Vanilla beans and brodo Book

In some ways this is a standard tale of people from an Anglo background moving to Italy and being blown away by all the differences. What was non-standard about this is the format. It isn't told as a chronological account of their life in Montalcino. Instead it is divided into 4 sections, one for each season. Each chapter in each section focuses on an aspect of life in Montalcino at that time of year. This makes it an easy book to pick up and dip into as each chapter is largely self contained. On the downside, it also makes it easy to put down and walk away from as there really isn't much incentive to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Some of the insights the author presents were new to me and of interest. Life was hard and often unjust for people in this area, not just in the "historical" past, but in the lifetime of many of inhabitants of Montalcino. However, these aspects were overwhelmed by the fluff. Too much was presented in the tone of "isn't this quaint" which was all a bit twee and somewhat patronising.

Reading this I was reminded of another book about a similar move - Extra Virgin by English Annie Hawes which is her account of buying a dilapidated farmhouse in Liguria with her sister. They allow a overgrown garden of wild flowers and grasses to flourish at the back of their house. The locals keep telling them to tidy up this "dirty" garden but they don't because, while it might not be utilitarian, it is beautiful. She makes note of how the locals are so focused on practicality in much the same "isn't this quaint" tone that Isabella Dusi uses. Then comes summer and Annie Hawes and her sister discover how their pretty garden is not just not practical but it also poses a real risk of fire to both themselves and all their neighbours. She admits that there is a lot she needs to learn about life in Liguria from the local inhabitants. I got none of that feeling from Isabella Dusi's account.