Kate Wickers goes to Le Langhe in search of the elusive truffle On a mauve-smeared morning in the wine-producing Langhe Hills of Piedmont, where soft grey mists hang in vine-strung valleys, I’m striking out into woods with a young female trifulau (truffle hunter), Marta Menegaldo, and her Lagotto Romagnolo pup, Luna. With the snap of […]
As concerns about sustainable farming practices and ingredient nutrition grow, artisanal Italian food producer Seggiano launches a new low gluten index ancient grain pasta, made using a nutritious wheat variety which is over 10,000 years old Coeliacs and those with gluten-associated digestive issues are estimated to make up the 10% of the UK population following […]
Focaccia con peperoni e mozzarella As the days get warmer and the nights shorter, Italians take to one of their favourite pastimes: eating outdoors. The key to a successful summer evening party is to organise a menu that can mostly be prepared in advance. This focaccia recipe doesn’t require any kneading. It does have to […]
After two years of pandemic-imposed travel restrictions, Lorenza Bacino enjoys an extended trip to Lake Como, the Cinque Terre and Sardinia with her teenage daughter… It was with some trepidation that I embarked upon a month-long trip with my 16-year-old daughter as a post-exam treat. She’d been involved in the decision-making from the start, using […]
Jewel-like cities, golden beaches, sleepy hills and dramatic mountains – this sophisticated northern region has it all. From elegant urban apartments to low-priced rustic retreats, Veneto is a great place to buy property, says Fleur Kinson. Tucked up in the northeastern corner of Italy, Veneto encompasses an extraordinary array of landscapes. The region’s feet […]
Spending a weekend in Elba’s capital Portoferraio is the best introduction to the island, says Jane Gifford Mythology has it that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and love, was visiting one of her many lovers on the Italian mainland when she accidentally broke her string of pearls, and in doing so formed the Tuscan […]
Winter is a great time to visit Florence, and you will see the city in a new light – though if it does happen to snow while you’re there, you’ve been very lucky! You might not find an excuse to stop for a gelato quite as often, but you will avoid the worst of the […]
This gorgeous garland of pull-apart bread makes a spectacular centrepiece for special occasions ➤ SERVES 8 ➤ PREPARATION 30 minutes (plus time for rising and proving) ➤ COOKING 20-25 minutes Ingredients: 500g White bread flour, plus extra for sprinkling 1 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Caster sugar 1 Rounded tsp. easy-blend yeast 300ml Warm water 4 tbsp Red pesto […]
Amy McPherson takes a tour around the baroque city of Lecce in Puglia and discovers that there is a lot more to the ‘Florence of the South’ than meets the eye It seems that I am eating all the time in Lecce, which I find makes it appropriate to use this simile: Lecce is like […]
Bologna’s historic porticoes, a pervading symbol of the city’s hospitality, have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. We join novelist and Bologna resident Tom Benjamin for a guided tour of his highlights. (1) The heart and soul of Bologna is Piazza Maggiore, Bologna’s main square, and the porticoes of Renaissance ‘PAVAGLIONE’ prettify what might otherwise […]