Recently, I spend a few days at the farmhouse and agriturismo Relais la Torre, in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany. I met with the Marcelli family, owners Tulio, his wife Linda and Tulios mother Signora Marisa Marcelli.
What is it that makes farmers devote their blood, sweat and sometimes tears to the soil and soul of their land? It takes love, an exceptional amount of passion, physical strength, dedication from the entire family, and a ...
Pellegrino Artusi, a cookbook author from the 19th century and early 20th century still holds court in many Italian households. His famous Italian cookbook The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well is still the guide to a holiday meal.
While people vary from his recipes, some of which are of course outdated, the concept and the sequence of dishes remains pretty much the same.
Artusi who was born near the town of Forli in Emilia Romagna made his money as a silk ...
Buonitalia SpA is the leading Italian company responsible for promoting, internationalizing, and safeguarding Italian agricultural, food and wine products. Buonitalia SpA has launched a series of informational initiatives in the U.S. to inform Americans how to recognize and use authentic Italian food and wines. Through its efforts, Buonitalia SpA, seeks to promote the value and unparalleled quality of all the products that sport the Made in Italy label of quality and to bridge the gap between American and Italian culinary cultures, said Walter Brunello, Chairman of Buonitalia SPA.
"Italian-sounding" products now rake in some billion dollars in sales while the genuine articles only make a few billion dollars. “Let me mention just two figures,” said the Director of the Italian Trade Commission ...
In Medieval times, Lent, the 40–day period before Easter, was a cherished and common tradition so recipe books featured several dishes thought purposely for this period. The majority are vegetables recipes, a good source of inspiration for the modern vegetarian.
By Pino de Luca
Lent has started. As we momentarily quit meat consumption, we prepare for Easter and, even in this instance, the sacred and the profane, the ecclesiastical and the pagan, are mingling with success. No matter ...
Everyone is puzzled by the dates of the Italian Carnevale. Officially Carnevale starts January 17 and ends Martedi Grasso (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. So every year the Carnevales length is different.
By Pino De Luca
Tradition says that the festivities officially start on the day of Saint Anthony although, at first, Carnival was a pagan ritual that was later absorbed by Christianity. The Dionysian cults in ancient ...
Everyone knows the traditional Italian Holidays sweets and desserts : panettone, pandoro, panforte, ricciarelli, torrone and others. Less known is that after the Holidays these desserts have a much longer life.
by Giuliano Bugialli
In the old days panettone and pandoro were served to children and elderly people for breakfast to be dipped in their morning caffelatte. This is still done because not only they are very popular but ...
The Apulian cuisine is the mirror of the rich and turbulent Apulian history. In the Medieval times, game was very popular, so there are many recipes for game, and especially squab, in the Apulian cuisine. We share with you our favorites: Squab Broth and Squab with Red Onions.
By Pino De Luca
Salento, just like Africa, owes its misfortune to its riches. Its perfect geographic location and amazing gifts of nature turned it into a land exposed to numerous raids and to both temporary and long-lasting ...
Apulia is a region little known to Americans but one well worth discovering for the gourmet traveler. The beautiful coast, rustic countryside, and superb food and wine, make Apulia the perfect place for a culinary vacation. Apulian cuisine is healthy, based on homemade pastas and cheeses, fresh vegetables, seafood and olive oil and, of course, Italy's best bread.
By Natasha Davis
Apulia is a region little known to Americans but one well worth discovering for the gourmet traveler. Its sunny location provides the ideal conditions for the cultivation of flavorful fruits, vegetables and ...
In Apulia, the traditional farmhouses are called Masserie. Now many of them, restored and transformed in B & B or hotels, are the destinations of many Apulian culinary trips. There, one can flavor the authentic Apulian cuisine and the food produced in the estate.
By Natasha Davis
In Apulia, the traditional farmhouses are called Masserie. Now many of them, restored and transformed in B & B or hotels, are the destinations of many Apulian culinary trips.
There one can flavor the ...
DiPalo’s Fine Foods, the Italian gourmet store in Little Italy (NYC), for almost 80 years and three generations of family ownership, has been a convivial market place at the northeast corner of Mott and Grand Street. Now it expands next door by adding a new wine store, Enoteca DiPalo, to exclusively sell Italian wines and liquors.
Louis (Lou) DiPalo had been there before. Six years ago, he and his family had to decide whether to close or move their outmoded store, DiPalo’s Fine Foods, which for almost 80 years and three generations of family ownership has ...
Italian producers show off quality and quantity in New York
The 54th Summer Fancy Food Show was the largest yet, filling 345,000 square feet of exhibit space in Manhattan with more than 2,400 specialty food and beverage producers from across the U.S. and around the world. There were 304 newcomers ...
Roman cuisine: tradition and imagination create magic
In centuries gone by, having enough to eat and three daily meals was often a luxury. To bolster their meals, typical Romans had to make use of what was available, and sometimes use a little imagination. They would resort to preparing ...
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He has tasted over 123,000 wines.
He has tasted over 123,000 wines.
Yes, you read that right, Luca Maroni, Italy’s foremost wine taster and connoisseur has an enviable career that, from 1989 to 2008, has brought him to savor some of the most wonderful wines in the ...
A Glass a day…
A recent study has confirmed, yet again, that people who carefully follow the Mediterranean Diet tend to live longer. So if you're looking for a heart-healthy eating strategy to extend your life, it’s the right thing for you. ...
Each Italian region has its own Christmas specialties: fresh filled pastas, like tortellini and ravioli, the capon, eel or seafood cooked in different styles, and many savory and sweet pies. Christmas desserts are very important and range from the ubiquitous Panettone and Pandoro, to the Struffoli, Torrone, Panforte, Mustazzoli and many more.
In Italy, Christmas is not about colorful gift boxes, blinking lights, and cheerful carols. Christmas is an opportunity to slow down, sit around the dinner table and enjoy family and friends, and also to savor delicacies from a strong ...
A final article of a series of four
In our review of Italy’s DOP products, we have now reached the two main islands – Sicily and Sardinia. The former is a major producer of fruit, especially oranges and lemons, peaches, apricots, figs and grapes, which rate an ...
The Third Article on DOP
Italy is currently the leader among all European countries in the quantity of DOP and IGP (designations of authenticity which we will discuss shortly) food products. It boasts a grand total of 163, thanks to the recent addition of ...
In a class of their own. A second article in a series of four
Once upon a time, foreigners traveling to Italy returned home with little Colosseum replicas or colorful mini gondolas. No more. Today the international tourist prefers to remember the Bel Paese by purchasing pieces of delicious Asiago ...
DOP certification guarantees that specific foods and agricultural products are authentic and of superior quality
Sometimes just getting on with our daily lives can be difficult. There are so many things to know, so many consumer warnings and health risks to keep track of, that even the simple act of eating can become stressful. The good news is ...
Small producers and high quality products looking at the USA
Italian food is clearly a favorite among Americans, and the quantity and quality of that food reaching American shores is increasing.
This was evidenced at the 2007 Summer Fancy Food Show held in New York which attracted 25,000 ...
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Italian haute cuisine on an exotic island?
Absolutely, and what a treat it is
Often described as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, offers both gourmands and non-foodies alike some real treats.
Bursting with flavors in unusual combinations from ...
The upcoming Fancy Food Show in NYC
At this year’s Fancy Food and Confections Show to be held July 8-10 in New York’s Javits Center, The Italian Trade Commission will continue its strong annual presence.
Although the Commission has been attending the ...
Local ingredients and tradition combine to create a delicious destination
One of the wonderful things about Italy’s fine wines and delightful cuisine is that they can be found almost anywhere. While not large in size, the territory of Franciacorta stands tall as a wine-producing region and the home of one ...
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Crystal-clear waters produce truly fresh fish, but the local menu includes delicious meats and pastas as well
So, what could possibly be new about the Lake Garda area? There is always something in this area that is not new, but has been around for a very long time. In every region and in each province, there is always something to ...
Italy Symposium participants discover the flavors of local cuisine
The Italian Gov’t Tourist Board, The Italian Tourism Promotion Council, the Region of Abruzzo, and Eurofly have brought to Pescara 250 tour operators, travel agents and members of the press on the inaugural Eurofly direct flight ...
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From accents to pasta dishes to integral elements in sauces and sandwiches, or savored alone with a glass of wine hmmm, the joys of cheese
Born to allow milk to last longer, cheese can be compared to wine for its complex characteristics. A product of high quality, just like with wine, must have a prime raw material and must follow a refined production process.
The ...
The landscape of alternating vineyards, woods, rows of vines and magpies mounting guard, narrates a spelling tale in the slipping away experience of a traveler
The Langhe area is a millennial marine abyss. In the Langhe’s nightly silence, a wave emerges from vineyards, covering the land, turning villages into small islands. It’s prehistoric energy, an irresistible charm. The first ...
Along the trail of Bacchus
For those who love wine, it’s good to know that in most part of the Italian territory, the smiling, funny, red-cheeked God Bacchus has left his trail. Today one can follow his path along many wine roads, the so-called strade del ...
One of Italy most cherished regional products, this golden nectar can satisfy the palate of all
Italy is covered with olive trees, from the northern regions all the way down to Puglia and Sicily. The pressing of tree-ripened olives extracts a tasty, monounsaturated oil that is good for cooking and raw, for salads. The flavor, color ...
They can be stuffed, steamed, served with sauce or with pasta, and eaten with salads, all with a unique flavor
Artichokes, like other vegetables, are sometimes not what they seem. Their Latin name, cynara scolimus, indicates they are members of the thistle family, although their leaves are bigger, broader and smooth rather than prickly as you find ...
Regional confectionery for this cheerful celebration. The dates vary depending upon the town or region.
The date when Lent begins depends on the date of Easter, which is determined by the spring equinox, which is (in astronomy – the event that the Sun can be observed to be directly above the equator) so that these festivities can be ...
Among the thousands of Italian enchanting locations this small lakeshore town stands out for its endless charm, unique panoramas, supreme vacationing possibilities, and one of a kind cuisine
By Patricia Orioles
Among the thousands of Italian enchanting locations this small lakeshore town stands out for its endless charm, unique panoramas, supreme vacationing possibilities, and one of a kind cuisine.
A memorable postcard from ...
