Archive for 'Food and Wine'

A lot of Italy’s beloved Christmas foods have become famous around the world in recent years. In particular, her panettone fruit cake has been made a fixture of many displays of Christmas foods in stores all over the globe each year. However, this is actually only one such cake from the country and there are lots of other regional versions that are well worth sampling. In fact, booking a villa in Italy over the Holidays is ideal for the curious foodie as there are all sorts of amazing seasonal delights to be sampled! 

If you were to book a vacation rental in Sicily, for example, in addition to enjoying milder winter weather, fascinating historic sites, amazing natural beauty, and a distinct local culture and traditions, you can also try amazing regional Christmas treats, including their own festive fruit cake: Buccellato.

When one thinks of the culinary scene in Italy, they tend to picture hearty pasta dishes, perfect pizza, rich glasses of wine and even richer cups of coffee but the country has also produced some of the best-loved desserts in the world that foodies – especially those with a bit of a sweet tooth – should make a point to try. Nothing can compare to the authentic version of a dish made in the country from which it comes but it is also true that everything just tastes sweeter when you are on holidays! Often cited as a traditional dish from Piedmont, you should certainly make a point to try the beloved panna cotta dessert if you have found a vacation rental in Piedmont but you’re sure to also find delicious examples all over the place if you are planning a holiday in Italy!

If you love Italian food and you are either an experienced cook or an absolute beginner, one of the best things that you can do on vacation in Italy is to book a cooking lesson with a local. This is the ideal way to learn more about Italian cooking in order to savour it and deepen your understanding and appreciation of the flavours. Of course, it is also a great idea if you want to be able to recreate some of the delicious things that you have been enjoying on holiday in Italy with an authentic flare once you return home. 

Years ago, as an au pair in Piedmont, I sorely disappointed my host family by telling them that I was not a coffee-drinker. They simply could not fathom this news and continuously offered me cups of coffee throughout that summer with them. Politely, I would decline and politely, the would persist in asking.

Later in the summer, on a day off for the mother of the family, the two of us took the train to Turin for the day – a truly perfect spot for a day-trip if you have found a vacation rental in Piedmont. I immediately fell in love with the large piazze, elegant buildings, wonderful museums, ancient ruins, and charming little cafes of the city. And just before we went to get our train home, I was dragged into the famous Caffè al Bicerin for one last attempt to sway me when it came to coffee by introducing me to the Bicerin.

If you are a blue cheese fan and you were thinking of booking a villa in Italy and a vacation rental in Lombardy or a holiday rental in Piedmont, in particular, then you need to make a point to try some Gorgonzola cheese. One of the world's most ancient blue-veined cheeses, it holds the prestigious DOP certification and its production is primarily concentrated in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. And, although the name Gorgonzola originates from the town of Gorgonzola near Milan, which was once thought to be the cheese's birthplace, this origin story is now a subject that is somewhat up for debate. Read on to learn more about this classic Italian cheese...