December 2013 ITALIA! 173
FERNET-BRANCA
This is a serious tipple, with its bitter, slightly
‘medicinal’ taste and dark colouring, made
from the infusion of numerous ingredients – what’s
in it is anyone’s guess but urban legend suggests
coca leaf, wormwood and codeine as three unlikely
constituents – although the exact recipe remains a
closely guarded secret. It’s best consumed straight
after a meal, as it’s an effective aid to digestion, but
it can also be used to give a little kick to espresso
coffee. It’s full spirit strength, too, at a hefty 40
per cent ABV, so serve it in a small shot glass rather
than a tumbler.NTH’S TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...THIS
November 2016 ITALIA! 13THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL
Forget post-its and little scraps of paper, you’ll never lose a
message again with this novel trio of ceramic accessories from
Creativando. The on-trend chalkboard fi nish makes it easy to jot
down messages, shopping lists and love notes: and when you’ve
fi nished, wipe it all off and start again. Handmade in Italy, the
collection includes a slate, a heart and a humidifi er (which you
could use as a vase). Perfect gift ideas or for your home. Prices
are around £42, £34 and £63 respectively. http://www.creativando.nuHEAVEN
SCENT
These new Tuscan
Garden candles
and diffusers from
Landon Tyler are
delicately scented
with tuberose, violet
and geranium with
lemon, ginger and
musk. Available in
two sizes. Prices
range between £
and £12. http://www.
landontyler.comFLYING HIGH
Was it really 26
years ago when the
Three Tenors, José
Carreras, Plácido
Domingo and
Luciano Pavarotti
sang together in
Rome for the fi rst
time? As their
homage, opera trio
Il Volo, have just
released a 22-track CD Notte Magica – A Tribute to the Three Tenors, a special
live recording of their one-off concert in Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce this
summer featuring maestro Plácido Domingo, one of the original Three Tenors.
We have 5 Notte Magica CDs to give away this month – to enter, email your
name and address to [email protected] with the header ‘Il Volo’.
Entries close 10 November. http://www.ilvolomusic.com2
CAMPARI
A retro drink that’s made something of a comeback,
this bright red liqueur is made from a secret
blend of aromatic herbs steeped in alcohol. It is from
the family of drinks known as bitters, and while you
can enjoy it neat, some people fi nd it too overwhelming
to drink straight. With the taste of orange to the fore,
you could argue that it works better as a cordial. Serve
it long with grapefruit juice or with soda or tonic water
over ice and a slice of lime. With sparkling wine, it
offers a sophisticated challenge to the fruitier Venetian
Bellini. Simply top it up with your mixer of choice for a
refreshing way to pass a sunny afternoon.THE GRAPE ESCAPE
Combine your love of the fi zzy
stuff with a three-day trip to the
lovely Veneto town of Treviso
with Arblaster & Clarke’s Prosecco
Weekend next April. You’ll enjoy
exclusive tastings at your hotel and
with premier prosecco producer
Bisol in Valdobbiadene, home of
the Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze
DOC, eat out in the city and explore
the canals of Venice on a guided
tour. The price, including fl ights and
four-star accommodation in Treviso,
is £735pp. For more details of this
and other Italian wine discovery
holidays, go to http://www.winetours.co.ukBUY THIS!
TOP 3...THIS MONTH’S TOP 3...
GIVE THIS!
IT144.TopPicks.sg5.indd 13 29/09/2016 09:28am