Posts Tagged “Italian”

… 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…

Italy: The World Vegetarian is a vibrant volume penned by Christine Smallwood. It will delight vegetarians but, just as importantly, it will also be welcomed by lovers of Italian food of every kind. I confess! I am not a vegetarian and will likely never be one. I do, however, only eat meat a couple of…

Luxardo Aperitivo – a glow in a glass Established in 1821 by Girolamo Luxardo, this celebrated company is still entirely controlled by the same founding family. Luxardo is perhaps best known for its iconic cherry products, but Luxardo Aperitivo is something rather different. Luxardo Aperitivo takes its inspiration from the civilized Italian tradition of appetite-enhancing…

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…

Here it is again! Seems like the pine needles from last year’s Christmas tree have just been extracted from the carpet, and mince pies are back in the shops! Where did that year go? Now, I am a lover of a good mince pie, and a Christmas would not be complete with out a box…

There are several popular varieties of cocktail cherry. Most of them are bright enough to read a book by and sticky enough to become the candy of choice of any 5-year-old with a sweet tooth. No, not all cherries are created equal, so it’s worth doing some homework and buying the best. That would be…

We had visited this delightful and intimate hotel before (read my reviews here). The Garden House is part of the Beaverbrook Estate and the smaller of the two hotels, the other being the lavish and imposing main house which was once the home of Lord Beaverbrook, one of the most influential men of the last…

We all, I am sure, remember our Nan’s cherry brandy on the sideboard at Christmas; and then there is the cherry alcohol one uses for fondue. They are very much part of the ‘spirit’ family of drinks. Then there is Maraschino Luxardo, which is a sweet liqueur, and an indispensable bottle behind any bar…

The Beaverbrook Estate is a one-stop resort for almost everything, and those everythings will be to a very high standard. The House, the more formal hotel, is large and from the outside looks rather imposing, but is in truth stylish and accessible. There is a smaller building on the estate and that’s the Garden House…

Ettore Sottsass (1917 – 2007) was an Italian architect and designer. His body of work included furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, and strangely, office equipment, which later became iconic and collectable. Items such as typewriters were masterpieces of colour, form and contemporary styling. He also designed many buildings and interiors. Sottsass was born in Innsbruck, Austria,…