Beautiful Bologna

The multi talented Italian region of Emilia Romagna has the good fortune to have the richly cultural and gastronomic city of Bologna as its capital.

Not just home to the most celebrated sauce and the best tortelloni, Bolgna can lay claim to some of the best cuisine in Italy.  It also happens to be home to Europe's oldest university, established in 1088, and endowed with a rich variety of history and culture.

You can see why Bologna's nickname is La Rossa.  The lovely medieval streets, arcades, churches and Renaissance palazzi appear as a palette of dusky pinks and burnt umber. 

Bologna's spiritual and geographical heart is the gracious Piazza Maggiore, flanked by some of the city's most important landmarks. Two of Bologna's main thoroughfares converge here; Via Indipendenza and Via Ugo Bassi – the decuman, or main entrance, of the Roman city.

As with most of Italy's old cities, Bologna is best explored on foot. The historic centre has traffic restrictions making it safe to wander and enjoy the authentic cobbled streets.

The main tourist office is in the Palazzo de Podestà, Piazza Maggiore 1 (00 39 051 239 660; bolognaturismo.info which may be amid renovations. Check just behind for the temporary office open 9am-7pm daily.

Must-See Cultural Experiences

The original university site was in the Archiginnasio, at Piazza Galvani 1 now the main city library. Its beautiful arcades are adorned with more than 7,000 hand-painted coats of arms of former students. The first floor is home to the stunning wooden 1637 Anatomical Theatre. archiginnasio.it

In the heart of the university quarter, the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, Via Belle Arti 56, houses an impressive collection that includes works by Tintoretto, Titian, Giotto and Carracci pinacotecabologna.it

For a more contemporary gallery, try the MAMbo at Via Don Minzoni whose permanent and temporary exhibitions are displayed in a former bakery mambo-bologna.org

Must-Eat Gastro Experiences

Visit the medieval Mercato di Mezzo in the Quadrilatero district just off the Piazza Maggiore and try the hand-made mortadella sausage from Simoni at Via Drapperie 5   and the local Parmesan-like cheese, sua maesta il nero, at Vecchia Malga Negozi at Via Pescherie Vecchie 

Take a picnic from the market to the Osteria del Sole at Vicolo Ranocchi  osteriadelsole.it which has been open since 1465. No food is served but you can order a glass of wine for €2 and tuck into your spoils at one of several tables dotted around its two rooms.

Book in advance to secure a table at Da Gianni tucked down a small alleyway close to the Piazza Maggiore at Via Clavature 18 (closed Mondays). Sample delicious Bolognese fare such as green lasagne, tortellini in brodo, veal cutlets and a superior Bolognese ragu – eaten only with tagliatelle, not spaghetti.

Join the Sunday morning buzz at the fashionable Caffè Pasticceria Zanarini on the corner of Piazza Galvani and Via Farini. Order a creamy cappuccino for €1.50 plus a delicious pastry such as a crema-filled cornetto or bombolone.

Must-visit Architectural Experiences

The piazza is overlooked by the Palazzo Re Enzo which became the luxurious prison of Enzio, king of Sardinia in 1249. Aim south-west across the square to the adjoining Piazza Maggiore flanked by several of Bologna's most impressive landmarks: the magnificent 13th-century Palazzo del Podestà, the City Halls and the huge Basilica di San Petronio currently undergoing a facelift in time for its 350th anniversary in 2013.

Along its southern edge is the Palazzo dei Banchi built in 1412 to hide the narrow streets of the market behind and named after the banks and moneychangers that once occupied the site. Cross the square and bear right under the Palazzo dei Banchi's portico. This, the Pavaglione, is the finest section of Bologna's 50 kilometres of covered walkways (a Bolognese will never bother taking an umbrella when going out for a walk).

Pass the Piazza Galvani to your right, cross the Via Farini and look up to the ceiling of the portico of the Palazzo della Banca d'Italia with its stunning 19th-century decorations by Gaetano Lodi.

Continue along the upmarket Via Farini until it meets Via Santo Stefano and the Abbey of Santo Stefano – actually a cluster of seven churches and a museum. Head along Via Santo Stefano until you reach the shadow of the Asinelli and Garisenda towers at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana under the loggia of the Palazzo della Mercanzia.

The most extraordinary of the porticoes is the Portico di San Luca, which connects the Porta Saragozza with The Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca which sits atop the Colle della Guardia hill above the city. Reputedly the world's longest stretch of porticoes, this architectural marvel extends for 3.8km and features 666 arches sanlucabo.org

Best of the Rest

The Giardini Margherita, named after the same queen as the pizza, is a verdant sprawl of gardens, open since 1879. Stroll the shady avenues of lime, cedar, sycamore and oak where you can also see two reconstructed huts of an Etruscan settlement  uncovered during the construction of the gardens. Open 6am-midnight, free.

Domenico, who established the order of Dominican Fathers, founded the Basilica di San Domenico in the early 13th century. He was laid to rest here, and his tomb is adorned with two statues later sculpted by Michelangelo. Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10.30am, noon and 6pm centrosandomenico.it

Start at the north-eastern corner of Piazza del Nettuno and admire the city's most celebrated water feature, the Fountain of Neptune, also known as "The Giant".

Getting There

There are 3 airlines departing from Gatwick:  EasyJet easyjet.com, BA ba.com and Ryanair ryanair.com. Ryanair also departs from Stansted and Edinburgh.

Guglielmo Marconi airport is just 6km north-west of the city centre. A cheap shuttle bus  leaves every 15 minutes, stopping at Bologna's main train station to the north of the old centre and Piazza Maggiore. A taxi will set you back around €20.

For help to plan and book a trip to Bolgna, click here http://www.loveitaly.co.uk/regions.php?id=6

Octopus Carpaccio - from SoloSicily's monthly newsletter

Octopus (Purpu in Sicilian jargon) is prepared in most Sicilian restaurants and served as a starter, presented as a whole octopus on a colourful plate or sliced into thick chucks.
Celebrity Chef Ed Baines chose a fragrant Sicilian dressing for his delicious Octopus carpaccio.

soloSicily advices to pair this starter with exquisite Planeta Chardonnay, an amazing wine produced between Menfi and Sambuca. With its delicate aromas of peach, apple, white figs, vanilla and meringue, it is suitable to pair any seafood starter.
Buon Appetito!


To read the recipe visit the Solosicily April newsletter


http://www.solosicily.com/sicily-holidays/food-and-wine/sicilian-recipes.aspx

Sardinian Christmas Food

Christmas is nearly here and all good Sardinian housewives are now in their kitchens full time preparing the annual feast. With many of the dishes handmade or freshly picked from local allotments, all the wonderful fare has a truly great taste even though there will be far too much!  Typically fish will be served on Christmas Eve before attending midnight mass – then the real festivities begin. Should you wish to amaze your loved ones with a Sardinian Christmas lunch there here is an idea of what you need to serve up on the 25^th – a true feast!

Antipasti vari: A mix of beautifully prepared  bits and pieces – stuffed olives, filled vol-au-vents, tiny pizzettas, warm breads, wafer thin local ham, sliced cured sausage and much more. Overdosing is easily done here and to be avoided if possible as there is so much more to go!

Primi: Depending on family preferences, here the choices will be:  Gnocchi al ragu – tasty homemade tiny rolled gnocchi with delicious thick tomato and meat sauce.  Ravioli filled  with ricotta and fresh spinach served in melted butter with sage.  Pasta al forno – a much loved dish for children (and grown-ups!) better known as “lasagne”.

Secondi: Maialetta al forno – a wonderfully crispy roast suckling pig. Cinghiale al sugo – with the hunting season in full swing at this time of the year, wild boar is always found on the menu.

Contorni: Raw fennel straight from the earth – perfect vegetable with the pork as the freshness combats the delicious fatty meat. Patate al forno – the meat will have been slowly roasted with a large tray of oily potatoes covered in chopped rosemary.

Dolci:  Tiramisu – a favourite worldwide with mascarpone, strong coffee and sponge fingers.  Sumer fruits soaked in grappa – reminds you of the hot summer days and the grappa is pleasantly calming to a rather full tum!   Panettone – the traditional Christmas cake that is always purchased (and not home-made) in beautiful bright seasonal wrapping and full of raisins and candid fruit.

Local wine will abound throughout – fizzy Torbato so start with followed by cool white Vermentino and full-bodied red Cannonau.  Water will be the only soft drink on offer as a true Italian would never entertain a bottle of coca-cola (or the likes) anywhere near the table.  A good selection of home-made “digestivi” will help the digestion slowly get back to normal during the course of the afternoon (and also greatly help the post-lunch snooze!) – fruit liqueurs such as limoncino and the much loved “mirto” .

Should you wish to cheat a little and taste some of this wonderful food, typical dinners are often served throughout the year – if you stay at any of the following hotels you will be able to taste some of these super dishes rustled up by the experts!

Lu Ciaccaru - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_lu-ciaccaru.php
Hotel Rocce Sarde - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_hotel-rocce-sarde.php
Tenuta Pilastru - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_agriturismo-tenura-pilastru.php
Su Gologone - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/sardinia_hotels_hotel-su-gologone.php

Buon appetito e tanti auguri per un natale felice e pacifico.
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Tickling your Taste Buds in Umbria

The central Italian region of Umbria is all about food, (as most of Italy appears to be!). The simple, rustic country cooking is testimony to its rural history. We give you some seasonal specialities of Umbria that you really should not miss.

Affettati (cold cuts):  The staple meat of the Umbrian diet is pork, lovingly dried and cured into an amazing array of salame, prosciutto, dried sausage, and pancetta. Most rural families butcher their own pig during the winter, and by spring are shaving off paper-thin slices of salty prosciutto or chunks of peppery corallina.

Local foraging: Foraging for wild produce in the Umbrian mountains continues year round and local rural families rely on this to supplement their food. Delicious blackberries in the summer, mushroom hunting in the autumn and when Spring comes, wild asparagus in abundance.

Porchetta:
Everyone welcomes summer, the season of street food where you can buy a towering roast pork sandwich. This crispy yet moist, lean yet fatty, mild yet savory delicacy is a whole pig deboned, then stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, and a variety of other wild herbs and cooked on a spit over a wood fire. Porchettai (vendors) can be found in piazzas across Umbria, pitching their mouthwatering sandwiches from white vans..

Torta al Testo:
Summer is also the season for local food festivals which are usually organized around a central ingredient or dish — the roast goose sagra, the porcini sagra, the polenta sagra all served with the stable diet of Umbrian cooking:  torta al testo - a flatbread (torta) cooked on a round metal or stone griddle which was traditionally set over the coals. It is usually served stuffed with grilled sausages, prosciutto, cooked greens, or soft cheese and arugula…or plain, as a substitute for bread with a meat course.

Wine:
During Autumn, local wineries harvest their grapes fom the rolling vineyard covered hills, and brew up some of Italy's best vino: Montefalco's fullbodied red (Sagrantino) and crisp whites from Orvieto and Torgiano.  Visit the boutique local vintners and taste their wines at the source. Try La Strada del Sagantino's website to help you plan a visit.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Just as the grape harvest finishes, the olive harvest begins. Across the hills and through the valleys, you can see the olive groves come alive with pickers.  During the months of November and December, small towns in the oil producing area host Frantoi Aperti when one can visit the olive oil mills, taste the peppery new oil, and participate in dinners with autumn fare and live jazz or classical concerts.

Truffles:
More precious than gold, the prized white truffle is one of the most expensive foods in the world and despite being found year round, they grow in very few places.  More delicate in flavour than the black truffle, they should be grated over pasta, used in sauces or to simply flavour frittatas and pates.

There are three main truffle fairs in Umbria every winter – Città di Castello, Valtopina, and Norcia — where you can sample truffle products from across the region.

Italian restaurants keep their 3-star Michelin ratings

Whoops of delight across Italy as no less than six Italian restaurants have retained their top-three star rating in the 2011 Michelin Italy guide. The six are (in no particular order...)

• Sorriso di Soriso near Novara
• Le Calandre at Sarmeola di Rubano near Padua
• Dal Pescatore at Canneto sull'Olglio near Mantua
• Florence's Enoteca Pinchiorro
• Da Vitorio in Brusaporto
• Heinz Beck's La Pergola at the Rome Hilton

If that weren't enough there are a further 32 restaurants awarded two Michelin stars and a further 233 with a single star. So how does that compare to old blighty I hear you ask, well in 2010 the UK had a total of 4 (yes, FOUR) 3-star Michelin restaurants - this was cause for major celebration at the time -  and a total of 140 restaurants with any kind of star rating. You can read more about the sterling efforts of the Italian chefs here;
ITALIAN RESTAURANTS KEEP THEIR THREE-STAR MICHELIN RATINGS

Superfast pizza delivery service

Italy is renowned for many things, not least fabulous food and high performance cars. Alberto Valotta, an Italian restaurant owner in Hemel Hempstead has come up with the genius idea of combining both by offering a pizza delivery service in a 552bhp Lamborghini Gallardo. This, surely unique, service is sadly only available to the residents of Hemel Hempstead and even then for one night only - Friday 26th November. 


Alberto's supercar service mark's his restaurant's 12th birthday, not only will your dinner arrive in style you will also receive a 10% discount on your order (now you can't say fairer than that!). After Friday the Lamborghini can be requested by customers, but with regret, Alberto says there will be "an additional modest surcharge of £700 per delivery".