Not ready to end the trip.... just a few random shots that didn't make it the first time around...

Italian class... Summer school that was fun!

Tiramisu in the convent...

Watermelons in San Benedetto... nothing better!

Old Man with a combover eggplant!

Gena & Chef on the ropes' course. Pwahaha!

Capturing the lamb

Out and about town...

The last meal with our friends at the convent. Too many tears to count.


“We shall always keep a spare corner in our hearts and in our heads to give passing hospitality to our friends”

Nope! Not going to say it! Not even going think it!! Can't believe it is true. Alas, we all must come face to face with the facts: we leave for our return to the States with a 4:00am bus trip to Rome. There are so many tales to tell, stories to share and lessons learned. Those will all come later. For now, we part ways with what, for many, has become home. We are all changed. We have seen life in a different way. Yes, we miss the ways of 'back home', but we also have embraced the life we have discovered here. There is a gentle sadness in leaving this place. It was nearly 2 years in the planning, many sacrifices and sweat equity from countless supporters, family and friends. For that, there are no words to say thanks. Rather, we share a collective feeling of accomplishment in traveling halfway around the world, embracing a different culture and experiencing a life that truly is without borders.

Thank you for following along as we have shared our journey. The blog will stay 'alive' with follow-ups and more stories as they are written. For now, let's just say that TeamItalia 2014 sounds just about right.

We meet with the town's Mayor in a few hours and then our final meal in the convent. These are the last words from this side of the world and written with clouded eyes and a heavy heart. Time, it seems, beckons us back to a different place. This life here though, this sweet life, will not soon be forgotten.

Last evening was our final cooking class for this trip. It was, as best as I can express, purely heartwarming. We dined with friends and family and family of friends that share only the common language of good food. People we have not seen for two years welcomed us back like long lost family; we saw little bambinos that have added two years since we last saw them and now the kids are a help in the kitchen; we shook hands and hugged like we were welcomed home. The night was full of laughs; rolling cavatelli; drying out after a cross-town sprint in a down pour; crowding around a packed kitchen; sips of local wine and great, big, belly laughs. We are all painfully aware that our journey is soon coming to an end. We stayed off the tears, for now, by wrapping ourselves in a collective blanket of smiles and spoon-fed love.

Pounding chicken cutlets, later to be breaded and pan-fried.

 Peeling local figs for fig and cream tart. Yes, it really is that good!

 A quiet moment to soak up the kitchen activity

 Cutting 'creme' - little strips of custard that are then breaded and fried, served hot and consumed by the handful.

 A traditional, regional speciality: green olives (grown in the next over from here) stuffed with sausage then breaded and fried.

Hand rolling cavatelli... very much a multi-person operation

Sauce for the cavatelli: Fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, smoked scamorza and love

The finished crema and olives after frying

The crew with some of our old friends and new

The fantastically hospitable sisters in the convent created a night to remember! A beautiful pair of fruit tarts was created to celebrate 2 birthdays in the traveling team. Following dinner, the sisters got the group involved in some signing and 'dance' capped off with declines dessert. A birthday celebration to remember!

Tonight brings our final language class as well as our last cooking class with Chef Cappecci. Many townsfolk are coming to share our feast and grade our cooking skills... haha! More pictures and tales later tonight!

Truly amazing day in Ascoli Piceno. The crew made the early morning trek down the mountain to spend a sun-drenched stretch in the area's largest town. Cathedrals, a castle, ancient fountain sourced by an underground aquifer and colorful shopping made up the day. 

Even the pigeons get in on the cool water, fed from the underground spring!

Known as the Land of Olives and Grapes, the olive supply is plentiful and treated with great reverence. We feasted on sausage-stuffed olives that were lightly bread, fried and served in paper cones.

Students got to witness their knife purchases being refined by the town blacksmith.

Escaping the mid-day sun with frozen cappuccino and plenty of laughs!

How can you not smile when the town is this amazing?

Had lunch in a local caffe under the guidance of the chef/owner/host/new friend. If you are going to have pasta, grilled crusty bread and local wine, it certainly should be in a little caffe in Italy.

Too much walking and too much heat.

The coolest water you can imagine and a twist on an old saying: You can lead a girl to water, but from the horse's mouth she'll drink! :)

The polizia were kind enough to take a picture with some of the team. Very hospitable and a little intimidating. 

This would be a great time to share some fun/spontaneous/goofy pictures from today's hectic schedule...

Stumbled upon this really great 'artifact' when starting our tour of the art museum in Ripa... those signatures are from the first "Cooking Without Borders: Team Italia" group that visited a few years' ago. Time flies... enjoy the ride!