Monte Bianco, Anyone???

This won't be open until June 2015...

Man...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gMJmh1Icvs

Fontina Cheese

WAIT until you taste the local Fontina cheese... 


MAGNIFICO!

 Fontina is a specialty of the Aosta Valley... ...a soft, smooth cheese with a mild flavor.

 It is best used in fondue, but is delicious fresh, as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJgrMQhfa5A

Some Videos made by Aosta Students

Our friend, Elena has sent me videos made by her students, 

so we can learn about the region before our travels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSWZ5TYDwEI

And here are some other reasons to love Italy, in videos created by Elena's classes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VD4LG4mQO8

and information (In Italian) about the school itself. There are pictures, though!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F3sWdzivaI

Elena and her students recently has a 2 week study abroad program to England. 

They look quite happy!

We look forward to meeting them and visiting the school! 

A PRESTO!

Our High School Friends in Aosta

Long story short... Last fall I got an email from a teacher in Aosta, who had seen an article in her local paper about Ray's and my visit to the town. We began writing and now we are planning to meet in May.

We will visit her classroom of high school students and then take a field trip to a near by castle (Sarre') with the students.

http://www.lovevda.it/it/banca-dati/8/castelli-e-torri/sarre/castello-reale-di-sarre/1131

from the above website

 I am so excited to have built this long-distance partnership. It is wonderful how things come to happen so serendipitously.

Here is Elena's group of students. I will post the videos she has sent and in May, we will post many more new photos of our students all together.

What fun!

INSTITUT AGRICOLE REGIONAL. In Valle d'Aosta

2. Address: 1 Localita' Bachod, Saint-pierre, AO 11010, Italy

   Phone:+39 0165 903412
3. Write a review

1000 Year Old Festival in Aosta

Check out this weekend's events in our Sister City of Aosta in the Valley (Valle D'Aosta).

http://www.italymagazine.com/news/fiera-di-santorso-1000-year-old-fair-aosta

Someday My Prince Will...

Who needs a Prince? 

          We can visit some of these castles... A teacher friend lives nearby... 

we will be visiting her classroom in Aosta.

http://www.lovevda.it/en/culture/castles

photo from:  http://www.lovevda.it/en/database/8/castles-and-towers/sarre/sarre-royal-castle/1131#

Marciano photo of Pavone Castle near Aosta '14

Aosta Information

This is the English Language link to the Aosta information about Roman architecture.

There is so much history here, it is amazing.

http://www.lovevda.it/en/culture/roman-architecture

The 1000 Year Festival in Aosta

http://www.italymagazine.com/news/fiera-di-santorso-1000-year-old-fair-aosta

        The food was outstanding... The Fontina cheese is to  

                  die for... The handmade crafts are unique.

                           The scenery is breathtaking -

            some of the highest mountains in all of Europe...



                     And a fabulous Mayor (Sindaco)...

                                   Bruno Giordano.

                            A presto - Maggio 2015!

We have a print of this poster from 2014 framed and hung in our kitchen.  I took the other photos in May 2014. It is such an adorable, beautiful, peaceful, friendly place...

The food was outstanding... The Fontina cheese is to die for... The handmade crafts are unique.

I can't wait to being our students there... 2015...

Aosta in the Winter -

Take a peek at Aosta in the winter - great skiing in the 

Italian Alps...

http://www.italialiving.com/articles/travel/aosta-valley-offers-pristine-skiing/

We will be there SOON!

Only FOUR seats left...

Valle D'Aosta Photos from their web sites...

Enjoy some of the winter photos from Valle D'Aosta... Glad to be in Southern GA right now, even with this chilly 23 degree weather! 

Here's a Chicken Valdostina recipe for you to try out.... Mangia! (Eat!)

Buon appetito (good appetite)

Chicken Valdostana   from  http://www.miomyitaly.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

6 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to a 1/4 inch thickness

1/4 cup of unsalted butter or margarine

10 mushrooms, thinly sliced

3/4 cup of a dry white wine

3/4 cup of veal stock (OR chicken stock OR turkey stock)

2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

freshly ground white pepper to taste

6 thin slices of prosciutto ham

6 thin slices of fontina cheese

Cooking Instructions

1) Lightly flour the chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour.

2) In a large skillet over a low heat, melt the butter or margarine.

Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes

each side should do it. Remove and set aside.

3) Increase heat to a medium low. Add the mushrooms and

 saute until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the white

 wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3 to 4 minutes.

4) Increase the heat to medium high. Add stock, parsley and

pepper and simmer until sauce reduced to 1 cup, about 10

minutes. Reduce heat to low.

5) Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a

slice of fontina cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook

just until the cheese melts. Transfer the chicken to individual

plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before

serving.

Valle D'Aosta at Christmas

The City of Aosta is deck out for 

Christmas, 2014.  So beautiful!  Che bella!

 Buon Natale

At 101 degrees in the back yard, yesterday, I am dreaming of the cool breeze in Valle D'Aosta Italy, when we were there a month ago. Here are some photos to keep you cool on a gloriously sunny day in South Georgia!

Aosta is high up in the Alps, almost not he border of France to the west, and Switzerland to the north. The views are breathtaking, and yes, on May 29th, there was snow at the top of the mountains.


We kept expecting Julie Andrews to come around the next corner singing "The hills are alive, with the sound of music..."

The town of Aosta is small, but the people were warm and welcoming. We plan to meet with the mayor again,  but next time, with students from Valdosta State University. It truly is a city of ambiance. Lots of tiny shops, places to eat locally produced foods and drink local wines, with the scenery reminiscent of a Hollywood set. 

Interested in a Study Abroad in Italy for Summer 2015? Open to students in the Honors College and College of Education & Human Services, I am proposing a program for May-June 2015. This first trip will be limited to 10 students!


You MUST taste the creamy gelato - made from locally grown fruits and nuts, and made fresh every day! 

Contact me for further information: dlmarciano@valdosta.edu. Please write: Study Italy 2015 as the subject heading. A Presto!

     ~ The Dancing Etruscan ~