Ortensia Blu Travel Adventures Blog
Welcome to
“Your cousin owns a gelato shop??!! Are you kidding me??? Of course I want to go!”, I shrieked (without hugging her too tightly) when Deborah invited me to Pinguino Giallo (Yellow Penguin) Gelateria in Gardone Riviera, a charming town on the western side of Lake Garda. Owned by Deborah’s Aunt Silvia for the past 25 […]
Russian Salad is a very well known dish in Italy and was invented in the 1860’s by Lucien Olivier, a Moscow restaurateur of French origin. Over time it has undergone many changes – it was known as Genovese Salad, and was considered one of the main dishes of Ligurian aristocratic gala dinners. And Italians have changed […]
Got the shopping list, dropped my son and next-door neighbours’ kids at school and heading like every Saturday morning to the farmer’s shop, north towards the hills. A plain, middle-aged woman with mud on her shoes will attend me in a 20 sq. meter barn transformed into a grocer’s shop. “Buongiorno signora come sta?”, she asks. […]
I’ll be honest – I always keep a nice pork loin in my freezer! I find it is very versatile, and in my little cookery experience, I’ve made it several different ways. But my favorite and especially for my husband Manuele is Maiale in Crosta/ Pork Loin in Pastry Crust. This recipe, adapted from Benedetta Parodi, […]
I guess I really never gave much thought to where buffalo mozzarella actually came from – it’s one of those special foods that show up on a nicer Italian restaurant menu but is always difficult to find in an American grocery store. However, when those buffalo looked me in the eye, I figured it out. […]
Mother’s Day! My son wanted to celebrate this day dedicated to all mothers in a special way by baking some biscuits for me. We chose some really “tempting” biscuits which are easy to make and are prepared with three simple ingredients – butter, sugar and flour. Their name literally means “cat’s tongue” as their shape […]
Gorgonzola cheese is one of my most favourite foods! The taste of Gorgonzola is a mix between savory and sweet- wonderful! Its history traces back to the year 879 AD to town of Gorgonzola, near Milan and was first called the “stracchino di Gorgonzola” or “stracchino verde”. Made from cow’s milk, the main characteristic of Gorgonzola is the […]
The legend says that one day a group of Lanzichenecchis looters (mercenary soldiers from the 14th century) arrived at a South Tyrolean farm and the commander threatened to set fire to the farm and house if they were not fed immediately. The peasant farm woman was home alone with her daughters and unafraid, she went to work. […]
VinItaly, held in April, is definitely the main reference event to get acquainted with the best wine growing and cellar techniques as well as olive growing and olive oil technologies. It is the best place for passion-driven wine drinkers to meet wine producers, importers, distributors, restaurateurs, critics and wine journalists. 95,000 square meters, over 140,000 visitors and […]
Travel Services
Adventure Made Easy—and Made Just for You
At Ortensia Blu, we design true adventures. This is adventure that takes you to the heart of your destination—without sacrificing an ounce of comfort along the way. Our adventures come from knowing the right people (a.k.a. our expert in-country partners), asking the right questions, and being there for you every step of the journey.
Discover how we'll design your next travel adventure.
our travel services
