Criswell's move from New York City to Tuscany was not supposed to go like this. She had envisioned lazy mornings sipping espresso while penning a bestselling novel and jovial group dinners, just like in the movies and books about expatriate life in Italy. Then she met reality: no work, constant struggles with Italian bureaucracy to claim citizenship, and becoming the talk of the town after her torrid affair with a local fruit vendor.
In Jennifer Criswell's debut memoir, At Least You're in Tuscany, we learned that seeking citizenship and creating a new life in Italy with little in the way of funds can bring an alternate reality than what may be portrayed in the movies but none of it deterred her. Almost a decade later, Well Seasoned in Tuscany provides us with the rest of her story in pursuit of the sweet life. Springtime hunts for wild asparagus, summer weddings, fall olive harvesting, and winter cooking lessons take center stage as Criswell brings us a delectable taste of the seasons and a memoir that transports us back to Montepulciano and her ongoing Tuscan adventure. She explores the rhythms of life in the small hill town and we learn more of the friendships she forged. The missteps are still there, as is the humor, as we follow Jennifer's work at a local vineyard, a glimpse into the town's traditions and, of course, the food. Learning Tuscan recipes from her friend and neighbor prove to be so much more than cooking.