Mangia, mangia.…. Xmas is coming, Italian families celebrate with food, wine and happiness. Here our choice for some of the best italian product to enrich your table.
Buon appetito!

Let’s start with pasta.
Feudo Mondello, Sicily

I prepared the traditional dish with Sicilian durum wheat pipe rigate with pumpkin, an easy recipe from the “poor cooking” of the Sicilian history.

Let’s go to Ferrara, one of the most beautiful town in the Emilia Region
Pasta di Canossa was born from an intuition of Ottavio di Canossa and is produced in Ferrara in the ancient Tenuta Cuniola where the Canossa family has been taking care of these lands with passion and dedication for a century. Our Pasta, produced only with our durum wheat, is the result of love for the Emilian artisan traditions, for experimentation and the search for quality.

Have a Happy and prosperous 2022 with … lentils!
In Italy It is a traditional habit to eat lentils at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve
They are said to bring money and luck. Lentils are considered the oldest legume, cultivated as early as 7000 BC. in Mesopotamia and loved by the ancient Romans, to whom we owe the custom of eating them on New Year’s Eve and giving them a “scarsella”, or a leather bag containing lentils, with the hope that they would turn into sound coins during the year. Even today we say “Eat the lentils that bring good luck“

Well, Felicia is following the trend with a line of alternative organic pasta to flavour a healthy and natural diet. Felicia was founded in 2009 in Gravina, Apulia. A brand by Andriani SpA Benefit Corporation. Felicia brings to your table an experience based on wellbeing, taste and balance. Made from organic and naturally gluten-free raw materials such as buckwheat, brown rice, oats, chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans.

For your “lentils moment” , Felicia uses red lentils that grown mainly in southern Italy, between Puglia and Basilicata, from organic and sustainable agriculture. There are several kind of pasta like Spaghettini, Spaghettoni (love them….) Sedanini, Red lentil Fusilli and Risoni They are lovable and , considering the “good lluck” superstition… may be a good reason to eat them all year long.

Too lazy to cook?
Chek this: My Instant Pasta created a range linked to tradition and another related to organic. It’s a great novelty for lovers of pasta and good Italian cuisine … ready in 4 minutes!
Easy and quick! Just add some hot water, stir, wait few minutes and enjoy a great pasta dish.variety italian style: fusilli with cheese and fusilli with pesto. The organic line is instead composed of tricolor fusilli . I tried the pesto, and loved it!

Let’ s spice it up !
Let me introduce Italipepe a factory born in 1969 in Rome from the passion of Alfonso Vitaletti. Italpepe exports spices, aromatic herbs, seasonings and salts to 35 countries around the world. It offers a wide range of references including black pepper, chilli, saffron, turmeric, ginger with its properties, oregano, superfoods such as maca, spirulina, moringa, baobab among others.

Santa is coming from a very cold land, perhaps he would love a hot, spiced up drink….
Shall we give him a warm welcome?
The Italipepe Spice Up Your Cocktail line, created by the Chef Davide Mazza, brings home the originality and innovation of the best international mixologists. Nine aromatic mixes (Gin Tonic, Spritz, Mojito, Margarita, Negroni, Irish Coffee, Daiquiri, Hugo and Bloody Mary) able to give refined and intriguing nuances to the most popular cocktails you grind the product directly into the drink and let yourself be amazed by the refined aromatic notes released by fascinating combinations of flavors. Easy!

His Majesty, King Panettone

There are several legends about the birth of the panettone.
The most common dates back to the 1476. It tells of Ugo, a young falcone who worked for Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. The boy was secretly in love with Adalgisa, daughter of Toni, the most popular baker in Milan. To spend more time with her, Ugo managed to become a pastry cook apprentice. Christmas was coming, and Ugo wanted to give a twist to the usual bread.He sweetened up the dough, adding sugar, butter, eggs, raisins and chopped candied fruits, then he cooked and shaped it like a giant muffin.-The novelty instantly became the talk of the town. Everybody wanted the new Toni’s bread (pan de Toni) soon named panettone.

This year panettone comes for sunny Sicily , created by starred chef Pietro D’Agostino of the Restaurant Capinera of Taormina, available at the Rinascente in Catania, Palermo, Milan and Rome. Pietro D’Agostino’s panettone is characterized by its Sicilian character, thanks to the addition of orange, lemon and mandarin peel or raisins soaked in passito di Pantelleria.

What about a panettone with the the flavor of the sea ?
To celebrate the 2021-2022 Holidays, Chef Antonio Scarantino, with the support of the master pastry Andrea Urbani, created a Xmas cake with unusual ingredients: ginger, candied lemon and nori seaweedf adding a sweet and iodized new taste. The result is a fragrant, unique and original sensory experience: a sea of ​​sweetness. Let’s go swimming!

Il Pandoro
The special edition signed by Rustichella d’Abruzzo of the classic dessert of the Christmas Holidays. The star shape, the delicate vanilla scent and the softness of the dough make it the most popular dessert of the Christmas holidays. An artisanal product of the highest quality, the result of a confectionery art based on rigorous and careful respect for the rising times of the precious dough.

Not a macaroon, not a Bacio di Dama, not a Giuanduja Creme…. those “loveble ” kisses are the Bacio Ninin, made with the ingredients that come from the teritory, such as Piedmont IGP hazelnuts, stone-ground soft wheat flour type 1, fresh eggs and butter. The generous filling consists of a cremino, prepared with dark chocolate 60% cocoa, Piedmont IGP hazelnut paste and Boubon vanilla from Madagascar

CHRISTMAS IS COMING ! HERE THE BEST FROM ITALY THAT SHOULD BE RIGHT ON YOUR TABLE !

Testo e Foto © Cesare Zucca

Confezione chic, olio squisito: regalo top natalizio . Si chiama Castellana . http://www.tenutacastellana.com.

Arrivano dalla Langhe ,,, carto , solo le superlative nocciole , le creme di nocciole della Famiglia Robaldo. che a Crevanzana coltivano queste eccellenze italiane.

Ohhhh… spice it up ! La crema di peperoncino per accendere i vostri piatti , il nome del sito è tuttoun programma…. www.surianomaisenza.it

Olio soraffino: estratto a freddo in Sicilia nella Valle del Belice. Azienda Agricola Calissena Partanna, TP

“Isis” in greco significa uguale ,,, e questi chicchi ne confemano la prerogativa: tutti calibrati in peso , misura e quindi tempi di cottura,,,, paradiso per gli Chef….date un’occhiata: http://campodelloste.it/i-nostri-prodotti/

Proprio come la preparava la nostra bisnonna Manuelina, perché è proprio qui che è nata la Focaccia di Recco col formaggio, La potete gustare a Recco , Genova, Santa Marrgherita , Milano ,,, e anche a casa votra…. La Focaccia Manuelina Home edition si può trovare nella nostra piattaforma Delivery Manuelina a casa tua con consegna da Sestri Levante e Sestri Ponente e da qualche giorno anche nei supermercati Basko di Genova e provincia e nei supermercati Coop della Liguria. e presto anche in altre città….

Oca superstar! Uova da Oscar… e salamino morbido e intrigante … Le oche della Azienda Agricola Madonnina non deludono mai ! www.quackitalia.com

DOLCISSIMO NATALE

Dolcetti storici: Ricci alla Carruba . con mandorle Sicilia, zucchero di canna, albume, farina e sciroppo di carruba, miele , buccia d’arancia , Semplicità e squisitezza…Sono di Aruci, a Rosolino ( SR) www.aruci.it

La tradizione continua. La nonna ci prepara il dolce tipico friulano , la gubana, Ogni chicco d’uva viene mondato prima di essere messo a bagno nella grappa. E nessun frammento di guscio di noce può scappare al suo occhio attento. La fretta, qui, non serve a nulla: dal tempo scandito dalle lente lievitazioni nascono i prodotti della tradizione. www.gubanadellanonna.com

“giuggiulena” tradizionale torrone di sesamo, un classico della tradizione dolciaria siciliana, proposto da Aruci , http://www.aruci.it

Restiamo in Sicilia, le squisite mezze lune di arancia candita . ricoperte di cioccolato, Nome azzeccato: Orange Moon www.orangemoon.it/en/

Sempre di Orange Moon e sempre di mandorle questi pasticcino che si chiama Ortigia

 NON POTEVA MANCARE IL PANETTONE: NE HO SCELTI 2 DAVVERO GOURMET

Lo smaliante sorriso di Angelo Di Masso … diventerà il vostro , dopo aver assagiato questo profumatissimo panettone , tradizionale e squisito. www.dimassoscanno.it

Un panettone che potrbbe piacere all’Imperatrice Sissi , è infatti ispirato alla classica Torta Sacher viennese, con impasto al cioccolato , gocce di cioccolato fondente e albicocche semicandite . La proposta è firmata Beatrive Volta.www.pasticceriacomeunavolta.it

FANCY A TROUT DISH?
Cherubini Troticultura
Cherubini trout farming was born in Visso, a historic municipality located in the heart of the Sibillini Mountains National Park, in an uncontaminated valley, on the border between Marche and Umbria, about 650 meters above sea level and a few steps from the source of the Nera river.

Fario, Iridea, Salmonata and Salmerino  are the species bred, the excellent quality found in the physical and chemical parameters of the environment, together with the oxygenation of the water through the “cascade system” and the modest temperature fluctuations that are recorded between summer and winter, give these waters a high biological capacity, thus contributing to determining a particularly favorable habitat for the birth, development and growth of trout, making it a very high quality product. Three very high quality products, three distinct entities, each with a strong personality
Trota Iridea in olive oil flavored with bay leaves. Worked entirely by hand – Steam cooked.
Trota Fario in olive oil, processed entirely by hand and steam cooked.
Trota Fario with Fine Black Truffle- Born, bred, processed and packaged by the agricultural company Troticoltura Cherubini in Visso, in the Sibillini mountains

Our dish: Cherubini Iridea Trout with its own oil , served as topping of a red risotto with leeks and parsley

INFO
www.troticolturacherubini.it

MI.O and MassaBon are the panettone by chef Daniel Canzian for Christmas 2024

Two original desserts characterized by different preparations and aromas, available for pre-order on the chef’s online Boutique.

Milan, October 25, 2024 – MI.O and MassaBon are the panettone that chef Daniel Canzian proposes for next Christmas, two original recipes that are characterized by the softness of their dough and that stand out for the fillings enclosed in their alveolation.
MI.O is the great leavened product signed by Daniel Canzian proposed for the first time in 2019, a dessert that combines tradition, simplicity and refinement. What makes it unique is the use of Roasted Orange Paste, an iconic preparation of the chef, free of aromas and preservatives, with a very low percentage of sugar, created in the kitchens of DanielCanzian Ristorante according to the classic Italian preparation and conservation method.

Panettone MI.O

MassaBon, from the Venetian dialect “too good”, is the second large leavened product proposed by the chef, born in 2023 and characterized by a surprising softness, a delicate taste and a fruity aroma given by the roasted apricots; the fruit pulp, baked and worked just to guarantee a natural flavor, is enclosed in the alveolation of the dough and offers a delicate aroma to the product, as well as an extremely creamy consistency.

Both recipes are born from the collaboration between Daniel Canzian and Albertengo, a Piedmontese company known in Italy and abroad for the production of large leavened products, which prefers the use of raw materials of Italian origin, selects eggs from free-range hens and does not use processed aromas.

Panettone MassaBonw

Any tip how to better serve the panettone?
Heat the panettoni in the oven at 160 ° for 5-7 minutes before tasting, a step that will allow you to emphasize the sweet and natural fragrance of the fruit making it even creamier on the palate. The desserts can be purchased online at the chef’s Boutique, or at his Milanese restaurant in Via Castelfidardo, corner of San Marco, at a price of €40.00 (1 kg).

BEST FOOD FROM ITALY June 2025

Posted on May 30, 2025

Riso Ebano by Hera nei Campi
Two hundred years ago one of the best Italian rice was grown in Salerno – considered one of the best ever. Today Hera nei Campi brings rice back to Campania, to the uncontaminated Piana del Sel

A rice of excellent quality, that captured the attention of writers, philosophers, poets and chefs who mentioned ‘Salerno rice’ at court banquets. There are numerous testimonies from poets, gastronomes, philosophers and chefs who mention ‘Salerno rice’.Ebano grows in the countryside with a very low demand for energy and inputs: less water, less fertilizer, no fungicides. To control weeds, it is possible to carry out an intense mechanical control activity thanks to its significantly postponed sowing.

Super perfumed, it has a spiced and roasted aroma, with scents of  coffee, cocoa and olive sauce. Ideal for of tasty dishes such as risottos with shrimps, asparagus, porcini mushrooms, finger food, sushi and arancini. Cooking time: 37 min
Ebano Rice by Hera nei Campi

The Circle ‘s pestos and rubs
From an innovative aquaponic cultivation come exclusive products designed to enhance the authentic taste and quality of aromatic plants and baby leaves.Each recipe creates seasonings of the highest level, capable of enriching each dish with intense, natural and surprising flavours.Among the products I choose Pesto Oriental, with mustard, mizuna, japanese spinach, arrugula,  parmesan cheese and cashews. It is refined and bold, thaks to an accurate selection of the best oriental leaves. Ideal for creative dishes with a light spicy touch
.Also in the vegan version as the Pesto Oriental Vegan 100% vegetable, with an intense and spicy aroma, perfect for those who love strong, natural and characterful flavourMediterranean Rub a fragrant addition to your mediterranean cuisine, with sea salt, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, thyme, lemon, sweet paprika, garlic, fennel. .A true explosion of Mediterranean scents, with selected herbs for balanced marinades and dressings. Ideal for fish dishes, white meats and fresh salads.
The CircleCarefully elected and and hand-picked from the best farms of Khorasan, ROSSORO Super Negin it s an organic iranian saffron that does not use any kind of fungicide and picking poison and represents the highest quality in terms of flavor and aroma.

Without coloring or food flavors, it is the perfect choice to add extraordinary color, flavor and aroma to your dishes, desserts and drinks. For maximum color and flavor, dissolve a small amount of saffron in hot or boiling water, then add it to your dishes or drinks.

Perfect for dishes such as risottos, soups, stews, cous cous, fish and meat, pastas and international recipes, Ideal for making desserts such as saffron sweet rice, saffron ice cream, cakes and biscuits, saffron tea
http://rossoro.org/
In the Marche, a region considered among the greatest hidden gems of Italy, in a small town located between the Adriatic Sea and the Sibillini Mountains Park, I found the house and the laboratory of La Pasta di Aldo a name that represents the first syllable of the surnames of Maria and Luigi, husband and wife.

I love the pappardelle, very similar to tagliatelle, but wider and capable of giving intense sensations. When chewing, the more accentuated grain size of the semolina does not go unnoticed, a full flavor both from the taste and tactile point of view. Here the ideal condiment is represented by full-bodied sauces based on hare and wild boar.Chitarrine with squid back ink . Smelling the cooking steam you can sense that imperceptible scent of squid ink that makes them so original. Enhanced with white fish-based sauces, they also go very well with vegetables and extra virgin olive oil.And finally the glam Pasta e Cacao, artisanal specialty with roasted cocoa bean husks and nibs, slowly air dried by traditional method, with an intense color and a unique aromatic profile, capable of enhancing savoury dishes with a creative and surprising touch.i deal with sauces based on mature cheeses, porcini mushrooms, game.nuts and gorgonzola cheese, a white powder cream or simply with butter and spices.
www.lapastadialdo.it

Did I make you hungry?

Cesare Zucca                                                                  Born in Milan, lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world. He travels up and down America and allows himself escapes in Italy and Europe. Photographs and describes cities, cultures, lifestyles and discovers both traditional and innovative gastronomic delights. Meets and interviews top chefs from all over the world, ‘steals’ their recipes and tells you all about it here,  in a ‘non touristy tourist’s style’