Parma, Italy, is known as the food capital of Italy. If you ask an Italian, this therefore means it is the food capital of Europe. Parma is right in the middle of the region of Reggio Emilia Romagna north of Tuscany and Umbria. The region is famous for Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Balsamic vinegar of Modena but there is … Read More
Hiking the Cinque Terre and Portovenere
Hiking in the Cinque Terre and Portovenere In my opinion, Italy has some of the most spectacular coastlines in the Mediterranean with the section from Portovenere to Monterosso in the province of La Spezia (Liguria) being my favourite. This Ligurian coastline spans approximately 25km and includes the well-known Cinque Terre, or “Five Lands”, comprising Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso … Read More
Pure Parma: Prosciutto Di Parma
A stay in Parma would most definitely NOT be complete without a visit to a certified Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma Factory. Similar to the way that the production of Champagne is very heavily regulated and controlled, so is the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (parmesan cheese) and Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham). These extremely natural products are produced exclusively … Read More
Parmesan Crusts – don’t throw them away!
Did you know the ends of your parmesan triangles ARE NOT wax? They’re ALL CHEESE but just a little drier due to the aging process. So don’t waste them! My favourite thing to do with them is to grill or bake them (per recipe below) and they turn into delightful parmesan-flavoured crunchy croutons for your salad! But they also provide … Read More
Pure Parma: Parmigiano Reggiano
A stay in Parma would most definitely NOT be complete without a visit to a certified Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma Factory. Similar to the way that the production of Champagne is very heavily regulated and controlled, so is the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (parmesan cheese) and Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham). These extremely natural products are produced exclusively … Read More
A lesson in making Natural Gelato
Gelaterias in Italy are as commonplace as coffee shops or cafes are in Australia, I think there must be some law that says “no-one should be further than 500m walk from a gelato store”. My local gelateria in Parma was called Il Gelato… Naturellement and is located at Piazza Filippo Corridoni, 15 (on Via Massimo D’Azeglio). Il Gelato was opened by Marina … Read More
Packing Part 2 – the details
On Sunday 28th August, I went live on Facebook to answer questions regarding packing, travelling, time management for study while travelling and staying healthy while travelling. The recording is below if you’d like to view. Following the video is a summary of what I share in the video with regards to packing, time management, health and travel hacks. Bear in mind that … Read More
Gelato and “Ice Cream”, what’s the difference?
The difference between Italian Gelato and Australian/US/English “Ice Cream” If you’ve eaten Gelato in Italy (or even Europe for that matter) or from the handful of gelaterias now becoming popular in Australia and around the world, you’ll know there is a difference when compared to the generic “Ice Cream” of the US/Australia/UK. Gelato always seems more intense in flavour, while … Read More
13 Typical Dutch Foods
13 Typical Dutch Foods Italy and France are more commonly thought of as the “food epicentres” of Europe, and rightly so, they produce delicious food. However, amongst the hype of the canals, windmills, clogs, tulips and red light districts, the food of The Netherlands can often get overlooked, which is sad. From mini pancakes to salty seafood, hail on bread and … Read More
Nature, Food and History in The Lot, France
France. What comes to mind when you think of France? Perhaps Paris, The Eiffel Tower, Champagne, wine, brie, camembert, baguettes, crepes and croissants? Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux attract millions of tourists each year, as do the wine regions of Champagne, The Loire and Bordeaux. A lesser known region, but just as beautiful, delicious and fascinating is the region of The … Read More