Cheese Plate with Fruit Jam; A Simple Dish of Complex Flavors
Wherever you go in Italy, from small towns to big cities and everywhere in between, there is one dish you are sure to run into over and over again. A cheese plate served with local honey and delicious fruit jam. When I first tasted Mia Emilia’s fabulous Fig Jam from the producers at Acetaia Castelli, I could hardly believe my taste buds! The flavor is so unique, perfectly marrying the flavors of figs and balsamic vinegar, but the texture is just as impressive. It begs to be served on a plate with fine seasoned cheeses. Perfect to pair...
Christmas Gift Guide: Gifts Made in Italy
Every year the time seems to fly by faster, and here we are in December once again! It’s Christmas time, and in Italy markets are opening, cities are lighting their trees, and the spirit of Christmas warms the chilled air. If you are still thinking through your Christmas list this year, we have put together a guide to help give you some ideas for the special people in your life. Please enjoy, and we wish you all, Buon Natale! Merry Christmas!
Bruschetta: How to Make It, and How to Say It Like a True Italian!
Bruschetta, one of Italy’s most beloved appetizers, and one of the easiest to make yourself. To make your own bruschetta, start by thinly slicing a good, artisanal white bread. Drizzle your favorite of Mia Emilia’s Authentic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils onto each slice and toast your slices. The traditional, rustic way to toast the bread is on the grill, but if circumstances are not conducive to grilling, an oven will work. The next step is to rub, not slice, raw garlic onto each piece of bread. This infuses the flavor into the bread. These beginning steps are the same for...
An Authentic Italian Aperitivo... Complete With Breadsticks!
On our last visit to Italy, I invited the manager of a property I work closely with to join us for dinner, she surprised me on our arrival by saying the Contessa who owns the property had instead invited us to come together to her home for aperitivo. Could we come at 7:00? She poured us a glass of prosecco, served us bread and preserves she had made herself, and we spoke of the Val D’Orcia. We talked of the beauty of life and landscape until tears filled all our eyes. During that hour our two worlds converged. This is...