Il Comm. Ensale

When I talk about Penisola Sorrentina, often I say “my beloved Penisola Sorrentina”, as I lived there for many wonderful and unforgettable years. Therefore, when I have to describe this magical place I see before my eyes the movie of my memory.
Well. Now we are in an hidden part of Penisola Sorrentina because, you have to know, Penisola Sorrentina does not mean only Sorrento and only the beautiful coast, but Penisola Sorrentina means also its sweet hills and, obviously, it’s going into these hills that you can enjoy the best and most spectacular views of the Bay of Naples and of part of Amalfi Coast.
Vico Equense is the gate of Penisola Sorrentina and Vico Equense counts 13 hamlets, from the beach until the hill towns close to the top of the mountain named Monte Faito.
The territory of Vico Equense touchs both the bays, Bay of Naples and Bay of Salerno.
We are in one of the hill hamlets of Vico Equense: Santa Maria del Castello.
The car is strongly suggested.
Santa Maria del Castello is a balcony over Positano; very close to the famous destinations of the day trips: Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Pompei, Napoli, and abosultely far from the crowds and the noises of the coast.
Do you like to walk along the paths !?! Well, go to Positano walking along a not easy path and then . . . tell me !
The D&B is D&B LA GINESTRA. The kind and pretty ladies can speak English fluently; you will have no problem to communicate with them and become their friends a few minutes after you meet them.
The Bed part consists of 7 very large rooms.
The breakfast is a delicious moment and, by the way, do not miss to taste their honey, especially miele di castagno.
The Dinner part enables you to meet the true typical “cucina sorrentina” that does not mean in a mandatory way fish and seafood.
That’s why the offering of the chef is pasta e fagioli and scialatielli con pomodorini del Vesuvio. Scialatielli is a local handmade fresh pasta.
You go on with a plateau of cheese where there are the fresh fiordilatte, made using cow’s milk and a very aged cheese, very typical and strongly local, named Provolone del Monaco. Why this name ? Ask and you will receive more than one reply.
As dessert, ask for delizia al limone.
That’s a smart way to live a short slot of your life in Penisola Sorrentina, far from the madding crowd and enjoy the location and feel a local rather than one of the million of tourists that come here every year.

D&B LA GINESTRA
loc. Santa Maria del Castello
Vico Equense (NA)
Tel 081 8023211
www.laginestra.org

Bed price 80 € in double room, including breakfast
Dinner price 23 € per person, exclusive of wine and beverages

Scritto da vincenzod alle 9:11, in Campania

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Let’s presume you’re arriving here from the mountains, so from the west and let’s presume it is early in the morning and, best of all, it is a late spring day.
Well, your emotions will be in turmoil because, although you are still among the mountains and you can easily admire the very high top of Gran Sasso but, even though you cannot see it, the Adriatic Sea sends you a signal to say “hey, I am not so far from you !”.
In other words, believe me, we are in a magical place and the waves of our soul are vibrating with internal happyness.
We are close to Chieti, in a hill named Colle Marcone and our D&B is D&B IL QUADRIFOGLIO.
Patronne of this magical D&B is Lady Anna Maria.
Without Lady Anna Maria, this D&B could not exist.
The Bed part consists of only 5 rooms; each one very particular and very pretty. If not in summer, ask for the room with its internal fireplace and use it, especially if the snow is falling softly to the ground.
In the morning, during the spring and summer, the songs of the little birds will awaken you and your nose will appreciate forgotten smells and your eyes will not be enough to absorb all the colors of this little corner of Paradise.
At sunset, from the common terrace you will enjoy the scenery of the far Gran Sasso, a good giant.
If in fall, perhaps you will be involved in the harvest or in the gathering of olives to make an excellent olive oil.
The Dinner part is very simple and very nice as we will sit all together at the same large table.
There is not a wide choice because Lady Anna Maria decides for us but surely we will enjoy her delicious cooking.
And when the dinner has finished, it is likely that we go on all together to talk and someone, be sure, will begin to sing.
Hey, it became late: good night.

D&B IL QUADRIFOGLIO
Loc. Colle Marone
Chieti (CH)
Tel 0871 63400
www.agriturismoilquadrifoglio.com

Bed price 50 € in double room, breakfast included
Dinner price 16 € per person, wine included

Scritto da vincenzod alle 10:10, in Abruzzo

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We have a car; perhaps a rental car, but we should have one now.
So, the highway exit is Brescia Ovest and the first town we meet is the pretty Salò. Then we arrive at our goal, Gardone Riviera, on the west coast of the Lake of Garda.
The shape of the Lake of Garda is like a rifle.
Well, Gardone is at the beginning of the barrel of the rifle, close to the eyepiece.
Gardone Riviera has managed to be far from the crowds of the mass tourism; it is still now a little borgo able to transfer true moments of quiet and relaxation.
Our D&B is quite pretty and charming: D&B LOCANDA AGLI ANGELI.
The D&B is very close to the garden of Andrè Heller.
The Bed part means 16 rooms, half of these are located in the dependance and, in my opinion, are the best for the picturesque view on the little square.
Lady Patrizia is the kind patronne and she is supported by her sister Elisabetta and her brother Enrico.
There is the time to enjoy a calm walk in this delicious borgo and the time to dine is arriving now.
The Dinner part is the kingdom of the chef Enrico: a very clever chef.
Our choices ? Oh, Lady Patrizia can suggest us for the best and her English is excellent.
Anyway, we tell you; listen…
As antipasto magatello di manzo affumicato e misticanza di insalate. Magatello is a tender cut of meat.
As a first course I strongly suggest maccheroncini al bagoss e olive. The bagoss is a local cheese of the valley close to this part of the lake.
As second course, please could you have two dishes ?
Tell me yes. Well. Hamburger di luccio, a lake fish, and duck leg with pepper.
The wine is Lugana, no doubt.
As dessert a small tart with mixed berries.
Don’t be lazy, take another walk, then . . good night !

D&B LOCANDA AGLI ANGELI
Piazza Garibaldi, 2
GARDONE RIVIERA (BS)
Tel 0365 20832
www.agliangeli.com

Bed price 135 € in double room, including breakfast
Dinner price 50 € per person, exclusive of wine

Scritto da vincenzod alle 11:04, in Lombardia

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Allow me to use an Italian sentence: “dove all’ulivo si abbraccia la vite” meaning “where olive trees and vineyards hug each other”.
And this image could be the picture of the whole Mediterranean Area, but surely in Umbria, the green heart of Italy.
We are in Torgiano and we want to understand the best we can the feeling of the ground in Umbria.
Then, we want to enjoy to dine and to rest.
In other words, we are searching for some days of Paradise before we will go there forever.
And our desires are delighted when we meet the several faces of a Group: Lungarotti Group.
The soul of Lungarotti Group is Lady Chiara.
Here the wine and the olive oil are so important that the Lungarotti family made two Museums: the Museum of Wine www.vino.lungarotti.biz and the Museum of Olive and Oil www.olio.lungarotti.biz and both, believe me, deserve a not short visit.
About wines, the offering is wide and well done.
As we cannot taste each one, my suggestions are for the two kings of the winery: Rubesco Riserva and Sagrantino both DOCG both among the best wines of Italy.
Rubesco Riserva is a blend of Sangiovese grapes (70%) and Canajolo grapes (30%).
The color is a very deep red. Its best match is with red meat and aged cheese.
Only one variety of grape, the Sagrantino grape for this wine, whose name in label is . . . . Sagrantino !
The color is, more or less, the same color of Rubesco; just a bit I see it almost becoming purple. Also the food for the best match is the same of Rubesco: red meats and aged cheeses.
The olive oils are two and both excellent.
Our memory is impressed their DOP Umbria - Colli Martani.
This olive oil by Lungarotti is a blend of Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo. The color, you will look at it, is not yellow; no, it is a bright green. Please use it judiciously, drop by drop, on slices of just grilled bread and . . you will tell me !
We are in Torgiano, well, and Torgiano is a medieval town close to Perugia and Assisi.
The D&B of Lungarotti is LE TRE VASELLE
www.3vaselle.it/ .
The structure is an ancient palace of the XVI century. The charm is in every detail. The swiming-pool invites us to spend the hottest hours of the summer days after the daily trip of the morning and before the delights of a gorgeous dinner.
The cooking style is driven from the respect to the territory and to the tradition. Bread, pasta and desserts are home made.
The menu is depending on the season.
Every dish transmits to you true and deep emotions.
About the wines . . . oh, can you imagine which wines will we drink ?
So, a really uncommon experience in Torgiano thanks to the chances that Lungarotti offers us to appreciate Umbria and its true roots.

D&B LE TRE VASELLE
Via G. Garibaldi, 48
Tel 075 9880447
TORGIANO (PG)
www.3vaselle.it

Bed price 210 € in double room, breakfast included
Dinner price 56 € per person, exclusive of wine

Scritto da vincenzod alle 19:09, in Umbria

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Sicily, the largest and most central island of the Mediterreanean Sea.
Sicily so rich of history, art, archeological sites, museums, food excellences.
And, about Sicily it is very probable that tourists know Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento and few others areas.
Well, now we are in the area of Monti Sicani, between Palermo and Agrigento but closer to Agrigento.
The surrounding area is full of interesting places to visit and, for sure, do not miss to visit the Eremo of Santa Rosalia.
To stay here is the smart way to learn about the true Sicily, while enjoying the high comfort of this D&B: PIGNA D’ORO.
Mr. Massaro is an engineer and he designed this D&B caring very much for the comfort of his clients: swimming-pool, nice reading room and a small gym.
The rooms are elegant, very large and quite comfortable.
The restaurant is one of the best in this part of Sicily.
The clever chef is Salvo Paolo Mangiapane.
The cooking style is a smart mix between his talent and the richness of the territory, so you will taste dishes where there are ricotta, other delicious local cheeses, the local meat, lamb first of all, and also the fresh fish as Porto Empedocle and Sciacca are not so far.
Of course, also the breakfast is very rich and it is the best starter of the lovely day that we deserve, as we are here and it is sad to leave.

D&B PIGNA D’ORO
contrada Finocchiara
Santo Stefano Quisquina (AG)
tel 0922 992021
mobile 333 3177968
www.pignadorohotel.it

Bed price 100 € in double room, breakfast included
Dinner price 35 € per person, not including wine

Scritto da vincenzod alle 19:15, in Sicilia

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We, along with owners Walter and his wife Gisella, are celebrating ten years of the renewal of the one plus century old FLIPOT
We are in Torre Pellice, the focal point of the valley western Turin, named Valli Valdesi.
The cooking is driven from the seasons and from what the mountains of this valley can offer to the local people who have lovingly learned from over the years.
And, no doubt, Walter and Gisella love their valley and their mountains.
Meats and the local cheeses only coming from these mountains are very particular and therefore do not miss in summer the cheese called Seiras del Fen. Also the honey is local and its quality is excellent.
In this period their smart proposal is the menù degustazione della Tradizione delle Valli Valdesi.
It is outstanding ! Listen !
LA TROTA DELLA VAL PELLICE ALLE DIVERSE COTTURE
and TARTRA’ TRADIZIONALE PIEMONTESE IN SALSA DI ACCIUGHE are the two antipasti.
GNOCCHETTI DI GIUNCA’ ALLE PICCOLE VERDURE AL PROFUMO DI TIMO SERPILLO is the delicious first course.
Then you go on with CARRE’ DI AGNELLO NOSTRANO COTTO NEL FIENO MAGGENGO with PATATE ALLA CENERE and, not yet finished, you go on with FORMAGGI VALLIGIANI.
The dessert is CROSTATINA DI RABARBARO DEI PILON.
The full cost of this gorgeous offering, exclusive of wine is 80 euro.
What Walter and Gisella opened few years ago is very smart: they created a branch of FLIPOT at a very short distance from the main restaurant; its name is La Crota dl’Ours, whose meaning is “The Cellar of the Bear”.
At La Crota d’Ours it is possible to dine in a nice casual (and less expensive) way and almost always as it is open also for grogeous take away solutions.
The quality is the same of the main restaurant and it is very high.
The Bed part is very charming and it is very sweet and comfortable to rest in such a quiet place.

D&B FLIPOT
Corso Antonio Gramsci, 17
TORRE PELLICE (TO)
Tel 012 191236
www.flipot.com

Bed price 100 € double room including breakfast
Dinner price 90 € per person, not including wine

Scritto da vincenzod alle 15:04, in Piemonte

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