Hot pasta. Cool tiles
Having heard that Italian cuisine and handicraft will be showcased in Sharjah, I just had to go there and get a feel of the original, as so much of Italian fashion and food is widely, and sometimes inelegantly, imitated here.
At the Italian Lifestyle Exhibition in Expo Centre Sharjah, I had a first hand taste of Italian food.
The country was only unified in 1861 and so its cuisine reflects the cultural variety of its regions.
It's diverse history has left an impact on its gastronomy, with influences from Greek, Roman, Norman and Arab civilisations.
Get a dinner
Tonight, chef Walter Vidovaldi will be showing you just how Italian food should be. He'll be handing out dinner portions at 7pm to visitors.
You'll get pasta with a sauce made up of aubergine, garlic, parsley, tomato sauce and red peppers.
The pasta will be topped with mozarella and parmesan cheese and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.
There'll be dinner as well on Friday. This time it's vegetable soup with the Italian Filoni Tascano bread on the side.
Look around
While at the exhibition enjoying your food, why not look at the kiosks?
Take your pick from home accessories, furniture, furnishings, bathroom & kitchen fittings, sanitary ware, windows and doors, ceramic products and accessories, wooden products and gift items.
Hail to the chef
From Italy's Tuscany province, Walter Vidovaldi has been a chef for more than 25 years. Now he runs the kitchen in a hotel in Marina di Massa town; his wife runs the hotel.
"I cook typical food from Tuscany that has a lot of pasta and vegetables. This is very healthy. And I will be offering samples of my food to everyone who wants to try," he said at the Expo Centre Sharjah.
The tile lady
The stand of Roberta Viana certainly stands out at the Expo Centre Sharjah.
Roberta is the proud owner of a shop in Candelo, Italy, that specialises in porcelain plates that are all hand painted by her.
She also does restorations. She specialises in horses and camels, but is quite happy to paint portraits as well.
Need her to do a plate for you? Or a hand-painted tile? Visit www.robertaviana.com to know more.
The event
What: The Italian Lifestyle Exhibition.
Where: Expo Centre Sharjah.
When: Open to the public today and tomorrow from 5-9pm.
Entrance: Free.
Note: Children under 14 not allowed.
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