Gourmet food

Food trends, Gourmet food

GELATO, GRANITA AND SORBETTO: THE MOST POPULAR ITALIAN FROZEN DESSERTS

06/09/2021 Gelato, granita and sorbetto: the most popular Italian frozen desserts

Probably created to counterbalance the effects of the high summer temperatures, Italian frozen desserts are rather enjoyable in any season and are now so popular all over the world that it is worth shedding a light on their own distinctive characteristics. Gelato is undoubtedly the most famous one. According to the Istituto del Gelato Italiano , the association established in 1991 to protect the quality of this Italian excellence, gelato as we know it today was invented in Florence in the 15th century by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti. Prepared with natural ingredients such as milk, cream, eggs and sugar, it…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

PIZZA AND PINSA: SO SIMILAR, YET SO DIFFERENT

05/08/2021 PIZZA AND PINSA: SO SIMILAR, YET SO DIFFERENT

Pizza is one of the most iconic Italian foods, a symbol of Italian culinary culture. From its original toppings (tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil leaves) that somehow remind of the Italian flag, to those slices handed out to our dining companions: there is something bonding about pizza that makes it truly special, despite its simplicity. Italian pizza lovers never fail to recognize pizza napoletana (Neapolitan pizza) as the queen mother of all the other variants that nowadays are prepared and served all over the country. The dough -made with Italian wheat flour, water, yeast and salt – is kneaded by…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN DESSERTS: SOME SWEET CURIOSITIES

02/08/2021 THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN DESSERTS: SOME SWEET CURIOSITIES

The famous “dessert stomach” was probably invented in Italy because, never mind the three savory courses that form a standard Italian meal, many are the traditional sweet foods that we indulge in at the end of a friendly session around the table. Starting from the most famous of all Italian desserts, Tiramisù , it is interesting to know that, back in the 19th century, this powerful, coffee-flavored sponge cake used to be allegedly served as a “tonic” to the customers of a local brothel in Treviso. If this were true, it would not come to a surprise then that its other…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: THE MOST FAMOUS PDO ITALIAN CHEESE

19/07/2021 PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: THE MOST FAMOUS PDO ITALIAN CHEESE

The full list of Italian cheese excellences protected by the European Union with the PDO mark (Protected Designation of Origin, DOP in Italian) - which certifies that every step of the production process takes place in a specific region - includes 50 different types of cheese. Among them, Parmigiano Reggiano is undoubtedly the most famous one. Parmigiano Reggiano is produced exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua. Its production is strictly regulated and supervised by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium which ensures that, for a start, cattle are fed on locally grown forage without using silage,…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

ITALIAN HAM: AN INSIGHT INTO THE BEST PDO VARIETIES

05/07/2021 ITALIAN HAM: AN INSIGHT INTO TH BEST PDO VARIETIES

Italian dry cured ham - locally known as prosciutto crudo - is a high quality product prepared in the most traditional way, respecting the strictest food safety standards. The best varieties are certified with the European PDO mark (Protected Designation of Origin, DOP in Italian) which guarantees that each step of their production adheres to the procedural guidelines of the local Consortium that preserves the original recipe. The eight types of ham that gained the PDO certification are: Prosciutto di Parma DOP (simply called “Parma” in Italy), Crudo di Cuneo DOP, Prosciutto di Carpegna DOP, Prosciutto di Modena DOP, Prosciutto…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

ITALIAN CRAFT BEER: A TREND ON THE RISE

28/06/2021 ITALIAN CRAFT BEER: A TREND ON THE RISE

Although mainly known as a country producing some of the world's best wine, over the last decade Italy has started to become famous also for craft beers. Up until 20 years ago, the country’s beer reputation relied on major brands which produce tasty beer yet made for mass consumption. Thanks to a handful of visionary men from Lombardy and Piedmont, who decided to fight the cultural bias linked to brews, a brand new movement of Italian craft beer was born: the same one that is now making Italy Europe's most vibrant beer scene. Since 1996, when the first microbreweries moved…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

ITALIAN AFTER DINNER DRINKS

31/05/2021 ITALIAN AFTER DINNER DRINKS

One of the pleasures of the Italian food culture is that each meal is treated as a serious matter, following unwritten rules that are meant to add extra joy to the enjoyment of food itself. Slow is the word, especially at dinner time during weekends when the clock does not seem to tick as fast as during work days. If a proper meal is divided into three courses (starter, pasta, main course), its final part is another ritual in itself: first dessert, then espresso coffee and finally a digestive liquor. Simply put, digestivo is an alcoholic drink served at the…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

MASCARPONE CHEESE, CREAMY AND TASTY

10/05/2021 MASCARPONE CHEESE, CREAMY AND TASTY

Famous for being an essential ingredient in Tiramisu, mascarpone is an Italian triple cream cheese prepared with unskimmed cows' milk. Because of its high perishability, in the past mascarpone used to be produced only during the winter season; nowadays, of course, it is available all year round. Despite being classified as cheese, mascarpone is not exactly a real one because its preparation does not involve the use of rennet: it is obtained from milk cream to which citric acid or lemon juice are added to help it solidify; the resulting curd is then gently heated until it reaches the perfect…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

STRACCHINO, A VALID ALTERNATIVE TO MOZZARELLA

30/04/2021 STRACCHINO, A VALID ALTERNATIVE TO MOZZARELLA

Famous for its mild taste, Stracchino is a fresh cheese produced in northern Italy – mainly in Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto - using whole cow’s milk and raw curd. It usually comes in square slabs, one to two inches thick, that may vary in size and it is always wrapped in paper to keep its natural moisture. Low in calories and in fat, Stracchino is rich with high-quality proteins, phosphorus and vitamins; its nutritional values - together with its enjoyable soft texture and delicate flavor of milk - make it the perfect complement in a healthy meal. Besides its flavor,…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

SO SIMILAR YET SO DIFFERENT: LEARN MORE ABOUT PROSCIUTTO AND BRESAOLA

27/04/2021 SO SIMILAR YET SO DIFFERENT: LEARN MORE ABOUT PROSCIUTTO AND BRESAOLA

Whether we are entertaining or just looking for a savory snack, cured meats always make for an easy, healthy option to us an Italy. Out of the over 700 varieties of charcuteries available in Italy, there are two that are particularly appreciated by food lovers all over the world: prosciutto and bresaola. Prosciutto generically means ham in Italian: what is usually called prosciutto abroad is cured ham (prosciutto crudo). Although it has many regional variations - several of which are true food excellences covered by the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP), such as San Daniele from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Cinta…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

GNOCCHI, A UNIQUE ITALIAN DISH

08/03/2021 GNOCCHI, A UNIQUE ITALIAN DISH

Potatoes, flour and eggs: it only takes a few ingredients to make one of the most loved main courses in Italy, Gnocchi. Shaped like dumplings, their preparation is similar to pasta as they are cooked in boiling water and then served with the preferred sauce. The information about the origin of their name are rather debatable: some say that the word gnocchi comes from nocca, which means knuckle in Italian; other sources claim that it derives from the ancient Lombard knohha, that used to indicate a wood knot. Although their etymology is still unclear, it is interesting to notice that…

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Food trends, Gourmet food

WHERE IS THE BEST PECORINO PRODUCED?

15/02/2021 WHERE IS THE BEST PECORINO PRODUCED?

Among all the Italian cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano is probably the most famous all over the world. There is another one though which may be less popular abroad but that definitely plays an important role in the cooking routine of many Italians: Pecorino. Generally speaking, Pecorino is the name given to all Italian cheeses made from ewe's milk; its name comes from pecora which in Italian means ewe. Specifically, it refers to three main varieties from central Italy and the island of Sardinia which enjoy the DOP* seal: Pecorino Sardo from Sardinia, Pecorino Toscano from Tuscany and Pecorino Romano from Lazio.…

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About Alifood

About Alifood

We strongly believe that everything we plan and do should create value, for both our clients and suppliers. We do not see ourselves as mere food traders.

The sale of the products we select is just the last step of a complex, structured process that is based on strong business relationships and, in many cases, real partnerships. Our job is made of several functions: sourcing the right product, selecting a reliable producer, managing the entire logistics chain, providing all the necessary documentation and certifications and following up all the after-sale requirements besides consulting and tutoring on how to best use each single product. We do all this because we strongly believe that everything we plan and do should create value, for both our clients and suppliers. Our familiarity with the Italian food an agricultural industry, developed over the last twenty years, gives us the ability to efficiently deal with all the diverse needs pertaining to different markets.

Thanks to our experienced, professional and multilingual global working team, matching international demand and local supply is what we do best.

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