Our love affair with Italian gelato Whether you believe that Marco Polo brought back the idea of ice cream to Italy from his travels in China (along with pasta, but that’s a different story), there’s no doubt that gelato is close to every Italian’s heart, and we’re in love with it too. Italian gelato is different from the […]
One family that enjoyed dinner out at a local restaurant last week had a lovely surprise when they received the bill for their food… It included a five percent discount for their ‘well-behaved children’. Antonio Ferrari, the owner of a wine bar in the northern city of Padua, came up with the idea when in came a party of […]
With so many wonderful regional specialities, it’s a hard choice to make, but these five formaggi could rival cheeseboards from anywhere in the world… 1. Mozzarella di bufala Campania It may seem controversial to place mozzarella above Parmigiano Reggiano, but few could argue that this luxurious, creamy delight now has an unassailable place in kitchens worldwide, and […]
Nothing says romance like chocolate (well, apart from diamonds…) so we’ve rustled up these ideas with a distinctly Italian flavour A slice of alright Pizza purists, look away now… For the chocoholic in your life, this delicious confection of chocolate will hit the spot. The 7-inch base is solid Belgian milk chocolate and topped with milk […]
Some of the more complex Italian recipes will take hours to prepare – and just as long to enjoy! – but when you’re in a hurry you’re going to need quick-and-easy recipes. Mackerel fillets with potato and olive salad – (Filetti di sgombro con insalata di patate e olive) There are lots of different fish called […]
The festive season is upon us so why not treat yourself to a sweet slice of an authentic Italian cake, like panettone, pandoro or panforte? Here’s our magnificent six… Christmas cake comes in various forms in Italy: the raisin-filled panettone, the sweet yeasted pandoro and the richly-fruited panforte. The origins of panettone stretch back to […]
Bring a dash of Italian style to the festive season with our gift ideas for the whole family Adopt an Olive Tree For an unusual gift that lovers of Italian food will adore, why not adopt an olive tree? The recipient of your gift will be sent an adoption certificate and a welcome pack, together […]
There’s no better way of buying authentic Italian produce than by rubbing shoulders with the locals at one of Italy’s many bustling markets. Here are our favourites… The Rialto Markets/ Pescheria Venice, Veneto Among the multitude of architectural, historical and scenic ‘must-sees’ and ‘must-dos’ in this iconic city, here is a gastronomic imperative to add […]
Delicious wheels of Pecorino cheese wrapped neatly in red radicchio, leek and green cabbage – the pride of any Italian artisan food fair or market Photo by iStock Pecorino is a ewe’s milk cheese that, although pretty well known, often falls into the shadow of the nation’s far more famous Parmesan, for virtue of the […]
Espresso lovers can never go wrong in Rome. Your coffee will probably be excellent in most of the bars you find. Yet, according to locals, if you want to drink the best in the city you have to head to the Pantheon: two ‘temples’ to the coffee bean are there, situated within walking distance […]