Italian Cheese Week
Italian Cheese Week (15th – 22nd June) launch dinner at Manitoba Tigella

Italian Cheese Week (15th – 22nd June) launch dinner at Manitoba Tigella

Cheese… Italian cheese How could I resist an invite to the launch dinner for Italian Cheese Week? The event was held last week at Manitoba Tigella , a recently opened tigella restaurant in a slightly odd, liminal location between the British Museum and the destroyed Tottenham Court road crossing. I discovered tigella a couple of years ago during a weekend visit to Bologna; the are small discs of white bread, cut in half and traditionally filled with cheese and cold…

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portland
A meal at Portland, Bloomsbury

A meal at Portland, Bloomsbury

Lunch treat The last couple of times my sister had visited we had tried and failed to book a dinner at Portland. So when I managed to get two tickets as her birthday treat to the amazing Eddie Vedder, she booked her flight and I booked also a table at Portland for a mid week lunch. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, I admit it wasn’t high on my list of places to try; tired from the night out…

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Press release – Italians required for a new TV series

Press release – Italians required for a new TV series

First Dates Hotel A few months back I posted a press release for a new TV show looking for contestants… I happened to apply and I did pretty well! So, while not applying for this new show, I am sharing with my readers in case anyone fancy following my footsteps. Slightly different show, indeed but native Italians are needed for a new series of First Dates Hotel, and it will be filmed in Italy (the previous series was based in…

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Pastabites cooks - Grana Padano and San Daniele
Meaty involtini with Grana Padano and San Daniele ham

Meaty involtini with Grana Padano and San Daniele ham

Memories One of the most vivid dishes I remember from when I was really young was something my grand ma used to make, amongst other (many) delicious things. I remember staying over in her beautiful home, full of really old stuff (she’d live there since before WWII), lots of places to hide and seek, old post cards in boxes, old books, and a window overlooking the street below, called rampe. I used to sit at that window in the dark…

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Pastabites at the Baglioni hotel
Aperitivo Masterclass at Baglioni Hotel London

Aperitivo Masterclass at Baglioni Hotel London

An Italian heart beats in the heart of London Summer is coming, the days are longer and the mood generally lifts after the grey winter days, it does for me at least. Aperitivo is always a pleasant way to spend an early evening whether weekend or mid week. Moreover, especially this year ( having done much less traveling than before), I find myself longing for anything Italian that can somehow bring a little bit of ‘home’ feel to my London…

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Pastabites