Poggio La Noce
Shooting, designing, and writing a cookbook for Poggio La Noce, a winery in Fiesole, Italy.
For Enzo’s Kitchen, our goal was to capture the essence of the vineyard through storytelling, photography, and meticulous recipe development. Laura’s photography brings to life the textures and colors of seasonal Tuscan cooking, while Colin’s writing weaves together the stories behind each dish—why it matters, how it’s made, and what it means in the broader landscape of Italian food traditions.
Together, we crafted a book that is more than just a collection of recipes; it’s a love letter to the artistry of simple, honest cooking and the people who make it possible. From documenting hands-on winemaking practices to refining techniques in the kitchen, we worked closely with Poggio La Noce to ensure that every page reflects the passion and authenticity of their approach.
When I was growing up, my father, a bit of an exuberant character, owned a soccer team. After the players finished practicing, they would head to a restaurant by the lake near our home. Often, I would join them. It was through these visits to the restaurant that my obsession was sparked—not with soccer, but with food. I quickly learned about the way food could taste and never looked back.
That, and I did not particularly enjoy my mother’s cooking. As one of five children, I knew taste was less of a priority than quantity for her. But that didn’t stop me from letting her know otherwise. After school, I would boldly share my growing culinary expertise.
"The sauce is too watery," I’d say, stirring the pot in more ways than one. "And it smells. Where is the fresh bread?"
"Leave, go, shoo!" she’d yell, steering me out of the kitchen and toward the restaurant, where I would go on to enjoy a scorchingly hot serving of gnocchetti al tegamino or handmade ziti with bursting ripe pomodori.
I admit I could be a disaster for my mother. But what is true is that if not for her cooking, I would not have begun my love affair with food.
The recipes in this book encapsulate the culinary essence of cooking at Poggio La Noce, where we honor the timeless Italian principle: the best meals are made with love, inspired by the beauty that surrounds us.
Welcome to our table.
