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Shrimp Cocktail ? Cocktail di Gamberi
2007-04-26 21:03:00
Without a doubt this is one of the easiest antipasti to prepare yet, it has an air of exclusive aristocracy. My kids love it. They would have made entire lunches consisting only of this savory and fresh antipasto. It is also one of my secret culinary weapons when visiting friends and you want to prepare something fresh to go with a nice Vernaccia, Verdicchio or Vermentino. I have also found that most people have frozen shrimp in the freezer making this dish a perfect solution. There are numerous versions that range from gelatins to mousse. I learned this one from a good friend in Bergamo.Ingredients:5 medium shrimp per person½ Romaine heart per personDressing for 4 people:1 cup Mayonnaise1 tbsp. Ketchup (I use tomato paste with salt, pepper and vinegar)½ tsp. TabascoSalt and PepperPreparation:Mix the ingredients for the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.Break the Romaine into bite size chunks and set aside.In a medium size pot bring abundant salted water to a boil. Boil the shrimp, wi...
More About: Seafood , Antipasti , Shrimp , Cocktail , Cock

Armani ? Italian Men?s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-04-24 20:13:00
The spring is one of my favorite times to change a suit, add a couple of ties, and maybe update my dress shirts. My first review of the spring and summer men?s fashion left me a bit disturbed and I am not the type to run around in Bermuda shorts, kaki pants, or surfer attire. My idea about clothes has always been buy what you like, what expresses your style. Sometimes that will take you into the high end of the price range. In these cases I buy fewer pieces but I always get what I like. This year means that I will be buying a few things from Armani , Valentino, and Canali. Ties obviously will be Versace and perhaps a casual chic shirt or pullover from Trussardi.In the fray of really eccentric men?s summer fashion Armani?s traditional values of style and grace flow into his designs. Sure there are the shoes with no socks, the jackets that are one size too small and tight knit pullover shirts underneath a gray, pen striped, suit but they do not distract from the underlying quality of m...
More About: Fashion , Summer , Spring , Italian

Vernaccia di San Gimignano San Quirico 2005
2007-04-20 00:07:00
Spring has sprung and in the cool evenings we have begun cooking with friends traditional Italian recipes. Our group is divided into those who cook, those who bring the wine and those who eat. Last night Raffaella prepared Cozze Marinara, in English Linguine Mussel Marinara. Most Americans think that Marinara is a tomato based sauce however this is not my experience. Marinara means from the Sea. I prepared a Shrimp Cocktail while Raffaella scrubbed the Mussels. A Pinot Grigio made the preparation a lot more fun.We had advised our Sommelier, the gentleman who maintains the wine cellar for our dinners, that white was the weapon of choice. Unfortunately I have been somewhat disappointed lately with the local selection of Italian wines, not finding the great selection that we would expect from the #1 exporter to the US. He pulled out a Vernaccia di San Gimignano San Quirico 2005. Vernaccia is a great wine with both Sea Fish and Shell Fish. It is flavorful yet delicate with just enough a...
More About: Italian Wine , Nano , Rico

Women?s Fashion Accessories Spring Summer 2007 ? Spikes!!!
2007-04-17 23:34:00
Those who read regularly know that I love women?s shoes, more specifically, spikes. heels cannot be too high or too slim. I understand the precarious balance between beauty and comfort, or even stability. Still, heels are the most important accessory in women?s fashion. Let?s face it ladies, women dress for men. Even women who want have one up on other women do it because they want to be desired. It gives you power. Sex appeal is one of the most powerful weapons in society, even without the sexual tension. Just think, a good looking man with a nice smile gets things faster, cheaper and with better service than the potbellied, balding accountant wearing a wrinkled short sleeved shirt. The same goes for young, curvy, long legged women wearing a pair of spikes.Much to my pleasure, spikes are still hot this year. Many styles are available from the contemporary Emporio Armani (lead photograph) to the more classical Bruno Magli, the common factor is the nosebleed heights. Just about every...
More About: Women , Fashion , Shoes , Summer , Accessories

Fiano di Avellino ? Flavorful White Wine from Campania
2007-04-12 18:34:00
Italian Wine Guy has just returned from Vinitaly 2007. He writes of many things, positive and negative, about the tendencies in the Italian Wine Industry. I found his comments about the Camp ania wines interesting. Campania has seen a tremendous increase in both the quality and quantity of their wines over the last 20 years. While some producers have taken the industrial production road most are producing traditional wines with autochthon grapes. Fiano di Avellino is one of those wines, not very well known, but a great white wine to accompany dinner.Fiano di Avellino is an antique wine. In Roman times it was called ?Vitis Apiana? or the Vine of the Bees. It seems that local bees prefer the flower of this vine. King Ferdinand of Sweden, in the XVIII century, loved this wine, ordering 3 barrels a year. Traditionally most wines were sweet or bubbly. This made Fiano di Avellino the popular choice of women and wine novices. Centuries of craftsmanship have resulted in a flavorful, dry whit...
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Bottega Veneta ? Italian Women?s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-04-09 17:20:00
Italian women?s fashion is not just for the young, long legged beauties so often seen on the runways and magazine covers. It is also very local, representing local tendencies and culture. The idea of Italian fashion is to accentuate the beauty of every individual at every age. Think of Sofia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida, beautiful women with great appeal even though their age is well over the 70 mark. A woman can be beautiful at 70 or 70 pounds overweight. It is all about how she presents herself and what she wears is an important part of this. Bottega Veneta is based in the North Eastern part of Italy. It is a hard land and the women are both strong and feminine. It is also provincial; a place where everything has meaning and is in someway useful.I have always thought of the Bottega Veneta designs as something for the 30+ woman. The woman from Veneto is wife, mother and professional. She cannot be worried about the skirt inching too high or the silk sash ending up in the door of the ...
More About: Women , Fashion , Summer , Milan , Spring

Spiaghetti alla Carbonara
2007-04-06 20:32:00
It had been a long day working around the house with our cooking buddies. Unfortunately while the mind is willing the body is aging and certainly not as agile as just a few years ago. After a few glasses of Pinot Grigio, some salami and cheese, the question of dinner came to mind. We were tired, no one really wanted to cook but after a day in the sun we needed something flavorful and filling. Timidly, I suggested a stalwart of every Italian family?s dinner repertoire.?Would you be interested in a rustic Italian dish??The Carb onara is one of the most well known dishes in Italy. From Cuneo to Pantelleria just about everyone will make some version of a Carbonara. As with most antique dishes there are several stories passed down over the generations about the origins. The first talks about the Carbonari, a group of French monks. The Carbonari were considered a heretic secret society much like the Masons and were hunted and killed by the Catholic Church. Another gives the paternity to Ip...
More About: Pasta , Nara , Alla

Falanghina ? White Wine from Campania ? Heritage disputed
2007-04-05 18:46:00
A wine lover?s dream, Falanghina is a balanced and savory white wine. When dining in Lazio and Campania the wine served on your table will most likely be a Greco di Tufo or a Falanghina. Today it is accepted, among Italian professionals of the wine industry, that Falaghina is an autochthon wine of Campania. This does not mean that wine lovers and local growers from many southern regions agree. The war over Falanghina reached its peak in the late 1980s as numerous growers and regional associations claimed the rights to Falanghina. Campania raised its shields and took a defensive posture but the questions were valid. Strangely enough Falanghina does not appear in ancient texts. It is as if Falanghina, during the Roman Empire known as Falernum Gauranum, was merely a people?s wine not worthy of the tables of the nobility.On May 11th, 1990, the province of Benevento proved that Falanghina was, in fact, part of its culture and history. The local farmers showed limited exuberance, exclaimi...
More About: Wine , Heritage , White , Italian Wine

Fendi – Italian Women’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-04-02 19:23:00
The Italian Fashion group Fendi is best known for its accessories. Fendi has a wide range of accessories from shoes and bags to belts, jewelry, and household goods. The designs are traditional cuts with contemporary patterns and fabrics. I usually do not think of Fendi when considering shopping with Raffaella but a few things caught my eye this year. The 2007 Spring and Summer line picks up the 60s themes of the more traditional hippy. Flared tubes with stiff fabrics in bright and shiny colors are the recurring elements. The outfits all are super short but this follows the summer concept of beach and casual evening attire. The shoes are spiked sandals with leather latches. Purses are small and compact, again with the bright and shiny color schemes.I like the flared tube short dresses. The lines are clean and playfully provocative. I guess it is the Easter Season, with colors of white and pink with lots of shiny designs, that makes me like these designs. I also appreciate the short s...
More About: Women , Men

Who’s the Politician – Concept for a new Realty TV Show
2007-03-30 19:28:00
A bit of culture, a bit of fun. There is a scandal brewing in Italy. It has been simmering for about 6 months. Last year photographs of beautiful showgirls sunbathing on a yacht of the shores of Ischia with several pepper gray haired men prancing around in bathing suits, too small for their prominent bellies and sagging behinds, appeared in the local newspapers. Surely these are kindly grandfathers taking their granddaughters on a weekend cruise in the warm Mediterranean Sea. Goodness they sure are friendly.As the paparazzo scrutinizes his freshly developed photographs, he realizes he has hit the jackpot. The kindly grandfather is none other than very high level, married, politicians and the girls, object of the gentlemen’s attention, are showgirls, models and female TV announcers. The newspaper realizes the value of these photographs and immediately begins to investigate; dirt sells! The article is published. It does not create much drama. Italians are very understanding when it ...
More About: Show , Real , Politician , Once , Concept

Wine Train – Chugging along the tracks deep in the Tuscan hills.
2007-03-29 23:31:00
Vinitaly opened its doors with grand gala in Verona today. Part of the festivities was the unveiling of a special train, the Montalcino Express, that will take wine lovers into the home of top wine Brunello di Montalcino, leaving Siena and Rome for Montalcino every weekend starting later this summer. Beginning June 16, 2007 the wine train will leave the station in Siena to wind through the Tuscan countryside arriving at the restructured Station in Montalcino. After a day in Montalcino the train then returns to Siena at 7:00 pm. This is an exclusive trip.An antique locomotive carries up to 150 passengers through the rolling hills into wine country. There are 3 different itineraries available: the green card includes visits to the historical sites of Montalcino, the yellow card offers a trip to the local hot spring spa and the red card permits a visit to one of the local wineries for a tour of the facilities and a tasting. Not that the trip itself is limited just to seeing the beautif...
More About: Wine , Rain , Train , Tracks , Deep

Moschino – Italian Women’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-03-27 19:01:00
Moschino Italian Women ’s Pret a Porter Spring Summer Fashion 2007.“Why is it that you always write about the more expensive designers? Not everyone can afford High Fashion.�This was the discussion on Sunday while I was showing Raffaella the photographs for today’s article. So I pulled out the CDs and flipped through this year’s shows. In the search I found many interesting pieces but I write only about what I like so ladies, Heeeerrrz Moschino!The Moschino Spring Summer 2007 line takes its primary designs and fabrics from the 1950s. The colors range from bright reds and sky blues to deep earth tones. The darker fabrics contain shiny highlights of silks and satins while the bright colors are vibrant with elaborate patterns on white backgrounds. The formal black outfits are balanced with satin bows or embroidered lace. Moschino also sees the future economy positively with nosebleed high hemlines. Open toe sandals with Roman or Greek ankle laces complete the look.The bright r...
More About: Men

Italian Honey
2007-03-26 02:09:00
Raffaella loves honey. It is part of her daily routine. In this light she thinks of herself as a bear. During our first years in the US we suffered a bit, trying honey from different stores and not finding that natural product she loves so much. In Italy there are numerous types of honey. Her love for honey comes from her mother. This passion grew as she traveled to Friuli with her father and she tells of a gentile old lady who runs a store that sells only honey. This individual knew the right places in the forests of Friuli to find wild honeys of every type.Entering the store the perfume of numerous flowers dominate the air. One would think there are fresh cut flowers every day or that the store had installed one of those air fresheners with different smells every 30 seconds. Quickly it becomes evident that this is not a marketing ploy. The perfume is from the various honeys that the store offers to the fortunate client. Yes, there are honeys with different flavors. The honey takes...
More About: Italia , Italian , Honey

Trebbiano di Abruzzo DOC – White Wine from Central Eastern Italy
2007-03-22 22:48:00
As the Euro strengthens and sadly the dollars drops like a falling knife, I have been hearing more and more comments indicating that Italian wines “are not as good as they used to be.� Without getting into the reasons why a weaker dollar makes European wine inversely more expensive and that if other European wines are maintaining prices they are producing a cheaper wine, this is a great opportunity to learn about and try mid level Italian wines. Although many think that Italian wine means Chianti, this is not the case. There are hundreds of thousands of different wines produced in Italy . Additionally this type of economic scenario favors the small farms, the grower producer, the generational wine growers. They have lower cost structures and can keep 95% of their costs in the quality of production.Trebbiano di Abruzzo DOC is a white wine produced in Acquilla, Teramo, Chieti and Pescara. The vineyards are located on the hillsides or the high plains in a medium mix of limestone and...
More About: Wine , Easter , White , Cent

Laura Biagiotti Women’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-03-20 19:50:00
Laura Biagiotti is always bright colors and simple designs. I usually like just about everything she does. This year, as many other designers, she is on a retro 70s kick. The first thing that caught my attention was the tie die prints.The intrigue quickly passed to “Oh my goodness, what was she thinking?�I do not write about the things I do not like so I thought Laura’s designs for this Spring and Summer would have been missing. Sometimes designers produce models that are intended to surprise. Let’s just call it the Fashion Industry’s “Shock and Awe!� After the first ten models passed the lines became cleaner, the colors more vibrant and the fabrics traditional Laura Biagiotti. Although most of these outfits will be for the young or young at heart they are worth taking a look.The primary accessories are the heeled sandals and big 70 style glasses. Some lines are the baggy moo moo type long dresses. They bring to mind images of Woodstock, Mary Jane roaches, and really l...
More About: Women , Men

Tagliatelle with Pesto and Crawfish
2007-03-19 13:55:00
My cooking buddies from Louisiana will be up in arms about this one. Crawfish contained in traditional Italian cooking?“Mon Cher, have you lost your mind?�Italian Crawfish are cousins of the version so prevalent in the Southern United States. Unfortunately they are more susceptible to sickness from environmental changes. They are a protected species in all of Europe. Fortunately there is an abundance of Chinese and American Crawfish available, saving these delicate recipes from disappearing altogether. Crawfish are widely used in Friuli and Tuscany while this recipe is from southern Piedmont.It is a perfect dish for the spring and summer. The pesto lends a savory balance to the light spring flavor of the crawfish. Appropriate wines: are Gaja Langhe Sauvignon Alteni di Brassica, Ceretto Blange, Felluga Terre Alte and Schiopetto Collio Tocai Friulano.Ingredients for 4 people:400 grams (about 1 lb) Fresh Pasta Tagliatelle200 grams (about 1 cup) Pest o sauce20 Crawfish1 cup Fish Brot...
More About: With , Elle , Pesto

Bardolino – A Wine, a Vacation Destination
2007-03-17 21:59:00
What makes something special? The rich and famous tell us what where we should vacation. The elite tell us what wines we should drink mandating arbitrary numbers, 75, 80, 90, 100 points. “You must like this wine,� Pinco Pallino said so. Bardolino is a small town on the shores of Lake Garda about 15 km north of Peschiera. It is also an area where a young, fresh, and bubbly red wine is produced. Bardolino will not be included in the Travel Channel’s places to visit. The wines of Bardolino will not be on the recommended list of Robert Parker. Bardolino is not a destination for the many. The Bardolino wines are simple wines; some are rose’ and some are bubbly.Strolling the town’s streets, one may be confused as individuals chat in German. Do not worry, the taxi driver did not mistakenly take you across the border. Lake Garda is one of the favorite destinations of the Germans and Austrians. They prefer Lake Garda because there are fewer tourists than other destinations. The Ger...
More About: Wine , Cat , Vacation , Nation , Tina

Peschiera on the shores of Lake Garda
2007-03-15 19:36:00
Many are asking where to stay for the Vinitaly tradeshow in Verona. It is practically impossible to find lodging in Verona. Do not despair. There are many areas in north Italy, within 45 minutes of the fair, that can also be in a wine or food themed Agriturismo or perhaps on the famous Lake Garda . Peschiera is one of the most strategic and scenic destinations on the Lake of Garda. Its origins date back before written history; the original village was built on piers controlling the mouth of the river Mincio. Every warlord, from Julius Cesar to Carlo Magno, has conquered Peschiera over the centuries but the city finally found peace with the unification of Italy. Today it is a primary destination for water sports from skiing to sailing. Peschiera is also a favorite destination for families given the high concentration world-class theme parks in the surrounding areas.The historic architecture is concentrated primarily inside the XVI century fortification walls. The “Palazzina Storicaâ...
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Ripasso Valpolicella from Veneto – Learning about wine
2007-03-14 21:44:00
Vinitaly will soon be upon us. The spring is the time of tasting the new wines. Lake Garda is coming to life with the first sailboats braving the still cold winds on Sunday afternoon. What better time to talk about Ripasso. Not a specific Ripasso, Italian Wine Guy and The Bastardo have already covered them so well, instead to answer the question of why Ripasso. Ripasso is a method of making wine. Ripasso means to do again. The grapes are typical from Valpolicella area but Ripasso is a recent wine. Masi was the first to employ the process of fermenting the young wine using the residual must from Recioto and Amarone in 1964. This process gave additional complexity and tannins to the traditional fruity table wine, Valpolicella. Further improvements to the process moved to re-fermentation.Re-fermentation is the process of adding dried grapes to wine once the fermentation has been complete. In the case of Ripasso this is done in December. Other wines use this process to increase flavor a...
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Just Cavalli Woman’s Fashion Spring Summer 2007
2007-03-13 18:42:00
The Just Cavalli designs of Woman’s Fashion for Spring and Summer 2007 is quite provocative. Bright colors and vibrant patterns on short shorts or flowing outfits dominate the line. The fabrics are light cottons and silk accentuating the natural curves of the feminine body. The casual vacation wear picks up some of puffy balloon hems of the late seventies and the prints remind me of the eighties scenic art. The bathing suites are definitely not my style tending toward the dominatrix straps in cotton but the cover shawls and aprons are sensual even if a bit too transparent to be worn without a bathing suit underneath. There are also some really unusual things in this line so be selective.Just a word about the cover photograph, I find this outfit marvelous. I am not sure if you could ever wear it. If one of my readers buys this and has the personality to pull it off, please publish a picture.The pants are definitely worth looking at. Raffaella has several pairs of the scenic designs...
More About: Alli

Trattoria al Bosco Padova – Traditional Recipes in a Provincial Environme
2007-03-11 00:20:00
Vinitaly is in Verona and you may want an interesting place after a day of wine tasting. Trattoria al Bosco is just about ½ hour away from the fair in the outskirts of Padova . There are many good places to eat in Italy. Family operated restaurants that have been around for generations but everything is relative. In the city of Rome there are maybe 10 places where I look forward to eating. That is not to say that they are not great restaurants or that the food and wine is not excellent, simply that on a comparative basis they do not stand out. The same is true in just about every city however over the years, either by local friends taking me to their favorite place or just by fate, I have found some truly unique places. Trattoria al Bosco is one of those places that happened by chance.I was visiting a client in Treviso and he wanted to go to dinner after a long project. I suggested some place with local foods where we could relax. He had just the place in mind. Recently, he had been...
More About: Recipes , Recipe , Tradition , Provincia

Maserati and Ferragamo – Partnership in Design
2007-03-09 21:42:00
The two worlds of sports cars and fashion get together to create a symbol of luxurious passion. At the ante prima of the automobile show in Ginevra, the Italian sports car manufacturer, Mase rati , and the Italian fashion designer Ferragamo announced a joint project to produce a set of elegant luggage. The name is “Maserati Gran Turismo�; the fantasy is Ferragamo. It is not often that two worldwide leaders get together to produce a product of extraordinary value. This exclusive set of luggage will be only sold at the 13 Ferragamo boutiques, 3 of which are in the US, beginning in September.Maserati has been aggressively seeking to dethrone Ferrari as the premier sports car for over a century. For this year's Gran Turismo Maserati enlisted the services of automotive body designer Pininfarina. In an area reserved for the launch of the new Maserati, the set of designer luggage will share the stage. The set is the perfect assortment for both Him and Her in every travel situation and d...
More About: Design , Partner , Desi

Vinitaly 2007 – March 29 – April 2 – Verona
2007-03-07 22:07:00
Vinitaly 2007, held at the Fair of Verona , is five days of full immersion in Italian wines, traditional foods and Olive Oil. Vinitaly has long been the marquis wine tradeshow in Italy however in recent years the organizers have expanded their vision of quality. The fair hosts 4,200 wineries in 80,000 sq meters, about 800,000 sq ft. This year, the fair has organized a meeting with top Italian chefs. An entire area is dedicated to both traditional and contemporary recipes with the top names of the Italian culinary art. Wine is passion; wine is about expertise passed down from generation to generation; wine is about the tight bond between the land and the family.The production of quality Olive Oil is the same. Olive Oil does not receive the same attention as wine but it is equally a work of art. Vinitaly has opened its doors to the producers of Olive Oils. There are some great Oils in Italy. Each region has different soil and weather. This changes the taste of the Olive Oil as much as ...
More About: April , Nita , March

International day of the Woman 2007 – March 8
2007-03-06 18:12:00
Gentlemen, do not forget that the 8th of March is the Inter national day of the Woman , in Italy the Festa della Donna. The traditional gift is a branch of Mimosa. While this festivity is not celebrated in the US, it is extremely important across the world. If you are curious about this date and how it relates to our culture, I wrote about it last year. This is part of who we are and our women deserve both our admiration and respect.To my wife, daughters and all the women in my life, Auguri!
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Women’s Pret-a-Porter Fashion Spring – Summer 2007 Emilio Pucci
2007-03-05 20:00:00
Spring initiates the new growing seasons. Young plants sprout and flowers bloom in a myriad of color and designs. Women ’s fashion follows the seasons. Fabrics are lighter weight, often colorful, often shiny. Across all designers the tendency is the rebirth of the 1950s to 1970s. Emilio Pucci caught my attention because of his take on the 1960s redesigns with a contemporary flair in the fabrics. This is not to say that everything is fantastic. I only like about 50% of the outfits. The other 50% I consider extremely dangerous for any women. These “designs gone wild� remind me of the mascot costumes at a university football game. They are boxy or worse yet make even the most fit women look like a 2 x 12 framing board.The important accessories to complete the Emilio Pucci Women’s fashion look are the platform shoes and shiny purses. There are some wild fabric patterns in this line. I find that most interesting but this can be a negative for some women so when shopping take a tru...
More About: Fashion , Summer , Men , Spring

Italian Fashion Tendencies to Entertain with Style
2007-03-04 19:38:00
What do you get when you put a French Champagne producer and an Italia n fashion designer together? You have the recipe for a new tendency in fashion. French Champagne producer Dom Ruinart wanted to create a new festive environment for his bubbly wine. Italian designer Luca Roda received the call to create an image of color and movement, something to substitute the austere white napkin traditionally used to serve his sparkling wine. Luca Roda designs silk ties, pashmina scarves and silk foulards. The result of this partnership is a colorful display that brings attention to the true protagonist of the party, the Champagne.This is a new tendency that can easily be imitated in any home with just a little imagination. Just pull out that pashmina scarf that you haven’t worn in a while or a silk scarf that has been sitting in the closet. Wrap it around the neck of the bottle, flowing over the edge of the ice bucket and you have brought the latest and greatest of European entertaining to ...
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Pierbacco ? Restaurant Wine Bar ? Experience the Balance of Food and Wine
2007-03-03 19:41:00
In the Tuscan region, on the coast, is the town of Castiglione della Pescaia. Most likely this destination will not be on your vacation itinerary but you should think about this one a bit. Aside from the great views, marvelous beaches, fantastic sailing and sumptuous wines, the food is an experience in provincial Tuscan cooking. Tuscany has many marvelous restaurants and Agriturismo but Pierbacco in Castiglione della Pescaia has an interesting twist. Just like our wine and cheese place in Rome, Pierbacco is known for its selection of wines.The cellar offers wines from the entire Italian peninsula. It is an opportunity to consume fresh fish, perfectly prepared, with just the right wine. Often our dinner is more about the wine than the food. Pierbacco has a tasting room where you can initiate your evening with appetizers and some little known wine, expertly chosen by the competent staff. If you are still hungry, move on to the dining area for Mazzancolle in Crosta or Filetto di Orata ...
More About: Food , Wine , Restaurant , Experience

Foss Marai Prosecco DOC Extra ? Dry
2007-03-01 19:21:00
Our current evaluation of Prosecco ends with Foss Marai Prosecco Extra ? Dry. Foss Marai Prosecco is a good Prosecco, produced using traditional methods. Foss Marai is part of the Consorzio dei Produttori Prosecco del Valdobbiadene but their claim to quality has been earned over generations. The Biasotto family has dedicated their efforts to the production of Prosecco for over a century. Foss Marai produces some very interesting wines and the Prosecco Extra ? Dry is just one of many quality products. The vineyard is located deep in the valleys of Guia. The local dialect calls the valleys, fossi. Marai is another name for Guia, thus the winery took the name of the place of production, Foss Marai.Foss Marai Prosecco Extra ? Dry develops the common floral flavors of Prosecco. While it is an extra ? dry we found it slightly tending toward sweet without the slightly bitter tones we like so much in the sparkling Prosecco. The bubbles are small and probably on the light side of other spark...
More About: Wineries , Veneto , Sparkling Wine

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini ? Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
2006-10-06 01:16:00
The autumn is a wonderful time of year. The temperature drops and hearty dishes appear as the savory ingredients come into season. Tartufo, Mushrooms , Cabbage are all in their own. The farm animals are plump, with their highest proportion of fat and muscle, creating flavorful and tender meats. This year?s production of Sausage, Osso Buco and the Fiorentina are now in the butcher shops.Raffaella and I look forward to the Fall. Just over the stone and brick bridge spanning one of the canals in Milan is our favorite Fruit and Vegetable shop in piazza Baiamonti. The wooden crates positioned in front of the 200 sq. ft. store are positioned, almost haphazardly, to show the latest arrivals. Today it is mushrooms. Ovuli, Spugnole, Chiodini and, of course, Porcini . Just the sight of these little warehouses of exotic flavor makes my mouth water. I can smell the risotto cooking on the stove even before we are close enough to smell their perfume.Porcini, as all mushrooms, are an important part ...
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Hotel Cavalieri ? Restaurant La Pergola
2006-09-08 20:30:03
I usually would not consider writing about a hotel like the Hilton. There is nothing I can say that is not already obvious. The Hilton is a good hotel with clean rooms and run according to US procedures. Even the location on Monte Mario, one of the seven hills overlooking Rome, and the beautiful view is not enough to differentiate this hotel from... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Hotel , Restaurant , Rant , Rest , Aura