What makes Italian food so mouthwatering and luxurious? Fresh ingredients and dishes crafted with love!

You simply can't go wrong with fresh Italian formaggio. No matter what time of the day it is, there is a cheese that will make any meal extra satisfying! There are so many delicious Italian cheeses, each with its own unique aroma, flavour and consistency.  

There is a lot that goes into producing a beautiful and truly Italian cheese. Conde Nast Traveller visits a cheese-maker in Tuscany and explores the meticulous care he takes in his art: creating a perfect, delicious batch of Tuscan cheese!

You may not be able to fly to Italy and try his cheese but at La Piazza Dario, we relish in creating truly authentic Italian meals using only the best ingredients! Join us for a delicious meal and transport your tastebuds to Italy!

(Image via Pexels)

How well do you know your Italian cheeses?!

Mozzarella, ricotta, parmigiano… Italy is known for more than its delicious pastas and rich wines! The variety of flavours and textures of Italian cheese leaves nothing to be desired by your taste buds. Even more culinarily exciting are the many ways you can pair these cheeses that serve to enhance and compliment their unique flavours!

So what are the best pairings? Check out this infographic and visit Fine Dining Lovers to learn more!

(Infographic via Fine Dining Lovers)

Discover how to eat like a true Italian!

Eat like an Italian & indulge in the traditional Italian meal structure.

With so many courses, it's no wonder that the meal structure of a traditional Italian meal remains a mystery to many of whom are not of Italian descent! However, although a traditional Italian meal can seem overwhelming on paper (or on a menu!), each course is perfectly balanced to compliment the next. So, come visit us at La Piazza Dario and dine like a true Italian with our guide to a traditional Italian meal below!

The Traditional Italian Meal Structure

Aperitivo: The aperitivo is close to the equivalent of the North American appetizer. Examples of an aperitivo are olives, cheese, etc. and are often accompanied with wine or other alcoholic drinks, such as prosecco.

Antipasto: An antipasto is a starter that follows the aperitivo. It is a lighter course than the first course and is often served cold.

Primo: As the first course, the primo usually consists of a non-meat dish, such as risotto, pasta, gnocchi, or soup.

Secondo: The secondo is the second course dish and includes different types of poultry, fish and/or red meat.

Contorno: A contorno is a side dish that is usually served alongside the secondo, however, each dish is always served on two separate plates. More often than not, a contorno is made up of vegetables.

Insalata: The insalata is normally a fresh garden salad.

Formaggi e frutta: Litterally, formaggi e frutta means cheese and fruit and is a dish that consists of locally made cheeses and whatever fresh fruit is in season.

Dolce: Dolce is the dessert of the meal, with popular dessert dishes being tiramisù, panna cotta, gelato or sorbetto, or cannoli.

Caffè: A caffè is traditionally had at the end of an Italian meal. The caffè of choice is, more often than not, an espresso.

Digestivo: The digestivo are drinks consumed at the end of the meal to help aid digestion. Popular digestivo drinks are grappa, amaro and limoncello.

(Image via Pixabay)

What's not to love about Italian formaggio?!

As you've probably already guessed, formaggio is Italian for cheese! You think France is the only European country renowned for its cheeses? Think again. If there was a contest for the most delicious, delectable, tasty cheeses, Italy would be the running for gold!

Asiago, taleggio, parmigiano reggianno... The list of delicious Italian cheeses is actually quite long! 

Learn about some of Italy's tastiest cheese and the best places to try them in The Walks of Italy Blog's, The Best Cheese in Italy: Some of Our Favourite Formaggio!

(Image via Pexels)

Whether a sophisticated appetizer or the parting glass to a meal, the wine and cheese combination is a classic...

Chardonnay, Merlot or Riesling; malbec, rosé or Chianti and... what?! Why not cheese! But how do you choose from among the infinite number of choices of wines (of which we have many and definitely worth a trip to our lovely and humble restaurant to enjoy!) and the many sticky mild to strong, crumbly dairy delights?

Well we found a little infographic that helps pair cheeses with their perfect wine partners! We recommend a delicious Italian chianti with parmigiana.

(Image via Love Letters to Home)