Tag: Italian

A special wedding: multi-ethnic and plastic free – Italian Cuisine

Francesco and Chiara got married on Saturday. A special wedding with a catering managed by Gustamundo. On the table the specialties of eight countries on three continents prepared by refugees and a particular attention to ecology

For their marriage, organized in three months, Francesco and Chiara wanted a special catering, made up of refugee men and women. And so, on Saturday, on the tables set in the heart of Rome for their wedding reception, the specialties of ben were served eight different countries from around the world: Syria, Ethiopia, Iraq, Somalia, Turkey, Palestine, Pakistan and Morocco.

A menu from three continents

The wedding menu, built together with two chefs Ilyas and Moustafà, it was a journey through three continents, discovering flavors like those of the babaganoush (Syria), of the kubba (Iraq), of the mushakhan (Palestine) and, finally, of the baklava (Morocco). The service in the hall was entrusted to the coordination of Behara, of Roma origin and resident at Casa di Leda, a protected facility that hosts women as an alternative to detention, along with their minor children.

A special marriage, which is part of the proposals of Gustamundo, a project oriented towardsprofessional integration of refugees in the field of catering and carried out in collaboration with various reception centers and facilities that host migrants in Rome. For counter social exclusion through work.

The spouses

Francesco is a university professor of Philosophy, Chiara is a creative and works like art director: they met in 2012 in Cologne, Germany, where Francesco lived for several months for «Abroad, far from their comfort zone, he says, «we open ourselves to each other and we become more aware of the difficulties related to emigration. Especially for those who leave everything, not to train themselves or improve their work position, but to save their lives .

Chiara and Francesco explain that it was also their Christian faith to encourage them to entrust catering to Gustamundo. "The important thing is to know how to give up a perfect marriage in style and put one's creativity at stake to make something truly original. The sense of that day was, for me and Francesco, doing something beautiful not only for us and for our guests, but also for the other and the community of which we are a part , says Chiara. The newlyweds also wanted to launch another important message: the environment must be respected and protected. That's why theirs was a plastic free marriage and because participations and menus were printed on recycled paper.

The new Bib Gourmands from the Michelin Guide – Italian Cuisine

There are 266 good food places, with a great value for money and a maximum of 35 euros. For the inspectors of the Red Army they are more important than the Stars, because they preserve the true spirit of the guide. Here are the news, from the Alps to Sicily

Perhaps not everyone knows that the Michelin Guide – that in 2020 it will be 120 years old – was born with a spirit far removed from today's value. It was a little book that the brothers Édouard and André Michelin, founders of the most famous tire manufacturer, had wanted to help the few thousand French drivers struggling with a journey that was often adventurous at the time. It contained practical information (where to refuel, where to find a workshop, where to change tires) and directions on where to eat and sleep. In Italy, for the record, the first Michelin Guide is from 1956 that reviewed places from the Alps to Siena, but from the following year it already covered the entire national territory. With a dry and precise language.

They do not enter with the Stars

The Michelin stars were born in 1931, and five years are put "as a system" and ultimately the method has remained so, ending up becoming fundamental for the prestige of a local, but above all of a chef. The concept of "chasing" the star in an almost scientific way is the son of the 80s, on the wave of the clamorous assignment of the first three stars by the French – who until then considered us very little – at the restaurant of Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan. Suffice it to say that in the 70s Italy had a dozen or so small and a few dozen single stars. To understand, in the just presented edition, there are a total of 374 starred restaurants, with eleven Three Stars and 35 Two Stars. Perhaps too many, but it is also true that compared to the past, the rule of the chef-patron does not apply and the restaurants inside a hotel are no longer penalized as in the past, on the contrary.

Quality-price: it counts a lot

What has not changed is precisely the concept of Bib Gourmand, where instead of the classic plate with the "macarons", the one with is placed the smiling face of the Michelin Little Man who licks his mustache. The pictogram indicates a place that offers a pleasant gastronomic experience, with a complete menu for less than 35 euros. I am 266 in all of Italy, in the cities as in remote villages in the Apennines, precisely to help the traveler find a delicious refuge. THEThe quality-price ratio is an essential element in the selection, but priority is the passion for the table that creates the atmosphere of the Bib Gourmand, in which you can taste recipes often inspired by tradition. But it is also true that in the 25 novelties of the 2020 Guide there are three ethnic venues.

Emilia-Romagna in the lead

Here is the complete list of the new Bib Gorumand: The Osteria del San George (Genoa), Osteria La Torre (Cherasco), Empire (Sizzano) Italy (Quarona) Canton Restaurant (Capriate S. Gervasio), The nine bowls (Milan), Elisa and Fausto – Locanda Setteca ’ (Valdastico), Kurbishof (Anterivo) Alpenrose (Bressanone), La Grotta since 1918 (Sasso Marconi / Mongardino), The Campanara (Galeata) Trattoria Antichi Sapori (Parma / Gaione) Podere 39 (Florence), Typical & La Locanda del Capitano (Montone) The Temple of Taste (Spoleto) From Gregorio (Orvieto / Morrano) Osteria Ophis (Offida), L'Oste della Bon'Ora (Grottaferrata) From Armando al Pantheon (Rome), Greent. (Rome), Trattoria Pennestri (Rome), Estro (Pescara), Spoon (Teramo), Le Antiche Sere (Hvar) Venetian (Randazzo). Curiosity: for Bib Gourmand numbers, the region where you eat best isEmilia-Romagna with 33 seats, followed by Piedmont with 32, Lombardy with 28, Tuscany with 27 and Veneto with 22.

On holiday in Cortina, the pearl of the Dolomites – Italian Cuisine

Among sports, walks, gourmet breaks, enjoying one of the most incredible views that the mountain can offer

Cortina is the most exclusive place of the Dolomiti, mountains that with the majesty of their peaks have been declared UNESCO heritage, for the show that is unique in the world that they can offer. And the town, with its 50,000 inhabitants during the festive season, has managed to preserve its heritage of traditions very well over time. It can be seen in the order and rigor with which they regulated building growth in respect of the territory, the use of the traditional female costume rich in colors and the custom of the Ladin dialect with sweet inflections. Over the years it has become a destination for elite tourism: actors, politicians, big names in industry do not fail to spend Christmas holidays or a summer vacation in these mountains, immersed in the green of spruce and Scotch pines.

For lovers of the First World War, Cortina is a open-air museum: in addition to the monuments erected in memory of the fallen, such as the Pocol Ossuary, in the mountains there are numerous testimonies of what was the front between Austria and Italy. Galleries and trenches, forts and posts, roads and walkways are just a few examples of what you can find on a trip to the Valle d'Ampezzo. Some of the places that constituted the scene of the fighting between the armies, have been partly restored and transformed into living testimonies. The Valle d'Ampezzo and Cortina were then often chosen by directors and screenwriters for the production of cinematographic films due to the unparalleled beauty and uniqueness of mountain landscapes. Among the most famous films shot in Cortina: Ladyhawke (1985), with Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer and Il grande silenzio (1968), with Jean-Louis.

Where to sleep in Cortina

Hotel Cristallo
If you are also among those who like to be fascinated by these scenarios, the hotel offer is truly endless. Among the many proposals, if you are looking for a fabulous stay, the Hotel Cristallo is for you. In a refined and international atmosphere in the Art Nouveau style you can relax in the warm and welcoming rooms, or regenerate yourself in the Spa, choosing among the various therapeutic treatments that use only the highest quality products for detox, anti-aging and après-sky massages. Or do two strokes in the heated pool. If you prefer to sip a tea in front of the Tofane show, the central hall of the hotel is the convivial and at the same time discreet and refined place for you. In the evening, you will have four different formats for dinner, four distinct environments in which to appreciate the chef's creative cuisine, in full respect of local raw materials.

Hotel Rosapetra
In the evening at sunset, the imposing and rocky peaks of the Tofane are colored with an intense pink, almost as if nature, in the fullness of its beauty, is taken by a shudder and blush. And from the Hotel Rosapetra the show is magnificent every time. In this hotel you can be pampered in a perfect mix of relaxation and nature. Or let yourself be delighted by the refined cuisine of the Corte del Lampone restaurant: the whole staff will be at your complete disposal to satisfy every palate, in every season.

Grand Hotel Savoia
If you want to stay in the hotel preferred by Sofia Loren, Charlton Heston or Umberto di Savoia, all you have to do is book at the Grand Hotel Savoia, right in the pedestrian area of Cortina. Here all the staff has the sole objective of pampering you as a precious guest. For food lovers, the Savoy restaurant will delight you, with a card for every food need and a rich and varied wine selection. If, on the other hand, relaxation is what you are looking for, the 750 square meters of the Spa and Wellness Center will allow you to organize weekends and weeks with personalized itineraries and menus according to the needs of each individual guest, for an unforgettable relaxing holiday.

What to do and where to eat in Cortina

The ski
Cortina is a paradise for those who love sports. Not only skiing, but climbing, walking, snowshoeing and heliskiing on the ice of the Marmolada, with 1500 meters of elevation gain in fresh snow. An unforgettable experience, with hundreds of square meters of virgin and powdery snow on which to let go, in a breathtaking panorama, accompanied by Alpine Guides with excellent professional experience and able to carefully evaluate the best weather and snow conditions to perform safely this beautiful activity.

Starting point: Fiames heliport
Landing point: Cima Marmolada – Punta Rocca 3250m
Return point: Fiames heliport
Difficulty: medium, good skiing

If you love cross-country skiing instead, you can't miss the track between Cortina and Dobbiaco along the old Dolomites railway track from the Fiames Sport Nordic Center training camp. A path full of history and suggestions, in the midst of nature, a highly attractive itinerary that is worth putting on the agenda.

The flowers
For all lovers of flowers, plants and table decoration, the address for you is that of Annette Gottmann, a florist teacher who came to Cortina from Frankfurt to learn Italian, which opened the Officina delle Piante, a precious address for floral decorations, craft decorations, woven baskets, herbal teas and arnica and mountain pine ointments. And it is here that, upon request, it teaches children and adults to decorate the table, to color wool with natural pigments and to recognize plants.

The pastry shop
For a gourmet break, a stop at the Alverà bakery is a must, a historic establishment, which since 1914 has been a fixed stop on the way back from the ski slopes or during the afternoon stroll in the center. It is a small temple of taste that every day produces delicious delicacies ready to satisfy even the most refined palates. Massimo Alverà carefully chooses its ingredients, always of the highest quality, with an eye to the seasonality of the products. Do not miss the sourdough donuts and the Sacher.

From Aurelio to Passo Giau
For those who do not want to miss a breathtaking view while enjoying refined dishes, Da Aurelio is the place not to be missed. A terrace where the scenery is truly unique, one of the most beautiful places in the Dolomites. Opened by Aurelio in 1970, it is now managed by his son Gigi, who finds inspiration for his dishes from the high-altitude meadows of Passo Giau. An inexhaustible source of colors and flavors, the wild flowers and herbs gathered in spring make her dishes truly exclusive. The restaurant Da Aurelio is part of Altogusto a group of restaurateurs who set themselves the goal of enhancing culinary traditions and local raw materials with a view to research and innovation. The new panoramic veranda allows you to have lunch completely surrounded by the enchanting landscape of Passo Giau, even when the sun is out.

SanBrite Restaurant
Riccardo has inherited his passion for genuine and genuine cuisine from his father and before his grandfather. At SanBrite you will taste authentic dishes, born from the inspiration of the aromas and flavors of the mountain, shaped by the research and wisdom of Riccardo, for an emotional journey at 360 °. Whether inside the restaurant, or outside, en plein air, Riccardo knows how to turn a dish into a sensory journey at high altitude.