ITALIA

We have the pleasure of returning to Italy every year for a visit with family and friends. Our latest trip mixed business and pleasure together - a whirlwind source trip that included stops at a coffee roaster outside Milan where we learned the difference between Italian and American blends and arabica and robusto coffee beans; Il Poggiarello, a winery in the Piacenza hills, where our gracious hosts Massimo and Fabbio poured ten wines for our tasting, and offered affettati, pasta, dolci, and incredible views; a cheese maker near Asiago, where we stayed the morning learning how asiago, grana padano, pannarello, piumetta, and caciotta al tartufo are made and aged; a Ferrarese salumficio where our friend and the owner handwrote recipes for making salama da sugo, salame zia, and salsiccia; a grappa distillery in Bassano del Grappa, whose machines were as beautiful as the namesake town; and finally, a huge Italian food show in Rimini, where we sourced products and got inspired for the opening of our restaurant.