Running of the Bulls

There are a thousand and one reasons to stay in Provence. A mecca for beauty seekers, nature lovers, wine lovers and romantics since time immemorial, Provence is nearly synonymous with beauty. The local festivals and customs are at turns grand and quaint, the weather is temperate and sunny and the local people have no reason not to smile. But there is a little known reason to visit Provence. A reason you might be shocked about.

Danger. Excitement. Thrills beyond imagination. St. Remy de Provence’s spring Festival of the Transhumance is also known as the Running of the Sheep. It’s a ba-aa-ad idea to get in these grass munching, bleating wool machines’ way. You don’t want to get covered in lanolin or awaken a latent allergy. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

In the spring it’s time to bring the cloud of furry livestock to cooler elevations to ensure they grow thick coats, and so a huge flock is driven through the town to the hillside. Looking for some great photos? A story to tell? Want to beef up before the running of the bulls? Come to Provence in the spring and don’t warn your family. Watch their faces as the streets become a moving tapestry of fluffy coats and wagging tails. And if you’re looking for something fitting to commemorate the occasion, have lamb chops for dinner.

Claudio Loretz Speaks on Villas as Alternative to High Hotel Costs

Last Thursday, the sixteenth of January, Claudio Loretz granted an interview to World Travel Radio. Claudio is the North American Managing Director for Interhome, Inc, and authority on European vacation rentals, villas in particular, and chief contributor to this website. World Travel Radio is an exciting and always entertaining internationally syndicated audio serial available in southern California, Australia and on the world wide web. For Claudio’s interview, click here.

On the program, Claudio speaks about the history and functions of Interhome, the Interhome.us website and the advantages of booking an apartment or villa.

Claudio is gaining more and more recognition as a strong voice in the villa rental market and will be appearing at the New York Times travel show from February 29th until March 2nd.

Penne Vodka Straight From Italy

If you’re Italian, I apologize, I know this isn’t the way you make your penne vodka. Penne vodka is one of those incredibly popular dishes that no Italian restaurant, or Italian family, does exactly the same. If they find out they are making it the same they’ll be quite sure to change it up next time. My own aunts once realized they had both made the same penne vodka for a family function, glared at each other and wouldn’t talk for months. They both changed their recipes the same way, unfortunately, so the next family party was no better. They are expected to resume friendship sometime in the 22nd century.

Below you’ll find a recipe for an absolutely delicious version of penne vodka that, I will contend and any Italian you meet will deny, is as good as any you’ll find outside of an Italian villa. Remember, though, you need to customize it slightly or you’ll end up in a feud with any Italian cook you feed it to.

It may sound cliche, but for the best Italian food you have to head to Italy. Rent a villa (cheaper than a hotel if you bring the family!) and really get to enjoy Italian hospitality. Once you’re there you’ll get plenty of advice on exactly why your–and everyone else in the world’s–penne vodka recipe is absolutely wrong.

Ingredients

* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil (I just used olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic)
* Salt
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1 tbsp double cream
* penne rigate or other short, preferably ridged, pasta
* 65 ml vodka
* 2 tbsp unsalted butter
* Parmesan for grating over at the table
Method

1. If you are cooking this just before you eat, put the water on to boil before you start the sauce. You will need a big pan, enough to take the pasta and its sauce later.

2. Finely chop the onion, either by hand or in a processor. In a large pan, heat the garlic oil and add the finely chopped onion and a good sprinkling of salt. Cook the onion fairly gently for about 15 minutes without letting it catch and burn, which just means giving it a stir every now and again. It should be very soft and just beginning to caramelize.

3. Tip in the can of chopped tomatoes and continue cooking over a gentle heat, simmering for another 15-20 minutes. If you’re cooking this in advance, stop here.

4. Reheat the almost finished tomatoes (or just continue as you were if you’re making this recipe in one go), stir in the double cream and take the pan off the heat. When the water for the pasta comes to the boil add a good measure of salt and tip in the penne. Set a timer for 3-4 minutes less than the packet instructions for cooking it, as you want to make sure it’s cooked al dente and will need to start tasting early.

5. Drain the cooked pasta, tip it back in the pan and pour over the vodka, add the butter and some more salt. Turn the penne in the vodka and melting butter and then tip it into the tomato sauce unless it is easier to pour the tomato sauce over the pasta: it depends on the sizes of the pans you are using.

6. Toss the pasta in the sauce until it is evenly coated and turn out into a large, warmed bowl. Put it on the table along with a block of parmesan cheese and a grater.

WINE FESTIVALS ITALY–TUSCANY

If you’re visiting Tuscany there’s a good chance there’s a wine festival or other wine event on the top of your to-do list. Tuscany is world renowned for its wines and perhaps the best known of those is Chianti. There are a few Chianti festivals each year, each one worth checking out, and the one held at the best time of year is held in Montespertoli.

Montespertoli’s hilltop location is the perfect place to be after your eyes have been colored as garnet as the Chianti you sip. You can tilt back a glass, or two, or ten, and enjoy amazing views of Florence and other Tuscan cities. The Chianti Wine Festival, going on its 46th year in Montespertoli, is well known among oephiles and professional buyers alike. Don’t be shy: pick up a bottle or a case of your favorite vintage and bring it back to your rented villa. It’s cheaper than you think to enjoy a classic and comfortable villa in Tuscany and affords you all the privacy and freedom of home but with a much greater view.

Tuscany seems to have a festival atmosphere nearly year round, but Montespertoli’s wine festival is held in May. Give yourself a couple of weeks and see the whole region one town at a time, you’ll be glad you really got to know Italy.

Ask The Expert

As a recognized leader in travel and destination marketing, Roy has established a reputation for intimate knowledge of every aspect of the industry, and now he brings his insight to you.

This week’s tip? I asked Roy how to make the most out of your travel dollar on the way to Europe and he had two tips.

First, a bit of common knowledge, a one stop flight often costs several hundred dollars less than a non-stop for a comparatively short stop over. Stopping in a major hub usually offers the same discount as taking ten puddle jumpers, and the delay is often less than an hour.

Second, for accommodations, renting a vacation home, apartment or villa gives you much more for much less than a hotel. You get all the space and privacy you could ask for and the price stays the same no matter how many people you bring. The only downside is that some things that are included in a hotel are extra in a rental property, but all of them are different so you have to ask. Also, leaving out the maid service or something else can help keep costs down and let you stay longer.

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