bianchi bici

bianchiThe distinctive celeste road bikes from Bianchi are as nice to ride as they are to look at. I think. I’ve never owned nor ridden one, but if he were still alive today I’m sure the great Marco “Il Pirata” Pantani would attest to their functional quality, having won both the 1998 Giro d’Italia and Tour de France on a custom Bianchi Mega Pro XL (not pictured).

Bianchi have been rolling out bikes for 125 years, staying true to their “Brand Drivers”: Innovation, Exclusiveness, Quality, Design and Passion. Watch for yourself…

carrera occhiali da sole

Carrera Champion MTNot an Italian brand in its origins but acquired by Safilo of Padua in 1996, Carrera was founded in Austria (my second favourite European country) by Wilhelm Anger 40 years earlier. At the time of his product’s inception, Wilhelm took inspiration for the name from what was considered the most dangerous automobile race at the time – the six day ‘Carrera Panamericana’ across Mexico. Carrera never looked back.

When I think of Carrera I think of Style, Speed, Cool – words synonymous with the sports Carrera rode the back of in its ride to the top of sunglass heaven. Sports that I love. My favourite Carrera design? Every day is a new day…but today I like Champion/MT, in red of course.

moka caffettiera

top moka caffettieraThe unmistakable style icon of Italian coffee is the ‘Moka’ caffettiera or Moka pot. Invented in 1933 by Luigi De Ponti for Alfonso Bialetti, this simple, elegant but functional mainstay epitomises the best of Italian design for those very reasons.

There is not a single home in Italy the Moka can’t be found in. After many years of proving its reliability and its own love for coffee, it becomes part of the family, handed down through generations, travelling the globe accompanying the one who possesses it.

The pleasure of owning one of these  (I like mine in rosso) does not simply start or finish  with the wonderful espresso it produces, but can only be known by those who do. For the rest…they can wonder in awe at one of the many examples displayed in industrial art and design museums throughout the world. A true Italian design icon.

 

negroni

negroniWithin the world of Italian cocktails there are some who love Aperol Spritz. For me it’s Negroni. Whilst on my tour of Italy in 2012 I did something disciplined if not a little pointless. Every bar I entered, every cafe I frequented I thought a lot about Negroni. But I didn’t indulge. The desire to enjoy this sweet and bitter ruby marriage of Campari, Gin and Martini Rosso was ever present, but I made the conscious decision to abstain until I could abstain no longer. The point of this behaviour – I wanted to admire Negroni from afar, like a beautiful woman you know you will never have but just maybe one time if the stars align and the gods approve then it could happen. It would make that single one off experience more powerful and unforgettable than a million with something lesser.

It was in Salerno, 500 kilometres from its apparent birthplace of Florence, that I eventually succumbed to the allure of the Negroni. Today, when I look back on what might be considered as a a wasted youth littered with lost opportunities, I feel the deprivation only bought me closer to the cocktail I love so much. I think about it day and night…Cincin!

Negroni Recipe: Equal parts Campari, Gin and Martini Rosso, served in a tumbler with ice and a slice of orange.

garofalo traditional spaghetti

garofalo traditional spaghettiI was introduced to this organic artisan spaghetti by some Sicilian friends while visiting them in Cambridge England of all places. It was love at first site. As we sat at the dining table enjoying a traditional sicilian pasta bake accompanied by some intense italian reds whilst listening to stories of the family olive oil business back home in Sicily, a long purple package emerged out of a draw filled to the top with more long purple packages. I had never seen anything like it before and was immediately intrigued. The length of the package that had the appearance of being lovingly wrapped in hand-made artisan paper gave away nothing. On closer inspection, the product that has since emerged as the leader of my own personal culinary giro d’italia, was Garofalo Traditional Spaghetti. Born in Napoli, this ‘pasta lunga’ is double the length of the normal spaghetti you and I know, and boasts a texture that can only be understood by experiencing it in its intended form – cooked al dente and served with a sauce of your liking. I have found it to be extremely satisfactory with the ragu alla bolognese my mother taught me how to prepare. This pasta line is not easy to find, but do seek it out at all cost.

garofalo traditional spaghetti

la meglio gioventù

the best of youthItalian cinema has produced some beautiful films over the years. Cinema Paradiso and Life is Beautiful are two of the better known pictures. You can be assured the production design of films coming from Italy’s most talented directors will be impeccable. Marco Tullio Giordana’s 2003 production La meglio gioventù or The Best of Youth is no exception. It is simply unmissable. There is no room for argument or criticism – I will not tolerate it.

Spanning over 40 years (368 minutes running time) and taking place across Rome, Turin, Milan, Florence, Tuscany and Palermo, this award winning epic follows the lives of 2 equally idealistic yet politically misaligned brothers during some of Italy’s most tumultuous events in recent history. A single event sends them in opposite directions, yet they find themselves intersecting time and time again, drawn together by their blood bond, their dreams and a series of flawed characters driven by mental illness, terrorism, family issues and politics.

Once you begin the journey you will be left wondering how strange it is that you had never heard of this incredible film before. Its one that you hope will never end. You will become conflicted, simply unable to stop watching but knowing that the more you consume, the faster the end approaches. Do not miss this.

Read the full plot summary for The Best Of Youth on IMDB

Tip: Check out Giordana’s 2012 film, Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy

centerba toro

centerba_1

A while back some Italian friends introduced me to a mysterious digestive spirit I had never heard of before called Centerba Toro. Made in the Apennine Mountains in central Italy’s Abruzzo region, this magical potion is produced from the infusion of 100 wild aromatic herbs (cent-erba) at an alcohol percentage of 70%. The resulting concoction will literally blow your head off, especially if you try to smoke at the same time. I don’t smoke but I was instantly intrigued and haven’t been able to think of anything else since.

I don’t really know how to describe the taste, a little bit like Absinthe I suppose, but I can say that when the curious green liquid entered me I was overcome with warmth and happiness.

Tip: Centerba is a powerful digestive and can also be used as an ingredient in cooking. Click here for some Centerba Toro recipes.

calendario peroni

 

Shot on beautiful Lake Como in Italy’s north, the 2011 Calendario Peroni official video is my favourite ad campaign video of all time. Sure I love Peroni Nastro Azzurro, it’s a delicious and irresistible beverage, but that’s not why this video is so addictive to watch. Discover for yourselves. There’s something for everyone. I don’t think they could have chosen a better song to match – Dusty Springfield’s Am I The Same Girl.

Visit: The official Calendario Peroni website