Posts Tagged “Italian”
Blushing Fizz. The weather is getting brighter, and we look forward to spring and summer entertaining. Della Vite Prosecco Rosé DOC Millesimato 2021 could be the beverage of choice for convivial gatherings. This rosé prosecco even looks like a celebration. The frosted bottle with white signature graphic is understated and appealing. This and a bunch…
Italian-American diner. Picture this, dear reader: it’s early(ish) morning in the Strand at the foot of Waterloo Bridge. The weather is freezing, and our breath hangs in clouds. Time for a hot breakfast and a nice sit down, so it’s to Frankie and Benny’s we go. This restaurant is part of a small chain. Frankie…
The Historic Spirit. Altamura is a town and commune of Apulia, Italy, and is famed for its bread. Pane di Altamura is the only bread in the world supported by a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Now the region has a spirit sporting that same name: Altamura Vodka is already a classy winner. This well-crafted…
A festive and affordable red. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC 2020 is one of the better wines at this price point. It’s a well-crafted red and perfect for the holiday season, working with beef as well as robust vegetarian options. Tesco offer good quality wines in their Tesco Finest range and this one fits in well –…
From BBC Food Give Lorraine Pascale’s super-quick canapés or an easy picnic snack a go today. Ingredients 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry plain flour, for dusting 1 x 280g jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped few sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten Method Put the…
Apricot Crostata. The founder of Crosta & Mollica, James, was working for a company that imported Italian fruit and he was lucky enough to travel to every region of Italy to meet fruit farmers. He was impressed by the passion they had for their food. Inspired by both lifestyle and ingredients, Crosta & Mollica was…
Denominazione di Origine Controllata. This Vista Castelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Tesco is a great value white wine which works well with so many dishes. It’s also perfect for cooking a white coq au vin. Trebbiano is one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in the world. It’s been grown since Roman times, and it…
Fantastico – Modern Italian Food is Gino D’Acampo’s first book and it’s a fine one. The photography is superb, the recipes clear and the “hand-written” type used for the anecdotes before each recipe is very stylish. His comments are conversational and informal, which is the overall feel of this book. This lad makes me smile!…
A Celebration of the Jewish Food of Italy. This delightful volume is a recipe book but also a cultural and historic anthology of the Jewish community in Italy. Cooking alla Giudia is a tribute to that rich and oft-overlooked heritage. There are tantalising recipes here from down the ages. There are Roman deep-fried artichokes. It…
… in Classy Knightsbridge It’s a not-so-crazy pizza experience at Crazy Pizza. It’s rather more a polished and smart affair with fun touches. It’s as swep-up as one can imagine but perfectly accessible for pie-lovers of all ages. Crazy Pizza is found right next to Harrods. Just exit the Underground and follow the pedestrian street….
International foods at Waitrose and Ocado It might seem a bit early to be thinking of planning your festive meals, but a bit of organisation now will really help Christmas catering run smoothly. Unearthed products will fit perfectly with your traditional foods but will add a little international interest. Most of us will have missed…
Bring Italy to your kitchen with over 80 quick and delicious recipes. Perfect Pasta at Home is perhaps the most deliciously practical cookbook I have reviewed in quite a while. Many of us are finding cash a bit tight these days but we have had months of rediscovering the hob, and we want to continue…
It’s Dad’s special day, although every day should be Fathers Day. He loves cocktails and the weather (we hope) will be conducive to some interesting libations in the garden. CAMPARI is a classic and it’s versatile, so a bottle of this red delight will likely tick a lot of beverage boxes – and earn you…
In 2019 the celebrated Negroni cocktail turned 100 years old. The mixed drink revival has introduced a new audience to this iconic classic. The drink’s proportions consist of equal measures of Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth. It’s not difficult for the home barman/woman to master, him/herself. It has a timeless elegance and wide appeal. The…
This is a wonderful find. Sous Chef is an online portal selling high-end kitchen goods. They will be the one-stop shop for all my gifts for food lovers for the foreseeable future. The Sous Chef web page is filled with everything a home cook would ever want and great quality products too. They have tortilla…
Happy #NationalVegetarianWeek and this recipe from Burpee Seeds Europe is the perfect way to celebrate! Pan-Fried Potato Gnocchi, Sautéed Honeycomb Tomatoes and Spinach (devised by Valerie Hamelin Chef Consultant) is the latest recipe from Burpee Europe. They support gardeners with their seeds to allow all of us to grow a little closer to our food….
From BBC Food Try this stripped down ravioli recipe by Simon Rimmer – classic gnudi is ravioli without the pasta casing. Ingredients 225g/8oz peas, cooked, cooled, roughly chopped 500g/1lb 2oz ricotta, drained 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint 100g/3½oz parmesan 500g/1lb 2oz fine semolina extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper…
Did you ever watch the movie ‘Moonstruck’ with Cher? It’s one of my top ten films of all time. Much of the action is set in the family kitchen – a room of significant proportions and a great deal of charm. We witness breakfast being made (in fact a couple of those) and dinner being…
From Whole Foods Market Serves 6 to 8 Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, this soup is a meal in itself. Serve Hearty Minestrone Soup with crusty bread and a green salad. Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 cup…
The M.V.M. Cappellin Glassworks and the Young Carlo Scarpa is a new publication in the series “Le Stanze del Vetro”, a project on Venetian glassmaking in the 20th century, from a successful partnership of the Fondazione Cini and Pentagram Stiftung. This sumptuous book from the renowned Skira publishing company is associated with the autumn exhibition…