Tag: artisanal

Divina Colomba 2024: the best winning artisanal doves – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Divina Colomba 2024: the best winning artisanal doves


The 3 winning doves come from Campania, Abruzzo and Piedmont Divine Dove 2024the competition organized by Greedy which every year rewards the best Italian artisanal doves. Respectively, Campania wins the first prize for the “Best Traditional Colomba”, Abruzzo the “Best Chocolate Colomba” and Piedmont the prize for the “Best Savory Colomba”.

Divine Colomba 2024: the first post goes to…

The winner in the category dedicated to the traditional version of the Easter cake was Gianluca Cecere (Cecere Visionary Dessert – Naples), while the first step of the podium for the chocolate colomba with dark dough was won by Camillo La Morgia (Cream and Chocolate – Lanciano – Ch). First place among the savory ones, however, is the Colomba di Davide Muro (Ancient
Pastry shop Castino – Pinerolo – To).

Second and third places

Also on the podium were Vito Saccente (Panificio Saccente – Palo del Colle – Ba) and Mattia Orso (Pasticceria Mimosa – Fermo), for second and third place respectively in the “Best Traditional Colomba” category. The second and third place for the “Best Chocolate Colomba” went to Lorenzo Perilli (Il Brezel – San Nicandro Garganico – Fg) and Leonardo Romano (Pasticceria Pesce 1896 – Avella – Av). While the second and third positions for the “Best Savory Colomba” category were won by Stefano Bianco (Pasticceria Bianco – Lecce) and Sergio Scovazzo (Grano Fornai in Fermento – Santena – To).

A jury of excellence

The winners of the 2024 edition of the competition were determined by the technical jury, composed of Claudio Gatti, Maurizio Cossu, Daniele Scarpa, Alessandro Bertuzzi, Claudio Colombo and Paolo Caridi. During the final held at the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Bari, the jury carried out a blind tasting of the 40 products leavened products that reached the final. These include 20 traditional doves, 15 chocolate and 5 savory, selected from over 300 participants in the contest, coming from around 200 artisans distributed throughout Italy.

The presentation of the event was curated by the creator of the competition, Massimiliano Dell’Aeraand by the presenter Irene Colombo. During the event, the Best Packaging was also awarded: the award was given to the box from Pasticceria Guantiera from Bacoli (Na).

Divina Colomba 2024: complete list of winners

Best Traditional Colomba

1. Gianluca Cecere – Cecere Visionary Dessert – Naples – Campania
2. Vito Saccente – Saccente Bakery – Palo del Colle (Ba) – Puglia
3. Mattia Orso – Mimosa Pastry Shop – Fermo – Marche

Best Chocolate Colomba

1. Camillo La Morgia – Cream and Chocolate – Lanciano (Ch) – Abruzzo
2. Lorenzo Perilli – The Pretzel – San Nicandro Garganico (Fg) – Puglia
3. Leonardo Romano – Fish Pastry Shop 1896 – Avella (Av) – Campania

Best Savory Colomba

1. Davide Muro – Antica Pasticceria Castino – Pinerolo (To) – Piedmont
2. Stefano Bianco – Pasticceria Bianco – Lecce – Puglia
3. Sergio Scovazzo – Grano Fornai in Fermento – Santena (To) – Piedmont.

The best artisanal pandoro: the selection for Christmas 2023 – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

The best artisanal pandoro: the selection for Christmas 2023


What is the best artisanal pandoro of 2023? Here – finally – our selection!

The world, at least at Christmas, is divided into two categories: the panettone extremists and the panettone fans Pandoro. The latter was underestimated for a long time, but today this is no longer the case. Pandoro, as we know it, has a relatively recent tradition: the dessert has a year of birth, 1894, and a “father”, the pastry chef Domenico Melegatti, who “patented” the recipe for a dessert made of flour, yeast, eggs and lots and lots of butter.

That of artisanal pandoro was and still is a very rich dough, not at all easy to work with. For this reason, not all pastry chefs who produce panettone try their hand at making the typical dessert of Verona, and for this reason it is considered a sort of testing ground for the best.

Not only that: if the dough, so rich, must be perfectly worked to grow in height and take on the shape we all know, the subsequent phases are no less demanding – from the very long leavening to the cooking, which must take place in a special mould, until to rest after cooking. And it is the details that make the difference: theinfluence of temperaturesthe manual ability of the artisan pastry chef, the choice of raw materials which must be of the highest quality.

And if making a good artisanal pandoro is a complicated matter, choosing it is not easy either. If we decide to leave the mold and the shelves of the supermarket, we must be guided no longer by advertisements, but by labels and our senses: when tasted, pandoro must be soft, not stringy or elasticand must have a buttery scent that envelops and conquers. This is the key ingredient, which must be very fresh, and possibly centrifuged. There are no frills in pandoro, no candied fruit, raisins or dried fruit: its characteristic is simplicity, and for this reason, like all simple things, it must be perfect.

Differences between artisanal pandoro and large-scale retail pandoro

As we were saying, the differences between an artisanal pandoro and one from large retailers can concern various aspects – starting from the ingredients up to the production process, passing through quality and tradition. Here are some differences that are usually found:

artisanal nougat with almonds and honey, to celebrate Christmas in joy – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

artisanal nougat with almonds and honey, to celebrate Christmas in joy



The origins of Nougat they date back to ancient times, with historical traces linking it to various Mediterranean civilizations. Italy has been particularly influential in its evolution, and many regions of the country boast their own version of this Christmas cake. However, the version of the nougat with almonds and honey it is often associated with the southern regions of Italy, in particular with Sicily and to Calabria. Its preparation requires craftsmanship, with pastry chefs following traditions passed down from generation to generation.

The combination of high-quality toasted almonds, pure honey and sugar creates a unique contrast between aromatic crunchiness and softness. The tradition of consuming this crunchy dessert during the holiday season is rooted in celebrating special occasions and sharing sweets with friends and family. Nougat with almonds and honey often becomes a key element in gift baskets and festive tables, representing the generosity and abundance of the season. There roasting of dried fruit, which accentuates its flavour, the subsequent incorporation of sweet ingredients and the cooling process to obtain the right crunchy consistency are the fundamental secrets for a refined preparation. This dessert is often shaped into blocks or bars, which are subsequently cut into small pieces for distribution and consumption. Presentation may vary, with some variations including one layer of chocolate on the bottom side to add further complexity to the flavour. Prepare the nougat with almonds and honey with us and you will ensure a Christmas that is nothing short of exquisite.



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