We’ve written about the fortress town of Caccuri before. There are many adorable streets, lots of cats, and a gorgeous church. There’s also a castle. And it’s always closed. This is the journey of getting inside.

Attempt #1

The first time we went to Caccuri, we almost got our car stuck in the tiny roads. I still sweat when I think about it. It’s why we park about 3 miles away from any city center. When we left the car, walked up the hill, and arrived at the castle (which was marked as open on Google btw), we found it closed.

After the trauma of the parking and the silence on the car ride home, I was in no rush to go back, so we didn’t. That is, until we made a friend there.

Attempt #2

Our friend told us to come visit Caccuri, and so we did. We got gelato, toured the town, and saw the street paintings. It was a lovely afternoon. And when we arrived at the castle, it was closed.

“Ah yes, but that’s Italy.” Yes, it is. And you know what else it is? Annoying.

I’d been to this town at least twice (I’m almost certain we went a 3rd time), all in different seasons — Spring, Summer, and Autumn. And the castle was always closed. But guess where I found the castle? On booking.com. Apparently, it was open as a B&B and available to book. I nearly booked a room just to go poke my nose inside. But I said no, I will go, and it will be open one day.

The castle did not open. And the B&B listing was removed.

Attempt #3 (maybe 4?)

Over a year later, we got invited to the town’s literary festival this month, and we were told the castle would be open.

We went. And the castle was clos—

Just kidding. It was open.

So what’s inside?

I love the thrill of a harmless secret, a sidequest. And this castle checked all of those boxes. It felt like sneaking into somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be. As the noble Shrek says, “peeling back the layers of an onion”. And this castle has many layers.

It’s beautiful on the outside. And the entrance is much more intimate than the intimidating bridge of the castle of Santa Severina. That intimacy and gentleness flows up the white marble staircase to the dreamiest glass-encased interior courtyard (where the most adorable black kitten lounged!), extending across the painted wooden beams of the ceiling.

Tiles in the living space gave me a dozen ideas for an upcoming project, and while I think the exterior balconies are terrifying, the views from them are magnificent.

But the courtyard is what will take your breath away. It truly is something out of a novel: olive trees, reflecting pools, and a view that runs down the valley all the way to the Ionian coast.

The tower (or torre) used to hold water. The water was pumped up from below and hidden inside what looks like a medieval turret. It was designed in the 1800s by an architect named Adolfo Mastrigli for the Barracco family, and the tower was essentially a very beautifully designed water tank. But it sits empty now, with just the reflecting pools in the courtyard left of the idea.

A little history

Caccuri sits at 650 meters (about 2,130 feet), around 30 minutes from Crotone. It perches on a rock between two tributaries of the Neto river, with the mountains of Sila behind it and the sea in front. The name most likely comes from the Greek Kakouri, the peak the town sits on.

The castle was built on top of a Byzantine fortress dating to the 6th century, and it has been rebuilt many times. The Ruffo family held it in the 1300s, and one of their daughters married Francesco Sforza, the first Duke of Milan. She died at twenty. In 1651, a Cavalcanti duke bought the place and turned the rock into a residence, which is the castle we see today.

Byzantine monks once lived in caves in the surrounding hills, frescoes still on the stone. You can see them from town, across the canyon.

Caccuri was named one of I Borghi più belli d’Italia, one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. A title well deserved.

What to do & eat

Premio Letterario Caccuri. Every August, the town holds a literary festival. It’s a wonderful time to visit. And incredible that a town of a thousand residents holds one of the most important cultural events in the south.

Osteria della Ruga, traditional Calabrese cooking from the mountains, tucked down one of the narrow streets near the city center.

Fratelli Pitaro, a pinseria. Get the super thin cut potatoes and any of the pinsa. Arrive and order before 7:30pm or the wait is a nightmare.

When we posted about Caccuri on Instagram, over 245 people commented. Also, why are so many of you from San Fili?

Talk soon,

-Giuseppe & Skyler

Shop the oil that comes from our groves: Shop EXAU Olive Oil

Diamante for peperoncino

You’ll want to start in the north of Calabria in a city called Diamante. It’s the capital of Calabria’s famous peperoncino, which shows up in everything from ‘nduja to seafood dishes. And yes, you can buy it in packets and bring some home. Use it like chili powder. In September they actually have a peperoncino festival.

Pizzo for sweets (but also tuna)

It’s a gorgeous drive down the coast to Pizzo, where you’ll want to eat your weight in tartufo di Pizzo (and you should, because nobody does it better). Tartufo di Pizzo is a hand-shaped chocolate-hazelnut gelato with melted chocolate in the center. This sweet was invented in the coastal town in 1952, and the EU gave it protected status in 2024.

But before you get to the sweets, make sure you get some tuna. Pizzo is a famous fishing town. You can find tuna sott’olio (under oil) in many of the stores. Check the label to make sure it’s in extra virgin olive oil.

Tropea for onions, but only when in season

Everyone wants the famous cipolla di Tropea. And they should because they’re delicious! But there’s one problem: they’re not always in season. The famous fresh onions you want are only in season in May and June. The rest of the year, you can find them braided and dried (which are also delicious). Local farmers also grow other types of onions that are available throughout the year, both fresh and dried.

Scilla for swordfish

The town takes its name directly from the Odyssey. Scylla and Charybdis guard opposite sides of a narrow strait: Scylla is a six-headed monster lodged in a cliffside cave and Charybdis a monstrous whirlpool that swallows the sea three times a day. Thankfully, the only thing you’ll be battling is a full stomach if you visit. Get the pesce spada sandwich (swordfish sandwich) — grilled swordfish and salmoriglio (lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil) on locally made bread. Perfect to take to the beach or for a quick lunch on the water.

Reggio Calabria for baccalà

Reggio is home to Baccalà (salt cod), stoccafisso (dried cod), and swordfish. In the summer, you can find baccalà “salad” with boiled potatoes and olives. And also fried, of course. For the full stoccafisso experience, go to Mammola, it’s inland but worth the drive.

Cirò for sardella

Go to Max’s for alici scattariate, fried anchovies. And eat as much sardella as you can. The entire area of Cirò has the best sardella on the planet. It’s basically tiny fish in a red paste that you eat on bread with lots of extra virgin olive oil.

Crotone for literally everything from the Sea

Amazing for all things seafood, especially cozze e vongole (mussels and clams). If you’re eating at one of Giuseppe’s family’s restaurants, you’ll want to get anything with fish!

We sent the full restaurant list to paid subscribers and club members on Friday — upgrade to read it now.

15% off olive oil

We’ve moved warehouses and are making space! Enjoy 15% off all oils.

Get olive oil

A presto,

-Giuseppe & Skyler

Read more

Read more

So, the question in Calabria is: which sea are you going to, the Tyrrhenian or the Ionian?

The Tyrrhenian Sea: Cliffs & rocks, the Amalfi continued

The Tyrrhenian side is dramatic. Enormous hillsides covered in green shrubs drop suddenly; it’s a wonder how they fit a town, road, and beach between the cliffs and water. That drama is geology: this coast sits on a young, still-uplifting edge of the peninsula, so the mountains rise almost straight out of the sea, while the Ionian side sits on calmer, older ground that slopes gently instead.

These towns are beautiful and honestly remind us a lot of the Amalfi Coast. It’s no surprise that towns like Tropea, Pizzo, and Scilla are becoming so popular. The downside is that it’s hard to get around, and dealing with parking can be an absolute nightmare.

All of these towns sit on mini hilltops, and it’s a trek down to the water. In Scilla, they now have an elevator that takes people from the top of town down to the beach. It costs 2 euros per person each way, and lines are to be expected during peak season. Pizzo has multiple public parking lots, so it’s probably the easiest to access of the three. Tropea is extremely congested in July and August and is best visited during less chaotic times.

Still, the towns along the coast are gorgeous. And if you want to travel from Naples to Sicily, these are all along the way. Speaking of which, if you’re planning that trip, just drive. Taking the train onto the ferry from Reggio to Messina sounds fun, but the train is old. Sophie Minchilli had a delay of 6 hours (due to an earthquake). Our friend, Sammi, took the overnight train, and it was the only one without AC (!!!). Personally, I’d rather walk at that point.

If you do decide to visit the Tyrrhenian, the southern part is the most beautiful: Tropea, Pizzo, the northern side of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands. Essentially, anywhere from Praia a Mare and down.

If you go to the beaches on this side, bring water shoes! And if you forget yours, don’t worry, Decathlon sells them for 9 bucks.

The Ionian Sea: Long sandy beaches, sea pines, but also rocks

We live along the Ionian, so we know it well (and are biased). There are both rocky and sandy beaches, often right next to each other. The Ionian coast is much flatter than the Tyrrhenian, with the hills starting much further inland. This gives us bigger sand beaches (wider and longer). Also, the Ionian coast is less developed, so if you’re someone who enjoys rural, free sandy beaches, you’ll love it here.

Sea pines grow along the coast right up to the sand, providing shade where seasonal cafés can open up for beachgoers. The pines also make good homes for wild cats (!!!), of which there are plenty. This is especially true in the zone of Catanzaro and Crotone.

Along the Ionian, there are Roccella, Soverato, and the entire zone from Catanzaro to Crotone, which are full of easy-to-access beaches with loads of free public parking. In the areas of public beaches without lidi (beach clubs), you can bring coolers, umbrellas, and beach towels for a full day outdoors. But if you don’t want to schlep stuff around, reserve at one of the lidi ahead of time or early in the AM (like before 8am).

Soverato is a very well-known beach town. It’s filled with lidi, boardwalk restaurants, and beach clubs that turn into discoteche (dance clubs) at night. But honestly, it looks small compared to the stretch of coastline near Crotone, where it’s all fine, beige, soft sand.

Definitely still bring water shoes in case you decide to pull over for a swim somewhere where it’s rocky. But know you’ll have access to loads of sandy beaches.

Blue Flag beaches

One tip before you go: look for Blue Flag beaches. It’s the EU’s certification for clean water and well-run beaches, and it’s a good sign wherever you see it. Here is a link to the official list.

Our list of favorite beaches is going to paid subscribers and club members on Tuesday!

15% off olive oil & a shipping update

Orders placed between July 8–20 are delayed, we’re moving warehouses! If your order hasn’t shipped yet, hang tight. And since we’re at it, we’re having a moving sale, bottles are 15% off.

Shop here

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

In Italy, from April to September, the bright silver bodies of anchovies are piled up at local markets and pescivendoli. They’re made at home with family, with friends at BBQs, and grace just about every restaurant menu. You’ll find them fried, roasted, sautéed, and quick-cured (like in the recipe below). They’re everywhere.

But most folks in North America have never had fresh anchovies. And I can attest to this. I didn’t have my first one until I was at least 25, and it was in Calabria. My mom always bought the tinned ones growing up — so salty, so fishy. I loathed them, often declaring that they smelled like cat food. But I loved Caesar salad dressing. Imagine my surprise when I found out anchovies were one of the main ingredients….

Unfortunately, in North America, fresh anchovies can be a challenge to find (depending on where you live). You often need a fishmonger who sources them specifically. But once you taste them, they quickly become one of your favorites.

Fresh anchovies are a completely different food. Not a “better” version of the jarred or tinned ones, just different. They taste clean and bright, almost sweet, like the sea but not overwhelming. Honestly, they taste like summer. And since they’re so light, you can easily devour an entire plate of them, which is exactly what the Italians do.

We enjoyed anchovies in all the ways they’re made, but last week we experienced them in a new way. While in Cirò, a small city in Calabria, we visited a restaurant called Max’s (you should go), and the chef brought out alici scattariate.

It’s one of the simplest preparations: fresh anchovies cooked quickly in olive oil with garlic, chili, and oregano, then splashed with red wine vinegar in a hot pan. The vinegar sizzles the second it touches the oil, spattering. That’s actually where the name comes from. Scattiate means sprayed. They take about ten minutes to make. And you end up with a pan of anchovies that are simply addictive. We haven’t tried this at home, but we will let you know if we do.

If you’re in Italy or going soon, order anchovies any time you’re within 30 minutes of the sea. Look for alici fresche or alici marinate on the menu.

And if you’re home and ready to try fresh anchovies, make Lina’s recipe below. This process is also on YouTube, see below.

Restock olive oil

Join olive oil club

We are now on YouTube! Watch how we make this below.

Lina’s Cured Anchovies - Acciughe sott’olio alla calabrese

Serve 4 to 8 people (depending on how it’s served)

Make this as an appetizer or side. Perfect for a topping on bruschetta or simply eaten with a fork. Just make sure to remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before eating so the oil can come to room temperature.

The best oil to use for this is our Turi because it pairs well with seafood.

Note: This recipe is intentionally flexible. Adjust the garlic, spice, and herbs to your taste. The most important thing is that the flavors are evenly layered and dispersed.

Ingredients

For the cure:

• 1 kg / 2.2 lbs fresh anchovies, as fresh as possible, not cured

• 2 to 3 cups white wine vinegar (enough to fully submerge the fish)

• 1½ tbsp sea salt

For the oil mixture:

• 1 to 2 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus more for layering

• Juice of half a large lemon

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

• Large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

• Fresh mint, torn, to taste

• ½ to 1 whole spicy red pepper, finely chopped (optional)

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For layering:

• Whole pink peppercorns

• Juice of half a large lemon

• Extra fresh parsley and mint

• More sliced garlic, if you love garlic, (optional)

• More spicy red pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

Day 1 — Curing (30 minutes, then 24 hours in the fridge)

Clean the anchovies by hand. They’re too delicate for a knife. Grip the head between your thumb and forefinger and pull downward; the head comes off, and most of the guts come with it. Slit the belly, run your finger through under cold water, then flatten the fish and peel away the spine, dorsal fin, and tail. Rinse each fillet well to remove any remaining blood or innards.

Place all the cleaned fillets in a bowl. In a separate cup, combine the white wine vinegar and salt and stir until the salt dissolves as much as possible. Pour over the anchovies, they need to be fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

This is the same principle as ceviche: the acid does the curing.

Day 2 — The Oil Mixture (5 minutes, let sit 30 minutes)

In a bowl, make the oil mixture. Add everything to a bowl, stir with a fork, and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. The garlic scents the oil without overpowering it.

Take the anchovies out of the refrigerator. Cover a large flat surface with 2 layers of paper towels (cutting board, baking sheet, countertop all work). Lift each fillet of anchovy from the vinegar mixture and lay it flat on the paper towels. You can layer the anchovies; just lay down a layer of paper towels between each layer. Pat the top layer dry. Begin layering (below) immediately.

Day 2 — Layering (20 minutes)

In a clear glass container, pour a thin layer of plain olive oil on the bottom. Then begin the layers: first one flat layer of anchovies, then a generous drizzle of the scented oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a few pinches of fresh parsley and mint, and a few whole pink peppercorns, some salt and pepper to taste. Repeat until you’ve used all the anchovies. Add extra pepper corns. Everything should be submerged in oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will be ready to eat within 1 hour, but it’s better to wait at least 4 to 24 hours.

On the garlic: Pour the scented oil carefully into the anchovies and leave the garlic cloves behind unless you want a stronger flavor. We prefer it less garlicky. If you love garlic, you can add the cloves to the anchovies or add thinly sliced cloves directly to the layers.

On the spices and herbs: Some people make this only with parsley, others only with mint. Some like it spicy, others don’t. Make this your own! The one thing that isn’t flexible is that the anchovies must cure for 24 hours.

Get Italian olive oil

Join the olive oil club

Want more Italian seafood?

Pasta with Anchovies

Fried Calamari

Stuffed Mussels

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

Lina, Giuseppe’s mom, made this for us last week. We’ve all been talking about it since, so you must make it too!

Porcini mushrooms are one of our favorite ingredients. We buy them fresh or frozen. In North America, porcini can be a challenge to find, so we made a list of places to check:

• Find frozen Italian porcini online: here and here.

• Local specialty food stores, frozen section and dried food section (Central Market in Texas, Market Hall or Rainbow in the Bay Area).

• Trader Joe’s often has tasty surprises in the freezer section. They usually have a mixed mushroom blend.

• Costco is another place worth checking, both online and in store.

For dried porcini, take a look at this guide for rehydrating, and do not throw away the soaking water! Add it to the pasta water, stir it into the tomato sauce, or save it for soup. It has so much flavor and is way too good to waste. Someone recently commented that the texture of porcini can get weird and slimy. Porcini are a mushroom that tend to fall apart when cooked. Follow our instructions on rehydrating and cooking for the best results.

Can’t find porcini? The next best option are cremini or shiitake.

Fresh Spring Onion

Fresh spring onions are noticeably sweeter than what you’ll find at any other time of year. And it makes such a difference. The asparagus are the same. Both are at their best right now and will be gone soon, so enjoy them while you can! You’ll have the best luck finding both at the farmer’s market.

Other options for spring onion are shallots or small red onions.

Use a food mill

A food mill is a stainless steel tool that turns soft, cooked food into a smooth, even consistency without turning it into a purée. It’s perfect for making super smooth tomato sauces. Someone on Facebook just told us they use theirs regularly for apple sauce. If yours has been sitting collecting dust, this is the perfect time to pull it out.

If you don’t have one, try this one or this one. Or check your local 2nd hand store and garage sales (always check for rust).

Do you have to boil the tomatoes and use a food mill?

Technically no. But boiling makes the tomatoes run through the food mill much easier. If you want to skip boiling, you can just run them straight through the food mill, but the tomatoes must be very soft, ripe, and cut up first. The food mill is worth the extra step in this recipe for a sweeter sauce.

Type of pasta: mezzi paccheri

We like to use mezzi paccheri for this because it’s a thick, wide tube with enough body to hold a bold, chunky sauce. The beef, asparagus, and porcini settle inside the pasta rather than sliding off it. Also, the strong flavors of the sauce need a pasta that can match them, with a bite. You can use another type of pasta if you prefer.

Fresh pasta would do really well here too!

Don’t make the sauce ahead of time

The tomatoes get too acidic as they sit. This isn’t a sauce that does well in the fridge or when frozen. Make it the day of and serve immediately.

What sides to make?

If you’re making this for a Sunday lunch, Parmigiana is always a good idea.

We’ve been eating a simple cucumber salad. Basically sliced cucumbers with chunks of tomato tossed in EVOO with salt, basil, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

Simple fresh mozzarella, sliced provolone, cured meats.

You can also make grilled and marinated eggplants ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.

What kind of olive oil to use?

Only extra virgin of course! We used the Turi for cooking and the Lina for finishing. You can shop our olive oils that we make from our groves in Calabria below!

Shop in stock

Join the olive oil club

*Please read our recipes all the way through before beginning.

Lina’s Sughetto Primavera

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed (not diced)

• 1/4 of a small fresh spring red onion, thinly sliced

• 180-200g / 6-7 oz lean beef fillet (filetto), sliced into thin strips, approx 1/4 inch by 1 inch

• 3 tablespoons Turi extra virgin olive oil for cooking, plus Lina extra virgin olive oil for finishing

• 400g / 14 oz fresh tomatoes (about 3-4 medium)

• 150g / 5 oz asparagus (roughly 6-8 medium spears), cut into bite-size pieces

• 20-25g / 3/4 oz dried porcini, rehydrated OR use a large handful frozen chopped into bite size pieces

• 350g / 12 oz dry pasta

• 50g / 0.5 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (about 2 tablespoons per person)

• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

• Salt and pepper

Directions

If you’re using dried porcini, follow this guide first.

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato before adding to the water so they don’t explode. Boil for 10 minutes until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and pass through a food mill directly into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

3. Heat a large pan over low heat. Add the Turi EVOO, garlic, and onion. Cook until the garlic is just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the beef strips and cook until nicely browned, about 7 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, crack the lid, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes. The meat should become tender, and the tomatoes reduce becoming slightly sweet. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water or a splash of the porcini soaking liquid or close lid. Add the basil in the last few minutes of cooking.

5. Add the asparagus and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until just tender. Add the porcini and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size. Cut heat.

6. Salt the pasta water generously and cook the pasta until 2 minutes before al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.

7. Turn the sauce to high. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Stir well, adding splashes of pasta water as liquid evaporates. Cook until the pasta reaches the right texture, usually 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano.

8. Plate and finish with a drizzle of Lina. Let us know if you make this and how it turns out.

Need to stock up on oil?

Get Italian olive oil

Join olive oil club

Best,

-Giuseppe & Skyler

We met Sophie Minchilli in 2019 thanks to social media. After scouting new tour locations in Puglia, she drove all the way to Calabria to meet us. Her gift? The most delicious burrata from Caseificio Dicecca in Altamura.

After an enormous lunch, courtesy of Lina, we took her to our olive groves. Lina still talks about the “ragazza from Rome.”

If you don’t know her, Sophie is the co-founder of Via Rosa Travel with her mother, Elizabeth. She also does small group day tours through her native Rome. After a lifetime of living in the eternal city, she has bought her own apartment. It’s the first space she has truly ever been able to 100% design, which is so exciting. And now it’s complete! Let’s go inside.

Not an olive oil club member yet? This newsletter is a small window into EXAU — real people, real kitchens, oil from one coastline that's been in Giuseppe's family since 1927. It starts at $63 a quarter. We'd love to have you.

Sophie’s apartment remodel in Rome

Q: Sophie, I have to tell you something — I’m obsessed with heating and cooling systems. What kind of system did you install? And what are the popular methods for heating and cooling in Italy? Especially since humidity can be such an issue in older structures.

A: I chose a more ‘non-traditional’ way when it comes to air conditioning. Italians, in general, don’t love air conditioning, but they usually pick a normal conditioner unit that hangs on the wall. I decided to go with a central air system, which I feel like is a lot more rare to see in people’s apartments in Italy (I don’t think I’ve ever seen one, actually!). I didn’t have a particular reason for choosing that type, but I was very influenced by my dad’s (who is also my architect) vision of having a central air system.

Q: What is the one thing you bought for this apartment that you think about with genuine satisfaction?

A: The apartment isn’t 100% ready, so I am still a little confused with boxes and things lying around, but I am so satisfied with all the custom-made cabinetry in the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom that my dad had made by an artisan in Umbria. I have also been going a little crazy on the Vinted app and have been buying random little decorative items, which I have a feeling will make me very happy once I’m a little more settled in.

Q: A reader asked about pots and pans recently — specifically Lagostina. What brand did you go with, and are you satisfied?

A: I bought a small set of Lagostina, and have only cooked two meals with it, but am very satisfied! I also grabbed two pans from WMF, which is a German brand I discovered during this whole process, and was very curious to try it out. I am also very happy with those.

Note: Lagostina and WMF do not have a designated US website — they have resellers through other platforms.

Q: What was the first thing you cooked in the apartment?

A: So simple: a beef steak in my WMF pan and sautéed agretti in a Lagostina pot (agretti season has finally started!).

Q: Olive oil is obviously close to our hearts. What’s your favorite dish that puts our favorite cooking fat front and center?

A: It might sound boring, but I just love olive oil on simple bases like lettuce, white rice, pasta, and bread. I guess I prefer it drizzled over food ‘raw’, so I can taste it better. I cook with olive oil every day, so of course I also love it in my recipes, but I can’t think of one specific recipe where olive oil is the protagonist (does Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino count as a recipe? I make that a lot).

Note: Yes, pasta aglio e olio counts, and our recipe is here.

Q: Where are you going for coffee in the morning, and where are you eating when you don’t want to think about it?

A: I’m trying to find my new favourite local spot near the new apartment, but I have a feeling it will be Dolci Desideri — they have such delicious coffee, pastries, and tiny tramezzini which I can’t resist. For food, I immediately thought of Matriciana dal 1870, which is where my family and I go for Sunday lunch. No questions asked, we automatically reserve there and love it each time.

Q: How are you moving your furniture and other things in such a busy city like Rome? It sounds stressful!

A: I decided I didn’t want to move everything in one day, so I slowly brought a few suitcases and boxes each day with my little Mini Cooper. The drive is about 20 minutes, so it's not too bad. My new building has an elevator, which is a nice change from not having one for all my life.

Q: Is there anything you did during the remodel that you don’t believe was worth the splurge?

A: I might not be the right person to ask this question since I got very lucky. Since my dad is an architect and has been working with the construction company for many years, they gave me a huge discount!

Some of Sophie’s favorite brands & products

Sabre for cutlery. Espressoh for makeup. Dalfilo for sheets and towels. Diptyque for scented candles. Mancini and Faella for pasta. And EXAU for olive oil, of course!

Sophie’s advice for remodeling in Italy

Just one word: Patience. It will seem impossible, it will probably take 3 times more than you had planned, but it will be done! Just be super patient with zero expectations.

Sophie is co-founder of Via Rosa Travel with her mother, Elizabeth Minchilli, and also runs day tours throughout Rome, sharing the city the way only a local can.

Follow Sophie on Instagram, Via Rosa on Substack, and visit viarosaitaly.com.

Leave a comment

A presto,

-Giuseppe & Skyler

Nonna never planned lunch.

She didn’t open an app, scroll a recipe, or even check what was in the fridge. This spontaneity wasn’t born out of adventure. Planning was simply pointless — how could you plan what to make for lunch if you didn’t know what they’d have at the mercatino?

There was a glorious time before prepackaged grocery store foods. Before bananas came wrapped in plastic (because an inedible protective peel apparently needs to be wrapped). Actually, before bananas at all, because those were imported or “new food.”

This was when vegetables still had giant roots attached, dusted with dirt. When the fruit trees you’d watched ripen all season had finally made it to market, and you could buy some. Of course, they had to be different from the trees you grow in your own campagna (countryside) to justify the purchase.

How could you plan lunch when you didn’t know what the fisherman had caught? Maybe he’d pulled in cuttlefish or octopus. Maybe the butcher had just slaughtered fresh chickens. Or maybe there’d be no meat at all. So instead, you would take a trip to the cheese shop.

The plan for lunch was whatever was fresh and available.

No seven-step sauces. No weighed ingredients. It was exciting, spontaneous — and today feels refreshing and unrestricted because that’s where creativity in the kitchen thrives. And it’s also where quanto basta (QB) originated.

All of us have a QB story: “Grandma, how much salt do I add to rice?” “Quanto basta,” or “Until it’s good.” “Grandma, how much garlic?” “Until it suffices.”

In Nonna’s kitchen, there was no one explaining how to make fish actually taste good. Because when fish is fresh, truly fresh, caught that day, it already tastes good. It tastes like the sea. And that’s the flavor. It’s perfect. You don’t need to compete with it.

This is the great dilemma of modern cooking. We do too much. We add more ingredients to fix bad ingredients. More spice, more sauce to camouflage, not celebrate. The key to lunching like Nonna is simply enhancing. Because when something is truly fresh, it tells you everything you need to know.

What nobody tells you about Nonna’s kitchen: everything in it is small

The pots are small. The pans are small. The knives are tiny and half the time not sharp. She’s cutting in the air, never on a cutting board, and drops everything straight into a hot pan. There’s no fuss. And although the proportions (& portions) of everything seem fit for a small child, your plate is somehow overflowing. And by the end of the meal, you might just roll out of the kitchen.

And that’s just how things work in Nonna’s kitchen.

While our modern supply chain is different from Nonna’s, you can copy her:

• Shop your local farmers market for fruits and vegetables. Or in-store shop seasonally.

• Get your meat at a local butcher. Look for vibrant cuts. Butcher shops will grind your beef to order if you ask.

• Get your bacon at the deli counter and have them slice to order to get the thickness perfect.

• When shopping for seafood, look for the fish eyes to be as glassy as possible, and the gills should be a vibrant red (not dark red, brown, beige)

This is how people in Calabria and rural southern Italy eat. It’s also where cucina povera, simple food made from what the land seasonally gave you, was born. We’ll explore cucina povera another day because it is the true foundation of Italian cuisine, and deserves its own moment.

The one thing Nonna always had on hand: good olive oil! Get our olive oil that’s 100% made in Calabria, Italy, from our groves below.

Join the Olive Oil Club

Get Oil by the Bottle

How to Lunch Like a Calabrian Nonna

First, choose your menu.

Start with…

Slices of Pecorino Crotonese, Scamorza, Ricotta, or Fresh Mozzarella. Serve with cured green olives, preferably pit in (it’s part of the ambience). Optional: cured meats.

Then…

Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms, Pasta with Peas, or Pasta with Anchovies.

Then make 2-3 of these…

*If you make eggs, skip the other proteins or just make 1

Fried Artichoke Hearts — you have to make these while it’s still artichoke season!

Fresh peas cooked & 2 fried eggs (per person) — Nostalgia on a plate. For the peas, heat oil in a pot with garlic and parsley on medium, let fry for 2 mins, then add peas and a splash of water. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix. Cover and let cook until peas are thoroughly cooked through. About 10 minutes. Serve eggs and peas on the same plate, keep the yolks runny.

Gateau di Patate — Potato pie, also delicious served with eggs as the protein.

Chicken Cutlets — You can also make these with thin strips of beef or pork.

Meatballs — AKA vrasciole. These are the BEST meatballs and make your home smell like Nonna’s.

For fish, try Anchovies cured in oil (recipe in The Olive Oil Enthusiast)

End with…

We highly recommend an assortment of sweets from a bakery, or you can make a tiramisu.

Now set the table

Nonna always has the best tablecloths. Pick your brightest or the one that best matches the meal. In our home, we skip centerpieces because there's too much food so there’s no space.

Set the table and don’t be afraid to break out the good stuff — your special china, the holiday cups and silverware, fabric napkins. That’s one area we break away from Nonna on.

Good tableware should be enjoyed today because you only live once, and life should be both delicious and fabulous.

All that’s left to do is open your favorite bottle of wine or pour a glass of iced tea. And most importantly, enjoy!

Send pics of your nonna tablescapes. Have a wonderful weekend.

Come learn with us & the New York Public Library (Online)

We are again presenting with the New York Public Library! Our presentation is How to Build a New Brand in an Ancient Industry: Olive Oil.

This is an online event and will take place on April 29. Sign up here.

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

If you have a copy of The Olive Oil Enthusiast, you’re likely familiar with the way we make risotto. This follows the same technique with a few changes.

It’s that time of year when we find asparagus growing wild in the groves. They’re thin, similar to a weed, and take a bit of patience to clean and trim. Wild asparagus is more bitter, with strong notes of peas and chicory, making it a perfect match for the Lina EVOO. Finding them is hit or miss, so when we aren’t lucky, we pick them up from a roadside stand (our favorite) or the grocery store.

Look for thin asparagus, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. At this size, they’ll melt into the sauce.

Serving Size

This recipe calls for 300 g (10½ oz) of rice for four people, about 70 g (2½ oz) per person. It’s a smaller portion meant because it’s meant to be served as part of a traditional Italian lunch alongside other dishes. Sides and secondi suggestions at the bottom.

Fresh vs. Dried Porcini

Both work in this recipe. Fresh porcini weigh more than dried, so the quantities differ. If you’re new to working with dried porcini, this post walks you through everything.

For dried: rehydrate per the instructions below and save the soaking liquid. It adds depth. For fresh: brush off any dirt and skip the soaking step. Use a bit more broth to compensate.

Read more

Last time we wrote this, everything was dead. Well, not dead — asleep. Today, everything is half asleep. So, a movement in the right direction.

When we walk the groves, something has shifted. The days are warm, but the nights still swing into low temperatures. Signaling to the trees, coaxed into their winter slumber, to slowly begin to wake. But if you blink, you just might miss it.

It starts with a branch turning green, then a tiny bud, and soon a small cream-colored blossom. They’re very pretty, but disappointingly unscented.

Olive trees are evergreen, so they never lose their leaves in winter. But in the cold months, they turn a shade of shimmering silver, like the scales of an anchovy. More beautiful than at any other time of year. Catch them from the right angle when the wind moves through, and the whole grove looks like a sea of silvery waves. It’s not something you can easily photograph.

But after intense winter pruning, the silver sea becomes, well, a lake. And all of it will turn green soon.

In January, we wrote about how winter doesn’t kill life — it seduces it into stillness. And the olive tree’s instinct to go inward. Many of you wrote back with similar messages: you really needed rest. And more importantly, permission to rest.

After an absolutely brutal winter, we’re happy to see it go.

But with spring comes urgency. Everything you didn’t do in winter must be done now. Next thing you know, you’re standing on a chair watching in glee as the vacuum sucks away the dust from the top of your cupboards. Or you’re scrubbing the drains with an old toothbrush. At least that’s how we spent our weekend…

If you didn’t make New Year’s resolutions, or made them and let them go, this is the moment to start fresh. Everything around you is waking up. The light is longer. The ground is warming.

Spring is when you can act, because the whole world is in motion with you.

We pruned our trees this winter. The cuts are still healing, but new growth is already coming in. Not despite the trimming, but because of it. Olive trees don’t resist being shaped, they grow toward the light, allowing it to reshape their canopy.

Perhaps that’s the lesson. Not to chase the warmth, but to grow toward it. With intention but at your own pace. Trusting that everything you tended through winter was building toward something real.

Until then, we hope you tend something lovely.

Join the Olive Oil Club

Restock your olive oil

We’re presenting with The New York Public Library (Online)

On Wed, Apr 29 at 3pm EST, we are teaching How to Build a New Brand in an Ancient Industry with the New York Public Library. This presentation will be 100% online, free, and open to everyone! Join us.

Register here

Next for Club: Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms

-Giuseppe & Skyler

See the full Easter menu here.

Typically, Italians don’t eat eggs for breakfast. The exception is those who work in the campagna (the countryside) because they need the energy and protein to get through the day.

But frittatas like this one were reserved for certain times of year, such as Easter.

Frittata Pasquale is made with eggs, dried salsiccia Calabrese, parsley, ricotta, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Traditionally, cotenna is also added. But we’re skipping it in this version.

What is Cotenna?

Cotenna is pork skin. It is a Cucina Povera ingredient that provides a very specific texture and depth to slow-cooked dishes. When raw or cured, cotenna is extremely tough. But when simmered in a ragu, the collagen breaks down, adding a gelatinous body to the dish that you can’t achieve from meat alone.

Traditionally in Calabria, a pig is slaughtered in January, and absolutely nothing goes to waste. The skin is salted, cured, and ready by Easter. In this recipe, the cotenna would be cooked alongside the salsiccia so it could absorb the flavor and spices from the pork.

Read more

Cuzzupa, Calabrian Easter bread with whole eggs baked into the dough. Ciambelle, soft golden Italian donuts that are basically required to be stuffed with Nutella. Pro tip: If you eat one fast enough, you’ll nearly choke, so keep a glass of water nearby. And chocolate eggs, always in a bowl or haphazardly spread across the table.

In Italy, many still fast in the days leading up to Easter. So when the holiday arrives, it feels like a release. A chance to reflect on what matters most. To remember that even after the darkest times, light always finds its way back. The sweets aren’t just treats. They’re symbols of joy, of ritual, of the small sparks that make life feel extraordinary.

Easter is also deeply personal: a moment to shed what no longer serves us, open our hearts to new experiences, and rise again alongside the awakening of spring. Nature herself reminds us that life is always in motion, always renewing.

Calabrian Easter Menu

Heavy is an understatement for this lunch. So, we usually skip the antipasti. For 6 people, we recommend choosing 1 primo, 2 secondi, 3 contorni, and 2 dolci.

Antipasti

Fresh Ricotta or Mozzarella, as fresh as possible, served plain.

Carciofi Fritti, artichokes dredged lightly and fried in olive oil until the outer leaves go crisp and the heart stays tender. This can also be served as a side.

Primi

Pasta al Forno, baked pasta layered with ragù, tiny fried meatballs, cured salsiccia calabrese, hard-boiled eggs, provola, parm, and baked until golden on top. One tray should weigh approximately 200 lbs. In Calabrian households, holiday lunches don’t really begin until this is on the table.

Pasta con Ragù di Maiale, pasta with pork ragù in a red sauce. The traditional hand-rolled pasta known as fileja is used for this.

Secondi

This is where it gets serious.

Agnello al Forno or Capretto al Forno, lamb or kid goat roasted slowly with potatoes and rosemary until the fat renders into the pan and the meat pulls clean from the bone. The smell of it cooking is heavenly.

Carne con Carciofo e Patate, beef braised low and slow in olive oil. The artichokes break down into the sauce. The potatoes soak up everything around them.

Fava con Pancetta e Gambone, fava beans cooked with pork. The gambone is the cured leg of the pig, salted and set aside in January specifically for this meal. By the time it reaches the Easter table, it has been curing for three months. And every bite tastes like it.

Frittata Pasquale, eggs, salsiccia, ricotta, and cotenna, cooked until the edges are just set and the inside stays soft. Lina makes this every Easter without exception. Club members: the Frittata Pasquale recipe drops Monday! Not in the Club yet? Join here.

Ossobuco with Risotto alla Milanese, not Calabrese, but so delicious and definitely worthy of Easter Day. If you make this, you can skip the primo altogether.

Contorni

Carciofi Ripieni, artichokes stuffed with seasoned breadcrumbs, provola, and hard-boiled eggs. Steamed in their own broth with olive oil until the leaves are tender. One of our favorites. (Club members: full recipe linked above.)

Asparagi Saltati, asparagus sautéed in garlic and EVOO (Turi) until tender. Finished with a drizzle of lemon and salt. If you’re cooking over a fireplace, grill them instead, then finish with EVOO, lemon, and salt.

Fave e Piselli Freschi, fresh fava beans and peas when you can find them. Or sauté them in EVOO and garlic.

Dopo Pranzo

Once the plates are cleared, a bowl of raw fava beans is often served with a wedge of Pecorino Crotonese. Both are eaten with your hands. This is one of the best parts of the entire meal. It can be a challenge to find Pecorino Crotonese in North America, but you can find other types of Pecorino!

Dolci

Whatever Cuzzupa and Ciambelle survived breakfast makes a second appearance. They never last.

Olive Oil Cake, from our book The Olive Oil Enthusiast. If you’re in the mood for more baking, make this. Swap the fruit for in-season citrus like blood oranges.

More assorted pastries from a local pasticceria.

So, will you make any of these? What are your plans?

Leave a comment

Every dish on this table starts with olive oil. If you’re building this menu, your oil is here.

Not a club member yet? The Frittata Pasquale recipe drops on Monday. Join before Monday.

Happy Cooking!

-Giuseppe & Skyler

“I can’t cook with anyone in the kitchen.”

Eight years ago, that was Lina’s polite way of saying SCRAM.

So I began standing in the doorway of her kitchen instead, watching and typing ingredients into my notes app while she cooked. She said I was filming (sometimes I was), so I switched to pen and paper, which earned me a long sigh and probably a whispered, “This American is relentless.”

And that’s how I began writing down her recipes.

This was before we published our book, The Olive Oil Enthusiast, and before making Oprah’s Favorite Things — twice. It was even before we really knew what EXAU was. It was a simpler time, at least for me, because I didn’t speak Italian very well.

I would scribble down how much olive oil or salt she added to each dish. How long something stayed in the pan. And when I asked how much of an ingredient she used, she’d say “enough.” (That’s a unit of measurement in Italy, by the way).

When I turned towards the living room, where Giuseppe’s father, Salvatore, perched in his favorite chair, he’d simply grin at me. Offering a small wink each time Lina told me I was getting too close. I never missed his silent laugh.

It was during the pandemic that she began letting me film more.

She’d watch the videos on Facebook like a critic reviewing her own work. “Next time I’m going to change this.” Or: “I don’t like that dish. I have a prettier one.”

@skylermapesWhat my Italian mother in law made for lunch 🇮🇹🙆🏽‍♀️ #fyp #foryou #italianfood #pasta #pastandbeans #recipes #foodtok #americansinitaly #lunch #familymeals

Tiktok failed to load.

Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser

Then, four years ago, we began sharing her cooking on socials through our series What My Italian Mother-in-Law Made for Lunch — a small window into what everyday cooking looks like in our family kitchen in Calabria.

It exploded. Millions watched Lina cook on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. And soon, YouTube.

(Yes — we finally started a channel. Our first video is up, featuring Giuseppe in the groves. You can subscribe here.)

Today, she rushes me while I’m filming because I’m “going too slow.” She has been making lunch every single day for decades. Social media will not change her schedule.

Over the years, I’ve realized that this was never just about recipes.

Of course, the recipes matter — we should write down as much as we can about family traditions and what happens in the kitchen. But something else was happening in there. Something quieter.

I was learning the rhythm of a life.

I recently spoke with a friend who became a Franciscan friar, and we talked about something I can’t stop thinking about: the beauty of the ordinary.

Human life is repetitive. Wake up. Cook. Eat. Clean. Repeat.

Some people call this the mundane. But maybe they’re missing the point. The goal isn’t to do something different every day. The goal is to do the same thing — slightly better. Runners call it training. Entrepreneurs call it building a business.

In a kitchen, I’m not sure what to call it.

Because Lina’s eggplant parmigiana doesn’t need tweaking to become “better.” Not every bite has the same proportion of cheese and sauce. Some layers are heavier than others. And they shouldn’t be uniform, because then every bite would taste exactly the same. Predictable. Boring.

The imperfect bites are what make the great ones unforgettable.

It’s why we all fight over the crispy edges of lasagna. (Those edge-only lasagna pans are ridiculous, by the way. You have to suffer through the soft middle to appreciate the blissful crunch.)

So maybe this isn’t really about perfection or improvement at all. Maybe it’s about gently moving through the layers of everyday life. The days when the eggplant is slightly undersalted make the days when it’s perfect feel like a triumph.

Standing in the doorway of Lina’s kitchen all those years ago turned out to be a pretty good education. And if you’ve been watching these lunches with us along the way, you’ve been standing in that doorway too.

If you’d like to bring a small piece of Calabria into your own kitchen, you can join our Olive Oil Club. Members receive four shipments a year from our groves along the Ionian coast, along with access to the full version of this newsletter, where we share more family recipes (next is an exclusive Easter recipe!).

Join the Olive Oil Club

Here’s to many more lunches.

A presto,

-Skyler & Giuseppe

It sounds refreshing in a world of 18-step beauty routines. And honestly, I love this concept. But as a skincare freak and skeptic, does agri-beauty just feel good, or does it actually work?

Because the best skincare requires a product to both feel good and be effective.

I love the scent of lavender, rosemary, and citrus. The hand cream samples at a winery hate to see me coming. But what about the ceramides to support the barrier, hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, and formulations that are actually stable?

As extra virgin olive oil producers, we live by this word — stability.

We filter our oils to make them more stable. We bottle in dark glass to protect from light and oxidation, and of course, maintain stability. So, I expect the same standards in all skincare.

So, can agri-beauty make stable products?

Pharmacy skincare

Skincare can be broken up into 2 categories:

• Pharmacy skincare (needs a prescription, or you can only buy in a pharmacy, like in Europe)

• Commerical skincare (brands found at big box beauty stores)

An example of pharmacy skincare is Tretinoin (topical cream), which I just recently started using and am loving!! It’s a stabilized form of Vitamin A that requires a prescription in the U.S. and is one of the most researched ingredients in skincare, known for increasing cell turnover, boosting collagen, and refining texture.

Tretinoin is not aesthetic or farm-cute — but a really powerful and heavily researched product.

The Vitamin A in retionol, retinal, and tretinoin isn’t made from juicing carrots. It’s made through chemical synthesis, so essentially, made in a lab (so stable).

This isn’t a bad thing, but in the year 2026, we have the science to harness naturally derived materials, so why not?

When farming fruit meets formulation

On a trip to Paris last year, I walked into a pharmacy and tried to buy some A313 after seeing it go viral on TikTok (they keep it behind the counter in case you’re wondering). When I asked for it, the pharmacist frowned in a way only the French can, and so I asked her what she thought.

She told me A313 sucked, tapped the jar of Caudalie’s Resveratrol, and stated it was 3x more effective. This wasn’t an upsell because I was already going to buy the Caudalie. But it confirmed something I’d suspected for a long time — science has truly caught up and can now harness the power within natural ingredients like never before and create incredible skincare.

Caudalie has done something incredible: isolated resveratrol from grape vines and skins, a potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals and supports collagen.

Honestly, I wouldn’t call Caudalie “agri-beauty” — they’ve grown into a half-billion-dollar brand. But they got one thing right: farm-inspired products scientifically extracted and stabilized for real results. And they started in the 90’s.

Fun fact: in Italy, brands can legally say products are “anti-aging” in English because the term doesn’t mean anything in Italian.

So, how does olive oil fit in?

Olive oil naturally contains squalene, vitamin E, and polyphenols that help soften and protect skin. But what’s even more powerful are the olive leaves, which hold super concentrated antioxidants. Brands are extracting and stabilizing those antioxidants to create beauty products.

A brand that does this super well is Jordan Samuel Skin with their performance cream and moisture recovery cream. On the ingredients list for both, you’ll see squalane, which is the stable version of squalene.

Restock your olive oil

Can agri-beauty make stable products?

I think it depends. I define agri-beauty as a farm making small batch skincare products that they sell to visitors who come to visit the farm. Or locally in markets (like David Rose in Schitt’s Creek) and online.

Some can make really stable products, but it depends heavily on the producer. Because this requires a deep and constant partnership between chemist and farmer. The idea of getting moisturizers from a lavender/olive/grape farm is romantic, but there’s a lot of room for inconsistency. And the whole point of skincare is consistency and routine.

But technology has improved so much that soon small farms will be able to harness the power of their groves, vineyards, or fields just like big brands do, creating stable and naturally derived products that can be used in skincare. And this is what I’m excited for!!!!

Share

How can you use olive oil in your skincare routine today?

Extra virgin olive oil is the best makeup remover. I stand ten toes down on this. It doubles as an oil cleanse. It dissolves creams, makeup, and sunscreen without stripping moisture. Here’s how I use it (do this over the sink):

1. Mix ½ tsp olive oil with a little warm water in your palms.

2. Massage well onto dry skin.

3. Rinse and follow with your regular cleanser and routine.

After, I reach for products that pair naturally derived ingredients with modern actives (when I’m not using tret).

In conclusion: the future isn’t farm OR lab — it’s both.

Because the best skincare takes what nature grows, isolates what works, stabilizes it properly, and blends it with proven science.

A list of some of the brands/products I’ve tried and loved over the past year:

Caudalie Vinoperfect, The hype is true, this helps a ton with darkspots and overall evening skintone, I like to use during the day

Caudalie Resveratrol cashmere cream, Says to use in AM but I like to use as a night cream, heavier weight, makes skin feel super bouncy

JSS Performance cream, Perfect lightweight everyday cream, plays nice with Vitamin C, great for sensitive skin

JSS Moisture recovery cream, Plays nice with retinol/retinal/tretinoin, super hydrating and great in the winter, made for sensitive skin

Herlum Sandalwood and grapefruit body soap, A bottle lasts forever, this is body soap leaves you feeling clean/smelling fresh without drying out skin

Herlum Sandalwood and grapefruit body oil, Non greasy body oil that mixes well with lotions

Typology L32 Vitamin C 15%, Just reformulated with even higher % of Vitamin C, best used for the day, makes skin vibrant and glowy

If you have comments recs for similar products, please add to the comments or respond to this email!!! Always love hearing from you.

Restock your olive oil

Until next time,

-Skyler

Cyclone Harry wasn’t the finale of bad weather in southern Italy. The storms keep rolling in, and it’s made simple things, like getting to the groves to prune the trees, nearly impossible.

The issue isn’t that we haven’t had any clear days. It’s that we have to wait for the roads to dry out enough to get out there. And with the on-and-off again rain, the roads don’t dry out.

So, for now, we stay inside. But being housebound has its quiet charm.

We’re catching up on shows and movies, something we don't get to do much during the rest of the year. And Solo, our tuxedo cat, enjoys the company as he impatiently waits for us to light the hearth.

Giuseppe is enjoying Dark Winds, a psychological thriller set in the 1970s in the Navajo Nation near Monument Valley. The show follows a detective as he unravels the strange crimes that suddenly plague his town. A refreshing watch during a time of so many recycled storylines. The compelling characters provide a lens into what life was like on Native American reservations.

I’ve been sifting through my backlog of audiobooks. After tearing through BookTok recommendations, I finally decided to dive into more “classic fantasy.” It’s not going great…

I started and abandoned Mistborn — I couldn’t get past chapter 7, and life is too short to live in the heads of characters you don’t like. I’ve moved on to The Lies of Locke Lamora, where the world-building is just as clunky but way more fun. Unfortunately, I’ve restarted 3x because I can’t remember anyone’s name. If things continue this way, I’ll just do a reread of One Dark Window.

Other recent favorite watches

People We Meet on Vacation (film) — I loved this book. Rom Com is so back.

The Woman in Cabin 10 (film) — The DMs on social said the book was better. I don’t know, and I don’t think I could stand to be in this woman’s head for a whole book (no offense).

Frankenstein (film) by Guillermo del Toro — I LOVED this movie (Giuseppe didn’t). We need more twisted Victorian-era fiction.

The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (TV show) — A rewatch for us. A show that pokes fun at storylines we’ve seen a hundred times, while not fully allowing viewers to understand the plot of the show. And that’s part of the fun. Kristen Bell is hilarious; I laugh when I think of her when it rains.

Breaking Bad (TV show) — This was Giuseppe’s first time watching the series, and he was hooked. He’s ready for a rewatch, but my cortisol levels say absolutely not. Also, I can’t stand the thought of sharing the name with someone who makes so many bad decisions.

Schitt’s Creek (TV show) — Easily our most rewatched show. This is a classic in our home and, in our opinion, one of the greatest shows of all time. Watch this for some of your deepest laughs and warm and cozy feels. And for Moira Rose.

Catherine O’Hara

We don’t idolize celebrities. But there are a rare few that feel ever-present as we navigate different stages of our lives. Catherine O’Hara was one of those people. Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and most recently, Schitt’s Creek as our beloved Moira Rose. What a woman, we’ll miss seeing her on our screens.

The Conjuring universe (films) — We love horror films and have stepped into The Conjuringverse together. I know we’re late, but these are horror films done right. Good storylines that make sense and carefully placed humor during dark times.

Next on the watch list

Sinners (film) — I’m so excited, don’t you dare spoil a thing.

The Winter Olympics — Someone asked if we are going in person. We are not trekking up to Milan. But we will catch what we can on TV!

If you have any other film/TV show recs, please add a comment or respond to this email!!

Leave a comment

What to make to watch: Popcorn

Olive oil or butter? The correct answer is both. Popcorn is a food group in our home. Giuseppe says that how I make it is the best. And we make at least 1 very large bowl a week. We believe air-popped is superior because it creates a more satisfying crunch. Plus, less mess.

Adjust the quantity of popcorn as needed. For the fats, we always use slightly less salted butter (we like Lurpak) than extra virgin olive oil.

This makes 1 large bowl, serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

120 g popcorn, dry kernels

10 g butter, salted

Herbs and spicy pepper, optional

15 g extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Keep the heat going for 2-4 minutes to brown the butter. Stir regularly so it doesn’t burn. If you like to add spicy pepper or herbs, like finely chopped cilantro, add them to the butter just before removing from the heat. For extra spice fry the spicy peppers in fat for a bit longer. Remove the pan from the heat and let the butter cool for 1 minute, then add the olive oil and mix.

Pop the popcorn into a large bowl. Toss the popcorn and add half the fats. Keep tossing and add the rest for even coating. Finally, sprinkle with salt to taste, go slowly, and continue to toss.

Restock your Italian olive oil

Something sweet

If you’re in the mood for something sweet but not too sweet, make olive oil brownies on page 147 of The Olive Oil Enthusiast. These brownies taste best 1-2 days after baking because the olive oil needs to "settle” into all the flavors to become almost fudge-like. If you’re a chocolate chip lover, add a handful more.

If you’re in the mood for the best chocolate chip cookies, try this recipe from Broma Bakery. Let the dough rest for 4 to 6 hours for even better results.

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

Previous post: Calabrian stuffed artichokes

Zeus was an impatient, quick-tempered, unjust two-timing God. Who, and it pains me to say this, had excellent taste in vegetables. Or rather flowers — because that’s what artichokes really are.

*The following has been adapted and elaborated (for fun) as the origin of the artichoke.

In the heart of the Aegean Sea lay the island of Kinaros, where rocky cliffs gave way to teal blue water. Nestled into the stone, sheltered from the wind, stood a humble home, its walls often filled with laughter. But on this day, it stood empty and cold as Cynara’s mother fled down the path, searching desperately for her daughter.

Zeus had many habits, announcing himself was not one of them. But as Cynara watched him from the cliffs, she knew he was no ordinary man. His boat rest upon the sea, untethered and unmoving as if commanded by his very presence. The afternoon was too warm, and the sun scorched her tanned skin. So when the wind lifted his call to her ear, all she felt was relief. She continued forward until her foot met air, and she fell from the cliffs. But she didn’t feel fear because meeting the water meant she’d finally feel cool.

He whispered that her green eyes, flecked with amethyst, were a sign she was destined for more than a mortal life. Prickly in nature, she didn’t care for his sweet words. But he was persistent — cunning, returning again and again. And each time he’d tell her a secret about the island she loved so much. Hidden coves, forgotten paths, stories woven into the stone itself.

Slowly, curiosity softened her resistance.

Finally, one evening as the sun bled into a deep purple, he said that same color would suit her better than homespun linen, and she smiled like a fool. When he asked if she would ascend with him, she agreed.

On Mount Olympus, Zeus turned her into a goddess. But instead of glee, all she could feel was disappointment, an endless road of indulgence. A life with no seasons or end. And what was the point of that? When her feet echoed down the hallways, which were empty because he had returned to his wife, a lonliness like she’d never felt clutched at her heart. When she slept, she dreamed of the craggy stones, rugged plants, and the warmth of her home. But it only made her feel worse.

And so she left.

Cynara found the small home nestled into the stony cliffs, the same as she’d left it, but this time marked with sadness. Her mother wept when she saw what her daughter had become, but embraced her the same. They shared stories, and eventually their home began to fill with laughter once more.

But soon the calm lapping of the waves below quieted, and the very island itself trembled in fear. It moved from the stone into Cynara as lightning struck, followed too closely by thunder. And a storm like none she’d ever seen before descended upon the island — Zeus’ wrath.

He called her ungrateful and cast her down, turning her into a plant rooted in the very island she loved. But he left her mother untouched, so she could watch over and tend to her daughter. And so Cynara remained — transformed into a plant with the green and purple from her eyes. Today, we call her the artichoke, beautiful but with prickly thorns and an undeniably tender heart.

For a very fun rabbit hole on artichokes, check out this post.

How to clean artichokes

If you can find artichokes with the stems on, you’re in luck. Buy them but keep the stems on. Artichokes are flowers, so should be treated as such. When you get home, cut off about 1/4 inch off the end of the stems and stick them in water immediately.

To clean and prep artichokes, always make sure you have a large bowl of lemon water nearby. Cut off the stems about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the artichoke bulb. The end should be flat so it can stand upright in the pot. Keep the bulb in the water for now.

Read more

It’s still raining in Calabria, and it feels like we can’t catch a break. Today marks more than two weeks of nonstop storms, enough to make us dream of summer.

Crystal-clear water, soft sandy beaches, peaceful sunsets. It’s strange to think the same calm sea becomes a battering ram in winter. And yet, the evidence is clear after only a short walk along the port.

Sandstone blocks the size of a horse tossed aside, cracks spread through meter-thick reinforced concrete, and structures shift as if made out of paper. You don’t expect that kind of force until you see it.

We might not have snow, but we do have sea tornadoes that rise from the water and gather strength as they move. Thankfully, they rarely make landfall.

When Cyclone Harry hit, the skies darkened, and the rain and wind howled for days. Heavy potted plants flew from balconies, shattering into a million pieces. Even the thunder — which I’ve grown particularly fond of — clapped too close for comfort.

Share

Our groves sit close to the Ionian Sea, and in normal times we’re grateful for that. We can hear the cawing of seabirds and, on the quietest of days, the whispers of lapping water. Salt is always carried on the wind along with wild herbs. The ionic wind helps the trees breathe and adds many of the flavor profiles we love in our extra virgin olive oils.

But the downside of this is exposure. There’s no valley to protect us from the winds, so when storms roll in, the trees must fend for themselves. Each gust tests their balance and the excess water the roots as there’s no retreat.

The fourth day after the storm, we walked the groves and were relieved to see no serious damage. That’s thanks to Giuseppe’s obsessive attention to detail and his careful pruning methods.

Unfortunately, the ground is still incredibly muddy. And while we farm regeneratively, which means leaving a layer of grass between the trees, the soil shows no sign of drying out because it just won’t stop raining. But we know we’ll appreciate the extra water when summer comes and months pass without a single drop.

Get 20% off your 1st order of our Italian olive oil here.

We aren’t ride-alongs

While we came out of Cyclone Harry relatively unscathed, Sicily and western Calabria were hit hard, with states of emergency declared in both regions.

Winds reached nearly 150 km/h (90 mph), waves climbed to 10 meters, with a record 16.66 meters measured at sea, and more than 300 mm (12 inches) of rain fell over just a few days. Total damages are estimated at €1.24 billion, with about €300 million of that sum in Calabria. And these are only initial numbers.

The silver lining is that January and February are when repairs for summer travel begin. The work this year will be heavier, but it may give some roads the chance to be updated after years of delay.

In southern Italy, storms often expose deeper problems tied to old, neglected infrastructure that are overdue for an update. However, something else has emerged from the rain and fallen stone: the quiet, ever-persistent resentment towards southern Italy.

As Cyclone Harry crossed Calabria and Sicily, another storm brewed online and in public discourse: careless comments, a dismissiveness, and even at some points, open hostility.

This chatter points to something deeper, more structural about the divide between northern and southern Italy.

But what stood out most was not what was said but what was left unsaid. The nation failed to give attention to such a horrible event that impacted so many people and two business sectors that Italy is renowned for — tourism and food (agriculture).

Cyclone Harry was barely shown on national television, and when it was, it was framed as an inconvenience. As if an entire beach being swept away in a high tourist area is an annual occurrence.

When disasters strike central or northern Italy, coverage of that event is huge, and there’s solidarity within the country. But in Calabria and Sicily, the expectation is that the people and businesses should simply absorb the damage quietly. Rebuild alone and move on. This is so incredibly isolating and furthers those emotions of resentment and, above all, abandonment.

This pattern goes so much further than storms, reaching into healthcare, education, and technology.

Cyclone Harry didn’t just wash away beaches, flood ports, and roads; it re-exposed the gap within a country through a lack of empathy, urgency, and resources.

While the damages currently total over 1.2 billion euros, Italy has only allocated €100 million for impacted regions. That’s just €33.3 million each for Sicily, Calabria, and Sardinia.

Calabria and Sicily are not useless ride-alongs in Italy’s story. They’re part of the country’s foundation, its food system, and emerging travel markets. The resilience forced upon these regions should not excuse neglect.

If Italy wants a stronger future, it must stop treating the south as the lonely middle child and start caring for it as a full, vital part of the nation.

Thank you for your messages and emails checking in on us during the storm. Our family and the trees appreciate the extra love.

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

Next: A recipe for Calabrian stuffed artichokes for paid subscribers & club members

Not dead, but asleep.

Winter doesn’t kill life; it seduces it into stillness. Trees retreat inward, going dormant to preserve energy and resources. The long, black snakes we often find in the grass brumate.

Even the fruit fly, the villain of our groves, tucks itself into a cocoon to outlast the plunging temperatures — it’s ingenious, really. And as much as we hate the little pests, their survival techniques are quite poetic.

Nature makes sense. All of its pieces fit.

But then there’s us humans.

Each January, we decide to reinvent ourselves in the dead of winter when everything’s asleep. New year, new me. And we swear this will be the year.

Cold plunges at dawn. Poor habits abandoned. Minds and bodies will be remade. We want all of it, and we want it now.

But by spring, the passion fizzles. Life happens, and we get distracted. Or worse, we find that the road to the thing we want is boring.

The truth is, it’s not that our desires or dreams are unrealistic. But our timelines are. And the jumping off point, January, sets us up for failure.

This is unpleasant news as we humans are an impatient bunch.

While we do grow more patient with age, patience is also something you can learn “quickly” if you tend to something that moves at an incredibly slow pace. Like, say… an olive tree.

After planting several hundred, waiting for them to grow from awkward, gangly stems to fruit-bearing trees has often felt like pulling teeth. Maddening, painful, but necessary.

And also, so incredibly satisfying. Most of the growth takes place during the warmer months, with fewer changes when it’s cold.

So the question is: If all of nature knows when to rest, why don’t we?

Not disappear into a hole like bears in hibernation, but move more slowly and deliberately.

Now, the olive tree sleeps, held tightly in winter’s grip. We’ll trim her branches and she’ll heal slowly, in silence, and with intention. And then as the cold gives way to fresh spring she will awaken.

Slowly, so as not to overextend. But with consistent warmth, tiny buds transition to flowers. And she’ll be bursting with new vegetation. But, that’s months away. So for now she will sleep.

Let the olive tree be a reminder that good things aren’t rushed, they’re tended. Bring that intention to both your year and table. And relish in what slow, deliberate growth makes possible.

Restock your olive oil

Join the olive oil club & save

A presto,

-Giuseppe and Skyler

We dream about this ossobuco. It’s better than one you’ll get at a restaurant. By the time it’s ready, the meat is falling off the bone, and the sauce turns into a thick gravy. Yes, you have to stay near the stove to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. This recipe does require a stock and a broth for a total cook time of about 13 hours. But you can make the stock days ahead, bringing the total cook time to about 5 hours. This recipe isn’t hard, but it is time-consuming and thankfully worth every single minute.

With the cold weather we’re experiencing, there’s no reason not to make it…

Pan sizes

The pan for the ossobuco needs to be large enough to fit all 4 flat with sides of at least 3 inches. We like to use our super big saute pan. A tight squeeze is fine when the shanks are cooking in the sauce as long as you rotate them regularly. But for dredging and browning, do not overcrowd the pan; cook 2 shanks at a time if needed. Use a heavy-bottomed pan, or you risk some major burning. Large dutch ovens also work for this.

For the risotto, we like to use a pot that’s between 8 to 10 inches wide and with sides 4 inches deep. A 4-quart pot should do nicely.

Fresh stock for ossobucco, 6 to 8 hours

We highly recommend using a very gelatinous homemade beef stock. A hearty broth (with bones) also works, just make sure it’s strained, not overly salty, and not heavily seasoned. Our butcher gave us an enormous box of beef bones just before the holiday, so we used those for stock.

Our household is split on boiling and dumping the water to make a clear stock. I am pro-boil and dump, while Giuseppe prefers to skim the top to remove impurities. If you’re short on time, skip this step and go with Giuseppe’s method of skimming.

How to boil and dump

Fill a very large pot about a third of the way up with bones. Cover with 1 ½ inches of water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Then dump the water and rinse the bones well. Refill the pot with 5 inches of water and bring to a constant simmer, lid off. This extra step helps to degunk the bones and avoid some foam.

Read more