A gastronomic getaway – Domaine de Clairefontaine

Some weeks ago, I was traveling to the French Riviera with a stop at Domaine de Clairefontaine. ClaireFontaine is a real value-for-money gastronomic getaway ! Between Vienne and Valence on the way to the South of France, amidst hunderd-year-old trees…   Once a retreat for Lyon bishops, this elegant residence nestling in a 3ha park [...]

Gelaterie in Rome

GELATERIE Ice cream (gelato) is one of summer’s main delights and at Rome’s ice cream parlours, you are certainly in for a lavish treat. Look for the word artigianale, if you want to savour the best. The choice is endless – water-ices made with a phenomenal variety of fruit; lemon and coffee granite (crushed ice); [...]

La Dolce vita in Rome

Rome can delight the most demanding gourmet and satisfy the keenest appetite, whatever the hour. An enticing array of gelaterie, pasticcerie, pizzerie, enote- che, rosticcerie and gastronomie means that good food and drink are, literally, around the corner. Hotel breakfasts often aren’t up to scratch and you would be better off starting the day with [...]

The Flavours of Rome – La Dolce Vita

There are few more enduring pleasures than lingering ove leisurely al fresco meal in a piazza in the Eternal City. Rom food is tasty, nutritious, simple and extremely varied. Menu tend to be seasonal and there are even specialities eaten o specific days of the week. Traditionally, Thursday is gnocc day, Friday is for salted [...]

Cava Tip

What to buy As with champagne, the drier the wine, the higher the price. The driest cavas are brut de brut and brut nature. Brut and sec are slightly less dry. Sweet semiseco and dulce are best with desserts. Although inexpensive compared with the French equivalent, costs do vary, with small, spe- cialist producers commanding high [...]