Did you know 25% of Italy’s olive oil comes from my favorite little region that is burrowed down deep at the toe of the boot? Well, it does.

It is also a staple in every Calabrian kitchen and is used in antipasto dishes, pasta plates, meat, fish and even desserts. In fact, it is a little joke around our house because most recipes don’t even list olive oil or garlic in their ingredients … because, you know, they are a given – you should know to use them.

Marcella Hazan, renowned Italian food writer and author of Marcella Cucina cookbook said, “The taste of a dish for which you need olive oil will be as good or as ordinary as the oil you use. A sublime one can lift even modest ingredients to eminent heights of flavor; a dreary oil will pull the best ingredients down to its own level. Partial clues to the quality of the olive oil you are buying are supplied by the label and the price, but ultimately, the only way to determine which one, among those available, is right for you is to taste and compare.”

And that’s where we come in.

Through the magical interwoven web of the Internet, I met Monica Kripalani, a new distributor of Calabrian olive oil whose recent trip to the mezziogiorno changed her life. After a brief tour through Calabria and into the hills of Lamezia Terme, Monica decided to open Monica’s Fine Foods to share her new-found love of Davoli Olive Oil with North America.

And that, my friends, means you.

Monica is giving away one 250ml bottle of Davoli Extra Virgin Olive Oil to one lucky Facebook Fan *and* a $50 gift certificate to a random blogger.

Interested, any?  Here are the details!

To be eligible to win the free 250ml bottle of Calabrian olive oil, all you need to do is become a Facebook fan of Monica’s Fine Foods before Friday, February 26 at 5:00 PM (Pacific Time). At that point, Monica will randomly select a winner from her Facebook Fans and the winner will be announced here on My Bella Vita on Monday, March 1.

Bloggers, this part is for you …

For your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Monica’s Fine Foods, just  re-post this contest information in full on your website or blog by Friday, February 26 at 5:00 PM. Leave a comment here on My Bella Vita telling us about your post, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing.

Due to distribution restrictions, Monica can only ship items in the US and Canada, so if you have a US address … you are good to go!

In bocca al lupo!

What is your favorite way to use olive oil? I think a simple pasta with aglio, olio e peperonico (garlic, olive oil and red pepper) highlights good olive oil and brings out the flavors of spicy peppers. What about you?

*Pictures by Monica of Monica’s Fine Foods

After two weeks of accepting posts, nominations and submissions, the first annual Blogging From the Boot contest is closed for entries. Judges worked all weekend narrowing down the entries, breaking ties and notifying finalists.

And now it is up to you.

The three finalists from each category are listed on the AffordableCallingCards.net website, along with links to their respective blogs and posts. Take your time, read through the posts and click the “VOTE” link below each section to cast your vote for that category.

But I warn you … it won’t be easy.

The judges had a hard time narrowing the entries to three in each category. How, oh how, could I ever vote for just one?

So grab a glass of wine, sit back, relax and read Blogging From the Boot: The Best of 2009

READ ENTRIES AND VOTE HERE!!

Voting is open between now and Friday, February 5, 2010 at 5:00 PM … which just happens to coincide nicely with World Nutella Day!

And speaking of World Nutella Day, one of WND’s co-hosts, Michelle Fabio, of Bleeding Espresso just happened to be one of the judges for the 1st annual Blogging from the Boot contest. I’d like to publicly thank Michelle, along with Georgette Jupe of A New Beginning! Bring it On! and Audra de Falco of That Girl in Italy for judging the contest … so, grazie mille, ragazze!

One of the most enjoyable things for me as a co-host of Blogging from the Boot was getting the chance to work with bloggers I didn’t know well. Although like many Italy expat bloggers I “knew” Tina of Tina Tangos, I hadn’t worked with her on blogging projects until now. For any of you considering teaming up with her on projects, I highly recommend it. She’s a gem to work with and I hope we can join forces again in the future.

And to all of the Italy expat bloggers who entered the contest. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You helped make our first annual blogging contest a success, you educated us about private, maternal issues, shared personal wedding and honeymoon stories  and warned us of potential stalkers … and bankers.

Congratulations to all of the finalists and in bocca al lupo!

Vote Now!

Whoever chose December-the final month of the year-as the time to celebrate the holidays, buy and wrap presents and cook for family and friends probably didn’t own their own business-and relaunch their website during the week of Italy’s first festa of the holiday season.

I’m just saying … the holidays could come at a better time of the year.

Photo: Viktor Kaposi

Oh, but who I am to Scrooge-up your holiday season? Forget about end-of-the-year invoicing, new year’s goals and the most generous of all holiday gifts-taxes.

The holidays have arrived, and that, in conjunction with the My Bella Vita relaunch, is why we’re giving away ItalianPod101 lessons, an 8X10 Italy photo of your choice and a free one-day custom itinerary.

Last week I asked my husband how he planned to contribute to the new site’s relaunch.

His response?

“I have an old pair of shoes!”

I mean, if you are into the shoes, then come on over and get them. Please.

Otherwise, read on.

THE FINAL MY  BELLA VITA RELAUNCH GIVEAWAY:

A romantic weekend for two at Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast in Catanzaro, Italy and a Taste of Calabria welcome basket, complete with Calabrian specialties of the season and drinks.*

See details below. And now, on with the column …

With Christmas breathing down my neck and an international trip on the horizon, I’m lucky to find 20 minutes a day for my Mari Winsor Pilates. And in keeping with the good-will of the season and the new FTC rules for bloggers-I don’t get money if you click on that link.

Wink. Wink.

Speaking of time-consuming projects that pay, I was recently asked to update the Southern Italy section for DK Eyewitness Guide, Italy 2011. I’m thrilled with the gig and anxious to learn even more about my adopted area of the bel paese.

In keeping with the Calabria travel writer theme, Lara Dunston, travel writer extraordinaire recently asked her blog readers to share their worst hotel experience. Her post was prompted by a recent stay at a five-star hotel** where she and her husband returned to their room on their first night to find urine-soaked sheets and comforter. (Gah!)

photo credit: karpov the wrecked train

People responded to her call for worst hotel experiences.

Erica of Travel Blissful reported smoky rooms that lack hotel-room essentials, Tess of Luxury Beach Escapes spoke of language mishaps-in a perfectly normal and charming way-and Mary Jo of Suzhou Mojo told of having a man sleep on her balcony and a literal hole-in-the-wall of the bathroom that led into the hallway.

And their stories got me thinking.

As bed and breakfast owners, my husband and I focus on the details of the guest experience and do everything in our power to make it positive. But some hotels don’t.

My worst hotel experience was at a bed and breakfast in the mountains of Calabria my husband and I chose for a weekend getaway. The room was musty, dusty and rusty, the towels were paper thin and tearing at the seams and the bathroom was tiny-even by Italian standards. Instead of a king-size bed, they’d pushed two twins together forcing us to sleep separately-newlyweds that we were-or fall into the crack between the beds.

The room was icy cold and they only offered housekeeping if you left your keys with them, a fact they didn’t tell us when we checked in.

However, it wasn’t a horrible experience because we spent time walking through the mountain trails, warming up by the fireplace in the sitting room and eating at the hotel’s surprisingly fabulous restaurant. I’m curious about your worst hotel experiences …

But now back to that giveaway!

There are five ways you can enter the drawing to win the romantic weekend at Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast and Taste of Calabria welcome basket.

1. Leave a comment on this post detailing your worst hotel experience.

2. Retweet this post. Be sure to include “@mybellavita” so I’ll see your tweet.

3. Subscribe to my RSS (either in a reader or via email) and leave me a comment telling me you are a new subscriber.

4. Post this on Facebook and either leave a comment on the My Bella Vita Facebook page or tell me in the comments.

5. If you do all four, you’ll receive a bonus entry-just for kicks!

Contest ends Thursday, December 17 at 5:00 PM, Italy time. Winner will be selected in a random drawing.

In bocca al lupo and Happy Holidays!

* The fine print: The romantic weekend at Il Cedro B&B is based on availability and must be booked within one year of notification. There are no refunds and prize can not be combined with other offers or promotions. The Taste of Calabria welcome basket accompanies the room nights and can not be shipped separately.

** The hotel pictured is NOT the hotel where Lara and her husband found yellow sheets!