Join me for the trip of a lifetime
Plus, what to bake this weekend.
I’ve planned my DREAM trip to Sicily for Springtime 2025 and I’d LOVE for you to come with me!
Here’s how this came to be and how you can join me . . .
Last spring I spent a week exploring Venice with my dear friend from high school, Stephen Tedesco. He travels there several times a year and moves around the city like a local. He showed me his favorite museums, restaurants, pastry shops, and places to sit to watch the world go by. We ate and ate (as I do), walked, and took in centuries of art that hang on walls and decorate countless ceilings. Traveling with someone who knows the place is such a gift.
Several of our stops were also recommendations found in Elizabeth Minchilli's newsletter, the most respected expert on Italian travel. If you love travel as much as I do, you’ll want to follow her newsletter, you’re in for a treat.
On a boat headed to Morano, I implored Instagram to recommend the best glass-blowing studios to visit. Elizabeth answered the call and sent us to a world-renowned artist.
We buzzed the gated door and told the voice over the intercom that Elizabeth Minchilli sent us. They immediately let us in and gave us an enthusiastic tour, as they sang the praises of Minchilli. We had a similar experience in a restaurant when we told the owners Elizabeth had sent us. We were instantly treated like family. This is known as the Minchilli effect!
After several emails with Elizabeth expressing my gratitude and excitement for her personalized recommendations, I knew I'd love to see more of Italy through her eyes. I'd mentioned my long-time dream of visiting Sicily to find the perfect cannoli and to eat ALL the gelato I possibly can.
She's making that dream come true! And, I hope you will join me! What an adventure this will be.
Elizabeth and her daughter, Emma, have helped me plan my dream trip and I am inviting TWELVE of you to join me as I explore Sicily with our local guide. We'll visit an almond farm, an olive grove, a market, and so much more to learn about Sicilians and their deep culture of food and sweets. We'll also get to bake with the makers and sample pastries all along the way. Bring your curiosity, walking shoes, plus a friend and/or loved one to come along on this sweet adventure.
As I prepare for the trip I've been pouring through some cookbooks on Sicilian food to whet my appetite. Food of Sicily by Fabrizia Lanza (affil. link) recently arrived at my door and I made these rich, delicious Sicilian doughnuts (sfince di san giuseppe). They are fried cream puffs topped with fresh ricotta, candied blood orange, and almonds.
I hope you will come on this trip of a lifetime (I've been dreaming about it since college) and explore Sicily with me. You'll find more details and how to sign up here:
What To Bake This Weekend
Strawberry season is winding down here in Minnesota, but my ever-popular Strawberry Hand Pies are perfect for fresh berries. Or choose from my 19 favorite strawberry recipes.
I love summer peaches! My new Peach Melba Ice Cream is perfect for hot days. I also have 17 peach recipes to choose from.
Blueberries are the other summer fruit I love. Try my Blueberry Scones or pick from these 11 blueberry recipes.
For a savory recipe that also features seasonal tomatoes, try my Peach and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad.
As always, if you’ve recently made one of my recipes, please leave a rating/review on the recipe to let me know how it went! I love hearing how you’ve made the recipes work for you.
What I’m Reading
It’s perfect timing for this post by Sarah Copeland about how to use up all your peak summer produce! There are some gorgeous salads, so be sure to check it out.
I’m super interested! I sent an email requesting more info🙌
I really believe you need a chaperone for this trip. Dad