TIMES CHANGE

The primacy for the production of whiskey today belongs to Germany no longer to Scotland, home of Scotch. Now whiskey distilleries are springing up in unexpected places from Switzerland to the geysers of Iceland, it also touches the Italian boot. Japan could not miss, which has adopted its own special and sophisticated formula for the production of Bourbon. Therefore, for all whiskey aficionados there is only the embarrassment of choice, drinking as they say lately, responsibly.

WINE SECRETS

“Vino al vino” one of the most interesting and original guides to Italian wines published during the course of the century told of journeys made by Mario Soldati, who was not an oenologist, but nevertheless led him to discover that world. From the vineyards of the Tortona hills to the foot of Vesuvius where there are almost secret lands and stories. Definitely a reading to be rediscovered for all wine and travel lovers in search of new treasures.

ART TO EAT

The still lifes exhibited at the Uffizi in Florence come to life and are transformed into real recipes. The latest initiative of the famous museum that wants to make art known by bringing it to an even wider audience and cooking has been chosen as a communication channel. On the Facebook page of the Uffizi, the great chefs were inspired by works of art to create original recipes, and until late spring a rich menu based on Caravaggio and other great artists awaits you.

SUMMER WINE

The wine city are preparing the first tourist harvest on a national scale for the summer. An initiative that aims to address an audience of enthusiasts, professionals, young people, the simple curious and wine lovers. An original idea to promote not only the culture of wine, but also hundreds of lesser-known territories but still devoted to food and wine. A special event that will take place in maximum safety. Visits by reservation, limited numbers and all measures to ensure the safety of visitors and vineyard and cellar staff.

STRANGE DRINKS

It will be the fault of the pandemic or something else, perhaps, but it seems that all soft drinks and especially tonic water have had a particular increase in consumption close to, almost, 10%. In fact, in recent years there has also been a multiplication of companies in the sector, and this has also given the market multiple variants of drinks for consumers. But would anyone say that the most famous drinks on the planet were born as or from medicines? Hard to believe but tonic water has a quinine-based pharmaceutical twist, but not to be used in case of malaria.

WINE’S PETROL

There are many Italian wines famous in the world, each with its own particular characteristics. One of the best known is Brunello which has certainly served as an ambassador to its territory of origin that of Montalcino. Wine is today the best known of the products but certainly not the only one, there are many others, such as honey worked by the same winemakers, but not only, spelled, plums, truffles, saffron in fact a land in the wind of the sea and the pure and wild air of the territory. But despite all these peculiarities, it is still said that in 1935, during a poetry contest in a wine shop, a guest brandishing a glass of red shouted “Brunello is petrol”, what can I say?

NEW FOOD

Our menu has long since expanded considerably, especially since meat substitutes have entered the world market. In the last decade there has been a boom in vegan food that seems to be increasing the turnover in an eponential way. The latest news in the sector is the vegan fast food where you can enjoy chickpea burgers, meat substitutes, in this case based on soy fibers or vegetable fish. There is also a growing offer of places offering this type of menu for the experimenters of this new futuristic food.

NO WASTE

They are called waste but grape pomace contains an elixir of beauty and health, thanks to their polyphenols with antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-infective and antimicrobial properties. Here is a project that has decided to enhance the so-called “waste”, using nanotechnologies to extract bio-active ingredients and to make food supplements and cosmetic products. It is called Bestmedgrape and is a project that is the result of research on the whole Mediterranean, which starts from Cagliari and involves France, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan.10

ALWAYS GREEN

The new year began with several changes in daily habits including that of consuming foods produced with natural techniques and methods, which has now become much more than a trend. This is also confirmed by the Michelin Guide, which introduced the recognition of the “Green Star”, an award for those restaurants engaged as sustainable businesses, with a careful choice of raw materials, with the purchase of local products. By now all of us have approached the stove with culinary experiments, finding a new dimension of home entertainment, thus also increasing consumption at zero kilometer.

DRINKING CULTURE

The online lessons of the “Barolo & Barbaresco Academy” are restarting with an initiative aimed at trainers, brand managers, journalists and buyers, the aim of which is to create a global network of Langhe ambassadors. The first online level is an intensive course structured in five video lessons, available in Italian and English. The modules take up all the themes of the Academy in person, through a didactic proposal of in-depth study of history, geology, elements of viticulture and oenology. A full immersion with high-level teachers, selected from the most authoritative personalities of the wine scene, awaits all enthusiasts, and not only.