April 29, 2010
Italy is renowned for its wealth of fruits and vegetables. One such vegetable is Asparagus. The Consorzio Asparago Piacentino has been actively promoting the healthy attributes of this elegant vegetable with the tagline – a Sana Tentazione or a healthy craving.
According to materials from the Consortium, Asparagus are famous for its characteristic as an antidepressant, as an antioxidant and for its high level of fiber. Additionally it has a variety of amino acids that can be considered a diurectic.
In promoting Italian products, consortium countrywide are now referring to the length of the chain between suppliers and consumers. The shorter the better is the idea. Additionally, food producers are once again promoting the idea of eating fruits and vegetables in season and the use of few chemicals.
This asparagus consortium is located in Northern Italy in the province of Lombardy but there are numerous consortium throughout the country. Piacenza is a town that most people associate with salami and other charcuterie products as well as the delicious but not dietic gnoccho fritto.
Whether eating gnoccho fritto with charcuterie or tasting the delicious asparagus from these parts, this lower part of Lombardy has some interesting food and wine traditions.
-Susannah Gold
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Cooking, Fruits, Italian Regions, Lombardy, Vegetables | Tagged: charcuterie, consorzio asparago piacentino, Gnoccho fritto recipe, gnocco fritto, Italian fruits and vegetables, italian vegetables, Lombardy, piacenza, salumi | 
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April 22, 2010
While visitors to New York might stop at Zabar’s or Dean and Deluca looking for local delicacies and foreign foods, no visit to the Northern Italian city of Milan would be complete without a stop at Peck. Peck is a Milanese institution and has been around since 1883.
Peck is renowed for both food and wine. It offers products for sale as well as prepared foods to take out and has a restaurant and a tea shop. It also has a very well stocked wine shop where you can find many foreigner as well as Italian wines, somewhat of a rarity.
Peck has also begun to sell some of its wares under a private label at airports in Italy so if you can’t make it to Milan but are flying through Italy, be sure to pick something up. They sell all sorts of sauces, pastas and olive oils made specifically for the store. The best way to sample Peck’s foods though is to come to Milan, a city which is much overlooked but which is always ready to welcome weary travelers.
Peck is located in the center of the city right near the Duomo of Milan in via Spadari. Try not to miss it on your next trip to the Lombard capital.
1 Comment | Cooking, Dining, Italian Regions, Lombardy, olive oil | Tagged: dean and deluca, duomo of milan, famous italian food store, italian delicacies, italian foods, Lombardy, Milan, peck, wines, zabars | Permalink
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April 20, 2010
The urban winery has become part of city life in many parts of the world, including New York City with City Winery. At City Winery, you can learn how to make wine with winemaker David Lecomte.
In Milan, La Vineria has taken the concept a step further and has reproduced what many Italians grew up with, vino sfuso (wine from the tap) in containers to bring home in the city.
La Vineria is located in a side street off of the Navigli, the canals of Milan. They offer wines in large tanks which can be put into your own containers or they will bottle it for you. La Vineria also sells olive oil. Both the wines and the olive oil are offered at farm prices just as if you went to the winery to buy it out in the country. This was the idea of the founder of La Vineria, Aaron Brussolo, and the experience that he wanted to recreate.
To give you an idea of the difference in price, most supermarket wines in Italy are sold at 3 euro and up for a 750 ml bottle of wine. La Vineria sells its Vino Sfuso at 1.80 euro per liter. They also deliver wine to your home and sell it in a Bag in the Box.
1 Comment | Ingredients, Lombardy, olive oil, Wining | Tagged: Aaron Brussolo, Bag in the Box, City Winery, David Lecomte, Farm wines, La Vineria, Milan, olive oil, Urban Wineries, Vino Sfuso | Permalink
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April 19, 2010
Milan has become quite an international city thanks to its’ stylish fashion shows, design fairs and museums. The city is in tumult and looks more like Shanghai than its previous incarnation as construction companies create skyscrapers, new industrial parks and public architecture. Much of the new construction is in anticipation of the Expo 2015. A large part of the Expo is going to be dedicated to food, according to panels in an exhibit about famed Chef Gualtiero Marchesi at the Castello Sforzesco. The Castello itself which sits smack in the center of the city has undergone many renovations and now is a hot tourist stop with many exhibits, among them one on Gualtiero Marchesi. Marchesi is perhaps the most famous of all Italian chefs with two restaurants, one in Milan and one in Franciacorta in a town called Erbusco. Early on, Marchesi was experimenting with different cuisines such as the Japanese one and mixing traditional Italian dishes with new oriental accents. He is also the first to place gold leaf in risotto and many other innovative tricks. A new exhibit dedicated to the Chef opened Saturday, April 17 and runs until June 2010. Marchesi himself will be on hand for a few cooking demonstrations. Don’t miss it if you are in Milan.
Leave a Comment » | Cooking, Lombardy, Uncategorized | Tagged: Castello Sforzesco, Citta della Moda, Erbusco, Expo 2015, fashion in Milan, Franciacorta, Gualtiero Marchesi, Italian Chefs, Milan, Salone del Mobile | Permalink
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November 10, 2009
Grana Padano is one of Italy’s most loved cheeses. Grana Padano is usually used in salads, with carpaccio and most often with pasta sauces. Grana Padano is also delicious as a snack or antipasto.
This antique cheese began its history in the Middle Ages when monasteries were flowering throughout the Po Valley. It is said to have been created at the Chiaravalle Abbey outside of Milan in 1135. Much of the land there was used as a dairy pasture for cows. The excess milk that these cows produced was used for the production of hard cheese which could age and maintain many of its nutritional characteristics.
Grana Padano’s name refers to the fact that the cheese is quite different than other cheeses in terms of its texture and composition. Grana is “granular” and is not “uniform” like other cheeses. Padano refers to the area where it was first created, the Pianura Padana.
Grana is made from partially skimmed milk. The milk is cooked very slowly. The cheese comes in three versions. The first is aged 9-16 months before being sold, the second ages 16 to 20 months and is called Oltre 16 mesi while the third is Grana Padano Riserva which ages for over 20 months.
Grana is a semi-fat hard cheese with a white or yellow thin rind. Grana has a very delicate taste. It is less salty and nutty than Parimigiano Reggiano in terms of its flavor profile.
Initially, Grana was made in the area between the Po, the Ticino and the Adda rivers. Today the area where Grana can be produced also includes areas in the provinces of Venice, Treviso, Vicenza, Verona Padua and Rovigo.
Grana Padano is a Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP) product or one that has received a special designation because of its particular characteristics.
Grana Padano shouldn’t exceed 40 kilograms and must be around 40 centimeters in circumference. Grana is widely available in the United States. Di Palo’s in New York City is a great location to find this versatile cheese.
Leave a Comment » | Cheeses, Italian Regions, Lombardy | Tagged: Chiaravalle Abbey, Di Palo's, Grana Padano, Lombardy, Po Valley, Veneto | Permalink
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November 5, 2009
Living in Italy or visiting Italy for extending periods of time enables one to attend many local festivals. Invariably, these festivals offer local dishes which are generally seasonal. Many assume this is only the case in regions such as Tuscany, Piedmont or Le Marche. Instead, it is just part of the Italian way of life and takes place all over the country, every weekend.
One great fall festival happens about 40 kilometers outside of Milan in a town called Lodi is the Rassegna Gastronomica Lodigiana.
Numerous local restaurants offer menus complete with Grana Lodigiano or a local cheese also known as ‘raspadura’ which can be eaten as an aperitif with a fresh white Verdea di San Colombano wine and the ‘fritada rugnusa’ or risotto with cream or sausages. The area is also known for the Torta di Lodi which is a dessert said to come from the Middle ages. It is made with almonds and is delicious.
The month long festival includes bike rides and the ability to visit cultural institutions and churches that are seldom open to the public.
The Strada del Vino is a 120 kilometer road passes through small cities and vineyards with numerous hotels and restaurants to take a rest or have a break, The area is very well known for its ceramics as well, goldsmiths and iron works.
San Colombano has a number of red and white wines. San Colombano DOC is made largely rom red grapes only: Croatina, Barbera and Uva Rara. Verdea is an IGT wine, an indigenous variety which does very well in this area and is classified as an IGT.
If a visit to Milan permits it, taking a side trip to one of the restaurants in Lodi could be a lovely Sunday excursion.
Leave a Comment » | Events, Italian Regions, Lombardy | Tagged: Italy, Lodi, Rassegna Gastronomica Lodigiana, San Colombano, Sapori Lodigiano | Permalink
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October 29, 2009
Robiola is a soft cheese from the Stracchino family that comes from Northern Italy, generally from the valleys in Piedmont and Lombardy. It is a very ancient cheese and its’ origins go back to the time when Celtic Liguri tribes ruled Italy. Robiola was even mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History.
Robiola is made with a mixture of cow, goat and sheep milk. There are a few different versions of Robiola. From Lombardy, it tends to be whitish in color and have a rind while the Piedmont version is more yellow in color, is fresher and sometimes is used as a topping on pizza.
There is one DOP or Denominazione di Origine Protetta version of Robiola called Robiola di Roccaverano DOP.
Robiola di Roccaverano is full-fat cheese that doesn’t ripen or age. It is made from a blend of up to 50% goat milk with the remaining 50% of sheep or cow milk or a mixture of both. Robiola di Roccaverano does not have a rind and is quite delicate in taste.
Roccaverano is a town in the province of Asti in Piedmont.
Robiola can be delicious with vegetables. An easy apertif would be a crostino or bread slice with robiola, radicchio or arugula.
Toast the bread and spread some olive oil on it, then add the Robiola, the vegetable which you can saute’ for a few minutes in butter, and eccoti…a lovely crostino.
Robiola is quite high in fat and therefore works very well with a wine with high acidity such as Barbera or Sangiovese. The two complement each other and neither one dominates. The cheese is relatively easy to find in the United States as well. Formaggio Essex could be a good place to start looking for this scrumptious cheese.
Leave a Comment » | Italian Regions, Lombardy, Piedmont | Tagged: Italian Cheese, Lombardy, Piedmont, Robiola di Roccaverano | Permalink
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October 8, 2009
Just when you think you know everything about a place, you discover something new. Italy is perfect for these types of endless discoveries. You can always find new foods, new wines, new art treasures or local traditions.
One region which generally is overlooked for regional specialties is Lombardy. It is famous for its financial and fashion capital Milan but is also home to numerous small cities with a wealth of history. These should all be explored and not just quickly passed by on route to Venice, Florence or Rome.
Among these gems is the city of Bergamo, located just an hour outside of Milan. It is also served by a local well connected airport called Orio al Serio. Many low budget airlines fly into Bergamo, among them Easyjet and Ryanair.
Bergamo is actually two towns, Bergamo alta and Bergamo basso. Bergamo alta is a fortified city in medieval walls with a beautiful central piazza, incredible Duomo or cathedral, baptistery and other notable monuments as well as stunning views over the countryside.
Bergamo is also home to numerous culinary delights and many notable restaurants and cafes. Cafe Tasso is one of the most famous and is located in the central piazza. Among the the local dishes, one pasta known as Casonei is very well loved in Bergamo as is the ubiquitous Polenta.
Eating in Bergamo is not a generally great for your waistline. The foods are heavy but delicious. One way to walk off the calories is by trekking up and down Bergamo’s hills instead of using the local funicular.
To wash down some of these delicacies, the nearby Valcalepio provides decent red and white wines made from a variety of grapes, usually international varieties. Local grapes such as Marzemino, Rossolo, and Groppello have given way to Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet. Valcalepio does not export too many of its products, not yet at least. One wine from the area was recently awarded the Denominazione d’Orgine Controllata e Garantita (D.O.C.G.) designation, Moscato di Scanzo. A red dessert wine, it is delicious with chocolate.
Leave a Comment » | Cooking, Dessert wines, Fresh Pasta, Italian Regions, Lombardy, Travelling, Wining | Tagged: bergamo, casonei, Moscato di scanzo | Permalink
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September 24, 2009
Italian desserts are plentiful and varied. Each small town has at least one well known dessert for which they are famous.
In some of the Northern regions such as Lombardy, dry, crumbly cakes such as Sbrisolona from Mantova are all the rage. In the South, heavier, creamy desserts like the Cassata from Sicily or the Pastiera from Naples are signature dishes.
Throughout the country there is also a strong tradition of chocolates, often mixed in with nuts such as Torrone.
Another example of this type of “Italian chocolate bar” are the croccantini. They are tasty bars of ground hazelnuts coated with extra fine plain chocolate.
Italy also has a number of rare dessert wines to pair with these sweets. Years ago the lion’s share of sweet wines were based on white grapes such as Gewurztraminer, Moscato, and Malvasia. Today many types of wines are made into dessert wines. Even grapes that traditionally make robust red wines such as Primitivo di Manduria are being made into sweet wines.
Vigne e Vini, a winery from Apulia makes a lovely dessert wine from Primitivo called Chicca while Oltrepo’ Pavese near the Lombard city of Pavia also makes its own dessert wine called Sangue di Giuda.
This wine is made from a blend of three grapes, Croatina (65%), Barbera (25%, and Uva Rara (10%). These grapes are all indigenous or native to the area.
Light and somewhat fruity, this particular wine is a great surprise to many people. It has a beautiful color and a big frothy mousse. It has strawberry and raspberry aromas on the nose and the palate.
If you need a bottle of something esoteric to bring to someone’s house, try Sangue di Giuda, guaranteed it will be an interesting evening.
Leave a Comment » | Baking, Campania, Dining, Italian Regions, Lombardy, Sicily, Wining | Tagged: Croccantini, Primitivo di Manduria, Sangue di Giuda, Sbrisolona | Permalink
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September 8, 2009
It is the start of the Autumn season with vacations ending, children going back to school, and everyone going back to their daily lives. Many suffer from the sindrome da rientro. While nothing is like summer, the Autumn can also be a joyful time, particularly active both at home and in the vegetable garden. Flowers have changed with mums replacing geraniums and tomatoes are soon to be picked from the vines. Fall brings wonderful fruits and vegetables. Squash are numerous and recipes for pumpkin ravioli begin to grace the covers of magazines in just a few weeks time.
Pumpkin ravioli is a signature dish in Northern Italy, particularly in the city of Mantova. While it traditionally is eaten between November and Christmas, any day in the Autumn can be an excuse to make ravioli with pumpkin, especially if the sage in your garden is all dried out.
Mantova is a beautiful city located in the province of Lombardy in Northern Italy. Mantova was home to the famous Gonzaga family since the start of the 14th century. As in many important Italian families, the Gonzagas put their stamp on Mantova and its architecture.
They built the huge Palazzo Ducale which absolutely dominates the city. Just like Versailles, this palace also has its own Hall of Mirrors. The palace contains an incredible fresco cycle by the world renowned painter Mantegna in the Camera degli Sposi or bridal chamber. If you see nothing else in Mantova, this should not be missed.
Another incredible building in the city is Palazzo Te which was built by Giulio Romano in 1534 for Federico II Gonzaga. The church of Sant’Andrea built in the 11th century is the oldest church in the city and one of the most beautiful. Mantegna (1431-1506) is buried in this church in the first chapel on the left after the entrance. Mantova is not a large city so you will have plenty of time to take in these sites and enjoy a delicious dish of pumpkin ravioli.
If instead you have no plans for a trip, this website gives you a step by step recipe on how to make both the ravioli and the filling. Buon appetito!
1 Comment | Art, Cooking, Fresh Pasta, Italian Regions, Lombardy, Travelling | Tagged: Mantegna, Mantova, Northern Italy, Pumpkin ravioli | Permalink
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