Lorraine : I’m English but have lived in Italy all my adult life: first in Rome, then Milan and since 1988 back to ‘the good life’ in the country, enjoying the healthier lifestyle and growing our own fruit and vegetables, keeping chickens and a changing variety of cats and dogs over the years. I do most of the cooking and share the vegetable gardening with Franco. We are both expert jam and tomato sauce makers and fruit bottlers.

Franco: I’m Milanese born and bred but have always preferred the country, so when in 1987 Lorraine suggested our two children would grow up better away from city smog, I willingly joined in the hunt for our own piece of ‘green belt’. I do all the hard labour on the farm and am also the supplier of mountain trout and pheasants and other game, when fishing and shooting are good! I specialize in cooking both, and also do the whole ‘polenta’ thing, from cultivating to picking, drying and grinding the maize, to cooking the polenta over our wood stove, stirring it by hand (no electric polenta-pans for me, I use my mother’s old copper one!)At the time, some of our city friends thought we were moving into a ‘cultural desert’, but we proved them wrong and many envied or later imitated our choice.

Cascina Cesarina is away from it all yet only a short drive or train journey into Milan – though we tend to only go for special events – we can get everything we need here, without the crowds!

The next generation – Matteo and Laura – are mainly based in the UK but are lively visitors whenever they can. Both get on brilliantly with children and animals and can be relied on for good tips on the nightlife for young adult guests.