Italy - what do you bring back to the US?
 

We will be in Italy again :) this coming October.

I remember reading a topic on suggested items to bring back to the US from Spain. What would you bring back from Italy? aside from olive oil, which is easily found at home.

I mean stuff only available in Italy ...

Thanks!

Pasta, Wine, Dish cleaner, washing powder, vinegar, crackers, grissini sticks, fabric softener, Gran Padano, tomato concentrate, salami, lemonade concentrate, Parmigiano Reggiano, white bread and milk, peaches.

Oh, Logos!

Actually, my own rather obvious guess would be anything (e.g., wine, cheese, crafts) made from small producers who do not export. Since they aren't likely to have a website, you won't know until you actually get there and "discover" them. I think the value to you would thus be personal and based on the product's quality and/or uniqueness -- harder to find than it used to be, I imagine.

Per Logos' point, I would think nearly EVERYTHING else is available everywhere these days as he just typed up my monthly Costco list.

Amaro, an Italian herbal liqueur. Our favorite, called Amaro Lucano is only available in a shop in San Francisco here in the US and is 3x as expensive as in Italy.

On one trip our last stop was Milano and brought back a cake from the Galleria.

My daughter brought back a Roman whom became her husband.

LoveItaly, I have been reading fodors for years and your reply is the best so far. So cute!!! Good for your daughter.

My favorites are lightweight -- herb blends for risotto, etc. and on my next trip I plan to bring back basil seed packs (which others have brought me--they grow wonderfully!). I did bring back a chunk of Parmesian cheese once.

This is just the tip of the iceberg; you will find many more by doing a search:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...from-italy.cfm


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...from-italy.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-as-a-gift.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...om-italy-1.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...from-italy.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...g-to-italy.cfm

It depends on the region you visit,as products tend to be extremely regional.
If you are on the nord,don't miss a "colomba" something like a panettone but without candied fruits.cheap,and travels very well; besides being yummy

Knorr Porcini mushroom compressed powdered soup cubes. can't find in the states. keep in freezer, great in soups.

Just a tip: Many supermarkets and Italian specialty stores in the US sell porcini mushroom cubes..look for STAR brand, imported from Italy.

http://www.grancaffevuotto.com/index...a8a6794bc29eb8

I buy eye glass frames every time I am in Italy as the selection is so much more extensive and interesting there. Quality IME is superior as well.

Olive wood stuff. We have a mortar and pestle, salad servers, and a few other small items.

But next time I am determined to figure out a way to bring back one of the big salad bowls from Orvieto!

So beautiful and the more they are used, the prettier they become.

Byrd

What an excellent idea, kfusto. I'll have to remember that as I'm rather picky about frames and can never seem to find anything I like.


I've never heard of the Knorr Porcini cubes, but we are fortunate here in the SF Bay Area to have dried Porcinis in most of the grocery stores. They are a crucial ingredient in our favorite Tuscan Chicken Artichoke Soup.

Of course, I like LoveItaly's suggestion best!

sap, you have broken one of Fodor's rules! [-X

Don't you know that you must include the recipe whenever words such as <i>"favorite Tuscan Chicken Artichoke Soup"</i> are mentioned? :)

Ha! Well, I think I have it memorized, so here goes:

(BTW - I rarely measure anything, so I'm just guessing as I type. You'll have to eyeball most of it to taste)

Soak 1/4 c of dried Porcinis in a mix of hot water and dry white wine - just enough to cover - for 20 minutes. Sometimes I add a few drops of brandy because I think it brings out the depth of the mushrooms, but it's not exactly an Italian touch.

Meanwhile, soak cooked artichokes in a few tbsp of lemon juice - though I usually just lazily use a can of hearts since you can't tell the difference once it's in the soup.

While the mushrooms are softening and the artichokes "marinating," boil, bake or grill 2 or 3 chicken breasts. Cool.

Saute chopped garlic and a large handful of chopped fresh parsley in olive oil. Then drain the mushrooms and artichokes, chop and add to the pot.

Pour the leftover soaking liquid from the mushrooms into a separate container, stopping when you reach the "grit" and the bottom. Stir in 1 tbs or two of tomato paste. Add this to the pot and stir.

Pull & shred the cooled chicken breasts into the pot.

Put 1 tbs or so of flour into a cup and slowly mix in dry white wine (@ 1/2 cup) to make a slurry. Pour this into the pot and stir.

Add 6-8 cups of chicken stock to the pot and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Add salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.

At this point, you may add a few handfuls of arborio rice or a very small pasta to the pot and cook until done. (I prefer the arborio.)

Add another handful of fresh chopped parsley. Squirt in a few drops of lemon juice just before serving and grate fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino or Grana Padano over each bowl. (We use Pecorino as we buy large hunks from Costco.)

Buon appetito!

[NB: I've adapted this recipe over the years from an Italian cooking class my DH had enrolled me in as a b-day present some 15 years ago. He claims it was one of the best investments he's ever made.]

Just in case it wasn't clear: Mix the tomato paste into the clean mushroom soaking liquid poured into the 2nd container, not the grit at the bottom of the first. Yuck! :d

sap ((L))

I realize not everyone celebrates Christmas, but we like to bring home a locally made ornament. This way it is small and light. We have such nice memories taking the ornaments out each year.

However, nothing can beat this post,
"My daughter brought back a Roman whom became her husband."

Gine,
I do the same thing. I collect ornaments from each place we travel to. We had so many after our three month trip last year that we had two Christmas trees! Kind of fun actually. Our family ornaments on one and travel ornaments on the other.

I absolutely love the handpainted plates I got in Orvieto. Beautiful, and I know I will never see the same in any store or catalog.

Michele :)

Bedbugs?

wow!
THANKS to all for so many good suggestions.... and even though I agree that LoveItaly's is probably the best answer ever, polygamy is kind o' frown upon in my neck of the woods ;-)

My list is growing ... :P

I got a beautiful lace-trimmed blouse and some embroidered hand towels on Murano, as well as a multi-colored glass pendant and a cut glass pendant necklace in Venice. Also picked up a couple of pretty fridge magnets somewhere. One has lemons on it, and the other has that tree of life motif.

I forgot to say that I also brought back a couple of extra pounds from eating gelato everywhere I went.

I like to bing back vacumm packed cheese. Especially pecorino from southern Tuscany.

ek - thanks for those links, now I will add an empty suitcase to my list of things to take with me ...

carolyn, magnets are one of my collectibles from every place I visit, as well as postcards (I love the photos I take, but postcards capture so much more than my camera, and they give me a quick way to jot down little details I would otherwise forget).

again, thanks everyone!

Handmade ceramic serving pieces and mugs from Positano;
leather wallets and bookmarks, marbled stationery and
picture frames, soaps and a custom made leather jacket from Florence; handmade paper from Venice; wooden salad forks and spoons with colorful ceramic handles from Siena; wine bottle stoppers from Sorrento.

Add us to the magnet collectors. Good linens for the kitchen as well.

Us customs site says seeds have to be declared so that will not be fun, Maybe herb mixtures will work better!

What I wish I had brought back: aerosol talc spray that removes olive oil stains from clothes. (If anyone knows where to find it outside Italy, especially in the US, please let me know).

ekscrunchy: thanks! I didn't know that!

sap: your recipe sounds great. will follow. thanks.

Mlle.Fifi: I'd like to know too. I just dribbled oil on one of my favorite shirts!

1. Pan forte from Siena (dense fruit & nut "cake", more like a candy). We buy at least one of each type (they vary slightly by addition of cocoa, more or less spice, etc). They keep very well, wrapped in their original foil plus a double zip-lock bag. Have kept them for as long as 2 years.
2. Christmas tree ornament (even if it isn't intended to be one).
3. Small watercolor paintings bought on streets or in markets. Yes, some are touristy-tacky, but many are very pleasant little originals. We have a small powder room painted black and gold, and frame our "souvenir" watercolors in gold frames to hang on black wall. It is a great way to remember trips without cluttering up tabletops and counterspace!
PS: How do those of you bringing home cheese, plant seeds, and salami? Canada Customs sure hasn't let me/my friends in with those! (BTW, I declare the pan forte as "a type of cooked candy" rather than "fruit cake." The word "fruit" sets off all sorts of alarm bells.)

I would have liked to have brought a Roman (or Venetian...) home to, but instead I settled for lightweight, decorative wood trays from Orvieto, limoncello and lemon soap from Sorrento, glass paperweights and jewelry from Venice, a leather briefcase from Florence, handmade paper items from Venice and Florence and lots of books. Normally I love to shop, but in Europe I spend more time sightseeing.

On my next trip I'd like to get a beautiful, authentic carnival mask in Venice, a set of Murano glasses, some torrone...

Chocolate grappa.

So many wonderful ideas 9and tips!) thanks!

One of the best things I brought back from Italy were packs of seed for varieties of vegetables that are hard or impossible to find in US and had a wonderful Italian veggie garden the next two seasons. I bought them at a weekly market and yes, I did declare them at customs when re-entering the US. We were the last to leave the customs area, but they were approved.

LOL, hi dear Fodorites..yes I raised my daughter properly. Did I mention he is tall and handsome. He is a terrific cook, a computer expert, can take old pieces of furniture and take them apart to make beautiful pieces of furniture for their home, a good gardener and a great mechanic including with cars and besides that a loving husband and son-in-law. Not bragging but I sure love and respect my Roman son-in-law and thank the fate that brought them together..it was meant to be!

He sounds wonderful, LoveItaly!! No doubt it runs in the family/

Love-how did they meet?

Back to the original thread.....

I go to Rome and Milan quite a bit for work but I always bring back the following:

Illy coffee-it is $14 a can here in Chicago and less than 5 euros there.

Colavita olive oil-best olive oil around(touted by many of the chefs on TV) and quite expensive here in the states. It is now up to $18.99 a bottle at my stores and less than 6 euros in Rome.

Rio tuna packed in foil and olive oil-fabulous taste and so easy to keep in your purse or bag for a extra snack.
I used to schelp wine but unless it is something I cannot order or get in the states I leave it over there-I have carpal tunnel in my wrists from so many years of bringing it back.

Wooden toys/gifts from the toystore in Rome-the one with Pinnochio out front?

Coffee table books-ones you will never see in the states.

Blue jeans-which are longer than what is made in the states. Great if you are tall and have problems with length.

Murano or sterling silver jewelry.

LOVE the Pinocchio store in Rome - the larger one I brought back sits looking at me every day :-)