Sagre and gastronomic events near Florence

What's on this weekend near Florence?

The little town of Ronta, next to Borgo San Lorenzo - in the Florence countryside - will host the Porcino Mushroom Festival (Sagra del fungo porcino) on August 30th and 31st, 2008. The most appreciated italian mushroom will be the centre of the festival: an entire menu based on the porcino with courses like the tortelli with mushrooms, the fiorentina steak with porcini, and so on... Opening hours: Saturdays only dinner (7.30 p.m.) - Sundays lunch (1 p.m.) and dinner (7.30 p.m.)
For further informations: Ph.: +39 055 8403386

Tortello festival in Scarperia
Within the Diotto Festival in Scarperia - in the Florence Province - on August 30th, 31st and on September 6th, 7th, 2008 will run the traditional Tortello Festival (Sagra del Tortello).
The Tortello Mugellano is a popular hand made type of pasta, comprised of a filling of ricotta cheese and various herbs, sealed between two layers of pasta dough. The Tortelli are commonly rectangular in shape and they are usually dressed with ragù (meat gravy), mushroom or butter and sage.
For further information: Ph.: +39 055 8468165
Email: info@prolocoscarperia.com

PD fair in Florence

Do you remember InFortezza? The July/August summer kermesse at Fortezza da Basso? Well, practically speaking, is the same thing with a different name. Until last year was the Festa dell'Unità, a fair that takes place in Florence at this time of the year to "celebrate" the left italian party. Now that they have changed name is PD fair (democratic party).

Gastronomic stands, especially etnic food. I came back to ethnic restaurant Paladar to taste a fish with peanuts sauce.

After dinner I strolled around to see what has to offer. They changed place to the disco which is not behind the Fortress, they moved also the large bookshop in the Cavaniglia pavillion and removed the cinema to open the space to a unknown afro-portuguese artist...but I found a very interesting exbition made by the students of the comics school about reciclying. Folkloristic people, american girls all over. The festival is open until September 7th and there is also a series of concerts. Yestraday I saw L'Aura, a very talented italian singer.

Entrance is free. For some concerts you have to pay.

Holiday in Sicily

I have come back from Sicily, the biggest island in Italy and I am very enthusiast of this travel: cristalline sea, excellent food, ancient greek ruins and lower prices in comparison to Florence.

Everybody is wellcoming and kind. We had nice weather every day.
I visited the greek temples of Selinunte, just above a golden sandy beach, where I lied for hours sunbathing and swimming. This ancient Greek archaelogical site is well conserved, and you can admire the temple of Hera with the original columns and capitels (built in the 600 BC).
I was amazed by the baroque architecture of Noto, a little city at the south-east of Sicily, which is Human Heritage.
I liked the contrasts of Palermo: rich and elegant quarters close to poor and disrupted quarters where you can get lost in some typical old markets such as Ballaro' and Vucciria.
I liked the narrow streets of Siracusa, a city rich of history and culture (I slept in a bed and breakfast just above the temple of Apollo for 60 euros!)
I appreciated the local cuisine: the arancini (small rice balls with meat inside), the cannoli alla siciliana (sweets with ricotta cheese) and the fuata (a tiny pizza with onions).

I strongly recommend you to visit Sicily at least once in your life, but you have to be very patient: roads are quite a disaster, and the concept of time (and puntuality) is relative.

Barberino outlet and cheap eats close to Florence

Today I went back to Mugello. I wanted to go and swim in the Bilancino Lake, but the weather was not fine even for sunbathing! I decided to have a cheap lunch at Casa del prosciutto at Ponte a Vicchio, where you can have tasteful panini(bread) with prosciutto (ham), or youcan seat and order delightful and oily tortelli di patate (I had some with mushrooms) and other tuscan food for less than 10 euros per person.

After lunch the sun has come back, so we hade some time swimming and sailing in the lake, near the Bagno Maria beach.
Last but not least we went to McArthurGlen Barberino Outlet: the big mall with outlet stores only 20 minutes from Florence, where you can buy clothes by Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Pollini, Guess, Max Mara...
I bought just few things since there were already the winter collections and for me it was quite strange to try coats and wool stuff...

Da Burde, a historical trattoria

On Monday evening I had the pleasure to meet the guy from BURDE, a historical trattoria, a real one in the Florence outskirt. So, I decided to go and try their cuisine for lunch the following day.

This restaurant, as said, it is not in the centre of Florence and you don’t find many tourists but locals, people who go there to spend their lunch and relax with colleagues, but the atmosphere it is like it was years ago when it first opened.
It is perfect if you have a car because it is in via Pistoiese, in the north of Florence, not far from the Florence airport, it is just in front of the CONAD supermarket. The big sign cannot be missed!
As soon as you enter you are in the grocery store in the back there is the real trattoria with tables and chairs. It is decorated like the old Florentine trattorias: furniture’s found in and there, paintings hang on the wall and so on...
The menu is only Tuscan: soup, panzanella, ribollita , pappa con pomodoro and meat. Peposo, bollito, stracotto, and the mythical Florentine T-bone steak! Andrea the owner of the shop is not only a very nice person but he can help you to choose the right wine even because he is vice European sommelier champion. Nice food in a very simple environment, pleasant, not a tourist place at all.

Enjoy!
This is the website: http://www.burde.it/

Apartments for rent in Florence

Today I would like to introduce you to a very useful website I found few days ago.

Firenzelodging.it is a service oriented rental agency in Florence: they offer apartments for rent in Florence. As a licensed real estate agency in Florence they offer lodging services for tourists looking for quality short term rentals solutions in apartments, villas, residences as well as for those looking for more traditional mid to long term stays when relocating, living or studying in Florence. Their listings of properties are reviewed and certified by their staff to help you find what better suits your needs at the more suitable price for your budget. They target clients needing a solid and reliable service mixing the help of technology with more traditional service oriented efforts to make you feel safe and comfortable while searching, booking and then enjoying your time and your life in Florence.

The ceramic fair in Florence

October 4th and 5th in Piazza SS Annunziata it will take place the IX edition of the ceramic fair, the exhibition of contemporary artistic ceramics.

In these two days 60 artists coming from Italy and other European countries will displayed their creations. It can be found ceramics from everyday use objects to interior decorations: from Raku, ancient Japanese technique used for the tea ceremony to the solid Gres especially used in northern European countries, to the majolica, a symbol of Mediterranean regions to finish with the fine Lustro, a difficult technique produced with the third fire and porcelain. In these two days there will be children labs as well as demonstration of the Raku technique.
Info: Associarte arte della ceramica (Art ceramic association)
Tel. 055 8301075 cell 347 7416184