Second chance summer:Tuscany

I missed the last episode but have enjoyed it so far. It really isn't my idea of a pleasant retirement. Working in that hot sun from early in the morning until early evening must be exhausting. I know that it is only when they are harvesting but they would presumably have to find another source of income once payment for the harvests come through. I think it's quite a brave thing to do to move to a different country later in life.

I hope those that stay on can make a go of it and enjoy their new lives - especially the young chap whose Dad had died and who seemed like he needed to find a job that he found really rewarding and a place in which he could settle.

I knew the retired policeman was thinking about it. That's good to know that some people could live out their dreams from such a programme.

The chef and the retired policeman have apparently gone into partnership to run an olive farm. They got on well and were not afraid of hard work.

They were on breakfast telly a few weeks ago.

Hadn't realised that, Nfk. I'll have to watch more closely next time, and not while on GN.

The men seem to be quite good at having worked out what they want or don't want to do. They are also the grafters.

(I'd assumed the chef chap kept out of it as he isn't the one who wants to do it full time in Tuscany,)

How could they have got this far into the series and have so little Italian? Didn't they have a teacher come earlier in the series? I agree with Deedaa that surely you'd have written out dates, numbers, costs etc before going shopping. It all seemed very disorganised, but perhaps, hopefully, that was for TV visual effect as, apart from the gnocci disaster - and the finger in the cake - and the pig and the pasta arriving late - everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves.

It'll be interesting to see if anyone actually stays on.

Agreed, Deedaa. I couldn't believe they served that. It made me feel ill just to look at it. In Italy, as well!

I told DD it was like a cross between Changing Rooms and Can't Cook Won't Cook I don't think those sludgy plates of gnocchi would have done much for their reputation!

They did say they were making a loss. But that was to get a reputation. They spent too much time talking and not enough doing.

I can't believe that anyone would go to live in a foreign country for 6 weeks without even taking a phrase book with them. And surely before going out to "source" supplies you would roughly sketch out what you needed to say - or is that just me? And for heaven's sake write the numbers down and make sure you've got them right! By my reckoning they were paying 20 euros a head for the anti pasti, pasta and gnocchi. and 10 euros a head for vegetables. The hog roast won't have been cheap so heaven knows how much of a loss they were making.

I know the laws on catering as well, dj.

I just didn't believe the stomach bug excuse. If it were genuine he would have recovered in time for the wedding.

The whole thing has been spoiled by stage managed scenarios. I'm still chuckling about all that veg to feed 40 people.

They wouldn't have much of a restaurant left if he'd cooked and passed on a stomach bug.
It showed he knew the law on catering.

I'm baffled. One of the men (can't remember his name) is a qualified chef. Last week he wimped out of cooking meals in their restaurant due to a stomach bug.....Frankly, I didn't believe a word of it.

So....Who did the catering for a wedding for 40 guests?

Not the qualified chef. He just made sarky remarks about the over ordering of vegetables.

Pillock!

I've started to watch this on IPlayer, 1 and a half episodes so far. They didn't prepare very well for the b and b guests, have more to watch. Tuscany, or even Italy per se, a little bit of heaven on earth

The chef is OK, he's one of the few who knows what he's doing. And with any sort of stomach trouble he couldn't cook for paying customers. I thought it was very good of the Italians to pay for that awful looking meal. Not sure why some of them seem to think people want to go to Italy and meet English people and eat English food. I think the wine guy and the ex policeman are going to get the most out of it.

The scenery is lovely but last night I just wanted to give that so-called chef a good slap!

Most of the women seem pretty useless as well.

I am hooked on this series, and as you say amazing scenery. Just love Italy.