Primitivo and Pasta from the Heel of the Boot #ItalianFWT
Italian Food, Wine & Travel Explores Puglia This month, we’re traveling (virtually of course) to Puglia, in the far south of Italy. Puglia is the high-heel of the ever fashionable boot that is Italy. If you look carefully, you can tell a lot from the photo above. While much of Italy is marked by the … Continue reading
Basilicata Aglianico Eruption #ItalianFWT
Basilicata Who? If there’s ever an under-the-radar Italian region, Basilicata is it. Located in the instep of the boot of Italy, it’s not a big tourism area, or an area of commerce. No big cities. Very little access to the coast. With one exception, wines from Basilicata are not heard of or seen outside the … Continue reading
Neapolitan Pork Chops & Autochthonous Grapes of Campania #ItalianFWT
Autochthonous Grapes of Campania June is Campania on #ItalianFWT. Campania is the southern Italian region which includes Naples, Sorrento, and the Isle of Capri. Neapolitan Pizza, of course. But what about the other foods and wines? Campania is known for the whites of Fiano di Avellino and Falanghina, Taurasi for red, but not much else … Continue reading
Emilia Romagna Classic – Tagliatelle con Bolognese Ragù
The Real Pasta and Bolognese Sauce Perfect for a Sunday afternoon, we’re continuing our exploration of the food and wine of Emilia Romagna. Another classic today: Fresh homemade tagliatelle and Bolognese ragù. In Italy, a moderate portion of this dish would form the primi course, followed by a secondi. We’re going to turn this into … Continue reading
Wine & Food Resolution 2015: Italy Deep Dive! #WinePW
Resolutions a Chore? Bah! Losing weight, eating healthier, being a more courteous driver (a multi-year favorite of mine) blah blah blah… Why can’t resolutions be fun? My 2015 resolution started in late 2014 and will likely continue well into 2016, and I’m having fun with it. Maybe you’ll join me? Resolution: Learn Italy in depth … Continue reading
Veneto Food & Wine from Half a World Away
Moral of the Story: Beware! Warning, if you learn a bit about a region’s food, wine, geography, customs, you just may develop an unstoppable urge to visit. The only question is, when do we leave? How do you explore a region in Italy from half a world away? 1. Study up! The Veneto So where, … Continue reading
Garlic Ramp Pesto on Fettucine with #NWTW Viognier
The #NewWineThisWeek assignment was Viognier from France. I spent some quality time with a variety of Viogniers this winter, so I didn’t feel a strong pull to participate this week. Along came Saturday, and I just couldn’t resist. I stopped by a local wine shop and picked up a $9 Viognier from the southern Rhone. … Continue reading
Agnolotti al Plin & Favorita
It’s the final week in the food bloggers competition hosted by the Tourist Office of Langhe and Roero. This week’s ingredient from the region is Agnolotti al Plin. We love homemade pasta at our house, but truth be told, I’ve never made Agnolotti. Never too late to learn! Agnolotti al Plin is a pasta traditionally … Continue reading
Anchovy Beet-Green Pesto Pasta & Arneis
TuLangheRoero is currently hosting a food blogging/photography contest. The challenge runs a little like the “Chopped” cooking show in slow motion. Each Monday, they announce the secret ingredient, always a favorite in the Langhe and Roero districts of the Piedmont region in Italy. The contest is to create and photograph a dish using the secret … Continue reading