As much as anywhere in Italy, the food of Montalcino is intensely local and dear to its residents. Wanda Djebbar explains the culinary heritage of this Tuscan town with her Gourmet guide to Montalcino… Sitting proudly on its hilltop at 567 metres above sea level, looking out over the Val d’Orcia and the Via Francigena, […]
As co-founder of food importer Gallucci & Gilmour, Malcolm Gilmour has plenty to say about this lesser-known region of south Italy. Here he offers an insight into the vast culinary history of Basilicata… In the Italian film Basilicata Coast to Coast, which recounts the story of four errant musicians making their way by foot from […]
The delight of eating at a local trattoria is being among real Italians and eating seasonal, traditional food. Mario Matassa shares his favourite establishment with us, and goes behind the scenes of this Italian Restaurant… The local trattoria in Italy is a theatre, a daily stage show where hundreds of life’s mini dramas are eagerly […]
Easter is very nearly upon us, and the festival of Pasqua is serious business in Italy, with parades and processions throughout the country. Though it’s also a time for sweet treats and, of course, chocolate… Easter wouldn’t be Pasqua without chocolate. The celebration of the resurrection of Christ goes hand in hand with everyone’s favourite […]
Tagliolini con Parmigiano, prezzemolo e panna This delicately flavoured pasta dish is simplicity itself. If you serve it on its own, it will make a filling starter. With salad and some Italian bread, it becomes a complete meal. Use good-quality fresh pasta to cut down on time, because it cooks very quickly, although you can […]
Alta Badia in the Dolomites offers more than just a simple skiing holiday – Rachel Wilson-Couch indulges in the new gourmet concept of Slope Food while strapping on a pair of skis for the first time… Just ski into my arms, it’ll be fine.” Walter, ski maestro at the Corvara ski school looked at me […]
As well as its touristic delights, Florence has more than its fair share of excellent dining options. Oliver Hunter shares with us some of his favourite haunts… Someone once told me that to live a happy life I should surround myself with beauty. Well, if I was to take up that advice seriously I would […]
Nudo olio d’oliva extra vergine al caffè e al rosmarino Brand new to the UK are these two new flavours of infused extra-virgin olives oils from Nudo: coffee and rosemary. Corrado Corradini is an olive oil evangelist, and tireless experimenter. There aren’t many olive press barons who would be willing to experiment with making things […]
Hannah Bellis visits the Italian restaurant in Bray to see how Giancarlo and Kate Caldesi are bringing Italy to the Berkshire countryside If there is anywhere outside of London that can be considered a culinary heartland, it is Bray in Berkshire. Bray has been back in the press in recent weeks too as this […]
Pesto (n.m.) Pesto. The word pesto comes from the Italian ‘pestare’, meaning ‘to pound, or crush’, or indeed to ‘pestle’, and is of course also cognate to our noun ‘pestle’ (Italian: ‘pestello’, Latin: ‘pistillum’) – so there is absolutely no need to ever again get confused about which is the pestle and which is the […]