Thirty-five kilometres from Bologna, the medieval village of Dozza covers its walls in murals. About 80 kilometres in the same direction but deeper into the Apennines, Brisighella balances on three rocky spurs above the Lamone valley. Neither features on most tourist itineraries — which is part of the point. Both reward a half-day or full-day […]
Dozza and Brisighella: Two Villages Worth the Drive from Bologna Read Post »
Soave is a small medieval town about 25 km east of Verona, on the edge of the Lessini hills where the Veneto plain meets the first volcanic ridges. Its wine — a dry white from Garganega — was one of Italy’s most exported in the 1970s and 80s, then suffered from overproduction on the flat plains
Soave Wine: Classico, Superiore and Where to Taste Near Verona Read Post »
Tuscan food has long been described as cucina povera — the cuisine of the poor — rooted in peasant traditions. The simplicity forced by historical poverty has, over time, become one of the region’s greatest strengths. What started as necessity is now recognised as some of the most honest and satisfying cooking in Italy. The
Cucina Povera: Tuscan Food Traditions and the Art of Simple Cooking Read Post »
Italy’s ski resorts are better paired with food than those of most Alpine countries — partly because the mountains run through regions with some of the strongest culinary traditions in Europe, and partly because the Italian resort culture has always treated the lunch stop as seriously as the skiing. The three areas below are the
Skiing and Eating in the Italian Alps: Madonna di Campiglio, Bormio and Cortina Read Post »
Milanese cuisine is more specific than the city’s cosmopolitan reputation suggests. It has its own dishes — dishes that belong to this city and the Lombardy plains around it — built on butter, saffron, slow-cooked pork, and a sweetened bread that the rest of the world now eats at Christmas. Most of them are winter
What to Eat in Milan: Traditional Milanese Dishes Explained Read Post »
Valpolicella is one of the most important red wine districts in Italy, producing a family of wines that range from light, everyday drinking through to some of the most age-worthy and expensive bottles in the country. The zone sits in the hills northwest of Verona, between the city and the southern shore of Lake Garda,
Valpolicella and Amarone Wines: A Complete Guide to the Region Read Post »