Food origins
Every food has a story to tell. From tofu to mozzarella cheese, explore the roots, history, and how it’s grown, processed and prepared before it ends up on your plate.
Food origins
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Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions for Food origins
Traditional Panettone is the result of a careful three-day process involving fermentation, kneading, and precise temperature control.
Day One: The process begins with the lievito madre (mother dough), which is "fed" with flour and water three times to strengthen the natural yeasts. Half of this sourdough is then mixed with sugar and flour and left to rest for 12 hours.
Day Two: Egg yolks and butter are added to the dough and kneaded for an hour to form a gluten-rich net. After resting, candied fruits and raisins are added. The dough must be kept between 22 and 26°C to enhance fermentation. In the evening, the dough is shaped using a skilled gesture called pirlatura, placed in a pirottini mould, and left to rise overnight.
Day Three: Once the dough reaches maximum volume, a cross is cut into the top—a process called scarpatura—to allow it to rise fully during baking. After baking at 170°C, the Panettone is hung upside down for 8 hours to prevent the heavy dough from collapsing and ensure the fruit is evenly distributed.
Celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, salsify, swedes, and parsnips aren’t just tasty, they’re bursting with essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They can provide exactly what your body needs to stay strong and healthy during the colder months.
Beyond the health benefits, these roots bring different flavours and textures that can transform your go-to winter meals into something exciting and fresh.
Eating fruits and vegetables when they are naturally ready to be picked offers several benefits:
Health benefits: Food picked at the right time and eaten soon after contains more vitamins and nutrients to help keep us healthy.
Fresh and delicious: Some produce can be stored for up to a year before it is sold. Enjoying these foods fresh and in season ensures they are at their tastiest.
Creative cooking: Because available foods change with the seasons, you can try many different fruits and vegetables throughout the year. This prevents eating the same things all the time and makes cooking more fun.
Helping local farmers: Buying seasonal food supports local producers and helps farmers in your community make a living. It also connects us with the land.
Truffles are rare and costly for a few key reasons:
Limited places to grow: They require specific environments, primarily in Italy, France, and Spain, making them naturally scarce.
Delicate environment: Climate change, deforestation, and rainfall shifts easily disrupt the precise conditions needed for growth.
Hand-picked harvest: They grow underground and cannot be machine-harvested; hunters and dogs must find and dig each one by hand.
Short season: Availability is strictly limited to specific times of the year when they ripen.
Lose aroma quickly: Their scent fades rapidly after harvest, requiring expensive, high-speed transport to preserve flavour.