The flavours of salt

I don't actually use a lot of salt in my cooking but when I do I like to make sure that it is flavoursome. I have a real passion for herbs and plants and I like to combine these with salt to make interesting salt blends. It seems that the Tuscans like to do this as well since you can find a variety of flavoured salts on sale in their supermarkets and market stalls. I love to make a Tuscan herb (erbe toscane) flavoured salt using a mixture of fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, fennel seeds and lemon peel which I sprinkle over roast meats and grilled vegetables.

One of my favourite combinations is 'Sale Fiori di Campo ' (wildflower salt) as it looks so pretty and colourful with its addition of rose petals, malva (mallow) and calendula amongst other flowers. I actually bought this variety from a shop in Pisa airport. I'm definitely going to be making a dried flower flavoured salt blend this summer.

Village in the sky

One of the great joys of having a holiday home up in the Tuscan hills is that you feel much closer to nature. Many years ago our son very aptly called this place the 'village in the sky'. It is so true since the sky here appears to be huge and it is forever changing. During the winter months it can appear quite sinister with low lying clouds enveloping the hills as they slowly disperse to reveal what kind of a day it will be. Other times these clouds hover above the hills, conjuring up an image of smoke emitting from volcanoes. Then just like the changing scenery of the theatre there is the reward of seeing the sky appearing as glowing embers at the end of the day.

Annalena everywhere

I was delighted to have an article published in the January 2021 issue of 'The Florentine'. This is the most widely read English-language magazine in Florence. I am also thrilled that the story of Annalena Malatesta will be included in the editorial focus on historical women of the city.