We?ve got some superb Italian Christmas gift ideas to prepare you for the festive season? Tuscan, tasty, and oh-so-pretty, we love this adorable trio of stackable specialities from Trattoria La Vialla. New to their range for Christmas 2012, this gift pack contains 250ml bottles of extra-virgin olive oil, Tuscan wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar of […]
What better way to complete a dessert, and indeed a meal, than to compliment it with a glass of sweet Italian dessert wine? Paul Pettengale indulges his love of la dolce vita? The Italians are well known for their love of all things sweet. No meal is finished until dessert has been savoured, whether a […]
Mario Matassa looks at the rich culinary traditions in Campania and shares some Italian recipes from the Amalfi Coast… In a country renowned for its cuisine, it is Campania that best conjures the popular image of Italian food, epitomising the ideal of the Mediterranean diet and the Italian reputation for good living. And in a […]
A wonderfully versatile ingredient, we profile some ideas for this month?s top seasonal vegetable with Italian pumpkin recipes from the Vegetarian Society… Pumpkin soup Zuppa di zucca Serves 4 | Preparation 10 mins | Cooking 45 mins 1kg pumpkin 2 onions, chopped 25g butter or margarine 1 medium potato, peeled and diced 2 garlic cloves, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Limoncello and Linen Water by Tessa Kiros, Murdoch Books, ?25 (hardback) This elegant collection of recipes is a must-have for those who love to throw a dinner party with the wow factor. Unashamedly feminine, it pays tribute to Tessa?s chosen home of Italy through page after page of rustic cooking, with old-fashioned sauces and deliciously […]