Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Gourmet Traveller

SUBSCRIBE NOW magshop.com.au/gmt Details Welcome to a very special issue of Gourmet Traveller – and no, not simply because it is our annual Italian issue (though we know how much you love it and we are delighted to keep spreading la gioia). You might have noticed things are looking a little different, and as you continue to journey through this issue, you’ll find a number of tweaks and changes we’ve made to give you more of what you want. Earlier this year, we called on readers to tell us what they love most about GT, what they want to see more of and what they can live without. We then took that feedback and combined it with a few aesthetic changes, including our new bigger size. In the coming pages,…

Made with either buffalo or cow milk, or a combination of the two, mozzarella can be both a finishing cheese and a star dish in itself. You’ll find there are different ways to present the cheese, from plump stracciatella-filled burrata orbs to braided trecce. These examples are the cream of the crop. That’s Amore trecce These neat braided plaits are made from fior di latte (cow milk mozzarella) and can be torn easily over pizzas. Sicilian cheesemaker Giorgio Linguanti makes artisan Italian cheeses, with the Melbourne-based cheesery serving as both a production facility and restaurant. $5.90, thatsamorecheese.com.au La Stella buffalo bocconcini Crafted with buffalo milk, these small, bright white spheres have a subtle flavour profile, making them ideal to add a creamy touch to salads and pastas. $6.99, harrisfarm.com.au Burraduc…

Tell us about your family? My dad’s side is from Istria, Northern Italy, and my mum’s side is from Mildura. My great-nonno and great-nonna with their son Mario immigrated to Australia from Istria after World War II and set up a winery in Moorook, South Australia. My father (Steve) ran that winery for two years but fell in love with cool-climate varieties on a trip to Champagne and moved to Tasmania in the late 1980s with his wife Monique to start a new wine chapter. What led you to wine? I was surrounded by it from a young age and became interested in wine and tasting, from working in the business building the winery, helping Dad in the vineyard and drinking wines with my parents. This July will be the…

Slowly rotating the plate to inspect the layers, I quell my impetuous niece who’s ready, spoon raised, like a cat about to pounce on its prey. I explain that this is the original, legendary tiramisù, which warrants our attention before being devoured. We are at Le Beccherie in Treviso, an elegant city in Veneto, 50 kilometres, or about 30 minutes by train, from Venice. Perched on stools at a high table near the pass, the only available seats in the busy restaurant, I grab my iPhone and snap away. After several protests and “hurry ups”, we each take a spoonful before harmonising our “mm-mmms” a cappella. Their classic tiramisù is luscious and light, silky yet textured, with a good coffee hit, and a dusting of bitter cacao that’s balanced with…

It was as I bobbed in the crystal-clear waters off Punta Scario beach on the island of Salina that I truly began to appreciate the magical and restorative powers of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It had been a tough few months – I was juggling three jobs at the time and felt like I was being pulled in a million directions – but as I swam out towards the island of Vulcano, I felt all my worries drain away,” says Tuscany-based food writer Amber Guinness in her new book Italian Coastal, a love letter to the cuisines and curiosities of Italy’s west coast. “Yes, I was on holiday, so of course my mood was bound to lift, but as I floated there, I realised that so many of my favourite spots…

The concierge is concerned. “Bergamo?” she asks quizzically, as we check out of Lake Como’s gloriously technicoloured Grand Hotel Tremezzo. “Ah, for Bergamo Airport!” “No, we’re going to Bergamo for Bergamo,” I say cheerfully. This is not the first time we’ve had to defend our Lombardy itinerary, which saw us take in the grandeur of Milan and Lake Como, before heading to the medieval mountain town. In fact, bafflement about Bergamo had become a recurring theme. One garrulous taxi driver was stunned into silence when we told him our plans. “Bergamo?” he eventually replied. “I don’t understand.” I’m baffled by the bafflement. When GT’s editor suggested we meet in Milan and do some digging into an unsung Italian food destination, I felt I’d struck gold with Bergamo. Less than an…

COBBLED STREETS, ROMANTIC RAPUNZEL-ESQUE towers and a dramatic oval piazza await those seeking to experience life in a quaint Italian “centro histórico”. Within its dramatic Renaissance walls, the evocative Tuscan town of Lucca is a delight for hungry visitors. From steaming porchetta sandwiches and hearty hand-filled tortellini, to the town’s pasticcerie that look more akin to jewellers thanks to the colourful sweet treats crammed into their window displays, the food scene of Lucca is the epitome of Tuscan gastronomy. Enjoy it on the streets, by candlelight in hidden osterie, or deep in the woods surrounded by chestnut trees, but enjoy it all the same. DAY ONE By day Start the day in one of Lucca’s main squares. Piazza San Michele is where locals converge with their dogs to down a…

SYDNEY Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni is continuing on his restaurant-opening roll, announcing the forthcoming opening of beachside restaurant Cibaria Manly, situated within the Manly Pacific Hotel. Celebrating the convivial nature of Italian all-day dining, with a focus on different “rias”, it’s set to house a braceria (grill), forneria (bakery), spaghetteria (pasta bar) and a gelateria (gelato) counter, and there will also be a pizzeria. Pavoni and the Ormeggio team will go from café-style morning eats through to aperitivo and casual dinners, and there will also be a grand private dining room and rooftop terrace for events. Ormeggio’s head chef Gianmarco Pardini will lead the kitchen, with the opening slated for summer. At another waterfront strip over the bridge at Barangaroo, get ready to wrap, grill and roll at Astro, a…

It is a whole lot of idiosyncratic fun, with all the makings of a Big Night Out writ large, including live seafood tanks, a lavish private dining room and note-perfect Piña Colada. WHEN WORD OF A NEW Merivale project got out last December, the press release didn’t do a great job of selling it. “Think Totti’s,” it read, “but then add soy, dashi, vinegar with fresh herbs, citrus and chilli.” On the one hand, you could hardly blame the hospitality behemoth for wanting to replicate chef Mike Eggert’s wildly successful new-wave trattoria with a few Asian accents. On the other, was it a sign that the future of Hemmes HQ hinged on nothing but variations of puffy wood-fired bread and antipasti? Comparisons to Totti’s, it turns out, aren’t all that…

ALSO KNOWN AS SPAGHETTI BRUCIATI (BURNT SPAGHETTI), THIS unconventional pasta dish hails from Bari, Puglia. “I went to Bari a couple of years ago and came across this dish for the first time,” says chef Dan Johnston. “It’s a hot mess of al dente, crisp, burnt pasta coated in a chilli-spiked tomato sauce. It sounds pretty basic but when it’s good, it’s really good.” At Fontana, honing the technique to ensure this dish could be made to order took many trials, pulling on both the traditional method and applying some left-of-centre techniques. “We also add a solid spoonful of stracciatella to the dish, which would probably make nonna turn in her grave, but makes it all come together.” Johnston strongly recommends sourcing a good brand of spaghetti for this dish:…

Mutti makes the finest quality tomato-based products – full of flavour thanks to 120 years of expertise and 100 per cent Italian tomatoes processed within 24 hours of picking – taste the difference. muttiparma.com.au Oceania Cruises’ new 2025-2026 Tropics & Exotics Collection of voyages opens up a world of new horizons. Retrace the steps of the most daring northern explorers aboard Riviera, heading from Japan towards the icy Bering Strait for an immersive sailing trip around Alaska’s picturesque coastline. oceaniacruises.com Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter’s delicate flavour enhances any dish you cook, bake or fry. Whether it’s used in a classic pasta, a show-stopping apple pie or crisp roast potatoes, its subtle notes complement every dish you create. For food lovers, home cooks and chefs alike, Lurpak® makes everything taste better.…

EURO CHIC Drawing inspiration from around the globe and spanning decades, this home redefines glamour, starting in the kitchen. 1 Galleria armless dining chair in Slate Rattan, $490, MCM House. 2 Teak cup candle, $110, Provider Store. 3 Marcello terracotta head vase, $580, Fred Home. 4 Miele HC Pro VitroLine Combi steam oven in Graphite Grey, $12599, Harvey Norman. 5 Jasper styling tray in Marble, $420, King Living. 6 Fferrone Revolution Champagne flute, $350, Space Furniture. 7 Mini cocotte in Matte Black with Gold knob, $36, Chasseur. 8 Fazzoletto hand-blown Murano glass medium vase in Brown, $1355, Abask. 9 Daniel Boddam Hinterland stool, $2420, Daniel Boddam. LUXE REDUX A rich European sensibility continues into the living room where design icons in warm tones set the agenda. 1 Mojave rug in…

Connecting with ReLove founders, Ren and Ben brings immense joy. Their depth of humanity is palpable and I just love the way all the good people always find each other. Through ReLove’s community collaborations with the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre, Weave Youth Community and the Wayside Chapel in particular, so many women and children’s suffering is eased, on a daily basis. ALMOST EVERY DAY, A CLIENT TRAVERSES THE ReLove warehouse in Sydney, stocking up on furniture, cookware, cushions, and linens – all the minutia that makes up a home. That client might be a survivor of domestic violence or returning from incarceration, seeking asylum, or experiencing any of the other contributors to becoming unhoused. Whatever the circumstances, ReLove co-founder Renuka Fernando always makes the same deal when clients turn…

WALKING INTO SI PARADISO – a booming restaurant, bar and subterranean dance hall triple threat in inner-city Highgate – brings to mind the Copacabana, the nightclub immortalised in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. Then again, Si (as it’s known locally) has long been a hot bed of activity, not least for pizzaiolo Marcos Gentile and his team when 300 revellers suddenly get the munchies. Good thing, then, that the kitchen has recently welcomed new head chef Emily Jones, a one-time stagier at Oslo two-star Maaemo, but lately of urban distillery Republic of Fremantle. Last time I checked, neither of these two venues were Red Sauce Central, but Jones’ opening menus suggests she’s at home working with cucina Italiana. The timber-clad, Mad Men-esque dining room populated by stylish diners – some dress glam,…

LA DOLCE VITA Bellinis are staging a comeback. Enter Bellina, Zonzo Estate’s flirty iteration of the classic Venetian aperitif. A soft blend of peach nectar with a dash of prosecco results in a gently fizzy Spritz, best served in a chilled flute. While this cult favourite would ideally be enjoyed on a balcony overlooking the Italian Riviera, it makes for the perfect pre-dinner sip wherever you are. Cin cin! $25, zonzo.com.au FIZZING FOR A FIGHT King Valley producers Dal Zotto are leading the petition for Australian prosecco producers to retain naming rights of the Italian sparking variety. Otto Dal Zotto, who immigrated from Valdobbiadene, was the first to plant prosecco commercially in Australia in 1999, with DNA testing confirming the grape. In 2009, when the market took off, Italy renamed…

ON THE FOOD FRONT, BRISBANE’S RAMONA Trattoria plays by the hard, fast Italian rules. Pasta is shaped by hand; pizza dough is naturally leavened. One look at the drinks list, however, reveals a subversive through line that throws grappa in the House Martini, strawberries in the Americano and panettone-infused vermouth in the Negroni. The Negroni Sbagliato, meanwhile, is a subversive snifter in its own right, said to have come about in the 1980s, when a busy Milanese bartender mistakenly swapped gin for prosecco while making a Negroni. Ramona’s variation is the Rocco’s Sbagliato, which shares a name with little brother osteria Bar Rocco. The rogue retake borrows elements from the Bramble, another modern classic from the same era. axing vermouth and replacing it with vodka and crème de mûre along…

There is something about a train ride. The romance of departure, the mystery of the passengers, the architecture of the stations and the hypnotic motion make me book a ticket to go somewhere, anywhere, at least once a month. Maybe it’s that I’ve watched too many movies like Harry Potter, Some Like It Hot, Before Sunrise and even Murder on the Orient Express, but I love rail travel – high speed, regional, vintage. All aboard, and I’m on it. That’s why I find myself standing at Track One at Stazione di Siena, Siena’s train station on a cold, rainy November evening, watching steam waft from a vintage engine. Vintage trains have been travelling Italy’s retired railways and underused, secondary tracks for years. It wasn’t until recently that Fondazione FS, Italy’s…

Ricotta gnocchi with cavolo nero and pine nuts SERVES 2 // PREP 40 MINS // COOK 15 MINS 150 gm cavolo nero (about 1 bunch), stalks discarded, leaves torn 3 garlic cloves, peeled 20 gm toasted pine nuts, plus extra to serve 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 20 gm parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve Fried cavolo nero leaves, to serve RICOTTA GNOCCHI 200 gm full-fat ricotta 1 egg yolk Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 20 gm finely grated parmesan 100 gm “00” flour, plus extra for dusting 1 For ricotta gnocchi, combine ricotta, egg yolk, nutmeg and Parmesan in a large bowl. Gradually add flour, mixing in a little at a time, until mixture comes together into a soft ball (it will still…

“I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS THE FOOD OF Sardinia is not more well-known is because of its reputation for simplicity,” says Valentina Vigni, co-owner of Pilloni – a stylishly handsome, woodfire-powered Sardinian restaurant and bar in Brisbane’s West End. “But while the cuisine embraces simplicity it’s also very interesting because it has been shaped by many influences. Both because Sardinia is a Mediterranean island with access to great seafood and because it’s been invaded many times and so the cuisine features influences from all over, especially from Spain.” These influences are embraced in the recipes the team has created for our Italian issue. Great ingredients, cooking over coals, and influences from beyond Italy – the fregola with mussels, for example, has its roots in Spanish paella – are the…

Dough inflates and blisters to form a leopard-spotted cornicione (crust) as mozzarella bubbles. Toppings meld, the base shuffles on the peel, and anticipation rises. If wood-fired pizza is a performance, it deserves a stage as thrilling as this. British pizza pioneer Gozney leads the charge for migrating commercial ovens to domestic settings. With its Dome model it brings soaring design values into play by way of a matte ceramic exterior and dangerously cool curves. Performance-wise, the outdoor pizza oven reaches 450°C to 500°C for a professional-grade pie, cooked in 60 seconds or less, for a dough that puffs before toppings burn. At-home pizzaioli can connect it to gas, or fuel it with wood to level up outdoor parties. Gozney Dome pizza outdoor oven, $2999, utility turning peel, $109, placement peel,…