This January in our Village
Hello and Happy New Year!
How are you enjoying the slower pace that January brings? The anticipation of a dry and hot Melbourne has not transpired and so far, it has been rather gloomy and wet! How about where you are?
For me, this has meant more reading and getting started on a crochet project that I'm so enjoying. I've also been in the garden (between rainfalls!) and have shaped the ornamental grape vine over the pergola (rather meditative) and picked hydrangeas that have been very successful this year after a ‘strategic’ prune the year before (thank you YouTube tutorials).
I have tomatoes and basil growing abundantly in the vegetable box which means my my daughter Chloe has been devouring our family's favourite tomato salad (pictured below - so good!) ‘mopped up’ with fresh crusty Italian bread (for the recipe and a simple 'how to' make this one, please watch this short video).
I hope you enjoy reading This January in our Village and continue to rest, rejuvenate and spend quality time with those near and dear to you.
Silvia x
This month we are planning travel to Sicily in October 2024
I am very excited to be hosting our first international Villagio tour this year!
In early October 2024, we will be taking ten women to the South East of Sicily for a relaxing and luxurious bespoke tour designed to restore and reconnect through slow food, nature and cultural experiences. We will learn life-lessons from Sicilians who live healthy, happy and long lives and come back full of inspiration to bring their secrets and traditions home to support and nourish your own life and community.
We will stay in luxurious Sicilian properties, immerse ourselves in nature, produce organic food and wine, and offer the opportunity to relax and experience a new/old way of living.
We will cook and eat together, visit artisans (cheese, wine and chocolate just for starters!) and the studio of local artists. We will take private guided cultural tours of some of the most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage sites and local gems and visit a traditional fishing village. Plus of course there will be plenty of time to relax and just soak up the Sicilian way of life. We are working with an expert travel team and every detail and need will be taken care of from start to finish. If you would like to extend your trip to perhaps experience a remote 'workcation' or just continue travelling, we can help with that too.
Thank you to those who have already expressed interest - I have your details on file and will get in touch shortly.
This month we are cooking Melanzana Involtini al Forno (Eggplant Involtini)
I love cooking at this time of year - the produce is so beautiful. Tomatoes, eggplant, basil, all the wonderful stonefruit! It's rick pickings. Celebrate this abundance with me at our next live cooking class on Sunday 18th February at 4pm (via Zoom).
In this class I will teach you the secrets to making my mum’s sugo di pomodoro. And I know it will become a firm staple in your kitchen. Cook along with me or just grab a cuppa and enjoy connecting with our Villagio community. Please register your interest here.
In the meantime, have a go at making my Melanzana Involtini al Forno (Eggplant Involtini baked in the oven), a delicious light summer meal using the best produce of the season. This simple dish can be enjoyed as a main meal with fresh crusty bread or antipasto platter for sharing. Serve warm or at room temperature (it's even tastier the next day).
Click here for the recipe and video of me teaching you how to make this summer delight.
This month we are reading “Phosphorescence” by Julia Baird
I grabbed this insightful book from my bookshelf two weeks ago to read again as I loved it so much the first time. I am garnering deeper learnings this time and hope you enjoy it too. It is full of luminous treasures.
…”How do we continue to glow when the lights turn out? All we can do really is keep placing one foot on the earth, then the other, to seek out ancient paths and forests, certain in the knowledge that others have endured before us. We must love. And we must look outwards and upwards at all times, caring for others, seeking wonder and stalking awe, every day, to find the magic that will sustain us and fuel the light within - our own phosphorescence”... Julia Baird
This month we are building our Village
Make a beautiful stovetop coffee or cup of tea and Head down to the local shops instead of the big supermarkets and connect with the owners and support their businesses. Ask what's good, how to cook it, have a chat and support their business! January can be a slow time for small retail so they will especially appreciate your support and you'll have started the year making a connection that will nourish you both all year.
This is my local butcher shop and it's such a gem! I source beautiful, ethically raised meat here and always come away with fabulous cooking tips from the incredible team behind the counter.
Please visit my Villagio instagram page for weekly inspiration on how to build your village.
