HB&B Blog — Italy

Natural Wine Killers: Truffle Cheese Pasta with Camillo Donati Ribelle Rosato 2020

Claire Bullen Italy Natural wine Natural Wine Killers Red wine Sparkling wine

Natural Wine Killers: Truffle Cheese Pasta with Camillo Donati Ribelle Rosato 2020

I’ve come around on Valentine’s Day. February is short on festive feeling; why not take the opportunity to make a special occasion out of what would otherwise be another grey Wednesday? No matter whether you’re coupled-up, seeing friends or going solo – this year, set aside time to celebrate. Just don’t do it at a restaurant. Having dinner out on Valentine’s Day is like going out on New Year’s Eve: Overcrowded, overpriced and never as good as you hope. Instead, swerve the hassle with a vibey meal at home. Turn off the big light, put on a jazz album (I’ve got...

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Wine & Food Killers: Burrata and Mortadella Sandwiches with Pistachio Pesto and Podere Pradarolo Indocilis Rosso 2020

Claire Bullen Italy Natural wine Natural Wine Killers Red wine Sparkling wine

Wine & Food Killers: Burrata and Mortadella Sandwiches with Pistachio Pesto and Podere Pradarolo Indocilis Rosso 2020

Some of the very best things are simple. Sun on a winter morning after weeks of rain. A well-made cup of coffee, served at exactly the right temperature. Dinner with good friends. And a glass of well-made sparkling red wine, with all the richness of its hue and all the levity of high carbonation. Podere Pradarolo’s Indocilis Rosso is just such a wine. Hailing from near Parma in Emilia Romagna, this vino rosso frizzante looks almost like a kriek when it’s poured, glugging into the glass with a big souffle of pink foam before eventually settling down into hissing merriment. It is made from 100% Barbera...

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Wine & Food Killers: Borscht and Tenuta Foresto La Ideale 2019

Claire Bullen Italy Natural wine Natural Wine Killers Red wine

Wine & Food Killers: Borscht and Tenuta Foresto La Ideale 2019

The first time I ever had borscht, it was at Veselka in New York City, it was 2am, and it was snowing. Veselka is a downtown institution, a Ukrainian restaurant that’s been serving NYU students and drunks and New Yorkers of every stripe since 1954 (even if, slightly tragically, it’s currently no longer open for 24 hours). I’d ordered a plate of pierogi on the side, and I was definitely a little bit tipsy – the bowl when it arrived was the same bruised shade as my impending hangover. But when I brought it to my lips it was deep and soulful and alive,...

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Wine & Food Killers: Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Saffron-Tomato Sauce and Couscous and Cantina Giardino Re Rosso 2019

Claire Bullen Italy Natural wine Natural Wine Killers Red wine

Wine & Food Killers: Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Saffron-Tomato Sauce and Couscous and Cantina Giardino Re Rosso 2019

Weekends right now are strange. For me, they’ve become long, often empty blocks of time, flattened without the normal pace of pubs, get-togethers with pals and general hubbub. Now, instead of seeing friends, I cook. And to keep myself entertained, I’ve started gravitating towards the recipes that feel a little more involved, that can occupy me for an hour or two. All the better if the end results fall in the broad “bowl food” category – soups, stews, braises, cheesy pasta bakes – that I can wrap myself around on the sofa. This recipe, dug up from the New York...

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Wine & Food Killers: Confit Salmon with Citrus Herb Salad and Camillo Donati Malvasia Secco Pet Nat 2018

Claire Bullen Italy Natural wine Natural Wine Killers Sparkling wine

Wine & Food Killers: Confit Salmon with Citrus Herb Salad and Camillo Donati Malvasia Secco Pet Nat 2018

This Thanksgiving, I roasted a chicken instead of a turkey. I reduced the myriad sides down to two dishes – crunchy, golden roast potatoes and green beans with shallots and pistachios. In lieu of the classic dessert spread, I made one single pumpkin pie for the two of us, which we shared over the course of days. And I was much happier for it.  2020 is forcing us to celebrate our holidays differently, to downsize and to cut back. There is much to mourn in that, much painful loss to try to digest. But there's a small culinary upside in...

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