Food in itself is perhaps one of the most important things in life. 

Good, salty, sweet and bitter flavors in a mix, preferably combined with drinks that add the finishing touch.

I think it's exciting to look at the history behind food.

Where does food come from? How did it originate? What has made it what it is today?

You have certainly tasted Tiramisù which means "pull me up" - Tira mi sù. But do you know anything about the cookie used to make it? Savoiardi - in English Lady Fingers.

Here is both the history of the Savoiardi cookie and the recipe. 

Savoiardi is a biscuit that has its roots in the thirteenth century. 

The chef of the Duca di Savoia Amedeo VI (King of Savoy from 1343–1383) prepared a sumptuous lunch for the visit of Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg.

The chef served the cookie for the first time on this visit, and all the royals liked the cookie so much that it was decided that it should be a regular part of the...

 Did you know that the word Tiramisù is one of the most known Italian words worldwide? 

Almost every Italian food enthusiast has searched on Google the recipe for the most famous creamy dessert in Italy, namely Tiramisù! If you too have done that research you have probably found thousands of suggestions all very appealing and super delicious.  

Many people also wonder, what is the craze over this dessert?  

What does the Tiramisù taste like? Does it have many calories? Where does it come from, and how would an Italian mom make this dessert for an Italian dinner or lunch to best treat her guests? I’m going to answer all this, and at the end you will find the authentic recipes I’ve “stolen” … I mean borrowed from my very Italian mom!

I believe that out of all the different Italian desserts available, Tiramisù is indeed my favorite. If being a “Tiramisù sommelier” was a thing, I...

You have certainly been served these breadsticks, or "grissini" as they are called, at a meal in Italy, whether you are in a restaurant, trattoria, osteria or visiting a home.

But what is the story behind it and why do we find them everywhere? 

You will get the answer to that in this article, and at the end you will find the original recipe invented in Turin. Grissini - a bread widely used throughout Italy.

Grissini and its origins 

Grissini originates from the Turin area. And the origin of these breadsticks, which should be crispy and preferably slightly well-fried, is royal.

It was a baker at the royal castle who invented grissini in the 17th century. The baker's name was Antonio Brunero.

One of the princes of the Savoy family, Vittorio Amadeo II (1666-1732), later king of Sicily and Sardinia, had problems with his stomach; today he would certainly be examined for celiac disease and food intolerances.

The traditional soft Piedmontese bread, ghërsa, was...

In this article, I will shed light on the history of chocolate from an Italian perspective, and perhaps you will learn something about chocolate that you didn't know before.

Exquisite chocolate originating from Turin 

When you taste gianduiotti for the first time you feel as if the sky is about to fall on you. Your tastebuds will literally go crazy and you will not just eat one… you will want more!

Gianduiotti are an amazing velvety and tasty type of chocolate - but how is this possible?

A city with early extravagant habits 

Back in the 18th century Turin was already a large city by European standards. What we today call continental habits were found here, in Turn, very early on.

Piedmont's capital and nobility were located in Turin. They had refined habits, wealth, style and huge castles both inside and outside the city.

Long before Milan, the city of Turin was Italy's leading fashion capital, as a result of the royal house of Savoy commissioning very...

This recipe might surprise your guests if you plan to make lunch at home and you want to serve a light meal with meat. It was the dish that my nonna Carla would make almost every Sunday when we went to her house for the typical Italian “pranzo della domenica” (Sunday lunch). 

Vitello means veal. Now the trick here is to get a specific part of the veal that is super tender and perfect for this dish.

The classic cut used to make vitello tonnato is what we call magatello (eye of round), it might be difficult to find outside of Italy so you can ask your go to butcher the perfect veal cut that will do the trick! If you are in Italy il macellaio (the bucher) will know and probably will serve you meat from Piedmont (the white breed veal).

This is a simple but tasty dish that is sure to be a hit when you have guests over.

The meat has to be covered and marinated for 12 hours in a bath of white wine, white wine vinegar, and vegetables and herbs such as carrot, celery, sage,...

If you are interested in Italian food and if you like vegetable based food this is a nice Italian dish that you can make. 

I think your guests will really appreciate this dish, which has several different uses.

What is Caponata?

Caponata is a rich and tasty side dish typical of Sicilian cuisine. It is made with eggplant, tomato, onion, green olives, capers, celery and basil. 

The colorful mix of roasted vegetables are sauteed in a pan with sugar and vinegar, giving the typical sweet and sour taste.

How did the dish come about?

Caponata is a unique dish that has its roots in the cucina povera (poor food) tradition! The name seems to derive from "capone", which in Sicilian dialect indicates the fine fish Lampuga, which was served with sweet and sour sauce on the tables of the aristocrats.

The farmers who could not afford such an expensive dish replaced the fish with eggplant which were much cheaper and usually homegrown!

This is how Caponata...