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www.bluetomato.co.uk16
Blue Tomato’s Globetrotters
Italy...
n the same way that British people
don’t sit around sipping tea and
spreading jam on scones (well, not
always), Italians don’t spend their days
spinning pizza and twirling pasta around
tomato-soaked plates...
Of course, authentic Italian pasta is second
to none and delicious pizzas can be found in
almost all parts of the country. However, it’s
the regional specialities that really charac-
terise true Italian food, reflecting the pride
and history of a country jam-packed with
food lovers.
Take for example, Umbria, a beautiful and
mountainous region in the heart of Italy. It is
relatively untouched by tourism yet can
claim to have more truffles than anywhere
else in Italy – especially the black truffle,
which is a popular and traditional exponent
of the local cuisine.
Truffles are incredibly sought after – the
pinnacle of gourmet cooking, and often too
expensive for the average consumer. In Umbria
however, they’re in such abundance that
festivities are held each autumn to celebrate
the coming season. Truffles are sniffed out
with dogs and pigs, and heaved out of the
ground – an act which honours tradition and
seems a world away from the buzzing kitchens
of high-end restaurants.
Moving down to Italy’s boot we get to
Puglia, the region with the most land
dedicated to olive trees. Often more associated
with beautiful weather and delicious seafood
(and for good reason), Puglia actually produces
over 40% of Italy’s olive oil. This dates back
hundreds of years, to a time when landowners
were offered tax reductions if they dedicated
part of their land to olive tree production – in
hindsight, a great move. Puglia’s olive oil is
known for its high vitamin content, and is a
great choice for the health conscious.
Although Tuscany is up there in terms of
olive oil production, we shall award it as the
region which produces the finest of wines –
and let’s face it, you can’t think of Italy without
giving some thought to its range of beautiful
wines. The most famous from the Tuscan
region being Chianti and Brunello. Chianti
dates back as far as the 13th century, and is all
you could want from a fine Italian wine; it’s
deep, aromatic and encompasses varying
flavours of wild berries. It also represents
exactly why we love Italy – hundreds of years
of tradition, developing practices and culinary
perfectionism speak for themselves.
Bologna, which lies south of Parma, is
famous for its meats, and lends its name to
Bolognese sauce, or ragù alla Bolognese (‘ragù’
being the Italian word for ‘meat-based’).
Modena on the other hand, is where you
should head if you want the best balsamic
vinegar in Italy. In fact, the terms ‘aceto
balsamico tradizionale di Modena’ or ‘aceto
balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia’, are
much like Parmesan, in the sense that they are
classified by the European Union as protected
designations of origin.
On the opposite end of the scale to Umbria’s
rolling hills, is Emilia-Romagna, one of the
richest regions in Italy, with Parma, Modena
and Bologna as just a few of its many prov-
inces – areas which make it easy to see why
it’s known as Italy’s ‘food valley’. Barilla, one
of the nations major food companies, was
founded way back in 1877 in Parma, which is
also home to Italy’s famous prosciutto di
Parma – or to us Brits, Parma ham. And let’s
not forget to mention the delicious crumbly
cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano (more widely
known as Parmesan).
TodiCastle Estate, UmbriaTruffle hunting at TodiCastle Estateis a perfect way to spend timegetting to know Umbrian traditions.An expert tartufaio (truffle hunter)and his dog will guide you to thediscovery of the truffle and revealthe secrets of its search. You will alsohave the chance to get involvedwith the fascinating battuta(combing of the area) in the searchof the precious truffles.www.todicastle.com
Reggio Emila (Aceto BalsamicoTradizionale di Reggio Emilia)illustrates the age of its vinegar bylabel colour. A red label means it hasbeen aged for at least 12 years;silver, at least 18 years, and goldindicates the vinegar has been agedfor 25 years or more.
Modena (Aceto BalsamicoTradizionale di Modena) illustratesthe same thing by cap colour. Acream cap indicates the vinegar hasbeen aged for at least 12 years,whereas a golden cap means you’llbe drizzling vinegar which is 25years or more.
Outside of Europe, the wordParmesan is sometimes used as aloose term to encompass all cheesesimitating the crumbly texture ofParmesan, whereas in Europe theParmesan name is classified as aprotected designation of origin.
If we were given a slice of Parma ham each time we heard ‘but I
don’t like pizza and pasta’ we’d be able to open our own Italian
deli and have done with these complaints. If you’ve ever
suggested going for an Italian and been greeted by the same
kind of unconvincing discontent, then you’re sure to understand
I
www.bluetomato.co.uk 17
Blue Tomato’s Globetrotters
....so much
more thanpizza & pasta