Book Launch: Children of the Volcano by Ros Belford

Last night we hosted the launch of Ros Belford’s new book Children of the Volcano: Finding Freedom and Making a Home for Three in Sicily.

This is an uplifting, humorous memoir of a mother building a new life on a beautiful Sicilian island.

Reeling from a broken relationship, Ros Belford decides the best chance she has of healing, while giving her daughters a childhood to remember, is to move to Italy and live by the sea.

After a false start in a town where machismo is ingrained, they find the small, lush, delightful island of Salina. Izzy and Juno grow up playing on the beach, learning to swim over volcanic bubbles, hearing tales of Aeolian witches and watching Stromboli erupt on the horizon. It is not entirely paradise, however. The school is atrocious, there are power cuts and an earthquake, and property speculators threaten the island’s fragile beauty. But an eclectic community of islanders take them to their hearts, friendships are forged and Salina becomes home.

Full of humanity, vitality, honesty and optimism, Children of the Volcano is for anyone unwilling to give up dreams of adventure and excitement simply because of parenthood, lack of money and not getting things right the first time.

Children of the Volcano by Ros Belford is available now for £19.99. We have signed copies while stocks last.

Free Badiani Ice Cream with ‘You Deserve Good Gelato’ by Kacie Rose

You may have seen her hilarious TikTok videos about the everyday culture shocks of being an American living in Italy, now Kacie Rose has collated her experiences into a new book; You Deserve Good Gelato.

To celebrate the launch we’ve teamed up with DK and our neighbours Badiani for a delicious collaboration.

Visit Stanfords Covent Garden Store and get a FREE Badiani gelato voucher with your purchase of You Deserve Good Gelato between 28th May – 4th June

– 10% discounted gelato when you take your copy of You Deserve Good Gelato to any Badiani store across the UK from 28th May – 4th June.

Continue reading Free Badiani Ice Cream with ‘You Deserve Good Gelato’ by Kacie Rose

Helena Attlee talks to Matthew Fort

Travel through centuries of Italian history with author Helena Attlee as she talks to the food writer and critic Matthew Fort about her zest for the land where lemons grow, and the surprising role citrus fruit has played in the making of a nation. Continue reading Helena Attlee talks to Matthew Fort

The 5 scariest places on the planet

Just in time for Halloween – head off on a terrifying trip to one of these five frightening locations IF YOU DARE! Continue reading The 5 scariest places on the planet