Friday, July 13, 2012

Foodie Friday: A Taste of Portovenere, Italy


Portovenere, Italy  Courtesy Joan Massel Soncini
By Debbie Mitchell

To wrap up this week we are traveling to Italia for Foodie Friday.  I was inspired by my post a few weeks ago, My Morning With Nora Ephron: A Food Lover Remembered, in which I touched on my love for Italy's fishing village of Portovenere, where Ephron discovered a delicious cheese at the annual Fritto Misto Festival in a nearby town.  I have not been to the Fritto Misto Festival, but have enjoyed a few other amazing summer meals in the seaside village.

This week's Foodie Friday gives a glimpse inside the delicious eats found in Portovenere, Italy courtesy of my friends Joan Soncini, a talented photographer, and her husband Mario, a great cook, who have a beautiful home in the hills of the colorful town.  
Courtesy Joan Massel Soncini

By Joan Massel Soncini

Luckily, we live both in the States, as well as Portovenere, Italy. My husband Mario, who is from Parma and I purchased our amazing villa just outside Portovenere in 2001, thus, we manage to explore Liguria, along with our family and friends, over the summer and at Christmas time.  

The food here is divine, including many specialities such as: Stuffed Mussels, Fried Anchovies, Anchovies in Olive Oil, Pesce Alla Ligure- most made with Orata (Sea Bream) or Branzino and combining oven cooked potatoes, black olives and pignoli nuts, tomatoes; Pesto, Grilled Vegetables, Caprese Salad (Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Basil), and on and on.

Food is central to the Italian mind and to any tourist coming to Italy.  It is said that "you can't get a bad meal in Italy," and Liguria is no exception for sure.  The pictures will certainly tell my story better than words, so please look, enjoy, and how about a visit! 

Tagliolini al Pesto
Pesce alla Ligure






Calamari Fritti

We have favorite restaurants, of course, in Portovenere: Tre Torri, Locanda Lorena, La Chiglia, and Pozzale, to name a few. 

Tre Torri
(Summer in Portovenere, Italy) Mario and Debbie
(Summer in Portovenere, Italy)  Mona, Debbie, Joan and Ina 
Joan Massel Soncini is a mom, grandmother, psychotherapist, and photographer  who has exhibited her photos throughout Italy.  Author of the book "Virgin Gorda : An Intimate Portrait" Joan and her husband Mario are always on the move.
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TV/Social Media Producer Debbie Mitchell is an Emmy nominated producer who is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA)  and  is currently a member of the James Beard Broadcast and New Media Awards committee.  If you are blogger or brand interested in blogger outreach campaigns or a personality interested in television placement follow Debbie Mitchell @TVProducerDeb or contact The Blogger Connection.
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