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Northern Tuscany is beautiful and the prices are not as high as the southern area. It is also greener, has some beautiful mountains and rivers and it has excellent communications. Pisa airport is very handy and the location is great. But you need to spend some time there and see for yourself. We fell in love with Bagni di Lucca and we still are. Your heart will tell you which is the right spot for you. It is what the French call "coup de coeur".

Sorry, Tinker, but I have to disagree. Anisakis is not a bacteria but a worm and it can give you a very nasty reaction. You can actually see the worms inside the guts of fresh fish and my fishmonger has shown them to me. I eat quite a lot of fish, but I am careful to cook it thoroughly and to freeze first any fish that I am going to pickle. Particularly anchovies, simply marinated with oil and vinegar or lemon juice, although delicious, can be a source of trouble. They need to be frozen first as this kills all the larvae which you can't see. By all means, eat plenty of fish, it is excellent for your health but inspect it first, cook it thoroughly or, if in doubt, freeze it first. You can find relevant information (and some photos) doing a Google search.

Hello and welcome, Ritaruth. I would not agree entirely with Tinker regarding the cost of living... some things may be more expensive, but others are cheaper. Have you decided where you would like to retire? I would advise you to look around before making any decision.

I totally agree with you, Pendy, modern kitchens look great in traditional houses and a mixture of old and new makes the place look alive and not like a museum. We had to have our kitchen custom-made because of the characteristics of the walls and the height of a window in our old watermill, but before deciding this I had a good look at the kitchens offered by Mondo Convenienza near Florence and I am sure that you will find something suitable. Good luck with the renovations!

Very good.  Thank you.

Is Misha jealous or has he decided to ignore the whole thing? The chickens must be getting plenty of attention...

You can't go wrong with the Cooking School created by author Lorenza de' Medici at Badia a Coltibuono. I think that one of her children does the teaching nowadays. Anyway, have a look at

One extra piece of advice, particularly if you do not know the origin of the anchovies. Many fish can be infected by the anisakis larvae which cause severe allergy reactions. The larvae can be destroyed by freezing the fish first. If you want to know more about it, here is some information:

Sorry to contradict you, Karen, but frying with olive oil is not a waste. On the contrary. Frying in olive oil has always been an art in the Mediterranean area. Vegetable oils heated for frying easily get decomposed and frying certain foods such as fish in them increases the polyunsaturated acid content of the oil, which causes decomposition. On the other hand, olive oil is ideal for frying as it has a high smoking poing (210ºC). Normal frying temperature is 180ºC. It also forms a crust on the surface of the food you are frying, which prevents the penetration of the oil and makes the food more digestible. It also has a lower fat content than vegetable oil and for these reasons all food fried in olive oil are healthier. It can also be safely re-used for frying several times. About 5 times maximum would be the recommended rate. Dylano, anchovies are bigger than whitebait and you may notice some of the bones; however, it is not necessary to remove them all. I find that it is very easy to cut the heads and remove the guts and main bone all at the same time, leaving the anchovy butterfly open. No need to use a knife, you can easily do it with your hands. After doing this, wash your hands in cold running water without rubbing them and have some lemon or mint leaves to get rid of the smell.

I will certainly be there in May and I will try to post something.