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Sarah: pasta is not the best in every region of Italy. As a matter of faacts dried pasta (the usual kind of durum wheat semola pasta) was almost completely unknown in Northren Italy but one century ago, and in the 1950s dried pasta was still something of a novelty to my grandparents who lived in the countryside. If youre going to buy any pasta, you should relly check out for the Martelli pasta in Lunigiana (the area between Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Liguria) or for the pasta produced by small factories in the area of gragnano, near Naples. Sure enough you can enter any supoermarket and get yourself a pack of Barilla pasta, but doing so you will only have gotten yourself some of the worst pasta you could possibly find on the Italian market. If you are really going to buy your pasta at a supermarket, make sure it is AT LEAST Del Verde or Molisana. And, please, do not buy those horrible packs of colored and strange-shaped pasta you can find in touristc shops!!!
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If I were you I'd bring home one of those handsome Italian men. Mmmm!
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Limoncello...it's the nectar of the gods! Try it and you'll be hooked...
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If you love Limoncello,here's a hint: also pick up a serving set: very small yellow toned glasses,in sets of 6-8 are sold very inexpensively in many Rome giftshops. Mine camne with an ugly tray that was discarded but the glasses grace every dinner party we have. I keep the Limoncello in the freezer to serve as it is served in Puglia.
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Just talking about it makes me want to go back to Rome and The Amalfi Coast! I second the chilling of the Limoncello...awesome!<BR><BR>The amalfi Coast had the best I tasted, as the land is packed with lemon groves. They are experts. Have fun.
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Do you guys really like limoncello? Or do you just like that it's from Sorrento? I can't drink it?<BR><BR>You can, by the way, buy it at BevMo.
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I also wanted to comment that Limoncello is available in most liquor stores. also, you might want to test it before buying it. My parents brought a relatively expensive bottle back for me from sorrento. I appreciate the thought but it was dreadful. tasted like cough syrup.
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An oil painting or some kind of print from one of the places you really enjoyed. We have framed many things, and everyday when we look at them, we are reminded of Italy!
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Alice, I never claimed to be a connoiseur of pasta, however, I've been to every city between Sicily & Rome & every dried pasta I brought back was wonderful (from Divella to Le Orecchiette Baresi). And never once did I see Barilla in any of the supermercados that i shopped in.
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Sarah:<BR><BR>Narilla, I assure you, is the most commonly available pasta brand in Italy. You can find it almost everywhere, most supermarkets have whole shelves of it (often one shelf of Barilla and the opposite shelf of other brands!), and in bakeries you always get Brailla unless you ask for something else. Tne blue boxes are nearly everywhere. Ad for Divella, a freind of mine says it is one of the decent brands you can buy at the supermarket, yet I encourage everyone to try out Martelli, Garofalo, Latini, fella di Gragnano, Rustichella d'Abruzzo, Setaro or Coop pastai gragnanesi. These can't be found at supermarkets (except for a few exceptions), but they are absolutely great!
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Cheese!<BR>Whenever we go up north, near Parma, we visit a parmiggiano reggiano cheese factory right off the autostrada, and buy several big wedges in vacuum-sealed packages for about $6 each. The factory conducts tours also. Keep in a cool place or (fridge if your hotel or B&B has one) and it travels fine. It is sooo much better than what we get here. Don't know why. Great to eat straight with fruit or grated over pasta, and to reminisce about the trip.<BR><BR>And olive oil - not from the supermarket, but from a local producer that sells it's own direct to the public. <BR>
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Carol:<BR><BR>the cheese idea is a good one, but 6 euro for a whole wedge of cheese (even from the faactory) is far too cheap. Average price for good quality (not top quality) 18 months (the very best in the plain area is 24 months old, while the very very best can only be found on the mountains and is age for at least 30 months, sometimes even 36 months) Parmigiano Reggiano is around 8-10 euro per kg, and a wedge usually weights 1,2-1,5 kg. Make sure that the cheese they are selling you is not too young (below 12 months) or has not turned "boli" (bubby): the texture should show no bubbles and no cracks and the colour should be light yellow (or rather blond!). Also, on theourside of the cheese there should be the "Parmigiano reggiano" seal and a date: make sure this date is not too close, that's the date of production that has been placed as the cheese has been first sampled. Check out http://www2.parmigiano-reggiano.it/database/parmigianoreggiano/parmigianoreggiano1.nsf/home/$First?OpenDocument
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Alice, I've never heard of Narilla or Brailla (perhaps I should try them!) However, my reply was to Alan who was asking for opinions and my opinion is....all of the pasta that i brought back was excellent (excluding Barilla which i never saw once in Italy).
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Some things we have brought back over the years include good balsamic vinegar (old stuff) , 1997 Brunellos and super Tuscans (You need to know costs at home however as costs can vary widely in Italy. Allegrini 97 Amarone seen in Venice last week for E98 while costing $45 in USA), Murano glass, ties and scarfs (found some silk ties near Ponte Vechio last week for E4!), and ceramics, plus spices, ie saffron, shoes, interesting pasta. Would not recommend limoncello as you can find it in the usa for not much more than in Sorrento. I would worry about being able to bring cheese into the usa for agricultural issues.
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About 6 years ago after having dinner at a friends home we were offered "lemon jello" and I said no thank you (thinking it was lemon jello). When she brought out this beautiful bottle I changed my mind and we fell in love with limoncello.
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Alan, We always buy ceramics in Italy. We were in Positano this summer and bought a ceramic light fixture for our kitchen. We had it shipped, and even with shipping, it was not anywhere near $250. I had a Christmas party last night, and everyone commented on it. It is the best thing I have ever brought back from a trip; lovely and functional.
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Hi Alan,<BR><BR>Have not seen it on this thread yet . . . if you are going to Sorrento you may want to consider an inlaid music box from one of the small factories.
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John, I was just about to say the same thing. The music boxes or other inlaid wood items are beautiful. I have a music box which my mother purchased for me as a gift and a lovely large wall plaque of Sorrento scenes - they both bring back many fond memories of our trip. Other treasured items are small pottery creamers, plates, bowls, etc. which I purchased in Massa Lubrense.
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Wine of course.<BR> If your are in Venice something special to bring back is a mask. There are many to choose from take your time and you will find one that you will love.
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Mike. The pictures I have seen make the masks look pretty delicate. How to you get them home unbroken? No, I won't wear one on the plane.
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