Starting with a restaurant back in the 90s I progressed to owning an outside catering business back in 2006. During this time I first heard about the Basilicata region of Italy.

I researched and visited, and instantly fell in love with the food, wine, scenery and way of life. I found a small holiday home in Tursi until I realised l just wanted to be here all the time. So in 2007 I sold up and that is how the story starts….

 

The lifestyle here is so different to the UK, it's so very laid back but that is part

of the charm I now hold dear. It seems as if we are 70 years behind the UK in

a very good way. 

 

We make our own salamis, pancetta and live off an abundance of produce; wild asparagus, wild rocket, artichokes, broad beans, cherries, apricots, peaches and citrus fruits. The diet is pure Med; tomatoes, garlic, red wine, oily fish and extra virgin untreated olive oil. We eat seasonal and local.

 

My food has always been very labour intensive, handmade and everything from scratch, but here the best food is produced in minutes. Yes homemade pasta takes a while to produce but it's a pleasure, a way to pass the time and with friends, whilst the sauces are so quick to make with the freshest ingredients and the 'riches of the house'. 

 

This part of Italy is truly great for the soul, which is why I am opening the doors on

The Orangery, so that others can discover this hidden gem too.