Piemonte: Dolcetto, Simple Wine or Hidden Gem?
Dolcetto (dole – chet – toe): the name itself is a bit deceiving. In Italian, it would mean “little sweet one,” but this red Piemontese wine is no sweeter than a Chianti or a Bordeaux. In fact, “dolcetto” takes its [...]
Piemonte: Pelaverga DOC and White Pepper
Piemonte: Pelaverga DOC and White Pepper
Living in Bra, Italy in the Piemonte region provides access to many small, surrounding Italian villages. Each one boasts a fine, regional wine: Barbera d’Asti, Grignolino, Barolo and Barbaresco to name a few. One [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: X, Y and Z
X, Y and Z are for…?:
The incomplete ABC’s of Campania list may never be completed, at least not until the Italian language adds X and Y to its alphabet. As for Z, if there are any suggestions for a [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: W
W is for white cauliflower:
White cavolfiore (cauliflower) is widely and internationally known, such a common vegetable that the average dinner-partier does not think twice about the origins of that hard, bumpy, white vegetable among the others on the veggie [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: V
V is for vitellone bianco dell’apennine centrale IGP:
The Vitellone Bianco dell’Apennine Centrale IGP, or white veal of the Central Apennine mountain range of Protected Geographic Origin, is superior quality veal that is raised in Campania near the Apennine mountain [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: U
U is for uova ‘mpriatorio:
Uova ‘Mpriatorio (oo-oh-vah m-pree-ah-tor-ee-oh) is a simple Neapolitan dish that features a sizzling red tomato sauce with two or more sunny-side up eggs cracked into it, served with a hunk of bread to sop up [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: T
T is for torrone:
Torrone (tor-rone-eh) has been called “Italy’s candy bar,” with its sweet nougat and nut confection that is the inspiration for Toblerone and Mars candy. A typical recipe includes white sugar and honey, egg whites, and almonds, [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: S
S is for Sfogliatelle:
This sweet symbol of Naples is seen all over Italy and is as popular today as it was 400 years ago. The sfogliatella (singular of sfogliatelle: sfol-ee-ah-tell-eh) is a filled pastry with a characteristic seashell shape [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: R
R is for Ragù alla genovese:
Despite its name, Ragù alla genovese is eaten exclusively in Naples. This oniony meat sauce is hardly known outside of the area, in fact – unless a Neapolitan cook happens to move to another [...]
The ABC’s of Campania Food & Wine: Q
Q is for Quaglia di Capri:
A traditionally popular and economically valuable dish of the island of Capri has been the quail. The common quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family with rusty red plumage mottled [...]