A moment with Ticino food and wine expert Alberto Dell’Acqua

Lugano-based food and wine writer Alberto Dell’Acqua’s book D’Vinis was designated Best Wine Book In The World in 2009 by the Gourmand Awards. The book deals with the history of wine and sommellerie, which is to say the selection, cellaring, serving and tasting of fine wine.

Although the text is in German, French and Italian, for many anglophones D’Vinis warrants purchase anyway because of its sumptuous design and over 600 illustrations.

”An English edition may be published somewhere further down the line,” says Dell’Acqua.

It wouldn’t be the first time one of his books has appeared in English. In 2004, he published Ticino Foody: British and Ticinese Historic-Culinary Encounters to celebrate the centenary of the Anglican Church of St. Edward the Confessor in Lugano.

To accompany his text on Ticinese chefs who emigrated to Britain (and their not inconsiderable influence there), and the attraction the Ticino held for British tourists from the 19th century, members of St. Edward’s contributed a variety of recipes 60 of which, ranging from Toad in the Hole to Risotto, are featured in the book.

What motivated me, however, to include a mention of Dell’Acqua and his work in my blog  ”A Matter of Taste”  is this: in a country - Switzerland - where we mostly hear from the Swiss-Germans and the Swiss-French about their food and wine (or from Swiss-Germans about Ticinese food and wine: some readers may be familiar with Marion Michels’s German and English 2008 publication Ticino con Amore - a life style, travel, food and wine guide with recipes), unless we’re based in Ticino material about it tends to be quite sparse.

So I welcome knowing about a resource who is a real live Ticinese, an expert who has written about local cuisine (albeit not in English) in Cucinabella (2003), for example.

”However,” Dell’Acqua says, ”all you could possibly want to know about local Ticinese cuisine, wines, spirits, hotels and restaurants from grottoes to gastronomic, you will find month by month in my magazine Gastronomie & Tourisme. Although the magazine takes readers to very part of the world in search of gastronomic delights, there is always an attentive eye to what is happening locally.”

Dell’Acqua has been publishing this trade publication since 1973, and the same holds true for it as does for D’Vinis: it’s  not in English, but hey, great pix.

More about the Gourmand Awards at www.cookbookfair.com
To order d’Vinis: info[at]gastronmietourisme.ch

Dell’Acqua’s website is www.gastronomietourisme.ch. His other books and subscriptions to Gastronomie & Tourisme can also be ordered here.

Visual courtesy of Alberto Dell’Acqua

COMING UP IN LUGANO… January 29 to February 1, 2010

Ristora, Salone della Ristorazione dell’Ospitalità e dell’Enogastronomia - a catering, hospitality, fine wine and food fair open to trade and public alike (entry CHF 10). The Lugano Wine Festival takes place within the framework of this event at the Centro Esposizioni in Lugano. More at www.ristora.ch.

April 11 to May 3, 2010

S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2010 - called ”Viva le donne!” (Long Live Women!) this year because seven top European women chefs will be guest cheffing at seven of the Ticino’s best restaurants. On the final evening (May 3), the (male) chefs from those seven venues in Lugano, Ascona and Vacallo will combine their talents for a gala meal at Lugano’s Palazzo Mantegazza. More info at www.sanpellegrinosaporiticino.ch.