As a foodie, Italy to me always meant something special. It evokes thoughts of vineyards producing delicious wines, hearty bowls of pasta consumed in front of a roaring fire in a chalet in the mountains, freshly caught tuna griddled on the spot and eaten on the boat with a squeeze of lemon, sun warmed tomatoes sliced into a caprese salad with mozzarella di bufala, extra virgin olive oil and aromatic basil, rich espresso sipped on a sun-kissed terrace…

I used to come here as a tourist, but I live here now and am even more convinced than ever that Italy is the food capital of the world  – and most Italians would agree with me! I have learned, however, that Italian cuisine varies enormously from region to region, and each part of the country has its own distinct “flavour”; something which makes it all the more interesting… So here goes, welcome to my world, and a real taste of Italy – buon appetito!