Here is a simple recipe of how to prepare one of the most delicious Sicilian sweets – the cannolo:

Ingredients for 10 servings:
For the waffle
300 g white flour
30 g sugar
25 g butter
1 glass of marsala
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
Olive oil

For the filling
300 g of ricotta cheese
150 g of sugar
1 glass of rum
½ pack of vanilla

To prepare the shape of the cannolo
You would need 10 bamboo or metal cylinders long around 12 cm and with a 3 cm diameter, covered with olive oil

Preparation of the waffle

Mix all the ingredients for the cannolo (without the egg), until you get a smooth texture, knead it and form a compact ball out of it, cover it with a napkin and leave it in a cool place for half an hour. Then knead for some more minutes and leave again for 30 min. Roll out the dough until you make a thin leaf out of it. Then cut it in quadrangles of 10 cm on each side and pass over a thin film of the beaten egg.

Roll the dough quadrangles around the cylinders, so that you start from one angle of the quadrangle and make it meet with the opposite angle around the cylinder. Fry in hot oil. Remove the cylinders only when the waffles have cooled.

Preparation of the filling
Then mix well the ricotta cheese with the sugar, the vanilla and the rum. You can also add small pieces of orange peel or chocolate. Fill in the waffles with this mixture and you can decorate the both ends with dried fruit or chocolate powder. You can also spread a bit of powdered sugar over the connolo.

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

By: LeviReiss

Did you ever wonder what the word Riserva on an Italian wine label means? Does it guarantee a fine wine? Can it still be a bargain? This short article will try to answer these questions, and review a Riserva wine that I recently tasted.

The major and sometimes only difference between two Italian wines with the same name on the label except for the word Riserva is the Riserva`s extra aging. For example, Barbaresco wine from the northern Italian region of Piedmont wine is aged for a minimum of two years, one of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. The Barbaresco Riserva version is aged for a minimum of four years, two of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. Let`s look at another example; Piedmonts Barolo, the king of wine and the wine of kings. Barolo is aged for a minimum of 38 months, and Barolo Riserva is aged for a minimum of 60 months. In the first case Riserva means that the wine has been aged in wood for two additional years, while in the second case it means the wine has been aged in wood for 22 additional months. The exact specifications for Riserva depend on the given wine. As you will see in the review of the wine I tasted, the producer may add his or her own additional requirements.

What about the price? Do you have to pay extra for a Riserva wine? The answer is yes. The Riserva process costs money, in part because the wine has been held off the market for all that extra time. But the wine business is complicated. Let`s say that you are always on the lookout for a specific wine. One lucky day you get to your favorite wine store just when the new shipment arrives including both a 2005 and a 2003 Riserva of this wine. To your grand surprise the 2005 costs more than the 2003 Riserva. How could this happen? Perhaps the 2005 is a far superior vintage for this particular wine. Buy what you can. And expect to pay even more for the 2005 Riserva when it finally reaches the marketplace.

Be careful, on occasion the word Riserva means an essentially different wine. The central Italian region of Umbria produces a DOC wine called Torgiano and a DOCG wine called Torgiano Rosso Riserva, both made from the same grape blend with minor changes allowed. A similar situation occurs in the central Italian region The Marche where Rosso Conero is a DOC wine and Rosso Conero Riserva has been accorded the DOCG classification. The grape varieties used in both wines are the same, and perhaps only difference is the aging. For both these pairs the authorities decreed that the longer aged wines are sufficiently different from their cousins to warrant a fancier classification, and a higher price tag. Are they right? You might want to taste them to reach your decision. Personally, I have not tasted any of the wines mentioned in this paragraph.

But I have tasted two Nebbiolo-based wines, a Gattinara and a Gattinara Riserva from the northern Italian region of Piedmont. As luck would have it both wines came from the same producer. The regular Gattinara was a 2001, the Gattinara Riserva was a 1999. Of course, when comparing these wines, we should take into account the vintage, which can make a big difference. I remember a relatively inexpensive 2001 French dessert wine that was absolutely spectacular. But the 2002 vintage of this wine made by the same producer from the same grapes was good and nothing more.

For a review of the Gattinara DOCG 2001, see my article I Love Italian Wine and Food and Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine.

Wine Reviewed

Travaglini Gattinara Riserva DOCG 1999 13.5% alcohol about $33

First a few notes supplied by the producer Giancarlo Travaglini. This Riserva wine, composed of 100% Nebbiolo grapes, was aged for at least three years in oak barrels, and one year in the bottle. In fact, 25% to 30% of the grapes were aged in small oak barrels. The grapes for the Riserva wine come from selected grapes at selected sites. To protect its name, Travaglini makes Gattinara Riserva only in the best years. The Riserva grapes are processed and aged separately from the regular production. The producer suggests serving the wine at 19-20 degrees Centigrade (66-68 degrees Fahrenheit), and claims that it can be cellared until 2015-2020.

This wine was very rich and mouth-filling. A little bit went a long way. I tasted tobacco, leather, and black cherries, but essentially I tasted a very fine wine. I don`t think that I am kidding myself when I say that I could tell the difference between this wine, and the non-Riserva 2001 vintage, which I also found excellent. I felt that the Riserva was even more powerful and complex than its younger cousin.

I tasted it with rib steak and potatoes, and with slow-cooked beef ribs as in my previous tasting. (I wasn`t going to waste any of it on a more plebian dish such as a lasagna.) The food pairings were great, as was the wine on its own. My only regret was that the bottle was empty before I tasted it with any cheese. Frankly I wonder if a wine of this quality wouldn`t be a bit wasted with cheese.

Final verdict. I`d have to think very hard to find something negative about this wine. I`m not convinced that it should be cellared until 2015-2020, which at this point seems a long way off. But for now, and certainly the next few years, this wine is excellent, and is somewhat of a bargain. For this particular wine, and undoubtedly many others, Riserva means more than just additional aging.

About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com .

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

By: LeviReiss

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Bascilicata region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Photograph by Francesco Lorenzani photos

Bascilicata is the instep of the Italian boot. This hilly and mountainous region is located in the southwest corner of Italy on the Ionian Sea. Parts of Bascilicata have been settled since the Stone Age. It was conquered by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Normans. When the pirates came, the local inhabitants were forced to flee into the interior. Historically the region is quite poor. Its population is slightly more than 600 thousand.

Agriculture products include barley, citrus fruit, corn, potatoes, oats, olives, and tomatoes. While meat is relatively scarce, more and more sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle are raised. There is some industry including a major FIAT (automobile) factory. Tourism is becoming more popular, in spite of, and perhaps in part because of a lack of infrastructure.

Bascilicata’s administrative center is Potenza, a city of about 70 thousand. It is known as the coldest city in Italy and sometimes has snow. The city of Matera has at least two reasons to be proud. In September, 1943 it was the first Italian city to rise up against the German occupation. And Matera contains a prehistoric settlement, caves that have been occupied by people for at least 9 thousand years. In some places, the streets are actually rooftops. Parts of this area are now classified as a World Heritage Site.

Bascilicata devotes about 60 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 17th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is less than 13 million gallons, also giving it a 17th place. About 73% of the wine production is red, leaving 27% for white. The region produces two DOC wines, Aglianico del Vulture, reviewed below, and Terre dell Alta Val d’Agri. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only 2.4% of Bascilicata wine carries the DOC designation. Bascilicata is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, half red and half white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Malvasia and Muscato. The best-known strictly Italian white variety is Malvasia Bianca di Basilicato. Virtually no Bascilicata white wine is exported to North America.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are international red grape varieties that compose the Terre dell Alta Val d’Agri DOC wine. The best-known Italian red variety is Aglianico, which may have actually originated in Greece.

Before we reviewing the Bascilicata wine and Italian cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Acgua e Sale, Soaked Bread with Sweet Onion, Tomato, and Basil. Then try Grano con Ragù de Maiale, Savory Pork Ragout.

For dessert indulge yourself with Grano Dolce, Plump Wheat with Pomegranate, Chocolate, and Nuts.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Cantine di Palma DOC ‘Il Nibbio Grigio’ Aglianico Vulture 2000 13% alcohol about $14

Let’s start with the marketing materials. “Medium ruby in color with aromas of dried berries, leather, figs, dried flowers and spice. This medium-bodied wine has a rustic style, it’s quite assertive on the palate with some dusty tannins. It would be great with lamb chops or braised pork ribs and could reward 2-3 years further cellaring. (August 2005).”

This was a wine that I was rooting for, prior to opening the bottle. It is a hard life for many people in Bascilicata; perhaps that’s why the residents live longer than in most other Italian regions. But I didn’t have to cheat to like this wine. Interestingly enough, my supplier has dropped the price by $2 a bottle, which may be a first for the wines in this series. I might buy a half case and taste it over the years. And now to my review.

The first pairing was with meat balls and potatoes. The wine had a fine nose. It was quite full-bodied, and tasted of tobacco (I’m not a smoker) and cherries. While the wine was very pleasant it was shorter than I had hoped. It was quite enjoyable on its own.

My reactions were basically the same when tasting this wine with beef ribs, except that the wine was moderately long. It was easy to drink but not light.

Then I drank this wine with a grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, Dijon-style mustard, horseradish, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The accompaniments included potatoes cooked in chicken fat (a specialty of a local supermarket) and a tomato and red pepper salsa. The wine was really excellent. It held up well and tasted of dark fruit and tobacco.

I didn’t have any Bascilicata cheese so I had to settle for two other Italian cheeses. Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep’s milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. Even though it was getting a bit long in the tooth, the cheese intensified the Aglicano’s fruitiness. Montasio is a cooked, full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk and aged for several months. It has a pungent smell and a strong, pasty taste. It comes from the Friuli-Venezia Giuli of northeastern Italy. This time the wine and cheese pairing was not as successful, but the combination was still satisfying.

Before giving my verdict, which I believe you can guess, I do have one final comment. In spite of what I have read, this wine is not very tannic. I would not recommend keeping it until 2020, or even 2015, as some others suggest. But I do recommend buying it now, and even storing it for a few years.

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is
http://www.theworldwidewine.com .

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

For those of you who love cooking and enjoy the Italian cuisine, here is our weekly pick from academiabarilla – Christmas Cookies recipe

It is presented in a very quick and simple way – enjoy and try it at home.

Buon appetito!

By: LeviReiss

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe’s highest peak, Mount Blanc. This was arguably the last region of Italy to be populated, because it was covered with ice until relatively recently. Over time it was occupied by Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards, and Franks. It is bilingual, Italian and French. The Aosta Valley is by far the smallest region of Italy with a population of only 120 thousand.

Agricultural is not particularly important, with the exception of cattle raising. There is substantial forestry and some industry, in particular hydroelectric power. The region is one of the wealthiest in Italy, with a highly developed tourist sector.

This region has no single capital. The largest city is Aosta, with a population of about 35 thousand. It was a Roman garrison over two thousand years ago, and is the best example of Roman city planning in Italy. Among the Aosta Valley’s tourist attractions are the remains of a Roman amphitheater said to hold 20,000 spectators. Other tourist attractions include medieval fortresses and churches, the Matterhorn, and Mount Blanc.

The Aosta Valley devotes only fifteen hundred acres to grapevines, and ranks 20th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about six hundred thousand gallons, also giving it a 20th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving about 10% for white. The region produces a single DOC wine, that is divided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region’s wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Chardonnay is the most important international white grape variety in the Aosta Valley. Muscat and Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) are also grown. Local white varieties include Blanc de Morgeux and Petite Arvine, also grown in Switzerland.

International red grape varieties grown in the Aosta Valley include Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), and Syrah. Local red varieties include Picotendro (called Nebbiolo in neighboring Piedmont and arguably Italy’s finest red grape), Petit Rouge, and Fumin. In the unfortunate absence of any Aosta Valley wines, I am reviewing a DOCG Nebbiolo-based wine from neighboring Piedmont. If I am ever in the Aosta Valley, I promise to drink and review a few local wines.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley-style wine and Italian cheese that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Jambon de Bosses; Uncooked Ham.

As the second course try Carré D’Agnello Gratinato Alle Erbe; Grilled Loin of Lamb in a Pastry and Herb Crust.

For dessert indulge yourself with Crema alla Panna; Pannacotta from the Aosta Valley (a sort of crème caramel without eggs.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Travaglina Gattinara DOCG 2001 13.5% alcohol about $28

As stated above, little if any wine from the Aosta Valley region is available in North America. We had to settle for a Piedmont wine produced only a few miles away from the Aosta Valley. For some reason I can’t get out of my mind the 1905 George M. Cohan Broadway title tune (Only) Forty-five Minutes from Broadway, think of the changes it brings. Given that this is a DOCG wine made with Italy’s best red grape, I really don’t feel that I made a sacrifice. It is perhaps a fitting way to treat the last of Italy’s regions.

Let’s start with the marketing materials. “The winery has other jewels in its crown, as the fabulous base Gattinara 2001 so eloquently proves in the best version we can remember. A pure, austere nose expresses the Gattinara territory, with licorice and crushed roses from the Nebbiolo grape and elegant streaks of eucalyptus, menthol, and even acacia blossoms. The long lingering palate is lively and tangy, slightly held back by assertive tannins.”

Let’s talk a bit about the bottle. As a DOCG red wine, there is a lavender ribbon at the top of the bottle. The bottle itself has a unique curve that fits in the palm of the hand. It was designed by a glassmaker for the 1952 vintage, and proved so popular that the producer has been using it ever since. The grapes are grown on steep slopes at 900-1300 feet in iron-rich soil with traces of Calcium and Magnesium Carbonate. The wine is aged a year in French oak barriques, 18 months in Slovenian oak casks, and then for six months in the bottle. It has been called an affordable Barolo, (one of Italy’s finest red wines that starts at about twice its price). Wine Spectator Magazine has listed a previous vintage as one of the year’s 100 best wines.

My first pairing was with a cheeseless meat lasagna. Frankly the wine was wasted on this meal. It was mouth-filling, long, and powerful, but yet delicate. I felt that the wine was great on its own. A few ounces kept my mouth satisfied for a very long time.

The next pairing was more suitable, grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, sweet and sour mustard, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The meal also included potato patties, and caponata, an Italian-style eggplant and tomato salad. This marriage was made in heaven. The wine was mouthfilling and powerful. A little bit went a very long way.

The final meal was with slow-cooked, boneless beef ribs and potatoes. Once again, the wine was very powerful, tasting of leather and dark fruit. It is easily the most powerful wine of the series, and probably one of the most powerful wines that I have ever tasted. However, I did not find the tannins assertive; they blended perfectly with the fruit and other flavors.

It might have been best to try this wine with a Piedmont cheese such as Gran Padano or Gorgonzola, or with an Aosta Valley cheese such as Fontina. I had none of the above, so I settled for the ends of my Italian cheeses, coincidentally at more or less the end of this series. The Gattinara took on a pleasant acidic character to deal with a Montasio cheese from the Veneto area that was past its prime. It also went well with a Sicilian Isola. I liked it the best with an Asiago, also from the Veneto region. But once again the wine was somewhat wasted on these cheeses.

Final verdict. I don’t think that this wine should be cellared for a dozen years, but I would love to find out. If I had the money, I’d buy a case, drink a bottle a year, and then decide what to do. Not going to happen. This wonderful wine will have to go into my once a year category. I’m already looking forward to savoring and comparing the 2002 vintage with this excellent 2001.

About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com .

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

By: LeviReiss

This article reviews a fine, distinctive Italian red wine and its more pedestrian cousins. I look at several food pairings. Was it a bargain?

I have a confession to make. I really thought that I had finished our series I Love Italian Wine and Food, and even wrote two articles drawing conclusions, one for the red wines and one for the white wines. And then I was tempted by a bottle of Amarone, a specially made wine from the Veneto region of northern Italy. Why not do one last wine for the series? Of course there are still Italian wines to taste and to retaste. But for the time being I am moving on to French and German wines and will be launching two series I Love French Wine and Food, and I Love German Wine and Food. But first let’s talk about Amarone and its less distinctive cousins; Valopicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, and Valopolicella Recioto.

Valpolicella (DOC) is usually nothing to write home about, although some producers are said to be better than others. This deep maroon, light-bodied wine comes from the area near Verona in eastern Veneto. It contains 10% to 12% alcohol and often tastes of cooked cherries. Valpolicella is made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes and sometimes other grapes native to the region.

Valpolicella Ripasso is made from young Valpolicella wine put into tanks or barrels containing the lees (one could say dregs, but that might give the wrong impression) of a recioto wine (see below). The mixture undergoes a secondary fermentation and becomes a more interesting wine. In spite of its higher quality, this wine may no longer carry the Valpolicella appellation and is usually sold as a table wine.

Valpolicella Recioto is made from passito grapes, those dried on mats for several months. It may be a still wine, a fizzy wine, or a sparkling wine. Valpolicella Recioto is sweet or bittersweet.

Amarone DOC is a type of Valpolicella Recioto whose sugar has been completely transformed into alcohol becoming a powerful tasting wine that packs a punch and ages well. What a difference between Amarone and its source wine, Valipolcella.

Wine Reviewed

Farina Amarone della Valolicella Classico DOC 2001 15% alcohol about $30

Let’s start by quoting the back label. This wine originated from different clones of Corvine, Rondinella, Molinara, Negrara, and Dindarella, cultivated in our own vineyards on the hills north of Verona. The grapes were harvested in late September and spread out on trays for about 4 months to evaporate their moisture and concentrate their sugar. Fermentation started in early February and continued slowly for about 2 months. After settling, the wine matured for 3 years in Slavonian oak barrels of 5 and 10 hectolitres.

Given the wine’s power in part due to its higher alcohol content, I was able to taste it with more dishes than usual. Here are my comments.

The first meal consisted of slow cooked chicken legs in a honey and garlic sauce. The Amarone was multilayered and complex. It was very long. The black cherry taste of the underlying Valpolicella was still there. The wine was quite powerful but did not overpower the meat. I think it would have overpowered most chicken breast dishes. The wine handled the meat’s grease well. It was great with a dessert of thin biscuits containing almonds and pistachios.

The next meal consisted of whole wheat spaghetti with a commercial Arrabbiata sauce that was not very spicy. The sauce, which wasn’t very tasty, did a fine job of bringing out the wine’s fruit. Amarone is known to pair well with Parmesan cheese, but the grated Parmesan cheese on the spaghetti sauce was lost in the shuffle. This wine became softer in the presence of high-quality butter cookies. It was excellent, but I felt wasted on the cookies. I finished the meal with a bit of Amarone on its own. The wine was not as intense as I expected.

The next meal included slow-cooked boneless beef ribs and potatoes with caponata, an eggplant and tomato dish. The wine was very long and fruity, tasting in particular of black fruits, tobacco, and leather. At one point I put too much horseradish mustard on the meat, but the Amarone handled this potential problem very well. On the other hand, the Amarone was flat with dessert, a chocolaty pecan pie.

Saint Aubin is a French soft cow’s milk cheese with a natural rind. It has a creamy texture and a soft taste. The Amarone-Saint Aubin marriage was not made in heaven; the cheese gave the wine a flat taste.

Bel Paese is a mild, buttery cheese from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. This pale, creamy yellow cheese is made from cow’s milk and matures within six to eight weeks. Critics suggest pairing Bel Paese cheese with fruity wines. The Amarone-Bel Paese combination was better than the Amarone-Saint Aubin pairing but didn’t really make sense, even though the cheese brought out the wine’s fruit. By the way, when I finished the glass of wine on its own, the wine wasn’t as good as it was on its own or after a more appropriate pairing.

Before giving my final verdict, I like to state that I don’t blame the Amarone for not faring so well with inappropriate pairings. I regret that I didn’t have any ungrated Parmesan cheese to accompany it. I was somewhat disappointed with this wine. I expected more; having tasted better, albeit more expensive Amarones. Amarone della Valpolicella will return to my wine glass, but the next stops are France and Germany for the series I Love French Wine and Food and I Love German Wine and Food.

About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Presently his wine websites are http://www.theworldwidewine.com and
http://www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

By Clyde Lee Dennis

It certainly is no big secret that more wine is produced in Italy than any other country in the world. Truth is in Italy’s wine regions it’s making has been raised to the level of an art form. An art that has been passed down from generation to generation and throughout many decades. Wine making thrives in Italy because it’s climate allows for the growing of a large variety of grapes. More so than any other region in the world.

The majority of this production is done in the world famous region of Tuscany. Tuscany can be found right in the center of Italy. The famous fashion capital Milan is far to the north, near the borders of France and Switzerland, while Rome is a little to the south. Tuscany is a jewel set between the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west and the Apennines mountain range on the east. It consists of ten provinces, one of which is Pisa. A city famous for it’s Leaning Tower. The capital city is Florence.

The wine history in Tuscany is just as historic as Italy’s architecture and art. A history that extends as far back as the beginning of time.

Everybody has heard of the well-known wines such as Chianti from Tuscany, Valpolicella and Soave, but what about the marvelous Rondinella, Malvasia and Sangiovese? These are marvelous wines, and the little known Malvasia is superb. There are more different types of vine grown in Italy than any other country, and Italy can truly be awarded the accolade of wine growing country of the world. The French, Germans and all of the New World Australian and American wine producing areas pale into insignificance when compared to Italy. At least for volume.

This geography provides every type of climate possible for growing grapes, and the cold loving vines and those larger and juicier grapes that prefer more heat are all well catered for. It never gets too dry, and never gets too wet. Were you to personally design a country and climate ideal for growing just about every variety of grapes, you would end up with Italy.

Portuguese wine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clyde_Lee_Dennis

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

By Sarah Freeland

When you think of Italy, you probably think of food and wine. And if you really want to experience Italy in its truest form, you should consider taking and Italian food and wine tour. These yours will give you the experience of a lifetime, sampling the food, wine and history from your choice of many Italian wine regions. Let us help you pick the right one for you.

There are many regions where you might choose to take your Italian food and wine tour. One of these regions is Tuscany. You should choose Tuscany if you want to enjoy the Italian mountainside with classic Italian food and wine. The Tuscan people have been making wine for centuries. Touring the area through food and wine will be a dream come true. Sample “new” and “old” wines of the region, watch some of the world’s best olive oil being made and enjoy dishes full of these perfect Italian flavors.

Another region where you might choose to take an Italian food and wine tour is Milan. You should select Milan if you want a more exquisite and elaborate wine and food experience. The region of Milan is known for its truffles and Chianti wines. This dry red wine goes perfectly with the area’s gourmet dishes rich with truffles and truffle oil. Consider a day of cooking lessons while you are there, so you’ll never forget the perfect cuisine you experience on this memorable food and wine tour.

Another area that offers wonderful Italian food and wine tours is Sicily. Sometimes called The Island of the Sun, Sicily is considered the more exotic of Italian culture. Sicily is a melting pot of Italian, Greek, Spanish and even Arab influences, making it a very unique place to experience wine and food. They offer specialties such as seafood and Mediterranean cuisine, which pair perfectly with their rich, warm red wines.

One of the lesser known destinations for Italian food and wine tours is Piedmont. This area offers a very unique experience, yet a classic one. Piedmont is also known for its truffles and the best time to enjoy them is in the fall. Pair the Truffle-laden dishes with some very unique and elite wines such as Barolo and Dolcetto. And don’t leave without spending time enjoying the chocolate of the area, one of their specialties.

Planning a wine tasting trip in Earope? We offer info on Bordeaux wine tasting tours – Wine Tours Bordeaux is your source for information on wine merchants and vineyards of Bordeaux, France & luxury hotels in France. From hosting dinner parties to maybe a mere few keggers, there are a variety of wine and bar accessories for any host. These accessories add to one’s hosting abilities. From wine corkscrews to cabinets and glasses and wine racks, a variety of items exist for the wine lovers and hard liquor drinkers in your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Freeland

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

John Pawlett

If you are wondering what to prepare for dinner tonight, then you can always try these easy recipes. It’s quick and affordable.

Menu

Meal: Chicken Spaghetti

Salad: Spinach Salad

Dessert: Lemon Sorbet

Chicken Spaghetti

Photograph by RayStudio

Ingredients:

1 cup Chopped onion (about 1 large)
1 cup Water
1 tsp Dried oregano leaves
3/4 tsp Dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp Dried marjoram leaves
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Dried rosemary leaves
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 Bay leaf
1 (8-ounce) can Tomato sauce
1 (8-ounce) can Tomato paste
1-1/2 cups Cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
4 cups Hot cooked spaghetti
Instructions:

Heat all ingredients except chicken and spaghetti to boiling in 10-inch skillet; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken. Cover and simmer 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Serve sauce over spaghetti.

Note: All three Italian recipes in this article yield 6 servings.

Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

2 or 3 cups Raw spinach
3 slices Bacon
1 whole Avocado, sliced
12 strips Pimiento
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Italian olive oil
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Instructions: Wash spinach well, and remove stems. Dry. Fry bacon crisp and then drain. Chop or crumble into small bits. Toss the spinach with remaining ingredients.

Lemon Sorbet

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups Fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 tbsp Grated lemon zest
4-1/2 cups Simple syrup
Simple Syrup:
3 cups Sugar

6 cups Water

Instructions: Combine the ingredients and freeze in an ice cream maker. Alternatively, place in a bowl set within a larger bowl holding ice cubes and salted water. Beat the mixture with a portable mixer or wire whisk for several minutes until it begins to be thoroughly chilled. Cover and place in the freezer until frozen, stirring occasionally.

Simple Syrup: Place the sugar and water in a stainless steel or enameled saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve lined with a damp cloth. Cool.

his is gonna seem so simple that you won’t believe that it will work, but it does.
The thing with rice cooking is that folks tend to make it too hard. Get out a nice heavy
pan with a tight fitting lid. (Visions is nice for this cause you can see what’s going on in
the pot.) Get a bag of normal ol’ long grain rice++not Rice-A-Roni or Uncle Ben’s or any
of that “converted” stuff. Dump as much into the pot as you like (one cup dry makes
about three cups cooked).

Other Itallian Meals

The island of Sardinia perhaps most quickly conjures up the idea of sardines. A small island off of the western coast of Italy, it certainly incorporates seafood in to much of its regional cuisine. However, Sardinia has such a rich and various history that it bears little resemblance to the traditional idea of Italian cooking. Like many other Italian regional cuisines, Sardinia’s regional taste is often a surprise for a palette that is expecting red sauce and parmesan cheese to be the beginning and end of traditional Italian cooking. While it is a region of Italy, Sardinia’s history is shared with explorers of many European nations, such as Greece, France, and Spain. This diverse history of people shows in the traditions and culture of this isolated island destination.

While, being an island, seafood, especially shellfish, plays a large part in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, very few Sardinian meals do not incorporate lamb, a rich resource in the mountainous inland of the island of Sardinia. In addition to the lamb’s meat, a favorite of Sardinian chefs, very few meals are complete without the company of sheep’s milk and wild fennel. Stews and roasts are popular choices for the people of Sardinia. Looking at any Sardinian recipe, it is easy to see that the cuisine of this hilly island is a veritable stone soup of the many different cultures that have passed through the island over the years.

The seafood traditions of the Greek isles can be found in the mussel stews and roasted lobster dishes that keep the island’s fishermen busy. Malloreddus is a Sardinian pasta that can be found in many stews and pasta dishes accompanying chicken or rabbit basted in fennel or saffron. Malloreddus is a grooved pasta that very much resembles gnocchi in taste and texture, and is made of semolina flour and sometimes seasoned lightly with saffron, while most gnocchi is made with potato.

Stews are very popular in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, and even meat and poultry dishes are served in rich cooking sauces that could just as easily be served as soups. For this reason, accompanying a Sardinian entre with a hearty crusted bread or a side of potatoes makes for a very filling meal. Pasta, in the traditional sense is not as large a part of Sardinian cooking as in other regions of Italy. The pastas of Sardinia are more commonly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine. Hearty grains and fusilli more commonly accompany the dishes of Sardinian regional cuisine, as opposed the lasagna, spaghetti or linguine that Americans more commonly associate with Italian cooking.

Between the diverse history of Sardinia’s people, from France to the Middle East, and the various different landscapes and resources that can be found throughout the island, it is hard to put Sardinian cuisine into one category. One thing is for sure though, while you will find many different types of food on the island of Sardinia, it is unlikely that you will find anything like it anywhere else in the world.
Author Resource:- Cooking Experience is an informative website that looks into all aspects of cooking from great meats, to vegitarian.
To find out more visit Cooking

Article From Article Press

More about Italian food and wine:Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/

by Martin McAllister

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, hopeless romantics all over the world are racking their brains for something spectacular with which to surprise that special person this year. But what many don’t realize is that this amorous task is easier than it seems. If you’re looking for something that emits a bit more ingenuity than flowers and chocolates, why not opt to give someone the experience of a lifetime with a trip?

Photograph by RayStudio

One of the best gifts anyone can give another person is the gift of good memories. And what better time is there for such a gift than Valentine’s Day? After all, it’s an opportunity for you and that special person to build those memories together. However, in planning this spectacular getaway, you’ll carefully want to consider your destination options: where can you go that emanates true romance in the best way possible? Think wine, pasta and gelato – think Italy.

Often referred to as “il Belpaese” – “the beautiful country” – Italy is a top destination for romantic getaways. This is accredited just as much to the country’s tranquil pace of life as it is to its stunning surroundings. So if you’re looking for a holiday destination which will allow you and that one special person to enjoy each others’ company to the fullest, pack your bags and begin practicing your Italian.

One of the most popular destinations for romantic getaways in Italy is Florence – and it’s no surprise why. Although Florence is a city of considerable size, it boasts much of the charm of a small and intimate town. Couples can take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city centre, stroll in the Boboli Gardens – a grandiose sixteenth century garden built by the Medici family – or head to Piazza Michelangelo – a landmark romantic viewpoint over the city. And apart from exquisite sightseeing opportunities, the city affords spectacular shopping in districts such as San Lorenzo or Santa Croce. Tuscan wine-tasting excursions also depart daily from the city – so you and your loved one can truly experience one of the gems of Italian culture. And as each day comes to an end, you can choose to watch the sunset from Ponte Trinita, walk along the moon-lit River Arno, or dine in one of the city’s countless gourmet restaurants.

Alternatively, why not visit Rome? Appropriately called “The City of Love”, Rome has a great deal to offer couples who are on a romantic getaway. Visit the Villa Borghese, which once belonged to the royal family and is now a beautiful park; or visit the Monte Mario, which offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Alternatively, sit on the Spanish Steps with a picnic while taking in the beauty of the city, or visit one of Rome’s most romantic spots, Piazza Navona, which bustles with life once the sun goes down. From sightseeing to simply unwinding together in the city’s charming cafes, a couple in Rome will never have a dull moment.

If you’re thinking about surprising that one special person with a Valentine’s Day getaway in Italy, you’ll find plenty of hotels – like Hilton Garden Inn – that offer spectacular accommodation, no matter which city you choose to visit. So make this Valentine’s Day the best you’ve ever had and head for “the beautiful country” – you may just find that romance and Italian pasta is a match made in heaven.

About the author:
If you’re thinking about surprising that one special person with a Valentine’s Day getaway in Italy, you’ll find plenty of hotels – like Hilton Garden Inn – that offer spectacular accommodation, no matter which city you choose to visit.

Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist. He lives in Scotland.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

More about Italian food and wine:
Discover even more about Italian food and wine and find out what your fellow travellers think recommend to try while in Italy here: http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/italian-food-and-wine/