JUNE 2014

EUROPE'S FIRST GARDEN

06012014 Europe’s first gardens in the modern sense of enclosed and planted spaces designed in conjunction with dwellings were probably in Italy – and the oldest surviving examples are certainly in Pompeii with some of them made by Greek-speaking people. Where was the world's first garden made? | Gardenvisit.com

06022014 In the foreground of this painting is the Church of San Gennaro, located in Praiano, Italy.  I believe it is the  most charming village on the Amalfi Coast.  In the background is the beautiful, storybook village of Positano.   I have seen sunsets here that literally turn the entire landscape an incredible golden hue. Together, these two sea side villages are: "The Heart of the Amalfi Coast". "Il Cuore della Costiera Amalfitana" | Tony Romano's Private Art Studio

06032014 Today’s special events will be again covered all over the city:  there are some very interesting places, where you can enjoy some of the most interesting ideas, creations, cooking and get to know and discover more about the city; this time the Wine and the city celebration will not be running just in the Centre but also at Corso Vittorio Emanuele. A special event will be covered at Sabina Albano’s store. Ain’t it Wine &the city, if it ain’t Napoli | ORienTaL night&day

06042014 Torrecuso a small village in the hills of Campania has produced wine from the grape Falanghina for centuries. The vintners didn’t know how special their region was until relatively recently. A 1980 earthquake and the government assistance that followed helped vintners modernize. The once-forgettable wine was suddenly awesome and developed a cult following. Rocca dei Sanniti 2012 Taburno Falanghina has characteristics of what I guess is kumquat, a common descriptor of falanghina but a fruit with which I have little experience. Rich with lemon and ripe apple notes and a pineapple finish, the wine is so rich and buttery, I thought it may have spent time in a barrel. But the producer says it is all-steel fermented. Italy's diverse whites | The Times-Tribune 

06052014 I say hooray for chef Bugica for building inimitable character into his salumi. Believe me, it’s rare. If you’re going to build “autenticita” (authenticity) into your Italian food, you need some great Italian wine to go with it. Diavola’s wine list includes eight whites and 18 reds, straight off the boat. The 2009 I Favati Irpinia Campi Taurasini “Cretarossa” — 100 percent Aglianico from Cesinali in Campania. Cox: Diavola spices up Geyserville I PD Towns 

06062014 The surprise is that a warm area in Italy’s south can produce whites of such poise and elegance. Generally the key is the cooler temperatures that altitude brings. Here in the hills to the north-east of Naples Falanghina makes zippy, fragrant whites that are ideal to fill the apéritif slot. Wine tasting notes: Italian whites from Campania | The Telegraph 

06072014 Janare – a local word for a friendly witch, and a nod to the region’s famous history of alleged witchcraft – is a range produced and bottled by the co-op itself. It focusses on native grape varieties ideally suited to the region’s volcanic soils, such as falanghina (in fact, the co-op cultivates the vast majority of the world’s falanghina vines), fiano, greco and aglianico. La Guardiense Co-Op (Janare) | The Wine Society

06082014 Mustilli is one of the oldest wineries in the Sannio area that produces wine from indigenous grapes. It is located in the Sant’ Agata del Goti subregion (Goti is Italian for Goth, in this case not necessarily true Goths but really barbarians, a huge influence here after Roman Empire dissolved). Mustilli magicPaola’s and Anna Chiara’s father was singlehandedly responsible for reintroducing Falanghina into the region, and the non-vintage Mustilli Sparkling Falanghina Brut showered me with aromas of pear and peach while dealing loads of lime leaf and ash on a lengthy finish. The Mustilli Fiano Sannio DOC was all about pears at first, both green and yellow. Eventually apricot jam and flint rounded out the impressively long finish. Wine On The Road in Campania Italy Part I | Weinberg’s Wine Notes

06092014 Highly prized, expensive anywhere, but Italy these delicious “red diamonds” deliver the goods. Italy’s Masterpiece – The San Marzano Tomato | How to Tour Italy 

06102014 One of the typical products for excellence made in various parts of Southern Italy, the buffalo mozzarella is a dairy product made exclusively with whole fresh buffalo milk of Italian Mediterranean race, in which animals are raised in accordance with local customs in the semi-free housing open pasture, from a cow originally from Asia. Caserta - Buffalo Mozzarella (Campania, Italy) | Globe Holidays

06112014 Campania is celebrated for the excellence of its tomatoes, the freshness of its fish and seafood,buffalo mozzarella cheese, its lemons, and the limoncello of Sorrento. Because so many Neapolitans emigrated in the last century, it is the best known Italian cuisine outside of Italy. The Cuisine of Naples and Campania | Anna Maria Volpi 

06122014 Flour is the main ingredient in pizza dough, and the type you use can have a big effect on the end result. All-purpose flour will work fine, but if you want a chewier crumb and a better hole structure, you should consider buying yourself some high protein bread flour. I use either King Arthur-brand bread flour, or imported Antimo Caputo bread or pizza flour (which is ground more finely than its American flour counterparts). The Food Lab: 11 Essential Tips for Better Pizza | Serious Eats

06132014  The conference organizers were wise enough to give us blocks of time during the day to explore the hilly, wind-y streets, shops and restaurants of Positano. Le Sirenuse, the magnificent five star hotel, is opened up only to this conference every year in early spring, thanks to the owners and gracious hosts, Carla and Antonio Sersale, because of their strong interests in the arts. Guest Blogger Alison Strack on Attending The Sirenland Writers Conference, in Positano, Italy | Lisa Romeo Writes

06142014 Spaghetti with Clams and Toasted Bread Crumbs takes its inspiration from two dishes - spaghetti alla vongole, a dish of string pasta with clams popular in Naples, Rome, wider Campania and farther north along the Italian coastline; and pasta con il pangrattato, pasta with breadcrumbs, a very basic dish of la cucina povera, the cooking of the poor.  At its most elemental the latter contains no more than pasta, breadcrumbs, oil, salt and a bit of garlic. Spaghetti with Clams and Toasted Breadcrumbs | The Garum Factory

06152014 Sorrento With Rossella Culinary Tour - Join Rossella, of Cooking with Nonna, for a week in a Mediterranean villa on the hills above Sorrento, starting August 30. Tour includes cooking lessons and pizza making at the villa, tours of Pompeii and Amalfi Coast towns, dining in authentic local restaurants, and visits to food markets, an artisan pasta factory, and wineries. 5 Italy Foodie Tours in 2014 | Italy Travel

06162014  They have a saying in Sorrento – ‘visit as a tourist and return as a friend!’ And after 10 days exploring this captivating town and the picturesque surrounding area I can understand why. We spoke to many local people during our stay and there’s a real warmth about this part of the world. Italian dream is just the job | Winsford Guardian 

06172014 While in the Amalfi Coast, how does a boat charter sound? As astounding as this stretch of coastline in Southern Italy is, it’s 100% better from the sea. A private boat totally at your disposal would only be half as fun if you had to waste time trying to figure out where you are going. With a local skipper and guide, you will have the inside scoop about private swimming coves and hidden grottoes that aren’t written in guidebooks. How a Guided Service will Enhance your Vacation | Select Italy

06182014 Every room is a mélange of crisp whites and Mediterranean blues and sun-washed colours, flashes of ’60s-retro, canopied beds, monogrammed cushions, masses of fresh flowers and a curated art collection. At JKitchen, seafood stars on the menu, but it’s breakfast on the panoramic terrace that you must not miss. 20. J.K. Place, Capri, Italy | International Traveller

06192014 La Canzone del Mare has two sea water swimming pools, a white pebbled private beach and jetties. The terraces are prepared with the standard amenities including pergolas for those wanting to take in the glorious Capri sun. The restaurant serves fresh, seasonal Mediterranean cuisine and seafood. But if you're too occupied with relaxing - ordering light snacks, salads, fruits and fresh drinks (amongst many other things) is possible with The American Bar. The Beach Clubs of Capri | A Magazine

06202014 Costiera Amalfitana, as it's known in Italy, has been an "it" destination since Emperors Caligula and Augustus built vacation villas there 2,000 years ago. The magnificent scenery has more recently lured everyone from Liz Taylor to Mark Zuckerberg, and it remains a road-trip dream for many. Road-Trip on Italy's Amalfi Coast | The Wall Street Journal

06212014 Villa Cimbrone is one of Ravello’s top sights.  The gardens and views over the sea are not to be missed.  However, if you are a little bit afraid of heights, don’t look down!  In the gardens you don’t realize how high up you are, but the terraced hillside below will make you dizzy if you stare down at it.  I love the way that Italians have utilized their unique seascapes to create these picturesque views. View from Villa Cimbrone (Ravello, Italy) | Travel Tales and Tips

06222014 Once we finally descend all the way to the beach we find the gelato shop to top all gelato shops. Yes, really. I have found paradise on earth. I have never read or heard of food being described in any way that could compare to the taste that it imparted, so I don’t think I will try here. Just know that the very freshest of fruit was used to create the gelato, which was given in most generous portions. Mine was peach, and I maintain that it was the best. Although each member of the family feels similarly of their own flavour. Amalfi Coast and the Positano Peach Gelato |  Adventures of a Travelin' Family

06232014 Villa Angelina sits on one of Sorrento’s most amazing cape heads. The ancient, private residence, covers more than 50 hectares of land and enjoys one of the most amazing views on the entire Sorrento Coast. The delightful panorama includes Vesuvius, Ischia and Capri & miles and miles of endless blue Mediterranean Sea. In Primo Piano | Joanne Dunn Photographers

06242014 Until a few decades ago, it was customary for many Neapolitans, to go at night near the cemetery gates and wait for the shadows, some souls dispatched from the skull of “Don Francesco“, a Spanish Kabbalist, to reveal the numbers to play the lotto. Don Francesco de Leo | clik & clak

06252014 We went for a glass of wine at “Perditempo”, a place full of books, vinyls and cds, then we met our friends for dinner at “L’etto”, a place where you pay 2,5€ for every hectogram of food you eat. If you ever wondered if is it possible to miss a food orgasm in Naples, the answer is yes, as easy as trying l’Etto’s buffet! Naples in 1 day: the perfect jaunt! | blocal-travel.com

06262014 Many special wineries produce Taurasi and we will visit several, including world-famous Contadina and Monte Faliese. Saturday we spend in and around the town of Avellino, not far from the Taurasi vineyards. Here we tour and taste at the best, most famous wineries in all of Campania: Terredora di Paolo, Feudi di San Gregorio, and in particular Mastroberardino, which also owns the Radici Resort. Last Chance to Tour Campania, Italy, with Wine On The Road | Wine On The Road

06272014 San Marzano tomatoes are regarded by culinary enthusiasts and chefs alike as the best in the world. They prosper in warm climates, such as Campania because they come from an indeterminate vine. These unique plum tomatoes are truly a gastronomic staple in Campania. So much so that the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana has actually mandated that a pizza can only be considered a true Neapolitan pizza when San Marzano tomatoes are used. Bring Campania to Your Kitchen Table | Select Italy

06282014 Bike Tour Napoli offers both an urban route along the city's UNESCO-protected ancient center and a countryside tour, with organic food tasting included. The tours wind through tiny medieval alleys and past baroque churches, around volcanic lakes of the Pozzuoli area, the Vesuvius volcano and the breathtaking Amalfi coast. The most popular route is a ride past art nouveau villas, parks and up Posillipo hill for a view of Naples and its bay. Naples, green and clean, now bike-friendly | Associated Press 

06292014 Realized in 1819 on the hill Miradois, in the zone of Capodimonte, the construction of the observatorium. From the balcony is possible to admire besides a spectacular panorama of the city. This splendid position increases the charm of the building. Museum of the Astronomical Observatory - Naples | Tredy

06302014 Today the Fincantieri shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) saw the launching of the “F.-A.-Gauthier”, the latest generation ferry that Fincantieri is building for Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), a Québec Government Corporation that operates in maritime passenger transport. High-tech ferry launched by Fincantieri | The MediTelegraph