If you’re looking for some culinary inspiration, then here’s a book that might well do the trick. Food Festivals of Italy by James O. Fraioli and Leonardo Curti (Gibbs Smith, $35) is a mix of travelogue and cookery book, which celebrates 50 of Italy’s fascinating food fairs. The book is filled with beautiful photographs, both of the various foods (such as garlic, lentils, beans and chocolate) and Italy itself. The pictures look tempting enough to make you book a flight to Italy straight away.
Food Festivals of Vin Santo - and Balsamic Vinegar
Italian cuisine has strong regional differences, which is part of its appeal if you’re going there on holiday. And, every year, towns and villages hold festivals to celebrate their traditional dish or produce. These aren’t put on for tourists (though visitors are welcome). They’re there for local people – and many have a long history. The food festivals that the authors visited for the book emphasise these regional, culinary distinctions. There’s the Strudel, Muscat Wine and Vin Santo Wine Festival, for instance, which is held in the northern region of Trentino. Trentino borders Austria, and the Austrian influence is clear with its celebration of strudel. Then there’s the Tuna Festival, held on the island of Sardinia, where seafood is a speciality, and the Balsamic Vinegar and Parmesan Cheese Festivals of Emilia-Romagna.
Food Festivals of Italy
James O. Fraioli is a travel and food writer and Leonardo Curti is the executive chef and proprietor of the Trattoria Grappolo bistro in Santa Ynez, California. Both are passionate about their food. Food Festivals of Italy is divided into 4 sections, reflecting the courses of an Italian meal: antipasti, primi, secondi and dolce. Each section describes a clutch of different food festivals; gives a little bit of background on each festival first, and then follows that with a selection of associated recipes.
Macaroni Pie and Pasta with Lentils
The authors say that they have persuaded local people to share their special dishes. These recipes range in difficulty from a simple potato and leek soup with aged balsamic vinegar, from the Balsamic Vinegar Festival in Emilia Romagna - to a more complicated dish of rolled chicken breast with asparagus, prosciutto and fontina cheese, associated with the Asparagus Festival in the Veneto. You could also try your hand at making Baked Macaroni Pie, a traditional Bistecca all Fiorentina (Florentine steak) or Pappardelle pasta with lentils and pancetta.
Prickly Pear Festival
The range of food festivals highlighted in this book is extraordinary. Reading it, you discover that there’s a Prickly Pear Festival in Sicily, a Watermelon Festival in Campania and even a Snail Festival in Liguria. Some of the desserts in the book sound delicious, like the Apple Torte from the Valle d’Aosta and the Cherry Crostata associated with the Cherry Festival in the Veneto. This book should certainly give you some inspiration in the kitchen, and will whet your appetite for a holiday in Italy. However, there’s one thing lacking: a list of the dates on which these food festivals are usually held. And while it’s great to read about them, it would be even better to book a short break to Italy to enjoy at least one of these festivals in person.
