Paper Palate

Spotted a new magazine on the shelf at WHSmiths today - Taste Italia ‘for lovers of Italian food and drink’.

It is published by the producers of Taste Italia, which I believe is a travel and Italian culture magazine. The emphasis in Taste Italia is totally about Italian food and wine.

Every issue is packed with regional and seasonal Italian recipes, the finest wine writing, gastro tours, restaurant reviews, Italian chef interviews and recipes, and news on the best Italian produce.

This first issue is priced at £3.50. While the overall design appears a little lacking when compared to the likes of Delicious or Olive (is it the different font Taste Italia utilises or perhaps the ‘not quite as good’ photographs?) the contents shouldn’t disappoint. A handful of recipes jumped out as ‘must tries’ just by flicking through and the wine section, written by Brian St Pierre, is quite substantial.

In addition to a dozen of so wine recommendations the wine section offers several recipes each with a suggested wine to accompany - Traditional Veal With Tuna Sauce with a Clerico Dolcetto Langhe Visandi 2004 and a La Guistiniana Gavi di Gavi Lugarara 2005 with an Aubergine soufflé for example.

A guide to Italian restaurants in Italy and the UK are included while Valentina Harris provides a selection of Risotto recipes, eating ouot in Rome and some general gift/shopping ideas adds to the overall mix of food, wine, eating out and travel.

[This article first appeared on The Foodie List]