Italian Trip: July 2025

Coast Hotel - Milano Marittima

Sooooo Cool … The place, our room and the internal room temperature. We are staying 3 nights at Hotel Coast in the seaside town of Milano Marittima.

Black and moody interiors … so funky, you all know how much Sandy and I like a bit of black.

The 38 room hotel is adults only … so the pool is kid free

Woo Hoo.

Prato degli Angeli - Good bye

So with a few little tears in eyes we say a fond farewell to the family and I also get a special hug from Theresa.

So now it is time to hit those Italian roads again.

We tell google maps not to take us on the freeways as today we are only travelling 2 hour east back to the coast … yes back to the beach, this is to be our last 3 beach days this trip.

But with the current heat wave we will be looking for air conditioning and very late night walks away from any sun.

So as we drive on the non toll roads we somehow end up back at the same little vineyard as from Sunday … much to the shock of Daniele.

I was pleased our paths crossed again as we were able to give Daniele a kangaroo pin and pick up some more wine as we left the last case with the family.

I had to just have a little taste again (Sandy taking one for the team as it was still hot white wine) to make sure it was still as good as Sunday and also, to give me courage to drive on the narrow non toll roads 😂

So my lovelies, Sandy and I will blog you at the sea 💚💜

Prato degli Angeli - Cooking Morning

With 16 + or - people to feed in this wonderful 4 generational Italian family for most lunches and dinners it certainly involves mass catering.

Many of the family are still living under the same roof or next door, plus with some of the farm workers it all makes for a big table for most meals.

Today we are helping to make sweet biscuits and bread.

I remember from last time that they made a cracking lasagne with fresh pasta sheets and multiple layers … it is soft and so moorish and today it was on the table to enjoy.

The green one is a wild stinging nettle pasta with ragu.

The nettle's leaves are cooked for 15 / 20 minutes and then drained and blended and the flavour is off the planet.

I need to be making fresh pasta sheets when I get home to go with Sandy’s fabulous Ragu’s.

Just so wonderfull and a privileged that Sandy and I have been accepted so warmly into the family.

5 of the 4th generation dining in the cool of the kitchen

I loved these simple gluten-free biscuits made of ground nuts, sugar, eggs and butter. Opps no after pictures as they all disappeared at morning tea and lunch.

Prato degli Angeli - Aurora Trattoria

After our great Italian lunch and day out wine tasting Sandy and I are invited to join the family as their guests for a light dinner at Aurora Trattoria in the small town of Sassolene 6km further up into the hills.

Where we enjoyed fried breads called Gnocchi Fritto and a selection of sheep cheeses and cured meats.

Mortadella, Salami, Prosciutto and the back meat was from the neck of a cow cured in spices and salted for 4 months so that was something a little different to try.

Sunday nights are casual and light dinners after the big Italian lunches we all had.

The conversation and laughter was flowing, so was the vino all as if there was no communication barriers.

We have picked up some words, phrases and hand gestures on our travels. Also the family over the past 7 years since we were here last have been introduced to a bit more english language.

So between us all we got to talk and all to be understood.

Well … in a very loud Italian way.

As they say,

you don't really speak Italian if you don't use your hands too.

Tomorrow is to be a cooking morning and lunch at the family farm house.

Prato degli Angeli - Our First Day

Last night, Saturday night, we joined the family for a quick and simple pizza and a catch up before they had to serve dinner to the other 18 in house guests.

Today being a Sunday the family was still attending to the final needs of there weekend guests so Sandy and I took ourselves off to have an Italian Sunday lunch and check out a vineyard.

Lunch was at an Osteria about 1 hour drive away from Prato degli Angeli and now we are definitely not on the typical international tourist route.

Past farm lands and on many a small country lane.

Fields of white onions.

artichoke's

And sunflowers for as far as the eye could see.

Lunch was fun and “very Italian” from the moment we walked in wearing my Aussie hat it certainly helped to start many a conversation. Everyone looking and wanting to say hello to the 2 headed Aliens 😜

Lunch was very traditional Tagliatelle al Ragu and Tortellini in Brodo.

Both these dishes are so called “simple traditional dishes” of the Emilia Romagna region and today for us they were both cooked with love to absolute perfection.

I had the Tagliatelle al Ragu. The fresh egg pasta was cooked to the tooth and the rich flavour of the reduction of the ragu was taken just far enough … it was just so luscious.

Sandy had the tiny tortellini in Brodo and as she has made these little tortellini in the past she knows just how much work really goes into making this “said simple dish”.

The tortellini were filled with parmesan and mortadella and as delicately made as you would imagine, when they are made they are wrapped around your little finger.

The brodo was chicken and for Sandy a fabulous dish also.

Menu envy for us as we see the old couple sitting next to us having something we had not seen.

It was funny him talking to us as if we totally understood Italian.

He must have thought the louder he spoke the more we understand!!!

So before we knew it we were eating Crema Fritta, which translates to deep fried cream … but no it was

deep fried vanilla custard.

Food Heaven and SOOOOOOOO YUMMY

Before lunch we went to a nursery to get a potted plant for Teresa, the wife of Gusto. While we were there I couldn't help myself and had to look at the potted olive tree … too big for the suitcase and I’m sure Boarder Security Australian would have something to say 😂

Retail around $3,200.00

Drove to a small vineyard and the owner was stunned that two Aussies ended up in his neck of the woods.

With google translate, signing, loads of smiles and laughing we tasted his range of red and white wines … maybe the laughing was after all the wine tasting hmmmm!!!