Well, ne'er let it be said that anyone from the Pinchbeck family doesn't know how to keep people on their toes (believe it or not there is good reason that some of us (ahem) have been referred to in the past as drama queens...)

So, in a dramatic twist to the beginning of the travel tale, my original plans to visit Sweden for a week prior to Japan had to be swiftly and unceremoniously ditched last minute - long story...however, Sweden, I will be back for you, I promise.

The upside of this initial travel casualty was the unusual occasion of all four Pinchbecks simultaneously converging in the hills of Tuscany. O the silver lining to every cloud! This, of course, was not until I succeeded in putting myself through quite an ordeal in order to arrive BACK to Radda in Chianti, barely 48 hours after I had left it!

[For those interested, it is indeed possible to take over 24 hours to get from London to Tuscany - oh yes: 7pm Victoria to Kings Cross to Euston, a five hour nailbiting wait before securing a lastminute bunk in the sleeper train, 8 hours' blissful overnight kip rocked like a baby above the trains' wheels, awaking bright eyed and bushy tailed in Edinburgh at 8am, being picked up by my big little bro, whisked off to the airport, flown to Pisa, train to Florence, train to Montevarchi where finally finally we fell into the loving arms of Parents Pinchbeck, and (the very important carrot to the donkey) promptly swept off to yet another lipsmackingly delicious Italian dinner!]

Thankfully the rest of my breathtakingly brief whirlwind (2nd) visit to Tuscany was spent rather more restfully. Post previously mentioned delicious dins, I slept like a dead person, awaking in my pitch black Tuscan hillside bedroom to the sound of the operatic dawn chorus. I swear to goodness these Italian birds were singing Puccini...they've got some right warbles going on.

It was a real treat to have the whole family round the breakfast/lunch/dinner table again. Internationally spread as we are, what with Oli shortly headed to China, and me off on my various travels, plus whatever global shenanigans the parents are up to, who knows when in the forseeable future we might meet again! So it was a good opportunity for mummy hen to spend some time with her little chicks (and vice versa of course).

As per usual in Italy, the day tends to consist of continuous eating/drinking, punctuated only briefly by a spot of driving (to the source of eating), shopping (for food/wine to eat/drink), or having loud, dramatic conversations with the Italian builders who are helping to rebuild the kitchen (to eat in). So you see, Italy really is just one gigantic feast.

I did, however, manage to fit in a few non-eating activities:

- my dear darling younger brother taught me how to play Poker (much to my mother's chagrin) - this time off is all about adding to my essential life skills. I'm working on my Poker face as I write.

- a market visit to Castellinas, a small town with - as the name hints - a beautiful little CASTLE, 30 minutes from Albola

- a family walk down to the 'unknown soldier's grave, down the hill from our house

- an artistic afternoon spent sketching a still life scene in our kitchen

- erm...ooh crikey, oh yes, a film ('Capote' - v good, I recommend it)

Ok, so it's quite clear that I really do revel in the food bits. So rather than apologise for this, instead I will make it a permanent blog fixture. A Food Fanfare, so to speak - dedicated to the lovely Annabel who I can rest assured will become my most avid reader as a result! It will be entitled 'Food Fiend', detailing what weird, wonderful, wacky and (feasibly) woeful dishes that might cross my palate on my travels. It will be found at the end of most blogs.

Food Fiend:

- Sliced fresh artichokes drizzled in olive oil

- Taglialini with grated dried mullet roe ('botaga' - really quite delicious, a curious combination of nutty fishiness, which is not nearly as disgusting as many of you will probably think!)

- Melt-in-your mouth rolls of aubergine, filled with goats cheese and surrounded by baby tomatoes

- Rabbit stew with capers and olives

- Papardelle (thick strips of fresh pasta) with a duck stew sauce

- Roast Rib of Pork with light-as-air crispy tempura vegetables [for those in the know - AL/LR, this is fyi! - this was again at ristorante Locanda Borgo Antico, up the hill from the house]

Tune in next time to the Adventures of Alexia Pinchbeck, when, after many a threat, she FINALLY manages to leave London/Europe. Destination....JAPAN!!!