Written by Chanie Nayman and Nechami Goldman

The Guest List:

Adina (Adriana) Rosie
Danielle Renov
Esty Wolbe
Malkie Knopfler
Naomi Nachman
Shaindy Plotzker

The Destinations:

Milan and Dolomites, Italy

The Goal:

What possessed six busy women to pick themselves up and head Italy-ward just days before Shavuos?

The primary goal of this trip was to spread excitement and awareness about a new line of flours from Tuscanini, which is produced in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. Tuscanini focuses on quality, sourcing the best of the best from this region for their bread flour and the rest of their product line. Our guests worked with the bread flour firsthand and experienced the high glutenous texture and capability and the way it creates a beautiful dough, specifically challah dough.

Monday

Monday morning in the US of A started off with a dozen messages on our Italy chat, including a whole bunch from Naomi offering courtesy salads from Jus by Julie for dinner and snacks for everyone, several panicked “I didn't pack a raincoat!”s, and Malkie Knopfler spilling a surprise she’s working on for her sister’s birthday (it’s super cute, but sorry, we can’t say).

Amid all the packing, I kept refreshing the weather. It showed rain in Milan on Tuesday morning — and we had plans for a walking tour. I reminded myself that stress-checking every minute won’t change the situation. Hashem had the very best weather planned for us, and it would be beautiful either way. Even if we have to do the walking tour in the matching ponchos I packed just in case.

At the Airport

Things got dramatic before we even left the country when my first connecting flight got delayed. While I was running to make it, the rest of the group was trying to get on the plane with a million bags. Seasoned traveler Naomi warned us all about plane food, so we were lugging dinner for six, plus my huge Tuscanini swag bag. Security wasn’t having it. “Only two bags per person!” We reasoned, we negotiated, we shared, and we consolidated until we each went on with two bags.

And just like that, we were Italy-bound.

Tuesday

To the sound of pouring rain pelting our plane, we arrived in Milan at 7:30 a.m. and proceeded to take over the ladies room. The room was 110 degrees (give or take), but we successfully freshened up. Esty touched up wigs, Shaindy tied her laces, and outfit opinions were handed out. As I was purchasing my SIM card, I realized that I’ve completely relinquished weather control to Hashem (partly because I had no service). And guess what? As we walked out of the airport, the sun beamed down at us. Thank you, Hashem!

We drove to Denzel, an adorable, quaint café, and ate breakfast outdoors. There, we met with the incredible Chabad rebbetzin of Milan, Mashie Chazzan, and her 19-year-old daughter Chana, who welcomed us so kindly and with such a warm perspective of our impact on the Jewish women of Milan. Many hugs, coffees, pastries, and sandwiches later, we were back on the bus, heading to our walking tour.

Milan Walking Tour

We kicked off our tour at a beautiful fountain, with Mashie leading us in a perek of Tehillim — such a grounding moment in the middle of all the excitement. From there, we walked through Milan, passing thousands of tourists and trolleys weaving through the traffic and noticing the creativity in the windows of the charming shops along the way.

Eventually, we arrived at our destination, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an iconic indoor shopping piazza. It felt like we were outside, thanks to the soaring domed glass ceilings. The piazza is home to many of the original Italian shops. Naturally, Shaindy got recognized — she has fans in Milan!

Back in the van, we couldn’t stop thanking Hashem for the gorgeous weather. And every two minutes, Danielle stopped everyone to point out a castle in the mountains.
(“Guys, guys, guys! Look! It’s a castle! In the mountains!”)

The Tuscanini Potato Chip Factory

We were instantly hit by a wave of the distinct smell of, yep, potatoes. Standing right at the factory entrance, we found ourselves looking into a huge tub of potatoes. Picture a potato pool. The potatoes slowly made their way down the conveyor belt, where they were peeled, washed, and sliced by the coolest, sharpest blades. Then they were bathed again and fried in huge vats of olive oil.

While all other brands of potato chips prefer sunflower oil, Tuscanini uses only olive oil for a healthier, more premium product. We watched the fresh chips tumble off at the end of the production line and got to taste them, fresh and hot. Watching the process unfold from raw potato to crunchy chip in 20 minutes was fascinating! Everyone was talking about how cool it was to taste the chips at the end of this process, and to be able to confirm that Tuscanini products are actually made in Italy start to finish.

Next Stop: Pasta Factory

The machines in this factory were therapeutic to look at. The parts all moved so swiftly, predictably, and robotically.

The pasta produced at the Tuscanini factory is exclusively bronze cut. That means that the pasta is pushed through a traditional bronze mold instead of a slick, modern one. The bronze mold gives the noodles a slightly gritty surface, and while the difference is microscopic, it gives the pasta more surface area for sauce to adhere to. Through the whole process, we tried to help Esty learn something new, but she apparently knows everything already, so that was hard.

We spent some time admiring the differently shaped bronze molds. We even spotted a novelty mold that makes pasta shaped like every letter of the alphabet!

After the tour, we got to cook dinner in the factory kitchen. Danielle took charge and doled out jobs, and ultimately, she and Esty took care of dinner. They stirred up mouthwatering pasta dishes. There’s nothing more satisfying than sitting down to a dinner you made with friends. Delizioso!

After dinner, we made an impromptu five-minute stop at a waterfall — in this place, how could you not? — before heading to the hotel.

The rooms didn’t have Wi-Fi, and somehow, it felt right. Surrounded by crisp mountain air and the most magnificent views, we finally (tried) to get some shut eye.

Wednesday, Rosh Chodesh Sivan

Fighting off jet lag, we all awoke early and downed more coffee. Shout-out to Esty, who can apparently handle more coffee than anyone.

Then we headed to the Dolomites. The filming location for our challah bake was indescribable. Just as we arrived, a peacock casually spread its gorgeous feathers like, “Welcome, honored guests.”

We were surrounded by rolling hills, chirping birds, and the occasional honk from our friend, the peacock. And — “Guys, look!” A castle was peeking out from the mountains. We felt like we were standing in a postcard.

But because we were filming outdoors, we had to hustle to beat the midday sun. Those harsh shadows wait for no one. With our crew constantly repositioning a sun shield the size of a truck, we filmed a gorgeous challah bake led by Danielle in this picturesque location. And if the final video looks effortless, just know that Danielle ripped her way through many, many flour bags until we got that one perfect slow-mo riiiiip.

After filming, we enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring our freshly baked challos, and then we sang Hallel and davened Mussaf. Witnessing Adina daven as a newly welcomed giyores was especially inspirational. She gave us all a deeper appreciation for Yiddishkeit. I have one word to describe singing Hallel on that mountain. Surreal.

Next Stop: Flour Factory

Things don’t have to be filmed in the order of release, so there we were, filming the flour factory tour after the challah bake. Due to a technical glitch, the cameras weren’t recording, and we needed to reenact one segment of the tour five times. Watching everyone mock-react for the fifth time was pretty funny.

The flour sifting and grinding rooms were so loud that we couldn’t talk. So we all just watched, wide-eyed, trying it take it all in. Large holes carved into the floor accommodated the huge shafts where the flour shot up from one level to the next. It was fascinating to see how many different types of flour they produce. The machines ground the flour to all different levels of coarseness, and it was oddly satisfying to watch. Malkie dropped a pun about the flour sieve that was de-sieving. (Jokes just naturally come to her, this was all day every day, effortlessly.)

We traveled for a few hours and got back to Milan in time to eat a relaxing and delicious dinner at Ba’ghetto, and then we headed for our hotel. Goldy Guttman once again picked a real winner, and after settling down for a few minutes (it was well after 11:00 p.m.), we got a text on our group chat from Naomi: “Who wants to join me at the rooftop pool?” Naomi has endless energy — we were all in awe!

Thursday

One of the trip’s highlights was the breakfast meet and greet at Chabad Milan. Mashie asked us all to share something small with the lovely group of women gathered there. Some of us shared what we do and the meaning behind it, and some of us shared a more specific thought connected to Shavuos or a general idea to uplift and inspire others.

After we spoke, Shaindy led everyone in a few songs and spontaneous dancing. The final song was the anthem of the year, “Od Yoter Tov.” There was no music — it was just us, connecting through song. It was one of the most moving parts of the trip.

The trip was so multifaceted in terms of the content we were filming and the experiences between our guests, but this visit tied it all together. We weren’t filming for an audience or serving a nice meal for the sake of our own enjoyment. We were living a real experience with other Jewish women from across the globe. Learning about their lives, sharing about ours, and building a connection and a sense of purpose. This moment felt like the heart of the entire trip.

Chocolate Factory

Watching the whole process from chocolate bean to chocolate bar was amazing. What stood out was how clean everything was. Before entering the facility, there was a whole sanitation protocol each person had to go through — even our shoes were scrubbed. The factory runs two completely separate systems for dairy and nondairy, with no cross-over at any point. As the chocolate traveled from the vat to the dispenser through a web of labeled pipes, we could easily trace where each type was going (if we read Italian).

Even though they produce so many varieties of chocolate, each batch has its own flavor profile, depending on the roasting time, temperature, and exact mix of additions. It’s a very precise process, and every choice changes the final flavor. We recognized many well-known brands being made there — that got a big reaction from the group.

Basically, if you’re a chocolate lover, you’d be delighted.

One Last Stop

On the way to the airport, we made a spontaneous decision to stop at Lake Como. Why is everyone so obsessed with Lake Como? It seems that it’s been a trending vacation spot since Roman times because of its natural beauty, including its reportedly clear blue waters, dramatic mountain scenery, and picturesque villages. But Malkie Knopfler said it’s like the Statue of Liberty — it’s a Thing. You get there, and oh, a lady is holding a something. But Shaindy Plotzker was completely in awe, and she let us know it. So. Reactions varied.

The Flight Home

The flight home was totally uneventful — if you don’t count all the smoke. Okay, not actual smoke, just someone screaming about smoke.

Let me back up. We were schmoozing in the back like women with nowhere else to be for seven hours, when a steward peered out the window and said, “Smoke?”

Shaindy heard that and yelled, “Is everything okay?” Well, if it wasn’t already a thing, it was now. Cue every stewardess sprint-walking down the aisle with fire extinguishers, Shaindy davening, shaking, taking on mitzvos, and repeating, “I’m telling you the wing’s on fire!”

And then, the stewardesses turned back. “It’s nothing,” they said, giggling. “Just too much perfume in the bathroom.”

Moral of the story: Don’t yell smoke on a crowded plane.

We came with a mission to introduce the high-quality bread flour soon to be released by Tuscanini. While we were there, we appreciated the absolutely breathtaking scenery and the invaluable experience of sharing three days with amazing women who brim with positivity. It was meticulously planned, it was beautiful and picturesque, and it came alive because of the warmth and dedication of everyone involved. A truly unforgettable experience!