Aielli & Benevento

Here a recipe recently found in the Washington Post for making your own version of that great summer Italian liqueur….

1. Wash and dry 17 large lemons.

2. With a paring knife remove the ends. 

3. With a vegetable peeler remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. 

4. Squeeze the juice from lemons and reserve for other use.

5. Now, place lemon peel in a 4 quart Mason Jar with a rubber seal lid. 

6. Add two 750 ml bottles of grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is covered completely.

7. Store in a cool, dark place and shake the jar once a day to agitate lemon peel. 

8. On the 13th day, bring 5 ½ cups of water to boil in large saucepan.

9. Add six cups of sugar and remove from heat, stirring until dissolved.

10. Cover and let cool to room temperature. 

11. Place colander on top of saucepan and strain in the contents of Mason Jar; discard lemon peel.

12. Store for three weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate liquid twice each day.

13. After 3 weeks, transfer the limoncello to smaller bottles that can sealed with rubber stoppers. Store in freezer. Serve directly from freezer. Sip straight up or mix with champagne. Recipe source: Magdalena Borea.

Lovers of Parmigiano Reggiano Beware! (friends of Fontina and Asiago take note too.) According to the Italian News Agency, ANSA, nine out of 10 Italian cheeses sold in America are “fakes” meaning they are not really produced in Italy. This has understandably ticked off the Italian farmers association which has gotten the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization to ban cheese clones and remove them from FAO’s approved list…so keep a look out and remember parmesan is not really Parmigiano…for the real deal: www.parmigiano-reggiano.it.

If you are up for trying a unique Brunello that packs lots of taste, may we recommend Solaria by Cencioni. This small family owned winery on a sunny plateau down from the Montalcino hills produces just over 1,000 cases. Drink the ’99 now, and don’t pay more than $65 per bottle.

A NY Times Book Review recently had good things for a novel about a woman from Italy’s north who crosses path with the famous Venetian Casanova. In Lucia’s Eyes written by Arthur Japin, the main character is “a prostitute with a 24 karat intellect.” With at least 10 books since 1910 on Casanova and a new film starring Heath Ledger, this affords the reader a refreshing perspective on the mythic romancer.

If you want a truly hand stitched Italian suit there is no better tailor than Luigi Cimmino. His traditional shop off the Piazza Carolina in Naples is a rarity: the tailor does it all, from purchasing the cloth to sewing the garments, himself. Neapolitan tailoring took hold in the 18th century around the time British Admiral Nelson was using the Bay of Naples as a base to harass Napoleon. Cimmino’s shop has been around since 1970; he seems to work best in blue and gray Italian wools. Expect to wait!

Unlike Aielli-Benevento programs in Tuscany, Amalfi and Como where grand villas are the preferred accommodation, when in Venice our clients will stay at one of several Five Star hotels including the Danieli, the Gritti, the Cipriani and the Europa & Regina. We spent a day last week inspecting the best suites with the best views, and writing down the room numbers. So when you go to Venice (even if you are not using Aielli-Benevento) call us and we will give you the inside scoop on the top rooms. info@aielli-benevento.it.

In our short trip to Venice last week, we had some wonderful meals at a number of restaurants he can comfortably call old haunts. As native as one could be, Fabrizio called on friends/chefs to prepare some extra-ordinary multicourse gastronomic adventures we Americans would call banquets. When in Venice, we suggest you consider stopping by Antico Pignolo, ask for Chef Lazanne (Pz. San Marco) or Linea Dombra, ask for owner Marco Bolla (Dorsoduro). But make sure you tell them Fabrizio Aielli sent you!

Conde Nast’s Traveler magazine recently issued its Readers’ Choice 2005 Awards and five Italian stars found their way on the list of the best 50 hotels on the planet. They were in order of rank: Four Seasons, Milano (21); Palazza Sasso, Ravello (24); Hotel Splendido, Portofino (28); Hotel Il San Pietro, Positano (31); Le Serenuse, Positano (41). Rounding out the top 100 was the Gritti Hotel in Venice (95) which we visited last week on a room inspection trip.