Winter in Italy has got particularly cold of late and so here is a perfect Italian recipe to warm us up: soup with chickpeas, bread and scamorza, or smoked cheese. It’s a typical dish from the tiny Molise region and while I’m not personally a fan of scamorza, the cheese certainly lends a lot of flavour to this soup. Ingredients to make a soup for four people are: 200 g of dried chickpeas, eight slices of bread, two eggs, one small onion, as much smoked cheese as you like, some extravirgin olive oil and salt.

After soaking the chickpeas for sufficient time (our recipe tells us that two whole days are good, changing the water every 12 hours), boil them on low heat in plenty of salty water for about two hours. Drain them but keep the water, setting aside for later. In a pan heat some oil and fry the onion until slightly golden, and then add the chickpeas. In the meantime, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and then toss in the slices of the bread, already toasted.

Lay out four slices of bread in an oven dish, cover with some chickpeas and a few slices of scamorza, and pour over some of the broth from the boiled chickpeas. Repeat the operation with the rest of the bread slices and then place in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. The thick soup can then be divided or if you prefer, you can bake in separate portions, using one slice of bread and then making another layer on top, dividing the eight slices equally among four people.

Photo | Flickr

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The picturesque town of Madonna di Campiglio in the Dolomites has partly lifted the veil on its much awaited new ski area which includes amazing ski slopes in Val Rendena and Val di Sole. The Dolomites region (including Pinzolo, da Folgarida a Marilleva) which is now on the Unesco list offers an infinite number of slopes and ski trails for all levels and abilities; the only drawback is that renovation works (which include uphill mode of transport) are expected to be completed only before December 2010.

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The second day of the Italian round of the Ice Master World Cup is taking place today in Val di Daone, Trentino. It is the only Italian round of the international ice climbing championships, and should provide a fantastic spectacle for those present.

The two intense days of climbing culminate in ice climbing races today, with plenty of activities on offer for spectators, both adults and children. The Val Di Daone in Trentino is about 30 km long, with an altitude of 2,500 metres, providing a stunning backdrop to the competition.

Competing in the final today is favourite for the cup, and current holder of the world title, Markus Bendler from Austria. In the women’s section, surprise contender Chloe Graftiaux from Belgium is well placed to take out the title. To see what happens, check out the Ice Master World Cup site.

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Winter in Italy for 2009-2010 follows the same trend of snow shoeing as last winter. It’s an activity lost in the snows of time, and isn’t like skiing, nor like walking. In Italy, the activity is called “ciaspolare” and it’s something many Italians and foreigners enjoy, whether they’re skiers or not.

In the video above, you can see how trekking with snow shoes can appeal to nature lovers, and people enjoying the silence and the serenity of the Italian mountains in winter. In this video we’re in the Fanes Dolomites of Alta Badia.

Video | You Tube

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Skiing can be hard work, but skiing in Italy is nothing but easy with plenty of health spa offerings to relax. After a day of chair lifts and black run skiing with some ice, there’s nothing better than to unwind in hot thermal springs with spas and saunas at your service.

Combining your skiing and health spa vacation in Italy is easy at the Terme di Vinadio thermal springs. It’s located in Piedmont, about 35 km from Cuneo and close to the French border.

Health spa/skiing deals include three, four or seven days with buffet breakfast, lunch on the slopes, dinner, health spa access and ski passes to the Argentera ski resort. Prices range from 290 to 770 euros a person. Try it for a Saint Valentine’s break in Italy!

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Here’s a recipe for homemade Italian hot chocolate, so you can enjoy traditional Italian-style “cioccolata” at home. Contrary to Neenah’s comment on our first post about Italian hot chocolate, one made at a bar is always made with milk and nearly always with powder, often cocoa powder to make a stronger hot chocolate. You’ll find it’s sometimes bitter and therefore you’ll need to add sugar after it’s been served.

This Italian recipe is in English, and is a step by step video guide that’s easy to follow. The ingredients include cocoa powder, sugar, flour, and milk. The more flour you add, the thicker the hot chocolate will be, and if you add lots, you can even make yourself a chocolate pudding. You can continuously add milk, until you get the consistency you want, and then the final step is to bring it to the boil over the stove.

Source | ItalyMag

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If you didn’t spend New Year’s Eve in Italy, you still have plenty of time to enjoy the Italian winter, skiing and health spa activities. In Tuscany the Versilia Thermal Springs are offering beauty treatments and packages for the current season, with special offers available until the Epiphany on January 6th.

The Villa Undulna, named in honour of the Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, offers spa baths, skin treatments, massages, sauna and Turkish steam baths, together with soft, relaxing music and hot teas. The hotel itself is surrounded by gardens and has restaurant and fitness facilities.

The health spa focuses on water and mud-bath treatments as follows:

The uniqueness of the treatments offered in the Terme lie in the combination of bromo-iodic-salty wather and therapeutic mud from the Massaciuccoli Lake. These rare and precious natural elements are used both for the prevention of arthro-rheumatic condition and vasculohepatic or dermatological complaints, as well as for relax and beauty baths, given their effectiveness against cellulite.

The comfortable booths are equipped with leading-edge technology, specifically designed for each need. The competent and professional medical staff guarantee that the pursued goals will be attained, either through the fixed thermal programs.

For more details on health spa packages and beauty treatments, as well as the hotel and rooms, see the Terme della Versilia website.

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Spend New Year’s Eve in Italy at the San Lorenzo Mountain Lodge in Val Pusteria. Surrounded by beautiful woods and majestic mountains, the lodge offers guest luxury accommodation (four rooms and a lovely kitchen) and state of the art facilities; the place which has just been inaugurated boasts whirlpool, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, chromo therapy and other treatment rooms where one can kick back and relax. Equinoxe will present you with a champagne case, so be ready to pop the bubbly, clink the glasses and raise a toast for good times and good cheer. For further information please call 011.8185270 or write to the following address: daniela.micheletti@equinoxe.it

Continue reading: Luxury New Year breaks in the Alps: San Lorenzo Mountain Lodge, Val Pusteria

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If you’re looking for a quaint town and beautiful Italian ski resort in Bolzano, region of Alto Adige, check out the town of Castelrotto in the heart of the Val Gardena. The town is one of a population of only 6,400 people, meaning you can spend an authentic ski holiday in this part of Italy.

You can spend your time either skiing on slopes up to 3,000 metres, or discover the local traditions of the Castelrotto Italian winter wonderland. Both downhill and cross country skiing is available, as well as ice skating and sled hire. See the Castelrotto.org site for more details.

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Great deals for skiing in Italy this winter continue with Alpitour offering New Year’s Eve snow weekends in the Valle d’Aosta. The deal is valid for the Ski Club Lo Stambecco at the foot of Cervinio mountain, at about 2,500 metres above sea level.

The three-star hotel has 50 rooms, and includes facilities such as a solarium, ski room, games room, disco and restaurant. It can only be reached by cable car (free for guests) and is perfect if you’re looking for a mountain ski retreat for New Year celebrations.

Currently on offer is seven nights for the price of six, with full board included. Prices start from about 528 euros a head.

Foto | Flickr

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Monza is opening its health spas for the winter season in Italy, and the thermal springs are offering four days’ free entry to celebrate the occasion. The health spas open on December 5th in time for the long weekend in Italy and some relaxing treatments after the first serious snow falls of the season.

The Monza health spas are managed by a group which owns other spa facilities in Italy in Bormio, Milano, and the Pré Saint Didier in the Valle d’Aosta, which is right next to the royal villa and park.

If you decide to drop by, the health spa is also offering a welcome buffet of fruit, homemade yoghurt and other products from the Brianza area north of Milan. For more information, see the health spa website.

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Snow in Italy is finally here, marking the definitive arrival of winter and the ski season, especially for this long weekend. So if you find yourself on the slopes of Italy’s ski resorts, or shopping in the Christmas markets of Bolzano in Alto Adige, you’ll be looking for something to warm you up after a day out in the cold.

Here, we give you a list of the best Italian drinks for a moment spent by the fireside warming your feet. Our only recommendation is you go easy on the drinks because they’re normally very potent. Otherwise, check out our post on how not to get drunk on Italian cocktails in case you need some tips.

First on the list is one of my absolute favourites and that’s a bombardino. This is Italy’s version of eggnog, made with brandy and advocaat (Vov in Italy). If you like it sweeter, you’d best ask for only a small part of brandy or you’re in for a shock. The brandy and advocaat is mixed together, and then heated to boiling point via a steamer, and to top it off, you can add whipped cream which I recommend to sweeten the drink a little and remove the possibility of burning your mouth on your first sip.

Continue reading: Best Italian Christmas drinks: mulled wine and bombardino

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