A dish from Naples and Campania of mussels cooked in just their own juices, perhaps a very little sea water with lots of black pepper and sometimes chillis. Served with lemon.
A name for the atherine in the area of Syracuse., Mediterranean silverside or sandsmelt. A common Mediterranean marine fish, usually deep-fried, it is a small, silvery fish similar to the argentine. When tiny it is treated in the same way as whitebait.
A name in Sicily for the big-scale atherine, a type of atherine similar to the sand smelt. A marine fish, usually deep-fried, it is a small, silvery fish similar to the argentine. When tiny it is treated in the same way as whitebait. This fish grows up to 12 cm.
Dry, sweet hazelnut chocolates from Piedmont from the area of the sanctuary of Oropa in the province of Biella in Piedmont.
The noble rot. The fungus which develops on grapes in certain areas, causing them to shrivel and wither, concentrating the sugar and flavour. Grapes so infected produce a very fine, intensely sweet, and expensive, wine. Umbria has a dessert wine of the same name.
A dish from Sicily which migrated to New Orleans, which has made it its own. Crusty bread cut open, some of the crumb dug out and the space filled with green olives, tomatoes, other salad vegetables and olive oil. The loaf is then reassembled, wrapped and weighted for half an hour or so to allow the dressing and tomato juices to penetrate the bread and the flavours to mingle.
