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  ‘NDUJA FROM CALABRIA: FOOD PAIRING AND RECIPES

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  29911 Views

  ‘Nduja from Calabria is definitely addictive; I am sure of it. One taste and you’re in love, because ‘Nduja salami spread is spicy but aromatic, it is creamy, it can enhance the flavour of many dishes and it takes you all the way to Calabria, whenever you feel like it. Even a dish as simple as ‘Nduja salami spread on a toasted slice of bread will satisfy your senses - and your palate.

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  STRACHITUNT: FOOD PAIRING AND RECIPES

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  5433 Views

  PDO Strachitunt is an incredible cheese from Bergamo, from the Taleggio Valley. It is one of my favourite Italian blue cheeses: it is made from raw cow’s milk and has a soft and raw paste.  Although its name may sound similar to more famous cheeses such as Stracchino or Taleggio, the Strachitunt deserves its own place of honour.

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  SAN DANIELE TROUT: TRADITION ACCORDING TO FRIULTROTA

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  4853 Views

  What is lacking in an Italian smoked trout as compared to a Norwegian or Scottish smoked salmon? The answer is nothing, we can assure you. Yes, salmon has a distinctive flavour, which could probably be perceived as oilier to the palate, and its quality and processing methods differ depending on the country of production. However, the trout has become a worthy competitor, especially thanks to the incredible work carried out by Friultrota and by the Pighin family.

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  THE SALAME DI VARZI, THE QUINTESSENTIAL SALAMI FROM LOMBARDY

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  5934 Views

  The PDO Salame di Varzi is an excellent Italian cold cut which obtained the Protected Designation of Origin seal back in 1996. A great value of this salami lies in the fact that it is still produced in artisan cured meat factories which are almost entirely run by families. This goes to show how much this product is still respected and protected and consequently, how it managed to preserve its original genuine flavour over the course of time.

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  ANCHOVIES FROM CETARA: ONE-OF-A-KIND FLAVOUR AND TRADITION

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  7872 Views

  As soon as someone mentions the name ‘Cetara’, we immediately think of anchovies. As a matter of fact, this amazing oily fish is deeply tied to the culture of this village, influencing the work pace, the life and gastronomy of its inhabitants. The artisan producers of salt-packed anchovies from Cetara and colatura di alici (the anchovy sauce) managed an incredible feat: they contributed to the fame of these delights all over the world, educating palates and making people understand what a...

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  ITALIAN CHEESES: SPECIALTIES FROM SARDINIA BY ARGIOLAS CHEESE

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  5235 Views

  The region Sardinia is home to the greatest production of Italian Pecorino cheese in Europe. Why is this cheese so widespread? Probably because pastoralism has been practiced in Sardinia for thousands of years. Nowadays, Sardinian cheeses are exported and much beloved all over the world. We have particularly appreciated the work of an excellent dairy farm in Sardinia: Argiolas cheese.

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  TUSCAN OIL AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF FRANCI OIL MILL

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  3853 Views

  Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent product; it is the result of hard work, love and wisdom and Franci oil mill is well aware of that. The story of this oil mill is exemplary and shows how worthy this precious golden nectar is to us Italians. Olive oil differs from region to region; a Tuscan olive oil is completely different from an olive oil from Apulia. Olive trees are different, as well as the climate, the harvesting method and the milling.

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  DISCOVERING ITALIAN RAW MILK CHEESES

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  33041 Views

  Raw milk means milk which does not undergo any heat treatment prior to becoming cheese. According to Slow Food, cheeses made from this type of milk, i.e. raw milk Italian cheeses, are the only ones that preserve an invisible bacterial biodiversity, a great treasure that makes these culinary products truly unique.

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  ITALIAN RICE CULTIVARS

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  46412 Views

  In Italy rice is rarely seen as a side dish; it is an actual ingredient used in both traditional and more innovative dishes. Timbales, risotto, supplì stuffed rice balls, rice meatballs, rice salads…The Italian regional culinary tradition features plenty of recipes with rice. Nowadays we can find many rice cultivars on the market and luckily, the general public is getting to know many rice companies. Let’s plunge into the world of Italian rice.

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  THE BEST SPECIALTY FOOD OF CAMPANIA: PASTA FROM GRAGNANO

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  6511 Views

  There is no other product that can embody the excellence of Campania delicacies better than pasta from Gragnano. A great deal is being said about the quality of the most famous Italian food in the world: is the wheat 100% Italian or is it mixed with foreign wheat? Does it contain pesticides? This is perhaps the pasta with the most impressing history and sensory properties and luckily, there still are many great virtuous pasta makers, like the Pastificio dei Campi company. 

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  DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GRANA PADANO AND PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  38400 Views

  Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano cheeses have a similar shape, colour and paste, but they follow completely different product specifications as requested by their respective protection consortia. Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are two of the most famous and outstanding Italian cheeses: two respectable PDO cheeses with very ancient origins, which, over time, have become part of a very specific cultural identity to the point where people are now taking sides.

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  ITALIAN PASTA TYPES AND SHAPES REGION BY REGION

  Posted in: The foodie's journal

  155065 Views

  How many pasta shapes exist in Italy? Around three hundred! Any pasta shapes that you can think of has been created over the years and combined with a specific sauce. First of all, Italian pasta shapes are divided into two main categories: long-length and short-cut. Then they can also be sorted according to the type of surface, whether they are dried, stuffed etc. Each region has given free rein to its creativity, helping to shape a one-of-a-kind culinary and cultural landscape.

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