065: Paul Cappelli
Living Villa Cappelli
So, full warning, this is not a happy podcast. But I just wanted to say a little about Paul and thank you all for your support. For those of you that don’t know, Paul Cappelli passed away this year after a short battle with cancer. From all of us at the Cappelli family — Steven, Connie, Nikki, Casey, and Logan — we want to thank you all of you so, so much for all your support. His creative, amazing, loving, and bigger-than-life spirit and love for all things Italian will live on in everything we do at Villa Cappelli. Forever. Thank you.
info_outline
064: Translating Pasta
Living Villa Cappelli
We take a lot of pasta names for granted. Sure, we all enjoy “spaghetti,” but do you know what it means? How about “penne” or “fusilli”? In this podcast, we talk about the names of various pastas. And in many cases how the name describes the shape. If you want to see actual pictures of the various pastas, check out all the pics in the show notes. Also, at the end the podcast, we give you a few cooking tips on pasta.
info_outline
063: Caremongering, the virus, and gardening — oh my!
Living Villa Cappelli
The title pretty much says it all. We talk a little more about the coronavirus in Puglia and how Italians are dealing with things. Luckily the medical system here is very good. We talk Caremongering. A wonderful movement started in Canada. Essentially, it is a movement encouraging acts of kindness or assistance, especially to help vulnerable people, during tough times, like the COVID-19 pandemic. And while it’s not an Italian expression, the sentiment is totally Italian. Typically Caremongering revolves about starting your own local Facebook group. The...
info_outline
062: Our experience with the coronavirus in Italy.
Living Villa Cappelli
Not much in the way of show notes for this episode guys. And this might be a trend as we focus more on putting out good audio, and not so much on the show notes, so we can do more podcasts. This episode, we catch you up with what life has been like with the coronavirus here in Italy, and more specifically, Puglia. It is definitely a strange time, but very manageable and fine from our perspective. Do you have a question you'd like answered? Anything we didn't cover? Let us know in the comments. And we'll give you updates very soon in the next podcast. Stay safe everyone! Wash and...
info_outline
061: Day in the life of running an Italian Villa
Living Villa Cappelli
In this episode, we try to give you a bit of behind the scenes look at what it’s like to run a villa, especially from the tour and vacation rental aspect. We cover all sorts of topics, including: • Breakfasts, as far as what we serve and why a simple breakfast is never a simple breakfast • Laundry. Again, while for most a load of laundry here and there during their week is a normal chore. There’s nothing normal about it when you have 10 bedrooms of sheets and towels to wash each week. Plus, you have to head down to hang them up to dry, which is another...
info_outline
060: Italian Villa Projects
Living Villa Cappelli
In this podcast, we catch you up on the projects we’ve been doing at the villa during our “off time” without guests. From major new interviews to unexpected construction, we’ve had a lot going on.
info_outline
The Top 10 reasons to book an Italian villa for your next celebration
Living Villa Cappelli
Have a big milestone birthday coming up? Or perhaps an anniversary? Perhaps you’re just looking to travel with a large group of family and friends. Then booking a villa in Italy might is the perfect way to celebrate with family and friends. Here are just a few of the reasons you should book an Italian villa now! 1. It’s more affordable than you think When you stay in a villa in Italy, it will feel like you’re living in luxury, but it’s very affordable. Definitely more affordable than a hotel or resort. According to Lonely Planet travel site, even a...
info_outline
058: Real News, Fake Food
Living Villa Cappelli
In this podcast, we take a dive into the culinary world and explore where there is a lot of “fake food” out there. From doctored extra virgin olive oils and grated cheese to wine and balsamic vinegar, we give you the real news on fake food. Topics we cover: • How we’ve had a few podcast fans visit this year, including Kendra and her new business: • How often we don’t realize the wool is being pulled over our eyes in regards to food. Here’s a list. Do you have others? Let us know in the comments. Extra Virgin Olive Oil • The corrupt...
info_outline
057: It's Not Only Rock 'n' Roll
Living Villa Cappelli
We move outdoors to sit among the olive trees for our second part of our interview with rock ’n’ roll royalty Jenny Boyd. We talk music, creativity, and her book . Topics we cover: • We talk about Jenny’s second husband • The British invasion • How Brits saw America a land of opportunity • What musicians drive was during the creative process, what they experience when writing a son • What part drugs and alcohol played in the creative process • If they believed everyone has the potential to be creative and how to express yourself...
info_outline
056: Jenny Boyd "Rock 'n' Roll Nobility"
Living Villa Cappelli
We are finally back after a very very very busy summer. But we couldn't resist making some time to sit down with one of our guests, Jenny Boyd, and talk to her about creative and music and her book . Topics we cover: • We introduce Jenny Boyd, a recent guest at Villa Cappelli • She wrote the book It’s Not Only Rock and Roll . • How Paul grew up with the music Jenny had a first-hand account of this music • How Jenny is a part of rock and roll nobility if you will • How music today doesn’t have the same social relevance as it did in the 60s...
info_outlineThere are all kinds of Italian Culinary Tours, but we like to think ours is pretty special — that's why I can say "best" because it's ours. So Paul and I fire up the mics to talk about our Culture and Culinary Tour (better name perhaps to be determined).
Topics we cover:
- How busy we've been
- Two podcast fans, Tom and Mary Deany, stayed with us recently
- How Paul hasn't changed to his winter drink yet
- Planting our winter garden
- Including a Carolina Reaper
- Paul going crazy foraging for mushrooms
- Paul took a selfie while foraging with his new friend
- For more information on our culinary tour (our discussion is listed below) head here. You can sign up for our email list to get more information when we have it available.
- If you have a good name for our Culture and Culinary tour, contact us.
- The itinerary:
Saturday
- Arrival. Welcome lunch, dinner, and orientation.
- As well as a limoncello lesson.
Sunday
- Foraging for vegetables and Castel del Monte.
- Lunch at a nice seafood restaurant.
- Pasta making class that night at the villa. We always make ravioli as we can have fun with the filling. This year Paul made one with peach, walnuts, and ricotta, trying to mimic the flavors of a pasta we had in Florence years and years ago.
- Since the pasta has to dry, we have dinner in Terlizzi.
Monday
- Food shopping with Paul in Terlizzi, visiting all his favorite vegetable, meat, bread, and cheese vendors.
- Including a horse butcher shop.
- Lunch/cooking class back at the villa
- Dinner/cooking class that night at the villa with the food purchased that morning.
Tuesday
- Alberobello
- Polignano a Mare
- Lunch at Grotta Palazzese, one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world with also very delicious food
- A light dinner at the villa since it's a big lunch at Grotta Palezzese
- We should mention that there is a Happy Hour included every night before dinner as well
Wednesday
- Bisceglie. Shopping at the local fish market.
- Lunch/cooking class back at the villa
- Jatta museum in Ruvo di Puglia that afternoon
- Being as ancient necropolis, Ruvo actually supplies many of the Grecian urns in museums throughout the world
- Dinner in Terlizzi
Thursday
- Trani. Tour this beautiful seaside town and it's famous cathedral.
- Canne della Battaglia, where Hannibal defeated the Roman army during the Second Punic War
- Video of how Hannibal defeated the Roman
- Light dinner at the villa
Friday
- Matera. A beautifully preserved town that was recently chosen as the Culture Capital of Europe for 2019. The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
- We do this tour during the day, but Paul and I just went to Matera at night and highly recommend visiting it then as well.
- Lunch at Matera.
- Finish the limoncello making lesson, seeing the final process. Then everyone gets to take home their own bottle of limoncello and a Villa Cappelli apron
- Then we have a pizza party at the villa that night. We make our own pizzas in our pizza oven and everyone gets to take turns rolling out their own pizza dough and making their own pizzas.
Again, for more information on this tour, go livingvillacappelli.com/culinarytour
Any questions or comments on our Italian Culinary Tour? Please leave us a note in the comments.