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Flatware can add a bold pop of color or compliment a neutral place setting. All Modigliani flatware collections pull inspiration directly from places all around Italy. From traditional elegance to bright and bold, Modigliani stainless flatware features styles everyone will love. Get inspired!
Learn the stories and the rich history behind each of our collections!
We’ve been talking about Carnevale for the past week. By now you may be wishing you were there, but missed your window to book the trip this year.
Well, if you can’t make it to one of the many spectacular events throughout Italy, celebrate your own Carnevale at home.
As fall quickly approaches, I’m reminded of the incredible gifts my favorite season brings. The crisp air, the changing leaves, the smell of bonfires, and of course, the food.
Fall serves up hearty meals that awaken the senses and warm the soul – it’s a visceral experience for me.
As I sit here browsing the Lungotevere collection with its beautiful color palette and thoughtful details, my mind returns to the autumn I traveled to the Abruzzo region for an unforgettable gastronomic adventure.
One of my most prominent memories is an early morning truffle hunt we experienced as we were learning about the seasonal ingredients of the region.
Joined by an eclectic mix of solo travelers who loved food, wine, and adventure as much as I do, we dragged ourselves out of warm beds and into the hotel lobby just before dawn. Skipping our morning cappuccino ritual, yet incredibly excited for the new experience, we climbed into our awaiting van and struck out into the countryside of the Majella National Park.
Led by Primiano our trufiano, or truffle guide, and his furry doggy sniffers, Ruby and Miss, we had absolutely no idea where we were going or what we were doing. We did, however, quickly learn that dogs are now the preferred truffle hunting choice, as pigs tend to eat what they find – who knew?
As we drove for miles in the dark and the sun began to peak through the mountains, we finally reached our destination. Donned with our warmest jackets, mittens, and matching wellies, we stood at immediate attention in the cold as Ruby and Miss darted off sniffing every tree, ravine, and moss covered patch. We ran after them thinking it would take a bit of time before anything actually happened, but just like that, eureka!
The more seasoned of the two dogs, Ruby, began scratching the surface and digging like mad while Primiano pulled her back so she couldn’t damage the delicate skin. Armed with a small spade and his bare hands, he dug the rest of the way himself and was rewarded for his efforts. First spot out of the gate and we found two perfect black truffles. Amazing!
It almost felt too easy, but we continued following the dogs as they scratched a few more dirt patches. This time, no luck as they just smelled previous digs where someone had already removed the black beauties. Again and again, someone had beaten us to the treasure.
Just as we were about to give up and call it a day, Ruby gifted us with one more trophy. After Primiano shoveled even deeper into the soil, we couldn’t believe our neophyte eyes – a glorious pile of the most aromatic black truffles we’d ever seen. This made the caffeine free, early morning trek all the more worth it. Needless to say, we were incredibly grateful that the last group of hunters missed them completely so we could experience a fruitful hunt our first time out.
Later that day as we made our way back to the Hotel Villa Danillo for our next cooking lesson, we too were rewarded for our hard work as we sliced and grated our glorious treasures onto homemade pizzas and handmade pastas. Pungent and pleasing, a meal infused with this Italian delicacy discovered just hours before was a most memorable gastronomical moment for my new travel companions and me.
I can still smell that aromatic fungi as we speak, hoping some day soon to return to one of my favorite fall travel adventures.
Mangiamo!
RECIPE AND WINE PAIRING
We couldn’t talk about truffles and not give a recipe and wine pairing, but this recipe is really quite simple – you just have to get your hands on a black truffle.
There are many recipes for pasta with black truffles out there, and it is rather easy to adjust to your liking should you feel creative, but keep in mind the strong flavors when you do.
In this recipe, I use spaghetti, but you can use fettuccini or you can toss it with your favorite ravioli or even gnocchi.
RECIPE:
Spaghetti with Black Truffles
Ingredients:
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta per the instructions. You’ll want the pasta al dente; so reduce the cooking time by 1 minute to reach that consistency.
While your pasta is cooking, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan. Once it’s melted, grate one of the truffles into the melted butter and lightly sauté – 2-3 minutes should be enough.
Once the pasta is finished, and before you drain it, reserve about 2-3 ladles of the cooking water in a bowl for later, then drain the rest of the water from the pasta in a colander.
Transfer the drained pasta to a warmed serving bowl. Add the sautéed truffle, the remaining melted butter, and the optional cheese if you like. Toss it well to combine, and add some of the reserved cooking water for consistency as needed – not all at once, just add, as you need. You don’t want the dish to be too sticky or dry. The salted cooking water not only adds moisture to the dish, but also a nice flavor as well.
Using a truffle shaver if you have one, or a vegetable peeler will do, thinly shave the second truffle over the top. Give it another light toss and serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: If you’re new to truffles and think the taste might be too much for your liking, you can skip sautéing the grated portion and simply slice the truffle over the top at the end.
WINE PAIRING
Truffles are very earthy and aromatic so you’ll want a more mature wine to match the flavors. For Italian reds, look for something like a good Barolo, Brunello, or Nebbiolo. If you want to go French, look for a good burgundy. And with American wines, a nice pinot noir could be a good match. You want a wine that is a bit more delicate so the flavors aren’t competing with one another.
If you’re already spending good money on a beautiful black truffle, I recommend you splurge on the wine as well. You won’t regret it if you do. Here are a couple of Italian Barolos to choose from, slightly different in price.
On the lower end, but still around $36 a bottle is the 2011 Reversanti Barolo from Piedmont, Italy. It has a nice ruby red color and you’re going to get flavors of licorice, berry fruits, roses, and hints of vanilla and tobacco. That complexity makes it a nice companion to the black truffles.
If you want to spend a bit more, and maybe prefer a California wine, try the 2013 Gloria Ferrer Gravel Knob Vineyard Pinot Noir, Los Carneros for around $50. This wine can go with a variety of foods to be honest. It has a nice blackberry spice, dried strawberry, and earthy quality. If you love pinot noir as much as I do, this is a nice splurge.
Guest Post by Tara Jantzen
Enticed by the surrounding hills, rugged cliffs, warm sandy beaches, and the deep turquoise sea, the relaxed vibe and salty air of the Mediterranean makes you want to immerse yourself at an outdoor café, kick off your shoes, and stare at the sparkling water as you sip a crisp glass of white wine.
And let’s not forget the food.
Fishing villages in the Mediterranean are abundant with al fresco dining and Trattorias serving up the most wonderful, and often simplest, of local seafood dishes. There is nothing more Mediterranean to me than an aromatic seafood meal prepared with ingredients caught that day.
The Mediterraneo Collection reminds me of warm summer evenings wrapped in pink, orange, and blue skies as the sun begins to set. When I look at the whimsical movement of the artist’s scenery, the sandy texture of the surface, and the imperfect shape of these beautiful handmade serving pieces, I dream of coastal escapes and casual meals with family and friends. Homemade meals and a shared experience are fundamental to the Mediterranean lifestyle. I feel inspired to cook up a large bowl of one of my favorite summer dishes—garlicky mussels.
Fresh mussels from the sea, steamed in an herby white wine sauce, a big piece of crusty bread for dipping, and the minerality of a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to wash it all down. The time is definitely right for a dreamy Mediterranean evening.
If you’d like a glimmer of your own Mediterranean experience, try our recipe for mussels and wine pairing this weekend!
RECIPE
Garlicky Mussels in Herbed White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
Rinse the mussels thoroughly under cold water, ensuring they are clean. Remove any beards your fishmonger may have missed, and be sure to discard any mussels you see that have prematurely opened—these are no longer good.
Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large, lidded pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and minced shallots cooking until they are soft and translucent, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Carefully add your mussels, wine, and about half of the fresh parsley. Put the lid on the pot and increase the heat to high, cooking for about 5 minutes and tossing only once during that time. At this point, the mussels should be opening wide. If not, cover and give it another minute, but watch carefully.
Toss in the remaining parsley and spoon into individual bowls. Serve with the crusty bread pieces and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
WINE PAIRING
California White
For pairing with our mussels recipe, Sauvignon Blanc is a nice balance to the herbs and garlic used in this dish. A good option is this Hanna Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California, which received a 92 rating from Wine.com.
There are so many wonderful Sauvignon Blancs accessible in the U.S. for under $20. If you can’t find our recommendation, just ask your local wine merchant for one of their favorites.
And be sure to buy a couple of bottles so you can use some in the recipe and the rest for enjoying with your guests.
About the author
Tara Jantzen is a freelance writer living in Southern California. Throughout her extensive career she has traveled all over the world, but considers Italy her favorite destination. She’s spent many trips learning first-hand about food, cooking, olive oil, wine, and the spirit of the Italian lifestyle. She has also completed the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits and hopes to continue her wine education with Level 3 in the near future.
If you have a sweet tooth, like we do, then Italy’s Gelato Festival is your destination this summer. Starting April 21st in Florence, and moving through various Italian cities through the season, Gelato Festival 2017 is a celebration of the beloved Italian treat and cookies, of course. In each city between eight and sixteen gelato makers will battle it out on your taste buds for the best maker in the area.
If Italian travel is not in the cards for you this summer, why not have a little gelato competition of your own? Invite friends and neighbors over to sample a flavorful variety of this creamy treat, or better yet, ask each invitee to bring their favorite brand and flavor for sampling. Here are a few of our favorite homemade gelato recipes.
To add an extra touch of authenticity, use our handmade Italian POP Circle Fruit Bowls. Read this blog post from last summer for more ideas to make your event look the part.
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A Message from Italy
From time to time, Stefano, the Owner of Modigliani Italia, will provide us news from Italy.
Summer… this is a magic word here in Italy. It means sun, seaside, vacations… and everybody is taking their vacation during August.
Therefore July is with no doubt the hardest working month of the year - but also the most thrilling for me and my staff here in Italy. Before the end of the month we must be ready with all our exciting projects for the fall and have ended all the works for the summer. During July we run and run to finish everything in time. We want to be sure that all the seeds that we planted during these months produce the fruits that we wish.
And so… at the end, here we are! Ready for our vacations and very, very happy with our new lines designed for Autumn 2014.
Ciao,
Stefano
Summer Serving
Creating beautiful ceramics isn’t the only tradition in the family of the owners of Modigliani. This wonderful summer tabbouleh was created by Silvia, a member of the third generation, in our Sogno Toscano pattern decorated only with the earth and sky. Check out her website at www.cookingforthesoul.com for more wonderful recipes and stay tuned for more of our favorites.