green risotto

March means green and Saint Paddy's Day 💚 so we are sharing with you one of green rice based dishes: our staple risotto with peas and mint 🙆 

Easy and healthy, it will be feasible virtually everywhere you are in the world, as long as you have access to any kind of white rice, frozen or fresh peas and fresh mint leaves. 

In order to preserve the fresh aroma of the mint and the peas flavor, we recommend you use white wine but, in case you happen to have it handy, a mild white beer will do too... and if worse comes to worse, you can always omit it for a lighter flavor.

Galleria Umberto I

Turin is magic in many ways but first and foremost in our décor 😎 in fact, we have not only one beautiful Art Nouveau galleria but three!!

Today we are sharing the story of Galleria Umbero I in the Porta Palazzo market area.

Turin University

the historic university building from the 1700

Back in the 2006, a Winter Olympic Games TV ad said 'the whole world comes to Turin', and indeed many famous people have passed through Turin much earlier than 2006, fell in love with our city, chose it to spend a part of their lives and even study here!

Besides an airport - look up for TRN - Turin also has one of the oldest Italian, and of the world, universities!!

Founded in 1404, the current university structure, including the labs, the classrooms and all the offices are spread out from the 1700 Rectorate building, in downtown Via Po, to many mini campuses that reach out as far the Turin's suburb.

Unlike North American and British universities, Turin doesn't have just one whole area devoted to the university, because this one has grown over the centuries following the city's life and it urban developments.
Each school or college has its own library, located in its own building or mini campus; the university dorms are also spread out all over Turin to be located nearby the different schools or colleges.

Generally speaking, when referring to the University of Turin, the locals mean 2 institutions: the Liberal Arts School, located near Mole Antonelliana and Via Po and Politecnico where the Engineering and Architecture Schools have their administration.

aphrodisiac risotto

For this Valentine's Day we are sharing one of our risotto recipes: THE aphrodisiac risotto to help you friends get in the right mood 😉

Many of you already know about the benefits of ginger, a powerful root that has been used for centuries in China.
Being related to cardamom and turmeric, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that make it an ideal natural remedy for nausea (during pregnancy and chemotherapy too), cold, flu and help digestion, thus stimulating appetite... 

It is also very good for people who regularly exercise because it reduces muscle pain. On top, it helps lowering blood sugars - making it a great anti-diabetic - and cholesterol, it is one of the oldest pain reliefs and it helps burning fats too!

According to some studies ginger protects the brain from Alzheimer and the body from infections.

pumpkin risotto

Despite all the differences that divide us, sometimes we are forcibly brought together by an external common circumstance like these days: the extreme cold weather!

As many areas of the world are going through some exceptionally freezing temperatures, we can only think about one thing to keep ourselves warm and happy:

Pumpkin Risotto 

with red ale ... optional

topped with (optional) crunchy bacon bites... 

  

our sweet emergency kit

During college, or studying abroad, or working far from home, raise up your hand, amici, if you haven't received at least one care package sent by a thoughtful relative or friend!

How soothing it was, wasn't it?

Well, as for us, besides being the happy recipients of a very much appreciated basic necessities bag put together by Chiara of Latteria Bera we were also awarded a sweet emergency kit 🙆

foodies' basic necessities

Some weeks ago we talked to you about Chiara and her nonna's dairy, Latteria Bera founded in Turin in 1958.

Now you may think that any dairy is the same and all you can get is just dairy based products. Sure, they may differ locally, but it's always cheese, butter, milk, eggs and yogurt, and that's basically it.

Well, that's not the case with this historic latteria that is more to be considered like a gourmet dairy and a small production specialty shop 😎 

Today we would like to share with you what Chiara's basic necessities bag contained for us... just in case you needed some culinary shopping ideas when in Turin 😉