Delicious Italy

The Past or the Future?

A recent article in the Spectator magazine chose Venice as the sacrificial lamb in a debate which everybody in Italy is only too aware of.

Stephen's Bayley's piece was entitled 'Venice is the only city on earth going backwards' and  criticized those who want to keep the lagoon city preserved by embalming.

According to many, fine modern architecture is the only solution to urban regeneration.

Splendid and inspiring buildings which lift the spirit and promote action and local creativity, helping residents take back control of their environment from mass tourism which should not be the only source of wealth generation.

Just like Venice used to be until about 1590.

It's all about embracing the future but holding onto the best of the past. Heritage is a loaded term so the words 'beni culturali' seem more appropriate.

So what plans are on the table and in the news? Two are current.

Firstly, the new tram line which may or may not pass though Florence's central Renaissance heart. The aim is to reduce CO pollution, but will the tourists be put off?   

Secondly, the huge Renzo Piano skyscraper proposed for Turin and financed by newly refinanced Intesa Sanpaolo Bank. Maybe, but ..

James Bond lemons

From food icons to cinema icons.

The next James Bond film 'Quantum of Solace' is going to feature scenes shot along the Riviera dei Limoni on the shores of Lake Garda.

April is set for the production team to arrive having previously spent some time in Siena.   

Our local sources tell us an Aston Martin chase will be filmed along the streets leading towards Tremosine and Limone, then Capo Tempesta and Malcesine.

Apparently the new film will be called "Un po' di conforto" in Italian.

And what a gift to tourism in the region for 2009. Perhaps they could have chosen Rimini!

Recreate your own classic sports care chases in Italy here.

Regional food icons

For the last 20 weeks, Gambero Rosso and Il Sole 24 Ore have been proposing a collectible line of DVD's and summary travel guides to the best of Italian regional food and where to find it.

Most interesting has been the culinary images chosen to represent the 20 Italian regions.

Well, 17 as Calabria/Basilicata, Abruzzo/Molise and Piemonte/Val d'Aosta were combined  and, surprisingly, Trentino and Alto Adige separated for the first time since 1948.

The territories of Langhe and Maremma/Versilia were also given their own volumes.

So, as for those icons, it was apples for Trentino, chocolate for Piemonte, pecorino cheese for Sardinia, hot peppers for Calabria, hazelnuts for Langhe, basil leaves for Liguria, olive oil for Tuscany and porcini mushrooms for Umbria.

A little less predictable were the almonds for Sicily, saffron for Lombardia, forest fruits for Alto Adige, grapes for Friuli Venezia Giulia, wheat for Puglia and artichokes for Lazio.

We have to admit we hadn't anticipated honey for Abruzzo and chestnuts for Le Marche.

For the rest, fresh tortellini pasta for Emilia Romagna, asparagus stalks for Veneto, chick peas for Maremma and what look like yellow tomatoes for Campania.    

http://gambero-rosso.ilsole24ore.com

The real amatriciana

There is some debate at the moment as to what makes a real amatriciana sauce and where it comes from.

The essential ingredient is guanciale and Gourmet Food Suite 1001 has written to us on the same subject.

I'm surprised at how little info I can find out there. I know it is pork cheek or jowl. I believe it is Northern in origin and primarily used in hearty dishes such as carbonara and Amatricana? Is guanciale like our flank steak, something butchers used to save for their families because it was less popular with customers. Now, we have discovered what used to be "scraps" and enjoy flank steak as well as guanciale... maybe I'm way off here. Perhaps it is a highly prized artisanal product that has not been available until recently here?

Even in the town of Amatrice in north Lazio there is hot debate as to the right way of preparing it.

The authorities even want to bring in official cooking lessons to certify those who know how to make the 'ideal' version.

Anyone who regularly reads our blog knows that this sort of thing should set the alarm bells ringing.   

Good Morning Tempe

Our website statistics provider has supplied us with a wonderful new tool.

We now are able to track in real time each visit, what keywords they use to arrive at the site, which pages are viewed, which city they access the site from and a whole host of other interesting navigational information.    

So the person or company in Tempe, Arizona, who has been viewing every single page of the website over the past week, we know you're out there!

Coincidentally, this week in Borgata, Phoenix, the Italian Government Tourist Board North rolled into town in an 18-wheeler truck called 'Italy for Life Hospitality Truck' to encourage travel to Italy.

The truck has expandable sides and is wrapped in graphics that depict the culture and flavors of Italy.

The hospitality truck also boasts a customer service specialist to answer questions about planning a trip to Italy. Potential travelers can use interactive kiosks to learn more about what Italy has to offer visitors.

The Italian Government Tourist Board North America press release stated how 'in this digital age of online access to information and do-it-yourself research, we wish to get close to our visitors; we want the human element of the traveling experience to take center stage and leave a permanent mark in everyone's memory'.

The Minestrone

Digital television is wonderful thing.

Without it there would be no chance of seeing all but forgotten films from the last 40 years of Italian cinema.

'Villa Borghese', 'Stazione Termini', 'Pollo Ruspante', superb!

Last night was the turn of Il Minestrone from 1981 featuring Roberto Benigni playing the Maestro.

In short, Il Maestro is a master non payer of restaurant bills in the greater Rome area.

He bumps into two friends down on their luck in jail and agrees to let them in on the scam.

It almost goes horribly wrong as the restaurant owner locks the osteria door and puts the key in his pocket to keep out a stray dog previously befriended by Il Maestro's table companions.

What does go wrong is that the three sleep off the evening 'hobo' style in a parked train carriage. They wake up the following morning in Poggibonsi with not a restaurant in sight.

Walking the country roads Il Maestro reels off the perfect Tuscan menu which is the soul of the film.

“Toscana… Toscana….terra di bistecche alla fiorentina, carne alla griglia, piena di salsicce, tutta roba alla brace. Toscana… e i fagioli al fiasco? Pensate delle donne si alzano che ancora è notte prendono questi fagioli che sono stati minimo dodici ore a mollo li mettono in un fiasco spaiato con un po’ d’acqua, poi ci mettono l’olio bono, la salvia, aglio erbe, odori e lo tappano con l’ovatta…poi lo mettono sulla brace per tre quattro ore, piano…piano. Prima ancora che i fagioli siano cotti assorbono l’olio… blrublrublrubrlu… poi prima ancora che siano cottiaggiungono ancora un po’ d’olio, sale, pepe e…pepe”

They should have left it there, but the film ends with the three in a run down Tuscany farmhouse encouraging a wizened 90 year old to rustle up a pasta.

Bizzarely, Il Maestro discovers he has a tortoise under his jacket collar and the old lady is inspired to cook it.

Too much for a Tuscan DOC like Benigni and the three scarper.