Podcast From Italy: Ashley & Jason Bartner

It feels like Christmas in June with a huge delivery of copper cookware for our cooking classes!! Jason researched for months and explains his choice  - listen to find out who we went with and why. Plus I read a few more chapters of the book including "Welcome to the Neighborhood" delivering apple pies to our new neighbors...

On a gorgeous Spring day we record the podcast outside under the cherry tree & talk about blowing Gaggi's mind with...fresh peas! We comment on the freak show of food videos filling our facebook feed and more excerpts from the Book: The Wood Bandits & Learning to Live & Cook Slow

Our season is underway with yoga retreats, cooking classes & bottling wine! An update on the coop - it's a full house with our new chickadees! During a break in guests we snuck away South to Puglia and tell you all about our adventure in buying caccio cavallo!

A freak April snowstorm hit just before we fired up the mics! An Easter recap, Gaggi's thoughts on our new car, the trials & tribulations of having a pool and our thoughts on train travel in Italy!

We are fired up for our first cooking class of the season - pizza, only to have a classic April shower washout. The workshop went great - we just don't know if it was the content or all the food & wine!! Jason shares one of his favorite lamb recipes. And Ashley shares her frustrations on vlogging...damn Casey Neistat! This week - we share a few more excerpts from the unpublished, unnamed, unfinished book!

We are in full spring cleaning mode - from painting the guest rooms, working in the garden, planting flowers and taking care of business before the guests arrive in a week and half! That means tieing up loose ends with our immigration and farmer's union as well....We find out the hard way that even 8 years later the beauracracy can come back and bite ya if you didn't take care of it properly. Lots of dinner with Gaggi and his totally comedic frustration of a dinner with bread. And Chapter 4 of the untitled, unpublished book about our move to Italy 10 years ago! Please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and check out all our latest Vlog from Italy videos!

 This week is a doozey! We share with you our honest opion of 48 hours in Venice with a few great recommendations including a truck stop for lunch! We are getting ready for the start of the season and busy working on the vlog & projects around the house.  While trying to support his strong back, Jason is strengthening his mind...with basic algebra and a little music from Tennesse Earnie Ford. And back by popular demand...another excerpt from "The Book" - Chapter 3! Thanks for listening!!

After catching you all up on the latest happenings: from ladri in Piobbico to carnevale & citrus season we swtich it up and read an excerpt from the unpublished book Ashley started years ago... Thanks for listening and send us your comments & quetions to read on an upcoming episode!

Happy 2017! After spending the holidays in France we share the differences vs. Italy. While we were away Gaggi stayed busy with yard work just in time for the snow storm on it's way! And our annual tradition continues - we made 50 kilos of salami with Gaggi & Vittorio! Thanks for listening & buon anno nuovo!

After a month of work at the house and visiting family in the States, we are back reminiscing about our first Christmas in Italy, 10 years ago! Jason runs down his top list of Christmas gifts for the cook and we compare Christmas in the States vs Italy. Happy Holidays!!

We woke to the first hard frost of the year after a light snow on Saturday. Jason shares his tips for menu planning and preparing your holiday feast! From brining the turkey to making the most of your equipment - plan ahead & you'll do great! We talk Italian politics from the new garbage bins to Renzi's reform. Happy Holidays & thanks for listening!

It's the end of the season at La Tavola Marche (farm, inn & cooking school), we fire up the mics as we prepare for winter. Thankfully safe & sound after another round of earthquakes in Central Italy, we chat about our mezzo-gallo (half rooster), kimchi & stocking up on olive oil. Ashley shares her truffle hunting adventures and Jason explains the traditions of local hunters and the unique feast for Ogni Santi (All Saint's Day)! Thanks for listening!!

Autumn is at our doorstep on this beautiful morning! This episode we chat about the modernization in Italy and the arrival of Amazon.it and the effects. An immigration update which leads us to a discussion on how we 'grease the wheels' out here! Then we move on to the kitchen at talk about cooking rabbit. We announce our first Consulting Workshop in Italy for those of your dreaming of moving here to start a business! Thanks for Listening -

Thankfully we are safe & sound without any damages in our area after the devastating earthquake. We recap the last few months and how the Dutch saved our Summer! The fun vs. frustrations of kids at the farmhouse and menu planning involved for families. And Jason asks if 'Stuffed Zucchini & Carbonara what you really want?!' Announcing the 2017 NEW cooking classes! Thanks for listening & have a great day!

He fled the country!! The unbelievable true story of selling our cooking in Italy. Two days after all the documents and contracts were signed at the notary (and legally binding), the “new owners” of La Tavola Marche fled the country on a plane back to the good ol’ U.S of A.!!  They lasted 6 days in Italy. We were in total shock - not only did they leave without telling us but without paying either! It’s the stuff movies are made of. Jason & Ashley are back to share with you the trials, tribulations and joys & laughter of running a farm, inn and cooking school in rural Le Marche. To read more about this crazy story visit our blog: http://latavolamarche.blogspot.it/2016/06/when-life-gives-you-lemonsmake-best.html

This week's podcast is a good one!! An in-depth interview with Villa Cappelli owners Steven & Paul. Away from the tourists in one of the most beautiful undiscovered Regions in Italy, we hear from two American expats about life in Puglia, their favorite local recipes and restoring a centuries old villa! The couple also produces olive oil and wine and we delve into the infamous olive oil scandal happening in Italy!! For more on Villa Cappelli listen to their podcast - Living Villa Cappelli www.villacappelli.com Thanks for listening & have a great week!!!

Our latest travels to France & Spain, including the best place for a layover in Europe! Our househunting continues for the next great farmhouse for LA TAVOLA MARCHE and our new business/brand NO HALF MEASURES is taking off quickly with a stay at the five star boutique (agriturismo) Gran Hotel Son Net in Mallorca! From flights to funerals we cover a wide range this week!  Thanks for listening, Jason & Ashley

Lots to talk about this episode of Podcast from Italy - We just returned from a weekend getaway to Barcelona with beautiful weather & a memorable stay at the Mercer Hotel Barcelona. We share the highlights of our amazing first look/taste of the new menu at K - Find out how I was able to travel in the EU without a passport! And we recant the "Groundhog's Day" esque annual sausage & salami making with Dr. Gaggi & Vittorio. Still on the hunt for the next farmhouse for La Tavola Marche as well...Thanks for listening!

Happy New Year from Italy! This week we share our holiday traditions, including a special segment narrated by Dr. Gaggi! We're house hunting for the NEXT location for La Tavola Marche...Then we discuss winter/low season travel and the perks of low-cost airlines! Watch the videos mentioned in this podcast here: https://nohalfmeasureslife.wordpress.com/films/

Today's podcast is a little different - we woke up early to simultaneously record a podcast & LIVE! Periscope video! Thanks to everyone that sent us your questions - both ahead of time and while the periscope feed was live! Jason showed and explained how to roast chestnuts in an open fire while I complained about Christmas in Italy! We announced big new about La Tavola Marche and what's next for us and the business!! Thanks for listening!! And if you'd like to watch the periscope feed (only available for the next 24 hours...) or follow us for future broadcasts: https://www.periscope.tv/ashleybartner