When the countries of Europe embraced the euro they sacrificed part of their identities – Mario Matassa ponders the much-loved lira, and the growing number of Italians who are beginning to support its return… Dolore Euro Più di un semplice valore monetario, una moneta può avere un’anima? Qualunque sia il clima economico, non potrei mai […]
The Amalfi coast is an array of colour as the first sign of autumn reaches Italy… The first signs of autumn arrive quietly on the Amalfi Coast. I try to hold onto the last warmth of the summer days, which seemed as if they would never come to an end. Yet, the evenings are already […]
Named after the region in which it is produced, delicious Parmigiano Reggiano is by far Italy’s most popular cheese. We test seven and give you a flavour of our findings… The recent earthquake in northern Italy has deeply affected the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. During the disaster, high stacks of shelved cheese wheels – each […]
Find your way around beautiful Tuscany with this extensive guide… TUSCANY by Rebecca Ford, Footprint, £13.99 (paperback) Tuscany has an embarrassment of riches for the visitor, and so it’s no surprise that this exhaustive guide book runs to 320 pages. It features in-depth advice and tips for all the major parts of the region and […]
Delve into the story of the Mafia in this gripping non-fiction novel, ‘The Honoured Society’… The Honoured Society by Petra Reski, Atlantic Books, £17.99 (hardback) This exposé of the Cosa Nostra reveals the startling breadth of the Mafia’s corrupting influence in Italian government and details the expanding operation of the competing ’Ndrangheta whose reach now […]
Look no further for authentic Italian pasta recipes than Lucio Galletto’s and David Dale’s The Art of Pasta… From the culinary luminaries who brought Lucio’s Italian Restaurant to Australia comes this new guide to making and cooking pasta. The Art of Pasta is filled with 160 authentic recipes, complemented by elegant artwork and photography. The […]
Diego Marani’s new novel, ‘The Last of the Vostyachs’, is an Italian translation that should not be missed… The Last of the Vostyachs by Diego Marani, Dedalus Books£9.99 (paperback) Some of you may have already heard of Diego Marani. His last novel New Finnish Grammar has been a runaway cult success, and rightly so – […]
Enjoy a wealth of pasta recipes with Nino Zoccali’s Pasta Artigiana… Pasta Artigiana by Nino Zoccali, Murdoch Books, £20 (hardback) If you miss the taste of Italy while waiting for your next overseas trip, Nino Zoccali’s Italian recipe book should help sate those cravings. As the title suggests, this is a heavily pasta-based cook book, […]
Test your palette with Pete Evans’ weird and wonderful pizza recipes… PIZZA by Pete Evans, Murdoch Books, £18.99 (hardback) Over the course of some 250 pages, award-winning Australian chef Pete Evans details a whole range of pizzas, including some intriguing variations such as breakfast pizzas with sausage and fried egg, and some less obvious toppings […]
Italy?s economy relies on a successful tourism industry, but here Mario Matassa looks at what visitors find most infuriating? such as unreliable transport, busy streets and high hotel prices… Il turista felice Nonostante i tempi duri, quasi 31 milioni di turisti internazionali hanno visitato l?Italia nel 2011, con un incremento del 16,6% rispetto al 2010. […]