Food, Wine and Travel Blog

Italian Red Grapes Abbuoto: a grape mainly cultivated in the Lazio region of central Italy. Abrusco: An ancient grape from Tuscany and is used in the wines of Chianti D.O.C.G. Acitana: an Italian wine grape variety mainly found in the northeast Sicily Aglianico: used to make quality full-bodied red wines in Campania (best commune being […]

A-D Abboccato – slightly sweet Acerbo – tart, “green” Acescenza – volatile wine Aceto – vinegar, usually made with a wine base Aglianico – ancient red grape is grown in the Campania region of Italy (south of Naples) Alcool – alcohol Amabile – off-dry (semi-sweet) Amaro – bitter Annata – a vintage year Appassimento – […]

When you think of Italian ham, no doubt it’s the thin, crumpled slices of velvety smooth, salty-sweet Prosciutto that come to mind. Yet calling all Italian ham ‘Prosciutto’ is akin to calling all white wine ‘Chardonnay’. To the initiated, Prosciutto is a vast world of taste and texture, with each Italian region putting its own […]

In the Mediterranean, vines and olive trees have always grown side by side, making olive oil as integral to the Italian culture as wine. Olive oil is inescapable in Italian cooking; from pasta dishes to vegetables to meat or fish, it’s hard to find a recipe that doesn’t include a drizzle of extra virgin olive […]

Chocolate first made its way to Italy in the 16th century, soon after Spanish explorers imported the new world’s cocoa bean. Although it was first used only as a drink for the privileged, it didn’t take long for the chocolate to earn a beloved place in Italian desserts. These days, you’ll find Italian chocolate in […]

Italian Cheese: A Brief Guide by Region Cheeses from Italy have found their place in the hearts of foodies all over the world. There are hundreds of cheeses in Italy, made virtually everywhere – from the alpine meadows of the north to the picturesque rolling hills of Tuscany to Sicily’s romantic plains. Parmigiano, Mozzarella, and […]

Get the most out of your Italian food experience with our extensive A-Z list of Italian food. We have compiled this list of Italian food words so that even non-Italian speakers can enjoy reading menus and ingredients, further enhancing your Italian food discovery. Distinguish “Cannella” (cinnamon) from “Cannellini” (white beans) and how to recognize that […]

In Italy, the cuisine is incredibly rich in variety, from the piquant flavors seen in Naples and Calabria’s gastronomy, the Pesto dishes of Liguria to the creamy cheese and risotto dishes of the Italian Alps. Apart from Chinese cuisine, the Italians have got to be the people who have brought their phenomenal cuisine and wines […]

What could be more evocative of the famed Italian Dolce Vita than sipping cocktails under an open summer sky, reveling in the magic of one of the world’s greatest cities – Rome? The Italian capital, of course, hardly needs an introduction. This vibrant and historic city is as culturally rich and architecturally stunning as they […]

Insiders Guide to Truffles in Italy- By Simona Piccinelli, Italy Specialist Truffles are a gourmet delicacy, one of the most expensive and desired in the world. Foodies swoon over them, international top chefs search them out and bid for them at auction, and truffles are without a doubt one of the priciest and most precious […]

Italy has a unique place amongst European nations in Jewish history. The legacy of Jewish culture in Italy spans over two thousand years – from the early recorded Roman period. The country contains some of the oldest communities of Jewish citizens in Europe – over the centuries, Jewish communities in Italy have absorbed and welcomed […]

Famous Italian Pasta Dishes by Nancy O’Neill Just the thought of pasta makes the mouth water! There are so many sizes, varieties, and sauces that it is challenging to choose only 10. It would seem that the widely held belief that Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy from China is more myth than fact […]