Welcome to this week's round up of Italian food from around the web. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with Christmas sweets starting to pop up. I know some of you are merry and bright, while others are groaning, "Ughhh, it's way too soon." For those of you groaning, I just wanted to let you know that there are 41, yes 41, days until Christmas. Speaking of Christmas and Italy, please come back Tuesday for a special Christmas in Italy post. If you haven't already noticed, I'm one of those "merry and bright" types.....well, most of the time. Eating Italy has some great posts with mouth-watering pictures of food and of Autumn in Italy. There are also three articles where writers share their culinary vacations in Italy. Finally, I've added a few more upcoming food and wine festivals to the list....one is chocolate in Sicily! Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
My choices for 10 best Italian recipes from around the web:
Zuppa di zucca e pera arrosto - Roasted Pumpkin and Pear Soup should take any autumn chill right away - Briciole
Spaghetti con Melanzane e Mozzarella - Spaghetti with Eggplant and Mozzarella along with the recipe is information on mozzarella di bufala - Simple Italy
Risotto with Snapper in Saffron Broth - Italicious
Frank shows a unique way of of preparing Stracotto alla Fiorentina - Tuscan Pot Roast - Memorie di Angelina
Video Recipe of Porcini e Patate al Forno - Porcini mushrooms and potatoes "from the oven" - Cime di Rapa
Rustic Apple Squares for breakfast AND dessert from Deb - Italian Food Forever
Ciambella alla Menta - Mint "Ring" Cake - Dulcis in Furno (scroll down for the English version)
Christmas candy from Tuscany - Copate - Christmas Sweet from Siena - Experience Tuscany
Pandolce - Genovese Sweet Christmas bread - Beautiful Liguria
Get ready to swoon for these Ganache-Filled Chocolate Cups with Meringue - La Cucina Italiana
Eating Italy:
Food, Wine and Frienship in Tuscany - Beautiful photos of Tuscany and its food and wine in this post from Jul's Kitchen
Ligurian Foods of Love has stories of the power food has on our libido and which Ligurian foods are said to have special powers - Beautiful Liguria
Information on Frutta Martorana - Marzipan Candies and a photo slideshow of these Sicilian sweets in all their forms - Sicily Guide
Through the Grapevine - relives a harvest stay in Italy picking grapes and olives - The Guardian
Peek into a Tuscany cooking class for travelers - Everyday Tuscan Cooking - La Quercia - Scraps of My Life
Truffle Hunting is Highlight of Italian Vacation - Twin Cities
Some of the Upcoming Food and Wine Festivals in Italy:
ChocoBarocco in Modica - December 3 - 8 - The Sicilian town famous for its chocolate is throwing a chocolate festival - and you can take a chocolate tour on a Vespa (Some information in English on Sicily Guide)
Enologica 2010 - Wine and Food Festival in Faenza - November 19 - 21 - In the Emilia-Romagna city there will be over 120 wine producers from the region - Wine, guided wine tastings, exhibitions, food stalls and a farmers' market
51st Olive Festival in Brisighella - November 28 - The town in Emilia-Romagna celebrates local olive oil producers
Food and Wine Biennial in Florence - November 6 - 22 (Explanation of festival in English at Discover Tuscany Blog)
Wild Boar Festival in Chianni - November 12-14 and 18-21 - The town near Pisa celebrates Tuscan Fare and the Wild Boar (Explanation in English at Tuscany Pass)
Rome Restaurant Week - November 15 to 21 - Dine in many of Rome's top restaurants for as little as 25 euros a person. Information provided by Italy Magazine
Pig and Wild Boar Festival (Sagre del Maiale e Chingale) - Deceber 4 and 5 in Antillo, a city near Taormina in Sicily
Fall Food Festivals in Emilia Romagna
Torrone Festival in Cremona - November 19 - 21 - The candy Northern Italians associate with Christmas, torrone, has its own festival
Festival of Madonna della Salute - November 21 - A yearly festival honoring La Madonna for her help in ending the plague in Venice. There will be food stalls and other "bancarelle" selling goods and Christmas items - Italy Magazine
2010 Christmas Markets in the South Tirol and Trentino Regions of Italy - Christmas markets are a Germanic tradition, but in Northern Italy, you can find some Christmas markets with an "Italian Flavor." - Live Travel Mountains
Milan Christmas Market - December 5 to 8
Cioccolosita (Chocolate Festival in Tuscany) - February 4 - 6, 2011 - The town of Monsummano Terme, near Pistoia, hosts a chocolate festival and brings chocolatiers from all over Italy with samples!
Carnevale di Venezia - February 26 - March 8, 2011 - A magical event that I would recommend attending at least once in your life, the entire city of Venice becomes a stage
Related Posts:
Crimini Mushroom Ravioli with a Lemon Cream Sauce
The Dish from Rome - Braised Oxtail - Coda alla Vaccinara
Christmas Baking Memories and Snowball Cookies
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Yes, I am groaning at the thought of the holidays! This list is making me wish I was IN Italy...man.
Posted by: Belinda @zomppa | November 14, 2010 at 04:35 AM
Fantastic line-up of recipes & articles. It looks as though I have my Sunday reading set out for me.
Posted by: Cookin' Canuck | November 14, 2010 at 08:04 AM
Fun! Makes me wish I was in Italy right now!
Posted by: Liz Marr, MS, RD | November 14, 2010 at 08:21 AM
Great info!! And huge thanks for including a link to Jeannette's blog post featuring her experience in our market tour and cooking lesson in Chianti! :)
Posted by: Laura | November 14, 2010 at 08:23 AM
What a great post with some really interesting references. The first post of the bruschetta...where's the recipe for that!?
Posted by: Liana @ femme fraiche | November 14, 2010 at 08:38 AM
Thank you for the very kind comments. I hope you're enjoying your Sunday and that one of these recipes will transport you to Italy, for a bit.
Liana: I've linked the recipe/blog post to the photo of the caponata, but you can also find it here:
http://foodloversodyssey.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/10/eggplant-caponata-and-sicilian-market-etiquette.html
Posted by: Kathy | November 14, 2010 at 09:34 AM
Yummy is all I can say. It all looks so good.
Posted by: Jozee | November 14, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Right from the get-go - that roasted pumpkin and pear soup grabbed me. I am thinking that it may not be too early for the Pandolce...Wasn't there a song about the 41 days of Christmas?
Posted by: Claudia | November 14, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Ok after getting over my complete shock about the countdown to the holidays I quickly was lost in your beautiful articles and recipes. So many to try!
Posted by: Boulder Locavore | November 14, 2010 at 03:51 PM
Your blog is amazing, and filled with so much wonderful information. It is always nice to meet others who love food as much as I do. Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving me a comment. I look forward to reading more on your blog. Have a wonderful Monday!
Posted by: JEANNETTE SICILIANI | November 15, 2010 at 06:31 AM
Sigh...another great week! I, for one, am very happy that you're one of those "bright & merry" types and love your enthusiasm for Italian food...& the holidays! So much good food, I never know where to start, but my fav this week has to be the Risotto with Snapper in Saffron Broth, ohh!
Thanks for taking us on another fabulous foodie adventure :)
Posted by: Tuula | November 15, 2010 at 11:33 AM
Had to ogle at the food pics a few times before finally reading the post. Italian food IS ♥.
Posted by: Christmas Sweets | November 24, 2010 at 09:00 AM