Based on the author's experiences of the region, this work takes a look at the Comino Valley in Italy, which lies north of Naples, south of Rome, surrounded by the Appenine peaks. It describes a chaotic wine competition, samples the Italian cantina, instructs on market-day haggling and surreptitious truffle-hunting, and investigates the scams and the charms of Naples. It also looks at an all-too-human bureucracy, informs on how to win a local election and roast a pig whole, observes the Catholic Church's close relationship to daily life, and reflects on how an earthquake saved the valley.