Mary Freeland | July 30, 2010
When the walls are painted, the fireplace installed, and the furniture in place, it’s time to add the accessories and accents that will round out your Tuscan décor. But what items will create that sense of authentic Italian style? Here are a few ideas!
Mary Freeland | July 16, 2010
In our last post about Tuscan living rooms, we talked about focal points and flow, but not about the specifics of furnishings for your space. So now that you know what NOT to do with your furniture in your Tuscan living room, let’s look a little more specifically at what types of furnishings you should use as you create that desired flow and focal point.
Mary Freeland | June 12, 2010
When it comes to dishes in your Tuscan kitchen or dining room, forget about fragile china in fussy, pretentious patterns. Across Tuscany, kitchen tables and dining rooms are set with pottery dishes decorated in gorgeous, colorful patterns.
Mary Freeland | June 9, 2010
The winner of our Tuscan moveable feast series blog post contest is Shannon. Each post was assigned a number, those were plugged into a random sequence generator to select the winning number. Congratulations Shannon! Email your shipping information to tuscanhdd@comcast.net to receive your platter. It will be a beautiful way to serve [...]
Mary Freeland | May 5, 2010
Mushroom picking is a Tuscan art and tradition. In the summer and fall you can find country roads lined with cars as entire families take to the countryside to harvest the bounty of one of nature’s delicacies. From the famous porcini to the indulgence of the tartufo bianco (white truffle) the fungi are both diverse and bountiful.
Mary Freeland | April 28, 2010
Continuing to fill our festive table with Piatti Poco (little dishes) that feature bold but simple flavors, the week brings us a luscious combination sweet and savory. Taking advantage of ingredients at their peak, you may choose to replace the Fichi (figs) with in season melons. To please the eye as well as the taste [...]
Mary Freeland | April 21, 2010
Starting this week and running for the next month and a half or so, we are going to be bringing you dishes, simple and fresh, to build yourself a celebratory feast for the coming summer months. All the dishes, decor suggestions and settings will be part of a contest held at the end of the [...]
Mary Freeland | March 31, 2010
Much like here in the United States, Italian Easter traditions vary by region. For example in Rome you may find a more traditional Easter processional. Tuscany brings its own flavor to this celebration of religious tradition and the arrival of spring. Florence, has it’s Scoppio del Carro, or “explosion of the cart”. Direct from the kitchen of her mother-in-law, Lara DiPaola shares the family recipe for Easter Lamb.
Mary Freeland | March 26, 2010
Rounding out the Tuscan palette, a full range of rich, subtle neutral tones provides a beautiful contrast to the more vibrant hues of red, blue, and green. Again drawing their inspiration from the landscape of Tuscany, these more understated tones help keep the Mediterranean color scheme grounded.
Mary Freeland | March 24, 2010
This week we not only explore the Tuscan seaside but also learn a wonderful new technique to bring the bounty of the ocean to our table in style. By using parchment paper and simple ingredients this dish lends and elegant simplicity to the traditional meat free Friday tradition.
