paula reynolds

Why is Italian food so awesome? We’re not talking red-checkered tablecloth chain restaurants but authentic, satisfying, unforgettable Italian food – the kind you’ll likely find only in Italy. It assails your senses strolling down the tiniest village vicolo, meandering through …

I might lose my credentials without some clarification: Italians love nuts year-round, but when fall arrives, nuts take center stage. While not as romanticized as the autumnal grape and olive harvests, the variety and quality of nuts cultivated in Italy …

For too long Sicily was an island given not much more than a side glance. Now a rising star in Italian tourism, she is making her mark as a top travel destination. Tourism statistics show 4.89 million visitors crossed Sicily’s …

The culture of good food is as central to the heart and soul of Italy as practically any other facet of the Dolce Vita. Each of Italy’s regions is renowned for distinctive food and wine specialties, all lovingly produced with pride …

Take your pick. Any of northern Italy’s “lake region” lakes are not going to disappoint. Not even one of the smallest of the lot, the often-overlooked Lago di Orta.  Tiny Lake Orta lies furthest west of Italy’s famed lakes, the …

I’ve eaten my way through many of Italy’s 20 regions. Lovely lemon pasta in Calabria, fried sea creatures in Veneto, fabulous stuffed olives in Le Marche. I could ooze delight for days reimagining unforgettable food experiences in the Bel Paese. …

Volcanic ash rained down, followed by a fiery flood of pyroclastic rock and toxic gas; the noonday was cast into darkness. Where only moments before a normal August afternoon had been underway, now lay mayhem and devastation. The opulent villas, …

As soon as you set foot in an Italian trattoria, there’s a good chance your gaze will lock with a showy, colorful, eye-catching rooster…just the way any rooster worth its salt would want. But this fellow is not looking for …

Italians are hardcore about their food. Dare if you may question whether Town X makes better (fill-in-the-blank) than Town Y and you’ll get an earful of the deep-seated pride and honor welded to local cuisine. It’s a given; from entire …

There’s a lot that qualifies as “enchanting” when speaking of Italy’s Ligurian coast. An array of crystal-clear seascapes, colorful villages, dramatic craggy vistas, beaches for miles, and incredibly fresh food specialties offer a bounty of sensory delights in this stretch …