Soave: A Wine tour From Verona

Most probably you associate Verona with the eternal lovers Romeo and Juliet, but it is actually a modern town full of history, culture and art in conjunction with business and entertainment. Nearby you can find exciting and marvellous places such as the Lake of Garda and towns as Peschiera, Sirmione or Soave. Let’s focus on the last one and its top quality wines.

Verona, Italy — Verona Italy a city dedicated to good wine – image source

Soave, a town dedicated to wine.

The A4 highway communicates Soave with two key cities in Northern Italy: Milan and Venice. Driving from these important metropolis is a real pleasure thanks to the good conditions of the highway and its light traffic.
Its castle was already mentioned during the first millennium and it has an interesting past under the Republic of Venice or the Carraresi family from Padua. You can visit it nowadayas and admire the excellent state of the military building. Do not miss Palazzo Cavalli with frescoes by Falconetto or Santa Maria dei Domenicani church. But the real interest of the town is its excellent wine. Enjoy it during the Medieval fair held during the month of May.

Soave wine, classico and much more

The quality of Soave wine is assured and certified by the labels DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). A third type of control is named IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) and is preferred by some of the local producers. The main and key ingredient is Garganega grape. Most of the Soave Superiore is produced from vineyards fruits coming from the classico zone, and area created to mark off the best lands.
The zenith of the production took place during the 1970s and 80s as it was highly requested in the United States. As the demand decreased, producers chose to increase the quality instead of the quantity. Almond and citrus flavors are found as a result of the Garganega grapes but it also possesses a smoky and bitter touch coming from the volcanic lands of Verona.

Veneto, Agriturismo Corte Tamellini, Soave (verona) — Wine cellar ready for tasting in Soave – photo source

Rocca Sveva winery, a must in Soave

One of the main producers of Soave wine is the renowned winery of Rocca Sveva, founded in 1898. Strategically located near the castle it is as visited as this one. Tradition and modernity are wisely combined to produce exceptional wines. Tunnels underground in which oak barrels are placed, a botanical garden, a meeting room and a tasting area are some of the facilities of the winery.
Spumante or sparkling wine is also produced as well as Valpolicella variety. The main foreign client is the United States, launching an office in Boston in 2010 as its main headquarter in the country.

Guided tours to discover Soave wines attract numerous tourists every year. They are usually willing to discover other local products as well, such as extra virgin olive oil, typically from the area of the Lake of Garda, or honey. But visitors in search of wine prefere to concentrate not only on Soave wines but also on Valpolicella, Bardolino, Lugana or Durello wines.

Lovely Towns Around Lake Garda – Good Cuisine, Scenery and Olive Oil.

With amazing landscapes, countless theme parks – Gardaland, Movie Studios, Medieval Times to name a few – scenic villages and a gourmet gastronomic tradition, exciting water sports to experience, you’ll wish to come again to visit Lake Garda. Start the tour of the lake from the suggestive southern villages of Desenzano, Peschiera and Sirmione or explore its surroundings through tailored itineraries.

What to eat when visiting lake Garda.

Lake Garda cuisine has a very eclectic style, incorporating all the ingredients of the land, and the lake. Of course there is an emphasis on the lake fishes such as Pike and Tench, Risotto that is an always present classic of the Veneto and Lombard cuisine. Home made Pasta such as Bigoli that are a sort of fatten up spaghetti are a ever green classic of the area. The Lake Garda DOP olive oil here is the king of the table and visitor should not miss the opportunity to taste it.

Desenzano, in the province of Brescia (Lombardy)

Located in the south westernmost shore of Lake Garda, Desenzano del Garda or Desenzano is a picturesque village with a medieval heart. This tourist destination in the province of Brescia attracts tourists for summer vacations along its peddled beaches: Desenzanino, Rivoltella and Spiaggia d’Oro. But there are many other interesting activities to do than simply laze around the fresh waters of the lake: explore the great outdoors through hiking trails on Mount Corno, taste local specialities matched with excellent wines – Cabernet, Merlot – and lake fish such as Pike (luccio) topped with the Lake Garda PDO extra virgin olive oil, stroll in the city centre to visit the charming Cathedral of Santa Maria Maddalena and other monuments, experience sailing and windsurf on the lake, enjoy the vibrant night life.
Desenzano is connected with Milan, Venice and other tourist destination through the railway network. From Emilia Romagna, it takes 1h30 of easy drive from the town of Bologna and you will cross the beautiful towns of Modena, Mantua and Verona along the way.

Peschiera del garda, in the province of Verona (Veneto)

Lying on the southeaster bank of the Lake, Peschiera del Garda has been inhabited since Roman times as you may notice visiting its fascinating historical centre characterized by the military fortress and archaeological sites. The city draws pilgrims’ attention for the presence of the church of Madonna del Frassino. Situated at the heart of the natural sites of Laghetto del Frassino and the Mincio Valley, Peschiera del Garda is the perfect starting point for walking excursions in the lush vegetation. The village is placed just a few kilometres from the place of production of one of the finest Italian DOC wines, the Lugana. Enjoy gastronomic tours and have lunch in first-class restaurants serving regional cuisine such as bigoli with sardines, risotto with tench.

Get to Peschiera del Garda from Verona or Desenzano via the A4 highway. If you want to reach Lake Garda from Bologna, you just need to follow the directions of A1 and A22.

Sirmione, in the province of Brescia (Lombardy)

You may have heard of Sirmione thanks to the poetic works of Catullo, Goethe and Stendhal who fell in love with this little charming site. Placed in a long peninsula it geographically divides Desenzano from Peschiera, giving the opportunity to admire romantic sunsets and the cities skyline by the lake.
Besides being a popular SPA landmark, Sirmione is the production site of the DOC white wine Lugana, so you can take gourmet wine tasting tours.
Its impressive city center is dominated by the Scaligera fortress, Roman villas and monuments dating back the Longobard and the Venetian dominations, so it can be considered an ideal tourist destination for cultural excursions.
As for Desenzano and Peschiera, you can get to Sirmione through the A4 highway if you come from Verona. But if you wouldn’t mind to visit other interesting towns before reaching Lake Garda, travel through the A13 from Bologna for a 2h30 itinerary that includes Ferrara, Padova, Vicenza and Verona.

Wine and Olive oils tours from Desenzano, Peschiera and Sirmione.

Lake Garda has a remarkable climates that allows to grow olive trees in this northern area, actually it is the northernmost olive growing oil area in the world. Emilia Delizia organises olive oil tours in Cisano at the olive oil museum. The tour also will include tastings and visits at a local producer. Bardolino is also a famous hot spot for high quality wines where visitor can taste the world renowned Amarone wines that are made from raisins. Our company can set up a gourmet day for your group that includes culinary experience such as a Lake Garda wine tour.

Tuscany Cooking – A Time When Poverty Has Become The Great Culinary Invention

Tuscany food has always been considered as ‘cucina povera’ or ‘cuisine of the poor’ closely interconnected with peasant traditions. The poor roots of this cuisine though caused by the poverty of the people of this region in the past, today has become the land of superb food and wine.

The Art of Cucina Povera – The poor man cookery style.

If you ask me to give few attributes to cucina Toscana than two will be the best to describe it, simplicity and ingenuity. As many other regional cuisines, the Tuscan was and continues to be attached to rural traditions using a range of excellent natural ingredients.
It’s not a secret that other Italians still call Tuscans ‘mangiafagioli’ (bean eaters) – an unjust label, but refer to the region’s simple ingredients. Not all the food in Tuscany has humble roots.

Florentines will tell you proudly that they invented many of the great dishes of French cuisine. Of course this is attributed to Medici family, more precisely to Catherine de’ Medici after her marriage (1534) to Henry de Valois, the future king Henri II of France. As an excellent connoisseur of Florence food she had transferred some typical Florence dishes at the France court.
Thanks to Catherine some Florentine dishes were assimilated by France court such as ‘papero alla melarancio’ (duck in orange sauce) which became ‘canard à l’orange’ or ‘zuppa di cipolle’ (onion soup), in France become ‘soupe d’oignons’. Beside these dishes Catherine also introduced to French court how to use two essentials of the modern table – the fork and the napkin.

Tuscan style cookery in the modern times.

Today’s Tuscan food contains plenty of sophisticated dishes that that wouldn’t dishonour to tables of restaurants in London, Paris or New York. Most of this food is seasonal and locally produced, and it only appears at the time of the year it is grown.
To give you an idea of Tuscan food delights, we can start from breakfast that consists of simply coffee and croissant (brioche). The lunch and dinner begin with starters or antipasti like bruschetta or Florence crostini (slice of toasted Tuscan salt less bread) topped with olive paste, chicken liver pate and a variety of hams, cheese and salamis.

The ample use of beans, lentils and legumes.

As the first course in Tuscany, pasta is less used than in other parts of Italy, instead soups are more popular as minestrone (vegetable soups), zuppa di fagioli (beans soup) or famous ribollita (reboiled) white beans and cabbage soup, papa al pomodoro (bread and tomatoes soup).

Among classic pasta meals we must mention ‘pappardelle alla lepre’ based on home-made pasta with a hare sauce. The game meat has very important role in Tuscan cuisine, particularly wild boar and hare. This list wouldn’t be complete without uncontested king of Florentine main courses, ‘bistecca alla florentina ‘ (T-bone steak).

The Tuscan sweets.

When we come to desserts than the winner is gelato (ice-cream). Gelato means ‘frozen‘in Italian, so it embraces the various kinds of ice cream made in Italy. It’s not a secret that the best gelato you can taste in Florence. There is also a Firenze Gelato Festival from in May from 23rd to 27th, important event to taste the best artisan ice cream. It’s worth mentioning some of the many regional specialities like ‘panforte di Siena’ a rich cake made of cocoa, walnuts and crystallized fruit dating from 13th century.

While eating well in Tuscany you can also drink well whatever the time of day and whatever the season. Good coffee is must have in almost every bar and café, from the breakfast cappuccino or café latte to the after dinner espresso. Don’t miss fresh squeezed orange, lemon or grapefruit juice (spremuta). Closer to sundown you may want one of the classic aperitif such as Campari or Negroni, during Happy Hour.

The Tuscan wines are the kings of the dining table.

While eating you will probably ask for a bottle of good Tuscan wine, like Chianti, Tuscany’s most famous red wine or some “super Tuscans’ reds. Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are the big names that perfectly match all Tuscan dishes. After dinner you will need one of the Italian digestives as Grappa, a spirit distillated from grapes, Amaro ‘bitter’ made of herbs and ‘secret ingredients’. Emilia Delizia offers Chianti wine tours from Florence via our sister site.

After all these food and drink offers we hope you are convinced that eating is a passion for Tuscany that visitor can easily share. We are sure it will be experience as memorable as visits to the best museums and galleries.

Elena&Pero
Easy Florence Travel Guide
http://www.easyflorence.com/

Gourmet food and skiing on the Italian Alps.

Probably only Italy is the sole country where someone is able to hit the slopes and at at the same time have some gourmet dining experience. Check out some great destination on the Italian Alps like Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina for some hearty traditional Italian food that does not fail to please even the most demanding foodie.

From the wonderful scenery of the Dolomites to the captivating landscape of Alps, Italy offers exclusive ski resorts for winter sport enthusiasts. Read on to find out the top winter destinations in Northern Italy where you can enjoy infinite slopes with different level of proficiency, practice your favourite winter sports – snowboard, cross-country, Nordic sky – extreme sports – ice climbing and paragliding – walking tours in natural parks and taste typical products.

Madonna di Campiglio in the Brenta Dolomites (Trentino)

Located in the Rendena Valley, Madonna di Campiglio is a popular ski resort nestled in the Brenta Dolomites Park – UNESCO World Natural Site. With 57 lifts and up to 150 km of slopes, its snow park is one of the best equipped of Northern Italy. Moreover, you have direct access to Pinzolo, Folgarida and Marilleva pistes for never-ending snow adventures.

If the vibrant city center is full of tourists and VIPs, the enchanting surrounding valleys are heavenly peaceful and dotted with the Castles of Trentino.
After a day full of emotions, relax in a restaurant to taste Val Rendena delicacies as polenta, mushrooms and wild games.

Are you ready for an exciting tour? If so, you should get to Madonna di Campiglio ski resort from Emilia Romagna, after an easy drive of about 3 hours, scheduling stops in the beautiful towns of Mantua, Verona, Lake Garda, Rovereto and Trento.

Bormio & Livigno in the Alps (Lombardy)

Take a breath of fresh air booking mountain holidays in Bormio and Livigno, two of the best ski resorts of Lombardy overlooking the Valtellina valley, near to the Stelvio National Park. When in Bormio, combine chill excursions in the snow and wellness moments at the spa. Over 50 km of superb pistes and the World Cup runs awaits you.

From the village of Bormio, you can access to the snowboarders’ heaven of Livigno to experience freestyle activities on its slopes. Livigno city center if full of après-ski attractions for tourists, so you can rest in cosy restaurants and take a stroll to do shopping. From here, popular locations as Zemez and Saint Moritz, in Switzerland, are quite close. Delight your palate with the pizzoccheri, Sciatt e Manfrigole typical of Valtelline food. Situated in the province of Sondrio, you can get to Bormio and Livigno from Milan in about 3 hours and 4 hours from Bologna.

Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Ampezzo Dolomites (Veneto)

Cortina d’Ampezzo, or simply Cortina, is one of the most exclusive ski resorts in Italy. Provided of state of the art infrastructures and 1120 km of pistes, in 1956 it hosted the Olympics sports and has always been the favourite winter destination for celebrities and aristocrats.

Situated at the heart of the wonderful Natural Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites – UNESCO Natural Heritage Site since 2009 – and lying in the Valle del Boite, Cortina is the ideal point to access the park all year round both for winter sports and summer walking tours.

After a day spent in the high white peaks, you can have a nice walk in the city center surrounded by scenic views of the mountains. As you walk down the Corso Italia, you will find elegant boutiques but also gourmet restaurants offering specialities coming from the Austrian and Tyrol heritage – knodel, the grostl, the apfelstrudel.

Situated in the province of Belluno, Cortina can be reached in two hours from Venice and three hours from Bologna.

For more information about gourmet skiing holidays you can also check our page.

This article has been written by Valentina.

What to eat in Milan – Colours and Flavours of traditional Milanese cuisine

Eating at a Milanese restaurant is a feast for the eyes and the palate. Milan traditional cuisine is typically rich in ingredients: on the one hand this provides colourful dishes; on the other hand these foods are always very tasteful.

Take Minestrone for example. Peasant dish par excellence, this is a rainbow of vegetables, a soup made with carrots, zucchini, cabbage, onions, and beans; but it’s also an intensely flavoured dish because according to the ‘perfect recipe’ it must contain even lard and pork rind.

And Risotto alla Milanese. Just try and find another dish of this colour Ok, it’s a single shade of colour nothing to do with the rainbow of Minestrone, but in its simplicity it is extremely particular. Saffron is the element that gives colour to rice, filling it with an unmistakable flavour at the same time. In some restaurants in Milan, saffron rice is served along with a delicious piece of meat called osso buco, cross-cut veal shanks cooked in butter and a little stock. At that point, even Yellow Rice becomes a multi-colour dish.

And what about the tasty Cotoletta alla Milanese, better known as “la Milanese” in all the restaurant menus around the World. That crispy, golden breadcrumb crust contains a veal cutlet with bone: if it is cooked to perfection, when you cut it you will still see blood-red meat at the centre and close to the bone, which offers a nice contrast. Also its taste is unique: a meat slice covered with a crust of bread and eggs.

If you happen to visit Milan in the cold winter (December to February) and you wish to try one of the most classic Milanese dishes, Cassoeula (pronounced Càsola) is the answer, to delight your eyes and nose with a preparation that bears the typical colours of autumn/winter: the straw yellow of fallen leaves, with shades of beige and brown. The main ingredients of Cassoeula are cabbage and all the less ‘noble’ parts of the pig, those scorned by the Lords in the past, which therefore ended up in the peasants’ pots: the rind, feet, ribs and head of the pig. That said: can you only imagine what a strong, extremely tasty flavour this popular dish now proposed in the best Milanese restaurants or served in many trattorias in Brianza and Lodigiano may have?

Talking of colours & flavours we cannot miss to mention Panettone, another cult in Milan with regards to traditional cuisine. On the outside it looks like a big bread with a thousand shades. When you cut it open, the inside is yellow due to the great number of eggs used in the preparation. Each slice is poetry for the eye, due to the presence of this storm of coloured drops: dark raisins, and multicoloured pieces of candied fruit. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth explosion of taste, which always sounds of Christmas carols as soon as you close your eyes.

So if someone tells you that in Milan you will only eat Polenta (hint: polenta with Gorgonzola cheese, mmmhh mouth-watering,) just remember that they are wrong. Milanese cuisine offers plenty of traditional dishes, that satisfy the palate and the eyes, too.

A Tour into the Valpolicella and Amarone Wines around Lake Garda

A famous holiday destination, Lake Garda is located in northern Italy and is known for the production of wines like Amarone, Ripasso, Recioto and Valpolicella DOC.

Amarone

Amarone is a rich Italian wine made out of raisins. It is made of dried grape varieties of Corvina, Morlinara and Rondinella. As far as the name is concerned, it means ‘bitter wine’. As far as the process of making this wine is concerned, grapes bunch are taken wherein the fruits are placed not very close to each other for air passage and kept on straw racks for around 6 months before the process actually begins. When the juice gets concentrated, wine is made from the juices by squeezing raisins. In Amarone, the quality of outer coating of grapes holds importance because that is what brings good color and gives good flavor to wine. During the drying process, the acid in the grape goes through changes and affects the quality of finished wine. This drying process takes around 4 months and leads to loss of weight. After drying comes the fermentation stage which stays for around 2 months. The last stage is when this wine is aged in oak casks.

Ripasso

Ripasso, as a new style of wine only came into being in the 20^th century. In Ripasso, the skin of Amarone is used in the sense that fermenting grape must be put into it. By doing this the wine gets more colorful and gets definite structure. It can be very well taken with meats and salami. In the 21^st century with the increase of Amarone wine, the wine market has also seen the growth in production of Ripasso wine. Earlier this wine was not included under DOC rules, but in the present day Ripasso is used freely and you can see several wine bottles stating that the particular wine is made in Ripasso style and has also succeeded in achieving the DOC designation.

Recioto

Recioto is a sweet form of red wine. This wine came into being when the winemakers of Veneto tried to increase the concentration of wine by making it more complex. In order to make the wine sweeter the grapes are dried just after harvesting process. This helps in maintaining the flavor and sweetness in wine by removing water from it. As far as the process to prepare this wine is concerned, the grapes are taken in bunches and kept in room for drying for around 3 months. Previously it was dried on straw mats while in the recent times steel has taken its place. After the drying process, the grapes are squeezed and fermentation takes place until the wine gets concentrated and acquires desired sweetness. It is then aged in containers called barrels for around 2 years.

Valpolicella DOC

Made out of Corvina, Rondinella and Morlinara grape varieties, Valpolicella DOC is a red wine that is light in flavor. This wine is brought out only some time after harvesting process. It is aged for minimum 1 year and has 12 percent alcohol content in it. Valpolicella Doc is the signature wine around Lake Garda. This wine can be easily taken with dishes that you consume everyday especially pasta. It is light and thus generally liked by drinkers.

Private Milan tour and make the most out your time in Italy

Milan is often an underestimated destination of the average traveller. When visiting Italy people too often plan only for Venice, Florence and Rome. Surely Milan is an important transport hub with its 2 airports like Malpensa and Linate but there is more even if the city has an unappealing industrial look. Milan is the fashion horsepower of Italy, the milanese night life is hectic and the city is an innovative gastronomic centre. With no doubt it is Italy’s trendiest city and will not fail to impress you. Here below we will discover how to make the most of out of your time in the northern capital of Italy. A private Milan tour will help to discover all the beauty and hidden gems of the city.

Private Milan tour, food wine tasting.

If you are looking for some day trips idea from Milan read on. If you are interested in sparkling wines and stunning scenery you should consider taking a tour of a boutique winery in the picturesque wine region of Franciacorta. With an incredible lake panorama the day will not fail to impress if you are organising a romantic outing. Many of the Franciacorta winery are in the southern part of lake Iseo, the guided visits will introduce you to the pleasures of Italian “champenoise method” wines. The wine markers here exploit the moraine soil composition and they produce wines that have been set to compete with important champagne houses in France.

But if do not have time for a day tour from Milan do not despair, Italian says “Milano da Bere” literally you can drink the city of Milano. With a Milan wine tasting you could discover the tradition of aperitivo. The Milanese people before going to dinner meet in trendy bars and have a mini meal composed often by generous buffets and a cocktail or a glass of wine, this might ideal as a light dinner before heading to the la scala opera house. For an innovative gastronomic lunch you could try Cracco Pek. The Chef has won 2 Michelin stars for its outstanding cooking style. For a fabulously fashionable dinner you should visit the Navigli quarter. An area that makes Milan with no doubt Italy’s trendiest city. Navigli with its bohemian feeling has many small and interesting restaurants where you can sample local specialities. Along the canals you can also find many second hand clothes and furniture shops, which are ideal for your last minute shopping.

Milan sightseeing tours

An other interesting idea for a private Milan tour is to visit the famous la Scala opera house, the management organises daily tour of the beautiful building with guided visits in English or other languages. La Scala opera house is one of the world’ most famous theatres and it should not missed for any reason during your visit in Italy. The building is adjacent to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is a shopping gallery where many famous milanese brands can be found. La scala opera house also offers an extensive operatic season featuring all Italian and many foreign composers, in the list we find Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. La scala Opera house has a museum that it is open most days and for only 6 euros you can explore the history of the theatre, of course the management also organises guided tours on demand that need to be booked in before hand.

If you take a private Milan tour you might also consider to take an intriguing walking tour around the Sforzesco castle which is known as one of the most historical construction in the city. Also known as the Sforza castle, it was the home of the duke of Milan and one of the largest citadels in Europe. At presents hosts many art collections and exhibitions, making it an interesting destination for the art lover.

Your stay will not be completed without a visit to the arty Brera quarter. In the area you will find the Milano Brera museum also known as the Pinacoteca di Brera is one of the most complete and astonishing art collections in Europe with classic and modern paintings from several periods and styles. If you set up a private Milan tour we also recommend to save some time and reserve your Leonardo last supper tickets which must be booked well in advance. The fresco painting needs no introduction and it represent the renaissance period at its pinnacle.

Private Milan tour of shopping outlets.

Did you know that Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was the first shopping mall in Italy? Milan is the Italian power house for brands and it makes a superb shopping experience for the discerning traveller. Milan tradition of labels is outstanding. Trussardi fashion Empire was born in this city. But the list can be rather long with names like Prada, Valentino, Versace, Krizia, Moschino, Docle and Gabbana, Luxottica. Taking a private fashion tour of Milan Italy can be a unique experience where you could learn the history of Italian labels and go home with many bargains.

Milan Italy is an outstanding place.

If you are heading for Milan sightseeing tours, a wine tasting, or a shopping tour, the city is the perfect destination for all of this. Let us organise an intriguing walking tour of the city centre, a guided visit to the Duomo di Milano, plus a dinner at the Navigli di Milano, you will not be disappointed.

The world renowned La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A culinary tour of Naples and the Amalfi coast

Food tour in Naples & the Amalfi Coast

There’s no need to beat about the bush. The gastronomic specialties of Naples and the Amalfi Coast are many, but pizza is the most famous of all. Because you can eat Neapolitan pizza only in Naples, despite the millions of attempts to replicate it throughout the world. You can eat good pizza also in London, Shanghai, New York or Malindi, but only in Naples pizza has the unique and unmistakable “Neapolitan Pizza” taste.

The secret of Neapolitan Pizza

Just like all the secrets, even the secret of Neapolitan Pizza cannot be revealed. If you ask a Neapolitan pizza maker, he will always pretend he’s telling you the truth. First of all, he will say that it’s because they use effervescent mineral water, rich in minerals and low in calcium. Then he will acclaim the type of yeast, the crushed tomatoes (not tomato sauce,) but especially his ability to knead the dough with his hands. So, in the end, you will feel like you still know very little, because so many secrets end up being … no secret at all.

Pizza is good everywhere in Naples, but if you want to enjoy the most classic ‘Margherita’ (tomatoes and mozzarella) or ‘Marinara’ (with garlic, oregano, and no mozzarella cheese,) then you should go to “Da Michele,” in Via Cesare Sersale. If you want to try a special pizza instead, with many different ingredients, there’s Starita near the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Via Materdei: here pizza is like a work of Baroque art.

Neapolitan Gastronomic Specialties. Pasta Dishes

Neapolitan cuisine is among the most diverse in all of Italy, also because over the centuries it has been enriched by the influences of past dominations: Greek, Arab, Norman and French. However, the distinguishing feature of Neapolitan cuisine is that it’s always been very plain. Pasta dishes, with Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce or Vermicelli with clams being the most popular, are the quintessence of simplicity. If you wish to enjoy more elaborate dishes, you can order Maccheroni with beef ragù or Lasagna, made with flat sheets of pasta layered with ragù and béchamel sauce, and then baked in the oven.

Fish and Meat Main Dishes

Seafood restaurants in Naples are as many as pizzerias. Taste a ‘Calamarata’ – pasta with squid rings and sauce – or Spaghetti with Anchovies, to enjoy the real Neapolitan tradition. Main courses range from grilled or fried fish, to ‘Paranza,’ a mix of fried small fish, such as cod, hake, red mullet, and soles. Recommended seafood restaurants include: “Da Salvatore” in Via Mergellina or “Mimì Alla Ferrovia” in Via Alfonso D’Aragona.

The most typical meat dishes of Neapolitan cuisine are prepared with goat and lamb meat. However, don’t miss out on a dish of ‘purpette napulitane’ (beef meatballs with tomato sauce), ‘cerviellatine and friarielli’ (pork with bitter broccoli), ‘spezzatiello’ (stewed beef) and ‘vrasciole a raù’ (pork chops in ragù sauce). You will enjoy excellent meat dishes at “Ristorante Bracconiere” in Via Falanga or at “Zio Jack Griglieria” in Via Palepoli.

Neapolitan Desserts

It’s quite difficult not to feel too full after a typical Neapolitan meal, but if you can, leave some room for dessert. The famous ‘Pastiera Napoletana’ is one of the most traditional Neapolitan desserts: this is a Shortcrust pastry filled with ricotta cheese, boiled wheat, eggs and candied fruit. We can’t fail to mention ‘Zeppole’, fried or baked, made of flour, sugar, eggs, butter and olive oil. Also ‘Struffoli’ are very tasty: dough balls (flour, eggs, lard, sugar and anise liqueur) fried in oil and drenched in warm honey, then decorated with pieces of cedar and candied fruit. To round off, the legendary ‘babà’ dripping in sweet rum, liqueurs or Limoncello. Some of the best pastry shops in Naples include the historic “Scaturchio” in Piazza San Domenico and “Bellavia” with shops in Via Vanvitelli and Via Pigna.

From Naples to the Sorrentine Peninsula, to the Amalfi Coast

The Sorrentine Peninsula shores a few kilometers up the southern end of Naples. You can drive from Naples to Sorrento following the A3 motorway and then taking the exit of Castellammare di Stabia; or, you can take a Circumvesuviana train from Naples Garibaldi Central Station; or one of the many hydrofoils and ferries departing from the port of Naples. Just south of the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the stretch of coast between Positano and Vietri sul Mare, lies the beautiful Amalfi Coast. Many buses connect Sorrento to all the towns of the Amalfi Coast: Positano, Praiano, Furore, Amalfi, Ravello, Maiori, Cetara and Vietri sul Mare.

Typical Products of the Sorrentine Peninsula

The traditional cuisine of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast is very diverse. The people who have lived there over the centuries, have benefited from the fruits of the sea and land, as well as the crops and livestock of the Lattari Mountains. Typical products of these areas include: Mozzarella di Agerola, Fior di Latte (whole cow’s milk cheese), Provolone del Monaco, extra virgin olive oil, Limoncello, Sorrento tomatoes and walnuts.

Typical dishes of the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast

At the many restaurants of Sorrento, Amalfi or Positano, you can taste all the dishes of Neapolitan cuisine. What is more, traditional cuisine in the Peninsula has also developed independently, with peculiar local dishes such as Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil; Spaghetti with zucchini or with walnuts, and of course the many pasta dishes with fish and seafood in general.

Among the main courses, fish dishes of course dominate the scene. Besides the classic ‘Paranza’, the aforementioned fried mix of small fish, some other specialties include: cuttlefish stuffed with bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese, raisins, parsley and hot pepper; squid stuffed with tomatoes, parsley and olives; the legendary fish soup with all the best the sea can offer; octopuses cooked in their juice with tomato sauce.

To end with, here are some of the best typical dishes of the Amalfi Coast: ‘Parmigiana di Melanzane’ in Positano; ‘Scialatielli’ – pasta with chopped parsley, pepper, parmesan cheese, tomato sauce and clams – in Amalfi; ‘Sarchiapone’ – pumpkin cylinders stuffed with ground beef and cheese – in Atrani; goat meat cooked in several ways in Tramonti; baked rabbit in lemon leaves in Conca dei Marini; spleen stuffed with parsley, mint and hot pepper, or fried beef offal in Vietri sul Mare.

A lunch or dinner in the Amalfi Coast always ends with a bottle of Limoncello, the typical local liqueur. Limoncello is a sweet liqueur produced by maceration in alcohol of lemon peel. According to tradition, the original Limoncello is produced only using ‘femminiello’ lemons, Sorrento lemons or Amalfi Sfusato lemons.

Emilia Delizia supper club in London.

Emilia Delizia supper club in London – Secret dining experience only for discerning connoisseurs of Emilia Romagna’s food.

A supper club is more than just eating out. It is a possibility to try new foods that you would not normally find in restaurant as they have to cater for main stream customers. Emilia Delizia wanted to re-propose its culinary experience in London. Those who have came all the way to Parma and Bologna know what the food there is like, and Emilia Delizia wants also to introduce these delicacies to those who cannot came to Italy to sample our special foods.

: Emilia Delizia guerilla dining

The secret dinner Party.

At a secret location Emilia Delizia propose a menu composed by the main dishes that make Emilia famous. In our list you will find fresh egg pasta like tagliatelle al ragu’, tortelli, tortellini, and of course a second course composed of our fragrant bread like tigelle and gnocco fritto. There will be an ample selection of our cured meats from Parma such as Parma ham, culatello, salame di Felino, mortadella from Bologna and so on.

Emilia Delizia experience – whole Parma ham and whole wheel of Parmesan for your party.

Who wants to impress their guest with this sumptuous dining experience can hire us, we can provide a whole Parma ham freshly sent from Italy from one of our carefully selected prosciutto makers in Italy. And if this was not enough we can supply with a whole parmesan cheese wheel. The experience is accompanied with our famous breads and focaccia. As for the wine we only serve the finest organic lambrusco carefully chosen from our best producers in Modena.

Whole or half wheel of Parmesan cheese for your party.

If you are planning something special Emilia Delizia can supply your party with a whole or half parmesan cheese wheel that will be opened in front of your guests. We will provide our best selection of organic artisan Parmigiano Reggiano ages a minimum of 28 months.

Whole Parma ham, machine or hand sliced.

One of our highlights is to have a whole Parma ham opened and sliced for your guests. There is nothing like freshly cut prosciutto di Parma served directly to your party. The hams are best machine sliced to obtain wafer thin slices which will melt in your mouth. The hams can be also cut by hand, for this purpose we will select a vintage of over 24 months from our carefully selected producer for a better performance.

Gnocco Fritto and Tigelle

At the Emilia Delizia experience party we serve gnocco fritto which is a fried dough that it is especially good when eaten together with salumi.

Gourmet food tour from Florence

Emilia Delizia famous food tour can be taken from Florence, below you will find a guide about departing from Florence and participate at the 3 gourmet food tour.

While Tuscany produces wonderful wines, cheese and hams, a lot of people are attracted by Bologna, Modena and Parma because of the Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, Parma ham and Lambrusco wines. In this brief guide we explain how to tour the 3 foods with us while your made your base in Florence.

Timing of production of the Parmesan cheese.

Because of its nature the cheese is only made once a day in the morning, therefore participants need to get to the dairy early enough. Roughly we will depart from Bologna at 7.15/7.30 and from Modena at 8.20 am. Of course we can organise a tour for a later time however you might need to book a private tour and the cost might considerably higher for small parties.

How to get to Bologna or Modena by car.

If you are coming to Bologna or Modena by car, you can easily take the autostrada that connects Firenze to Bologna. Since you are driving your won vehicle, our guide will meet you directly at the cheese dair. Please plan ahead and keep in mind that to reach Modena it will take you 2 hours. Plan for traffic and toilet breaks. A GPS is a fundamental tool for self drive tours as our locations are mostly in the country side. Emilia Delizia does not take responsibility for not being able to locate the meeting point on time.

How to get to Bologna or Modena by train.

From Florence Bologna is served by frequent high speed trains at any time of the day till late at night. For more information about the train time table you can consult this page.
However in the morning the only option would be the Freccia Rossa 9500 that arrives in Bologna at 7.37. Rather than attempting this mad dash on the same morning, we always suggest to take a late train the evening before (even after a nice dinner in Florence) and stay at one of the the high quality hotels right in front of Bologna station. Namely the La UNA HOTEL, STAR EXCELSIOR, and MERCURE HOTEL. The following morning you will be ready to go to the Parmesan tour FRESH AND RELAXED.

Organising a private food tour from Florence.

A private tour is the perfect solution if you want a customised tour four family, friends or company activity. You can decide the timing, and other details of the day that suit the most. We can organise a car or minibus that comes to your hotel directly in Florence. The departure time in this case it is around 6.30 and the return time is around 5 pm. The tour from Florence can be substantially more expensive than starting from Bologna, however it would be recommended for larger groups as the cost of the transport can be shared between the participants.

Alternative tours from Florence.

If you have other interest you can also plan to organise a fashion outlet tour from Florence, you can drive a Ferrari or you can to to the sea in Cinque Terre.