La Dolce Vita is not just about Italian food and wine, it covers
travel, property and Italian fashion. The 2009 event was the fifth to date
so we decided to visit and see what is the secret of the event's
longevity.
This year the show started on Thursday 26th March through
to Sunday 29th March. It was held at the Olympia show ground in London.
The Olympia show area is served well by the Olympia underground
and over ground stations with the entrance only a minute's walk
away. If you are travelling by car, there is ample parking (pricey!)
very nearby. The post code is W14 8UX. If you want to pre-book the
car park then pone +44 (0)871 871 9809. Credit cards are accepted.
ENTRANCE PRICES
The basic entrance price is £16 but there are a couple of VIP packages
also available at higher prices. Book in advance from the official page
by clicking here.
ITALIAN FOOD
Italian food brings to mind Parma hams, and there were lots on
display at this show. Whole legs of them, finely sliced, any way you
like it!
One of the great attractions of this event are the free
tasters on offer at the various stalls. Wander round and take
advantage of the best Italian food for free.
Don't miss the free Parmesan cheese tasters at
the Ham and Cheese Company stall. Those Parmesan wheels are 100%
organic and GM free. Watch how the slices are carved with
precision from the huge wheels of Parmesan. Ask for the slices
to be carved to a different shape and you will be told politely,
no! There is a reason for the shape of a traditional chunk of
parmesan and these guys will tell you exactly what that reason
is.
There are lots of other Italian food and wine stalls at La Dolce Vita
and we could go on about them but the pictures below tell the story much
better.
COOKERY SCHOOL
As well as food and wine stalls, there is a full schedule of events and
displays throughout each of the days. We focussed on the pizza base
making show. Audience participation is essential as our short video
below shows!
One of the participants got carried away with "throwing" the pizza
dough and we caught her on camera. On the second throw of the pizza it
ends up on the head of the person in front! Check it out in the video
below.
These demos of cookery skills are great fun as the above two videos
show, not to be missed and they are free. La Dolce Vita is a great day
out for adults and kids alike.
WINE ACADEMY
For a modest charge (£6?) you can attend a Wine Academy. While were
there it was hosted by Olly Smith - he can be seen on BBC 1's Saturday
Kitchen. Lots of useful information on wine tasting and lots of
different wines to taste. Our video below gives you an idea of what's on
offer.
ITALIAN PROPERTY, FASHION AND HOLIDAYS
Food and wine are not the only attractions at La Dolce Vita.
If you are interested in Italian fashion, property or holidays
then this is the event for you.
Lots of manned stalls with
informed attendants to answer any questions you may have.
CONCLUSION
We visited the show primarily for the food and wine and we were very
impressed. Lots of stalls with authentic Italian food and the tasters
were delicious. The demonstrations liven up the show for all the family.
We fully recommend the show and present just one more video to sum up
this very enjoyable event.