Long considered the poor cousin of the calzone, the panzerotto is poised to take on the international market thanks to one family-run operation. The crescent-shaped pocket filled with meat, cheese or vegetables fried and served hot is the specialty of the Luini family, which has fed three generations of Milanese in the shadow of the Duomo. The success of a London branch, where the panzerotti are going at the rate of 1,000 a day, has spurned them to try the Japanese market.

Related resources:
Have a look at the official site (in English & Italian) www.luini.it
For recipes (Italian only) look up “panzerotto” here: www.cooker.net

A source, naturally deep throat, confirms our hunch about a new kind of Italian fast food — one colossal of the local market is clamoring to get things going in Europe…

Pasta giant Barilla plans to open the first in a series of quickie restaurants before year’s end..starting with Greece.

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Nomenclature matters: enough to take it up with the European court of justice in Luxembourg. Italian parmigiano cheese makers won the battle against industrially-produced imitators trying to cash in on the cheese’s clout by using the name “parmesan.” Considered a benchmark case in countries with numerous local specialties to defend, the decision, however only limits damage from cut-rate Italian versions. The words “parmesan” and “Made in Italy” cannot appear on products from Italy which do not meet the centuries-old production process. Companies who produce copy-cat products outside Italy can still use the name.Why the semantic fuss? The parmigiano business lobby is a strong one–profits from the cheese make it second only to Italy’s fashion industry. For the five provinces which produce the “official” parmigiano–Reggio, Modena, Bologna, Mantua Parma–the name is everything.

http://www.parmigiano-reggiano.it

Test your knowledge of parmigiano (from what cows are fed to aging process) with the Parma consortium guide. In English/Italian.

Only in Italy could a bank sell wine: Banca CR Asti is the latest to launch a portal to capitalizing on goods of the grape. The web site –called “catanabuta” or “grab a bottle” in Piedmontese dialect–hooks up producers, buyers and customers. Bank management decided to branch out to offer more services to its clients, many of them involved with wine-making in the region.
www.catanabuta.com

The recent media-go-round was kicked off by newspaper La Repubblica: a seemingly innocent evergreen about Italy’s brunch trend (which dates about five years back) was picked up and unduly magnified, perhaps due to poor translation, by foreign press.
Italians and expats alike do enjoy Sunday brunch–a relatively inexpensive way to see friends and chat over the papers. It hardly signals the demise of the traditional family luncheon as intimated–it’s more a way to beat the Sunday blues for young professionals who’ve moved far from home.
A few caveats: this is strictly a social thing, a way to hang out (stare insieme) rather than eat a fab meal.
Best way to avoid mediocre food and sketchy service: reserve ahead and go early.
A brunch outing ranges from around $10-15 USD…And don’t be alarmed if instant coffee is presented in several varieties as if it were a luxury–instant coffee makers have been one of the biggest sponsors of the trend–check out this site of a noted brand for brunch locales throughout Italy. www.brunch.it
We thought we’d add to the bru ha ha with highly-rated staff picks:
Milan:
Le Biciclette – v. Torti (Navigli area) tel. 02.58104325
Gran Burrone- v.P. Paoli (Navigli) tel.02.58100216 part-owner Jovanotti, very cool vibe

Rome: Bibli – Via dei Fienaroli 23 (Trastevere) tel. 06.5884097 bookstore and cultural association.

Florence:
Rose’s via del Parione 26r tel. 055.287090 Saturdays only.
Hemingway p.za Piattellina 9r (Oltrarno area) tel. 055. 284781

Turin:
Lutèce p.za Carlo Emanuele II 21 tel. 011.88.76.44 68 Super chic

Three months after the May 2001 funeral ceremony for Florentine steak, the prized cut of beef has been restored to local restaurants. Butchers have gone round the year-long ban– by cutting around the vertebra where danger of mad cow contamination is more likely. The steaks found in the San Lorenzo market, according to Massimo Manetti head of the butcher’s association, are all either boneless or certified under 12 months old. The new agricultural minister, Giovanni Alemanno, has taken up the crusade and vows to have the ban lifted by the EU in September.
Related resources:
Two addresses for the fearless–
Buca Lapi (Florence) Via del Trebbio, 1/R Tel.055 213768
Da Padellina (Strada in Chianti) C.so di Popolo 54, Tel. 055 858388

French-Italian financier Christian Roger had the right idea at the right time: a wine investment fund. A closed-end fund managed in London and Geneva, it allows wine aficionados to pool capital for investment in “great Italian wines.”
Timing couldn’t be better: the authoritative Wine Spectator put Antinori’s Toscana Solaia 1997 at the top of its annual "Best Wine" list. It’s the first time an Italian vino garners the title –given Solaia’s initial price ($90USD) and the quantity produced (7,000 cases) the price will surely skyrocket.
Two other Italian wines made it on the "Best Wine" list:
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Ornellaia 1997
Castello dei Rampolla Toscana Sammarco 1997

Would-be investors make note: it’s probably no coincidence that all three wines are from Tuscany and 1997 vintage–due to weather conditions, that harvest was somewhat less than expected in terms of quantity – but exceptional in terms of quality, considered one of the greatest of the last half century. Buon rendimento!

Related resources:
For a taste of what’s to come, check out "Vino e Finanza" Roger’s new wine-tasting haven in Milan (via Morigi 13)
www.winespectator.com
www.antinori.it