News from CycleItalia

Reserve your place on a CycleItalia guided tour BEFORE January 1, 2012 and receive a free, signed-by-the-author copy of not one, but two wonderful books. Maglia Rosa by Herbie Sykes and Bill and Carol McGann's The Story of the Giro d'Italia Volume 1 are great reads, packed with all kinds of Italian cycling lore. Books will be delivered in Italy. Contact us for more details but don't miss your chance to score these special gifts!

Featured Tour:

Taste of Tuscany

Tuscany has long been an expression of the Italian dream. We so much enjoyed setting up this tour for self-guided clients we decided to offer a guided version! Join us for a great mix of what makes Tuscany world -famous along with what makes it a great cycling destination.

Photo features sunset from Quattro Gigli's (our HQ hotel for this tour) terrace.

May 10 - Overnight flight to Pisa's Galileo Galilei airport.

May 11- Arrive at Montopoli Val d'Arno, a classic Tuscan hilltop village midway between Pisa and Florence. You'll be welcomed by Luigi and Fulvia at our charming headquarters hotel, known for its Renaissance ambience and Slow Food restaurant. Assemble your bike and store your case, then take a warm-up ride through the local hills or relax in the garden by the swimming pool, taking in the view of the valley.

May 12- Pedal east along the edge of the Arno valley on peaceful country roads through magical Tuscan terrain. Pause for a leisurely pranzo toscano, marvel at the magical views, and perhaps taste some wine. Then pedal south through the Chianti hills toward Colle Val d'Elsa, the crystal capital of Italy and our lodging in a historic restored paper mill. We'll indulge in another Tuscan feast at a local ristorante.

Find the rest of the itinerary HERE.

QuattroGigli

What's new?

We had a great season in 2011, thanks to all of you who joined us! For 2012 in May we'll offer a guided version of our popular self-guided Taste of Tuscany. From there we'll head down to Rome to meet the people joining us for Campania's Cilento Coast. Then it's back up north for More Monferrato, a guided version of Taste of Piedmont. Our recent addition, Vineyards to the Sea, follows immediately after. Then we'll offer Best of Piedmont, a revised and condensed version of our flagship Paradise in Piedmont tour. From there we're off to Sardegna Coast to Coast to Coast before returning to the mainland for Legendary Climbs. Prior to all of this we're planning to reside in Sicily for the fall and winter. You can keep up with our activities via our BLOG.

CycleItalia's philanthropy

We're extremely fortunate to be able to make a living doing what we love. Each year we distribute some of our profits to worthy organizations. You can find them all on our website links page under "CycleItalia Proudly Supports." In this issue we'll feature one that is taking a leadership position in dealing with the devastating drought and famine in East Africa, OXFAM AMERICA.We urge you to help in any way you can, thanks!

Recipe: Fagioli a l'Ucelleto

We recently enjoyed a Tuscan-style summer dinner. Heather whipped up her version of this famous Tuscan bean dish. It was perfect with our Florentine beefsteaks! We often use a beat-up copy of The Little Tuscan Cookbook for recipes, especially in late summer. Try this one!

2 C cannellini beans (dry, soaked overnight. Use any white bean in a pinch)

1 large onion, peeled

6 T extra virgin olive oil (Tuscan is best for this dish)

2 sprigs fresh sage

2 cloves garlic, peeled

14 oz can tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper.

Drain soaked beans and put into large saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes. Drain, rinse and return to pot with onion. Cover with water and simmer until beans are tender. Just before you finish cooking, add salt to taste, drain and discard onion. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil, then add sage and garlic. Just when it starts to sizzle add tomatoes, then beans. Season with more salt and pepper, simmer another 10-15 minutes before serving. This also makes a nice topping for crostini.