We love trying new Italian food products and one thing we’ve come to realize is that the more simple the product the better tasting it tends to be (especially if the ingredients are world class).  Recently, we had the opportunity to try a Sicilian Pistachio Spread with Extra Virgin Olive Oil made by Il Cole Del Gusto in Lazio and […]

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (referred to under the brand name Nutella) has exploded in popularity as of late and if you walk into any grocery store you’re bound to find unlimited chocolate hazelnut spread options.  You see mentions of Nutella on social channels on an everyday basis and it seems as though some folks have adopted chocolate hazelnut spread as a […]

Wood burning ovens are superb at many things including roasting meats, pizzas, breads, vegetables, etc. In fact, some of the very best food I’ve tasted has come out of our Aunt Giovanna’s olive wood fired oven in southern Italy (via her Panificio), including a wide variety of durum wheat breads. In fact, the very best breads in all of Italy […]

How to Make the Perfect Bellini For us, nothing beats the elegance and sensation of starting a meal with a glass of lovely prosecco from the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy.  Prosecco is a sparkling wine and made from the “prosecco” grape; production is made possible via the Charmat method, where the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless […]

Amarena cherries are a product of the marvelous Emilia-Romagna region of Italy where other noteworthy products include tradizionale balsamic vinegar, Ferrari, Culatello di Zibello Ham
 (the king of salumi), Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano, Salamini italiani alla cacciatora, Brisighella Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, etc.  Amarena cherries are harvested in the wild and known for having both a sweet and […]

Italian Holiday and Winter Food Treats: Cherry Panettone, Cerignola Bomba Pugliese (Spicey Spread), Fig Syrup, and Frantoi Cutrera Extra Virgin Olive Oils The Christmas season is a wonderful time to celebrate food in Italy.  In fact, almost every region of Italy produces holiday specific delicacies from special stuffed pastas to incredible desserts such as Panettone, Paneforte, and Torrone. One of our favorite holiday […]

We’re going to cover the Top Italian Delis, Markets, and Specialty Shops in New Jersey with an emphasis in North Jersey, for a list of the best shops in New York City, see Gourmet’s excellent article. When folks find out we publish articles on authentic Italian recipes and food and live in the New York metropolitan area the inevitable question follows: can […]

Punt e Mes is an amaro-red (sweet) vermouth hybrid made by Carpano and the name means “point and a half” in the dialect from Turin.  The legend goes that a man ordered a glass of red vermouth and half dose of bitters and Antonio Carpano’s bar.   Punt e Mes is made with a variation of herbs and spices and […]

The History of the Negroni Have you ever dreamed of being an Italian Count? You know, a fancy aristocrat with an ocean-side villa, a butler, and a few exotic Maserati’s and Ferrari’s in the “stable?” I have to admit I’ve had a few of these Italophile inspired dreams, but I’m quite happy living the Italian life in the US. There […]

(photo: our favorite Birra Moretti – the traditional lager)  Just the other day I was having one of those peaceful moments informed only by the serene; including an unusually warm and sunny weather, a wonderful match featuring Juventas and Udinese, and a cold beer or birra.  I was consuming Birra Moretti, the iconic Italian brew with the old man with […]