Tony Loeb

🍇 Acetaie Aperte, the premier event for balsamic vinegar enthusiasts, gears up for its 23rd edition in Modena from September 26 to October 4, 2025. The week-long celebration will feature over 40 sites open to the public, showcasing the revered Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP and Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP. With an export rate of 93% to over 130 countries, the IGP variant boasts an annual production of over 90 million liters and a consumption value nearing one billion euros. The DOP, with its artisanal production, reaches 16.5 thousand liters, valued at almost 7 million euros, with 70% exported mainly to the USA, France, Germany, and Japan. Emilia-Romagna, the "Food Valley," prides itself on 44 DOP and IGP productions contributing €3.6 billion to the €8.5 billion national production, with the regional agri-food sector totaling €34 billion, nearly €10 billion of which are exports.

☕ Ditta Artigianale honors mothers with its 100% arabica espresso blend, MammaMia, crafted exclusively with coffee grown by female producers. Francesco Sanapo, the founder, created the blend with medium-low acidity to appeal to traditional tastes, including his mother’s preference for non-acidic coffee. Incorporating beans from Peru, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Honduras, the blend offers a complex sensory experience with chocolate, ripe cherry, caramel, and almond notes. Ditta Artigianale, established by Sanapo and Patrick Hoffer, is a leading Italian specialty coffee roastery that exemplifies the third wave coffee movement, focusing on quality from cultivation to artisan roasting in Florence. The brand operates six locations in Florence, promoting the specialty coffee culture and the authentic bar experience combining craftsmanship and quality time spent in the establishment.

🍽 MidNite Chef Pairing Nights welcomes chef Francesco Apreda and mixologist Patrick Pistolesi on May 8 for a food&cocktail pairing event. Apreda, known for his innovative cuisine with Neapolitan roots and influences from London, Japan, and India, offers a unique culinary identity at Idylio by Apreda in Rome's The Pantheon Iconic Hotel. The dinner includes dishes like fried quail egg with Japanese dressing and Milk cocktail made with Glenfiddich 12, lime, rice vinegar, mirin, sesame, and pepper. Other pairings feature Terra e Iodio cream with Naraï cocktail, 36-month Parmigiano cappellotti with KryptoN cocktail, and baccalà with coconut and Shōgun cocktail featuring Glenfiddich 15. The experience costs €90 per person and reservations can be made on the Superb platform. Nite Kong, a spin-off of Drink Kong in Rome, opened in 2023 offering an immersive experience with a rich selection of spirits, champagne, and a curated food menu by chef Francesco Coltella. Drink Kong entered The World's 50 Best Bars in 2024, ranking 33rd and 20th on the Top 500 Bars list.

🍫 Domori won "best sweet packaging" for its Antologia chocolate bars at the 14th DS - Dolci Salati & Consumi Awards during TuttoFood Milan (May 5-8, 2025). The award, judged by a 73-member jury, recognized Domori's marketing efforts in 2024. The Antologia line, which showcases premium Criollo cacao from Venezuela and Ecuador, embodies Domori's bean to bar identity and reinforces its premium brand positioning through distinctive, elegant packaging inspired by the "rosa dei venti.