settled on the left bank of the Asinaro River. Here, a reimagined Noto took shape and is now considered a jewel of Sicilian Baroque architecture. Some of the most famous architects, masons and sculptors of the time joined together to resurrect the city. Its meticulously carved historic buildings are made of local yellowish, honey-colored stone. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, the organization bestowed this distinction because Noto “represent(s) the culmination and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe… successfully carried out at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement…(and) depict(s) distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building.”

Another earthquake hit Noto in 1990, destroying public and private buildings and causing serious structural damage to the cathedral. In 1996, the duomo roof collapsed entirely. Recently restored, the cathedral is just another example of a town that refuses to give up.

I visited Noto recently with the Italian Government Tourist Board (italiantourism.com) and Sicilia Natura, an organization dedicated to preserving Sicily’s environmental heritage. Noto is located close to the spectacular Vendicari Nature Reserve and Marine protected area. The city recognizes the value of the natural beauty of its surroundings and is willing to fight to keep it. Sometimes, it opposes powerful economic interests. For example, Noto recently fought a plan to build a factory in its midst, despite the jobs it would have created. The factory was considered incompatible with the quality of life and aesthetic the city is working to enhance.

Annually, on the third Sunday of May, Noto is transformed during the manifestazione dell’infiorata, or the Festival of Flowers. The city is carpeted with stunning works of art painstakingly created with petals, seeds and unfettered imaginations. By its nature, this colorful blossoming lasts for only a few days before it disappears, awaiting the next festival to be invited to bloom again. Somehow, this seems to be the perfect festival for Noto, a city whose destiny seems so closely tied to destruction and rebirth.

To learn more about Noto and plan a trip, click here.

Nebrodi Mountains – A Different Kind of Sicilian Experience

The island of Sicily is actively promoting its environmental assets by attracting eco-friendly tourism. A newly formed association, SiciliaNatura (sicilianatura.org), is an organizing point for this initiative. It was through them and the Italian Government Tourist Board that I found myself in a remote mountaintop hideaway, chilly in September, nibbling on Sicilian specialties and listening to a live band play some of the best folk music of the island.

Allow me to back up a little. The Nebrodi mountains are in northeastern Sicily and are part of the Sicilian Apennines. Parco dei Nebrodi (Nebrodi Park) was created in 1993 and is Sicily’s largest protected reserve. The Park is home to a stunning array of wildlife, including the San Fratellani horses. They are perhaps Sicily’s most wild species of horse, and here “wild” is a relative term. They are cared for, sheltered and fed and I saw a few wearing a bell around their necks. But none of this detracts from their singular nobility. There are less than 800 San Fratellani horses in the world and only a few hundred live in Nebrodi. It was a rare privilege to see them up close.

It was also a rare privilege to see Nebrodi Park, which is a part of Sicily not many travelers experience. The views are open and vast, the air crisp and clean. Mountains rise and fall gracefully into untouched green valleys. Lakes shimmer and reflect the white clouds as they move overhead. And it’s quiet. No vespas whirring or radios playing. It’s a place to appreciate, ponder and enjoy.

We spent the night at the Rifugio del Parco (rifugiodelparco.com), sitting high in the mountains, in a setting as remote as it was beautiful. The Rifugio serves as a rustic retreat for hikers making their way across portions of the Nebrodi mountains, or for anyone who wants to get away from it all and revel in mountainside Nature. The rooms are clean and small with most of the space taken up by beds (including bunk beds). The bathrooms are modern and well-designed for the space. Each room has a shower, hair dryer, TV and telephone. The communal dining room is on the first floor and serves wonderful, hearty food to satisfy a mountaineer’s appetite. Prices are very reasonable.

Rifugio del Parco offers a variety of hiking and trekking routes for its guests, categorized by level of difficulty and suitability for children. These treks bring you along pristine wetlands, towering forests and magnificent rock formations that are nesting sites for raptors and other wildlife. A few of these trails will even bring you to small, picturesque villages.

But back to my chilly September evening. On this particular night, we were entertained by Antichi Suoni, a rather famous Sicilian musical group (antichisuoni.it). The seven-man group has spent years researching and performing the centuries-old folk music of Sicily. They often play at festivals throughout Europe and have several CDs to their credit.

Antichi Suoni translates to Ancient Sounds, and the group keeps their sound as true to Sicily’s ancient roots as possible. They play the traditional instruments associated with this music, including guitar, mandolin, accordion, recorder, tamburello and tammorra. Their music evokes images of shepherds and minstrels whose melodies graced the countryside for centuries.

Nebrodi Park is designed for the intrepid traveler seeking an alternative to the expected tourist experience.

Torino, Italy Shows Off in 2011!

Torino (Turin) is the capital of the Piemonte (Piedmont) region in the northwest corner of Italy. Internationally famous as the home of the Shroud of Turin, which is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the city has many other reasons to make a visit.

1. Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Italy’s unification. From March 17 to November 20th, Torino will greet you with Esperienza Italia, a showcase of extraordinary exhibitions and programs rich with culture, food and entertainment.

2. Art and Culture. Torino is overflowing with artistic and historical wealth. 40 museums present the best in ancient and contemporary art. Add film and music festivals and stir.

3. A Wealth of Royal Residences. The castles and palaces of the House of Savoy are transformed into museums, concert halls and exhibit spaces. 15 of the royal residences are UNESCO World Heritage sites.



4. Nature. Torino boasts miles and miles of greenery and tree-lined avenues. There are 17 city parks and a botanical garden. The Royal Gardens were designed by the same architect who designed the Versailles Gardens in France. All this against the backdrop of the Alps and the meandering Po River.

5. Sports. Torino was home to the 2006 Winter Olympics, 2009 World Air Games and 2010 World Figure Skating Championships. It is also home base for Juventus and Torino soccer teams.

6. Go dancing and stay out late. The old town district of Qadrilatero Romano offers art galleries, wine cellars, restaurants and boutiques that stay open late.

7. Wine. It’s the home of Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Spumante. Need I say more?

8. Food. Torino is famous for its white truffles, special coffees and chocolates, agnolotti ravioli and grissini breadsticks. It’s also home to Eataly, Europe’s largest food and wine emporium. The Piedmont region gave birth to Slow Food, a now global organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of local food traditions, heritage and culture.

Torino is always full of art, natural beauty, food and fun. But in 2011 it’s really something special. Learn more about what Torino has to offer by clicking here.

A Slower Rhythm to Italian Tourism

Much of the fascination that Italy holds for me doesn’t come from its big cities, but its smaller villages that populate the hills and valleys. They somehow manage to be isolated despite internet connections and satellite TV. It was a small village that welcomed me on my first trip to Italy, and the more villages I see, the stronger this connection grows. These places embody the everyday culture of Italy, rather than the world class art and music, hustle and bustle that is found in the bigger cities. Not that I have anything against those things. But it’s only in a small village where I can hear the clang of bells dangling from the necks of sheep as they climb down the steep hillside paths at the end of a long day. Or enjoy the sound of children singing from inside a school as I meander past, savoring a cup of gelato. This is not an experience of the fast and furious, but for what I like to call the slow and curious.

Generally speaking, these villages are not on most tourist itineraries. Yet, it is precisely these unique places, cut off from the constant ebb and flow of outside visitors, that incubate the Italy that so many tourists dream about. Lest all of this sound too idyllic, it is important to remember that these villages are not museums frozen in time, but places where people actually live; communities with economic, social, cultural and political concerns.


The National Association of Italian Municipalities created an organization to identify, encourage and safeguard the multi-faceted legacy of the small Italian village, I Borghi Piu Belli d’Italia (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy). Formed in 2001, it is a surprisingly recent organization dedicated to the protection and promulgation of the history, art, culture, traditions and environment found in these special places. Villages are evaluated for membership based on various criteria, including the citizen’s quality of life (such as types of available activities and services) and architectural and historical consistency. Approximately 200 villages throughout Italy are current members, and membership is regularly re-evaluated to keep standards high. As a group, I Borghi allows its member villages to take advantage of an accessible tourist platform that, up to this point, villages have not been able to access individually.


If you are intrigued by experiencing this special side of Italy, keep in mind that traveling to villages like these present certain challenges. They may be time-consuming to reach, since they are not on the usual tourist train and highway routes. Communication may be a problem; how much English, if any, is spoken there? Fiorello Primi, the President of the Club of I Borghi Più Belli d'Italia puts it this way, “We are not offering heaven on earth, but we do want that the increasing numbers of people who return to live in these small historic villages and the visitors who are interested in learning about them may find the atmosphere, the fragrances and flavors that make local customs, products and traditions a way of life that is worth savoring with all five senses.” In short, though it may not be for everyone, the rewards are great.

I Borghi più belli d'Italia was featured by the Italian Government Tourist Board North America at a recent event in New York City. Hosted by the lively and engaging Board Director, Riccardo Strano, we learned the results of the latest polls on Italian tourism: Italy is number one on the list of Americans’ desired vacation destinations.

But which villages to choose? How can I get there? Where should I stay? Answers to these and other important questions can be found at I Borghi’s well-designed website, www.borghitalia.it. There are links to information on every member village, including hotels, restaurants, images, events and shopping. You can make reservations through the website and just count the days until your departure for la bell’italia.

Blessing of the Animals - The Lasting Legacy of St. Francis of Assisi

The man we know as Saint Francis was born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone in 1182 in Assisi, Umbria. Surrounded by the trappings of privilege, he renounced it all and became an enduring symbol of the value of spirit over the flesh. But he may be best loved for his respect and honor of all creatures at a time when the world around him seemed steeped in cruelty.
Francesco gave one of his most famous sermons to a flock of birds. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, describes the birds listening to Francesco’s words, stretching their necks and wings as he touched and blessed them. According to Thomas, "He began to blame himself for negligence in not having preached to the birds before…from that day on, he solicitously admonished the birds, all animals and reptiles, and even creatures that have no feeling, to praise and love their Creator."
Francesco wrote the Canticle of the Creatures, dedicated to all of the God’s creation. On one occasion he allowed a donkey who needed shelter to displace him and his small band of brothers from the hovel where they were living. He saved the townspeople of Gubbio as well as the wolf who had been attacking them by brokering peace. He sought out the wolf and admonished him to repent for the pain he caused. The wolf would never harm the townspeople again and the people agreed to feed the wolf for the rest of his life.
The feast of St. Francis is October 4. In 1931 in Florence, Italy, a convention of ecologists instituted World Animal Day. This day of appreciation and blessing for all animals is commemorated on the Sunday closest to October 4, in recognition of Francesco’s deep love of animals. This celebration takes place all over the world and is known as The Blessing of the Animals.
I had the good fortune to attend the Blessing at St. John the Divine in NYC this year. The celebration included the full church choir along with dancers, singers and musicians from many countries. Beautiful dancers waved colorful banners in the aisle to music complete with whale songs and the baying of wolves. The performers included, among others, Alessandra Belloni and I Giulari di Piazza, the Omega Dance Company, Forces of Nature Dance Company.
At the end of the service, volunteers dressed in long, white robes walked slowly up the center aisle, holding or accompanying an array of animals. They surrounded the altar for the blessing and then slowly filed out of the church. Many attendees brought their dogs to the service, and periodically the sounds of barking filled the Cathedral. But it seemed to be just as St. Francesco would have wanted it.











I Giulari di Piazza entertains on the side lawn of the Cathedral.