Carved to the right of the main doorway into Lucca Cathedral is a labyrinth measuring some 50cm in diameter. The accompanying inscription reads: “This is the labyrinth designed by the Cretan Daedalus. None of those who ventured into it ever found their way out, with the exception of Theseus,...
Did you know that the signature jasmine fragrance of Chanel No. 5 comes only from the jasmine fields of Grasse, France? Well, here is a little behind that fact and comes from an article I read by Toni Mason. Grasse lies some 20kms from the Côte d’Azur and is a half-hour drive west...
As many of you will know, I love to entertain, be it formally or casually. I do think that some of the best gatherings are those spontaneous ones, where no meal is planned and the challenge is to whip something up in the kitchen from what you have on...
In 1921, a certain Vinicio Salvi was walking in the gardens near the site of the present-day Venice Biennale, when upon approaching the statue of Garibaldi, he felt a heavy blow on his arm which made him fall to the ground. As he stood up, he saw a “red...
On the left side of the cathedral, on practically the last part of the wall that is visible, there is a strange square formed of five Latin words carved into a slab of white marble. Arranged one work per line, these form a palindrome which reads : SATOR AREPO ...
Gaspard Bouis was born in Besse-sur-Issole on 9 February 1757. It was during a visit to the village by recruiting seageants that Gaspard, no doubt under the influence of alcohol typically employed by the military in those time, signed up for the French army. The following day, once the...
In Florence on the corner of Palazzo Vecchietti at the junction of Via degli Strozzi and Via de’Vecchietti is a bronze statue of an insolent, jeering little devil. The work of Giambologna (or Jean de Boulogne, 1529-1608) it was commissioned by Bernardo Vecchietti to commemorate a mysterious incident in Florence’s...
Via San Martino, Pisa, on the left bank of the Arno, stands in an area of the city that was once called Kinzica. Here, there is a curious marble statue of an elegant Roman matron that dates from the 3rd century AD. Over time, the figure depicted became...
In the 11th century, the monks of the Abbaye Saint-Victor in Marseille established the Abbaye de la Celle, composed of two Benedictine priories, one for the monks and the other for nuns. Two centuries later, Garsende de Sabran, who had just lost her husband, King Alfonso II of Aragon,...
The Bernocchi family monument in Milan’s Cimitero Monumentale stands out both because of the height of its spire and the figures that adore it. The work of the architect Alessandro Milani and the sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, the structure was built in stages between 1931 and 1936 to serve as...
Welcome to my love affair with the food, wine, history and culture of the Mediterranean, past and present. Here you will find not only recipes, drinks and fabulous products, but the history of the food and culture of the Mediterranean.
My purpose is to get you to explore and experience new tastes and along the way to immerse yourself in the wonderful history of this diverse and wonderful region – from Venice to Istanbul, Rome to Dubrovnik, Athens to Crete and all places in between and in the surrounds. Be prepared to be surprised, delighted and enthralled as you take this trip with me.
