Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello

by Daisy James

  ‘And this is Carlotta Bellini.’

  Jonti stared at Carlotta for a second as though he was in the presence of Italian royalty and he’d lost his nerve, before a wide smile spread across his handsome features. He stepped towards Carlotta, who reached up to place the customary kisses on his cheeks, causing his cheeks to colour, but his eyes glittered with joy.

  ‘Ciao, Jonti.’

  ‘Carlotta, I’m thrilled to meet you at last. I’ve heard so, so much about you. Now, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve brought you a little something from the cathedral of consumerism that claims most of my waking hours.’

  Jonti rummaged in his Gucci holdall for a moment and removed a parcel that had been exquisitely wrapped in Harrods’ signature gold and green colours.

  ‘Grazie.’ Carlotta smiled, accepting the gift as Luca and Izzie watched on in curiosity.

  ‘Izzie told me about Pipo.’

  ‘Ah…’

  Carlotta tore off the paper and beamed when she saw the silver dog collar, peppered with glittering crystals, and a matching lead.

  ‘Oh, Jonti, grazie, grazie mille. Pipo will love it!’

  Carlotta kissed Jonti again, and then linked her arm though his and led him back outside to the terrace to present the gift to the little dog, the pair chattering as they went, already firm friends.

  ‘Now, I want you to tell me all about your legendary matchmaking successes. Is it true that you not only introduced Izzie to Luca and Meghan to Gianni, but also two of the guests that came on the Painting & Pasta-Making course in July, and two members of the choir on the Snowflakes & Christmas Cakes course just last week?’

  ‘And Stephano and Louisa,’ shouted Luca as they disappeared out of the door.

  ‘I thought we were having home-made minestrone for lunch?’ asked Izzie, looking for the large silver pan that they used to make the traditional Italian soup.

  ‘We are. Carlos is bringing it over from the restaurant. In fact, I think that might be him now.’

  Luca strode from the kitchen, with Izzie following in his wake, and greeted a smiling Carlos on the front step with an affectionate man-hug before helping him to collect their lunch from the back seat of his Fiat. With his white chef’s jacket open at his neck, and his ebony hair slicked back and secured in a ponytail, Carlos could have easily adorned the front cover of Culinary Today magazine!

  ‘Ciao, Carlos!’ called Carlotta, rushing over to join them with Jonti in tow.

  Izzie couldn’t stop a splutter of mirth escaping from her lips when she saw Jonti’s eyes light up with delight as he stepped forward to be introduced to San Vivaldo’s newest head chef and restaurant owner. Carlotta had certainly excelled herself this time, she thought. Jonti had only arrived ten minutes ago!

  ‘Hey, Carlos!’ cried Meghan, dashing across the terrace and flinging her arms around his neck as though she hadn’t seen him for years instead of just over two months ago, before giving Jonti a smirk of pure mischief.

  Gianni came to stand next to Izzie, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at Meghan’s enthusiasm, then the whole group piled into the kitchen and devoured huge bowls of the fragrant minestrone soup, with chunks of focaccia drizzled in olive oil, followed by the limoncello tiramisu Izzie had made earlier that morning, before moving on to coffees and tiny glasses of grappa.

  Conversation and merriment merged with the Christmas tunes playing on the CD player Izzie had liberated from the studio, and whilst everyone was otherwise engaged, Izzie excused herself, taking her coffee outside, her feet leading her automatically towards the limonaia where she knew she would find a few moments of peace.

  She paused on the threshold, savouring the sharp citrussy tang that drifted through the air, smiling at the twinkling lights that framed the windows and edged the eaves, adding a magical fairy-tale quality to the glasshouse for the festive season. She reached out to caress one of the lemons, soaking up the ambience of calm and serenity that most special of places always seemed to instil in her, sending up a missive of gratitude to the director of her fate for delivering her to that careworn villa nestling in the Tuscan countryside where happiness had bloomed.

  ‘Izzie? Are you in there?’

  ‘Yes, over here.’

  She smiled at the way her heart gave a jolt of pleasure whenever Luca said her name in his sexy Italian accent. He reached for her hand, and laced his fingers with hers, but instead of leading her towards one of the rattan chairs, he guided them out of the limonaia, along the overgrown garden path, and towards the gazebo where Gianni’s Christmas tree still glittered with fairy lights and silver tinsel. Its branches looked curiously naked after their guests had taken their decorations home – all that was left was one garland of miniature wooden picture frames strung together with red-and-green striped Christmas ribbon and draped diagonally from top to bottom.

  ‘Luca?’

  Izzie followed him up the steps to take a closer look and when she did, she gasped, her heart exploding into a myriad of emotions. Nestled inside each of the tiny frames was a photograph of Izzie with Anna at her side, both of them beaming into the camera as they posed for their parents to record numerous celebrations throughout their lives: blowing out the candles on their fifth birthday cake, swimming with dolphins when they were ten, decked out in elf costumes for a Christmas play, having fun at Anna’s engagement party, one of the last photographs she had of them together.

  ‘I…’

  She couldn’t go on. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she remembered each and every occasion with a mixture of sadness and joy. She missed her sister every single day, and would continue to do so for the rest of her life, but she also loved Anna with every fibre of her being and wanted to celebrate the time she had spent with her, and that was what Luca had done for her, not just in pictorial form but by steering her out of the shadow of her grief and into the light.

  She turned to face the man she adored, unable to find the right words in Italian to express her gratitude for his thoughtfulness, his inherent kindness, his support over the last six months, so she simply said the words she knew she would be saying every day from that moment onwards.

  ‘Grazie, Luca, ti amo con tutto ciò che sono.’

  And when he kissed her, beneath the whitewashed awning of the gazebo with the fragrance of pine needles whispering through the air, a joyous exhilaration permeated to her very core.

  ‘Ti amo anch’io, Izz… a …bella Jenkins.’

  With her heart bursting with love, she held his gaze, smiling at the dimples that framed his lips before falling into his arms, and kissing him again and again under a cerulean Tuscan sky in the most amazing place in the whole world.

  Villa Limoncello.

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  Villa Limoncello, San Vivaldo, Tuscany

  Colour: Limoncello yellow

  ‘Is that another booking?’

  Luca peered over Izzie’s shoulder as she filled in the reservations spreadsheet on her laptop whilst enjoying a few minutes in the warm spring sunshine beneath the jasmine-covered pergola, the occasional whiff of sweet flowery perfume floating in the air making her smile.

  ‘Yes, a couple of primary school teachers; that makes twenty for next month’s Wine & Words course now. Gianni’s going to be delighted. They also showed an interest in Oriana’s yoga retreat in June and the photography sessions in July, but I had to tell them they’re already fully booked.’

  ‘Well, that’s what happens when you get a plug on national television!’ said Luca, dropping down into the chair next to Izzie and crossing his ankle over his jean-clad thigh.

  ‘True.’

  Izzie smiled and once again sent a missive of thanks to the director of her fate for bestowing her with such good fortune. Not only for the inauspicious introduction to the wonderful, kind, fun-loving man sitting by her side and with whom she shared her life and the sunflower-bedecked bedroom at Villa Limoncello, but for Jennie, Phoebe and Sofia, who had made sure the wo
rld knew the reason their Christmas carol concert at York Minster had been flawless. In an interview broadcast on their local BBC news programme, they had waxed lyrical about the villa’s many benefits and within minutes of their impromptu televised endorsement, the enquiries had started to roll in.

  ‘Who can possibly resist a week of indulging in delicious home-made Italian food along with copious bottles of local Chianti and set against this stunning backdrop of Tuscan beauty?’

  ‘Not forgetting the fact that, with the Wine & Words course at least, the courses are run by the most handsome presenters in Italy!’ added Meghan, appearing on the terrace with a beaming Gianni by her side.

  From the moment Izzie had rescheduled the cancelled creative writing and wine-tasting course, excitement had shone from Gianni’s eyes. However, his exuberant demeanour owed more to the fact that when he’d proposed to Meghan on Valentine’s Day she had said yes, relocating to San Vivaldo immediately, and then promptly landed herself a job at one of the prestigious Florence fashion houses in the same week. Izzie had never seen Meghan so happy and her heart ballooned at the sight of the newly engaged couple together, delighted that there was another wedding to plan for at the villa in the autumn.

  Their announcement had had another less anticipated benefit – one which was the icing on the engagement cake for Meghan. Her parents had flown over to Italy for their engagement party, telling Meghan that they’d taken on a new stable manager and that they hoped to spend more long weekends in Tuscany getting to know their future son-in-law and his extended family. Meghan’s mum had even booked herself a place on the Pottery & Pizza-Making course in May.

  When Izzie had told her own parents that she was turning down Harry’s offer to stay at Villa Limoncello with Luca, they had been thrilled for her, reiterating that all they wanted for their precious daughter was for her to be happy, wherever in the world that turned out to be. She smiled when she thought of their visit to San Vivaldo at the end of February, which they had spent touring the hilltop villages searching for a holiday home so they too could experience a slice of the serenity and calm that exuded from Izzie’s very pores. Her father was even talking about investing in a third-hand Ferrari!

  ‘Are there any places left on the yoga retreat?’ asked Meghan, flicking her raspberry-tipped hair out of her eyes so she could peer at Izzie’s computer screen.

  ‘Just two. Why?’

  ‘Gianni and I thought we might club together and treat Jonti – you know how hard he’s been saving to come back over here after the engagement party.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll put his name on the list, but he’d better turn up to the sessions, not like last time when he spent every spare moment he had either hanging out at Antonio’s or zooming around on the back of Carlos’s motorbike, stopping to sample the wine in every winery from here to Siena! I think Oriana was a little put out that he missed the opportunity to align his chakras.’

  ‘Oh, I think his chakras were perfectly fine!’ laughed Luca, depositing a kiss on the top of Izzie’s head before gathering their discarded coffee cups and disappearing into the villa with Gianni in tow.

  ‘On the subject of Oriana…’ Meghan smirked, shooting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Gianni and Luca wouldn’t overhear her gossiping – still her favourite hobby even though she lived in Italy. ‘How are things going with her and Alex?’

  Izzie smiled. ‘Apparently, he’s invited her to the grand opening of his sailing school next month and in return she’s offered to create one of her famous vegan cakes to celebrate the occasion. It’s apparently going to be a five-tier affair consisting of one carrot and walnut tier, one beetroot and pistachio tier, one courgette and egg-free meringue tier, well, you get the picture.’

  ‘Does she know Alex is a committed carnivore?’

  ‘I’m—’

  ‘Hey, Meghan, fancy a game?’ shouted Gianni, holding up a pair of rackets and a string bag filled with luminous yellow tennis balls.

  ‘Sure!’

  Izzie watched Meghan skip off to join Gianni on the tennis court that she and Luca had just finished refurbishing for the forthcoming tennis academy, her laughter floating on the warm midday air along with a top note of crushed lavender.

  ‘Carlotta certainly knew what she was doing when she introduced those two.’ Luca grinned, coming to stand next to Izzie on the terrace, and handing her a glass of iced lemonade before draping his arm around her shoulder as they contemplated the view up to San Vivaldo.

  ‘She certainly did!’

  ‘Ti amo, Is… a… bel… la,’ whispered Luca, his lips only millimetres from her ear, his familiar citrussy cologne sending a cascade of pleasure through her senses.

  ‘Ti amo anch’io, Luca.’

  And just as she had done every day since arriving at the villa, Izzie selected the fluffiest cloud in the sky and imagined Anna sitting there, enveloped within its soft embrace, certain that her sister was smiling down on her, happy that Izzie had at last found peace, and love, in her beloved Italy, a place that had guided her along the path to accepting that loss was all part of the rich tapestry of life.

  However, it was the man standing next to her who had truly healed her broken heart, showing her that those we have loved and lost never really disappear from our lives; they travel alongside us, in our thoughts and in our hearts.

  Tears sparkled at the corners of Izzie’s eyes, but she brushed them away.

  Villa Limoncello was no place for sadness, only joy.

  Villa Limoncello Recipes

  Izzie’s Home-made Limoncello

  Limoncello can easily be made at home and is delicious served as an after-dinner digestivo, drizzled over ice cream, added to a home-made panna cotta or tiramisu.

  Ingredients

  9 unwaxed lemons (organic if possible)

  1 litre of grain alcohol (or you can use vodka)

  1.5 litres of water

  700g of white sugar

  Directions

  Wash, then peel the lemons, making sure you only take the zest and not the white pith underneath which will make your limoncello taste bitter. Put the peel into a large, sterilised jar, pour in the alcohol and seal it. Leave the mixture in a cool, dark place to marinate for 20 days.

  Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, add the sugar and simmer until syrupy. Allow to cool completely, then add to the lemony liquid, stirring well. Leave for a further 10 days.

  Strain into decorative bottles, placing one in the freezer for a couple of hours before use, and storing the others in a cool place for later.

  Enjoy responsibly.

  Izzie’s St Clement’s Sizzlers

  As Izzie spent the previous two years of her life living off toast and coffee, baking is definitely not one of her most impressive skills. Only when she met Luca at Villa Limoncello did she start to learn how to create mouth-watering Italian pasta and patisserie, so when she was asked to showcase a batch of mince pies on the Snowflakes & Christmas Cakes course, she made it as easy as she could for herself by using bought mincemeat and adding a few finely chopped apricots and a handful of freshly peeled and chopped apple for an extra twist.

  Ingredients

  For the pastry:

  380g plain flour

  260g butter

  120g sugar

  2 eggs

  Zest of one unwaxed lemon & one orange

  For the filling:

  One large jar of mincemeat

  A handful of finely chopped apricots and 1 chopped, peeled and cored apple

  Icing sugar for dusting.

  Directions

  To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour to form a breadcrumb-like mixture. Add the sugar and the orange and lemon zest and stir well. Beat the eggs together in a separate cup, adding a splash of milk, then add to the mixture, a little at a time, until a soft dough is formed. Wrap in cling film and set aside to rest.

  Empty the mincemeat into a bowl and combine with the apricots and the chopped apple. Then, on a f
loured surface, roll out the pastry approx. 3mm thick and stamp out 16 circles to fit into a greased bun/muffin baking sheet. Add a generous teaspoonful of the mincemeat to each pie, brush the edges with a little egg mixture and place on a lid, glazing with more beaten egg. Pierce the top to let out steam and then bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 220°C/200°C fan/Gas7 for 15–20 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack, dusting with icing sugar before serving with a dollop of mascarpone sweetened with a little of the icing sugar and a splash of limoncello.

  Enjoy responsibly with a glass of Vin Santo or a limoncello cocktail!

  Luca’s Christmas Panforte Tartlets

  Ingredients

  For the pastry:

  225g plain flour

  110g butter

  80g sugar

  1 large egg

  For the filling:

  300g of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews, or pistachios (just chose your favourites or what you have lingering in your store cupboard)

  100g chopped dried apricots

  100g chopped dried figs

  150g dark muscovado sugar

  175g runny honey

  50g melted butter

  1 egg, beaten

  2.5tbsp plain flour

  2tsp cinnamon

  Half tsp ground nutmeg

  Half a tsp cloves

  Zest of half a lemon

  For the topping:

  125g mascarpone

  1tbsp of double cream

  1tbsp icing sugar

  1tbsp limoncello (or to taste)

  Curls of lemon zest for decoration

  Directions

  First make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour to form a breadcrumb-like mixture. Add the sugar and stir. Beat the egg in a separate cup, adding a splash of milk, then add to the mixture, a little at a time, to form a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and set aside to rest.