Regata Storica

Regal, captivating, and classic was this past Sunday Regata Storica.  While plenty of events and parties for the holiday weekend occurred here stateside certainly none with the level of grandeur at the Historical Regatta in Venice, Italy.  Fortunate travelers were those with canal views seeing the sophisticated event, held annually the first Sunday of September (1st September for 2013).

From Jacapo de Barbari View of Venice, 

the first visual image of a regatta circa 1500 credit: regatastoricavenezia.it

The most drawing festival of the Venetian year, the regatta series dates back to 1315 when Giovanni Soranzo created the races through the cities now famous canals to allow contenders to vie for the most able of the oarsmen.  The commencement is marked by a parade celebrating the welcome of Caterina Cornaro, The Queen of Cyprus who relinquished her throne in favor of Venice.  Fleets of 16^th century-style boats with period dress gondoliers float the Doge, the Doge’s wife and all the highest ranking Venetian officials through the Grand Canal, unforgettable color and significations of the influential past hold share in the glorious parade.  

The actual races are divided into four by age and type of craft.  The best known and most exhilarating of these is the “Campioni su Gondolini” race, small sporting gondolas that soar down to the “machina”, a stunning floating stage located in front of Ca’ Foscari palace that doubles as the finish line. 

2013 Regata Storica photo by, Mirco Toffolo, Venezia Marketing & Eventi

Click the link for his full 2013 album

Travel to Italy in late-August- September may be the finest time of year to venture to Venice.  Undoubtedly, the refined Regata Storica envelopes thousands of tourists and engages all locals with a truly mesmerizing and meaningful maritime experience.  

Have you ever been to (or partaken in) a regatta? Where?

The 70th Venice Film Festival

Luxury, stars, and honor capture the city host to the world’s oldest film festival.  Set for starting on August 28, 2013 at Palazzo del Cinema is the 70^th Venice Film Festival.  Painstakingly beautiful, this is Venice when it sizzles. 

Palazzo del Cinema

 

The famous Venetian film festival takes place on The Lido, the main land barrier between Venice and the open sea, the most gorgeous beach annually full of Hollywood’s finest.  Venice is taken over not only by Hollywood, but global film industry elite as well.  There is historically on of the most prestigious awards in film to be given to top award, The Golden Lion ( Leone d’Oro).  This year there are 21, often limit pushing, films competing. 

Venice 70 –Future Reloaded will encapsulate highlights from films over the festival lifespan to be directed by Alberto Barbera.  Beyond the films, anticipated moments, and the stunning location the Venetian film festival largely promotes the newest digital technologies and progression in all parts in the art of film making.  Venice is a culture the world wide film industry can relate to of beauty, appreciation of time, and set apart from the rest. 

 

Traveling to beautiful Italy is one of the most decadent trips of a lifetime.  Going to Venice during the annual film festival, undoubtedly has made top billing on many bucket lists.  The Lido at this peak moment every year is incandescent, it is unimaginable anywhere else could shine as bright. 

The Gelato Sandwich

A bevy of delightful images of frozen desserts splashed across the internet last week in celebration of National Ice Cream Sandwich Day on August 2, 2013.  Frozen desserts and the stream of National Days allotted in their honor represent summer treats well.  The sources for inspiration are mouthwatering creative combinations.  After a particularly long period of pontificating the very best way to stand out among the slew of combinations the answer became simple, creating a basic gelato sandwich proved enough to contend.   

The Gelato Sandwich:
 Chocolate wafer cookies, vanilla gelato. Simple summer treasure.

On a previous post the idea occurred to make a gelato sandwich with pizzelle, delicious and a bit fancy.  For numerous variations gelato can be smashed in between to enjoy sandwich style (donuts, waffles) check out this buzzfeed. This video supplies you with the proper techniques on how-to create the gelato sandwich! 

The Blood Orange Peach Soda Float

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.

Same buzz, same theory here.  Able to stem a bit from the basic being as the frozen beverage arena has many advanced conceptions. Please don't take this the wrong way, black sesame gelato shakes are likely amazing, but this fresh sorbetto soda float will cater nicely to summer taste buds. 

The Blood Orange Peach Soda Float

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

3 fresh peaches, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1-2 large lemons

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup sparkling water

Ice

Blood Orange sorbetto

Basil for garnish

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved, 2-3 minutes.  Set aside to cool 20 minutes.

In a blender, combine the cooled syrup, peaches, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Blend until smooth.  Add the sparkling water and pour into an ice filled pitcher.  To serve pour into individual glasses and top with a scoop of blood orange sorbetto and fresh basil for garnish.

Do you know what today is? Yes, another frozen treat: National Root Beer Float Day! Root beer & Sea Salt Caramel Gelato for our float!

 What memory does a root beer float bring to you? 

The "Best" Plan for Gelato in Italy

Asking somebody, “What is the best gelato in Italy?” is a bit of an oxymoron.  Believe it or not, there seems to be a list of particular favorites that perhaps set the bar for the rest to sit just shy of. History, food bloggers, and avid travelers have reviewed and noted the best of gelato in Italy typically categorized by region.  An ideal trip, travel through Italy by way of gelato.  Here is a plan sure to supersede the very best recommendations and is certain to score an interpretation of top gelato in Italy. 

Taste for yourself, is there a best? Plan a trip to Italy!

Gelateria (photo credit: goitaly.about.com)

First, to skim and filter the top recommendations of locals and noted world chefs, food gurus, and a favorite among rookie bloggers, a highly regarded gelateria is San Crispino Gelato, in Rome.  History and fame have built the foundation for San Crispino to continue to win the favor of stellar review for their gelato.  Next, stop by Antica Gelateria Alberto Pica in Rome, Alberto Pica is the president of the Association of Italian Gelato Artisans, an artisan himself and the owner of this renowned gelateria.  Pica is established in the gelato world suitable enough to judge the Gelato World Tour (more to come in a moment). Lastly, venture to Bologna’s Carpigiani Gelato Museum and/or University.  This is the top International place for teaching the craft of gelato making, and has been since the very beginning of gelato. Taste the product and innovation being taught to the gelato world.

Beyond these three must-try locations, please succumb to the exhilaration of popping into any seemingly off-the-radar gelateria, sometimes finding “the best” means exposing a true undiscovered gem, the gelato connoisseurs must do this themselves.  

               (photo credit via Facebook)

The actual best laid plan? Hunt down the 16 participants that were selected in competition for Italy’s representation in The Gelato World Tour.  The Gelato World Tour, literally a tour throughout the continents of the world, scheduled through to a finale in September 2014 when the top winner from each participating country will compete for top billing as the “World’s Best Gelato Flavour”, unbelievable! The list of Italian gelato artisans, and the flavor each used in competition, is documented in a press release explaining the criteria of selection among the country oozing with gelato forerunners. 

Go to Italy, and go here:

*Following is the list of 16 artisans and their flavors:
Vito Carmine Calogero, Gelateria Bella Blu (Polignano, BA)– Flavor: Four Seasons Almond Maria Annunziata Carbè, Pasticceria Gelateria 2000 (Ellera Umbra, PG)– Flavor: Signature Gelato Marco Ciampini, Ciampini (Rome)– Flavor: Truffle Enzo Crivella, Kriò gelatocaffè (Salerno) – Flavor: Bread and Jam Giuseppe Cuti, Al gelatone (Palermo) – Flavor: Zammù Raffaele Del Verme, Di Matteo (Torchiara, SA) – Flavor: Figs in Chocolate Giuseppe Lancierini, Gelateria Fiore (Suzzara, MN) – Flavor: Pistachio Francesco Mastroianni, Il Cantagalli (Lamezia Terme, CZ)– Flavor: Grumpy Heart Antonio Mezzalira, Golosi di natura (Gazzo Padovano, PD)– Flavor: Patavino Emanuele Montana, Retrò (Rome)– Flavor: Orange Delight Santo Musumeci, Gelateria Santo Musumeci (Randazzo, CT)– Flavor: Green Gold of Sicily Mauro Serani, Gelateria Bruno.com (Antrodoco, RI) – Flavor: Apple Cake Luigi Tirabassi, Gelato e Cioccolato (Subiaco,RM)– Flavor: Grand Marnier Cream and Orange Marmalade Francesco Dioletta, Gelateria Duomo (L’Aquila)– Flavor: Aquila Flavors Antonio Ravese, Paradise (Gioia Tauro, RC) – Flavor: Paradise
Fardin Khosravi, S. M. Maggiore (Rome)– Flavor: Dark Chocolate

The Gelato World Tour Kick-Off!

Anybody is bound to find the best gelato in Italy with the above list functioning as a tour guide, provided such a determination truly does exist. Dream vacation, check. 

What would be the creative flavor (complete with a cheeky name) you would enter in The Gelato World Tour, if you were a gelato artisan?  

*List from The GelatoWorld Tour, for more information visit www.gelatoworldtour.com