When it comes to Italian food and wine pairings we’re big believers in two things: Don’t listen to critics, but rather find your own combinations of wine and food (based on pleasant things happening in your mouth). If possible, and this is a big “if”, try to map the ingredients of a given area to the wine of the same region […]

(photo: grilled eggplant with herbs, garlic, vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil or melanzane arrostite) Eggplant is consumed en mass in southern Italy and you see melanzane as a parmigiana, of course, pickled in olive oil and vinegar, slowly roasted and simmered for pasta alla norma, and my favorite preparation grilled with herbs, garlic, and vinegar.  

(photo: our favorite Birra Moretti – the traditional lager)  Just the other day I was having one of those peaceful moments informed only by the serene; including an unusually warm and sunny weather, a wonderful match featuring Juventas and Udinese, and a cold beer or birra.  I was consuming Birra Moretti, the iconic Italian brew with the old man with […]

(photo: simple roasted potatoes <patate al forno> with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil) Italians love their roasted potatoes or patate al forno.  In Italy, most home cooks produce a variation of roasted potatoes based on their particular region.  My favorite versions include using plenty of herbs (sage, rosemary, fennel seed, etc.) and […]