Learn how to turn a glut of fresh fruit and vegetables into wonderful preserves to see you through till next summer. Words and photos by Mario Matassa Italians love to preserve. It seems that every day of the summer just takes them one step closer to the day when the whole family will gather in […]
Chris Allsop flies to Emilia Romagna to tour a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and discover how this world-famous cheese is created… “When I have French groups, they have many excellent cheeses, but they do not have Parmigiano Reggiano.” Our guide, Helena, puts her fingers together and gestures aggressively. “They have to accept.” Only five minutes into […]
Rome steals all the attention, but the rest of this region deserves far more fame, with lyrical hills, sleepy lakesides, friendly little towns and historic treasures all around, says Fleur Kinson Photos by Getty Images All roads lead to Rome. But they can also lead out of it, and exploration pays off. Italy’s capital city […]
Explore Pavia and Oltrepò Pavese – one of Italy’s best-kept secrets and not far from Milan. Words and photos by Valentina Nicastro There’s a stretch of land just 40 kilometres south of Milan that is still fairly unknown to tourists and offers the unique opportunity to live a truly authentic Italian experience. This is Oltrepò […]
Mario Matassa shares his technique for cooking squid (calamari) on the barbecue – a real showstopper for seafood lovers Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes Barbecuing time 3 minutes Ingredients: • 1-2 fresh hot red chillies (depending on how hot you like it) • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • juice […]
Mario Matassa shares a recipe for grilled vegetables with couscous (couscous con verdure grigliate) – a perfect complement to any barbecue Serves 4-6 Preparation time 10 minutes Barbecuing time 10 minutes Ingredients: • 2 courgettes, sliced lengthways • 1 red pepper, core and seeds removed, sliced • 1 yellow pepper, core and seeds removed, sliced • […]
Adrian Mourby takes a tour of Apulia – Puglia – to explore its culinary traditions and the land that produces its varied, and often vegetarian, foods… Photos by Kate Tadman-Mourby unless otherwise stated When I wake up, the view outside our room is fields of lavender, then a meadow peppered with bright crimson poppies and, […]
Explore the towns and villages of Liguria with our regional guide, and discover the places that will suit you – where will you find your perfect home? Photos by Getty Images and iStock Situated in Italy’s northwest, Liguria is the third smallest Italian region, after Molise and Valle d’Aosta. It borders France to the west, […]
The summer picnic is a much anticipated event on every Italian’s culinary calendar, so Mario Matassa shows us how to prepare for the occasion in style Picnic food photos by Mario Matassa First, the picnic needs to be distinguished from the pranzo al sacco (packed lunch). The packed lunch is what Italians do when they […]
A celebration in Italy usually involves sharing a feast with family and friends, and here Mario Matassa has put together a menu to suit any special occasion Photos by Mario Matassa In Italy it would be unthinkable to have a celebration without food. Whether it’s a baptism, birthday party, graduation, wedding or anniversary, Christmas, New […]