Join Carole Bumpus and her husband in Book Three of the Savoring the Olde Ways series as they take you on their first culinary trek through Italy, including regions of Lombardy, Tuscany, Compania, Apulia, and Lazio. Embrace unforgettable characters such as lovely guides Lisa and Margarita, who introduce you to the “true Italian experience.” Sup on traditional foods (cucina povera) including local … local tortelli, pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar), bistecca all Fiorentina, pasta alla vongole (clams), or saltimbocca alla Romana. Sip regional wines, along with memorable digestivos like limoncello and grappa. Find yourself dancing at harvest festivals, climbing through Etruscan tombs, traipsing among Roman ruins, or bathing in ancient Roman termés (hot springs). Climb to the heights in elegant Capri on the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, or to the top of the “holiest of holies” at St. Peter’s Basilica. Soak up ancient and cultural history in Milan, Firenze (Florence), Amalfi, Pompeii, Lecce, and Rome. Bask in the sun and opalescent waters along the rugged coasts of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas. And, best of all, capture a rare glimpse into the secrets of the Mediterranean psyche while sharing a good meal with new friends. It is truly the trip of a lifetime.
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In this time of covid and lockdowns, what a better way to get your travel fix, than to read a delightful travel book! “A September to Remember: Searching for Culinary Pleasures at the Italian Table” is an excellent choice. In this third book in a series of travel and culinary adventures, Carole Bumpus has a winner, with something for every sort of traveller, famous sites, the off beaten path, rentals with friends, a bit of history, and then there’s the food! With a chapter of recipes at the end of the book for you to try! Now, where can I find some wild boar?
We read about the unexpected fun adventures of village festivals, literally right on the doorstep, the confusing time of trying to cope with a different shopping culture with respect to opening times and vast varieties of pasta, enough to make your head spin, as well as hilarious times trying to eat outside under an awning as torrential rain strikes. We get good tips on not only what to expect at crowded famous sites, such as the Blue Grotto and the Isle of Capri, but things not to miss, such as the view from the top of the cupola of the Basilica at St. Peter’s square.
If you liked Peter Mayle’s books on France and “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes, you will enjoy this book.
It’s fitting to end with a quote the author chose by Cicero, my favourite line in the book, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
“While traveling abroad, have you ever strolled down a cobblestone street, passed an open window, and heard laughter flowing out to greet you? Have you ever stopped to listen to the banter while wondering what it would be like to live there? In that house? That village? And, oooooh! What are those wonderful aromas? Well, you were not alone. I have too.”
I swear, this book should be officially endorsed by the Italian tourism board. I have never wanted to take a vacation to this beautiful country so much as I have after reading this memoir! Where else are you going to get locally grown olive oil, colorful festivals and historical buildings and sites that date back thousands of years?
I’m assuming that Carole Bumpus asked herself the same questions and it was this interest in Italy that led her and her husband, Winston to take a trip there in 1998. That very trip is immortalized in this memoir, ‘A September to Remember: Searching for Culinary Pleasures at the Italian Table.’
This is a true tale with historical settings, wonderfully friendly people and food that is absolutely to die for, if it were veganized, of course).
If there is anything that the Italian people do better than everyone else, it’s probably food and Bumpus proves this by not only describing delectable meals, but also including many of the recipes for these meals in the end of the book. Luckily, some of these recipes can be easily be made vegan but be ware, some cannot. This way, you can sample some of them for yourself and decide if they are everything that she describes. If you’re like me, you won’t be disappointed.
This memoir has much to love and salivate over, without dragging on like some others do. I loved Bumpus’ writing style and I plan to read more from her in the future! I actually read her novel, ‘A Cup of Redemption’ back in 2014 and loved it as well. You can read my review here.
Nothing says love quite like food, and Carole Bumpus has hit on that perfectly in this one-of-a-kind memoir. I highly recommend that you read it. Great arm chair traveling, especially during a pandemic.
Note: For my fellow vegans, I found several vegan friendly restaurants in Itally via a Google search and there is also a vegan tour company to help you plan your trip there.
Scrumptious food, fascinating history and beautiful descriptions of the countryside unite in this one-of-a-kind memoir from author Carole Bumpus.
‘A September to Remember,’ is the kind of book that just makes you feel cozy! I read it one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys travel memoirs.
In the book, Bumpus remembers the trip that she and her husband, Winston took to Italy in 1998. She and Winston toured much of the country, from Milan to other cities like Florence and Rome and all over the beautiful Italian countryside. But, unlike other travel memoirs, ‘A September To Remember’ pulls double duty as something of a cookbook.
Apart from relating the absolutely divine meals that she experienced while in Italy, Bumpus takes the extra step of including the recipes for these meals at the back of the book. A step that many of us appreciate! Throughout the book, I was desperate to try some of these meals for my own and I was very glad to see that she provided a way to do so. But even without the added benefit of the recipes, this memoir is as unforgettable as any Italian trip would be.
Bumpus’ writing is brilliant and her descriptions of the places that she visited make you feel as if you are standing there with her. Reading along as she discusses Italian history and describes museums that she and her husband visited, it’s clear that she has a great love for the country and it’s culture.
I would love to read more from Bumpus in the future. She has a talent and a way with words that is rare and magical. ‘A September To Remember’ is one that I will remember for a long time to come!