I am in Costabissara, in the province of Vicenza to dive into the “sweet paradise” of the Loison family, three generations who have been able to continually question themselves to keep up with the times and with tastes. Born as a small bakery oven, in 80 years, the Costabissara laboratory has been transformed into an established artisan company whose products are in demand all over the world.
Here we meet with Dario Loison and his great PANETTONE.
In your ‘VENEZIANA’ Which spices have you adopted?
From Vanilla from Madagascar (Slow Food Presidium) to the precious mix of Black Pepper from Lampong (Indonesia), Timut (Nepal) and Jamaica, from Asian turmeric to South American Tonka beans with an eye to sought after single origins of cocoa coming in particular from Cuba and Venezuela.
The Museum boasts a collection of over 350 vintage postcards dedicated to Christmas seen through the eyes of children. My favorites are the three little chefs who proudly bring their delicacies to the table, including panettone, and this delightful little girl who drops a box of panettone in an elegant hatbox in the snow.
What are the distinctive qualities of a good panettone?
Softness, scent and purity of the fruit of which we have been champions for more than twenty years. We were the first ever to use the Ciaculli late mandarin, the Savona chinotto and the Calabrian fig, which is elaborated, baked and worked by hand with the addition of wild fennel, all this marrying the Slow Food world of which I have been part of for many years.
What about the ingredients?
Tradition is our main ingredient while passion is the heat that heats our ovens and our desserts, now on tables all over the world.
The Christmas holidays are coming. A must Loison on the table?
Surely the ‘black-salt’ panettone, naturally leavened, with clarified butter, Cervia salt, chocolate chips of Venezuelan origin and stuffed with a salted caramel born from a French recipe.
INFO
Loison
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At the last Milano TuttoFood, I met with Carlo Bolli, active producer of Palaghiaccio historic farm dated back more than one thousand years ago on the most rich soils of the Mugello valley, I tried a real excellence of Tuscany, called Grand Mugello Ubaldino, a straw-colored cheese compact, derived from simple ingredients: raw cow’s milk, cultures, rennet, salt. then the rich and creamy Gran Tartufo Toscano, 
regarded as an authentic art in Tuscany, It is aged in the “Ubaldini Grottos” located beneath the medieval Palagiaccio dating back around the 1200’s.Finally a big surprise, the Tonno di Firenze. (
ORO (gold) 1 Michelin Starred restaurant located in the exclusive Hotel Cipriani, Venice, is re-opening with a new formula as well as offering an unprecedented opportunity:
in the relaxing atmosphere of the Giudecca island. Chef Davide Bisetto raises the concept of uniqueness and, in this particular Covid summer, has the courage to surprise with brilliant elegance. 
Finally, the soundtrack!
Reservation is (obviuosly) mandatory
CESARE ZUCCA
The acknowledged father of modern Italian cookery, Pellegrino Artusi was born in 1820 in Forlimpopoli. He lived in his native town until 1851, when the city was violently attacked by the band of the Passatore, an infamous highwayman The Artusi family moved to Florence after that. Pellegrino became a wealthy man Working in finances and, at the age of 45, was able to concentrate full-time on his big passion: the home cuisine. He loved to search, meditate, About the recepies, have someone else to experiment the cooking and, finally, taste. Artusi anticipated trends which would become popular during the XX century, among them the introduction of pasta as the typical first course on the Italian menu. The book was ahead of its time.
No publisher was interested. Finally, in 1891, the author took a chance and published it at his own expenses. Success was as unthinkable as it was overwhelming. During the following 20 years, the author himself worked on 15 editions and the “Artusi” became a hit. Casa Artusi was founded in the name of its cultured gastronomist and his manual La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well). one of Italy’s best read books. Most Italian families had it—and still have it. It has been translated into English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Japonese.
MORE THAN 2O RESTAURANTS IN THE PIAZZA!
CESARE ZUCCA
With an impressive all-Italian cast on the inaugural night of July 25th and great international stars for the month of August, with gala events and symphony concerts, the 2020 Summer Festival at the Arena di Verona is ready to start with its new format with an in-the-round (central) stage and reduced seating capacity, but stimulated by the desire to support the revival of the local area, under the banner of quality and the age-old tradition that have made it world-famous.
On 25th July the 2020 Summer Festival “In the heart of the Music” begins with a great tribute to Italian art and artists: Francesco Meli, Saimir Pirgu, Fabio Sartori, Roberto Aronica, Fabio Armiliato, Barbara Frittoli, Eleonora Buratto, Luca Salsi, Leo Nucci, Daniela Barcellona, Michele Pertusi, and Katia Ricciarelli for a total of 31 all-Italian artists. The inaugural evening is set to be a tribute to the wounded country of Italy, its great bel canto tradition, the quality of its great school, whose solidity was put to the test by the challenges imposed by the pandemic. Fondazione Arena di Verona therefore wants to give a very strong message of hope by means of art, with a moral and aesthetic initiative, which just had to originate in the world’s largest open-air theatre.
On Saturday 1st August, Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Ekaterina Gubanova and Ambrogio Maestri will be on the Arena’s huge central stage in what will be a true celebration of re-birth in the name of art, returning to breath that international creative inspiration that has always made the Arena a goal for fans from all over the world.
O P E R A !
The Cattunar family has for generations been rooted in the terroirs of western Istria with a long wine growing and wine making tradition. Franco Cattunar and his wife Vesna have continued to invest in expanding family business.
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Today I take you to 
1467 and located in the Roero area, in the South of Piedmont Region, Italy .The property’s vineyards also extend close to the Langhe, such as 2.6 hectares in Barolo on the prestigious Cannubi hill, from which the nebbiolo grapes destined for the production of the celebrated Barolo Cannubi, a wine of grand character, elegance and longevity.Thanks to the vines’ exposure to sun and to the particular microclimate, it is a wine of grand character, elegance and longevity, thanks to the exposure to sun and to the particular climate.
Guided visits to the winery, the elegant Charme Hotel and a welcoming Enoteca – Wine Shop, make up the rest of the mosaic.I saved the best for last…
-end restaurants where your dishes will take to meet the royalties of the territory: the tartufo bianco di Alba ( Alba’s white truffle) and the porcini. 
Milan, April 6th Berlucchi from 7.30 pm at 
created not only an amazing five star resort, but also a unique wine nested in a unique bottle
Text and photos by Cesare Zucca
“Never play slow music, told me the legendary store manager Enrico Baroni, the man who helped the Fiorucci empire to bloom. Slow rhythm makes costumers slowing down; they loose the excitement of a new purchase and easily get bored of the shopping adventure. In our store we play loud up-tempo music either pop or disco and most importantly without any interruptions. That causes a shopping rush and improve the appetite of buying”
Are you a wine lover? Do you like to discover new tastes while sipping a nice glass of white or red? Do you enjoy to end up a dinner with a sweet touch of dessert wine?
territory”.Sparklyn Moscato Giallo IGT
The bar boasts a selection of 54 hand-picked gins and among the most recent offerings you can pair your libation with a spoonful of Giaveri caviar from Italy for a very friendly $5.We were hosted by the young French F&B manager of this legendary institution,
Info for The Elephant Bar at Ruffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh at
Yesterday I went to the picnic lunch at the Palazzo Monti della Corte , in Nigoline right in the heart of the Franciacorta region, one of the best producer of sparkling wine.
Imagine: a secret bottle kept in the cave for years (sometimes more than 30). It’s the rich and velvety wine called sciacchetrà. This aged treasure resurges in occasion of a wedding as the greatest gift that the family of the groom could offer to the bride’s family. I had the privilege of opening a bottle than was more than 10 years old. It reminded me of a rich passito straw wine, sweet and liqueur-like.
The Villa 
The nearby medieval town of Figline Valdarno was known as the “barn of Florence” for its abundant corn supplies. Grains, wine, oil, sugar beets, peaches, apricots and cherries have long been grown here. Not only…Palagio has been the summer retreat for
Named after Sting’s song “Sister Moon”
MILAN EXPO 2015
Mandrarossa Vendemmia Tardiva, produced in a small vineyard that slopes down toward the coast, between sandy dunes and wild vegetation. the breeze refreshes the grapes that are left to ripen on the plant. Deliciously perfect as a “solo” wine or ‘solo’ wine or accompanied by light cheeses, desserts, dry fruits. 
From Friday Feb 26th to Sunday 28th “Wine Festival I am Romagnolo” where quality food and wine enthusiasts will enjoy local Sangiovese, Albana, 
Colomba is a traditional Italian Easter yeast bread. It is shaped like a dove (colomba in Italian), the symbol of peace and resurrection. Soft and fragrant, colomba is a generous cake with butter and eggs, filled with raisins and candied orange peel. Italian Easter yeast bread..The colomba could mean not only a peace message but also solidarity. Like in the case of the artisanal Colomba Arcobaleno (Rainbow Dove) created by the Milanese sommelier Diana Zerilli who supports gay rights and gay issues in Italy, such as marriage and child adoption. Her colomba is made with Sicilian Avola almonds, Calabria cedar, kneaded with Vernaccia Mormoraia, a traditional white wine from San Gimignano,
Fabio Gennarelli (Wine Making Director) opened one of the “Phitos” the traditional clay Amphora used exclusively by Villa Matilde, followed by an a unique sensing experience: the Vertical tasting of Falerno del Massico Vigna Camarato spanning from 1995 to 2010. A parade of eight glasses where every “millesime” was telling his own story. Not to mention the final dinner stuck between tradition and innovation, created by the chefs of “Taverna del Falerno”and the “Grand Hotel Parker’s 5 Stars Restaurant” 
pairing their dishes with the new Villa Matilde baby born: sparkling Spumante Mata Falanghina, with its 
CESARE ZUCCA
Ricordate Giulietta degli Spiriti? 
Un meraviglioso progetto cinematografico di Federico Fellini che nasce dal suo racconto ‘Giulietta’ pubblicato dall’ editore svizzero Diogenes, per poi diventare il film Giulietta degli Spiriti, timori e sentimenti di una moglie tradita e raccontati attraverso una lunga seduta spiritica popolata da maghi e veggenti e senza dubbi uno dei capolavori del Maestro,
Vorrei citare gli incisivi allestimenti scenografici di Paolo Baroni e le bellissime luci di Francesco Dell’Elba. Patrizia Tirino ha disegnato abiti-tutù che spaziano tra la favola e il sogno, le musiche originali di Giovanni D’aquila e ricostruzione e le rielaborazioni musicali di Fabio Cinicola che ci portano inevitabilmente alle atmosfere di Nino Rota.
In scena 14, 15 luglio 2020
