Fall in Love … with Food and Wine in Italy

Piedmont, in the north of Italy, is an absolute treasure trove of delights, whether you’re in search of superior vineyard experiences or food heaven, or both! Gastronomically, the region is renowned for its agnolotti (smaller, more delicate cousins of tortellini pasta) and crisp, hand-stretched grissini (breadsticks).

It is a zone for mushroom-lovers and more decadently, truffle-worshippers. Its oak forests offer a perfect environment for these culinary gems to thrive, and you can experience your very own truffle hunt, the discovery being well worth the ramble. As well as oak forests, the prevalence of hazelnut trees gives rise to another regional speciality: Torta di Nocciole, a delicious nutty cake which is perfect paired with a cup of strong Italian coffee or a local dessert wine.

In Piedmont, you can experience the famed Barolo in all its glory. Seek out tastings of some older vintages to appreciate Barolo’s ability to age, giving full effect to its rose and cherry perfume. For white wine, the light, fruity Gavi is top-ranking and well worthy of attention.

Tuscany’s strong culinary traditions make it a top destination for solo tours in Italy, with cookery classes all part of the experience. It is one of the more familiar Italian regions, extremely popular with tourists and conjuring up memories of ‘A Room with a View’.

I would say that its dishes are characterised by simplicity – but with a starting point of superb ingredients. Examples of this tasty rusticity are the soups (such as Garmugia) of Lucca or the vegetable stew (Ribollita) of Florence. Florence is also known for its tripe dishes, though I have to admit, that’s not really my thing. I’d rather the Panforte of Siena (a spicy cake of nuts and dried fruit which I often make for presents at Christmas) or the Pecorino of Pienza.

I had my first Negroni cocktail in Florence (supposedly its place of invention) after eyeing up a colourful drink on a neighbouring table.  This I would definitely recommend. If you’re looking for wine experiences, Tuscany is one of the most prolific wine-producing areas in Europe. You can of course seek out Chianti tastings but I would ensure Montepulciano sampling is on the to do list.  Lastly, the region’s Vin Santo is a must for concluding a meal!

The region of Emilia Romagna, home to the cities of Bologna, Parma and Modena and to the fertile plains of the Po Valley, is considered the gastronomic heart of Italy, where eating well is a part of everyday life. Welcome to the region known as the food valley, or to Italians, ‘la valle del cibo‘!

Emilia Romagna is home to so many renowned ingredients exported around the world, including Modena Balsamic Vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma ham and porcini mushrooms. But it is only here can you really delve into the complexity of the authentic products. Modena’s traditional vinegar is aged like a fine wine, and you can discover what its intensity and subtlety can bring to a dish in the region’s top restaurants. Fans of charcuterie should be made aware that there is a whole festival dedicated to Parma Ham in Langhirano, just outside Parma, in September.

For wine-tasting, Emilia Romagna is home to the much-maligned Lambrusco. Challenge the stereotype you jump to (I have also been there of an evening with school friends); this wine is enjoying a rebirth, as smaller wineries have taken it upon themselves to restore it to its former glory, cultivating it to its full potential.

If, like me, you’re a bit of a bread fanatic, Puglia, in Italy’s deep south, is for you. Bread is an emblem of this region and there are some fascinating products to be found. It’s more about the focaccia than the pizza here. And what better to accompany this than some of the fresh cheeses which abound: the Burrata, Mozzarella and Stracciatella are superb.

This is also a region which is home to numerous types of pasta that you will not find anywhere else. These are largely flour and water (egg-free) varieties. A particular favourite is the orecchiette with ‘cime di rape’ sauce (which translates as ‘turnip tops’ but which is more like leafy broccoli). Some of the sweet treats reveal the Arabic influence in the region, which always surprises me and brings to mind some of the Moorish flavours which you can encounter in Spain. For instance, there are the ‘Cartellate’ – beautiful, fried rose-shaped pastries with a honey flavour.

Puglia is mostly about red wines, which are rich and robust. Head here to try out Negroamaro, with its bitter notes and the increasingly popular Primitivo. Whites are not to be discounted though, I would heartily recommend a Verdeca, especially paired with seafood dishes (think linguine with sea urchin, for instance).

Veneto is a region of dramatic differences from the mountainous border with Austria to the city of Venice on the Adriatic. On a food tour of Vaneto you will notice a shift away from pasta and towards polenta and risotto.

You can experience the pan-fried ‘Schiz’ cheese with polenta in the Alpine region of Belluno and make your way down to Venice for ‘Risotto al Nero di Seppia’, the famous rice dish blackened by cuttlefish ink. Along the way, you’ll find Treviso, birthplace of Tiramisu.  In Verona, with the Italian Alps providing a backdrop to your chosen café, enjoy a slice of truly authentic Pandoro fruited bread, traditionally dusted with vanilla icing sugar to mirror the Alpine skyline.

This region’s wines and spirits leave you spoilt for choice.  The vibrant, orange-coloured Aperol first appeared in Padua, so this could be a good place to sit and spritz. Treviso is home to the finest Proseccos, whilst Verona offers gorgeous Soave and Valpolicella.

This has been a whistle-stop tour of some of my favourite regions.  To book your own gastronomical adventure, browse through Tourfind’s carefully selected food and wine adventures in Italy.

Cara Jackson, Manchester