Growing up 100% Italian American, I was always really curious to know more about my roots.
During college, I took my first trip to Italy. Experiencing the “mother land” firsthand, especially the region where my family came from, was a revelation. Suddenly, I made so much more sense to myself. Everywhere I looked, I saw the foods I grew up eating at my grandparents’ houses. And I seemed to innately understand the energy, warmth, and enthusiasm of the people I met. For the first time in my life, I really felt at home.
It took me a few years (and a global pandemic), but I’m proud to say that I now call Tuscany home. Every morning, when I look out my windows onto the medieval streets below, I am filled with a feeling I can only describe as pure delight. I can’t believe I really live here.
I love sharing my adopted homeland with travelers and helping them discover la dolce vita for themselves. Although, after many years working in the packaged food industry, from sauces to yogurt to hummus, I’ll never stop trying to convince my Italian friends about the merits of Heinz Ketchup!