The International Chef Congress  in Milan

We are in February and this means that one of our favourite food appointments of the year is starting again! Next weekend from the 5th to the 7th of February,  Pastificio dei Campi will be in Milan for Identita' Golose 2012,  an event all dedicated to the most famous chefs and their creations.

We couldn't miss this gourmet appointment, especially considering the theme of this year: "Oltre il mercato' 'Over the market', to underline the importance of the raw materials, of the content and of the simply, natural and high quality products.
To embrace the event in the best way, we will host  in our stand  everyday some great italian chef, who will cook our pasta following the great Neapolitan recipes... but it's not all.

We are also putting together the past and the future with a funny surprise that will have place on Monday in the "Sala gialla"...i can't wait for Mafaldina to tell me more :)

If you are passing by milan this weekend and especially if you are actually going to identitta' golose, don't miss our stand... The best from the italian cuisine all in one event!
And come to say hi!

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The best from 2011

I wanted to write today a little recap of what had occurred in this blog during 2011 and looking back to all the posts, I was surprised to discover how much has been happening this year:

In January we created Linguina Facebook profile and being winter I gave you lots of soups recipes. January is also the Michelin star guide of UK and Ireland and the women took definitely power this year.

In February Pastificio dei Campi took part at Identita’ Golose, the food festival in Milan. In March we received the certification for being 100% Italian pasta, but was also the month of the Dolce Vita event here in London and Taste In Florence.

In April we discovered together the 50 best European restaurants of the year and while in Italy everyone was enjoying Vinitaly and  Squisito, we had the Royal wedding to celebrate.

In may we supported the sustainable fishing campaign and "Two greedy Italians" went to visit us with the English TV in Gragnano.

In the summer I suggested some recipes for picnics and barbeques, but there was also the harvest in Italy, the opening of the Clifton Hill Food market and Melograno deli.

In September Gragnano hosted the amazing Pasta festival called "La festa della pasta", while in October we had Identita’ London and the opening of a new Italian interesting place Fornata.

Last months we had the change to meet lots of food lovers at MasterChief Live in Olympia, while in December I gave you some ideas to make some foodie really really happy with hampers and maxi cube of pasta .

Are you now ready for a 2012 even better?

Happy new year to all of you!

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This time in company of some great wines

While in Italy and in London everyone is thinking about the Christmas, the magic menu we will prepare, the presents still missing to buy and some great time with family and friends, in France the atmosphere is much more relaxed: they have still plenty of time to dedicate to the good food and wine.

This weekend in fact Pastificio dei Campi had the honor to be part of the Salon des Vignerons for the event Le Vin en Tête, the show dedicated to natural wine. On Saturday the 3^rd and Sunday the 4^th  Pastificio dei Campi offered to all the French visitors a classic familiar Neapolitan Sunday dish, Ziti alla Genovese, inviting all to party in the italian way.

Two cooking workshops had taken place to explain the history and original recipe for this delicious and unique dish made ​​of onions, meat and pasta from Gragnano.

Are you curious to know what really happened? Just look at these nice instagram pictures taken during the event by the same... Mr Pacchero :)

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Between bloggers and pasta lessons to children… and not only

It was a really great festival the one in Olympia during the past weekend. If you have been there you have probably pass by our stand. If you didn’t you missed a nice bunch of people and a great opportunity to know a bit more about high quality products and our pasta.

I have spent my days with Niccolo from foodinthecity and the funny Andreasveg. We had a good time and the people who passed by (famous or not ;)) have been great! I had the pleasure to finally meet Sabrina, Steven, and Monique but especially I spoke with lots of people who have never known anything about Gragnano before, our tradition in making pasta and why our products are so special.

Do you know what was the most common question in these days?

"What are this?" Looking at some Paccheri.

I have to admit I was really surprised especially because this question was not just coming from children but even from some adults, but it was really great to explain and educate them to the real Italian pasta and show to the children the magic of the bronze extraction: 

"Look children how the pasta is made…look where the shape of this Eliche comes from!” They were really hypnotized by the pictures I was showing them and it was amazing. I’m also sure lots of them have never seen a field of grain… ! Anyway they all loved our Paccheri and i can't wait to repeat the experience soon!

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An occasion to meet Pastificio dei Campi too.

We are happy to announce that we are part of this big event starting today at London Olympia: MasterChef Live 2011.

You probably know very well the Tv programme MasterChef, great occasion for lots of people passionate about cooking and food to try the street of the success, challenging them self with recipes and complicate dishes until the selection of the best one. Based on that show, this event will let you take part to the live challenge, at least as the audience if not as a contestant. (Thanks for the picture at the blog Morethancupcakes.com)

From today until Sunday (11-13 November)  in fact in Olympia  there will be plenty of good food, chefs, restaurant experiences, tasting sessions, wine and food shows, challenges between contestants and real chefs and lot more.

Come and see John Torode and Gregg Wallace, get a master class from Michel Roux Jr. Also, watch MasterChef Professionals Champion of 2010, Claire Lara or cook-off against this year’s MasterChef Champion, Tim Anderson. Come to see the Producers' Village, a space just dedicated to local producers who specialise in seasonal and home-grown produce. But especially…come to meet us at the stand F24.

And if you really can’t be there with us, follow me on Twitter (@linguinadc) and check my Facebook page, to have all the latest news and pictures directly from the event.

See you there?

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Because Locatelli is always Locatelli!

Last week I told you about the London Restaurants Festival. This time I will tell you where I decided to have dinner, taking advantage of the promotional menus offered by some of the most famous restaurants in town during that week.

Between all of them I choose Refettorio, the second Locatelli’s  Restaurant after Locanda Locatelli! I discover it after my first “Taste of London” Festival where I had the chance to try an amazing piadina prepared for me by the same Giorgio Locatelli and where he was speaking about the place.

So I decided last week that was time to go and check their menu. I didn't know it was in an hotel so of course I have to admit the ambient is not too cozy as I could have expected, but the dinner was stunning and absolutely worth the deal.

After a Campari and some canapé, made with simple pasta brise, cherry tomatoes and oregano, I ordered for starter a pasta dish: Conchiglie (seashell shaped pasta) with asparagus tips, Burrata cheese and chives! It was delicious, the fresh ingredients, the combination between them and  the pasta cooked al dente and a quite good portion too.

To drink I had a fantastic Tormaresca Rosso 2008 (Negroamaro Cabernet Sauvignon) from Puglia and as a main course we ordered Stuffed aubergines with parmesan crust, roasted cherry tomatoes, thyme and rocket pesto. Really tasty! But the big main was a pan fried pork medallions, grilled courgettes, Girolles mushrooms and pork sauce. That was just so tender … it was stunning.

Finally I couldn't resist to try the ic ecream: three scoops of ice cream, vanilla, cocoa and Stracciatella, topped with morello cherries and served in a tuile basket. Really good!

Finally for who loves the Sicilian cuisine, be aware that Locatelli has just publish a new recipe book about it “Made In Italy: Food & Stories” and he paired it with a new set menu dedicated to the South of Italy and that you will find in Refettorio.

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6 of Italy’s greatest chefs all together in just one day!

Tomorrow, Tuesday 18 th of October returns Identita’ London, this time in Shoreditch,
at the Town Hall Hotel & Apartments, to show again the extreme gastronomic variety of our country through famous chefs and artisanal traditional products.

Chosen by Identità London specifically for its unique design features, the large room and several other luxury suites will be allocated to the main sponsors and partners of Identita' who will each offer unique events tastes and flavours of Italy.

Paolo Marchi, founder of the event and Italian food editor says, “I do not know of another cuisine style that has been so misrepresented and I feel that the true energy of what is Italian gastronomy today is missing.”- “Identita London therefore, shall endeavor to explain the fundamental principles of today’s Italian cuisine. Using the extraordinary and almost inexhaustible resources of regional cuisines, interpreted in a contemporary way, chefs will demonstrate their craft, their thoughts and experiences to showcase their personal evolution of Italian gastronomy side by side with like-minded producers”.

And these will be:
MASSIMO BOTTURA - Modena
ANTONINO CANNAVACCIUOLO - Orta San Giulio (Novara)
PAOLO LOPRIORE - Siena
DAVIDE OLDANI - Cornaredo (Milan)
DAVIDE SCABIN - Rivoli (Turin)
CICCIO SULTANO - Ragusa

Identità Golose is also a restaurants guide and some week ago have just come out the 5th edition that incorporates some of the best restaurants  in Italy, some in Europe and some selected ones in New York, Sao Paolo and even Sidney. Last year wrote about some new English places Jasper Gerard, from the Daily Telegraph. in the 2012 edition you will find instead Sudi Pigott from The Times, Saturday Express, Time Magazine.

Are you dreaming about another day of high quality italian food in London? Have fun at Identita' London then!

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