With Nat at Joy Macy’s farm, West Nyack, New York, 2015. Background photo by Paolo Destefanis for my book, Veneto (Chronicle Books, 2002).

Hello good people everywhere,

I hope you are well. As you know, I’ve been away from my blog for a long while—nearly three years. My adored husband, Nathan Charles Benedict Hoyt, passed over to the other side on August 25, 2019. Savant and genius, graphic designer, world-class architect, my partner in photojournalism, the light and love of my life and kindest man I ever knew, he left this world too soon, at 66 years. But he accomplished more in one lifetime that few ever do, even as he lent a hand to others along the way and lifted them up when he could.

If the graphic background on this page is still a winter scene (new image in progress), spring has returned to my life. Many things have changed––a move from New York to Massachusetts to be near my two daughters, living part of the year in Sardinia, the birth of my first grandchild, Eliodoro (Elio, or “LiLi,” as I call him), and more. I’m back to work, with Nat’s spirit at my back, writing a book that has been humming in the background nearly all my life, a novel based on a true story––mine. Set in Sardinia and Puglia, the Italian regions of my forebears, it’s about a family secret I uncovered recently and how I have come to realize it shaped my life.

Onwards, fork in hand… I wish to look back on my journey when I am 105 and still spry (if my Sardinian genes prevail), and be able to say, “It was a life well-lived,” as I know Nat could. Come with me, my friends.

With love,

Julia

The Venetian Lagoon, Photo by Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2018

No doubt you have heard about the disastrous rains and resulting floods in Venice in recent weeks—the worst since the tragic flooding of 1966 that did so much damage to the city and its art and architectural treasures; to homes and shops and livelihoods. Those of you who have been on our culinary sailing cruises of the lagoon islands no doubt wonder how Mauro Stoppa, our Venetian captain and host and his beloved ship the Eolo, have fared. Because the boat was out of the water for seasonal repairs and maintenance when the violent storms hit again and again over several days, both are safe. Only his small dingy, used for trips to the Rialto market for food supplies, was destroyed.

The Eolo in dry-dock.

You can support our unique and extraordinary culinary sailing tour by joining us for a spring or autumn tour. Participate in a venture designed by our captain and host, a native Venetian who takes great pride in drawing you into the insider’s Venice. Be amazed by these fabled islands that rise out of the sea like a fairy vision. You will no doubt find, as so many of our guests have, that you will have an adventure of a lifetime. Ours are the only tours of their kind that go behind the spectacle that is Venice to explore its nooks, crannies, and backstreets. We take you to the enchanting smaller islands where the native Venetians still live and work far away from the hordes of visitors on the main island. We will expertly navigate the lagoon waters, gliding through the mesmerizing calm and beauty of this sea-within-a-sea while our crew serves you the delights that emerge from the galley based on genuine local cooking that our host learned from his Venetian mother (note that we can custom prepare vegetarian menus and accommodate guests with dietary restrictions).

Greeting Mauro. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales, 2017

Hundreds of years after the decline of its dominant sea power, Venice, which once controlled the trade routes to Persia, India, and China, survives on tourism, even while foreign cruise ships disturb the fragile ecosystem of their waters and the punishing forces of climate change ravage it. Experts say that just like Atlantis—a continent that sank into the sea many thousands of years ago—Venice will disappear within a hundred years. But Venetians have grit and determination and will rebuild, as they always have. They have already begun. Join us for what so many of our guests say is the trip of a lifetime.

Experience the magic of the lagoon, its history and culture; natural life, music, and rich local traditions.

Summary of our itineraries for the spring and fall, 2020 culinary and cultural tours of Venice & its region with author Julia della Croce & Venetian host and captain Mauro Stoppa

Acclaimed by the Herald Tribune, The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Financial Times, Saveur, The Times (London), The Guardian, and many other prominent food and travel publications

May 18-24 6 days

Sail on our historic vessel for an unforgettable tour of Venice and its lagoon’s lesser-known islands. Journey on to the Brenta Riviera for a land tour of the Renaissance world of Andrea Palladio, one of history’s greatest architects. See Villa Foscari aka “Malconta,” Villa Pisani, and other UNESCO World Heritage sites. Dine with a countess in her ancestral palace. Visit the medieval charms, art riches, and famous markets of Padua. Enjoy superb local wines and the delicate cuisine of the provinces and be amazed at the cultural and gastronomic richness of the Veneto region. Euros 5,800.

September 14-20

Sail Venice and its lesser known islands for a unique insider’s tour of the fabled city and its enchanting lagoon. Our beautifully restored vessel is one of the few remaining purpose-built flat-bottom boats left that were designed during the time of the doges to navigate Venice’s 100 islands and 150 canals. Our generous host and his able crew will draw you into the Venice of yesterday. Lunch at anchor on the quiet lagoon, and enjoy 4 days of island-hopping followed by 3 days in Venice proper with expert native guides at your side. Euros 6,200 (double occupancy)

English spoken by our expert crew and local guides.

Rates and Particulars:

• 6,200 Euros per person including the last night (7 nights) or 5,800 Euros for 6 nights for accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons during our journey at your discretion, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

*Price covers meals, overnight accommodations in first-rate inns and hotels, guides, cooking lessons, and museum fees.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For more information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com. For more information about me, go to www.juliadellacroce.com. You can email me at julia@juliadellacroce.com with any questions you might have.

Because many of you have asked, here’s the itinerary for our new 2020 7-day culinary sailing tour in collaboration with Venetian host Mauro Stoppa. This will be a cultural and culinary exploration of the Venetian lagoon and the Brenta Riviera. Boats and traditional means of transport make for a unique journey in one of Italy’s most historically, culturally and gastronomically rich regions. This is a variation of our original tour of Venice and the lagoon islands (that will be offered once again, September 14-20—itinerary to come).

With guests at the fabled Venetian restaurant Le Antiche Carampane. From left to right, standing: Jennifer Johnston, Christine Sims, Frank Sims, Mauro Stoppa with dog Olivia, Jeanette Holcomb, Eileen Lloyd, Richard Lloyd; kneeling: Connie Huber Stoy, Julia della Croce.

OVERVIEW

The spring 2020 journey begins onboard the Eolo, the restored historic sailing vessel owned by our host. We’ll take off from the lagoon islands and sail the tranquil waters westward into the bucolic Brenta canal and the Renaissance world of one of history’s greatest architects, Andrea Palladio. The last two days conclude with a return to Venice to explore its lesser known neighborhoods and sites. Once on the Veneto mainland, our crew will transfer us onto smaller traditional boats built to navigate the narrow, shallow canals of the ancient Venetian waterways just as the Venetians once did. Along the way, we’ll explore everything from the magnificent villas of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century merchant classes to the ancient cities and villages of art and culture along the Brenta, the natural extension of the Grand Canal. We’ll relive the extraordinary experience of noble families leaving Venice to spend summers in the countryside during the Serenissima’s gilded age, and also discover the world of ordinary Venetians. An extraordinary exploration of Venice and its region not offered anywhere else, our past guests have said that traveling with us on the Eolo was the experience of a lifetime. We think you’ll agree.

For lunch, our captain, host, and galley cook, Mauro Stoppa, serves freshly caught roasted sea bass encased in an aromatic bread crust. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales

SPRING TOUR 18-24, 2020

Culinary and Cultural Tour of Venice, its Lagoon, and the Brenta Riviera

Experience Veneto of the ancient Venetians with National Geographic author Julia della Croce partnering with Venetian host, captain Mauro Stoppa

• Sail lost Venice and its lagoon islands for immersion in the private world unknown to most outsiders, that of the native islanders—fishermen, artisans, tradesmen, sailors, farmers, and vintners.
• Travel through a unique ecosystem of small canals, shallow waters and sandbanks to the channel flowing into the Brenta Riviera and be immersed in an extraordinary and unspoiled natural world along the way, stopping to visit fishermen’s huts or ancient monasteries, visiting the most important Palladian villas, dining at the table of a Venetian countess in her palace, tasting the authentic cuisine of common people and noble Venetians alike.
• Be guided by the locals who take pride in the rituals of their traditional life and will welcome you into their worlds and share the details of how they live and work. 
• Journey the breathtaking Brenta Riviera and see its famous villas, gardens, and artistic treasures executed by masters including Giotto, Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo, Donatello,Veronese, and Tintoretto.
• With our local guide, tour Padova (Padua in English), the crown jewel of the region’s splendid Medieval and Renaissance cities.
• End your journey in Venice itself for an overnight in a newly renovated, palatial apartment complete with kitchenette overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district where you can sightsee with our Venetian guide, shop, or, if you like, just ramble the backstreets of Venice beyond the city’s most famous sights on your own.

Guests helping out in the galley. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales

Day 1 (Includes dinner and overnight)

MEET IN VENICE

—Group meets Julia at a hotel in Venice within easy reach by public transportation (vaporetto) from Marco Polo airport. Precise location to be anounced. Check in at 3 p.m.

—Group dinner near our hotel, 7 p.m.

—Overnight here. 

Day 2 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

CROSS THE LAGOON, STOP AT SAN LAZZARO DEGLI ARMENI ISLAND; HEAD FOR THE MAINLAND; TRAVERSE THE CANAL BY TRADITIONAL BOATS CALLED CAORLINE, DINNER AT A PRIVATE VILLA VILLA

—Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by water taxi to the Eolo. The crew will make you feel at home on deck, serving fresh local fruit, snacks and coffee prepared in the galley.

San Lazzaro c. 1877, by Charles Yriarts (1832-1848)

—Sail to the tiny monastery island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. Like many of the lagoon islands, it has been used in various ways over the centuries. A quarantine site for ships and their passengers before they were permitted to disembark in Venice during the years of the Black Plague, it eventually became a monastery for Armenian monks in the 18th century and a place of study and eventually, a publishing center and important library that is still in use.  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Lazzaro_degli_Armeni

—Disembark and meet our local guide for a tour of the abbey and the island while Mauro and the crew prepare a delicious lunch in the galley of genuine Venetian dishes sourced from local ingredients.

—Lunch al fresco, in the open air, on deck. Superb local wines served with every course.

—Shove off from the lagoon for the Brenta Riviera, gliding the gentle curves of the canals on the Eolo until we pass the last lock. At this point, guests will transfer to a convoy of smaller vessels called caorline, traditional Venetian row boats designed to navigate the narrow and shallow waterways manned by their prideful owners who, if you ask them, have plenty of tales to tell about their beloved river. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caorlina

Boatmen rowing their caorline, traditional Venetian crafts on the Brenta canal. Photo credit: Mauro Stoppa

—Disembark at the spectacular Villa Foscari, better known as “La Malcontenta.” Mirrored in the waters of the Brenta, it is considered the most fascinating of the numerous 16th century country palaces designed by the legendary architect Andrea Palladio for wealthy Venetian merchants. Guided tour of the estate. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Foscari

Villa Foscari, courtesy UNESCO.

—Re-board the caorline for an opulent riverside relais et chateaux, the 17th century Palladian villa Franceschi, former residence of the Doge’s jewelers. It comes into view in all its splendor at a bend in the canal, skirted by acres of forested parkland. According to tradition, all the villa’s balconies and terraces from which we will eat superb Venetian cuisine “al fresco,” in the open, should face the breathtaking panorama.  http://www.villafranceschi.com/en/ https:// and  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Pisani,_Stra

—Dinner at Villa Franceschi prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo’s crew.

—Overnight at Villa Franceschi. 

Day 3 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

VENETIAN VILLAS, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES, A RESTORED ANCIENT GRANARY, A BEAUTIFUL FISHERY, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT VILLA FRANCESCHI.

—Transfer by van to Villa Pisani at Strà on the Brenta Riviera that links Venice to Padua. The most famous of Veneto’s villas, Villa Pisani, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, is considered the most spectacular for its classical grandeur and allegorical frescoes by Giambattista and Domenico Tieplo and other Renaissance masters. Guided visit of the villa and its gardens. http://www.villapisani.beniculturali.it

Villa Pisani, view from the reflecting pond. Photo credit: Rafaela Pagani, 2014

—Embark on the caorline for the Molini di Dolo, perfectly restored ancient mills for grinding corn and grains that were the staples of the Venetians.  http://www.rivieradelbrenta.biz/ristoranti_riviera_del_brenta/i_mulini_del_dolo.htm

—Lunch at a typical restaurant near the mills at Villa Goetzen.

—Board the caorline again for the dramatic 17th century Villa Valmarana. http://www.villavalmarana.net/

—Return to Villa Franceschi by caorline, or on foot along the breathtaking paths on the properties, if you prefer. 

—Once again, dinner will be prepared by Mauro Stoppa and his crew at the villa.

Day 4 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

PADOVA EXCURSION AND A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, DINNER AT THE PRIVATE VILLA OF COUNTESS EMO

—Transfer by van to Padova/Padua, a dazzling tapestry of medieval marketplaces, Renaissance architecture, and early 20th century facades. Home to the second oldest university in Italy where Galileo taught and patrons of the powerful Scrovegni family sponsored Giotto’s famous works.

—Guided visit of Giotto’s Cappella degli Scrovegni, Scrovegni Chapel, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, an extraordinary example of 15th century art and the most comprehensive collection of preserved frescoes painted by Giotto (1303-1305).

Kiss of Judas, one of the panels in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padova, by Giotto di Bondone, 1304-1306. Courtesy: Cappella degli Scrovegni

—Lunch in a typical restaurant in the historic center of Padova/Padua.

—Visit Palazzo della Ragione and the Prato della Valle piazza. Built between 1218 and 1308, the Palazzo was the government center of Padua. The interior is designed to simulate an upside down wooden boat, symbolizing the intimate relationship between the city and its waterways. The nearby Prato della Valle piazza is considered one of Europe’s most significant.

—Transfer by van to the villa residence of Countess Emo in Monselice nestled in the Euganean Hills for a dinner prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo crew. Overnight in the villa.

Day 5 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

UNIQUE BAROQUE GARDENS, VISIT TO THE EUGANEAN HILLS, TRANSFER TO VENICE  

—Transfer by van to the nearby gardens at Valzanzibio, designated by UNESCO as the first Italian baroque garden, known for its allegorical themes and unique botanical labyrinths. https://www.valsanzibiogiardino.it

—Lunch at a restaurant in the charming medieval village of Arquà Petrarca, home to the last house of the fourteenth century poet, Petrarch and considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. www.arquapetrarca.com

Arquà Petrarca. Photo credit: Alain Rouiller, Wikicommons

—Guided visit of the Cataio castle. http://www.castellodelcatajo.it/

—Transfer to Venice by van and water taxi.

—Arrive in Venice in time to settle in before dinner. Overnight in spacious apartments in the newly renovated Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district.

Our accommodations in Venice: newly renovated, spacious and pristine apartments complete with kitchenettes. Photo: Compliments of Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri

Day 6 (Includes lunch, dinner, and overnight)

VENICE AND FAREWELL DINNER

Passing gondoliers as we re-enter Venice, San Giorgio in the background. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales

—Guided visit to Venice’s artisan rowers guild (forcole). Onto seeing an example of the ancient printing press system (Venice was once an important publishing center). Those who would prefer a free day in Venice are permitted to explore the city on their own.

—Lunch in a typical bacaro, eatery specializing in small plates.

—Free afternoon.

—Farewell  dinner at the legendary and colorful restaurant Antiche Carampane near the Rialto bridge, once a government-designated retirement home for ladies of the night that inhabited the neighborhood.

Day 7 (Includes hotel breakfast)

FINAL DAY

—Depart Venice, or extend your stay at the palazzo if you wish, and we will arrange for your reservations at your own cost.

Arrivederci, Venezia, a presto—see you again soon. From left to right: Joan Gussow, Michael Thun, Lynne Moody. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales

Rates and Particulars:

• 6,200 Euros per person including the last night (7 nights) or 5,800 Euros for 6 nights for accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons during our journey at your discretion, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program.
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For more information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com or email me with any questions you might have.

I have never entered it with such wonder, nor left it with such regret. 

Read more about us here, see a new video about our tour, or go directly to the Eolo’s website for more information and press endorsements from prominent food and travel publications including The Herald Tribune (The New York Times), Saveur, Conde Nast Traveler, and the Financial Times.

Reserve by June 30.  Terms & Conditions below.

Host Mauro Stoppa on board his beloved Eolo. | Credit: Paolo Destefanis for Veneto: Authentic Recipes From Venice and the Italian Northeast, by Julia della Croce

CRUISING VENICE, SEPTEMBER 12-18, 2019

…it’s hard to blame people for getting excited when they eat risotto with sea asparagus—the Venetian “salicornia”— or grouper cooked in peaches with a Byzantine basilica as a backdrop.  —Elisabetta Povoledo, The New York Times

• See the glittering city on the sea only as natives can while sailing aboard the historic and beautifully restored Eolo, a flat-bottom “bragozzo” whose design goes back to the time of the Doges and is the only one of its size still navagating.
• Experience the magic of the lagoon, its history and culture; natural life, music, and rich local traditions.
• Explore the bucolic, lesser known islands by boat and on foot with our native guide.
• Visit lace, glass, fabric, and food artisans who have been practicing their arts for generations.
• Eat the genuine local cuisine while under sail and dine in the best restaurants of Venice.
• Sleep in the islands’ charming inns and historic hotels.
• Finish with a sojourn in Venice for 3 luxurious days in a magnificent private palace and immersion in the art, history, and culture of this spectacular city.

Experience the magic of the lagoon, its history, natural life, and rich local traditions. |Credit: http://www.cruisingvenice.com

Day 1

Mazzorbo and Burano

The island of Mazzorbo and our lodgings, Locanda Venissa. | Credit: Paolo Spigariol

• We will meet you upon your arrival at Venice Airport and take you by water taxi to the Venissa, a manor house-hotel and wine estate on its own bucolic island, Mazzorbo, top-rated by The New York Times, Michelin, and Travel + Leisure. The tiny, peaceful island, once an important trading center, is known today for its colorful houses, vineyards, and orchards. Settle in and eat a light lunch. After a rest, go for a guided walking tour to the nearby island of Burano, renowned for its lace making. You will have time to visit the artisans, do some shopping, or just stroll the ancient streets lined with colorful houses.
• Return to Mazzorbo for a rest and dinner at the Venissa’s acclaimed inn and restaurant.

Venissa portico. | Credit: Paolo Spigariol

Day 2

Torcello and the northern Lagoon

The Eolo under full sail approach the fabled island of Torcello. | Photo: Paolo Spigariol

• Breakfast at the Venissa, then board the Eolo and set sail for Torcello and the northern waters of the lagoon. The original site of Venice and famous haunt of Hemingway, the island has a rich and fascinating history. Visit its impressive Byzantine Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 639 A.D., and the 11 th century octagonal church of Santa Fosca. Climb the bell tower for a bird’s eye view of the lagoon, and wander the island’s tranquil paths.
• Board the Eolo again and set sail for a quiet canal in a nearby saltmarsh richly populated with birdlife and carpeted with colorful native flora. Anchor. Lunch on the chef’s freshly cooked specialties based on splendid produce and seafood of the lagoon.

Flamingoes in an estuary of the lagoon.| Credit: http://www.cruisingvenice.com

• Set sail for the pristine northern lagoon where thousands of flamingoes can be seen flying over the saltmarsh to join other wild fowl that inhabit the islands nearby.
• Sail to the Locanda alle Porte 1632 at sunset for dinner and an overnight stay. Constructed in 1632 between the lagoon and the Sile River, the building, once the customs house, controlled the entrance into the Grand Canal. There, Venetian officials collected taxes from both residents and foreigners doing business in Venice. Today it is an inn and a restaurant. Sunset dinner and overnight stay.

Inside the Locanda alle Porte 1632. |Credit: http://www.cruisingvenice.com

Day 3

Lazzaretto Nuovo and Malamocco

Venetian carnival mask originating from the quarantine representing the doctor of the black plague. Vinegar-soaked cloth was wrapped on the face and covered with the long-nosed mask to avoid the infection.|Credit: http://www.cruisingvenice.com

• Breakfast at the Locanda alle Porte 1632.
• Board the Eolo. After local fishermen deliver their early morning catch to our boat, we set sail. Mauro and Julia will prepare lunch from what the lagoon has offered this morning.

Mauro shows how to stuff zucchini blossoms on-board the Eolo. | Credit: Paolo Spigariol

• Drop anchor near the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, which once serve as a quarantine facility. Venice appears in the distance. Lunch on board.
• Disembark on the island and find remarkable evidence of inhabitants who lived here well before the Romans. During the Middle Ages it was used solely as a place to quarantine goods and sailors for a period of time before they could enter Venice as a precaution against the spread of disease. Talk to local mask makers to learn about the origins of their craft. This is where the Venetian mask originated, elaborate cloth cover-ups soaked with vinegar to ward off disease. Today, the island is a beautiful and and peaceful respite.
• Board the Eolo again and set sail for the ancient village of Malamocco. Dinner and overnight accommodations in a beautiful 14th entry villa, Ca’ del Borgo.

The Eolo under sail in the lagoon. |Credit:

Day 4

Chioggia and Venice

• Breakfast at Ca’ del Borgo.
• Set sail for Chioggia and take a guided tour of the old port, considered a “little Venice.” See the vibrant fish market, where Mauro will buy the ingredients for our lunch. Stop at the grain store, dating to 1322, one of the most important historic buildings on the island. Visit the island’s Duomo with its masterpieces by Tiepolo, Carpaccio, and Tintoretto.

Fishmonger, Chioggia. | Photo: Julia della Croce

• Leave Chioggia for Valle Zappa, a remote island that was once a private hunting and fishing area where you will find a unique example of  “mirror architecture.”
• Lunch under sail. The bell towers of San Marco, which once guided ships into the port of entry, will appear in the distance.
• Disembark in Venice. Transfer by water taxi to Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri, 5-star, newly renovated private apartments in a magnificent 17th century palace overlooking a quiet canal.  Spend 3 nights in your own apartment with a kitchen, private living room and bathroom.
• Dinner on your own. Recommendations for Venice’s most authentic and famous restaurants are for the asking.

Our accommodations in Venice in the newly renovated Palazzo degli Morosini Spezeri are spacious apartments overlooking a quiet canal. Photo: Compliments of Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri

Day 5

Venice

On our walking tour of Venice. | Credit: Julia della Croce/Forktales

• Follow your guide through the famous Mercato di Rialto with its beautiful vegetable and fruit stalls and colorful fishmongers. The famous market was once the trade and financial center of Venice. Wander your way through an intricate maze of narrow alleys, bridges and canals to Bevilacqua Textiles. Established by Luigi Bevilacqua c. 1499, it continues the city’s ancient tradition of weaving velvets, brocades and damasks by hand.
• Lunch in an acclaimed vegetarian restaurant nearby.
• Conclude your day with immersion in the city’s culture, including a stop at the imposing Gothic Frari church with its precious treasures, including The Assumption, the first public commission for a young Titian who would become the most important artist working in Venice. Also see the exquisite Madonnas by Giovanni Bellini and Paolo Veneziano, and Titian’s burial monument.
• Dinner on your own. Recommendations for Venice’s most authentic and famous restaurants are for the asking.

Day 6

Venice

Piazza San Marco. | Credit: Greg Mitchell

• Go with our guide to St. Mark’s Square, once the political and social nerve center of Venice’s wealth and power. See the city’s most iconic buildings and learn about their origins and history. Start off the visit at the Doge’s Palace with its perfectly preserved magnificent facade and interior. Adjacent is the opulent St. Mark’s Basilica. With its nearly 90,000 square feet of gold mosaics and precious oriental marbles, it is considered one of the best examples of Italian-Byzantine architecture.
• Lunch in a bacaro, a typical wine bar that serves “cichetti,” Venice’s answer to tapas.
• Free afternoon for exploring or shopping.
• Farewell dinner at the palace for a last taste of authentic Venice.

Day 7

Depart Venice

Farewell and thank you from the Eolo. | Credit: Paolo Destefanis

• Airport transfer by water taxi.

Rates and Particulars:

• 4,950 Euros per person including accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking class on board the Eolo, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 12 guests.
• For those wishing to extend their stay in Venice, ask us to arrange for extension of accommodations at Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri upon availability and at your own cost.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program (March 11, 2019).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitates some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible. 
• To be sustainable, a minimum of 6 guests is required; maximum 12 guests.
• Payment terms: 10% to confirm your reservation; 40% when 6 reservations are booked; balance due 30 days before departure.

Contact

• For more complete information, visit our earlier Forktales post.
• Questions? Email julia@juliadellacroce.com
• To book, please email info@cruisingvenice.com

Julia della Croce’s Veneto: Authentic recipes from Venice and the Italian Northeast, with photography by Paolo Destefanis (Chronicle Books) won the 2004 World Gourmand Awards.

“Everyone knows Venice, but the Venetian cuisine has been somewhat of a hidden treasure. Rich in the use of unique spices left from its Serenissa years, the cuisine sparkles with surprise. Julia della Croce [in her book, Veneto]…has captured wonderfully [its] nuances and sparkle of this regional cuisine.” —Lidia Bastianich

Julia della Croce has been immersed since birth in the tastes and aromas of the Italian cooking she loves. After becoming disenchanted with a political career, she began cooking in the galley of a 50-foot sailing ketch for paying passengers. She is a journalist, and James Beard award-winning cook book author and cooking teacher. Among her fourteen titles is Veneto: Authentic Recipes from Venice and the Italian Northeast (Chronicle Books), winner of the 2004 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She writes about the culture of food and drink in this blog, and most recently for National Geographic’s atlas of Italian food, Tasting Italy. She is a noted authority on the food of Italy.

Mauro Stoppa was born and raised on his family’s farm in a small village near Padua on the southern edge of the Venetian archipelago. He is an agronomist by education but his first love was always the world of the lagoon. In 1998, he pulled up his land roots and bought and restored the Eolo, a vintage bragozzo named after the Greek god of the wind, a flat-bottomed 52-foot fishing barge that is one of the last of its kind. There and then, he decided to fulfill his lifetime dream of living on the sea and to devote himself to the restoration of the Venetian waterways. Stoppa takes small groups on cruises to sail, eat his sublime food, and experience the magic of Venice and the lagoon he loves, a venture featured in the New York Times.

Mauro lands in NYC to cook for a private party at Sotheby’s, bringing his own ingredients with him from Venice. We met at the Met for some down time. | Credit: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales

The Eolo under sail at dusk. Called a bragozzo in Italian, the restored fishing vessel, built in 1946, is one of the last sailing ships of its kind that were designed to navigate the shallow lagoon waters during the era of the doges. Mauro Stoppa, a native Venetian and our host, has lovingly restored and adapted it for modern comforts. Photo: Paolo Spigariol

What: Slow food and slow travel in Veneto, Italy

Where: Culinary & cultural tour of Venice and its lagoon islands, and the Brenta Riviera

When: April 29-May 5, 2019—6 days, 7 nights.

Price: Euros 5,800. Price covers meals, overnight accommodations in first-rate inns and hotels, guides, cooking lessons and museum fees.

Hosts: Best-selling National Geographic author Julia della Croce and architect-photographer Nat Hoyt partnering with Venetian host, captain Mauro Stoppa.

Deadline for signing up: January 30, 2019

Reservations: info@cruisingvenice.com

Questions?: Contact julia@juliadellacroce.com

SPRING TOUR April 29-May 5, 2019 Itinerary

We have 4-8 spots left on our historic sailing vessel that will make an unforgettable tour of Venice and its lagoon’s lesser-known islands. From there, you will journey on with us to the Brenta Riviera for a land tour of the Renaissance world of Andrea Palladio, one of history’s greatest architects. See his opus, Villa Foscari, also known as “Malcontenta” and other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Dine with a countess in her ancestral palace. Visit the medieval charms, art treasures, and famous markets of Padua. Enjoy superb local wines and the delicate cuisine of the provinces and be amazed at the cultural and gastronomic richness of the Veneto region. Boats and traditional means of transport make for a unique journey in one of Italy’s most historically, culturally and gastronomically rich regions. This is a variation of our original tour of Venice and the lagoon islands (that will be offered once again, September 12-18).

On board the Eolo with Mauro Stoppa. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017,

We begin onboard the Eolo and sail on the tranquil waters of the lagoon westward into the bucolic Brenta canal and the Renaissance world of one of history’s greatest architects, Andrea Palladio and that of his contemporaries. On the Veneto mainland, our crew will transfer us onto smaller traditional boats built to navigate the narrow, shallow canals of the ancient Venetian waterways just as the Venetians once did. Along the way, we’ll explore everything from the magnificent villas of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century merchant classes to the ancient cities and villages of art and culture along the Brenta, the natural extension of the Grand Canal. We’ll be reliving the extraordinary experience of noble families leaving Venice to spend the summers in the countryside during the Serenissima’s gilded age, and also discover the ancient world of ordinary Venetians. We conclude with a return to Venice proper. This is a unique exploration of Venice and its environs not offered anywhere else. Our past guests have said that traveling with us on the Eolo was the experience of a lifetime.

You’ll travel to the Venice of past times on board the Eolo, Mauro Stoppa’s restored traditional sailing vessel that plies the Venetian lagoon and its ancient waterways. Offering a unique experience of Venice not found elsewhere, Stoppa and his able crew will draw you into life in Venice and its region as it has been lived by Venetians for centuries.

• Sail lost Venice and its lagoon islands for immersion in the private world unknown to most outsiders, that of the native islanders—fishermen, artisans, tradesmen, sailors, farmers, and vintners.
• Travel through a unique ecosystem of small canals, shallow waters and sandbanks to the channel flowing into the Brenta Riviera and be immersed in an extraordinary and unspoiled natural world along the way, stopping to visit fishermen’s huts or ancient monasteries, visiting the most important Palladian villas, dining at the table of a Venetian countess in her palace, tasting the authentic cuisine of common people and noble Venetians alike.
• Be guided by the locals who take pride in the rituals of their traditional life and will welcome you into their worlds and share the details of how they live and work.
• Journey the breathtaking Brenta Riviera and see its famous villas, gardens, and artistic treasures executed by masters including Giotto, Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo, Donatello,Veronese, and Tintoretto.
• With our local guide, tour Padova (Padua in English), the crown jewel of the region’s splendid Medieval and Renaissance cities.
• End your journey in Venice proper for an overnight in a newly restored, palatial apartment overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district where you can sightsee with our Venetian guide, shop, or, if you like, just ramble the backstreets of Venice beyond the city’s most famous sights on your own.

Photo: Mark Cowan

Day 1 (Includes dinner and overnight)

MEET ON THE PARK ISLAND OF CERTOSA, A 40-MINUTE VAPORETTO RIDE FROM THE VENICE AIRPORT

—Group meets Julia and Nat at the Venice Certosa Hotel on the tiny island of Certosa, once the site of a monastery, now a park, marina, and sole hotel. Check in at 3 p.m.

—Group dinner at 7 p.m.

—Overnight here.

Our guests on the Eolo, September, 2017. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales/To Italy With Julia, 2017

Day 2 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

CROSS THE LAGOON, STOP AT SAN LAZZARO DEGLI ARMENI ISLAND; HEAD FOR THE MAINLAND; TRAVERSE THE CANAL BY TRADITIONAL BOATS CALLED CAORLINE, DINNER AT THE PRIVATE VILLA OF  COUNTESS ENRICA ROCCA

—Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Mauro comes for us dockside on the Eolo. The crew will make you feel at home on deck, serving fresh local fruit, snacks and coffee prepared in the galley.

Back on board and a little snack from the galley—the local white, wild asparagus, and tasty crab morsels to suck on. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales/To Italy With Julia, 2017

—Sail to the tiny monastery island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. Like many of the lagoon islands, it has been used in various ways over the centuries. A quarantine site for ships and their passengers before they were permitted to disembark in Venice during the years of the Black Plague, it eventually became a monastery for Armenian monks in the 18th century and a place of study and eventually, a publishing center and important library that is still in use.  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Lazzaro_degli_Armeni

—Disembark and meet our local guide for a tour of the abbey and the island while Mauro and the crew prepare a delicious lunch in the galley of genuine Venetian dishes sourced from local ingredients.

—Lunch al fresco, in the open air, on deck. Superb local wines served with every course.

—Shove off from the lagoon for the Brenta Riviera, gliding the gentle curves of the canals on the Eolo until we pass the last lock. At this point, guests will transfer to a convoy of smaller vessels called caorline, traditional Venetian row boats designed to navigate the narrow and shallow waterways manned by their prideful owners who, if you ask them, have plenty of tales to tell about their beloved river. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caorlina

Boatmen rowing their caorline, traditional Venetian crafts on the Brenta canal. Photo credit: Mauro Stoppa 2018

—Disembark at the spectacular Villa Foscari, better known as “La Malcontenta.” Mirrored in the waters of the Brenta, it is considered the most fascinating of the numerous 16th century country palaces designed by the legendary architect Andrea Palladio for wealthy Venetian merchants. Guided tour of the estate. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Foscari

Villa Foscari, courtesy UNESCO.

—Re-board the caorline for an opulent riverside relais et chateaux, the 17th century Palladian villa Franceschi, former residence of the Doge’s jewelers. It comes into view in all its splendor at a bend in the canal, skirted by acres of forested parkland. According to tradition, all the villa’s balconies and terraces from which we will eat superb Venetian cuisine “al fresco,” in the open, should face the breathtaking panorama.  http://www.villafranceschi.com/en/ https:// and  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Pisani,_Stra

—Dinner prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo’s crew will be served in another, nearby private villa owned by Countess Enrica Rocca.

—Overnight at Villa Franceschi.

Day 3 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

VENETIAN VILLAS, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES, A RESTORED ANCIENT GRANARY, A BEAUTIFUL FISHERY, DINNER AT THE VILLA OF COUNTESS ROCCA

—Transfer by van to Villa Pisani at Strà on the Brenta Riviera that links Venice to Padua. The most famous of Veneto’s villas, Villa Pisani, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, is considered the most spectacular for its classical grandeur and allegorical frescoes by Giambattista and Domenico Tieplo and other Renaissance masters. Guided visit of the villa and its gardens. http://www.villapisani.beniculturali.it

Villa Pisani, view from the reflecting pond. Photo credit: Rafaela Pagani, 2014

—Embark on the caorline for the Molini di Dolo, perfectly restored ancient mills for grinding corn and grains that were the staples of the Venetians.  http://www.rivieradelbrenta.biz/ristoranti_riviera_del_brenta/i_mulini_del_dolo.htm

—Lunch at a typical restaurant near the mills at Villa Goetzen.

—Board the caorline again for the dramatic 17th century Villa Valmarana. http://www.villavalmarana.net/

—Return to Villa Franceschi by caorline, or on foot along the breathtaking paths on the properties, if you prefer.

—Once again, dinner will be prepared by Mauro Stoppa and his crew at the villa of Countess  Rocca.

Day 4 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

PADOVA EXCURSION AND A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, DINNER AT THE PRIVATE VILLA OF COUNTESS EMO

Padua at night. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales/To Italy with Julia, 2018

—Transfer by van to Padova/Padua, a dazzling tapestry of medieval marketplaces, Renaissance architecture, and early 20th century facades. Home to the second oldest university in Italy where Galileo taught and patrons of the powerful Scrovegni family sponsored Giotto’s famous works.

—Guided visit of Giotto’s Cappella degli Scrovegni, Scrovegni Chapel, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, an extraordinary example of 15th century art and the most comprehensive collection of preserved frescoes painted by Giotto (1303-1305).

Kiss of Judas, one of the panels in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padova, by Giotto di Bondone, 1304-1306. Courtesy: Cappella degli Scrovegni

—Lunch in a typical restaurant in the historic center of Padova/Padua.

—Visit Palazzo della Ragione and the Prato della Valle piazza. Built between 1218 and 1308, the Palazzo was the government center of Padua. The interior is designed to simulate an upside down wooden boat, symbolizing the intimate relationship between the city and its waterways. The nearby Prato della Valle piazza is considered one of Europe’s most significant.

—Transfer by van to the villa residence of Countess Emo in Monselice nestled in the Euganean Hills for a dinner prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo crew. Overnight in the villa.

Day 5 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

UNIQUE BAROQUE GARDENS, VISIT TO THE EUGANEAN HILLS, TRANSFER TO VENICE

—Transfer by van to the nearby gardens at Valzanzibio, designated by UNESCO as the first Italian baroque garden, known for its allegorical themes and unique botanical labyrinths. https://www.valsanzibiogiardino.it

—Lunch at a restaurant in the charming medieval village of Arquà Petrarca, home to the last house of the fourteenth century poet, Petrarch and considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. www.arquapetrarca.com

Arquà Petrarca. Photo credit: Alain Rouiller, Wikicommons

—Guided visit of the Cataio castle. http://www.castellodelcatajo.it/

—Transfer to Venice by van and water taxi.

—Free evening in Venice. Overnight in spacious apartments in the newly renovated Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district.

Our accommodations in Venice. Photo: Compliments of Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri

Day 6 (Includes lunch, dinner, and overnight)

Farewell dinner at the storied Trattoria Antiche Carampane. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales/To Italy With Julia, 2018

VENICE AND FAREWELL DINNER

—Guided visit to Venice’s artisan rowers guild (forcole). Onto seeing an example of the ancient printing press system (Venice was once an important publishing center).

—Lunch in a typical bacaro, eatery specializing in small plates.

—Free afternoon.

—Farewell  dinner at the legendary and colorful restaurant Antiche Carampane near the Rialto bridge, once a government-designated retirement home for ladies of the night that inhabited the neighborhood.

Day 7 (Includes hotel breakfast)

FINAL DAY

Photo: Mark Cowan

—Depart Venice, or extend your stay the palazzo if you wish, and we will arrange for your reservations at your own cost.

Rates and Particulars:

• 6,200 Euros per person including the last night (7 nights) or 5,800 Euros for 6 nights for accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons during our journey at your discretion, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program (September 7, 2018).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For more information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com or email me with any questions you might have.

Here’s the itinerary for our new 2019 7-day collaboration with Venetian host Mauro Stoppa. This will be a cultural and culinary tour of the Venetian lagoon and the Brenta Riviera. Boats and traditional means of transport make for a unique journey in one of Italy’s most historically, culturally and gastronomically rich regions. This is a variation of our original tour of Venice and the lagoon islands (that will be offered once again, September 12-18—itinerary to come).

On board the Eolo with Mauro Stoppa. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017,

The spring 2019 journey begins onboard the Eolo, the restored historic sailing vessel owned by our host. We’ll take off from the lagoon islands and sail on the tranquil waters westward into the bucolic Brenta canal and the Renaissance world of one of history’s greatest architects, Andrea Palladio and that of his contemporaries and conclude with a return to Venice. On the Veneto mainland, our crew will transfer us onto smaller traditional boats built to navigate the narrow, shallow canals of the ancient Venetian waterways just as the Venetians once did. Along the way, we’ll explore everything from the magnificent villas of the 16th, 17th, and 18th century merchant classes to the ancient cities and villages of art and culture along the Brenta, the natural extension of the Grand Canal. We’ll be reliving the extraordinary experience of noble families leaving Venice to spend the summers in the countryside during the Serenissima’s gilded age, and also discover the ancient world of ordinary Venetians. A unique exploration of Venice and its environs not offered anywhere else. Our past guests have said that traveling with us on the Eolo was the experience of a lifetime and we think you’ll agree.

SPRING TOUR April 29-May 5, 2019

Culinary and Cultural Tour of Venice, its Lagoon, and the Brenta Riviera

Experience Veneto of the ancient Venetians with photojournalist team, National Geographic author Julia della Croce and architect-photographer Nat Hoyt partnering with Venetian host, captain Mauro Stoppa

You’ll travel to the Venice of past times on board the Eolo, Mauro Stoppa’s restored traditional sailing vessel that plies the Venetian lagoon and its ancient waterways. Offering a unique experience of Venice not found elsewhere, Stoppa and his able crew will draw you into life in Venice and its region as it has been lived by Venetians for centuries.

The Eolo picking us up dockside. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales, 2017

• Sail lost Venice and its lagoon islands for immersion in the private world unknown to most outsiders, that of the native islanders—fishermen, artisans, tradesmen, sailors, farmers, and vintners.
• Travel through a unique ecosystem of small canals, shallow waters and sandbanks to the channel flowing into the Brenta Riviera and be immersed in an extraordinary and unspoiled natural world along the way, stopping to visit fishermen’s huts or ancient monasteries, visiting the most important Palladian villas, dining at the table of a Venetian countess in her palace, tasting the authentic cuisine of common people and noble Venetians alike.
• Be guided by the locals who take pride in the rituals of their traditional life and will welcome you into their worlds and share the details of how they live and work. 
• Journey the breathtaking Brenta Riviera and see its famous villas, gardens, and artistic treasures executed by masters including Giotto, Giambattista and Domenico Tiepolo, Donatello,Veronese, and Tintoretto.
• With our local guide, tour Padova (Padua in English), the crown jewel of the region’s splendid Medieval and Renaissance cities.
• End your journey in Venice itself for an overnight in a newly restored, palatial apartment overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district where you can sightsee with our Venetian guide, shop, or, if you like, just ramble the backstreets of Venice beyond the city’s most famous sights on your own.

Mauro Stoppa supervising the raising of the sails. Our skipper, Davide, does the hoisting. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017.

Day 1 (Includes dinner and overnight)

MEET ON THE PARK ISLAND OF CERTOSA, A 40-MINUTE VAPORETTO RIDE FROM THE VENICE AIRPORT

—Group meets Julia and Nat at the Venice Certosa Hotel on the tiny island of Certosa, once the site of a monastery, now a park, marina, and sole hotel. Check in at 3 p.m.

—Group dinner at 7 p.m.

—Overnight here. 

Day 2 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

CROSS THE LAGOON, STOP AT SAN LAZZARO DEGLI ARMENI ISLAND; HEAD FOR THE MAINLAND; TRAVERSE THE CANAL BY TRADITIONAL BOATS CALLED CAORLINE, DINNER AT THE PRIVATE VILLA OF  COUNTESS ENRICA ROCCA

—Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Mauro comes for us dockside on the Eolo. The crew will make you feel at home on deck, serving fresh local fruit, snacks and coffee prepared in the galley.

San Lazzaro c. 1877, by Charles Yriarts (1832-1848)

—Sail to the tiny monastery island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. Like many of the lagoon islands, it has been used in various ways over the centuries. A quarantine site for ships and their passengers before they were permitted to disembark in Venice during the years of the Black Plague, it eventually became a monastery for Armenian monks in the 18th century and a place of study and eventually, a publishing center and important library that is still in use.  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Lazzaro_degli_Armeni

—Disembark and meet our local guide for a tour of the abbey and the island while Mauro and the crew prepare a delicious lunch in the galley of genuine Venetian dishes sourced from local ingredients.

—Lunch al fresco, in the open air, on deck. Superb local wines served with every course.

—Shove off from the lagoon for the Brenta Riviera, gliding the gentle curves of the canals on the Eolo until we pass the last lock. At this point, guests will transfer to a convoy of smaller vessels called caorline, traditional Venetian row boats designed to navigate the narrow and shallow waterways manned by their prideful owners who, if you ask them, have plenty of tales to tell about their beloved river. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caorlina

Boatmen rowing their caorline, traditional Venetian crafts on the Brenta canal. Photo credit: Mauro Stoppa 2018

—Disembark at the spectacular Villa Foscari, better known as “La Malcontenta.” Mirrored in the waters of the Brenta, it is considered the most fascinating of the numerous 16th century country palaces designed by the legendary architect Andrea Palladio for wealthy Venetian merchants. Guided tour of the estate. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Foscari

Villa Foscari, courtesy UNESCO.

—Re-board the caorline for an opulent riverside relais et chateaux, the 17th century Palladian villa Franceschi, former residence of the Doge’s jewelers. It comes into view in all its splendor at a bend in the canal, skirted by acres of forested parkland. According to tradition, all the villa’s balconies and terraces from which we will eat superb Venetian cuisine “al fresco,” in the open, should face the breathtaking panorama.  http://www.villafranceschi.com/en/ https:// and  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Pisani,_Stra

—Dinner prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo’s crew will be served in another, nearby private villa owned by Countess Enrica Rocca. 

—Overnight at Villa Franceschi. 

Day 3 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

VENETIAN VILLAS, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES, A RESTORED ANCIENT GRANARY, A BEAUTIFUL FISHERY, DINNER AT THE VILLA OF COUNTESS ROCCA

—Transfer by van to Villa Pisani at Strà on the Brenta Riviera that links Venice to Padua. The most famous of Veneto’s villas, Villa Pisani, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, is considered the most spectacular for its classical grandeur and allegorical frescoes by Giambattista and Domenico Tieplo and other Renaissance masters. Guided visit of the villa and its gardens. http://www.villapisani.beniculturali.it

Villa Pisani, view from the reflecting pond. Photo credit: Rafaela Pagani, 2014

—Embark on the caorline for the Molini di Dolo, perfectly restored ancient mills for grinding corn and grains that were the staples of the Venetians.  http://www.rivieradelbrenta.biz/ristoranti_riviera_del_brenta/i_mulini_del_dolo.htm

—Lunch at a typical restaurant near the mills at Villa Goetzen.

—Board the caorline again for the dramatic 17th century Villa Valmarana. http://www.villavalmarana.net/

—Return to Villa Franceschi by caorline, or on foot along the breathtaking paths on the properties, if you prefer. 

—Once again, dinner will be prepared by Mauro Stoppa and his crew at the villa of Countess  Rocca.

Day 4 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

PADOVA EXCURSION AND A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, DINNER AT THE PRIVATE VILLA OF COUNTESS EMO

—Transfer by van to Padova/Padua, a dazzling tapestry of medieval marketplaces, Renaissance architecture, and early 20th century facades. Home to the second oldest university in Italy where Galileo taught and patrons of the powerful Scrovegni family sponsored Giotto’s famous works.

—Guided visit of Giotto’s Cappella degli Scrovegni, Scrovegni Chapel, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, an extraordinary example of 15th century art and the most comprehensive collection of preserved frescoes painted by Giotto (1303-1305).

Kiss of Judas, one of the panels in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padova, by Giotto di Bondone, 1304-1306. Courtesy: Cappella degli Scrovegni

—Lunch in a typical restaurant in the historic center of Padova/Padua.

—Visit Palazzo della Ragione and the Prato della Valle piazza. Built between 1218 and 1308, the Palazzo was the government center of Padua. The interior is designed to simulate an upside down wooden boat, symbolizing the intimate relationship between the city and its waterways. The nearby Prato della Valle piazza is considered one of Europe’s most significant.

—Transfer by van to the villa residence of Countess Emo in Monselice nestled in the Euganean Hills for a dinner prepared by Mauro Stoppa and the Eolo crew. Overnight in the villa.

Day 5 (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight)

UNIQUE BAROQUE GARDENS, VISIT TO THE EUGANEAN HILLS, TRANSFER TO VENICE  

—Transfer by van to the nearby gardens at Valzanzibio, designated by UNESCO as the first Italian baroque garden, known for its allegorical themes and unique botanical labyrinths. https://www.valsanzibiogiardino.it

—Lunch at a restaurant in the charming medieval village of Arquà Petrarca, home to the last house of the fourteenth century poet, Petrarch and considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. www.arquapetrarca.com

Arquà Petrarca. Photo credit: Alain Rouiller, Wikicommons

—Guided visit of the Cataio castle. http://www.castellodelcatajo.it/

—Transfer to Venice by van and water taxi.

—Free evening in Venice. Overnight in spacious apartments in the newly renovated Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri overlooking a lazy canal in the charming San Polo district.

Our accommodations in Venice. Photo: Compliments of Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri

Day 6 (Includes lunch, dinner, and overnight)

VENICE AND FAREWELL DINNER

Passing gondoliers as we re-enter Venice, San Giorgio in the background. Photo copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017

—Guided visit to Venice’s artisan rowers guild (forcole). Onto seeing an example of the ancient printing press system (Venice was once an important publishing center). 

—Lunch in a typical bacaro, eatery specializing in small plates.

—Free afternoon.

—Farewell  dinner at the legendary and colorful restaurant Antiche Carampane near the Rialto bridge, once a government-designated retirement home for ladies of the night that inhabited the neighborhood.

Day 7 (Includes hotel breakfast)

FINAL DAY

—Depart Venice, or extend your stay the palazzo if you wish, and we will arrange for your reservations at your own cost.

Rates and Particulars:

• 6,200 Euros per person including the last night (7 nights) or 5,800 Euros for 6 nights for accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons during our journey at your discretion, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program (September 7, 2018).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For more information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com or email me with any questions you might have.

John Ruskin once described this watery city as a ‘ghost upon the sands of the sea, so weak—so quiet–so bereft of all but her loveliness’…. [153 years] later, he would be more likely to compare this packed tourist magnet to a shopping mall during the sales season than to a shadowy mirage…. But Ruskin’s Venice still exists…. Sitting on a historic fishing boat on a recent July evening, with the sun setting over the island of Torcello and the sound of the gull cries splitting the silence of the seemingly endless lagoon, a visitor might even get a sense of what the Victorian thinker was going on about….”—Elisabetta Povoledo, International Herald Tribune

So said the Italian journalist who has been writing about Italy for The New York Times and its affiliates for a quarter century, covering everything from Italian governments to popes to Rome’s feral cats. She knows that our culinary and cultural cruise on a traditional Venetian boat is the real thing—an exploration of insider’s hidden city and its archipelago, its natural and cultural life. Venice and its lagoon islands were proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, yet few travelers ever see it. Its shallow waters must be navigated by flat-bottom boat built for the labyrinth of 200 canals and 180 islands by sailors who know its networks intimately. The Eolo, a 52-foot traditional restored bragozzo, fishing vessel, is such a boat and our Venetian host Mauro Stoppa is such a sailor.

Raising the Eolo’s sail on the Venetian lagoon.

One of our passengers lends a hand with the day’s delivery.

If you think you’ve already seen Venice, think again. Have you watched a cloud of flamingoes drift over a lagoon as clear as glass? Have you found your way to the island where the quarantine was invented in the 16th century, resulting in the salvation of Venice’s population during the plague? Have you lunched on board a historic sailing vessel at anchor, eating deliciously prepared sea bass delivered boat-side by the fishermen—so fresh, it tastes like it just leapt into your plate?

Or violet artichokes grown on an island nearby, a Byzantine cathedral as a backdrop? Have you ever had a cooking lesson in a ship’s galley from Venetian cooks who show you how to prepare authentic local delicacies? Have you visited the workshop of Venetian craftsmen whose forebears have been weaving exquisite fabrics that have clothed royalty and potentates for four centuries? Have you walked the backstreets and alleys of Venice with its colorful local life and floating vegetable markets? Do you know the authentic Venetian restaurants where the locals go to dine? Come with us, we’ll take you there. With one crew member for every two guests, you will sail in comfort and ease, helping to raise and lower the sails, if you like. With native guides at every stop, you’ll see not only the most famous sights, but also be drawn into a very private Venice that exists behind the spectacle.

Our guests learn to cook Venetian fare in the galley.

We’re now taking reservations for up to ten guests for our September 15-21 sail. Each time we tour, we make a new plan: chart a course for an island our guests haven’t seen before, choose another of Venice’s charming historic inns, vary the menu based on the catch of the day and the harvest of the season, or plot a different route on our walking tours. Find the day-by-day details and overall itinerary here:

2018 VENICE BY BOAT

Culinary Sailing Cruises of Venice and its Lagoon

June 2-8 and September 15-21, 2018

Itinerary

Day 1 — Meet on the island of Certosa at 3 p.m. (time to be confirmed once we know each person’s travel details). Transfer by private water taxi to Mazzorbo and the Venissa Hotel, a former convent and wine estate on its own bucolic island, top-rated by The New York Times, Michelin, and Travel + Leisure. After settling into our rooms, meet our native Buranese guide for a walking tour of Mazzorbo and Burano, two enchanting islands joined together by a pedestrian bridge. Overnight and a splendid dinner at the Venissa.

A magical first night at the Venissa inn and restaurant on Mazzorbo.

Day 2 — After breakfast, Mauro guides the Eolo to the front door of the Venissa and we board. Our first stop is the National Archeological Museum of Altino on the site of the original settlement of Venice. Private tour of the museum, a repository of relics and artifacts related to the history of Venice and its lagoon. Return to the Eolo for lunch, followed by a visit and guided tour of the island of Torcello, where subsequent foundations of Venice were laid 1,000 years ago. Reboard and shove off for Cavallino and the historic Locanda alle Porte 1632 inn and restaurant, once Venice’s customs house. Dinner in a private, typical “bilancia” or “trabuch,” a historic fisherman’s hut suspended over the water. The seafood served is the owner’s catch of the day. Overnight at the locanda.

Enter the warm and welcoming Locanda alle Porte 1632.

Day 3 — After breakfast, board the Eolo and head for the southern lagoon and the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, where all ships, their cargo and passengers were quarantined during the times of the bubonic plague before being permitted entry to the main island of Venice. Guided tour by archeologists working on the excavation. Our next stop is Mazzorbo, a charming village on the Lido. Settle into our hotel accommodations at Ca’ Alberti, a restored 14th century villa. Meet for dinner at a typical trattoria near our hotel.

The chief archeologist at Lazaretto Nuovo explains the island’s strange history.

Day 4 — Breakfast at Ca’ Alberti, then reboard the Eolo. Sail for the island of Valle Zappa, a unique wildlife sanctuary and the site of a spectacular villa in the Austrian style. From here we are privy to the most beautiful views of the lagoon. Guided visit followed by lunch at anchor. Transfer by private water taxi to Venice proper at about 5 p.m. Arrive at our accommodations at Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri, a beautifully renovated historic palace overlooking a colorful piazza near the famous Rialto pedestrian bridge and market. Explore Venice and eat dinner on your own.

Our host and galley cook, Mauro Stoppa, serves freshly caught roasted sea bass for lunch.

Days 5-7 — Remain in Venice proper. Breakfast before Laura Sabbadin, our native guide, collects us for unique walking tours of the famous sites, fascinating backstreets, and hidden treasures unknown to most tourists.

At the historic Bevilacqua weaver with our native guide, Laura Sabbadin.

Day 6 — Farewell dinner in Venice with Mauro, Julia and all guests.

Veni etiam, come again!

Day 7 —Breakfast at our hotel and guest departures from there.

Arrivederci, Venezia, a presto—see you again soon.

Rates and Particulars:

• 4,600 Euros per person including accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons on board the Eolo at your discretion, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program (May 27, 2018).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For more information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com or email me with any questions you might have.

On the Eolo’s autumn cruise with Mauro.

Photographs copyright Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2018

Forget churches—try the lagoon with a view.  A trip on the Eolo reveals a side of [Venice] few tourists ever see. . . . It’s a fascinating exploration of local history and folklore, gourmet cooking lessons in the galley and romantic meals on deck. —Rachel Spencer, Financial Times

While we make plans to launch our 2018 harvest tours of the Venetian lagoon, host Mauro Stoppa has been busy getting the Eolo ready for the sail. Anyone who has hung around marinas knows that that means having your boat in dry-dock for barnacle scraping, repair and maintenance after the previous sailing season’s wear and tear. In our case, it means serious, loving restoration. Not only is this historic fishing boat an antique, it’s also Mauro’s pride, joy, and floating home. It transports our guests on a discovery of a most private and relatively unknown Venice that few besides native Venetians experience. Because we’re all about slow travel, slow food, and an insider’s Italy, we thought you’d like to see what happens in our off-season.

The Eolo and her crew on our last sail, autumn 2017. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017

The Eolo in dry-dock.

The work begins.

Marine carpenters at their ancient trade.

New gunwales.

Paint removed and wood rot repaired on the hull.

We won’t say “good as new” because she just might be better than new. Glide away with us for a “slow” journey in and around Venice unlike any other you’ll find. September 15-21, 2018 (PS Two spots are still available on our June 2-8 tour). Price and itinerary details below. Video of the Eolo under sail here.

With Mauro on board, last autumn. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017

With some of our guests on our recent autumn, tour. Photo: Nathan Hoyt/Forktales 2017

2018 VENICE BY BOAT

Culinary Sailing Cruises of Venice and its Lagoon

June 2-8 and September 15-21, 2018

Itinerary

Day 1 — Meet on the island of Certosa a 3 p.m. (to be confirmed once we know each person’s travel details). Transfer by private water taxi to Mazzorbo and the Venissa Hotel, a former convent and wine estate on its own bucolic island, top-rated by The New York Times, Michelin, and Travel + Leisure. After settling into our rooms, meet our native guide for a walking tour of Mazzorbo and Burano, two enchanting islands joined together by a pedestrian bridge. Overnight and a splendid dinner at the Venissa.

Day 2 — After breakfast, Mauro meets us at the front door of the Venissa and we board the Eolo. Our first stop is the National Archeological Museum of Altino on the site of the original settlement of Venice. Private tour of the museum, a repository of relics and artifacts related to the history of Venice and its lagoon. Return to the Eolo for lunch, followed by a visit and guided tour of the island of Torcello, where subsequent foundations of Venice were laid 1,000 years ago. Reboard and shove off for Cavallino and the historic Locanda delle Porte 1632, once Venice’s customs house. Dinner in a private, typical “bilancia” or “trabuch,” a historic fisherman’s hut suspended over the water. The seafood served is the owner’s catch of the day. Overnight at the locanda.

Day 3 — After breakfast, board the Eolo and head for the southern lagoon and the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, where all ships, their cargo and passengers were quarantined during the times of the bubonic plague before being permitted entry to the main island of Venice. Guided tour by archeologists working on the excavation. Our next stop is Mazzorbo, a charming village on the Lido. Settle into our hotel accommodations at Ca’ Alberti, a restored 14th century villa. Meet for dinner at a typical trattoria near our hotel.

Day 4 — Breakfast at Ca’ Alberti, then reboard the Eolo. Sail for the island of Valle Zappa, a unique bird and wildlife sanctuary and the site of a spectacular villa in the Austrian style. From here we are privy to the most beautiful views of the lagoon. Guided visit followed by lunch at anchor. Transfer by private water taxi to Venice proper at about 5 p.m. Arrive at Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri. Explore Venice and eat dinner on your own.

Days 5-7 — Remain in Venice proper with accommodations at Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri. Breakfast before Laura Sabbadin, our native guide, collects us for unique walking tours of the famous sites, fascinating backstreets, and hidden treasures unknown to most tourists.

Day 6 — Farewell dinner in Venice with Mauro, Julia and all guests.

Day 7 —Breakfast at our hotel and guest departures from there.

Rates and Particulars:

• 4,600 Euros per person including accommodations as detailed, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as described, private visits as per itinerary, all entrance fees, cooking lessons on board the Eolo, the service of your tour guide(s). Rates based on double occupancy; 20% more for single occupancy.
• 10% deposit upon reservation, refunded if the minimum of 6 guests is not reached.
• 40% upon confirmation, the balance 30 days before departure.
• Minimum 6 guests. Maximum, 10 guests.

Not Included

• Flights, travel insurance, items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls, laundry etc.), discretionary gratuities to boatmen and guides, government levies or taxes introduced after publication of this program (May 9, 2018).
• Please note that if circumstances beyond our control necessitate some alteration to the itinerary shown, you will be notified of any such changes as soon as possible.

Contact: For information and reservations: Write to Mauro Stoppa at the following email address info@cruisingvenice.com or email me with any questions you might have.

Because so many of you have written to me to ask for stories and recipes that were first published in the now defunct Zester Daily (sadly gone the way of so many other high quality food publications), I’ll be posting them here. Subscribe to my blog (on this page, upper right) if you haven’t already and little by little, they’ll all come your way.

Sincerely,

Julia

Illustration Copyright Laura Cornell 1981 for The Discriminating Diner, my weekly restaurant review and food column in the 1980s for Suburbia Today, a Gannett publication.

You can always judge the quality of a cook or a restaurant by roast chicken.

So wrote Julia Child in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was a bold statement, but it reflected a certain historic reverence for the fowl, which in France has historically been considered “the best of all birds covered by the name of poultry,” as 20th-century French culinary authority André Simon put it in his A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy. Even my mother, a fine Italian cook, raved about the delicious roast chicken in France. After visiting our relations in Paris, she would speculate about what it was that made the chicken so tasty and delicate. The poultry for sale in butcher shops there were plump without being fatty, their flesh pink, not yellow. Try as she would, she couldn’t reproduce the same results with the commodity chickens (“machine-made,” as they were known in our family) she faced back home in New York.

Illustration Copyright Laura Cornell, 1981 for Julia della Croce’s Discriminating Diner column a 1980s Gannett publication.

Illustration Copyright Laura Cornell 1981 for The Discriminating Diner, my weekly restaurant review and food column in the 1980s for Suburbia Today, a Gannett publication.The first secret of the famous roast chickens of France concerns their feed and rearing. Take the famous poulet Bresse, a “controlled” breed that is considered the most flavorful in the world. The birds roam freely, happily pecking and scratching in the grass, their foraged food supplemented with milk and corn. These prime specimens carry their own official appellation d’origine contrôlée, a set of regulations that guarantees their authenticity, much like wine. In the past, to acquire chickens of similar quality here in the States, you needed to know a good local farmer or raise them yourself; today, however, wholesome poultry has become commonplace in American markets, and I am convinced that anyone who starts out with a well-fed, free-range bird can duplicate the delicious poulet rôti.

Illustration Copyright Laura Cornell, 1981 for Julia della Croce’s Discriminating Diner column a 1980s Gannett publication.

The other secret to roast chicken is the size and freshness of the bird, along with a few roasting techniques that are traditionally practiced by French home cooks and professionals alike. “Too small a bird does not roast well in the oven because its flesh is cooked before its skin has time to turn the expected appetizing golden color,” French chef and teacher Madeleine Kamman explained in her authoritative The Making of a Cook. On the other hand, a bird weighing larger than three to four pounds takes longer to cook through to the bone, by which time the breast is overcooked. Most chefs concur that a six-month bird weighing in at four pounds, the smallest in the so-named “roaster” category, is ideal. At that weight, the bird has more meat on it than younger, so-called “fryers,” and it is still tender.

As for roasting, I learned the method early on at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School, which taught classic French cuisine. Years later, when Italian cooking became all the rage, I would spend many happy hours teaching there, but when I first met Peter, I was a young food writer with an assignment to write an instructive article on proper roasting techniques. When I called him with some questions, he invited me to sit in on a class he taught devoted entirely to roasting chicken. The results were a revelation, and even now, I can say that the chicken I ate that evening was one of the most delicious I have ever tasted: crusty-skinned and juicy. Even the breast, which I usually avoid, was moist and tasty, saturated with the flavors of butter and tarragon. I was initiated. The recipe became a keeper in my otherwise largely Italian repertoire.

The classic, straight oven-roasting method involves starting at a fairly high temperature to sear and brown the skin, then lowering the heat to cook the meat through. The technique follows, unaltered over the years save for a few tweaks — the most important being pre-salting and then air-chilling the bird before cooking, a simple step that keeps the moisture in and results in astonishing flavor and crispy skin.

One of my motives for this writing this story is to bring to light the whimsical watercolors by Laura Cornell, the first drafts of several different illustrations she came up with for my original story in 1981. Because the art director decided to use a different illustration for the piece, they are published here for the first time.

Illustration Copyright Laura Cornell, 1981 for Julia della Croce’s Discriminating Diner column a 1980s Gannett publication.

French-Roast Chicken with Herbs, Garlic and Pan Gravy

Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus 8-48 hours for chilling

Cooking Time: approximately 1 hr, 15  minutes

Total Time: about 2 hours

Yield: serves 6

One of the most important roasting tricks is to select a pan that will prevent the bird from steaming rather than roasting. It should be just large enough to fit the bird easily, no larger. For a 4-pounder, the appropriate size is 8 x 11 inches, and no more than 2 inches high, fitted with a V-rack that will cradle the bird and elevate it above the sides of the pan. The trick to keeping it moist and juicy during roasting is to truss the chicken well, plumping it up and manipulating it into a snug ball before securing it with kitchen twine. See Golden rules for poulet rôti, below,  for essential cook’s tips.

4 large cloves garlic

3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter, plus additional melted butter or good olive oil for basting

1 4-pound free-range chicken

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 bunch fresh tarragon sprigs; alternatively, rosemary or thyme if you prefer

3-4 teaspoons kosher salt

Suggested equipment: 8 x 11 x 2-inch baking pan, V-rack to fit the pan, instant-read meat thermometer, cotton kitchen twine

1. Grate one garlic clove finely, preferably with a microplane grater, and blend it with the soft butter. Holding the chicken over a sink, drain any liquid out of the cavity and remove any giblets. Use paper towels to blot the chicken well inside and out until it is absolutely dry (no need to wash it). Remove excess fat from the chicken, taking care not to tear the skin. Sprinkle the cavity lightly with salt and pepper and slip in the remaining garlic cloves and some of the herb sprigs of your choice. Gently and carefully separate the skin from the flesh of the breast and thighs without tearing, using your fingers or the rounded end of a wooden spoon. With your fingers, insert the garlic butter into the pockets, smearing as much of the flesh as you can. Push in the remaining herb. Rub the inside of the neck cavity with any garlic butter that remains. Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on the skin, covering all surfaces. Transfer the bird, breast side up, to a rack on a platter to allow air circulation and chill, loosely covered with a thin cotton dish towel, for 8 to 48 hours.
2. Before cooking, bring the bird to room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (425 degrees F convection) for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the roasting pan.
3. Make sure that the skin is completely dry. Truss the chicken using cotton kitchen twine, drawing the legs close to the breast to plump up the bird, and tying the ankles together securely. Tuck the wings under the back; alternatively, pass string around its girth and tie the wings securely. Brush melted butter or olive oil on the entire surface of the bird and place it breast-up on a cold oiled V-rack in the pre-heated roasting pan.
4. Slide the pan onto the middle oven rack, legs facing the oven rear where the temperature is hotter. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (350 degrees F for convection) Turn the bird on one side and baste with butter [or olive oil]. Return it to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Then repeat the procedure for the other side, roasting for 20 minutes more. Take the chicken out to check the internal temperature, inserting the instant-read thermometer into the thigh at the thickest part, away from the bone. It should register at 170 degrees F.  If it is not cooked through, flip the bird on its back and return it to the oven for 5-minute increments until it reaches the right temperature. It should be a uniform golden color with crisp, taut skin. Transfer the bird to a carving board with a gutter that will capture its juices. Remove the strings and let it rest for 30 minutes in a warm place.
5. While the bird is resting, make the gravy. Use a wooden spoon to dislodge any bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add 3-4 tablespoons water to the drippings. Warm the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Simmer to reduce the liquid to about 1/2 cup, then pour through a fine mesh strainer. Separate the grease from the natural juices using a spoon or a fat separator. Check for seasoning.
6. When the bird has rested, detach the wings and legs at the joints. Use a very sharp carving knife to cut the breast into thin slices. Arrange all nicely on a warm platter. Discard the herbs in the cavity. Add any juices that have collected during carving to the gravy you have made. Pour a little of the gravy over the carved chicken and pass the rest at the table.

Golden rules for poulet rôti:

Preparing the bird:

• To keep the juices in, truss the bird using cotton kitchen twine, tying the ankles together and drawing them close to the breast.
• You can either tuck the wings under the back or tie a string around the girth to fasten them.

The roasting pan and other equipment:

• To prevent the bird from steaming rather than roasting, select a pan not more than 2 inches deep. The pan shape and size should be just large enough to fit the bird easily and no larger. For a 4-pound bird, it should be 8×11 inches fitted with a V-rack that elevates the bird above the sides of the pan.
• An alternative to a rack is to elevate the chicken on a single layer of thickly sliced carrots and onions (or lemon slices, if you like).
• Fowl takes on the flavor of all the other ingredients in the roasting pan. Carrots and onions are the classic aromatics. If the vegetables are permitted to burn (which is likely if the pan is too large for the bird), the roast will take on their bitterness.
• Use a good meat thermometer to test doneness. Cheap ones lose their accuracy after a few uses.
• If you make stuffing, bake it in a separate buttered dish.

Turning and basting:

• While everyone would probably agree that the best way to ensure a juicy bird with crisp skin is to spit-roast it, turning and basting in the home oven simulates the rotisserie principle. Use melted butter, good olive oil or a mixture of the two for basting, not broth — it makes the skin flabby.
• Each time you remove the bird from the oven to turn and baste, shut the oven door immediately. Even a minute with the door open will throw off the temperature and cooking time.
• Allow the chicken to rest 20-30 minutes before carving. This helps the bird to retain its juices; instead of immediately running out at the point of a knife, they will retreat into the tissues of the bird and stay there.