EssentialItaly

Funghi

 
Photo courtesy of Matt Blakemore.

Sarah writes: the mushroom picking season is in full swing here in Italy, and apparently it’s a record year. The dry and very hot summer – followed by a couple of downpours in the middle of September – and then the return of warm and sunny weather has provided the perfect conditions for the famous ‘Porcini’.

Probably best known dried, these mushrooms are used in many sauces and stews but the tastiest way to eat then (as far as I am concerned) is in a good risotto with a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, accompanied by a full flavoured bottle of red wine. Or maybe two.

On my travels around Italy, some of the best places to sample this fantastic yet simple dish are: Hotel Su Gologone (Sardinia); Borgo San Marco (Puglia); Casa Lorenzo (Tuscany – Lorenzo will actually take you to look for them and then you can have fun cooking them yourselves); and Country House Donalegge (Sicily).

If you get your skates on you’ll see for yourself, as all these properties are within easy reach of Ryanair flights and we can guarantee that you will get some great Italian cooking along with some of the fresh new wines (Vino Novello) that will be in the shops very soon. The chances are that you will also get some warm sunshine and the time to try some beautiful walks, safe in the knowledge that lunch or dinner (or both) is going to be a real treat.

Buon appetito!

Italian food markets

Ian says: the markets in Tuscany are now full of asparagus and other early summer delights. Whilst in Montepulciano recently, I couldn’t resist filling my bag with a few heads as well punnets of strawberries and cherries.

My favourite way to eat the asparagus is simply to boil them and then drizzle with olive oil (Tuscan of course) and then top off with parmesan cheese. Simply delicious. 

And then there’s asparagus risotto; another favourite:

• Asparagus (obviously)

• Few shallots and/or onions (chopped finely)

• Risotto rice

• Big knob of butter and decent Olive oil

• Two glass of dry white wine (drink one whilst cooking)

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper

• Chicken stock and/or water from cooking aspargus

Blanch the asparagus tips in boiling water and set aside. Cook the stalks in the same water until they go soft.

Melt the butter and Olive oil and fry the shallots/onion until they turns soft and start to brown.

Add the rice to the pan and let it begin to absorb the buttery oily loveliness, before adding a glass of wine. Take in the the heady vapours as the alcohol is burned off. Then add a ladle of stock. Keep stirring until it is absorbed.

Keep adding the stock, one ladle at a time, making certain not to drown the rice, until the rice is al dente, which should take 15–20 minutes. Then throw in your parmesan cheese and add another knob of butter and the asparagus. Bon appetito.

Competition time

You could win a hamper by entering our Italian vocabulary competition. The first to email back with 18 correct answers will receive a free food hamper when booking one of the three properties below with Essential Italy.

The owners are fabulous at Le Terrazze and more than happy to chat if you so wish. Many clients have returned here year after year due to both the excellent accommodation and the wonderful hospitality of Fiorenzo, Antonella and their daughter Giada. Topics for conversation could well be food, gold and hunting...

Translate the following words:
cinghiale
fucile
bosco
cane di caccia
lepre

Lorenzo is the owner of this house and many an hour can be passed in the allotment with his mother learning all the food vocabulary you could possible need.

Translate the following words:
pomodoro
zucchine
melenzane
orto
fagioli


The owner Silverio is a real charmer and has become close friends with many of his guests. One couple have returned so often that he now just leaves the key under the mat for them! Another couple fell so in love with the house and Silverio they bought their elderly mother over to visit him.

Translate the following words:
casetta
vista
campagna
sugero
simpatico

Translate the phrase:
Dopo aver parlato con i proprietari per 2 settimane il mio italiano sta migliorando molto e non vedo l’ora di tornare.

General knowledge questions
Who is the Patron Saint of Arezzo?

Who is the man in the photograph below?

Got all 18 answers? Then email Ian and see if you’ve won. Good luck or buona fortuna!

Sea Bass baked in a salt crust

Helen writes: we’ve just have just returned from this year’s summer holiday in Sardinia; another fabulous week was spent on the beach and on boats.

Our best meal (apart from the spectacular BBQ provided by Sarah on our last evening) was at Giorgio’s in Palau. We selected Orata al Sale (Sea Bass baked in a salt crust). We picked out our fish, and 30 minutes later two blocks of salt were presented and once the salt was chipped away our delicious dinner was revealed.

It’s easy to cook at home. Take a fish (most large fish will do – not fillets mind you), clean it, cover it with salt and stick it in a hot oven for about 30 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). Here’s Mitch Tonks showing you how easy it is, albeit with the addition of some rosemary springs. Bon appetito.

Bistecca Fiorentina

Ian writes: vegetarians may look away now. One of the most famous Tuscan dishes is the Bistecca Fiorentina. The meat comes from one of the oldest breeds of cattle, the Chianina. I took this photograph yesterday in a field nearby my house; it's quite rare to see them grazing in the fields as they are kept indoors for much of the year.

So where to try some of these excellent steaks? The Festival of the Steak in Cortona (14–15 August) sees a huge grill constantly on the go and the chefs with super-long forks sweat away to produce finely cooked T-bone steaks. Think of it as a BBQ on a city-wide scale – all done with typical Italian style.

Missed the meatfest? Try the Logge Vasari restaurant in Arezzo. Cooked with a Brunello sauce it simply melts in your mouth. Buon appetito!

Italian ‘Craft’ Beer

If you’re not up-to-date on trends in European brewing, you might not be aware of the growing craft brewing scene over in Italy. Overall beer consumption remains relatively low in a country where wine dominates as the accompaniment to food, but the local brew masters are also aiming to integrate their products as part of a fine dining experience.

Birrificio Grado Plato’s Strada S. Felice (8%), an excellent chestnut-flavored amber ale.

Romantic dinner for two in Tuscany

Ian writes: On my travels last week – visiting a new luxury villa by the name of Fattoria di Stibbio I came across a most unusual restaurant. Il Peperino is one of only two restaurants in Italy which has only one table for two. A truly romantic experience awaits guests with complete privacy and luxurious surroundings. Located in the charming town of San Miniato all your possible requests can be catered for – from flowers to special music to the menu. You have your own waiter who only comes when you ring the bell. The perfect location to pop that special question or simply to kindle the flame of love.

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