Inside the Tuscan Hills

Hosted by Camille Abbe, this delightful PBS series--comprised of six 26-minute episodes--takes armchair travelers on a guided tour through the rich history and artisan traditions of rural Tuscany. Once the center of the civilized world (before the rise of the Roman Empire), but also the site of much internal warfare (the region's numerous ancient castles attest to that fact), Tuscany has nevertheless maintained pride in its winemaking, cheesemaking, meat-preserving, talented ceramic painters, shoemaking, and much else. Tourists will find that Tuscany's history is not just buried in museums but also reenacted in such rituals as a Renaissance fair complete with a crossbow contest and a pagan blessing of vineyards. As for cooking, master chefs concoct many a regional delicacy here for viewers to fantasize over. A fun, informative, and comprehensive travelogue, Inside the Tuscan Hills is definitely recommended. Aud: C, P. (T Keogh)