BORGO BREAKFAST Painting

During my June residency, I would have to say that the best part of my work day was the BORGO BREAKFAST!

I arrived to the villa early each morning, before the heat of the day for a mouthwatering breakfast with the guests, complete with a side of great conversations and of course, painting.

The breakfast is held in an impeccably-designed kitchen flooded with natural light and heavy, well-loved furniture. Seating available in the elegant, flower-filled dining room, where I would post up, with additional al fresco dining in the rose garden as well as on the front patio over looking the beautiful Valle Serena.

I had some of the best conversations with guests during this time. I met people from all over the world. One particular guest (the woman who snapped the first picture in this post) left a lasting impression. Her wisdom was shared in a chain made of small gems in passing and I am grateful to have crossed paths with her.

I could see the pride in the work during the breakfast service. Each person going above and beyond to create the best possible experience for their guests, myself included. I returned the sentiment and thanked many of my new friends with these paintings.

I could taste the passion in the food; the artisans' love for their craft, the land, the traditions, and the flavors of Tuscany and beyond. Everyone who works at Borgo has been hand-selected for their position, and that allows for their passions and highly-tuned skills to elevate every experience.

I am incredibly honored to be asked to return year after year for this month long residency, and to be part of this team of elites as their Artist in Residence.

Thanks for reading!

Best,

Jen

A bit about Borgo and their Farm to Table philosophy:

Here are some excerpts from their website discussing their culinary gardens, orchards, nut fields, artisan cheese dairy, apiaries and vineyards amongst the flowerbeds and winding paths:

The Culinary Gardens

Our organically cultivated orto, or culinary garden lies at the core of our ‘farm to plate’ philosophy, where fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers are sown and harvested for use on the estate. Cultivated using ancient techniques such as lunar planting together with biodynamic principles, the orto enables our chefs to design their plates from the source providing infinite possibilities for the creation of original dishes...

Sheep Milking, Cheese Making & Cheese Tasting

Our cheese production reinforces our ‘farm to plate’ philosophy and is served at the hotel breakfast buffet and our restaurants. With a flock of 300 sheep who freely roam our pastures, a daily average of 200 liters of their fresh milk is transformed into cheese for the estate and the community, ranging from exquisitely soft and fresh robiola, primo sale and ricotta to flavorful, semi-mature and mature pecorino. The cheesemaking demonstration is interactive and provides guests with a glimpse behind the scenes, as to how we tend to the sheep and the methods our specialists use to create exquisite dairy products. Roll up your sleeves and enroll the whole family!

Organic Egg Collection

Our brightly coloured chicken houses are home to over 170 hens, roosters and turkeys. The houses and surrounding area are designed for the birds to enjoy both comfortable shelters while providing a large open space for them to roam freely. Your keen eye will note the variety of species: we have the Livornese White, the Black Mora, the Tosca Browns and the Naked Necks. Each hen produces an average of 1 egg per day, and we would love your help! Join us late evening as we carefully hand collect them all to deliver to the kitchen. Deliciously fresh as breakfast, divine as chef’s creations and excellent for preparing pasta.