six reasons to visit parma.

 

Parma. Found in the Emilia-Romagna region, this Italian city is a must-travel for foodies, adventurers and history lovers alike. Before my trip, I lost track of the people asking me what I'd be doing in Palma, Majorca. But no, this is far from it's Spanish soundalike, this lesser known Italian haven is more familiar than first thought. Remember delicious platters of thinly sliced Parma ham, boxes of Barilla pasta or that twist of Parmigiano-Reggiano to finish your dish? Well, this is where it all hails from. And I'm not surprised why they're so proud about it. 

As a guest of the official Prosciutto di Parma consortium, I spent three days exploring this lovely part of Italy. If you're keen to visit too, here are a few things to tick off your travel to-do list...

rome: my little foodie city guide.

As the saying goes, when in Rome... eat all the Italian food. So that's exactly what I did. During a three night stay at the 5* Baglioni Hotel Regina, I ate my way through the cobbled streets of the old town of Trastevere on a fantastic Rome foodie tour and dined in the fancy Ristorante Ad Hoc, famed for its luxury truffle offerings. I may not have been there for long, but I certainly ate a lot. Here are my Rome restaurant recommendations that I discovered along the way...

raspberry and pistachio baked doughnuts with a white chocolate drizzle.

Fluffy and delicious doughnuts with one of my favourite flavour combinations – pistachio, raspberry and white chocolate. I’ll let you into a secret though, these aren’t really doughnuts of the deep fried kind. Essentially, they are a simple sponge mix in my trusty doughnut baking pan. So easy to make – with satisfyingly pretty results. If you saw my pumpkin spiced doughnut recipe, you’ll know I just love to decorate these little delicacies. So I had to make a summer version right away...

pan fried lamb steaks with rosemary & mint butter and cous cous.

Founded in the beautiful region of Tuscany, Bertolli pride themselves on their love of authentic Italian cooking and great quality ingredients. Their latest addition, Bertolli with Butter and Olive Oil, is a rich blend of butter and specially selected olive oil. From everyday cooks to seasoned chefs, the new addition to the Bertolli family is the ideal fridge staple. 

The high burn point makes it perfect for pan frying and making sauces - however you prefer to get creative in the kitchen! The versatile butter block gives the subtle taste of butter whilst being able to withstand hot temperatures without burning. So I put it to the test with a recipe which combines all of these – pan fried lamb leg steaks, buttery vegetable cous cous and a homemade fresh mint and rosemary butter to finish. So how did I get on