Osteria TornaBuoni - traditional Tuscan cuisine

Osteria Tornabuoni is not just a restaurant but also a delicatessen and food counter, a wine-shop and a fine cellar. Here you will be able to find the specialities of Tuscan tradition combined with selected French Champagne and home brews, to savour and enjoy in the Osteria’s warm atmosphere.

Osteria Tornabuoni cuisine is based on excellent ingredients, philologically proposed and re-interpreted with a contemporary taste. Just like at a private home, at Osteria Tornabuoni the menu does not propose chef’’s dishes in extremely sophisticated presentations. The restaurant proposes the wholesomeness of rural recipes: a modern, healthy and tasty re-interpretation of the Tuscan best classics.

The best specialities and brands of Tuscany tradition combined with selected French Champagne and home brews, to savour and enjoy in the Osteria’s unique atmosphere - informal but refined thanks to the elegant interior decoration designed by Architect Michele Bonan.
A world in a region. The focus is intentionally placed on Tuscany cooking tradition and its outstanding dishes and ingredients in a style that avoids stereotypes but draws on the simple genuinity of rural tradition and on the recipies of “family dishes”. A refined concept of Tuscan genuine cuisine, a modern, healthy and tasty re-interpretation of its best classics. Locally grown fruit and vegetables, the triumph of authentic flavours that the entire world envies us.

Osteria Tornabuoni is located on two levels, occupying the Northern wing of XVI century Palazzo Tornabuoni-Corsi and its ancient basement.

www.osteriatornabuoni.it
5, Via de' Corsi (Via Tornabuoni side-street), 50123 Firenze.
Ph.: +39 055 2773520

Average prices:
Lunch € 30 wine not included
Dinner € 50 wine not included
Daily Menu € 25

Opening times:
Delicatessen and Food Store 9.30 a.m. through 10 p.m.
Lunch 12.00 a.m. – 2.30 p.m.
Dinner 6.30 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.
Closed on Sunday

Lazio - a new Italy with an old tradition

In Rome and Lazio, the food is served in taverns with robust flavors. In the traditional Lazio cuisine, every ingredient, vegetable, meat, can be mixed up and create new receipts. Today, popular cuisine is experiencing a revival, becoming refined in the process, despite its country roots and reputation for hearty food.

Bruscheta has its roots here in Lazio, a slice of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil. As per the Italian pasta, the best known regional recipe is bucatini all'amatriciana. Bucatini, a type of thick hollow spaghetti, is served with a sauce of bacon, tomatoes, chilli and white wine, and pecorino romano cheese. Another famous dish is gnocchi alla romana, which tradition dictates should be eaten on Thursdays, although the explanation for this is unknown. Do not forget the spaghetti alla carbonara: spaghetti served in a sauce of raw eggs, bacon, pepper and pecorino cheese.

But they have also strong meat dishes served with vegetables like abbacchio (based on lamb and mixed up with pan fried with garlic, rosemary, anchovies, chilli and white wine. The pork is cooked in may ways with vegetables, but the most impressive is porchetta, pig flavored with wild fennel and fatty bacon, liver and heart. Beef dishes include coda alla vaccinara, cooked in a rich ragù and flavored with celery, sultanas, pine nuts and dark chocolate and the list of Italian meat plates can continue with trippa alla trasteverina, tripe stewed in an earthenware dish with lardons, and saltimbocca alla romana, slices of veal
rolled up with a slice of ham and flavored with sage leaves, cooked in butter and served piping hot.

Mammola is a famous vegetable dish of Lazio, as well as carciofi alla giudia, a dish whose Jewish origin is evident in its name. It is based on artichokes stewed in abundant olive oil. Lazio is also home to extremely tasty cheeses, such as pecorino and ricotta. Ricotta is also used in some of the region's traditional cakes such as the crostata di ricotta (ricotta tart), made with short crust pastry and a mix of ricotta, sugar, eggs, orange zest, sultanas, candied citron peel and cinnamon. There are also frappe, which are special sweets for carnival time, fried in oil. Another favourite are maritozzi, sweet rolls containing raisins, pine nuts and candied peel.

And if you are passionated for the Italian wines, you should try The Castelli Romani wine trail which passes through renown places like: Frascati, Albano, Velletri and Castelgandolfo.The most famous wines of Lazio are starting with the dry white Frascati and continue with Marino, Colli Albani and Colli Lanuvini. Other areas famous for their wine production are Viterbo and Frosinone. Montefascone, near lake Bolsena, is the city of origin of the white wine Est.

Chilean Food or Columbian Food?

Traditional Chilean food is a mixture of the various cultures due to a lot of immigrants. The traditional Chilean food includes various uses of corn from the native Amerindians, as well as ingredients from Germany, Italy, Spain and the Middle East.
Te con Leche is a mixture of the British tea brought to Chile late 1800s. Ever since then, Chileans drink hot tea with milk regularly and have adopted teatime into their culture.
Chilean Salad is popular, traditional side dish served with many meals. It is made with onions and tomatoes that are chopped and mixed with oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cilantro.

Pastel de Choclo is a traditional pie made from corn, meats and vegetables from various European immigrants, and spices from Arab cooking.
Humitas are snacks made from a corn paste that is mixed with onions and herbs and then wrapped in a corn husk.

A popular dessert in Chile is the rice pudding, as are Italian icees introduced in the 1800s that are flavored with Chilean fruits.

In Columbia, the traditional food comprise fried sliced plantains, called tostones, and the main ingredients of The Columbian cuisine are: the coconut and coconut oil, cassava, bananas, plantains, corn and beans and for meat: peccary, tapirs, deer, turtles, monkeys, ants (served as a special dish named culonas) and most birds are eaten.
The meat is cooked in the Columbian traditional way, each piece of meat being stuffed with garlic, carrots, onions and pieces of bacon. First the stuffed roast will be simmered and then roasted until it is tender and all the flavors have spread throughout the meat. Apart from burgers, fries, beef and pork, Columbian also love donuts, cinnamon coffee, Columbian pecan dainties.

Guinea Pig meal is Cuy and is a traditional dish in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. It was a staple of the diet of the Inca Empire, and it still enjoyed in mainly indigenous communities in the Andean highlands.

Pipian is another common dish in Central America and northern South America, and, generally, is a thick paste made of crushed boiled potatoes, onion, tomoato, garlic, red pepper, achiote (a local spice), ground peanuts and chopped hard-boiled egg. It may include ground beef, cinnamon or other ingredients and spices. Once a thick paste is made, the pipián is usually deep fried in a folded-over bit of dough to make empanadas. It can also be mixed with cornmeal, chopped pork, lard and some other ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled or steamed to make tamales.

Fritanga is a popular meal throughout Colombia and refers to a heaping plate of meat, which may include chorizo sausage, blood sausage, ribs, chops, steaks, organs such as heart or kidneys and more in any combination. It is generally fried in oil in a deep saucepan and served with potatoes and/or fried bananas.

Milan - a must

Milan is a combination of old and new, of art and tradition being a town with population of about 1,3 million people. Milan is a paradise for fashion, shopping, soccer, opera, and nightlife. Here are the several fashion brands: Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Armani and Dolce & Gabbana Art and history is everywhere in Milan. Milan has an ancient city center dating back to the roman times with many historic important buildings and palazzos. Milan is home to Italy’s stock exchange and the home of La Scala Opera and Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic “Last Supper” fresco.

Milan has also an impressive history, the celts being the first people to inhabit the place, but the uprise of the city was an event resulting as a consequence of the Roman dominion. Milan became the capital of the Western Roman Empire in the 3rd century AD. The city is also famous as to its ancient importance as the place where the Edict of Milan, granting freedom of religion for Christians, was pronounced. Milan made its way through as an important trade cross point in the Middle Ages, but the Renaissance and the Modern Era brought to the city the fame of cultural hub. The historic role of Milan was once again substantiated when the city became the main center of resistance against Germans during World War Two.

Milanese cuisine, being part of the Italian cuisine, is highly recommended as priority when arriving in Milan. Besides restaurants serving international dishes, Milan hosts a great number of establishments where local courses are prepared. It is known that rice is chosen over pasta, and the fact that the main course is risotto alla milanese is relevant in this respect. The cotoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet fried in butter) and the Milanese salami are yet other proud representatives of Milanese cuisine. The desserts has a royal place with the ice cream and cassata there is the traditional original Milanese Panettone.

Obikà - www.obika.it - is a new restaurant concept which centers its offering on the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, together with the research of recipes and artisanal products typical of the Italian tradition and characterized by very high quality. The products are prepared “in sight” and served by drawing inspiration from traditional sushi bars and finger food style. Guardian said about Obika: "Nothing at Obikà will be more than 30 hours old, and includes other Italian rarities", The Independent: “Buffalo Charge. Mozzarella is the new sushi.”

Chinese Food - tradition and art

Chinese food is very popular in SUA as a catering service or served in restaurants. It is a unique, tasty and very common cuisine with main ingredients: chinese rice, soya sauce and noodles and fish. Chinese rice or noodles with vegetables, fish or meat, being very spicy. In South China rice is dominant and in the north, wheat based products are dominant. Soup (with some wheat based product) is usually served at the end of the meal, but the western world influenced the chinese cuisine to serve soups at the start of a meal.

As everybody knows, the chinese are famous for their unusual eating method: two chopsticks. The chinese cuisine uses raditional chopsticks made of ceramics and not with regular wooden chopsticks. The Chinese dishes are especially made in small pieces in order to make eating with chopsticks a lot easier.

In China, a lot of people eat without meat, so they adopted the vegetarian style. The chinese people have allowed themselves to became vegetarian because of an incredible thing called: Tofu. Chinese kitchens use Tofu as a replacement for meat in their meals because they say it is much more healthier. Tofu is also used to produce milk and cheese for those who are lactose intolerant.

Desserts in the Chinese Cuisine are not as common as they are in the West. Desserts are not commonly served in the chinese cuisine, but instead sweet foods are served during the meal: sweet and sour chicken, sweet and sour pork, sweet duck etc. The prefered sweets in the chinese cuisine are based on fruits: the most popular being banana and apple, exotic fruits or rice.

Fried Rice is a very popular dish in the chinese cuisine from over centuries. It is used as a home dish from around 4000 BC. Fried rice in the past was made from cold leftover rice which is then fried with other leftover ingredients. Today fried rice is made with fresh ingredients and usually served before the dessert. Fried rice have dozens of varieties, each one with their own unique list of ingredients. Fried rice with sweetcorn, with seafood, with shrimps, with prawns, with carrots and onions etc. Yuanyang Fried Rice is topped with two different types of sauce, usually a savory white sauce, and a red sauce based on tomatoes.
Thai Fried Rice is topped with a special sauce made by a combination of fish sauce, lime, cliantro and black pepper beef , vegetables , squid, muscles , prawns , shrimps , sweetcorn.

Sausages in the Italian Cuisine

Having lunch or dinner in Italy, in a restaurant or in a trattoria ( a family-run restaurant), means to engage in a 2 hours tour of specialties, very tasty, creamy, ingredient-based or oven cooked.

Italy cuisine numbers almost 200 kinds of cheese, including the famous Parmigiano Reggiano, and 300 types of sausages and are sold in the huge open markets, specific to Italy.

Italian Sausage and Mushrooms Ragu

1 large onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
30 g olive oil
400 g Italian sausage
150 ml white wine
300 g white mushrooms, chopped
300 g tomatoes puree

Put the mushrooms into boiled water for 30 minutes, dry it and chop it.
Put the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes. Break the sausage into small pieces, add it to the vegetable mixture, cook until lightly browned, add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the wine is evaporated. Add the tomato puree and turn to low heat and cook, for 1 hour.Serve over pasta.

Sausage and Zucchini Pasta

650 g Italian sausage
20 ml olive oil
400 g diced tomatoes, undrained
75 ml beef broth
2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
270 g sliced zucchini
150 g grated Parmesan cheese

Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and addthe sausages cut into small pieces. Cook the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.Pour the drippings out of the skillet. Add the tomatoes, the beef broth, and pasta to the skillet. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring frequently.Stir in zucchini; cook another 5 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Add the sausage to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and and heat.

Sausage Portobello Pizzas
3 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
300 g Italian sausage
75 g chopped canned artichoke hearts
8-10 black olives, sliced
100 g shredded mozzarella cheese
100 ml marinara sauce
Dried oregano
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the mushroom caps, stem side up, on a baking sheet. Add the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and the sausage. Break up and brown the sausage, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the artichokes and olives and mix together. Remove the mushrooms from the oven.Top each with a layer of marinara sauce.Add the sausage mixture and sprinkle with oregano. Top each pizza with some mozzarella cheese.Return to the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes.

Norwegian cuisine - unique

Norway has its own tradition regarding the food way of preparation and serving.
Certain types of Norwegian food frequently are part of a holiday tradition. In Norway, the holiday meals include some type of fish, primarily cod, and lamb often is eaten. Norway is well known for its Lutefisk and Rommegrot, a sweetened sour cream porridge, eaten on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The food differ from one season to another seasons and the food can be bought anytime from a street vendor.

Lutefisk
The first thing representing the Norwegian food is Lutefisk. Made of dried fish--usually cod-- soaked in lye of potash and water, Lutefisk is either loved or hated, with no in between. Not a particularly attractive food with its white mushy gelatin texture, it is still a popular traditional Christmas food loved by Norway's people. It is usually eaten \with peas or potatoes.

Rommegrot
Rommegrot is a delicious dish made from sour cream flour and milk and for Norway it has been a favorite food for hundreds of years. It seems the Vikings are created this special dish and in our days, it is a Christmas Eve favorite and traditionally served with butter, milk and sugar.

Polse i lompe
Polse i lompe is very similar to the American hotdog. But not quite. Instead of being served on a bun, the sausage is wrapped in a potato tortilla type pancake. People also serve it at cookouts and barbecues. Favorite condiments include mustard and ketchup and the less familiar prawn mayonnaise.

Farikal
Farikal is a very renown Norway dish on the Norwegian dinner table, more in the colder days. Farikal is mainly a mutton or lamb and cabbage stew and, yes, it is a national dish in Norway. Farikal is usually made with water, but occasionally the Norwegian cook will use dark beer instead in this traditional autumn stew. It is a strong dish made in cold days and could resist a few days in order to be served.

Torrfisk
Torrfisk is based on a specific process of drying fish, usually cod. According to Norway.org the Torrfisk or dried fish as food is falling out of favor since there are so many fresh fish readily available. The original way of drying the fish was to hang it from long poles. Today the fish is dried in large, thermostat-controlled rooms and is a huge industry of exporting it. Some of it is kept and sold on holidays to use in making Lutefisk and some parts are prepared as snacks.

Food Traditions in Hawaii

Visiting Hawaii means trying the traditional dishes, unique in the entire world. This is due to the fact that Hawaii is such a melting pot of cultures from around the world, with influences from the Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Samoan, Thai, Vietnamese and others.

Here are the most famous and delicious meals of Hawaii.

Poke
Poke or poki is a raw fish salad that is traditionally part of many Hawaiian meals. Poke is made from ahi tuna, and is traditionally dressed with seaweed, nuts, sesame oil and soy sauce.

Laulau
Lalau is a mixture of pig, packets of vegetables and other proteins stuck in the pit to roast during luaus. Laulau can also refer to a Hawaii entree made with pork and wrapped in taro leaves to form a bundle or made with chicken or butterfish.

Poi
Poi is the most spread meal and is composed of purple-colored paste made from the taro root, a starchy staple on the islands. Poi is actually considered significant spiritually, as it represents Haloa, which are the spirits of the chief's ancestors and the native Hawaiian people. Poi is a sacred meal.

Pig
Today, tourists see whole pigs being roasted around the island. Traditionally, though, pig was only eaten by royalty, while the general public ate forms of protein such as dog, fish and birds. Pigs are, however, a central part of one of the most popular meals in Hawaii--the luau. Luaus, or Hawaiian community feasts, are centered on an imu, which is a shallow pit lined with hot stones to cook food. The traditional way to cook a pig is whole and wrapped in layers of banana leaves and ginger leaves before being put into the pit and covered with earth. Today, however, many luaus for tourists feature a pig being roasted in the open. At one time, it was forbidden for men and women to eat at a luau together, but luckily, those rules changed in the early 1800s.

Haupia
One of the most popular desserts at traditional Hawaiian meals is haupia. This dessert is made with coconut milk, which is heated and mixed with arrowroot until it thickens into a gelatinous consistency.

Huli-Huli Chicken
Hawaii's own version of barbecued chicken is cooked with Huli-Huli Sauce (made with pure Hawaiian brown sugar cane along with soy sauce, fresh ginger and more).

Ecuador and the traditional cuisine

The typical regional Ecuadorian specialities are separated through the regions.
So, for the sierra part of Ecuador, the traditional meals are based on potatoes, sweetcorn, cheese and avocadoes. Typical dishes include llapingachos, delicious little fried patties of mashed potato and cheese, often served with a fried egg, avocado, and beetroot and sometimes sausage or pork as well. Locro is a filling potato and cheese soup. Fritada, lumps of deep fried pork, are served with a cold beer and with mote (a type of boiled corn) and a salad of tomato and onion.

Guinea pig prepared named "cuy", is a famous and traditional dish in the highlands, often reserved for special occasions as they are not cheap. The guinea pigs are bred for the table, they are not pets, and they taste delicious, though there is not actually a lot of meat on them. You´ll need to eat them with your fingers to get at all the crispy skin and tasty meat, so make sure there´s somewhere to wash your hands before settling on the location for your cuy experience.

In the northeast of Quito, in Cayambe, the Ecuador regional speciality, bizcochos, a type of buttery biscuit which you can watch being baked in traditional wood-fired oven, and dairy products.

Typical Ecuador dishes in the coastal part use local ingredients such as plantain (savoury banana), yuca (a type of yam), coconut and rice. There are also a wide variety of subtropical and tropical fruits (papaya, pineapple, starfruit and many more) though these do not often appear on restaurant menus other than as fresh juices.

Encebollados are a wonderful local food, not well known outside of Ecuador. It consist of seafood in a tangy, tomatoey soup with mashed yuca, onion and coriander. Add plenty of lemon juice and pepper and popcorn, toasted maize or fried slices of plantain. Encebollados make a surprisingly good breakfast.

The seafood is plenty in Ecuador and has different ways to be cooked. Esmeraldas province, in the north, is rightly famous for its fantastic "encocados" - fish or prawns in a rich coconut sauce, usually served with rice and patacones. Encocados are difficult to find outside of Esmeraldas, but are possibly Ecuador´s finest traditional dish. Seafood boiled or marinated in lime or lemon juice with chilli and onion, is perhaps the most famous traditional dish of Ecuador, usually served with popcorn.

Sushi

Sushi is the international mark of the Japanese cuisine. Sushi is a typical Japanese food with over a thousand years of history and tradition. Basically, sushi consists of cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar that is shaped into bite-sized pieces and topped with raw or cooked fish, or formed into a roll with fish, egg, or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed.
Sushi is 1800 years old, a surprisingly long period of time. It was first mentioned in China in the second century A.D. Originally, sushi arose out of a way of preserving food. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to ferment, being able to be kept for a long time. The rice was thrown away and the fish was eaten when needed or wanted.

From China spread to Japan by the seventh century, in Japan seafood has historically been a staple. The Japanese, began to eat the rice with the fish fro mthe sushi. Only in the 17th century, the rice was added rice vinegar which increase the fermentation process and the sushi was eaten immediately, instead of waiting the months it might normally take to prepare the ‘sushi.’

In the early 19th century, sushi has change its shape. no longer wrapping the fish in rice, he placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice. Today, this style is called nigiri sushi(finger sushi) or “edomae sushi” (from Edo, the name of Tokyo at the time) and is now the common way of eating Japanese sushi.
Sushi, the artful dining experience once uniquely Japanese, has now evolved to another level beyond the traditional Japanese methods. Western influences have given rise to new styles of sushi, such as California rolls and the many elaborate ‘fusion’ creations at upscale sushi restaurants.

Obika Mozzarella Bar http://www.obika.it , translated is "here it is" in the Neapolitan dialect, offers mozzarella in different ways in the sushi bar style. The restaurant specializes in small, sampling portions of the soft white cheese, which tastes different depending on where it's from. Now there are Obika mozzarella bars in London, Kuwait City, Tokyo, Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome, and Manhattan. Obika gets mozzarella three times a week from dairies around the town of Latina in southern Lazio and from Paestum in Campana. Pasteurized to prolong the shelf life of a cheese best kept in liquid at about 60 degrees, Obika's mozzarella is never more than 4 days old. Rich in calcium, high in protein and lactic flora substances, and with a high vitamin and mineral salt content, Mozzarella di Bufala offered by Obika is highly nutritional. Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is a fresh product, rich of live lactic ferments, nutritious and highly digestive.

Wines in the regions of Italy

Italy is rich in many varietes of wines, differentiated by the region: Northeast regions; Northcentral and Northwest regions; Central regions; The South and Islands.

The North-East Italy

The regions included in the North-East part of Italy are: Venezie, Trentino Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia and the wines produced here are more whites : Soave, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Tocai and rose and less reds. The determinant quality factor in all three regions is the climate influenced by the Alps.
In Trentino-Alto Adige red wines prevail, dominated by the ubiquitous Shiava or Vernatsch, though the more distinguished Teroldego, Lagrein and Marzemino hold their own against Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Nero. The emrging favourites, however, are the white Chardonnay, Pinots and Sauvignon.
Here is held the most important festival of Wine – Vinitaly – every year in spring in Verona.

North-Central and North-West

Here, due to a vary landscape, the wine differs and include Barolo or Lambrusco.

Emilia-Romagna contributes heavily with the fourth largest output among regions after Apulia, Sicily and the Veneto. Piedmont stands tall in the quality field with the most DOC or DOCG zones of any regions, as well as the most classified vineyards, even though it ranks only seventh in overall production. Piedmont wine types includes Barbera, Dolcetto, Grignolino, Freisa, Cortese, Arneis, Brachetto, the Canelli clone of Moscato (for Asti Spumante) and Nebbiolo.

Valle d'Aosta, the smallest region, produces by far the lowest volume of wine from its rocky slopes. Liguria, with little space for vines between the mountains and the Mediterranean, is second from the last in production, offering wines that are rarely more than esoteric.
The vines of Valle d'Aosta often have French names - Petit Rouge, Gros Vien, Blanc de Valdigne, for instance - due to the Savoyard history of the region. Liguria favours the local Rossese, Pigato and Vermentino, while working with its own version of Dolcetto, known as Ormeasco.

Lombardy, with a high density of population do not produce a high quantity of wines, but is renown for the Pinot vines in the southern Oltrepo.

Emilia-Romagna is a generous region of wines like Barbera, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Sauvignon.


Central Italy

Central Italy includes the most wine productive regions Tuscany, Latium and landlocked Umbria and in east: the Marches, Abruzzi and Molise. Viticulture on the Tyrrhenian side is dominated by the dark-skinned Sangiovese and the lightskinned Trebbiano and Malvasia. In Tuscany, the most powerful wine is Chianti. White Malvasia reigns in Rome's region of Latium.

South Italy and Islands

Wines like Aglianico, Greco, Malvasia, Gaglioppo and Moscato are tyipically produced in this part of Italy.

Our recommendation: www.osteriatornabuoni.it
Osteria Tornabuoni is not just a restaurant but also a delicatessen and food counter, a wine-shop and a fine cellar. Here you will be able to find the specialities of Tuscan tradition combined with selected French Champagne and home brews, to savour and enjoy in the Osteria’s warm atmosphere.

Greek Drinks

Greek cuisine is a typical Mediterranean cuisine and is the cuisine of Greece. The Greek cuisine has as main ingredients the olive oil and the olives, the vegetables and the herbs, the cheese and the yoghurt, the grains and bread, the wine, various fish species and various meats, including poultry, rabbit and pork and has strong influences of the Italian and Turkish cuisines. As per the Greek desserts, the most common are based on use of nuts and honey and pastry.

Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes, typically served in the Mediterranean and Middle East with wines or anise-flavored liqueurs as ouzo or homemade tsipouro. It contains different salads using eggplants, letuce, tomatoes, cow cheese, sheep cheese, fried sausages, meatballs, garlic bread, fava beans, fried vegetables and seafood dishes.

Ouzo starts by distilling 96 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) pure ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (or 96 percent pure ethyl alcohol in which 0.05 percent natural anethole has been added) in copper stills together with anise and coriander, cloves, and cinnamon.

The precursor of ouzo is tsipouro.
Tsipouro is a distilled alcoholic beverage, more precisely a pomace brandy, from Greece. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol by volume and is produced from the pomace (the remaining parts of the wine press). In other areas of Greece, the name raki is used.

Another specialty is the Greek coffee with its unique flavour and aroma.
Greek coffee is easy to make and it can be made in 4 different ways. First, measure the required cups of water into a pot named briki and it is recommendable to make 3-4cups of coffee one time. The measure should be one of the cups that the coffee is going to be served in.

The Greek Coffee can be strong and without sugar at all named sketos, or a medium coffee with one measure of sugar named metrios, or more sweet coffee named glykys and the last type is a coffee boiled for more minutes and named glykys vrastos. Any kind of coffee you prefer, you must add into the briki the coffee, a teaspoonful of coffee per cup, and the sugar.

For a medium coffee the best balance is to add the same amount of sugar as coffee. And, for the Greek traditional cuisine, the briki has to be put on a low heat and stir its contents a little, until the coffee is diluted in the water. Hold the briki by the handle all the time as it boils so quickly and spills everywhere. Watch it starting to rise with a bubbly foam. Let it rise until it reaches the lips of the briki and then immediately withdraw from the heat. Once the coffee has been made, let it stand for one minute to allow the coffee grounds to settle at the bottom of the briki. Pour a little in each cup, to distribute the froth in all the cups. Then proceed and just fill them up to the brim.

Greek coffee is never stirred once it has been made and served and is drunk slowly. Serve it together with a glass of cold water.

Slovak food tradition

The typical Slovak food & drinks should be tasted by each visitor of Slovakia, the cuisine is diversified and rich in ingredients like potatoes, wheat flour, cow and sheep cheese, cabbage, onions and garlic are the bases of the traditional food in Slovakia. You will often encounter beans, corn, lentils and other vegetables. Also a lot of fruit (apple, pear, peach, apricot, cherry, plum, grape, orange, kiwi, grapefruit, banana, etc.). Pork, beef, chicken and fish are the most popular meats. Less frequently one will be offered lamb, goose, duck, turkey or venison.

Bread is very important in the nutrition and it is served almost to each daily meal in Slovakia.

Halusky, similar to the Italian pasta: Gnocchi, is the most famous dish of Slovakia and part of Slovakia’s culture and it is made of elementary ingredients and it is very quick and simple to prepare. Contains sheepe cheese, potatoes, eggs and flour.
Also, a very common dish is the fried fish and is part of the Christmas Dinner in Slovakia being based on fish mixed up with eggs, bread crums and flour, all fried.
The potatoes salad is a vegetable salad and is used like a side dish to the fried fish in the evening at the Christmas Dinner. It is made of potatoes, onions, sweet peas, carrots, eggs, paprika and mayonaise made in home.

Kapustnica or cabbage soup is a traditional Slovak Christmas meal. Kapustnica can be prepared in a lot of ways (ingredients, length of cooking, etc.), it differs from region to region. In some regions, Kapustnica may contain smoked meat, sausages and mushrooms, in some regions it is much simpler soup. Those prepared for special holidays are also different. For example, Vianocna Kapustnica (Christmas Cabbage Soup) is cooked without meat, it is thickened with white plain halusky, cream and potatoes.

And Paska is a Slovak traditional Easter meal. The name came from Jewish feast called pesach and from the greek version of the word pascha, which states for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. White cake Paska is baked on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday mornings and worn together with eggs, ham, sausages, cheese and other foods to sanctify the in the church. Preparation and consumption of Paska had a popular ritual nature – its size and successful baking symbolized good future. It is a tradition of Eastern Slovaks.
On Easter, the Slovakia people are serving as a traditional dish also the Easter Cheese and, of course, the lentil soup.

Malaysian Food

The diversity of the Malay traditional food is spread all over the coasts: on the west coast, the northern states are well known for their hot, spicy food, the central part by its rich gravy and the southern states by their thick and sour spicy sauces. The east coast states has a traditional food based on sweet dishes, but rich fare with glutinous rice.

It is good to know the Malaysian meals are cooked over ancient-styled oven or stove, stirred with traditional utensils, packed or served in tropical edible leaves, eaten using the hand. The basic ingredients are rice, coconut milk and oil. Other ingredients used are mainly rice, rice flour, glutinous rice and its flour, yam, tapioca, sago, sweet potato,molasses, palm sugar and the ubiquitous coconut, prepared in its many forms. And of course the local herbs and spices! Many, many types of them and they are used in large quantities. Good cooks are never afraid to use large amount of these spices.

Some reknown items are pulut inti (steamed glutinous rice with sweet coconut topping), boiled tapioca served with grated coconut, nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk) and various sweet and savory dainty Malay cakes (kuih-muih), the fish crackers (keropok -- made with sago and fish, prawns or other seafood) are popular snacks. There are several types of keropok, the more common ones are dried before frying but keropok lekor which originates from the East Coast were boiled before frying.

The Malaysian dessers are based on fruits, bananas, coconut; crepe-like delights like "lempeng" are made with bananas, molasses and garnished with coconut shaving. Coconut leaves are weaved to make the case for ketupat (rice cakes). Tapioca are finely grated and used to make delicious sweet cakes which are baked in a tin over and under smoldering coconut husks.

If we refer to Malaysian drinks, tapai is fermented glutinous rice or tapioca, and the old ways of fermenting is used to make tapai and tuak. Tuak is a mild alcoholic drink made by "strengthening" the juice resulted when making the tapai. And do not forget "nira". Nira is made by collecting the nectar of coconut flowers. The nectar drips slowly into short bamboo tumblers tied around the the top of coconut trees. The drink is really, really sweet. By cooking nira slowly, it would turn into thick palm sugar.

And, of course, all the foods are eaten by hands, this is the ritual in Malaysia.

Prosciutto and the Italian taste

Prosciutto is a subject I have written before. But there is always something to say about the prosciutto and the Italians. Italian prosciuttos are all labeled according to their cities of origin, such as prosciutto di Modena or prosciutto di Veneto, having slightly different colors, textures and flavors.
It is recommended to serve prosciutto as it is, accompanied by crusty country bread and Italian cheeses. It can be served also with melon slices, figs, breadsticks or asparagus.
Some receipts with prosciutto are the following:

Prosciutto Pasta Mediterranean

1/2 cup Onion
1 cup Tomato
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Parsley
1 1/2 cups Parmesan Cheese
1/4 pound Prosciutto
1 pound Pasta
Lemon, Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Mint, Basil
Chop and cook the onion in olive oil, add the tomato and cook a few minutes longer. Add then the milka and the lemon and pepper. Add the pasta to the milk mixture. Toss it while adding the herbs. Add the cheese and the prosciutto. The mixture will thicken when adding the cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy.


Pasta with Prosciutto and Mushrooms

4 Cups Penne Pasta
1/2 Pound Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
10 Slices Prosciutto, chopped
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, minced
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

In heated olive oil, add the onion to the olive oil and cook, stirring constantly until tender which takes about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk, whole milk and lemon zest. Cook for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat and put a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender which takes about 8 minutes. When the pasta is done, return the skillet to medium heat. Mix the sauce along with the prosciutto, basil, parsley, mint and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Toss the pasta in the sauce until the cheese has melted and a light sauce is covering the noodles.


Prosciutto with Cauliflower

I Large Cauliflower
50 g Butter
Fine Bread Crumbs
2 Slices Prosciutto
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
2 Tablespoons Flour
3/4 Cup Milk
3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1 Garlic Clove
Sea Salt

Chop in small pieces the cauliflower. Cook the florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 6 minutes or until the florets are tender. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter. Add the bread crumbs and stir to coat with butter. Season with the salt. Cook, stirring, until the bread crumbs are golden brown which takes about 5 minutes. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Add the flour and whisk to blend. Cook for 1 minute, then add the milk, broth, bay leaf and garlic. Whisk constantly until it comes to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook 8 to 10 minutes, scraping sides of pan with a spatula occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and garlic. Cut florets in half or quarters and arrange them in a buttered low-sided oval baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Tear the prosciutto into shreds and scatter over the sauce. Top with the cheese, then with the bread crumbs. Bake in the bottom shelf in the over until browned which takes about 30 minutes.

Tomato Sauce

Usually, a tomato sauce is composed of tomatoes, olive oil and condiments, basically. And is added to the dish as a sauce or incorporated as an ingredient. Tomato sauces are common for meat and vegetables, pizza and pasta.
For a rich tomatoes suace, it can be added garlic, onions, basil, parsley, oregano, wine, red or black pepper.

In countries such as Australia, New Zealand and in Southern Africa, the term tomato sauce is used to describe a condiment similar to that known in the USA as ketchup. In Britain, both terms are used for the condiment.

The centre of the Italian cuisine could be considered the tomato sauce. But it was not everytime in this way. Though the tomato was introduced from the Spanish New World to European botanists in the 16th century, tomato sauce made a surprisingly late entry in Italian cuisine.

Outside Italy, the role of tomato sauce has been quite exaggerated: many people know little of Italian cuisine beyond pasta with tomato sauce. Italian varieties of tomato sauce range from Pasta Puttanesca sauce, seasoned with anchovies, capers, garlic, chilli peppers and black olives, to Bolognese sauce, a predominantly minced or ground meat sauce which normally contains a small-to-moderate amount of tomato.

A good sicilian tomato sauce is the following:

2 parts crushed tomatoes
2 parts diced tomatoes
¼ part plain tomato sauce
¼ part tomato paste
One big onion
One zucchini
4 – 6 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Basil
Oregano
Parsley
Sea salt

First of all, slice the onion andmix with the garlic chopped and the olive oil and place over medium heat. Cook for five to ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, but not brown. Mix all the tomatoes, sauce and crushed tomatoes, chop the zucchini and add as well allowing the mixture to come to a boil. Add the basil, oregano, parsley, and the salt, stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for at least two hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta or use in your favorite Italian dishes. Top with grated mozzarella or pecorino siciliano cheeses!

Bon apetit!

Mexican or Turkish?

When I go out to have a traditional dish, I always find hard to decide between Mexican and Turkish.

Mexican food is very popular around the world due to its long tradition, great taste, healthy ingredients and numerous spices and flavors and I do not refer here to the American Tex-Mex food is usually rich in fat and calories and very different to the original Mexican food. Traditional Mexican food is low on fat and calories but at the same time very rich on vitamins and minerals.

Studying a little the history of the Mexican food, I know that a culinary legacy from the Aztec was the chocolate, and I love it, but also: corn – based dishes, rattlesnakes, iguanas, avocado, guava, papaya, tomato, vanilla, maize, squash, turkey and so on. I searched to some famous Mexican restaurants to find iguana served for diner, but no success. In the old times, it was a famous Mexican dish, but in the present there are many spices and ingredients that originate from the Aztecs and other native people of Mexico. And yes, do not forget, the Spanish influence to the Mexican food: rice, beef, pork, garlic, wine.
I love the original Mexican tortilla with a bit of chips, I know there are no low fat calories, but I do not exaggerate.

When going out in a Turkish restaurant I always enjoy the yoghurt-based dishes: patlican salatasi, a blend of roasted aubergine, yoghurt and dolmades and olive oil.
And, of course, the kebab as main course, a large portion of meat grilled on a skewer, regularly flavored with fenugreek and sumac.

Not very often, I order also the fish dishes, but there are not so tasty as the Turkish kebabs, in my opinion. If you have a sweet tooth, Turkish desserts are rich and delicious. Firin sutlac is a version of rice pudding, baked with sugar, cream, orange essence and rose water. There are also plentiful of sweetmeats which include the legendary baklava layered in filo pastry, and stuffed with pistachios or almond paste sheered in syrup. Turkish dishes are very popular in the capital and as the public's love affair for Turkish cuisine carries on, more Turkish restaurants are spring up all around London on a regular basis.


I should try the Lebanese cuisine, my friends are highly recommend me. I understand the foods are generally Mediterranean, high on vegetables, little meat and full of flavors. Perhaps the most famous dish worldwide is the appetizer mezze – a selection of dips, pickles, salads and nibbles with Arabic bread. But I go more for the fruits, fresh fish and seafood and for the Arabic sweets

Taste of the international cuisines

I like to travel a lot and to try different traditional cuisines. I like the symphonies of flavor, the most colorful dishes and the tasties bites.

I am in love with the Italian Cuisine. Being one of the oldest traditional cuisine in the world, the Italian cuisine can be traced back to the 4th century BC. In its first ages, the Italians had pasta, pizza, but along with the discovery of the New World, the Italian cuisine was enriched with potatoes, tomatoes pepper or maize on the list of ingredients. An Italian meal is structured into several sections: antipasto (the appetizer), primo (pasta or rice dish), secondo (meat course), dolce (dessert). Italy is famous for the type of cheese, especially mozzarella, for the prosciutto and the variety of wines.


Not on the first place, but on the second is the Chinese Cuisine.
In the present, more likely in USA and England, Chinese cuisine is now eaten by a third of the world’s population every day. The cuisine is easy to create, economical and tasty. At each meal, in a restaurant or in a friendly home, every person at the table is given a bowl of rice while the other dishes are shared by everyone at the table. The dishes I like are based on chicken and fish, no dog, please.

Due to the spicy taste, I enjoy the Mexican Cuisine. Most of the Mexican food of our days is a delicious mixture of ancient traditions, Aztec, Mayan and Spanish. The French also had their part in the story, adding baked goods such as sweet breads and the bolillo. I like the classic receipts, but there are also exotic options for your menu, such as iguana, insects, rattlesnake, deer and even spider monkey.

I don’t like the French cuisine, although I know is very reknown and loved by a lot of tourists, I only eat rarely some special French cheese…. And nothing about Thai cuisine, because I can’t eat shrimp paste and noodles, strange taste and I am positive I will not try the deep fried insect larvae which is mostly present in the Northeast Thailand, where eating insects in fairly common.

And yes, I remembered, I also have some special dishes I like to serve from the Indian Cuisine. I like more the Indian cuisine of South, East and West because the foods are mostly vegetarian, but many include lamb, goat, chicken meat and even fish. Indian cuisine is usually very spicy so in order to enjoy the food, start slowly.

Special Desserts in Italy

Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is an Italian creamy dessert. Panna Cotta is a dessert made with fresh fruits sauce: strawberries, kiwis or mango and has a jelly consistency, based on heavy cream and cream caramel. It is a perfect dessert for the hot summers.

Torta di Mele

Torta di Mele is an usual apple cake, but more succulent having also some pine nuts near the apples. It is a dessert you can order in almost each Italian cafeteria.

Tiramisù

Tiramisu is literally “Pick me up” and is a new culinary discovery from the 1980s.
At home in Italy, people will often use raw eggs, beating the yolks with the sugar and mascarpone, then folding the whites in very gently.

Budino cremoso

Traditionally is an Italian crème caramel, “budino”, and is made in a large mould, not little individual moulds. It makes for a more spectacular sight when it it served and contains lemon juice and orange juice.

Schiacciata con l’Uva

A very special and unique dessert is made in Tuscany. The Tuscan Grape Cake is a complex-flavoured but simple cake receipt and it is only made for a few week a year, when the small, sweet, seedy red grapes are around (many are “gleaned” in the vineyards after the harvest).

Mozzarella di Bufala – trademark of Italy

Mozzarella di Bufala is one of the rich and flavour cheese in the world. Campana іѕ thе region іn Italy whеrе thіѕ cheese originated.

Mozzarella di Bufala has its origin in Italy, having a unique texture, being made frοm thе Asian water buffalo.

Mozzarella has a very old history. In Italy, buffalo has attested first presence between the XII and the XIII century.

The term “mozzarella” comes from a production method and step where cheese are portioned by hand ( “mozzate” according to the Campania dialect of Italy)
Mozzarella di Bufala is the only one that have the distinctive musk taste coming from the swamps where cow buffalo uses to graze.

The buffalo milk is too rich and with a strange taste to be eaten with cereals or to be drunk. Bυt іt іѕ perfect fοr mаkіng mozzarella. Thіѕ cheese offers a high amount οf minerals A аnd B, protein, calcium, аnd fаt tο those whο eat іt. Thе mozzarella hаѕ thеѕе nutritional qualities bесаυѕе thе animals graze οn grass.

Italy іѕ now well known throughout thе world аѕ thе origin fοr thіѕ type οf mozzarella. In fact, thіѕ country’s mozzarella іѕ ѕο desired bу people thаt Italy obtain an important revenue by selling thourgh the world the original Mozzarella din Bufala.

Buffalos are accustomed to living especially in damp and marshy zones, even if today, some ancestral behaviours have been modified by modern cattle-breeding.
The hydrologic disorder and the turn into a swamp of a lot of coastal areas of the peninsula created the favorable conditions to the diffusion of the breeding of the buffalos which started his expansion in Campania, in Puglia, in Calabria, in Lazio and in Marche.

Rich in calcium, high in protein and lactic flora substances, and with a high vitamin and mineral salt content, mozzarella di Bufala is highly nutritional.
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is a fresh product, rich of live lactic ferments,nutritious and highly digestive. A good Mozzarella di Bufala dish you can find at Obika: www.obika.it

Obikà is a new restaurant concept which centers its offering on the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, together with the research of recipes and artisanal products typical of the Italian tradition and characterized by very high quality.

The products at Obika are prepared “in sight” and served by drawing inspiration from traditional sushi bars and finger food style.

Come and enjoy mozzarella din Bufala at Obika!

PASTA RECEIPTS

Penne with Prosciutto and Mushrooms

Ingredients:
200 ml chicken soup
150 g unsalted butter
50 g flour
1/2 package penne pasta
60 g thinly sliced prosciutto
200 g thinly sliced mushrooms
100 g Parmigiano cheese
Parsley leaves
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Directions:
Firstly, melt 50 g butter over low heat, add the flour and mix and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden. Add the chicken soup, salt, pepper and cook to low heat for about 2 minutes. This is the sauce.
Heat the olive oil, add the rest of the butter, stir in the prosciutto and cook, stirring, until softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mushrroms just begin to exude their juices, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper. Then add the sauce over mushroom mixture and blend well. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes..
3 – Cook pasta as per he package instructions, add the sauce and the mixture with the mushroom and the prosciutto, add on the top the Parmigiano cheese and the parsley leaves.


Linguine with Zucchini and Ricotta

Ingredients:
200 g sliced zucchini
4 garlic cloves sliced
200 g ricotta cheese
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Linguine

Directions:
Slice the zucchini in small pieces. Add olive oil over medium-high heat until haze forms, add the garlic for 1-2 minutes, remove the remove garlic and add the zucchini and fry until golden on both sides. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towel and add salt and pepper.
Cook linguine as mentioned on the package and mix the pasta with half of the fried zucchini and ricotta cheese. Place individual servings of pasta in bowls and place 3 or 4 slices of fried zucchini on top of each. Add ricotta on top of the cheese.


Fusilli Four Cheeses

Ingredients:
150 g butter
100 g ricotta cheese
100 g Gorgonzola cheese
100 g Fontina cheese
200 g Parmigiano cheese
200 g heavy cream
½ kg fusilli
White pepper
Salt
Parsley leaves

Directions:
Firstly, add the butter on a medium heat, add ricotta cheese, Gorgonzola and Fontina cheese and stir constantly until melted. Stir in the Parmigiano cheese, cream and pepper for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook fusilli as per the package instructions, mixed fusilli the cheese sauce and add the parsley leaves on the top

Aphrodisiacs in the Italian Kitchen

An usual dinner could be transformed into a romantic special meal. Want to make dinner really unforgettable? Toss a few of these classic (and not-so-classic) aphrodisiac ingredients into your romantic dinner menu to really get things heating up.

Asparagus – the advice is to eat asparagus for three days for the most powerful effect. The asparagus could be served boiled or steamed

Almond – represent the fertility throughout the ages. For a special evening, the almond paste called marzipan could be served on a fruity cake or in the shapes of fruits.

Caviar - contain a large amount of vitamins and phosphorous.

Carrots is reach in high vitamins and beta-carotene, is considered to be a stimulant to the male.

Celery - contains androsterone, a powerful male hormone. Celery has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac. It contains vitamins A, C, B, P and minerals. It is excellent for the muscles and liquefies the blood.

Coffee - caffeine is a well-know stimulant in small quantities. Coffee stimulates both the body and the mind.

Cucumbers – after a scientific research, it was demonstrated that women become aroused by the scent of cucumbers.

Figs – is thought of as sexual stimulant.

Mustard - stimulate the sexual glands and increase desire.

Nuts - walnuts, almonds or macadamias, nuts are symbols of fertility.

Onion – was commonly used as an aphrodisiac in ancient Greece. In the days of the Egyptians pharaohs, celibate priests were forbidden to eat onions because of the potential effects on their...er...psyches. Also in France, newlyweds were served onion soup on the morning after their wedding night to restore their libido.

Parsley - contains high amounts of vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium magnesium, phosphorus, iron and has aphrodisiac properties. Parsley was used as far back as the times of Hippocrates as a medicine believed to help to improve general health
Pasta - combined with a variety of meat and dairy products may increase seratonin levels, energy and desire.

Tomatoes - eaten in season are a very seductive food. Tomatoes are rich in the phytochemical lycopene which can help prevent prostate cancer.

Vanilla - the scent and flavor of vanilla is believed to increase lust. According to the Australian Orchid Society, "Old Totonac lore has it that Xanat, the young daughter of the Mexican fertility goddess, loved a Totonac youth. Unable to marry him due to her divine nature, she transformed herself into a plant that would provide pleasure and happiness." Fill tall Champagne glasses to the rim and add a vanilla bean for a heady, bubbly treat.

Prosciutto - delicious and unique

Prosciutto is the Italian name for ham and there are prosciutto crudo and prosciutto cotto.
Prosciutto crudo refers to uncooked prosciutto, and of course, prosciutto cotto is the cooked prosciutto.

Prosciutto di Parma is a superior ham is made from pigs on a special diet of chestnuts and whey. With a rosy-brown color, velvety texture and salty-sweet flavor, prosciutto is usually thinly sliced and eaten as an appetizer, but it can be used in cooked dishes as well.

Prosciutto is thinly sliced and most of the time it is served uncooked. These slices are very thin and are almost transparent. Prosciutto are wrapped around vegetables and fruits and served uncooked. Sometimes they are lightly cooked, specially, while preparing pasta recipes with prosciutto.

Prosciuttos is made based on high quality meat cuts selected and kept in a cool place for about 1 day, then washed and trimmed, and sea salt and spices are applied. This procedure is repeated for another 2 more months. Then, the meat is washed to remove the salt deposits on it. After washing, the slices are hung in a cool and breezy place and are left for curing. The duration for curing these prosciutto slices can be anywhere between 2 months to 2 years.

The Parma Festival of Prosciutto

The Parma Festival of Prosciutto will be hold from 10 to 19 September 2010.

It will be a uniqe opportunity to visit the area of production when the ham factories “open their windows” to consumers and take part in free tastings. And of course, everywhere will be gastronomy, shows and culture. Mountain bike rides, trekking, dancing evenings in the castles of the Dukedom, golf course competitions, initiatives for children with a “bread and ham snack” and many other activities.
Another unique moment will be a visit to the Parma Ham and Salami Museum (Museo del Prosciutto e dei Salumi di Parma), and also the Parma Ham tastings together with the best wines, planned for the whole area.
The Festival will end with a great party in Parma on Friday 17, Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September with tasting stands set up in the main squares of the city (Piazza Garibaldi, Piazza della Steccata and via Garibaldi) and a market exhibition of the local products. Saturday 18, at 5 pm, one of the most looked-forward-to moments of this 13th Festival: the charity auction that will be held in the splendid surroundings of Portici del Grano in Garibaldi Square.

A good prosciutto can only be served in Italy and I highly recommend Obika http://www.obika.it.

Pizza - an international phenomenon

Pizza is one of the food most common around the world. Italy is proud that its national dish has become an international phenomenon. The Italian pizza is different to the rest of the world. Pizza is a very popular dinner for Italians and for tourists, inexpensive and a lighter meal. Italian pizza is customarily baked yeast bread topped with cheese, tomato sauce or tomatoes and herbs. In simple words, a good pizza is a very simple dish based on fresh ingredients on a hand-tossed and thin crust.

Over the years, different thicknesses of crust have been introduced. Italian pizza can now commonly be found with hand-rolled medium thick crusts. . It may be baked in a traditional wood-fired oven or a common kitchen oven powered by gas or electricity.
Pizza, during the history, has inspired many writers and it's from their documents and notes that we know that pizza has truly old origins. Pizza was considered a peasant's meal in Italy for centuries. Pizza appeared in Naples for the first time, long before the discovery of the Americas. The pizza as we know it today was developed after the introduction of the tomato sauce original from the Andes. Pizza Margherita was the first type of pizza with topping every made.
According to historians Pizza Margherita was said to be very patriotic because it "resembled to the Italian flag" having green (basil), white (mozzarella), and red (tomatoes).
In 1830 what is believed to be "the world's first true pizzeria," Antica Pizzeria Port' Alba, opened. This pizzeria is still in business today at Via Port'Alba 18 in Naples!
The most authentic pizza is Pizza Napoletana (Neapolitan Pizza) made with fresh mozzarella, tomato home-made and fresh herbs. Truly great pizza dough is made only with flour, natural yeast or brewers yeast, salt and water. It must be kneaded by hand or mixers which do not cause the dough to overheat, and the dough must be punched down and shaped by hand.


In the latter half of the 19th century, pizza migrated to America with Italian immigrants. The first true U.S.A. pizzeria was opened in 1905 in New York City.
In the 1950's, in U.S.A., appeared the brand Pizza Hut and, also packaged pizzas to prepare at home from Chef Boyardee
Today, pizza is consistently within the top 3 foods eaten in Europe, but the highest consumption isin the U.S.A. Pizza consumption in the United States is estimated at 400 slices per second.

NDUJA - spreadable salami

The spreadable salami, also known as NDUJA and has its origins in Spilinga, a small village in the Monte Poro mountains.

In the Italian region of Monte Poro, spreadable salami is made using a mixture of ground pork meat salted with a great quantity of calabrian red chili pepper spicy, no additives or preservatives included.

This mixture is introduced in an animal natural lining.
The sausage is then slightly smoked and allowed to rest and season for several months. The taste of Nduja is unique, soft and hot, having a spreadable consistency. And the red pepper, meaning the culture and the tradition of Italy, is the key ingredient for the flavour of Nduja which contains high quality pepper, in a generous quantity. For this reason, someone not used to really spicy foods may have a bit of difficulty eating nduja,. For those who enjoy the taste of nduja, but would prefer less spice, nduja may be mixed with ricotta and then gently warmed in . Nduja is eaten on crusty breads or can also be used to season pasta, pizzas, or anything else that takes your fancy.

A good spreadable salami may serve at www.obika.it, having locations in New York, London, Kuwait City, Tokyo and in the major cities of Italy: Rome, Florence, Milan, Turin.

Obika is a restaurant specialized in small portions of the soft white cheese, which tastes different depending on the region.
And to be sure of the high level of quality, bellow are some notable feedbacks :

The New York Times
"Mozzarella's Moment. Obikà is Rome's and probably history's first mozzarella bar."

The Wall Street Journal
"At Obikà, mozzarella is treated with reverence a sushi chef reserves for yellowfin tuna."

Traveler
At Obikà you can enjoy the country'spremier mozzarella di bufala, brought in daily from prize producers near Naples and Salerno.

The Denver Post
"Hmm. Isn't Obikà a sushi bar in Osaka? No, Obikà (pronounced Oh-bee-KA) comes from obiccà, the word in the Neapolitan dialect meaning, "Here it is."

Financial Times
"It only takes a quick scan of the menu to set your stomach rumbling and your eyes darting around for a waiter."

Guardian
"Nothing at Obikà will be more than 30 hours old, and includes other Italian rarities"

The Independent
Buffalo Charge. Mozzarella is the new sushi.

Eating out In Italy

In Italy, having lunch or dinner means to have a lot of time to enjoy the taste of each plate. Italian are mostly famous for their pizzas and pasta, but there is more of it: some wonderful desserts, cheeses and a lot of varieties of wines.

Food in Italy is a means of spending quality time and bond with family and friends. Italian cuisine is about attention to detail that goes to making each dish just perfect. Italian food varies from region to region and are generally simple and straightforward to prepare. A few of the popular ingredients used in a lot of Italian recipes include potato, bell pepper and tomato. Cheese is considered a vital ingredient and is used in the majority Italian dishes.

BREAKFAST
In Italy, at breakfast, the Italian style start the morning. The Italian Breakfast is made of a cappuccino or coffee and milk and a sweet pastry, or simply espresso typically taken at a cafe or bar.

LUNCH
Traditionally in the countryside and small towns, lunch is the most important meal of the day, but times and habits are changing in some of the more popular tourist areas (for example, in the Chianti region of Tuscany).

Lunch usually consists of antipasto (starter) a primo piatto (pasta, rice or soup), a secondo piatto (meat or fish) with contorno (vegetable or salad), then frutta ( fresh fruit). Finish with espresso and maybe a grappa or amaro (strong digestive liqueur).
Sunday Lunch
Sunday lunch is a wonderful event in the countryside. It is traditionally a day out for the family following a visit to the local church or monument. It is a leisurely occasion where you take your time and linger over a digestivo and coffee for most of the afternoon. Many country restaurants have beautiful shady outdoor areas where you can eat and enjoy the scenery.

DINNER

Due to the custom of the Italians, many restaurants open for dinner between 7.00 and 9.30 p.m.. The dinner menu is usually quite an extensive one and similar to the important lunch menu. Pizza is many places is available only at dinner time.

Closing Day
A visit in Italy means also knowing that the restaurants in the cities, countryside and in small towns close one day a week. The closing day is Monday.The closing day is posted outside the restaurant and in some guidebooks.

Reservations
It is best to make reservations ahead of time for dinner before you go out for the day, or the day before. Arriving at a restaurant without a reservation, although it may appear to be empty, every table is reserved. Due to the long time spent on having dinner, 2-3 Hours, due to the fact that the meals are make after each order is take, the best is a reservation before.

Dining out in Florence

Ristorante Rossini

Strong, elegant, and inviting, Ristorante Rossini near the Ponte Vechio, serves creative Tuscan and Italian dishes made with fresh seasonal ingredients.
The imposing facade suggests the character of the charming luxury restaurant that overlooks the courtyard just behind the main door.
And it’s classic in the attention paid to detail, with a moderate use of wood and lighting. This moderation is reflected in the restaurant’s perfect layout and warm and friendly service.

Lungarno Corsini 4
Tel: (055) 239 9224.
Website: www.ristoranterossini.it


Osteria Torna Buoni

Osteria Torna Buoni offers a homely atmosphere from the front hall. The entrance starts with a corridor lined by two spectacular "bottleshelves" leads to the main hall the ancient covered wagon-court – a cosy, welcoming lounge dominated by a wide skylight.
The tables are set out along the walls with elegant shared "banquettes" and there is a central "island" of round tables.
The setting style is intentionally simple but elegant, in its shades of ecru linen and white china in soft contrast with the grey stone floor.
The wine-shop, located in the palace basement, offers a very spectacular setting: the anteroom is used as a pantry whilst the large cellar hall has an imposing table, where wine-connoisseurs can select and taste wines directly from the shelves or from the wine-list.
Osteria Tornabuoni offers an ad hoc wine-list, made up of exclusively Tuscan labels, where the only exceptions are some great Champagnes produced by small wineries and some selected home brews

Via de Corsi 5, 50123 Florence
Tel: +39 055 2773520
Website: www.osteriatornabuoni.it


Osteria Caffe Italiano

Osteria Caffe Italiano serves simple Tuscan dishes extremely well. Dark wooden cabinets groan with salamis and bottles of wine in the front room, while waiters (busy with platters of freshly sliced meats, lasagne, pork steaks, roasted vegetables and pecorino cheese) bustle about under the chandeliers in the large, vaulted dining room behind; there's an adjacent pizzeria, with simple yet brilliant choices that you can also take to go. On the downside, service can be slow.

Via Isola delle Stinche 11/13r, Florence
Tel: (055) 289 080 or 289 368.

Three delightful Italian recipes

I love the Italian recipes and the following I tried myself and are very tasty and easy to make:

Chicken Cacciatore

1 chicken
1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion
3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup white wine
oregano
basil
Brown chicken in oil. Add onion and cook until tender but not brown. Add everything else except wine. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add wine and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove garlic before serving.

Italian Chocolate Cake

450 g good quality chocolate
250 g butter
5 eggs
125 ml sugar
15 ml Amaretto liqueur, menthe cream, rum
Whipped cream
Strawberries

First of all, the chocolate and the butter put together in a bowl and melt, mixing well with a spatula. Combine the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl and beat until smooth and pale yellow. The mixture put it in a form pan and bake in a preheated 180 C oven for 15 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight. To serve topped with whipped cream and strawberries if desired. For 8-12 persons.

Zuppa Inglese

6 egg yolks
250 ml powdered (confectioner's) sugar
60 ml all-purpose flour
750 ml milk
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 pound cake 350 g
60 ml grenadine syrup
30 ml cognac
30 ml Grand Marnier
30 ml rum
70 g chocolate
60 ml almonds

Firstly, mix the egg yolks and the sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the flour and mix on low speed. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a simmer in a pot over moderate heat-do not boil. With the mixer going, slowly pour the scalded milk into the egg mixture. Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Place about half of the cup of the custard in a serving dish at least 5 cm deep. Place about one third of the pound cake over the custard. Combine the grenadine, cognac, Grand Marnier, and rum in a small bowl and drizzle, spoon, or brush about one third of the mixture over the pound cake. Spread one third of the remaining custard over the pound cake, add another layer of pound cake, and drizzle with half the remaining grenadine mixture. Divide the remaining custard mixture in half and stir the melted chocolate into one half. Spread the chocolate custard over the pound cake, add the final layer of pound cake, drizzle with the remaining grenadine mixture, and top with the remaining custard. Sprinkle the slivered almonds over the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled. For 6-8 persons.


Buon Appetit!

Why it is special “la cucina italiana”?

La cucina italiana has influence of ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Jewish cuisines. The center of the Italian cuisine is based on: tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, fish, maize, cheese, mozzarella, prosciuto, herbs, pizza and pasta, and of course, a good glass of wine at the top of it. The traditional coffee, espresso, has a special place in the Italian cuisine.
Italian cuisine is noted for its regional diversity, abundance of difference in taste being very popular everywhere in the world. Italian cuisine has developed over the centuries.
For the Italians, the most formal type of place where they enjoy to eat is not in a hurry, sometimes a little fancy and pricy and often family-run; trattoria and osteria are less formal than a ristorante and usually serve local specialties. There is also the panineria: a sandwich bar and f course, do not forget, the pizzeria italiana!

La cucina italiana has influences of many cuisines, each with its own palette of perfumes and flavors palette and cooking techniques. But la cucina taliana is different du to the diversity with its appetizing medleys of aromas, tastes, colors and textures as it continues to gain favour as the world’s favorite way of cooking.
Having lunch or dinner in Italy means to spend 2 hours eating the appetizer, il primo, il secundo and the dessert followed by a digestive beverage. And all the food is order cooked so you have to have time to eat…
Italian food has influence of the Mediterranean diet and has elements of it: olive oil, grains, vegetables, herbs, fish, cheese, fruit and wine of the ancient Mediterranean.
Italy has conquered the entire world by the reknown pasta, pizza, prosciutto, risotto, balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano, mozzarella, gelato and espresso so Italy has a special image everywhere.

So, I've got the idea of opening a restaurant. How I do it?

It is not easy to open a restaurant, but with hard work and perseverence, it is a good investment.

The first step in opening a new restaurant is deciding if you want a traditional restaurant, a fast-food or what kind. A casual dinner? Do you have a specific type of cuisine you plan to serve such as Italian, French, Indian, Mexican, Greek or Hungarian? Perhaps you want to specialize in one area, like a pub. Before you move to the next step, you have to decide what type of restaurant you open and how many customers fit in.


You may be inspired by http://www.obika.it/ great concept and perfect example.


The location can give a positive or negative atmosphere to the restaurant. The location you have in mind is a place with plenty of traffic? If not, is there enough traffic? Have competition there?

How are the most nearest restaurants, do they have customers, what type of customer and what is the offer and the price?
Another big step is to write up a business plan (both text and financials). Make sure it will work in the area in which you plan to open the restaurant.

Try to work in team. Put together a team whose skills complement each other. Before to accept credits from the banks, try to access your funding opportunities, including friends and family, venture capitalists, etc.

Create a calendar for your team to make sure you have a plan as to what needs to get done when, and by whom. And pay attention to each task to be delegated to each team member and specified in the calendar.

For all the plates and a very attractive menu, hire a good chef if he is not already a part of the team, and begin t calculate how much is costing the menu options for one month.

Another tricky step is to negotiate contracts with your food and liquor vendors. Here you have to be very careful with the payment terms and the price.

As an owner, should be aware of menu, that is going on at all times.

The restaurant business is synonymous with long days and longer nights. Indulge in dialogue with your customers, friends and family to access and refine your concept, menu, etc this enables you to create and maintain a venue with a strategy to compete with the finest.

Applying for permits: I advice you to hire an expediter to handle these, You will save money handling them yourself, but without experience, you may lose time and money making mistakes, missing deadlines, etc.

Ideally, businesses are built on trust. But people do change, "things happen," and conflict or distrust is often present…Be sure that you have checks and balances in your operating agreement so that conflict can be resolved. You must know that business partners improve and uphold the communication and maintain a smooth atmosphere.

Partners should have frequent scheduled meetings or calls to keep updated. A point person should send minutes to all the partners regarding the process and status of the project.

If you love a good restaurant, you must love their services

If you love a good restaurant, you must love their services. And the meals has to be exceptional.
These are my very important factors when I go out with my friends to have dinner in a fancy restaurant.

I have some favourites restaurants in Italy, and by knowing the menu beforehand, I am more decisive when I order. Waiters and waitresses love a customer who knows what he or she wants and doesn't have to spend a lot of time identifying the plates requested.

Even when I try something new, I make my food selection quickly and don't waste a lot of time.
When I visit a new restaurant, I prefer to start by visiting the website of the restaurant and having a look to their menu online. This way I have an idea of what I want to order ahead of time. And when I arrive to the restaurant, I always establish a friendly, but professional relationship with my waiter and I always get good services. One hint: if you eat frequently at the same restaurant, make a research and see which waiter give the best service. Once you know, request the particular waiter each time you eat at the same restaurant; of course, you will want to tip this particular waiter well to reward him for an exceptional service. Do it with a smile, a good server is worth the best.

Be polite with the restaurant staff, waiters and waitresses, and you'll be rewrded with high standard services. If you enjoy your meal, it's a must to have a warm and nice atmosphere.