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Wine_Strategies -> Italia (11/26/2012 10:08:41 AM)

Benvenuti a tutti, questa parte del forum è dedicata alle discussioni su tutto ciò che è italiano. Che si tratti di cibo, di vino, di luoghi o di usanze, se ha a che fare con l'Italia questo è il thread giusto.

Welcome everybody, here is a place on the forum to discuss all things Italian - be it food, or wine, or place, or custom, whatever. If it has to do with Italy, you've found your (discussion) thread.

I'll kick it off and say that my practical knowledge lies more in the North than the South (simply a function of having spent far more time in the North over the past decade). To that end, if there are people that can turn me to some of the hidden nuances of the South (I'm already aware of the caffè in Napoli - legendary - for example) as I'm very curious about the simple things that bring the people of the South so much joy. It's not just about the wines, it's about the lifestyle - villages that simply must be visited, meals, museums and places that must be studied and slowly digested. If I have some time next year, I think I'd like to visit Sardegna, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia and Basilicata - I'd be a fool not to make the time. And when I say visit, I'm talking about all those places where tourists DON'T go, but the locals do. Damn you, Rick Steves!



musedir -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 10:19:40 AM)

Tim, I will look for our trip diaries to give you accurate info but Dr. M and I have spent considerable time in Italy more in search of art than wine (I know, our priorities suck) and can offer some decidedly non-Steves locales. I know there are a number of CTers who have even more knowledge than me, so I look forward to learning from them as well. Ciao!



Eric Guido -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 10:48:52 AM)

Thanks for starting this thread.

Just to give a little background for my experience with Italy. I am not just a lover of the wines, but also of the food. In fact, my specialty in the culinary world are the foods of Italy. I grew up eating traditional foods that were prepared by my family (Mostly Northern Italian and Austro Hungarian) as well as Southern Italian foods of Sicily and Puglia. I started with Italian wine when I tasted my first sip of a well stored and aged Chianti (as opposed to the jug wine that was always in my home as a child), I fell in love. Since then, I have had to work hard to keep myself from drinking only Italian wine.

My experience is deepest in Piedmont, but not just Barolo and Barbaresco, I have experience with most of the native varieties. From there, and in no specific order, I enjoy the wines of the Veneto, Friuli, Trentino, Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily.

I can understand and partially speak Italian (that comes from my childhood) and I often believe that I would pick it up again very easily if I was submerged in the culture and language.

I'm happy to help with any questions regarding the food, wine, producers and cultures of Italy. As well as having a pretty good grasp on the Italian restaurant scene in NYC. Also, if anyone is ever in town and wants to meet over a few bottle of Italian wine, I'm happy to join.



pjaines -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 11:14:06 AM)

Excellent idea for a thread. One of the wines I have been very impressed with over the last year is some very excellent Soave from the producer Inama.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1156014
Rich, complex wines. Anyone out there who can suggest other producers of Soave I should be looking out for. Most the the Soave sold in the UK is horrible plonk on the bottom shelf of the supermarket.




Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 11:37:11 AM)

quote:

and I often believe that I would pick it up again very easily if I was submerged in the culture and language.


yes, you would

I consider myself a pretty decent cook. I'm of the opinion that less if more, unless of course we're talking about freshness and quality of ingredients. To that end, one of the things that continues to elude me is grilled vegetables, specifically, red peppers. It think there is an art to it. In fact, I'm sure there is. I admit to not putting enough effort into teaching myself how to prepare them properly - maybe it's because it's such an attachment for me, something that can only be produced when I'm in Italy; the stuff here is mostly miss with just a very few hits, and even those can't reach the bar, though they cost an arm and a leg.

So, if you've got a technique (I'm guessing it's pretty labor intensive) and/or recipe for sublime roasted red peppers, I'm all ears.

[image]http://www.veganblog.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/peperoni-grillati.jpg[/image]

I'm so freakin' hungry right now!



Khamen -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 11:44:17 AM)

Drizzle them with olive oil and a tiny pinch of garlic salt and roast in a medium/hot oven until the skin starts to blister. Pull 'em out and put in a bowl covered with plastic wrap while still hot. The steam will help the skins drop off.

Alternatively, either char the outsides over the gas before roasting, or with a blow torch when you take them out

K



musedir -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 12:53:57 PM)

My wi and I go to NYC every December just before Xmas for theatre, museums, galleries and food... Not sure what order is best. I would enjoy hearing of those Italian restaurants in Manhattan that you would recommend.



gilrbo -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:15:07 PM)

Hey Tim! Congratulations on your Italian! You got even all accents correct, I am impressed.

As far as I could see, the Italians on this forum are Sarastro, quaglia and myself, but I would not be surprised to find several non-Italian Italy experts too.
I grew up in Rome and know the South reasonably well, so I'll be happy to provide suggestions for places to visit in the Southern regions.
But what are your interests? What would you like to see during this trip?



Eric Guido -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:17:06 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wine_Strategies

quote:

and I often believe that I would pick it up again very easily if I was submerged in the culture and language.


yes, you would

I consider myself a pretty decent cook. I'm of the opinion that less if more, unless of course we're talking about freshness and quality of ingredients. To that end, one of the things that continues to elude me is grilled vegetables, specifically, red peppers. It think there is an art to it. In fact, I'm sure there is. I admit to not putting enough effort into teaching myself how to prepare them properly - maybe it's because it's such an attachment for me, something that can only be produced when I'm in Italy; the stuff here is mostly miss with just a very few hits, and even those can't reach the bar, though they cost an arm and a leg.

So, if you've got a technique (I'm guessing it's pretty labor intensive) and/or recipe for sublime roasted red peppers, I'm all ears.

[image]http://www.veganblog.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/peperoni-grillati.jpg[/image]

I'm so freakin' hungry right now!

quote:

Khamen


Khamen pretty much nailed it. Most of the roasted peppers I use are done right on the burner of a rangetop coated in oil. The key is to get an even burn across the whole pepper, so they need to be turned a few times. After a rest in a covered bowl, the skins should peel right off and you have a beautiful roasted pepper.



Eric Guido -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:25:15 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: gilrbo

Hey Tim! Congratulations on your Italian! You got even all accents correct, I am impressed.

As far as I could see, the Italians on this forum are Sarastro, quaglia and myself, but I would not be surprised to find several non-Italian Italy experts too.
I grew up in Rome and know the South reasonably well, so I'll be happy to provide suggestions for places to visit in the Southern regions.
But what are your interests? What would you like to see during this trip?


I'd be happy to, one that I'm particularly fond of right now is a place named Paprika. The chef is a native of the Valtellina with a cuisine handed down through family generations. It's Northern Italian in a way that you'd never expect with a serious Austrian twist to it. The best part is that it won't cost you a fortune to eat here, I usually average between $40 - $50 a person. The wine list is good, but not too big, and has a number of wines from the region. The only thing that bothers some people are the glasses, which are not large bowled (but you can always bring your own stems and the restaurant does allow BYOB at $10 -$15 bottle charge).

In the end, it's the food that keeps me coming back to Paprika. I usually ask if the Chef can do a tasting menu for the table and I've never been disappointed.



ChrisinCowiche -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:44:35 PM)

Great thread, Great stuff! 

Khamen's directions for roasting peppers work well on any type of pepper, and my wife and I, mainly her, have had good success doing this over top of a gas fired grill and creating chipotle  [slight thread drift]. We have access to a vast variety of peppers grown here, but most are only available fresh for about a month (August-Sept), and we've done the roasting on the grill and thrown the whole thing in the freezer for use later without peeling off the skins.  The skins fall off easily after thawing.  We've done this mostly aspiring to create Mexican/SW dishes... but the principle is the same. 



treetops -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:55:04 PM)

See my "I just drank" entry. Too much bother to repeat here I'm afraid.



Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 1:57:50 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: treetops

See my "I just drank" entry. Too much bother to repeat here I'm afraid.


Oh dear. Oh my. Stunning. Shocking, even.



treetops -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 2:01:22 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wine_Strategies

quote:

ORIGINAL: treetops

See my "I just drank" entry. Too much bother to repeat here I'm afraid.


Oh dear. Oh my. Stunning. Shocking, even.


The food wasn't bad either! Freshly imported white truffles on two dishes to boot - heavenly.



Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 2:16:24 PM)

Did any of the white truffle make it on to the next morning's eggs? Yum [:)]



treetops -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 2:19:14 PM)

Not mine but apparently our host was definitely intending to do that.



Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 2:27:36 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: treetops

Not mine but apparently our host was definitely intending to do that.


Perhaps the, erm, second finest way to start your day [:D]



treetops -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 2:28:12 PM)

[;)]



S1 -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 3:34:55 PM)

I'm cooking finocchi alla diavola right now to go with fennel-dusted grilled chicken and a garden salad with 26 Nov fresh green beans



Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 3:53:17 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: S1

I'm cooking finocchi alla diavola right now to go with fennel-dusted grilled chicken and a garden salad with 26 Nov fresh green beans


Well, that doesn't suck [:D]

[image]http://www.ma-toscane.com/images/finoch7.jpg[/image]



musedir -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 4:03:16 PM)

I'd be happy to, one that I'm particularly fond of right now is a place named Paprika. The chef is a native of the Valtellina with a cuisine handed down through family generations. It's Northern Italian in a way that you'd never expect with a serious Austrian twist to it. The best part is that it won't cost you a fortune to eat here, I usually average between $40 - $50 a person. The wine list is good, but not too big, and has a number of wines from the region. The only thing that bothers some people are the glasses, which are not large bowled (but you can always bring your own stems and the restaurant does allow BYOB at $10 -$15 bottle charge).

In the end, it's the food that keeps me coming back to Paprika. I usually ask if the Chef can do a tasting menu for the table and I've never been disappointed.

Thanks... Sounds good. Since we're traveling Dr. M is not going to tolerate me running around Manhattan with stems under my arm (why not?). I can make the wine list Orkney if the food is good. Appreciate the rec. keep 'em coming!

And S1, you are milking those beans!!![:D]



S1 -> RE: Italia (11/26/2012 4:25:36 PM)

if I make it til Sat I'll have fresh beans in December[:)]
No freeze expected this week



Sarastro -> RE: Italia (11/27/2012 8:36:04 AM)

Great idea to open such a thread!

I hope I will be able to contribute a little bit at least in terms of seldom seen wines and food... as for the rest I'm sure someone eith more knowledge than me will contribute!



Sarastro -> RE: Italia (11/27/2012 9:03:27 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wine_Strategies

It's not just about the wines, it's about the lifestyle - villages that simply must be visited, meals, museums and places that must be studied and slowly digested. If I have some time next year, I think I'd like to visit Sardegna, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia and Basilicata - I'd be a fool not to make the time. And when I say visit, I'm talking about all those places where tourists DON'T go, but the locals do. Damn you, Rick Steves!


Each region you have mentioned is worth a stand alone trip especially if you want to get out of the usual tourist routes and the "must do"... for example Sardegna, which can be a tourist paradise, can only be appreciated fully if you start dwelling around the places where only locals go... and that include the lesser known coasts, away from the famous Costa Smeralda, as well as the inner part of the region.

You will discover that southern, central and northern Sardinia have different food, culture and habits... and in the lesser known areas it's normal for people do distill their own liquors, to make their own cheese and so on... and there are many places where dressing in traditional clothes for special occasions and mantaining the traditional festivities celebrations have nothing to do tourists... it's simply part of the culture... a way to build the present and the future on the traditions of the past...

As for the wines there is much beside the more international styled wines like Argiolas'Turriga or the Terre Brune from Santadi... lots of Cannonau from smaller producers that seldom makes it out of the island... and where I discovered the potential of this Grenache clone when it grows so far away from Languedoc... and the same astonishing surprises can be made with Carignano.

I'm sorry... I just realized that I wrote too much but I was just starting to think about all the hidden corners of Italy that I'm never tired of exploring...



Eric Guido -> RE: Italia (11/27/2012 10:41:14 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarastro


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wine_Strategies

It's not just about the wines, it's about the lifestyle - villages that simply must be visited, meals, museums and places that must be studied and slowly digested. If I have some time next year, I think I'd like to visit Sardegna, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia and Basilicata - I'd be a fool not to make the time. And when I say visit, I'm talking about all those places where tourists DON'T go, but the locals do. Damn you, Rick Steves!


Each region you have mentioned is worth a stand alone trip especially if you want to get out of the usual tourist routes and the "must do"... for example Sardegna, which can be a tourist paradise, can only be appreciated fully if you start dwelling around the places where only locals go... and that include the lesser known coasts, away from the famous Costa Smeralda, as well as the inner part of the region.

You will discover that southern, central and northern Sardinia have different food, culture and habits... and in the lesser known areas it's normal for people do distill their own liquors, to make their own cheese and so on... and there are many places where dressing in traditional clothes for special occasions and mantaining the traditional festivities celebrations have nothing to do tourists... it's simply part of the culture... a way to build the present and the future on the traditions of the past...

As for the wines there is much beside the more international styled wines like Argiolas'Turriga or the Terre Brune from Santadi... lots of Cannonau from smaller producers that seldom makes it out of the island... and where I discovered the potential of this Grenache clone when it grows so far away from Languedoc... and the same astonishing surprises can be made with Carignano.

I'm sorry... I just realized that I wrote too much but I was just starting to think about all the hidden corners of Italy that I'm never tired of exploring...


I think that's a great contribution all on its own. I love the wines of Sardinia and hope to visit there someday, reading this made me want it even more. I'm not a huge fan of Italian Wine Merchant's prices, but one of the best things about shopping with them is the occasional bottle of Sardinian wines that can't be found anywhere else in the states.



Eric Guido -> RE: Italia (11/30/2012 12:15:49 PM)

I just spent the last two weeks tasting sparkling wines for a project.  I had some really great Champagne, Cava, and Crement, but what it really showed me is just how well Prosecco has been coming along.  I remember a day when these were just good wines to start a dinner with but now I find them more and more enjoyable.  I'm not saying that they can replace top-shelf sparklers, but they are darn good wines.  I'd say the biggest issue is that many of the wines I've been enjoying aren't currently imported--and that's pretty sad.
 
I was wondering if anyone has a favorite Prosecco that's available here in the States?
 
https://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?O=Rating+DESC&table=Notes&Country=Italy&Type=White+%2D+Sparkling



S1 -> RE: Italia (11/30/2012 12:42:57 PM)

not Prosecco but I'm popping an 04 Belavista Franciacorta Cuvee Saten in a few weeks.
It shouldn't suck



TexasWineGeek -> RE: Italia (12/1/2012 5:50:36 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarastro


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wine_Strategies

It's not just about the wines, it's about the lifestyle - villages that simply must be visited, meals, museums and places that must be studied and slowly digested. If I have some time next year, I think I'd like to visit Sardegna, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia and Basilicata - I'd be a fool not to make the time. And when I say visit, I'm talking about all those places where tourists DON'T go, but the locals do. Damn you, Rick Steves!


Each region you have mentioned is worth a stand alone trip especially if you want to get out of the usual tourist routes and the "must do"... for example Sardegna, which can be a tourist paradise, can only be appreciated fully if you start dwelling around the places where only locals go... and that include the lesser known coasts, away from the famous Costa Smeralda, as well as the inner part of the region.

You will discover that southern, central and northern Sardinia have different food, culture and habits... and in the lesser known areas it's normal for people do distill their own liquors, to make their own cheese and so on... and there are many places where dressing in traditional clothes for special occasions and mantaining the traditional festivities celebrations have nothing to do tourists... it's simply part of the culture... a way to build the present and the future on the traditions of the past...

As for the wines there is much beside the more international styled wines like Argiolas'Turriga or the Terre Brune from Santadi... lots of Cannonau from smaller producers that seldom makes it out of the island... and where I discovered the potential of this Grenache clone when it grows so far away from Languedoc... and the same astonishing surprises can be made with Carignano.

I'm sorry... I just realized that I wrote too much but I was just starting to think about all the hidden corners of Italy that I'm never tired of exploring...


Just returned from Sardinia and I definitely +10 with what Sarastro says about this island. Ask about the Mirto :-)



Wine_Strategies -> RE: Italia (2/10/2017 11:57:05 AM)

Reviving this thread as I have another return to Italy, again for 3 months. Maybe I (finally) realize how fast how fast life is truly going by, so I have already booked my return, for another 3 months in the fall.

I will be chronicling my trips here https://italianwine.blog. I think I have finally come up with a site that is easy to use; I hope it's fun, too, my travels always are, for me, anyway.

As usual, I will be taking lots of photos (last time I decided to leave all my gear there, the only place I really use it any more), but I will also have plenty of food dishes/recipes, olive oil, bread, etc., information as well.

Still working on my schedule, despite leaving in a month, but it will include several weeks in Langhe, including the Grandi Langhe event, and Vin Italy/Veneto. In addition, I will spend about 3 weeks in Etna/Vittoria regions on Sicily, plus time in Campania, 3 weeks or so in Tuscany, etc.

buonagiornata



VTCellarDweller -> RE: Italia (2/10/2017 1:17:50 PM)

I'm happy to see this revived and congrats on the blog site. As a big fan of Vallana, I really enjoyed the sensitive and easy to read way you presented their story by weaving together the people, land, culture, and wines.



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