Spookily Scary Halloween Meringue Bones!

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of trick-or-treating; we welcome little witches and ghosts (with parents!) to visit us on Halloween night, but I'd rather be cosy and warm inside my house than traipsing around the neighbourhood with a bag full of sugar-rush fuel!

We often have a family tea party so that my children can still get dressed up... here's one of our favourite recipes, great served with 'eyeball jelly' (grapes and fruit jelly!).

Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup of granulatd sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 105C. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, one spoonful at a time and continue beating until the meringue stands up in stiff, shiny peaks, then beat in the vanilla.
3. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe 7cm bone shapes; a long line with 2 rounded blobs at either end. 
4. Cook in the oven for 1 hour, then turn the oven off and leave in the oven for a further hour.
5. Carefully remove from the baking sheets and serve with gruesome 'eyeball jelly'!

10 of the best cookie recipes!

Everyone loves a cookie, right? The beauty of them is that there are a multitude of flavours available - definitely something to suit everyone!

They can be dressed up as a thoughtful Christmas gift, shared with those you love or just simply dunked in milk after a long day at school (or work!)

Here's my list of favourites, enough to last you all winter!

Millie's Cookies recipe

Peanut butter & white chocolate chip cookies

Frozen chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate mint cookies

White chocolate & coconut macaroon cookies

Anzac biscuits

Hazelnut cookies

Cranberry & orange cookies

Florentine biscuits

Butterscotch cookies

Have a go yourself... get the kids involved! They'll be some lucky teachers and classroom assistants this Christmas!

Starting high school... one term in!

There are hundreds of blog posts about preparing your child for the transition from primary school to high school... I even wrote one too! There's so much advice out there and, of course, every child is different.

So, I hope by reading this 'starting Year 7 plus one term' post will help your family as they go through this in 2016 and will continue to help us as a family! I'll be honest with you as well, so that you may feel a little more 'normal' than you think you are!

1. There will be tears... yours and theirs! Try to teach your child when to keep the tears in and when to let them out! (This goes for you too, Year 7 Mum!)
2. Homework will probably be a shock - our primary school does issue homework, but quite haphazardly to be honest. Our high school homework is issued through the week and it all (on average 4 pieces for Year 7) is due in on the following Monday. Doing it as it gets set is easier then leaving it all until Sunday... and you get weekends free to have 'homework-free' fun!
3. Weedle out the 'sick' days. Unless there's evidently a sickness/diarrhoea bug, high temperature or other obvious reason to show they are ill, we've encouraged our child to go to school. This may seem harsh, but if high school is to prepare them for life, we need to learn to just 'get on with it'. A quick phone call to school after they have left will put your mind at rest so if they are ill during the day, school will know that maybe they aren't 100% and so will arrange to contact you to collect your (now) sick child!
4. Teach them to be organised. Get uniforms out and bags ready the night before - it saves time in the morning and so they can have that extra 5 minutes in bed, so long as their belongings are ready and waiting by the kitchen door! There's nothing worse than looking for one shoe when you really need to be out of the door 6 minutes ago!
5. Your child will learn that friends from primary school may suddenly turn into someone that they don't particularly like... even becoming increasingly negative towards them. (Your child will also do this, but not see it them self!) Teach them to make new friends - if there's someone sat on their own, encourage them to say 'hello'. They may also just have lost a friend and need a new one, just as much as your child,

And, there you go. Sounds easy? It will be in the end... good luck! 

Magical Microwave Meringues!

There's a tale to be told one day about 30 eggs, me and a kitchen full of 'mistakes'! I love meringues but hate (HATE) making them... so when I came across this recipe for microwave meringues (no whisk, just 2 ingredients) I just didn't quite believe it.

So we had a challenge. My daughter made 'traditional' meringue and I made the microwave version to see which worked best. If I hadn't made the microwave ones myself, I would never have believed that they would work.

Here's the video to see for yourself...

And my final result...

They're definitely more of a 'rugged' version than the piped shop-bought meringues but they taste delicious and there's the added bonus of no stress while making them! My daughter's traditional version turned out to be a flop... literally - and so she wouldn't let me post a photo!

So just add fruit and cream to your liking and enjoy - tasty meringue in less than 15 minutes!

Helping your child stay happy and safe – Childline 0800 1111

Every summer, millions of children in Wales & the UK are looking towards the start of a new school term in September. For many, this change happens without any ups and downs but for some, it’s a really difficult time. Childline has many, many resources available to families to help with any problems they may encounter.

I only became aware of the extent of the resources available on their website following a routine visit they made to my daughter’s primary school. To be honest, I had never looked at their website before – why would I? My children are happy, safe and part of a loving family. We have ‘moments’ like all families, but nothing to be of concern.

At the school visit, the Childline representatives gave each child a pack called ‘My Buddy Kit’. The front and back pages give information, and the middle inside pages are filled in by the children. Here they can state what makes them feel happy and safe – places, people and things. I’m glad to say that her dad and I do feature on this list!

My daughter is actually looking forward to her transition to high school. Not all children from our local primary school go to the same secondary school – it’s about a 50/50 split. So she’s looking forward to moving up with friends and also the opportunity to meet new friends. There will be some familiar faces due to the small community that we live in.

So, if there’s anything worrying you or your child, or even if you think there’s a problem brewing, have a look around the Childline website for help. There’s also games to play and things to create – you can create an account and have your own private ‘locker’ space.

Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved!

Flipping good fun on Pancake Day!

Pancake day...Pancake Tuesday... Shrove Tuesday. Whatever you may call it, it's the day of the year when pancakes are eaten in households all over the UK!

The celebratory eating of pancakes is usually confined to just one day of the year, but I  must confess, we sneak a couple of extra Pancake days (not necessarily Tuesday!) into our yearly calendar!

Here's my age-old recipe that I use time and time again... similar to Delia's but in my opinion, easier!

Ingredients
10 fl oz semi-skimmed milk
4 oz plain flour
2 eggs
Lard, for frying

Method

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large jug or mixing bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk for about 2 minutes. I don't sieve the flour as the whisking incorporates enough air to give the pancake 'bubbles'!
2. Heat a knob of lard in a frying pan until just smoking. Add a ladle of the pancake mix to the pan, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan and then cook until the pancake loosens from the bottom of the pan. Flip(!) and cook the other side for a few more seconds.
3. Serve warm with a filling of your choice. I stick to lemon & sugar but there are all sorts of crazy options out there!
4. You can keep the mix in the fridge for a day... but ours never lasts that long! Enjoy!

Half term begins... and it's raining!

My children started their half term holidays today... and it's raining! We managed a quick dash to our local library in between showers and chose some good reads for the week. We also have the facility to borrow DVD's from the library too and so we chose 'Maleficent' this time; for a very reasonable sum of £1.55, you can borrow a DVD for up to 7 days... that's at least 4 viewings of a great family film! Just need to stock up on popcorn!

Tonight's tea was my eldest's choice - Macaroni Pasticcio. Ours might not look as good as the picture but so long as everyone enjoys, that's all that matters!

Hope you are all enjoying the start to the half term break - I just hope the rain leaves us along for a couple of days!

Fantastic... Mr Fox!

As a child (and an adult!) I loved reading - mostly Enid Blyton, but my other favourite author was/is Roald Dahl. My children are now at the age where they are studying books at school, not just reading for fun. There's nothing wrong with reading for the sake of it, or course, but reading, understanding and analysing books and stories is a skill which will help them in years to come.

Twinkl is a great website aimed at both school staff and parents with loads of resources suitable for all levels of primary education. Some resources require a subscription although there are lots of free resources available too.

My son (7) is currently studying 'Fantastic Mr Fox' - one of my favourite Roald Dahl books! So, as I know the book pretty much inside out, I thought it would be easy to help him along the way... but do I really have time to design worksheets, word searches and reading comprehension questions? In a word, NO! After a quick look on Twinkl, I was pleased to find a whole range of 'Fantastic Mr Fox' specific resources - everything from writing frames and colouring sheets to word searches and character profile sheets!

That saved me a fair few hours design time! So a quick download and print has given me lots of activities to complete with my son. He's a great reader but needs something that grabs his attention and at the moment, Roald Dahl seems to have done that! I need to keep him on track and I'm sure that the Twinkl resouces will do just that!

Watch this space for updates... next task - the human body for a 10 year old!

PS.. if anyone is interested in a paid subscription, message me via Facebook here and I can send you the link for membership! x

Why I am a perfect parent (and how you can be too!)

Put simply anyone can be a perfect parent and here's how. I am a perfect parent because I know that my children are NOT perfect! We as a family have good days and not so good days . We have more good days and have learned how to turn each day into a good day, well at least part of it!

Rule one

Listen

Rule two

Don't make promises that you can't keep.

Rule three

We don't keep secrets but you can keep surprises.

Rule four

Eat as a family around the dining table as often as possible.

Rule five

Ban electronics for a set time each day - talk!

And that's it!

Going back in time.... A house made of history!

Apart from the resident spiders that seem to dwell in our roof spaces, I love living in an old house. It's a 4 storey Victorian terraced house and as we work our way through the renovations, we find all sorts of bits and bobs that relate to our house's former life.

Both of my children are studying the Victorian age at school and so they are able to take some of the findings in to school to talk about them with their classmates.

We've found Victorian servant's bell wires, vintage light fittings and switches and, more recently, newspapers from the 60's stashed away in one of the loft spaces. So, being a nosey-parker, I read the newspapers from 1962! It was humorous to see the out look on life was quite different then. These are the pieces that amused me the most! Apologies for the creases.... the papers are pretty old!

'Some women, of course, don't realise that housework is as simple as ABC'

Love the 'Free Time' drawer - that's the 'junk' drawer in my house!

I didn't realise the Channel Tunnel was planned in the 1960's!

Regarding the MP's 'wage scandal' (bottom right picture, above), £1,750 in 1962 is approximately £33,000 in today's money. If they could see into the future, no wonder they were having a moan as nowadays, the average wage of an MP stands at about £74,000!! Scandalous indeed!

So, back to the normal household stuff! As we are updating things around the house, we have covered old fireplaces and bricked up chimneys and so have left behind little treasures of our own. We put together a time capsule and hidden it in the basement for a future finder to enjoy. We included a newspaper, letters from my children, drawings and a couple of small toys and trinkets which represents our children's lives in the early 2000's.

We've also allowed out children to draw on the insides of plaster-boarded internal walls - so one day, another family will hopefully have the joy of discovering our lives! Or maybe they will just think that we are crazy!

Blue Monday? Fix it with Sugru!

Sugru is a cool, mouldable 'glue' that turns into rubber making fixing, modifying or even making things easy and fun for everyone. The patented silicone technology is unique. Out of the pack, Sugru feels like play-dough, and it's that easy to use too. It bonds to almost any other material and cures just by exposing it to air. Its durable cured properties mean it'll stay strong and securely bonded anywhere from the freezer to a steamy hot shower, from the home to the great outdoors. Sounds hard to believe but it's true!

Findings from a recent poll on sugru.com have revealed that the most feel good DIY projects are those that involve organising and sorting your stuff. So far so boring? Not when you’re given a helping hand by a few tiny friends….

Almost a quarter of those who took part in the online poll voted for one of last year's most popular projects - Sugru + Lego = perfect cable holders - as the ideal way to help banish the blues this January.

The simple but ingenious idea came from a fan in Germany and soon snowballed into one of Sugru's most shared pieces of content of all time reaching hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

So, if you missed it first time around - here's a guide to how you can organise your cables at home or at work. Proven to help turn that frown upside down!

Did you know, it's also International Lego Day next week (28 January) and Sugru is offering free shipping all week so you can start planning your own project

You can also check out some other feel good projects here to help keep yourself entertained this winter.

As a Lego-loving family with a list of things to fix, I'm sure we'll be using lots of Sugru in the coming months and years!

Winter Health - eat well, sleep well, be well!

Christmas is over and we're starting the New Year - complete with resolutions (achievable and not-so-achievable!). Here's some helpful ways to hopefully dodge the coughs, colds and bugs that seem to be around at this time of year!

1. Eat fruit. Fruits, especially berries such as blueberries, cherries, strawberries and blackberries are naturally high in vitamin C, bioflavonoids and antioxidants. These all help to boost your immunity levels. Other good sources include broccoli, apricots, peppers and kiwi fruits.
2. Vitamin D3. Our main source of vitamin D is the sun and so as the days are shorter in the winter, our levels can go down. Vitamin D is vital to ensure adequate absorption of calcium for our bones but it also plays a crucial role in the normal functioning of the immune system. Many of us can become deficient in vitamin D over the winter because even when outdoors with some skin exposed, very little vitamin D is produced due to the angle of the sun during the winter months. A daily dose of vitamin D3 can therefore help to fortify the immune system through the colder months.
3. Echinacea. This is a fabulous herb which 'modulates' the immune system, which simply means that it helps to teach it what to do, thereby rebalancing it, meaning it can function better. Echinacea is also a powerful lymphatic cleanser; it stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection.
4. Zinc. This is essential for the immune system and healing. Enjoy seafood and nuts and seeds, especially sunflower and pumpkin seeds. 
5. Honey. Manuka honey has great health benefits. Enjoy this delicious tasting food and stay healthy.
6. Stay active. When it's cold outside, it's difficult to get out there and do some exercise but try to! Research has shown that exercise is another way to help your immunity.
7. Bin it! Don't leave dirty tissues or hankies lying around - it can also spread your cold. When you cough, sneeze or blow your nose the secretions that end up in your hanky or tissue are teeming with the virus that's making you sick. These viruses can survive for some time once they leave your body, so when you leave a tissue for someone else to pick up, you are actually leaving a little virus bomb to go and infect someone else's hands. So throw away any used tissues and wash your hands straight away.
8. Sleep well. Your immune system helps you to fight off common infections, Poor sleep and insomnia can affect our immune system so make sure you get plenty of rest.
9. Vitamin C. There is considerable evidence that vitamin C (ascorbic acid) plays a vital role in many immune mechanisms. Infection rapidly depletes the normal levels of vitamin C. Remember that bugs stay active on surfaces so avoid touching too many public places such as escalator rails or cash point surfaces.

So, with these few tips you *should* be able to ward off the dreaded colds which are still lurking, waiting to catch you out!

How many Santa's is too many Santa's?

Now, I love Christmas as much as the next person and a visit to a Santa's Grotto is on most parent's to-do list during the month of December. But without sounding a bit 'bah-humbug', just how many times does a child need to visit Santa!?

We live in a very small town/large village and even here, if (big IF) my children were to visit each Santa's grotto/party that is on offer in the place we live, they would see the big man himself over 10 times! I manage to tactfully avoid most of them - not because I don't want to support the particular group or charity that is providing the Santa experience, just because more than a couple of times is too many!

They also vary in, let's say, authenticity. One particular Santa is pretty good and sees the children in two different grottos. He cleverly remembers them by name (small town syndrome!) so that he can check if they have been keeping their promises of bring well-behaved, tidying their bedroom, etc, etc. 

My children have known for a couple of years that the Santa that we visit in our town are actually Santa's helpers. They cottoned on pretty quickly that they look slightly different at each visit and so the truth was told! Father Christmas does exist and lives happily in Lapland with assistants employed all over the world to help collect messages to send to Santa and distribute presents to the children.

Although... they do believe the Santa at Portmeirion Village is the REAL one, namely for 2 reasons - he has a real beard and can speak Welsh! Our first language at home is English but my children are taught through the medium of Welsh and so are fluent Welsh speakers, so only the real Santa would know that they could speak Welsh, right? That's a good enough reason for me!

This year, we didn't manage to visit the Christmas markets at Portmeirion, but if you are ever near there on the first weekend in December, it's well worth a visit!

So anyway, when you're planning your December fun and festivities, take care not to have a 'Santa Overload'! It can be more magical keeping somethings under wraps...

'Shell Shock' by Neil Blower - Book Review

I don't often review books as I think it's hard to do the book justice without giving anything away! For this book, I make an exception!

The author is the son of an old friend who I recently caught up with after about 16 years with only Facebook contact! Both of our lives have changed in this time and it was lovely to see her again, have a good chat and a coffee! I just need to make sure that the gap isn't so long next time!

So anyway, onto the book! I read all sorts of genre of literature and will give anything a go. I knew that Neil had written a book and had seen coverage of his story on breakfast TV a couple of years ago.

Basically, in the book he tells the story of life after war through the eyes of an army veteran. There's no holding back and it shocked me in parts as he tells the story of living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sometimes, I think I live in a bubble where bad things don't happen up people I know but horrific things DO sadly happen all of the time. 

I'm not ashamed to say that the book made me cry and I'm pretty certain that it will do to you too. If you do one thing this Remembrance Sunday, please take time to just even think about our troops; those at war, those who sadly have not returned and those who have returned and are still suffering.

Please give it a read as it really is written from the heart. As I was kindly given a copy of 'Shell Shock', I have donated the cover price to Combat Stress. You can buy your own copy here with £1 from each copy sold going to this very worthy charity. 

Neil has written a second book, so keep an eye out for it - it's definitely on my Christmas list! There's also a third one on the go.... watch this space!

Dog Treats Vs Poison: A Pet Health Infographic

We love our dog Lucy and for most of my life, had a dog at home - a cuddle on demand and she doesn't argue back! BLISS!

But we're always really careful about what treats we give her. Here's a handy infographic from Vet-Medic with some simple do's and don'ts!

Great Gizmos - Sensory Toys

Play and Learn with PlanToys 

Just in time for starting the Christmas lists, the eco-friendly wooden toy range PlanToys is pushing the boundaries with educational toys to make them more interactive and fun as well as flexible and responsive to children’s needs and circumstances.

The Adaptive Toys series from Plan is the latest wave of toys that is entirely dedicated to children with special needs. This highly original collection of learning toys caters for three groups of children with special needs which are cerebral palsy, autism and the visually impaired. There are lots on offer but here is just a snapshot of this great developmental toy range;

The Build-A-Robot is a complete learning experience for kids! The wooden robot includes four interchangeable heads that feature an array of emotions including happy, sad, cross and surprised for children to learn. He can also sit and stand as his chunky legs and arms are moveable to imitate a human being.

For problem solving there is the Vehicle Puzzle that encourages children to match the correct driver to their vehicle, whilst also learning how to shape sort. Each puzzle tile features a colourful background to help solve the game and all tiles interlink together to form a large floor piece. The puzzle includes a helicopter, space rocket, car and submarine for added play value.

To help develop fine motor skills, the Beehives game allows children to match the correct bee to its corresponding colour hive using the wooden pincers included. There are six brightly coloured hives that each have their own miniature bee, complete with stripes and wings. This game also helps reinforce colour recognition and counting.

 For children who are visually impaired, there is a Braille Duo that helps children learn the alphabet and number sequences. The Braille Numbers set enables kids to count to 10 with the wooden tile set that is beautifully engraved with large numbers and the corresponding Braille cells. The reverse side also contains leaf illustrations with the correct number of leaves on to help children count. The 26-piece Braille Alphabet features both the upper and lower case letters of the alphabet and matching Braille symbol, to help each child learn their letters.

These really do look like great toys, whether your child has special needs or not, sadly my children are now above the target age range however I have a younger niece and another one (niece/nephew!) on the way, so I'm sure they will creep onto the Christmas list somewhere!

How easy is it to be safe online?

Actually how easy is it to stay safe online? I think I'm pretty up to date with all things secure - I never click the 'save payment details for future use' check box which is offered on so many websites nowadays and I make sure all my anti-virus software is up to date. But maybe I could do more....

Choice Loans have just launched a new interactive infographic that outlines every type of fraud, and 16 different things you can do right now to prevent being a victim of identify fraud or money theft online.

Did you know that £450.4m of credit card fraud was committed in 2013 alone according to Financial Fraud Action UK and there were  221,000 cases of Identity Fraud in the UK last year - also there was the recent iCloud hack!

Have a look at the handy guide here > http://bit.ly/identifyfraud to make sure that you are staying as safe as you can be!

Magical museums & great galleries!

Did you know that Henry VIII enjoyed a kick-about with his mates, back when football was a game of ‘beastly fury and extreme violence’? Or that with a quick rummage around your kitchen cupboards, under the guidance of museum scientists, you’ll find all you need to make an erupting volcano? Did you know there’s a huge stuffed walrus with its own Twitter account living in a museum in London?

Show Me, set to become the ‘go to’ website for children and young people looking to discover and learn about the weird and wonderful world of museums, galleries and archives across the UK, has just launched this September. The site showcases a fascinating range of stories, artworks, objects, games, films, apps and days out listings to inspire and ignite young imaginations.

The online 'exhibits' are most certainly based around the questions that children ask, for example you can find out about the top ten dead thing in museums(!) and how to make a Roman shield. There's everything from things to make, fact sheets and online games to help to educate your child whilst having fun at the same time!

 

Show Me is excited to be working in partnership with the Bafta-winning Culture Street team who specialise in making short films and interactives for and with children and young people. Culture Street brings a selection of the collection objects featured on Show Me to life in a brand new series of short films about collection objects chosen by children on museum visits. The children take viewers with them around the museum, asking curators the questions we’d all like to ask.

Show Me is also a guide to the best family-friendly museums across the UK, featuring information on the latest events and exhibitions for family days out.

www.Show.Me.Uk will feature:

• Hundreds of museum games and learning resources 
• Zoomable, high quality pictures of collection objects from a range of museums 
• Culture Street’s films and interactives on key collection objects
• ‘Make & Do’ guides – from volcanoes to Roman togas and wartime carrot fudge
• Behind-the-scenes info and stories from the world of museums
• What’s on guide – venue & listings info on family-friendly UK museums and galleries
• Homework help for kids and supporting resources for teachers.

Find Culture Street’s films and interactives on www.culturestreet.org.uk as well as on Show Me.

Show Me is edited by Anra Kennedy, Content and Partnership Director at Culture24 and a trustee of both campaigning charity Kids in Museums – www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk - and GEM, the Group for Education in Museums – www.gem.org.uk.

Anra Kennedy says, “It’s so exciting to be opening up museum and gallery collections to a new generation of children and young people on Show Me. There are so many wonderful stories and treasures in museums and galleries but they’re very difficult to find online, especially for kids and their time-pressed parents and teachers. The site will keep growing and developing with more collections, games, stories, museums and listings being added all the time, I’m hoping checking out what’s new on Show Me will become a habit for many children and young people.”

Annie Devitt, Head of Learning at the National Media Museum who worked with Culture Street on the films around their collection says, "We were given a brilliant opportunity to work with Culture Street and their young filmmakers to uncover some of our hidden collection objects. They have managed to bring the history and science behind our treasures to a much wider audience."

Show Me is also supported by Arts Council England.

John Orna-Ornstein, Director of Museums, Arts Council England, said: “The Arts Council is pleased to be supporting Show Me, an initiative that promotes museum collections in an original, relevant and engaging manner. Stories are at the heart of every good museum and Show Me will help to bring collections to life for a wide audience.”

To explore museum content for children and young people why not visit www.show.me.uk and www.culturestreet.org.uk?

Perfect eggs!

Running a B&B means that we are self-confessed experts at cooking eggs.... of all types! We're lucky that we have a super-duper hot plate to fry our eggs on but not everyone has that luxury!

Lark and Larks have put together this great guide to cooking the perfect egg... what do you think?

What's your favourite way to cook eggs? For me, it's poached all the way!

I *heart* Italy! Romantic break in the planning...

Fancy a romantic break away? I've always wanted to visit Italy and love the sound of these ideas...

HOFSTATTER: A JEEP DRIVE THROUGH THE SOUTH TYROLEAN “MASI” OF HOFSTATTER

Visiting the estate Hofstätter is an experience that involves all five senses. The guests will be amazed not only by the cellar and the beautiful wine shop, but also a restaurant, a wine bar and the Garden - Vineyard, which makes this enchanting corner a pleasant and unique place to meet. If you want to understand a wine and it's characteristics, you have to explore the vineyard. At Hofstatter estate, you can also make a trip by jeep, having the opportunity to learn about the territory of the vineyards of this historic property, which is located in one of the most ancient wine roads, in the village of Termeno, the old hamlet which has given the name to Gewurtztraminer. If you want to try the typical Thyrolean food, you can taste delicious local dishes accompanied by wines from Hofstätter in the attached Restaurant.

http://www.hofstatter.com/en

BAGLIO DI PIANETTO:  A SICILIAN WINE CHATEAU AND A RESORT TO DISCOVER IN THE HEART OF SICILY

Baglio di Pianetto is the fulfilment  of an ambitious project and the dream of its founder, the Count Paolo Marzotto, to give life to a chateau in Sicily to produce excellent wines from both Sicilian indigenous grapes such as Insolia and Nero D’Avola and the international grapes Viognier, Petit Verdot and Syrah.

The company owns two estates in Sicily, one is located near Palermo where the vineyards grow at the altitude of 650 metres. Here the area is constantly ventilated and subjected to a considerable temperature range between day and night.  These conditions are perfect for Catarratto, Viognier, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The other property is in the south of Sicily, near Siracusa, where the blazing sun permeates the soil which is mitigated by the frequent sea breezes. This is the ideal microclimate for Nero D’Avola, Frappato, Syrah and Moscato di Noto.

Baglio di Pianetto is not only a chateau. It’s also an Agrirelais, a charming resort in the countryside near Palermo, among vineyards and olive trees. A beautiful destination to spend a relaxing vacation to discover picturesque villages, the centre of Palermo with it's artistic treasures and churches, the beautiful natural environment  and especially to enjoy Baglio di Pianetto’s wines and to visit the winery. 

http://www.bagliodipianetto.com/pages/baglio-di-pianetto

ROCCAFIORE RESORT & SPA: ORGANIC WINE-MAKING AND CHARMING HOSPITALITY

If you want to take a break and relax in one of the most beautiful areas of Umbria, you have to stop at Roccafiore: a wine estate and a Country Chic Spa Resort where style, tradition and comfort blend together in a harmony created by experience and passion.

Roccafiore is a perfect location for a gateway for two with a restaurant offering delicious local dishes, a beautiful wellness centre and an enchanting hotel in the heart of Umbria immersed in the green countryside surrounded by 90 acres of gardens, vineyards and olive groves.

If you want to discover nature while having fun, you can also join "Jurassic Pork", the “wild” real safari aboard off-road experience to those, they offer along a path surrounded by vineyards and olive groves where you can also visit the of Cinta Senese pigs.

Tucked away among the gently rolling hills and in a wonderful secluded spot, Roccafiore estate is also a real bio-natural reserve, which combines the use of an ancient agricultural tradition with technological innovation in order to preserve the environment.

http://www.roccafiorewines.com/en/

http://www.roccafiore.it/en/

IN THE HEART OF MAREMMA WITH TERENZI

The Terenzi estate has sprung up as the result of an ambitious idea: to promote an area that has so much to give - starting off with its great wines - but that for far too long has been held in less consideration than other areas of Tuscany. To make this dream into reality, the Terenzi family decided to give up all their other activities and dedicate themselves full time to the area of Scansano and its flagship wine: Morellino.

Hospitality is another cardinal feature for the young Terenzi brothers, who are now running the activities and who enjoy making people discover how wine is made, educating them to drink well and allowing them to get to know the family and the region on a personal basis .

The area devoted to hospitality includes the restaurant, the wine shop and the inn (an old converted farmhouse) composed of 9 rooms decorated in traditional Maremman style, so that every guest can feel perfectly at ease.

The restaurant re-evokes a typically informal and welcoming Tuscan eatery, with a splendid veranda that looks out over the vineyards and the gentle valleys of the Maremma. The old farm has, on the other hand, been turned into an inn containing 5 rooms and a suite, distributed among the three main farm buildings that make up the "agriturismo". Each room is spacious and comfortable, with all the mod cons such as free Wi-Fi connection, drinks fridge, television and telephone. 

The excellent local cuisine; the close proximity of the Saturnia thermal baths, where you can also find exclusive golf courses and riding stables; the opportunity to go on excursions to the Maremma Alberese Natural Park, to Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole, or to the splendid sites of Pitigliano and Sovana: all this makes the Terenzi estate an unmissable destination when visiting the Maremma around Grosseto.

http://www.terenzi.eu/eng/mondo-terenzi_ospitalita.php

THE TASTE OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE AT LA CIAU TORNAVENTO

If you pass by Piedmont region, you should stop in the Langhe, whose viticultural landscape has just been recognized as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

In the heart of this enchanting wine region, which produce Barolo and Barbaresco, two of the world’s most famous wines, wine growing has been the heart and soul of the economy for centuries. For a fine dining break, you cannot miss the restaurant La Ciau of Tornavento, where the high cuisine is defined by elegant flavors of the dishes created by Maurilio Garola.

You can eat on the balcony watching the most beautiful landscape of the Langa and taste great wines:  inside the restaurant you can visit the most important collection of Italian wines, a real temple with over 60,000 bottles in a room designed for them. La Ciau has been included in the list of restaurants with the best wine list by Wine Spectator and in 2013 

the Revue de Vin de France has awarded La Ciau as the best wine list in the world.

http://www.laciaudeltornavento.it/ita