We review a book on learning how to make authentic Italian fodder, a new pasta cookbook by Gino D’Acampo and two new releases from young fiction writers… Pizza Pilgrims: Recipes from the Backstreets of Italy by James and Thom Elliot, HarperCollins, £20 (hardback) This is the story of James and Thom Elliot, two brothers who […]
The Marketing Manager of De’Longhi UK explains the difference between the main coffee beans, and which one is best… A ROBUST ARGUMENT Q. There has been much debate as to which type of coffee is the best; arabica or robusta. The general consensus seems to be that arabica is far superior. Can you tell us […]
Artist Alan Reed talks about what particularly attracted him to Italy and why he chooses it more than any other country for his paintings… THE ARTIST’S ADVENTURE Q. You have chosen different settings around the world for your paintings. As an artist, what is it that particularly attracted you to Italy? A. It was my […]
With such a multitude of classic pestos adorning the supermarket shelves, it’s important to choose the best for your store cupboard. Here are our favourites… Simple and versatile, the humble jar of pesto is a staple ingredient of Italian cooking. It originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria in northern Italy, and has since […]
Emerald blue water, luscious green grass on the Tyrol hillside, and white snowy mountains – nature at its very best. But what’s the bell tower got to do with it?… This fabulous vista on the Italian border with Austria has a past hidden underwater. The only giveaway is the top half of the bell tower […]
The name Pantheon means dedicated to all gods, ‘pan’ means all and ‘theos’ means gods. This most spectacular ancient temple, located in the centre of Rome, inspires awe now, but it would have been truly worthy as a gift to all gods if seen during the classical period… The emperor Hadrian (76-138AD) rebuilt the almost […]
Hannah Bellis discovers that you don’t have to leave the country to eat like you are in Italy as she cooks up a feast at the Bertinet kitchen… Give a girl a hearty Italian meal and she will happily feed herself for a day. But give her a day of learning to cook that meal, […]
Umbria is known as the ‘green heart of Italy’, thanks to the fact that more than 30 per cent of the region is made up of woodland… This is a tranquil and historically rich region, landlocked on all sides by Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche and situated right in the middle of Italy, although the […]
BERENICE ANDERSON, based in Oxford, bought and restored a 400-year-old house on a hillside in Umbria…. Set amidst terraced olive groves overlooking the Vale of Spoleto, Casa del Cinguietto (‘birdsong house’) provides a peaceful retreat for Berenice and her family several times a year. The rest of the time, it pays for itself through holiday […]
These are our pick of the very best quality and value Italian set lunch menus from restaurants in the capital… Nestled in a picturesque street in Marylebone you find the Caldesi cookery school and restaurant, the heart of the empire for Tuscan chef Giancarlo Caldesi. Lunch upstairs costs £15.50 for two or £19.50 for three […]