Italian minister bites back after Guardian critic slates the McItaly

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carlo, carlo petrini, madre, petrini

Published Feb. 2, 2010 at 5:42 a.m.

Blog by Matthew Fort calling burger 'devilish' prompts angry response from Luca Zaia to 'Stalinist' food writer ... When Matthew Fort, Guardian food writer and lifelong lover of all things Italian, heard that the country's agriculture minister had endorsed McDonald's new McItaly burger, his gorge began to rise ... So incensed was Fort by Luca Zaia's comments about how the burgers would impart "an imprint of Italian flavours to our youngsters" that he wrote an irate column on the Guardian's Word

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Reflections of Aosta

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dolcetto

Published Jan. 28, 2010 at 11:20 a.m.
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Aosta Must Do - Top 10 Tips: ... 1) View the triumphal Arco di Augusto, built in 35 BC, the symbol of Aosta ... 2) Marvel at the four thousand seat Teatro Romano begun in the 1st century AD ... 3) See the La Cattedrale di Aosta with its ivory diptych dating from 40 AD ... 4) Walk through the Porta Praetoria, a double gate with three arches flanked by two towers ... 5) Nearby is the Torre dei Signori di Quart, a 12th century tower house ... 6) Check out the Roman Amphitheater which once

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Garagiste Winemakers of Chile: Introducing MOVI

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stefano

Published Jan. 24, 2010 at 2:37 a.m.
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If I were Hugh Johnson or Jancis Robinson, I could clear my throat and begin my story with a distinguished pronouncement about how I've watched several wine regions around the globe evolve from their infancy to later stages of maturity ... But I lack the perspective of someone who's been a professional observer of the industry for decades ... While I may not be able to tell you how, exactly, I do know that wine regions evolve over the course of their history, and that Chile finds itself in a

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The Advantages Of Working From Home...

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piemonte, piemontese

Published Jan. 18, 2010 at 2:08 a.m.

Thanks to the marvels of telecommuting, a great many people, especially in the US, now work from home. One of the nicest things about working from home is that it gives one the opportunity to cook. Not elaborate dishes that take lots of time, but simple things, for example stews that can be gotten together quickly, set to simmering, and checked every now and again (a step that gives one the opportunity to leave one's desk for a few minutes every hour, something it is important to do). Some

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The Staircase of the Dead

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piemontese, turin, val di susa

Published Jan. 17, 2010 at 6:48 a.m.
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It was just over two years ago that I first set eyes on the Abbey of Sacra di San Michele which dominates the Val di Susa, close to Turin. I vowed then to return and find out more about this imposing Piemontese edifice ... So today I am especially pleased to share my new 'The Sacra di San Michele" guide which is now published on the ItalyItalia.com website ... "The entrance to the church is an amazing flight of 200 odd steps called the ‘Scalone dei Morti’ , or the 'Staircase of the

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Wine: Roll out the barrel | Victoria Moore

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gaja, gaja'

Published Jan. 15, 2010 at 7:05 p.m.

Ever hear someone say they don't like oaky wine? Chances are what they really mean is they don't like cheap oaked wine ... "I don't like oaky wine," people sometimes tell me, screwing up their faces. But what does oaky mean, anyway? Oak is one small word that encompasses a thousand different ways in which wood is used to change the taste of a wine. We often talk in terms of American (which typically imparts a vanilla-like flavour), French and Slavonian (commonly used in chianti) oak, but trees

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In A Hurry? Risotto!

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piemonte

Published Jan. 15, 2010 at 1:06 a.m.
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Friday afternoons are rushed for me: Daughter C goes swimming after school, so we rarely get home much before 7:30, and that doesn't leave too much time to get dinner on the table. One option, if you do a little chopping beforehand (the onions, in particular) is risotto: If the ingredients are ready, making risotto takes about 10 minutes more than it takes to just cook rice ... Just set water or broth to boil when you begin to sauté, and by the time it does boil you'll be ready to add it to

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Food Stuff: A Terra Cotta Dish for Earthy Baking

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terra

Published Jan. 13, 2010 at 2:34 p.m.
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Southwest France has its own baking dish, an extra-thick slope-sided terra cotta bowl called a cassole, for making the region’s succulent cassoulets ...

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Almost Wordless Wednesday: Fagioli All'Uccelletto

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piemontese

Published Jan. 13, 2010 at 1:06 a.m.
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It has been extraordinarily gray of late, and cold too. When it gets like this, few dishes can bring more warmth than fagioli all'uccelletto, white beans cooked with tomato sauce, garlic and sage. Add sausages, crusty bread, and a zesty Chianti, and you have one of the most classic Tuscan winter one-course meals ... Enjoy! ... Some Other Beany Recipes: ... Fagiolata Piemontese ... Venetian Fasoi in Salsa de Magro ... Panissa Vercellese ... Almost Wordless Wednesday: Fagioli All'Uccelletto

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Win 3 nights in Barolo!

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langhe, piedmont

Published Jan. 8, 2010 at 4:00 a.m.
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Hurry, hurry, hurry: Our friends at Torre Barolo are offering a chance to win 3 nights in Barolo, staying at a renovated 17th century tower, located in the heart of the Langhe Valley in Piedmont ... Torre Barolo is one-of-a-kind. From its elevated position in the village, guests can enjoy sweeping views of the vineyards and medieval hill top towns that contribute to the charm of this region. This self-catered property is an ideal escape for those seeking the amenities and privacy of a

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