Tag: rediscovery

The rediscovery of Lugana, the wine of Lake Garda – Italian Cuisine

An elegant and delicate white, to be enjoyed with a good dish based on lake fish, of course, but not only. Here is what we discovered by visiting the Tenuta Le Fornaci of the Tommasi Family Estates Group

The great wines of Veneto they are well known all over the world. They range from evergreen and always-ready-in-the-fridge Prosecco, the best-selling sparkling wine on the entire planet, to absolute excellence like his majestyAmarone, undoubtedly one of the most prestigious – and expensive – reds of the entire Italian wine heritage. Going to sift with more attention the Venetian territory and its surroundings, however, it is possible to come across wines that are undoubtedly less known, but absolutely to be rediscovered, if only as a direct expression of unique native vines. This is the case with the Lugana, elegant white obtained from Turbiana grapes, particularly interesting especially for its extreme versatility. So, to delve a little more into the universe of this wine, we decided to delve into the proposals of Le Fornaci Estate, the signed project Tommasi Family Estates which directly overlooks the shores of Lake Garda.

Lugana, the Doc of the lake

«A fertile plain south of Lake Garda. Vineyards neat and beautiful as paintings. A beneficial and caressing climate. Yesterday “Lucana”, an inhospitable place of woods and marshes, today an airy land, generous and welcoming like a garden . It is with these words of courtly charm that the Lugana Consortium presents us with its territory: a two-faced area, which stretches between the provinces of Brescia and Verona, for a total of over 2000 hectares of vineyards divided into two macro-zones. The first, wider with more tenacious and clayey soils, is substantially flat, and extends along the hinterland between Desenzano and Sirmione, giving the grapes – and therefore the wines – a particular minerality lacustrine. The second, of a more hilly nature, instead extends from the Monumental Tower of San Martino della Battaglia, and is characterized by more sandy soils, with a good presence of gravelly elements. The grapes from this area are generally characterized by a more marked one acidity. In short, the area of origin of the grapes can significantly affect the final peculiarities of Lugana: in the glass, in any case, we find most of the time the typical delicacy of this wine, characterized by gentle citrus notes.

The Fornaci and the evolution of Lugana

The Tommasi family enters the world of Lugana starting from a vine of about 5 hectares in the municipality of Desenzano del Garda, located near San Martino della Battaglia: the name of the estate, immediately baptized Le Fornaci, refers to a archaeological site of the area, which houses – in fact – a rare Roman furnace dating back to the 1st-2nd century AD. In 2013, 2 further plots were acquired, located in different areas of the Lugana Doc: to date, therefore, the estate includes a total of 45 hectares of vineyards, located partly inland and partly towards Lake Garda, at the gates of Sirmione. An expansion that has also brought with it further investments on the front ofwine tourism, with the inauguration on the horizon of a new wine bistro and a new cellar dedicated exclusively to the processing of Turbiana grapes; and which, at the same time, has determined a natural evolution of the wine produced: the result is a Lugana Doc Le Fornaci in continuous improvement, which in its 2019 version offers notes of pineapple, mango, grapefruit, with a sapid and mineral finish that it resists in the mouth, leaving a very pleasant freshness on the palate. "For the future," he anticipates Giancarlo Tommasi, winemaker of the Tommasi Family Estates Group, "we have two new products in the pipeline: Le Fornaci Lugana Doc Riserva version, vintage 2018, and a new Le Fornaci Rosé, which intends to become a premium rosé wine purely dedicated to catering".

How Lugana is paired

Among the main characteristics of Lugana we find without any doubt the versatility: the delicacy of this white, which almost seems to represent all the elegance of the Garda coasts in a glass, means that it can be drunk practically throughout the meal, even starting with the simplest toast at aperitif time. For the rest, as he points out Andrea Bottarel, director of the Lugana Consortium, «we are faced with a wine that obviously marries perfectly the typical dishes of its territory, starting with preparations based on lake fish. But it is perfectly capable of supporting even tastier first courses, risotto, white meats such as chicken or rabbit, and yes, even sea fish, if not excessively processed and seasoned. A very interesting combination, in this sense, can also be that with Japanese cuisine . Or with thehaute cuisine del Garda, as shown by the menu developed by the chef Fabrizio Molterni of the restaurant The Speranzina from Sirmione, and accompanied step by step, course after course by Lugana Le Fornaci: salmon trout tartare alla pizzaiola, complete with key ingredients of the pizza laid on a base of lake fish; risotto with tench jus, capers, lemon and extra virgin olive oil; and zander à la poele, with courgette in butter glaze and red wine sauce.

The rediscovery of wild nature in the era of Covid-19 – Italian Cuisine

Covid-19 is bringing the average Italian traveler to a new form of tourism, increasingly local, responsible and environmentally sustainable. What if it was also an opportunity to isolate yourself by rediscovering the wilderness?

In recent months the theme of "new forms of tourism in the covid-19 era"Is addressed and analyzed by industry experts, including theories, hypotheses and suggestions. Currently, in fact, the average traveler not only has to deal with the fear of having to face a journey full of complications, which may concern both social distancing as well as the anti-covid protocol that accommodation facilities should be required to follow, but also feels the need to live a regenerating holiday. This, in terms of tourist trends, translates on the one hand into short-distance travel, for example for cultural or food and wine explorations of villages and lesser known locations or to rely on the comfort and safety of known or recommended destinations, and on the other to more intimate and adventurous solutions, in the name of rediscovery of wild nature and eco-sustainability.

Summer 2020: more aware ecological holidays

In Italy, during the lockdown period, we witnessed a positive albeit temporary reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (-20%) and a consequent rebirth of nature. Everyone will remember, in fact, how the animals have regained their spaces giving life to unique shows such as the return of dolphins to the Apulian coast or sightings of ducks, hares and roe deer in large cities such as Turin and Milan. The extraordinary nature of these phenomena and the data on pollution have awakened or increased in all of us awareness and sensitivity towards the problem of climate change and environmental pollution. It is not surprising, therefore, that more and more people now want to leave the metropolises and crowded places at a time naturalistic destinations that are as isolated and unspoiled as possible.

Into the Wild post-lockdown holidays

In conclusion, the Covid-19 era traveler is a more responsible traveler who can take advantage of this period to put nature, peace and well-being first. In fact, the alternative and naturalistic holiday model is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to which tourists can enjoy breathtaking landscapes and air quality in peace and, at the same time, reduce frantic rhythms, stress and environmental impact. To do this, you can contact a tour operator specializing in nature trips or you can organize a do-it-yourself trip, perhaps with destinations that are not too far away and intermediate routes or stages to do on foot or by bicycle. As for the type of holiday you can opt for a trip on the road with naturalistic and little tourist destinations, bring with you the equipment to do free camping in mountain woods or near a lake and discover outdoor sports and practices such as birdwatching, trekking or climbing.

In short, by taking a few simple precautions and with the right preparation and equipment, you can spend a pleasant stay in the wild nature that restores our inner balance and that gives us a way to live, appreciate and protect the beauty of the world around us.

Photo: Sustainable tourism_Flickr Blue Forests.jpg
Photo: wild nature camping_Sustainable tourism_Pxfuel.jpg
Photo: wilderness travel_birdwatching_Flickr Or Hiltch.jpg

The rediscovery of the delivery man for food delivery (gourmet) – Italian Cuisine

In a very distant time in food (but not only) the delivery man he was a fundamental figure. Think of the milk: there was no refrigerator and the little man guaranteed that for breakfast time families had fresh milk on the table.

Then habits changed and in 2014 a CareerCast.com ranking gave it for one of 200 endangered jobs. Back then it was unknown what the next boom would be food delivery, from which emerged the new figure of the rider, an evolution 2.0 of the deliveryman, who resembles us. But that's not the same thing.

By bellboys here we mean people who work mainly for a shop or several stores, do chores and make deliveries, moving mostly in the same neighborhood.
Today, thanks to the extraordinary situation we are experiencing because of Covid, all habits have changed (especially when it comes to shopping), and even the old-fashioned factotum is back in vogue. And from an endangered profession, it has become one of the most requested professions of the last month.

In the space of a few weeks, in fact, greengrocers, dairies, small grocery stores and bakers organized themselves to deliver home, supplying the families in their area with fresh food, even every day.

And then there are the cuddle foods, those who miss the most. Who takes care of it? Many people have organized themselves at home to bake brioches, focaccias, pastries for the whole family … yet there are some flavors strictly connected to pleasant habits and moments of relaxation, which are practically irreplaceable.

In the big cities some historical brands they organized themselves not to miss that cuddle, showing off home solutions and exquisitely old style.

The chocolate Factory

Backpacks, centenary boutique-chocolat in Milan, went to brush up on the intuition of grandmother Olga, who saved everyone's work during the Second World War.

Thus, with the reopening of the two stores, on May 4, in addition to the take away, Zaini organized itself for the delivery of pralines and chocolates, but also of chocolate cakes, fresh fruit dipped in chocolate, fruit and chocolate tartlets, mini muffins, cannons, assorted baskets and even hot or cold drinks.

This is also called delivery, but it recalls in all respects the style of the Zaini shops, made of period furniture, sumptuous chandeliers and a high counter to taste the small local delicacies served on porcelain and crystal glasses.

In fact, the delivery is the task of the company bellboy or better, the people who were normally directly behind the high counter deal directly with it. The employees, in fact, all collaborate thus keeping the workplace, pending the safe opening. The service is reserved for areas close to the shop. For all the others it is of course possible to take advantage of the take away.

What restaurants do in Milan

Who wants to mondeghili is creamed cod you can contact Røst.

The rustic-innovative Porta Venezia restaurant delivers ready-made meals, wines, gastronomy products and a box of ingredients to make the restaurant's recipes at home. The guys in the restaurant get theirs electric scooter and deliver the food in a sealed bag.

For chic dishes that evoke distant atmospheres are there Mu Dimsum, Cittamani is Spica.

They have developed special menus for take-away and even in these three cases the staff of the three restaurants take care of the delivery. The dishes, they assure, are cared for with the love and care of all time.

In other cities

TO turin at the service Breakfast in the city center he thinks about it Vergano coffee.

"We know that breakfast or coffee at the bar is a ritual for many Italians and we believe it is one of the habits that are most lacking in this moment of quarantine" he says Carolina Vergnano. "For this reason, in compliance with the safety standards provided for by law, we thought of activating this home service that could, even if in a small way, give a signal of comfort and normality". To ensure it is un'apecar, a real Coffee Shop on three wheels is ready to deliver espresso, cappuccinos, bicerin and brioche. And for those who have run out of stocks, you can also buy 100% Arabica ground coffee in a can!
Also in this case, the baristas of Caffè Vergano take care of the service.

TO Coriano, on the Romagna Riviera, there is another interesting activity. It is that of SP.accio the high level pizza restaurant born in San Patrigano. They are pioneers in the baking with mother yeast and now they are back to kneading, baking to make pizzas, hamburgers, delicious sandwiches, wines and craft beers at home, thanks to the delivery service (it is also possible to take away) cured, in accordance with the current legislation, in all passages by the guys who work in the club.

Barbara Roncarolo
May 2020