Good Italian Food

Today was our cooking class outside of Montefalco at the Antonelli vineyards.

We prepared nine Umbria dishes which we ate for lunch. I am certain the ladies will make them when they get home!

The vineyard paired 4 of their wines with our dishes.

A friend and sommelier, Angela, joined us.  She added a few notes for us to consider when tasting.

I learned so much.

Home made pasta!
We even got a compliment from Angela!

On the way home, we stopped in the medieval town of Montefalco.

Our group with cooking teacher, Wendy (centre)

There were some interesting shops, one selling the Umbrian traditional woven cloth.

Back in Trevi, my friend, Fiona McPeak, showed us her leather work. So talented!!

Back home we had a small dinner as no one was really hungry.

The journaling is going well. We all enjoy sharing our entries at the end of the day with a glass of delicious local red wine!

Umbria Day 4

What a fabulous day we all had. Another fabulous day!!

Dying fabric.

Viewing the collection of antique textile from different parts of the world, collected over the years by Sofia Verna

A fabulous lunch! WAY too much food!!:-)

A talk on Umbrian history by retired University of Toronto professor Antonio Verna.

Part of this trip is about experiencing the  italian ways. One of the favourite things to do in Italy is the passeggiata in Foligno.

The group's producing amazing stuff in their journals! Che brave donne!!

Umbria Day 3

Monday, we spent the day with artist Virginia Ryan.

We started at the museum Museo Pinoteca di Trevi where she gave us a private tour of her work begin exhibited there.

We walked to her studio where we were awed by her extensive collection of work!

I had programmed that specifically because her work is very much influenced by textile.

We drove over to her home for lunch.

Her garden and house itself is full of sculptures and interesting art pieces everywhere, collected by her from her travels and also art work from other artists.  There are gorgeous views of the valley.

In the evening we had a Show and Tell by Orsola, a local woman, of hand made items that are typical Umbrian.She showed us work from the mid- eighteen hundreds to the 1950's and a few from about 20 years ago.

Another great day, I'd say!

Umbria Day 2

Today was all about olive oil.

Umbria is known for its production of olive oil.

The town of Trevi

We stopped at the market and some bought some rusted keys. They are really into 'rusting' fabrics after hanging out with Al Coté during my Verona trip last year!

After a slow morning we walked to a very small town, Bovara...

....while we sketched and enjoyed the valleys covered in olive trees giving the landscape a beautiful soft green colouring.

We stopped to view the oldest olive tree in all of Umbria. We sketch its negative space .

Photo of part of the tree

From there, we walked over to a friend's agriturismo for a lesson on olive oil making.

She still has all the original equipment used by the Benedictine monks from the 1500's.

What a perfect garden she has for us to relax in after our 3 km walk. Her mom prepared a snack for us.

Dinner in Trevi was super! Such a lovely atmosphere.

(Again the internet isn't repaired. I am at a coffee shop and can not upload more pictures because my camera cord is back at the house. Please keep checking back for more pictures)