foodwtogninis

Sunday Lunch in Milan

2011-10-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

Wander behind theDuomo to a little piazza San Fedele on Via Tommaso Marino and you will find adelightful trattoria serving one of the best risottos in town.

Spilling outdoors to the paved street and nestled betweenmarble buildings so typical of Milan, you will not be disappointed with the restaurant. You maypay premium price but the meal it is well worth it - risotto €15 - 18 - meatdishes at €2.

We shared a Barolo 2007 from the Piedmont region - Terredel Barolo - perfect for the ossobuco con risotto alla Milanese (while in Rome!).

Mark had a Porcino risotto served in a Parmesan basket. He loved the delicately flavored fresh porcini creamy and slightly al dente but was a littledisappointed with the addition of fresh tomato to the risotto.

Just around the corner is a gelati store not to be missed- cioccolat Italian. It's arguably the beat chocolate gelati in Milan and Nastassia'sfavourite while living in here .

Judging by the line outside - solid for the time we havebeen eating lunch - she's not the only one who thinks so.

Papa Francesco

Melbourne Cup

2011-10-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here's our Melbourne Cup menu -

ARRIVAL Complimentary glass of French bubbles

TRIO OF TAPAS Crab cakes w lime aioli, Sicilian ricotta meatballs w tomato sugo, Polenta chips

MAIN Oven roasted chicken kiev w bug meat, asparagus + béarnaise sauce

DESSERT Hazelnut + cherry tart w double cream

12.00md Tuesday 1 November 2011
$65 pp @ Tognini’s Trattoria Spring Hill
Bookings ) 3831 5300 | eat@togninis.com

Men in kilts

2011-09-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

The room was heady with the smell of peat.

There were men in kilts! All that was missing was the bagpipes.

The tables were set with 200 glasses of whisky – and that was just the first round of Glenmorangie – five whiskys tasted in that round, then to be followed by three of Ardbeg’s finest!

The scene was set for a fabulous night and 40 guests enjoyed a night of drinking, eating and tall tales of whisky production from David Cross of Moet Hennessey.

The best food match of the evening was the smoky flavoured risotto with chestnut pecorino to the Glenmorangie La Santa closely followed by the spiced quince with the Ardbeg 10YO.

Tognini's Whisky night was a huge success. Definitely on the winter calendar of events for next year – stay tuned.

Love your whisky?

2011-07-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Join other whisky lovers at Tognini’s Trattoria at 7pm onJuly 29 and let David Cross from Moet Hennessy walk you through a tasting ofeight superb examples, all matched with a tapas tasting menu.

Sound like your idea of heaven? Here’s a little more topeak your interest – you’ll first taste the whisky neat and then with a littlewater. The smokiness and strength of thewhiskey will be matched with full flavoured food and there’s even talk ofcigars on the deck after.

Here’s the whisky/food line up -

Glenmorangie Original matched with Zucchini Carpaccio withseared scallop, preserved lemon and a sweet saffron dressing. (There’s also a chorizonon seafood option).

La santa matched with a Creamy risotto with chestnutpecorino.

Quinta Rubin accompanied by Cherry tea smoked quail withraspberry and bitter chocolate sauce.

Nectar d’Or with a Goat curd tart, chestnut honey andmicro herbs.

Astar matched with Pork fillet with jamon and gaufrettecrisps, jus.

10 YO Ardbeg accompanied by Smoked oysters and wakami

Corryvrecken matched with Spiced quince and bitterchocolate

And the finale - Supernova

Date: Friday, July 29

Venue: Tognini’s Spring Hill

Time: 7pm

Cost: $110 per person

Bookings: eat@togninis.com

Tognini’s T Card holders will receive 5 per cent offWhisky Night bookings.

Don’t have a T Card yet? Download a form here.

And then there were three!

2011-05-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

The newest addition to the Tognini’s Group, Tognini’s Espresso at 20 Hynes Street, Fortitude Valley has just opened.

Positioned in the Fortitude Valley alleyway precinct, Tognini’s Espresso is staffed by Tognini’s ex State Library of Queensland head chef Claire Van Heerden and headed by Suzanne Walker moving over from Tognini’s Milton.

Tognini’s Espresso offers a fresh new dine in or take away flavour-filled menuTognini’s style menu with a blackboard lunch menu featuring daily specials of burgers, pizzas and tapas. The cabinet is the usual array overflowing with of salads and rolls filled with premium deli produce and special treats from the cabinet for sweet tooths.

The breakfast menu includes everything from Tognini’s famous muffins and organic sourdough fruit bread toast with lemon cream cheese, to more a substantial BLT, breakfast bruschetta or savoury mince with poached eggs. The coffee is, of course, Lavazza.

You’ll love the fun wall, a kaleidoscope of retro Lavazza Mio coffee machines that are all for sale. The new pared-back décor makes the most of the a large bank of folding windows in this green oasis with plenty of space for comfortable breakfast meetings.

Tognini’s Espresso seats 35 and will open from 7am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. P 3852 6230 valley@togninis.com

Take your valentine to Tognini's

2011-02-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

Got someone special you want to treat on Valentine's Day?

Take them to Tognini's Spring Hill then sit back and enjoy!

There will be bubbles and marinated olives on arrival followed by a mezza platter to share. You'll love the
prosciutto wrapped grissini sticks, Italian ricotta meatballs, Kataifi prawns w orange + paprika aioli and freshly shucked oysters.

There's a choice of main dish -

Tarragon chicken with braised cannellini beans and summer vegetables or pan fried white fish with heirloom tomato, asparagus and sugo bianco
Whiskey risotto with grilled quail
Stracci di pasta with spicy aubergines, tomatoes, basil and parmesan

For dessert sink your lips into a luscious strawberry pannacotta or a chocolate tart.

All for $60.00 per person.

Don't forget to book! Ph 3369 6915

Tour French Champagne houses with the Togninis

2011-01-18T20:26:00.000-08:00

Love champagne and food?

Sometimes life provides you with an opportunity – and this is one of them.

Join Mark and Narelle Tognini with David Cross from Moët Hennessy on a five night Champagne + Food Tour from September 11-16.

You’ll experience the Champagne region in a unique way staying in boutique hotels.

• Paris one night

• Epernay two nights

• Reims two nights

There will be visits to four champagne houses - including Moët + Chandon - and a meal at a Michelin star restaurant in Reims. Best of all, you’ll travel in a small group.

Here's what you'll see

Nastassia, Maddie + Mark outside Moet + Chandon

Cellar storage of champagne – Pol Roger

The infamous Limestone caves of Moet Chandon

Magnum bottles of Pol Roger under cellaring

Some chickens that didn’t quite lose their heads !

Classic dish of snails, Epernay

Vintage Dom Perignon, house of Moet + Chandon

CHAMPAGNE AND FOOD TOUR

Land content is $2,850 which includes transfers, accommodation, entries to champagne houses and most meals. Numbers are limited so you’ll need to secure your place with a $1,000 deposit by 28 February 2011.

For tour enquiries please contact Mark or Narelle: 07 3831 5300, eat@togninis.com

GETTING THERE: FLIGHTS

Exclusive airfare rates are available from our travel partner Dean Tuckwell from The Adventure Traveller.

ECONOMY: Brisbane / Paris Return

• Air France $1,700* + taxes (approx. $750)

• Singapore Airlines $1,820*+ taxes (approx. $600)

BUSINESS: Brisbane / Paris Return

• Air France $6,300* + taxes (approx. $750)

• Singapore Airlines $7,700*+ taxes (approx. $600)

THE ADVENTURE TRAVELLER

197 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Q 4064. 07 3369 0799 dean@theadventuretraveller.com

* All prices approximate and subject to change and available until January 2011.

Milan October 12- 15 2010

2010-11-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

Overcast - cool -12-15 deg

Milan - mostly we only pass through this city on our way further north to Mark's family town of Sondrio, but, we have a reason to spend a few days here this visit - we are catching up with our daughter who is attending the Bocconi University. We were of the understanding that she is studying here, but given her knowledge of local bars, restaurants and shops we are unsure of how much study is happening! However it is good to have first hand knowledge of all the 'cool' places to go.

We eat at a local trattoria, Cantina della Vetra www.cantinadellavetra.it and we feast on a selection of parma ham and breasola served with a pillow of fried pasta which resembles a roll. Opting for a simple risotto with a twist - my porcini risotto is cooked to perfection then pan fried resulting with a crunchy outside and perfectly creamy inside. The flavour rich with the porcini mushroom and parmesan cheese is intense. The menu in this homestyle tratorria is simple honest fare typical of the Italian cuisine - fresh seasonal porcini mushrooms.

Wandering around the city, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by the beauty of the architecture. Having seen the Duomo several times before, I am still in awe of the structure and amazed at the beauty of this incredible landmark every time. We are delighted to discover a Sicilian market tucked behind the main street and enjoy a freshly filled ricotta, plus a stop for another espresso - must be time for lunch?

Milan has a great tram system. Not quite sure how or where to purchase a ticket we just jumped on and off at our leisure - molto grazia Milano - we find our way to the Castello dating back to 1500. After a wander around the castle, our personal guide takes us for a gelato at possibly the best gelati store in Milan - Chocolat. As the name suggests there must be at least one or two varieties of chocolate gelato in this store -there were actually four chocolate varieties - chili chocolate, milk chocolate, dark 70% guarna and rum chocolate. So good is this gelati we visit again after dinner!

Milan is a beautiful city - filled with amazing history - helpful when you have first hand knowledge from a 'local', we wonder whether Nastassia will in fact come home - she loves this city.

Epernay, France - October 19/20

2010-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

Champagne region approx 160 km from Paris
Cool 8-12 deg - sunny

This is our very first time to the Champagne region in France, so forgive me for getting just a tinsy bit EXCITED!

I cannot believe how beautiful this little town in the middle of the champagne region is. Epernay is every thing and more than I imagined - tree lined streets - cobbled paths - fountains - little churches - just gorgeous and the best thing of all a street named "rue de Champagne", the avenue that is home to all of the best known champagne houses and runs the entire length of the town.

We stay in a delightful 12 room hotel, Hotel Jean Moet - www.hoteljeanmoet.com, ideally located around 200 metres from the train station and around 20 metres from the Ave de Champagne. Perfect for our visits to the Moet Chandon and Pol Roger Champagne houses.

Thanks to our wine merchants in Brisbane we have two private tours and tastings arranged, one to the each of these champagne houses. Both tours were quite different - Moet + Chandon is the largest producer of champagne in the region with approximately 29 kilometres of underground chalk lined caves for the maturation of the champagne. Pol Roger is a slightly more boutique production, but both visits were absolutely unique.
Thanks to Matthieu Blanc from Pol Roger for such a wonderful informative tour. There are approximately 100 km of caves running underneath the region at a steady temperature of 10 degrees all of the year.The production line is quite complex and all champagnes are cellared for a minimum of three years before bottling. We are all in heaven and having an experience of a lifetime. The importance and significance of this region and the production of champagne is obvious and understandable why the French are so protective of their unique product "Champagne".

We eat at a few local restaurants. We enjoyed a typical French meal at La Grillade Gourmande, with chef Christophe Bernard greeting all customers personally , www.lagrilladegourmande.com I had a wonderful dish of quail and Foie gras - beautifully cooked.

At any bar or restaurant you can choose up to 20 local champagnes by the glass and enjoy the experience at any time of the day - as we did!

Two days in Epernay - a wonderful experience but barely enough time. We didn't make it to Reims, the larger town , so we are planning our next visit now!

Tognini's catering at work

2010-09-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Togninis's catering hard at work!

A night in Tuscany

2010-09-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

It was great to see lots of happy faces having fun and enjoying the Italian food at our recent Italian Wine Dinner.

Guest speaker, Master of Wine Peter Scudamore-Smith, gave some great pointers on Italian wine which encouraged everyone to have just another glass.

Here is some of the night's action

T U S C A N Italian Wine Dinner

2010-08-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Join us for a night in Italy at Tognini's Trattoria, Spring Hill.

It's one of Mark and Narelle's favourite places and the menu reflects the cuisine of the region with the drama of a huge hunk of meal carved at the table for your delight!

Here's what to expect -

Entreé - Gnocchi alla Romana
Main - Carne alla Florence - beef + pork w rosemary new potatoes, mixed green beans drizzled w warmed feta dressing
Dessert - Baked baby apple w cinnamon fruits
Finale - Selection of Tuscan cheeses
Accompanied by regional Tuscan wines presented by Red + White

Date 7.00pm Friday 27 August 2010
Cost $95.00 per person
Venue Tognini’s Trattoria Spring Hill
Bookings 3831 5300, eat@togninis.com

Tognini's Spring Hill Trattoria opens

2010-04-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

There’s more than a taste of Italy to be enjoyed at Tognini’s new Trattoria as Mark Tognini heads back to his Italian roots.

Inspired by Mark and Narelle's travels in Turin last year, the popular Spring Hill eatery on Turbot Street has been transformed with a makeover that focuses on the freshness of modern Italian style food.

Tognini’s Trattoria offers a new dine in experience with rustic Italian-style food focusing on small plates and an extensive cheese menu. The focus is savoury with lots of slow cooked items and the kitchen will be open from 7am to 9pm weekdays and Saturday and Sunday for breakfast and lunch from 8am until 3pm.

Friends, family, media and suppliers gathered to celebrate the opening with a few drinks and sample the new menu. The verdi -bellissimo!

Perfect lovers picnic on Valentines Day

2010-01-26T15:36:00.000-08:00

What a combo – beautiful summer weather and

Valentines Day on a Sunday! It’s the perfect recipe for a lover’s picnic.

Tognini’s have a Valentines box for two hungry lovers that

makes a summer getaway picnic super easy and super tasty.

Their deli hamper is presented in a chill box complete with disposable glassware, plates and cutlery so it’s all systems go.

Inside is chicken breast, rabbit+ pistachio terrine or handmade pate, a fresh salad box, Australian brie and cheddar, olives and fresh bread. To finish there are heart shaped shortbread biscuits and a brownie or patty cake. Fresh fruit and mineral water will fill any gaps. Cost $95.

Add some extra sparkle with two champagne flutes and Australian sparkling Redbank Emily 750 ml ($25) or French Louis Bouillot 750 ml ($45) as an optional extra.

Orders to Tognini's Bistro Cafe Deli, Springhill Marketplace, Spring Hill - (07) 3831 5300 - www.togninis.com, by Wednesday 10 February. Pick up Tognini’s Milton, Milton Centro Baroona Road, Milton on 14 February.

Brisbane’s best picnic spots

Handy – Roma Street Parklands

Cruisey bay view with a paddle – Redcliffe or Wellington Point

River view – Kangaroo Point Cliffs or under the Story Bridge

Bush view – Jolly’s Lookout, Mt Nebo

Breakfast at Spring Hill

2009-10-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

Thinking of breakfast? New on Tognini’s Spring Hill menu are balsamic glazed mushrooms with parmesan on sourdough toast and sweet corn fritters with roma tomato, spinach + bacon. Yum.

If eggs take your fancy try the Nindigully free range eggs, poached, fried or scrambled with your choice of sides.

Still looking? How about a BLT with a fried egg on turkish toast and tomato relish, savoury mince with a poached egg on turkish toast or avocado on turkish with rocket and lemon.

Enjoy

Pictured top: Sweet corn fritters.
Below: Balsamic mushrooms.

New York

2009-08-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

August 1 - 10

Only in New York..............................

can you turn up to a restaurant at 11.30 pm without a reservation and still be served with a full menu and excellent service and be the last customer there at 1am. It was Casa Mono and really excellent Spanish fare. We loved the pork belly with spicy sandia, piquillo peppers with oxtail, pumpkin and goats cheese croquetas, quail with summer squash and harissa. This restaurant also boasts a comprehensive Spanish wine list.

can you find a "Comme des Garcons" (clothing designer) in your own street. We stayed in a circa 1868, but recently renovated, Brownstone building apartment on W22nd Street and Ninth Ave, Chelsea. Very cute and conveniently located.

does an attentive men's clothing shop assistant make you reservations for lunch, then walk you to the restaurant just so you don't get lost. We did spend a lot of time and money there - Massimo Bizzocchi 433 West 14th Street , www.massbizz.com - thanks Tony.

can you have the best cupcakes in New York just across the street - Billy's Bakery, www.billysbakerynyc.com. We happen to go there everyday for a cupcake and coffee. Approximately 2400 cupcakes get made and iced in the front window each day. Maddie and Nastassia's favourite is the coconut cake with fresh meringue and it's open till 12am!

can you become a New York Mets fan overnight after you have been to just one game - this baseball game is addictive - thank you B+T Tognini family xx

can you eat the freshest of fresh lobster sushi and sashimi prepared in front of you at the Chelsea Markets , 75 Ninth Ave -www.lobsterplace.com The Chelsea Markets is also where we have found the best coffee in New York (in our experience).

ride the "Beast" and get to the Statue of Liberty in just 10 minutes from Pier 83 on W 42nd Street US$22 a ticket!

do you have the household rubbish - "trash"under lock and key at the front door.

does it take approximately 30 seconds to hail a cab on 9th Ave.
Places we went to and enjoyed

Nobu next door , 105 Hudson Street, Tribeca, NY www.noburestaurants.com (Japanese)

Spice, 199 8th Ave NY , www.spicethainyc.com (Thai)

LeGrainne Cafe ( great crepes & omelettes for breakfast ) 183 Ninth Ave New York, www.legrainnecafe.com (French)

Gallo Nero, 402 W44th St (great pasta ) www.gallonero.com (Italian )

Casa Mono, 52 Irving Street , NYC (excellent Spanish)

Boqueria , 53 W 19th St and Fifth Ave , Spanish tapas

Spice Market , 403 13th St / 9th Ave - (Thai )

Macelleria, 48 Ganesvoort St, Meatpackers District - (Italian)

Chelsea Markets, 14th St and 9th Ave , Chelsea

Murray's Bagels ,W 22nd Sve , Chelsea (bagels, best hot smoked salmon )

Billy's Bakery , W 22 nd and 9 th Ave , Chelsea ( best ever cupcakes )

Magnolia Bakery ,180 Varick St, West 11th St. West Village ( almost as good as Billy's )

2009-08-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been renewing old friendships of long distance relatives and meeting new ones as well.

We are fortunate enough to have family in the north of Italy in a tiny town of Colorina, several hours out of Milan, and family at the opposite end of the country in Piedmonte Eteno, Sicily.

Their differences are many, but so are their similarities. The overwhelming sense of "family" is what's important to both sides. Mark's father, Alfredo, was born in Colorina and has two remaining brothers there. Mark's mother, Nunziatina (Nancy to all) has the Sicilian heritage and first cousins still in Piedmonte Etneo, a tiny town nestled at the base of Mt Etna only about 15 minutes drive from Taormina.

In Colorina, not far from the Swiss border , Mark has two uncles and six first cousins - this makes for about 30 direct cousins, second cousins and extended family at the local pizzeria the night we go. To my surprise all of the children eat an "American" pizza that is covered in french fries. Another surprise is a dish called "sciattia' which is a deep fried buckwheat fritter filled with cheese - a little harsh on the waistline!

We share many family meals and conversations over the weeks we spent in Colorina between our touring. Another memorable time was a lunch spent in Caspoggio - a ski village only about a half hour drive from Sondrio (our base). This is where Mark's uncle has a home that is used in summer to escape the heat. The day we went it was rainy and the temperature dropped from 33 deg the day previously to 13 deg up the mountain. In winter the place is completely snowed in. The views are amazing overlooking the valley. One can only imagine the beauty of the snow in winter.

We share a massive bowl of pizzoccheri this day. The traditional buckwheat pasta is mixed with potato, cheese and beans till it forms a creamy texture plus some good Sondrio red wine. A lovely day shared with family eating traditional fare. The fire place was on in the middle of summer to keep us cosy!

In Sicily, we, along with Beni and Tracey Tognini spend time with one of Mark's 'uncles' in his country retreat - beautifully positioned on Mt Etna, the house overlooks villages and out to the Mediterranean.

Here, Pippo has a healthy self sufficient farm growing everything from potatoes, zucchinis, tomatoes, all kinds of fruits including figs, citrus and grapes of course. Pippo makes his own wine. There are turkeys, chickens and eggs are plentiful.

It gave us great pleasure to be able to prepare brunch for Pippo made from the ingredients entirely off the farm.

The time spent with family in both Colorina and Sicily is to be treasured - our lives are so completely different - but we share a sense of belonging when we are with family. We spent weeks in Sondrio - it really feels like home.

We shall miss our afternoon drinks at our favourite bar in Sondrio "la fragola" and will fondly remember these times in the coming months.

Santorini, Greece

2009-08-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

July 12 Sunny - warm about 35 deg

Santorini is famous for it's breathtaking views, whitewashed buildings, the deep deep blue sea, donkey rides and great memories of a fantastic lunch shared with great friends. As I recall, Bennie found the back street cafe where we had probably the most authentic Greek food on our Greek cruise.

With a view of the other side of the island , surrounded by plants potted in old Dodoni fetta tins and a deliciously cool breeze blowing in we settle in for an afternoon of eating, drinking and lots of laughing.

The dips all homemade - skordalia, eggplant, taramasalata and baked feta (new favourite). The dish of the day was a slow cooked veal shank with eggplant. The eggplant is the secret flavour - they are much sweeter and the flesh is white and tender. This was served with roasted potatoes. We also enjoyed traditional Greek salad and pork souvlaki and grilled sardines - all food shared with great local wines- another perfect day in paradise !

Athens , Greece

2009-08-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

July 17 40 deg - HOT !

Stayed at Hera Hotel, www.herahotel.gr , a really lovely hotel that is close to the Acropolis - the rooftop restaurant has an amazing view to the Acropolis.

After a very hot day of climbing and exploring the Acropolis we meet friends and share a fabulous meal at Ehaia Resturant, 105 58 Plaka. This rooftop restaurant has a fabulous view of the western wall of the Acropolis and a great view over Athens. It is beautiful in the evening but would be way too hot in the daytime. During the day it is essential to find one of those outdoor cafe's that have the fan/mist set up - brilliant idea.

Monemvasia, Greece

2009-08-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

July 13 35 deg sunny

Monemvasia, one of our stops from the good ship Pegasos , is a tiny little peninsular built around 1147AD and used as a port and shelter during the Norman's attacks in the 1200s. This ancient village can be reached easily and many of the buildings are still intact and today have been converted to up market jewellery shops and restaurants. The streets are narrow, cobbled stone pathways with hotels hidden away and cafes with breath taking views to the sea. A really charming village steeped in history.

Back on the mainland we order our lunch from a restaurant called Aotepias 'on the beach'. We have a swim in the beautifully refreshing Mediterranean with a very rocky floor just 10 metres away from our table, then sit in our bikinis to eat - this is my kind of dining!

We order the 'village rooster' (pictured) just because someone had to eat him! Not sure what the village is doing now for a rooster! Rooster is a common offering on menus in Greece. We discover it is cooked slowly in a tomato-based sauce and traditionally served with spaghetti. It tastes very much like corn fed chicken.

After a good selection of hand made dips, baked feta , pita and fresh fish - we are all happy.

Taormina - Italy

2009-07-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Taormina, June 30 2009, Beautiful 30 deg sunny

The 'jewel' of Sicily and rightly named so. This is one of the most beautiful parts of Sicily on the east coast - perched high above the Mediterranean. Sweeping views of the beaches below, the sea that blends into the sky just an azure haze. We are positioned perfectly in the Il Piccolo Giardino, just a few steps from the Corso Umberto which runs for about 1 km, the length of this gorgeous Sicilian village. We admire a view of the remains of Taormina's Greek Theatre ( the second largest in Italy) from our rooftop pool area. This is spectacular to say the least.

There is so much to love about this place - laneways of hidden treasures, art exhibitions , concerts in the ancient Greek Theatre, great Italian food and of course good shopping.

One little find was 'Dr Roberto', a specialist in the art of nougat and cannoli making. He claims to have the best cannoli in the world and we are inclined to agree. The freshly made ricotta mixture waits in the fridge to be filled on order into the crisp canolli shell - all hand made by Roberto. The shop has been there for 35 years and Dr Roberto learned his skills from his Papa - he seriously has a doctorate in cannoli making !

Found the best 'Maccheroni alla Norma' in an unlikely restaurant at our front door - a dish specific to this region - a hand made maccheroni pasta rolled to perfection, baby eggplant simmered in a fresh tomato sugo served with baked ricotta - just delicious. It's a favourite of our daughter Nastassia who had this dish on a recent trip to Sicily and has been trying to recreate it ever since. I think I now know the secret - the white baby eggplant .

Seafood is also in abundance as it is anywhere in Sicily and the variety and freshness is unbelievable . We particularly enjoy the grilled sardines in lemon and garlic. There are plenty of unusual offerings including sea urchin, 'goldfish', live crustaceans of all kinds and giant oysters.

Just down the hill (about 600 meters ), is the perfect swimming beach of Giardino Naxo. We have a fabulous lunch at one of the many beachfront restaurants then swim all afternoon in the crystal clear , marble rock lined shores. Just perfect - where else in the world can you still be sun baking at 7 pm? Life is a bit tough in Taormina.

PS If you are thinking of making Taormina one of your stops check the concert schedule in the Greek theatre. We just missed Jose Carrera by one week. That would have been something to see and hear !

Aeolian Islands

2009-07-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

June 27,28, 29 -sunny 28 - 30 deg glorious weather

Far from the hustle and bustle of cars, scooters and bucking horses of Palermo, we find ourselves in the tranquil environment of Capofaro Resort, Salina Island - the second largest of the Aeolian Islands. Capofaro, www.capofaro.it is situated approximately 400 metres above sea level and nestled amongst row upon rows of Malvasia vines sloping down to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Everything is very quiet and peaceful here with white washed buildings made from concrete. It is cool and relaxing. The resort is well situated and overlooks the sea. Molto contento !

Nothing else to do here other relax around the pool and wonder what time you should eat dinner! The resort boasts a five star restaurant as well. We hear that it has a new chef from Naples, Nunzio Spagnuolo who previously worked in a Michelin star restaurant in Rome. Needless to say the food is impressive.

We share a perfectly cooked Saffron and courgette risotto with king prawns. The next night we share another meal of lobster, citrus and fennel salad along with a tuna dish prepared in different ways.

From our vantage point on Salina we can see the island of Panarea - the smallest of the Aoelian islands - this is where Bennie and Tracey are staying for a few days - so - off for a visit. From the rocks in front of their hotel we plunge ourselves into the invigorating, crystal clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, sun ourselves a little and wander the streets of this cute little village - no cars here, only scooters and pedestrians.

We come across the place for our most perfect lunch - Broccia Ristorante. It's part of a hotel, Quartara, www.quartarhotel.com It's a charming, authenticity Aoelian hotel with only 13 rooms and beautifully decorated with personalised friendliness.

With views of the water on one side, mountains on the other and a cool breeze, the scene is set for a perfect meal. From the buffalo mozzarella with ripe Sicilian tomatoes, freshly grilled zucchini, eggplant and roasted capsicum to our whole fish cooked to perfection in the traditional way - olives, capers and tomatoes - throw in a few bottles of great Sicilian wine - we are all in heaven . Did I mention the cannoli - the best ever ricotta and chocolate filled cannoli had so far.

Of course, made all the better by sharing with best friends.

Molto contento!

Photos fm top: Saffron Rissotto; Broccia Ristorante; View from the room at Capofaro; Sicilian cannoli; Pool area at Capofaro.

Palermo , Sicily

2009-07-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

June 25, fine 28 deg.

The taxi ride from the airport to our hotel is in itself a whole story ! I just think it is hilarious that a single lane for taxis and buses has traffic going in both directions... at once - so occasionally you are faced with an oncoming bus. We were up front with the driver and the three nuns were behind us - just as well.

At one stage I thought we were on a movie set. You know the one with the scene of a car flying through an intersection (red light I think) and narrowly missing oncoming traffic - having said all that - I did feel completely safe with our "home grown" Palermo taxi driver.

This sets the tone for our short Palermo stay -

We did have a big win with our accommodation - Mark's selection via the internet prior to leaving home. I can highly recommend the Hotel Porto Felice www.portofelice.it

It's a really well appointed hotel, near the port (convenient for us) with a Wellness Centre. A massage was needed after the taxi ride.

Palermo is steeped in incredible history and this is shown by the architecture with Greek influences. There is much to see and we found the easiest way around was a horse and carriage ride. We bartered on the price of course - 50 euro for 1 hour is not too bad when you consider a cab ride for about 10 minutes is 40 euro! Anyway a great way to see the sights.

Now the food.......... as expected the seafood is in abundance and is freshest I've ever eaten. We do lots of street dining. We find a little restaurant in a lane way or a street barbecue as this is where you find the best.

Recommend is Trattoria de Salvo - same street and two blocks from our hotel. All the shellfish on offer is displayed in tubs, still alive, and the fish are cooking on the BBQ. Mumma is out back cooking spaghetti. We know we are in the right place. This is the real Palermo !

We are seated on the street (literally) and the Trattoria is loaded with atmosphere. From the scooters passing by, the waiters yelling orders to the chefs and buskers selling their wares, this place is buzzing! Platter after platter of prawns, lobster, grilled fish, mussels, clams, spaghetti - it just keeps coming and coming.

We have the freshest, most tender, melt in the mouth mussels in a light tomato broth that we've ever encountered. The is fish cooked to perfection - insalada - really basic well cooked fare. Add in a bottle of Sicilian white wine and we are both Molto Contento !

Diano Marine

2009-07-01T00:48:00.000-07:00

Italian Ligurian Coast sunny 28deg
June 19

Following a day's drive along the most spectacular French and Italian coastlines - from Cannes to Monaco, then back across the Italian border, we discover the most gorgeous little seaside village of Diano Marine about 20 km south of San Remo. This place is a tiny dot on our detailed road map, but it is a bustling family beach holiday location with beach front accommodation at very reasonable rates.

We stayed at the 'Palm Beach Hotel and Residence' www.residencepalmbeach.it located only minutes from excellent restaurants and across from the private beach (yes the one where you pay 22 Euro for your seat at the beach). But the friendly , helpful staff always make your stay much more enjoyable and as a bonus - a washing machine!

Our meal at Vico del Rame Osteria on the first night was so good we ate there the following night as well - fresh seafood in abundance. It was the best Spaghetti Vongole, Guazzetto di mare - a seafood soup loaded with clams, mussels , crab and scampi in a light white wine and tomato broth followed by a Branzino in costa di sale armatico alle erbe - a Sea Bass baked whole in salt seasoned with rosemary - this dish then gets filleted and served at the table - the fish is so sweet and delicate and served with grilled vegetables.

We have been enjoying the local white wines. The grapes are grown on the rugged slopes with a mineral base which makes the wines light and lively. The Pinot Grigio is particularly good with the seafood - Borgo Coventi 2008 pinot grigio from Friuli.

Then you need to do "la passeggiata" ( to walk the street) to take in the ambiance of the village and finish off the evening with an excellent gelato -of course - probably nearly as good as the one in Torino and only 2 Euro as well.

Buon Appetito

Cassis

2009-06-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

June 15 Sunny 28deg - perfect!

Cassis is one of those places you dream about - nestled amongst the famous Calanques rock formation that runs 20 km along the southern French coastline from Cassis to Marsielle - this sleepy 'fishing village' is far from asleep.

Breathtakingly beautiful scenery ,an abundance of fresh seafood , friendly waiters and of course 'Cassis'- the wine of he region also in abundance. We love it here.

On our first night we have a seafood platter- fresh to to say the least! I don't think the mussels or clams were indeed cooked in any way - 'al a natural' like oysters and they were amazing - (see pic). But with ample quantity of Cassis wine it all washes down okay and I am happy!

Second night we settle for more traditional French fare from a cute ally way bistro , L' Escalier, in rue Frederic Mistral. This classic little bistro has a menu totally in French (of course we are in France) even though Mark keeps breaking out in Italian. I order the classic dishes Soup de poisson et sa rouille - classic seafood bisque served with grated emmethal and croutons . Mark had the Palourdes et Moules a la provencale - translates to grilled mussels and clams with a buttery herb gratin - Yum .

During the day it's quiches lorraine like I've never tasted before and Croque monsioure at our little cafe overlooking the harbour of boats.

A trip to Cassis is not complete without a boat excursion to Les Calanques - this is the amazing limestone rock formations that took place10,000 years ago where the land joins into the sea resulting in beautiful private beaches in amongst caves that can only be reached by boat and intrepid explorers. Rock climbers paradise!

One could spend weeks here soaking up the Mediterranean sun if only there was an endless budget as well.

A gin and tonic will set you back 8 euro - but it is worth every cent to see the sun go down at 9pm on the French Riviera!

Bon soiree! My French is non existent! But that doesn't stop us from shopping or going hungry !

Torino

2009-06-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

June 12 - fine warm 30 deg

On a visit to Torino (Turin), in the Piedmonte region of north west of Italy, we were lucky enough to have a personalised tour of the Lavazza factory. This was a highlight of our few days there as we have been Lavazza devotees for the past 17 years using only Lavazza coffee in our cafes.

Torino is the main Lavazza plant in Italy, there are also three other factories in Italy - one designated to decaf coffee only!

Every day during the week an incredible 20 semitrailer loads of green coffee beans arrive from areas such as Indonesia and Tanzania and start the process of roasting and packaging for one of the 60,000 customers of Lavazza.

The whole process from the initial delivery of the beans to the final packaging and distribution is a highly organised process with quality control at every level - the result is the delivery of a perfect 'shot of coffee'.

Also in Turin we have found the best gelato (so far) on Via Roma - Cafe Roma and only 2 Euro !

Turin is known as the home of the "Shroud of Christ " but we didn't actually see this. We were told the actual shroud only comes out every seven years or so - but - a life size photograph is on display in the Cathedral of Turin , just beside the Palace Reale - another top spot to visit.

There is a lot to see and do in this city, we must return one day.

Livigno - the highest town in Italy

2009-06-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

June 5, 15 deg, Fine weather

Livigno is a small Italian Alpine village nestled just on the Italian side of the Swiss Alps. We approached it from Switzerland on this day as the Swiss border is only 30 km from Sondrio (our base) . This road, for most of the year impassable due to the altitude, approximately 2800m above sea level and at least 10m of snow covering the road during winter. Lucky for us the road has reopened recently and we drove through, although at one point about three metres of ice was still on the roadside - allora! Summer in Italy!

All the Italians (and every one else) love Livigno, not only because of the great skiing in winter but because for some reason unknown to me, all goods here are duty free.

We drive through the Swiss border. The vista, to say the least, is spectacular! Around every turn another surprise. Mark wishes he had his BMW with him but instead we are in a Ford Fiesta!

It is no surprise that the menu at the restaurant of Bivio Hotel - www.bivioholydays.com consists mostly of polenta and game meat- good warming tucker.

We shared a plate of handmade gnocchetti with a fresh pesto sauce and speck - delightfully light and flavoursome of fresh basil - it tasted like it had just been made specially for us!

I settled though for some Vatellina bresaola served simply and deliciously with vine ripened tomato and parmesan. Mark surrendered to the buckwheat polenta, cheese and wild mushrooms. Have I mentioned how good the porcini mushrooms are in this part of the world?

Yet another bottle of superb red wine from Antinori - Castello della sala - a Pinot nero from Umbria 2000. It is tough job but someone has to do it !

Sondrio - Alpine Italy

2009-06-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

June 7 Sondrio - Alpine Italy - 20 deg Fine

Who would have thought in our own backyard there was such an amazing restaurant. Perched up on the side of a mountain in a village called Sassella lies Ristorante Torre Della Sassella. Blessed with commanding views over the valley, this restored building of unknown origin (to us) was renovated 10 years ago to become an iconic restaurant.

The four level restaurant, shaped like a tower, is made completely of stone, and is probably centuries old. This information was difficult to get as not one word of English is spoken there and even Mark, whose Italian is quite good, was struggling to understand.

You know you are somewhere special when even the mineral water gets decanted into a crystal jug. With the menu completely in Italian we just went with the key words we knew and hoped for the best .

My pick of the dishes was Risotto Carnarnoli con Bollicini Rose Cantadi Castaldi - this transformed to a perfectly executed risotto with a serving of parmesan ice cream and a rose jelly with fresh raspberry in the middle - all served on a segmented Villerory and Boch dinner plate.

Difficult to describe how exquisite this dish was - the adding of the parmesan ice cream to the hot risotto made it creamy and rich beyond description - and finishing with the occasional mouthful with the rose jelly and fresh raspberry cleared the palate for some more cheesey risotto.

The other risotto ordered - equally divine - Risotto Nero Integrace con Ragout di Cappesante , Gamberi e Asparagi. This translated as a squid ink risotto with a ragout of scampi and asparagus. The rice was cooked to perfection in both cases and rich sauce accompaniments also were perfect.

The meal was accompanied with a 2001 bottle of Masi Costasera Amorone Classico - a classic wine from Valpolocella grapes semi dried on a bamboo rack from Costasera region - perfect !

The whole experience left you feeling like you had stepped back in time with the ancient surroundings - the attention to detail was just amazing - the very finest of china and crystal. If you are ever in this part of the world, you must go to this restaurant a visit. You will not be disappointed.

Dining in Bellagio

2009-06-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

First in a regular series of reports on food and wine in Italy and more from the wandering Togninis.

Bellagio June 4, 2009

Bellagio, as you will see, is simply beautiful . Mark and I have been here on several occasions and we always return to soak up the beauty. Bellagio is about a half hour's drive from our apartment in Sondrio and a short ferry across Lago Como (no sightings of George).

We went in search of a restaurant - one we had been to with Bennie and Tracey a few years earlier - on the water for lunch. After what seemed like 200 or more stairs up and 200 or more stairs down, we finally found it - La Pergola - Pescallo. Unfortunately, for us, the kitchen was closed by the time we reached it, so we convinced the owner to allow us a bottle of wine to relax and soak up the view of the lake.

We could actually see what we wanted to eat swimming in the lake - those beautiful salmon trout in the crystal clear waters were just teasing us!

So a bottle of Pinot Grigio later and no lunch we made our way back the 200 or so stairs to the touristy side of Bellagio. This is where we found a treasure down some more stairs - you just need to take the right ones. Hidden down an alley way is Apertivo et al www.bellagio.co.nz/aperitivo

It was about 4.30 pm by this stage - no need to tell you how hungry we were after the 200 stairs (maybe I am exaggerating as I really didn't count them) .

Lucky for us there was a bar menu to our liking - Pizzoccheri , soups, cheese and an amazing wine room all only about 8 Euro for a plate. Mark chose a fabulous red from the Veneto region - so smooth, so rich - yes that was the second bottle in as many hours - I love holidays !

Pine mushrooms at Togninis

2009-06-07T19:53:00.000-07:00

Taste the last of the season's pine mushrooms at Tognini's Spring Hill. They come from Victoria and are collected from the hills outside Melbourne where they grow under the pine trees. The mushrooms become very meaty when cooked and are a real treat for mushroom lovers.

New Italian pasta from the Gold Coast

2009-05-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

Pastificio Fellini has unlocked the secrets of good Italian pasta in a new range available from their newly refurbished fresh pasta outlet at Marina Mirage, Main Beach on the Gold Coast. Owned and managed by award-winning Italian restaurateurs the Percuoco family and partners Raffaele Di Benedetto and Richard Burt, Pastificio Fellini produce artisan-style pasta in the best Italian traditions.

Narelle says the Fellini pasta cooks up quickly and holds together well. The fine angel hair pasta cooks in 5 - 10 minutes, so it's good for a quick meal. It also seems to be lighter than some traditional Italian pastas and not as starchy.

Customers at the Marina Mirage store can even see the pasta being made. The secret to the success of this pasta is the minimum of 18 hours drying period which sees the pasta dried from the inside out. Varieties include squid ink fettuccini, saffron fettuccine, spinach linguini, saffron angel hair and just plain. Find it at Tognini's Milton and Spring Hill in Brisbane.

It's wild at Togninis

2009-05-26T23:10:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the taste of wild venison from the Granite Belt, now on the menu at Tognini’s Spring Hill.

Chris Cameron of Granite Belt Game is a fully licensed operator who is reviving the almost lost art of harvesting and processing wild game according to traditional methods.

Fallow deer are an introduced pest species in the Granite Belt and harvesting them for meat reduces the stress they cause on the native environment. The deer graze on natural forage and wild mountain herbs making the meat tender and flavoursome. The animal has no abattoir or transport stress which is better for the animal and better for taste.

The animal is traditionally hung to promote a milder flavour while tenderising the meat, resulting in tender, flavoursome game.

Tognini’s purchase the whole animal and serve it in many forms from wild venison ragu with pappardelle (currently on the Spring Hill menu), pan fried venison scallopini with rocket and osso bucco venison shanks with risotto milanese. Find it in the fridge in take home packs of venison ragu and also venison stock. The venison stock is a perfect combo with Tognini’s new duck ravioli.

Venison is a long standing Tognini family favourite. Mark has relatives who live in the alpine village of Bormio (Winter Olympics fame) in far northern Italy nearing the Swiss border. They cure their own wild venison bresola and store it in their cantena (under the house) with home made salamis and cheeses where the average temperature in summer 6 deg!

5 cookies

2009-04-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ever been caught without a snack for way too long? If you need to eat regularly, you'll know that it can mean problems to go without even the smallest refuel along the way.

Charlie's 5 cookies are the perfect hand bag saver. They come in this cute tube - about the same height as a regular mobile phone - and will rattle around in the bottom of your handbag until you need them.

They'd also be great for travellers or as a mini treat for children. Each cookie is about the size of a 10 cent piece and a couple of centimetres high. They are fresh, moist and taste great.

Flavours include raspberries + cream, cookies + cream, chocolate mud and sprinkles.

Ultimate chocolate brownies

2009-03-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe uses our fantastic range of NoMu chocolate products to create brownies that you'll fall asleep dreaming about!

Ultimate Chocolate Brownies
160g NoMU hot chocolate chunks
125g butter
160g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp NoMU vanilla extract
80g flour
40g NoMU coco powder
¼ teaspoon salt
100g dates, pitted and chopped (optional)
100g pecan nuts, chopped (optional)

Method Preheat oven to 190 Celsius. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir in the caster sugar and set aside to cool. Lightly beat the eggs and vanilla extract and add to the cooled chocolate mixture, stirring constantly. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the dates and nuts and pour into a baking tin (approximately 27 x17 x5cm), lined with baking paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook! The centre should be wet and gooey. Allow to cool in the tin before removing and slicing into squares. Sprinkle with icing sugar or cocoa powder and serve.

Karinda's super sauces

2009-03-25T16:34:00.001-07:00

Karinda’s super range of sauces are all you need to brighten up a salad, add zing to your steak or turn a humble sambo into a gourmet delight.

They are made in Victoria, and all gluten free.

Choose from -

Smokey Cajun BBQ
Coriander & Lemongrass Mayonnaise
Coriander, Lime and Chilli Mayonnaise
Spicy Mango Salad Dressing,
Dill and Mustard Mayonnaise
Cabernet Pepper Steak Sauce
Avocado with Coriander & Garlic Salad Dressing.

New truffle cheese

2009-02-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

If you’ve developed a love for the distinctive aroma and taste of truffles, you’ll be seduced by the latest addition to the Tognini’s Cheese Room, Moliterno Black Truffle Pecorino.

This raw sheep's milk cheese with black truffles comes from the Italian island of Sardinia. Unlike most truffled cheeses, the truffle paste is infused after Moliterno has been aged so that the cheese develops its own character before the truffles are injected. Though the truffles are only visible in the ‘veins’, the truffle flavour permeates throughout the entire paste of this amazing cheese.

During the aging process, oil and vinegar are applied to the cheese's rind to prevent weight loss. Once cut, the dark paste oozes out of the crevices of the cheese like trickles of water from a craggy cliff. Both delicious and intriguing visually, this cheese is a show-stopper.

Mark says enjoy this pecorino with a big, earthy Italian red with enough muscle to stand up to the truffles. Narelle says serve it on its own or shaved over fresh pasta with butter tossed through. Also try it over scrambled eggs for breakfast or add to some rocket and drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette.

Try the cheese on the lunch menu at Tognini’s Spring Hill with Grilled asparagus with leek mash, roasted capsicum and truffle pecorino cheese.

According to Mark’s sister Yolanda, who has a degree in Italian language, technically translated 'pecorino' means 'little sheep'. So authentic pecorino cheese should be made from sheep milk – as it is in Italy.

Sweet peppers with a bite!

2009-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Filled with lightly sweetened mascarpone and other secret ingredients, these stunning red South African Bell Peppers are a real mouthful of flavour.

The slight touch of chilli is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the filling. Mark says try them with some of the Spanish jamon in store now and feel your taste buds dance.

They are busy in Tognini’s kitchen filling these red surprises with another mixture as well. This one combines mushrooms with truffle oil and the smell is amazing! Add them to a platter with some crisp bread and you have another taste treat that would make a great drinks nibble or entrée.

For a really unusual touch, add some Innes Rosales Sweet Olive Oil Tortas into the mix. These individually wrapped rounds are crisp, light and sprinkled with sugar. The sweetness is great foil for a slice of jamon! Mmm… have to try that again!

Fabulous fast food

2009-02-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

Check out both the freezer and the fridge for Tognini’s new range of par cooked pizzas. They are so easy to prepare – just pop into a 180 degree oven for five to ten minutes and you are eating!

Look for Margaretta with fresh Prosciutto, Potato and Rosemary and Italian Sausage varieties.

There’s also a good range of other Italian frozen treats including Arancini with prosciutto and mozzella and Arancini al sugo - both absolutely delicious.

For easy entertaining, it’s hard to beat the crab net spring rolls and the bok choy rolls. Just steam them through and serve. Yum.

Cutest cone ice creams

2009-01-26T02:24:00.000-08:00

Are these the cutest ice cream cones you have ever seen? These baby gelato cones come in 12 mixed flavours and are perfect to serve after your next dinner party. The flavours include strawberry, chocolate, apricot, vanilla, spearmint and for the true child at heart - bubblegum! The cones are crisp and the gelato simply yummy. Find the Giotto gelato in 150gm tubs at Togninis at South Bank where children are lining up to enjoy them as a treat after visiting the library or GOMA.

If you want to be a bit more grown up, there are also zabaglione filled mini cannoli and hazelnut gelato baby profiteroles. All in the freezer, just waiting for you at Togninis!

Chilli Mud Crab Feast

2009-01-19T23:29:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a way to end the year! Our Chill Mud Crab Feast on Boxing Day was a lunch to remember with crabs flown down from Mackay especially for the occasion.

Mark did the cooking with plenty of helpful advice from Narelle and Tracey.

Mark says it was an effort getting all the spices (see the recipe) together (he had to source the cinnamon quill and Chinese Shao Xing wine from Chinatown) but the result was well worth it.

Mark also suggests having two people involved in the cooking as it helps when ingredients need to be added quickly into the wok. And it's great to cook with a crowd to watch!

Congratulations to Sirromet's Executive Chef Andrew Mirosch who published the Wok Fried Muddies with Chilli and Ginger recipe in his Q Weekend column in The Courier-Mail.

Narelle served a Mango Salsa with pan fried green prawns on a bed of watercress - seasoned with chilli + coriander and her world famous Asian Noodle Salad with the crab. Yum! The Noodle Salad includes Chinese cabbage - shredded, capsicum -sliced, red onion, shallot, bean sprouts, snow peas, roasted peanuts and coriander. As a variation, Narelle sometimes makes it with Chinese BBQ pork sliced through. The Chinese deep fried noodles are crumbled in last

What the experts say

2009-01-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

2008 is well behind us and we are looking forward to an exciting 2009. We've got lots of plans for the year so stay tuned for all the action.

Here's what a few of Brisbane's food reviewers have to say about Togninis.

Brisbane Times

Fromers

Your restaurants

Christmas elves at work

2008-12-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Things are getting busy at Togninis. The pudding elves have been in store busy , scraping , trimming and wrapping Tognini's delicious handmade puddings ready for your Christmas table.

The fruit has been marinating in juices and grog for the past three months - now it is almost time to eat! Each pudding is hand made, lovingly hugged and then boiled for eight hours - hung overnight - rested - scraped and retied to look perfect. On Christmas Day you simply reheat and the job is done. Don't forget to pop in some silver sixpences for the children and young at heart. Serve with Tognini's Brandy Cream or Vanilla Bean Anglaise.

Order yours now for a special treat on Christmas day - 1.5 kg puddings are $60.00

Pictured are Narelle's Auntie Myrl, a Christmas pudding elf of longstanding, and her friend Lynda (not sure that this elf wants to come back next year).

Christmas Cheese Box

2008-11-24T15:03:00.000-08:00

We've had a few requests for our fabulous Christmas Cheese box so here it is again! A great selection of delicious cheeses delivered straight to your door, plus some extras that will make Christmas even more special. We've included our new Tognini's carrot marmalade, which goes exceptionally well with cheese - just wait till you try it!

Here's the list:
1 kg Australian Farmhouse Brie
150 g La Roche Blue
100 g English Red Leicester
41deg South Tasmanian baby Salmon
12 x Tognini Blini's
Tognini's carrot marmalade
Tognini's Fennel , fruit + nut log
6 x fruit mince pies

Cost $110.00 + delivery or pick up (Spring Hill store) on December 23.
Orders close December 15

Call Tognini's on 3851 5300 to place your order.

Champagne tasting night

2008-11-20T01:57:00.000-08:00

To start off the festive season the right way, we hosted a Champagne Degustation night at our Spring Hill venue in last week. A great night was had by all and copious amount of beautiful champagne was consumed. We must thank all of those in attendance, our host David Cross from Moet Hennessy and our wonderful team of staff at Tognini’s for an exceptional evening . In all, six fine champagnes were tasted from the Champagne houses of Moet et Chandon , Veuve Cliquot and Ruinart. We finished the evening with my personal favourite, the 1996 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. This will certainly be an annual event for us. Stay tuned to the email newsletter and blog site as we will certainly have a few more evenings of food and wine events in 2009.

Tapas time

2008-11-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

If you love tapas, you'll be pleased that Tognini's at Spring Hill now offers a tapas menu from 10am - 3pm on Saturdays. The line up includes herb crumbed 'arancini' balls with bocconcini, poached quail meat balls filled with pancetta and green olives and Italian meat balls with spicy tomato relish.

Try the dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in san daniel prosciutto.

Seafood offerings include bacalao cigars (crusty fried salted cod) with lemon and aioli, seared Hervey Bay Scallops in the shell with fennel and anchovy butter and calamari ripieni stuffed with farro and chorizo. Yum!

You can enjoy a Mezza Platter like the one above, for two or a pizza big enough for two - proscuitto and buffalo mozzarella or grilled sweet potato and caramelised onion and fetta.

Find it all at Tognini's Spring Hill in Turbot Street.

Cheese please - Fleur du marquis

2008-10-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

This flavoursome French cheese has been absent for a while because of a ban on unpasteurised milk products, but is once again in store. Made from sheep’s milk, it has an exterior crust that is coated with dried rosemary, thyme, coriander seeds, juniper berries and pepper. You can eat the crust, but it’s bitter. The inside of the cheese is snowy white, cream moist and soft when it’s young and gets whiter and runnier as it ages.

Mark says: The first bite shows the creamy silky texture and then it explodes in the back of your mouth and you can taste the dried rosemary flavour. The robust flavours of the sheep’s milk linger in the mouth. It’s great as a snack, with a salad or on a cheese platter because it looks spectacular. Ben says: Match it with a glass of the prunotto barbera d’alba, a fragrant, fruity red with hints of flowers.

There are several other new cheeses in the cheese room at Spring Hill and the cheese cabinet at Milton. Drop in and have a look.We also have a new cheese club offer with three classic cheese boxes available all year round.
>View our website for more details about our cheese boxes

Champagne degustation night

2008-10-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Have we got a treat for you! Tognini’s and Moet Hennessy invite you to an evening of fine champagne with exquisite accompanying food. We will be tasting the latest releases from the houses of Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon and Ruinart, finishing with a 1996 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. These are special champagnes that you won’t find at your local bottle shop.
• Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV
• Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV
• Moet et Chandon Grand Vintage 2000
• Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut 2002
• Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc 1996
• Moet et Chandon Rose NV

David Cross from Moet Hennessy will take you on a journey through the champagnes while Mark will talk about matching champagne and food. You’ll have some delightful tastes matched with each champagne. Expect zuchinni flowers with crab mouse, blinis with smoked salmon, caramelised onion tart, scallops and fruit with mascarpone to finish. Limited releases will also be available for purchase. They’ll add the perfect touch to your Christmas celebrations.

Numbers are limited. Please contact us to book your place:
Price: $85; Time: 6.45pm for 7.00pm start; Date: Wednesday, 12 November 2008 Place: Tognini’s BistroCaféDeli, Cnr Turbot & Boundary Streets, Spring Hill 07 3831 5300; eat@togninis.com; www.togninis.com

Melbourne Cup

2008-10-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

If you are expecting a crowd for Melbourne Cup or organising the office function this year, we’ve devised a special menu for Melbourne Cup.

Try our special office "meal deal" - spicy marinated bbq chicken with cous cous + summer slaw for $12.50 per person. Whole butterflied marinated chicken (size 14), quartered for your convenience, with homemade barbecue sauce $14.50. Delivery can be arranged between 10am - 1pm to CBD.

Tognini’s marinated chicken has been prepared using Mark’s special recipe. The accompanying salads will be made fresh on the day - all delivered to you for a no fuss Melbourne Cup function. Also on offer are freshly prepared sandwiches, rolls and wraps - fillings include chicken, mayo and rocket; turkey, swiss and cranberry; ham, avocado and salad and many more. Antipasto and cheese platters from our catering menu are also available on request. Check out our catering menu or download the Melbourne Cup order form from www.togninis.com

Don’t forget Melbourne Cup is a big day around town. Please get your orders in early! 07 3831 5300; eat@togninis.com

Mark’s tip for Melbourne Cup is get your order in early so you don’t miss the race!

Narelle’s tip is be nice to your mother!

Viva Italia! New menus

2008-09-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

We’ve been around the world with our menus but it’s time to come home to our favourite place, Italy! We’re also keen to get back to the source of cooking and we are moving towards slow food – think delicious slowly braised beef cheek in red wine with carrot and turnip mash or twice baked pork belly with fennel, shallots and apple compote.

Breakfast is available until 11.30am weekdays and 2.30pm on Saturdays for those of you who are late risers. New additions include spicy shredded wagyu beef with poached eggs on crusty ciabatta and home made baked beans with ham hock and poached eggs. If you like your breakfast on the sweet side, French toast with caramelised banana and cinnamon mascarpone is for you.

The lunch menu at Spring Hill is filled with dishes that you won’t be able to resist. How about grilled sardine fillets w squid ink spaghetti, chilli + fresh herbs or grilled Atlantic salmon on potato rosti w herb + coddled egg dressing. Other meals to try include house made crab and courgette ravioli with champagne foam and chervil and wild porcini mushroom risotto with porcini cream using snap frozen mushrooms from Italy – delish. Hope this list has made your mouth water! Come in and try it all soon.

Pictured – Top: Twice baked pork belly w fennel, shallot + apple compote; Middle: Slow cooked beef cheek in red wine w carrot + turnip mash; Bottom: Clams + black mussels w orange, chilli + saffron broth.

www.togninis.com

Eating out in Melbourne

2008-09-26T22:52:00.001-07:00

One of the best things about visiting Sydney and Melbourne is the chance to try out a whole new bunch of restaurants every time. Here’s the news from our recent Melbourne trip:

Best breakfast: The European, 161 Spring Street, CBD. It’s classy, classic, always good with an Italian feel and the coffee is great. Despite the fact that it’s always crowded the service is great. Best dish - smoked trout frittata with avocado salsa.

Best new place: Cumulus Inc, 45 Flinders Lane, CBD [opened 2 months ago] Has an open kitchen with a huge bar and offers share plates. There’s a huge selection of oysters. We ate lunch at 4pm and the staff were very accommodating. It’s open from 7am - 11pm, Monday to Friday. We finished off our meal with freshly baked madeleines that were filled with lemon curd that were still warm - was so yummy! Best dish: braised wagyu, artichokes, green olive and nettle or baked gnocchi with taleggio and truffle vinaigrette.

Best asian: Gingerboy, Crossley Lane, CBD. Best dish: deep fried whole snapper.

Photos – Top: Cumulus Inc; Middle: Baked gnocchi with taleggio and truffle vinaigrette; Right: Freshly baked madelines oozing lemon curd.

www.togninis.com