It's a Jovial Journey to Italy in 2013

Jovial’s first Culinary Getaway in Lucca took place in May of 2012 and a number of people like you came and stayed at the beautiful villa, located just steps from where our pasta is made.  Hands on cooking classes where taught by Shauna & Danny Ahern from Gluten Free Girl & the Chef.  People were just as excited to meet Shauna as they were to travel the beautiful Tuscan countryside. This year we are looking forward to seeing Shauna and Danny again and also to have Jenny from Nourished Kitchen for the second week.

For me, Carla the founder of jovial, it was  great to spend a week together with people who buy our products. I will never forget one guest in particular. Bella was about 10 at the time and traveled with her little brother, Zack, and parents. She could not eat gluten or dairy and her brother was seriously allergic to nuts. Her mother really wanted to have a vacation in Italy but traveling with allergies would be difficult. Bella and Zack really hit it off with my two children, so when they were not on day trips in Tuscany, this foursome had a great time playing together.

One day, they spent the morning in the pool with Bella and Zack’s mom while I was attending to things at the villa. When I went to get my girls for lunch, Bella looked very sad that I was going to take my children away for a bit. She looked at me and asked, “Are you cooking pasta for lunch?” Her big eyes were begging to come, so I invited her and her brother along for lunch while their parents relaxed by the pool. I made brown rice spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce and a salad. When the spaghetti was ready, I asked Zack if he wanted sauce and he answered, “Depends.” I confirmed that for him, with sauce or without depended on whether or not the sauce was going to taste good. I assured him I knew how to make good sauce and gave him a sneak preview of the new jovial tomatoes. I have never seen a kid eat so much spaghetti in my life. I still have fond memories of that family, as it meant a lot to me to spend time with Bella, knowing our pasta was her favorite at home.

I know what it is like to have multiple food allergies and what it means to have children with intolerances to gluten, dairy and eggs. If you are living gluten free or have food allergies and long for a safe vacation in a very special place, this vacation may just be for you. I will personally make certain that you will be eating delicious fresh local and seasonal food, without having to worry.  Click here to visit the new Jovial Culinary Getaway website to learn more about this great vacation. I really look forward to meeting you in May.