The gorgeous and lovingly crafted cookbook by Frances and Ed Mayes is finally here. I was very fortunate to spend some time with Frances and Ed and the talented photographer, Steven Rothfeld, as we cooked and photographed recipes for THE TUSCAN SUN COOKBOOK. This collection of recipes is a love letter to the people and [...]

As we prep for the celebratory Pizza Party (to celebrate 20 years of Frances and Ed in Cortona), I find myself in the kitchen with a sweet Italian man named Ivan and his robust and big-hearted mother, Domenica, who live just up the gravel road at the “House of the Sun.” Together, we make pizza [...]

As if we didn’t have enough food with 65 pizzas, endless bottles of wine, and a cake to feed 50 or more, Frances ordered up a whole porchetta from a friend who has a porchetta truck at the Saturday market in Cortona and also in the Porta Colonia parking lot every Wednesday p.m. . The [...]