Bigoli in salsa

Frankpasta, primi piatti, Veneto26 Comments

Bigoli in salsa

Venice isn’t really pasta country. As Hedy Giusti-Lanham and Andrea Dodo put it in their lovely 1978 cookbook The Cuisine of Venice and Surrounding Northern Regions, now sadly out of print, “In and round Venice, a series of polenta dishes will be mentioned first, then some rice dishes and at … Read More

Castagnole

Frankdessert, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Toscana, Umbria, Veneto32 Comments

Castagnole

Carnival time was traditionally the last chance to have meat before Lent. The very word carnevale comes from the Latin expression carne levare, loosely meaning to “say goodbye to meat”. Indeed, martedì grasso or Fat Tuesday is still celebrated with a large meal featuring meat-laden dishes like the Neapolitan lasagne di Carnevale. And yet, perhaps the most iconic Italian dishes for Carnival actually come … Read More

Sgroppino

Frankbeverage, Veneto26 Comments

Sgroppino

This Venetian invention is often described in English language sources as a “cocktail” but it’s actually sorbet, whipped together with champagne and vodka to form a kind of cold mousse. Originally intended as a palate cleanser between courses of an important dinner, today a sgroppino is typically served as dessert/digestivo … Read More