A Culinary Adventure in Umbria

Writer Christine Smallwood joins vegetarian chef Jane Baxter on a culinary adventure in Umbria to discover its meats… Recipe for a culinary exploration of Umbria: Take two friends ? Christine Smallwood, the writer of An Appetite for Umbria, and Jane Baxter, an acclaimed chef who was the creative culinary force behind the Field Kitchen, the […]

Italian Products: Top Selection

Check out the latest Italian products and treat yourself to a slice of la dolce vita? Learning a language can be tough, as the Italia! team well know, but now there?s a new way to learn that is suitable for everyone. Learn Italian in Kent is a bespoke service offering long or short courses tailor-made […]

Hotel Highlights in Veneto

Continuing to showcase some of the hotel highlights across Italy, this month we look at the elegant Veneto region and where to stay for luxury or local life? GIARDINO DI MEZZAVILLA (BED & BREAKFAST) In a town with a history ? it was the site of the Italian victory over the Austro-Hungarian forces, the end […]

Italian Recipes from the Wild

Foraging, collecting and hunting for food is part of Italian life ? Mario Matassa shares some Italian recipes from the wild… Whether it?s chestnuts, borage leaves and mushrooms in the autumn, truffles in the winter, asparagus, wild hops, nettles and dandelions in the spring or wild garlic, berries and fruits in the summer, there?s always […]

Italian Mushroom Recipes

A great way to bulk up a main meal, why not try these Italian mushroom recipes from the Vegetarian Society… Potato nest with artichoke, mushrooms and tomatoes Nidi di patae con carciofi, funghi e pomodori secchi Serves 6 | Preperation 15 minutes | Cooking 50 minutes For the potato nests Olive oil to grease the […]

Romance with Lake Como

Novelist Janette Griffiths re-visits the source of her inspiration on Lake Como, and embarks on a celebrity spotting mission with a difference? A man desired by women the world over has set up home on Lake Como. He?s got a woman in tow and on these warm autumn days, the lake is abuzz with talk […]

Opening a Restaurant in Italy

Mario Matassa tells us about his hectic few weeks opening his very own restaurant, and how he decided to embark on this rather ambitious project at the same time as moving house with his family? Stress Si dice che un trasloco ? una delle cose pi? stressanti della vita. Ho la tendenza a rendere la […]

Italian Wine: Brunello di Montalcino

Although it?s been around for a little more than 150 years, Brunello is a famous and expensive Italian wine. Paul Pettengale discovers why? Here ou?ll read about some of the best Italian wines, but no doubt the first thing you?ll clock will be the prices. These are not typos. The sad fact is, if you?re […]

From Here to There: Calm and quiet in Amalfi

Laura Thayer discovers the authentic Amalfi… Quiet descends on the Amalfi Coast during the month of January. After ringing in the New Year with the most dramatic fireworks display over the harbour of Amalfi, the celebrations and festive atmosphere continue right up to Epiphany, a religious holiday celebrating the manifestation of Christ and the coming […]

Olive Review: Italia!’s Top Picks

We review an assortment of Italian olives to find the best variety and flavour Much of the landscape in Italy has been shaped by olive groves, making it one of the defining characteristics of the country. Indeed, the Mediterranean as a whole has had a long love affair with these humble fruits. The four main […]