October 9, 2015
The 6 Best Gastronomic Specialities from Europe’s Wine Regions
Because a wine trip abroad isn’t just about the wine. Because Europe has so much else to offer. Because, sometimes, you just really, really want to eat.
Table of contents
White Truffles – Piedmont, Puglia & Tuscany
White truffles – a unique and highly aromatic marble-tinted variation on the esteemed ‘diamond of the kitchen’ – can be found in a number of locations across Italy. The hills of San Miniato, in Tuscany, as well as the Istria peninsula (i.e. Puglia) are a couple of these, but white truffles are most easily (and famously) found around Alba and Asti, in Piedmont. White truffles are highly sought-after, and often fetch incredibly high prices on the international market, but it’s all worth it – a dish that is complemented with them is a dish you don’t want to miss out on. They’re only really found in the wild, and truffle season is October through November, so if you want to make the most of this most extravagant of ingredients, now’s the time.
Foccacia – Cinque Terre
Foccacia is the perfect example of what the Italian’s do best – taking something ostensibly simple and making something incredible out of it. It’s essentially oven-baked flatbread (not too dissimilar to pizza dough), that is topped with anything from herbs to cheese to meat to vegetables. It’s served as a side dish, or used as pizza base or sandwich bread. It can actually be found all over the world, but it originates in Liguria, and is a favourite beach snack around Cinque Terre. Enjoy with a glass of vino delle Cinque Terre and a worthy view.
Moules – Bordeaux
Another popular one, here: we’d be willing to bet that if you walk fifteen minutes from wherever you are now, you’ll find at least one place that serves mussels. They don’t even originate from Bordeaux (no more than they do from anywhere else; it’s an ancient food). So why include them? Well, because of éclade. A dish that is found up and down the western coast of France, éclade consists of mussels positioned on a wooden board, covered in pine needles. The needles are set alight, and the mussels are baked. Generally served with bread, salted butter and white wine, it is, in our humble opinions, the best regional variant on this ubiquitous dish in the entire world.
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Piquillo Peppers – Rioja
Don’t worry, they’re not that hot. Piquillo peppers are a variety of chili with a slightly sweet taste that can be found all over the north of Spain. They’re usually wood-roasted in their own juices before serving. Some will be stuffed with fillings, such as bacalao or lamb, others will be fried in batter, and some will be used in a stew. Go to Rioja, and you’re bound to come across them at some point.
Dijon Mustard – Burgundy
A world-famous dish local to (shocker) Dijon, this mustard uses verjuice (which comes from unripe grapes – you can’t fault the Burgundians for really committing to the fruit) instead of vinegar in its recipe. Wine, unsurprisingly, is also used in its production. Expect a spicier, sharper form of mustard as a result. Like regular mustard, Dijon mustard can go with a whole range of dishes, but we suggest using it to make beef bourguignon to really get the best taste of Burgundy.
Lemons – The Amalfi Coast
Amalfi loves its lemons. Like, they really, really love them. They grow on gardens all down the coast, and are instrumental in the culinary tradition of the area. Limoncello, a highly popular lemon liqueur, is a particular speciality, though the fruit (including the peel and leaves, if required) is also used in the cooking and serving of food. The lemons of Amalfi are legendary – don’t miss out on the chance to try them.
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