Tag Archives: Venice

The Bretons’ Best Silver

How can one improve on eating sardines? The little fish described by London chef Rowley Leigh of Le Café Anglais as ‘the rabbits of the piscatorial world’. Wouldn’t we prefer this Chef/Writer had kept his English plainer and written ‘sea’, but otherwise I loved what he said, specially … Continue reading

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Posted in Blue Collar Gastronomy, Brassserie Lipp, Bread, Fish, Food of the Ancients, French supermarkets, Harry's Bar, Label Rouge, Simple Food, supermarkets, Terroir, The Food Business, Venice, Vinegars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Something in the Middle’ said in Italian

‘Something in the Middle’ best, if loosely, translates the Italian word ’Tramezzini’. Back in 1995, two people were in Venice one November. There were late autumn high tides each morning until gone 11h00 –  Acgua Alta – and they’d each only visited that magical … Continue reading

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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Gnocco, Gnocchi – Who’s There?

The answer is a dumpling that’s as old as pasta itself.  That’s Gnocchi – made most times nowadays with potato, but with variants assembled from semolina, regular wheat flour, chestnut flour, polenta, breadcrumbs (like Knödel) and, in Lombardy, they make theirs with pumpkin. Sometimes the gnocchi are … Continue reading

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Posted in Blue Collar Gastronomy, Comforting Foods, Good Potatoes, Harry's Bar, Real Italy, Techniques, Terroir, Venice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Even Good Wine’s all Boxed-In Nowadays

I never thought I’d write this headline or piece, but these last few months I have bought and enjoyed wine in boxes. Never say never, as the expression goes. I have been happily buying and enjoying table wine out of boxes that were previously used … Continue reading

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Posted in Alcohol, Blue Collar Gastronomy, IGP, Laguiole Tire Bouchon, Puglia, Pugliese, Tire Bouchon, Wine Boxes, Wine Making and Viticulture, Wine Marketeers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Judgement Day at Genoa’s Palazzo Ducale

Throughout my life I’ve experienced some lucky breaks.  You could say I am blessed – and just back from Mass in a tiny church on the seafront in Genoa, I feel that way too. I have been invited to be a … Continue reading

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Posted in Alcohol, Alliums, Basil, Best Pasta, Blue Collar Gastronomy, DOP, Food Scams, Food travel, Kitchen Must-Have, Ligurian, No Compromise Shopping, Norway, Origins of our food, Real Italy, Rice, Risotto, Seasoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘……….since Sliced Bread’ goes the Saying

Sliced bread may have been a breakthrough in modern food manufacturing when it was first launched, following on from the dreadfully named ‘Chorley Wood Process’ for batch baking cheap bread, bleach included in every bag of flour. Then, like so much … Continue reading

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Posted in Blue Collar Gastronomy, Bread, Chicken, Harry's Bar, Real Italy, The Food Business, Venice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Memo to Self: Fly ‘Home’ to Venice in 2012

Christmas presents come in two categories – the wanted and the other ones. The debate about recycling unwanted gifts has rolled on for years.  I am ruthless about disposing of the unwanted. No need for that with my Christmas booty … Continue reading

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Posted in Blue Collar Gastronomy, Carlo Moretti, Cicchetti, Cipriani, Coffee, Food of the Ancients, Food travel, Harry's Bar, Harry's Dolci, Proscuitto Crudo, Real Italy, The Moors, Venetian Glass, Venice, Wine Making and Viticulture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment