- Anna Takahashi -
📙 My Story
My article as a Food Illustrator and Painter on the Sicilian newspaper La Sicilia
After the celebration of the San Sebastiano Festival in Palazzolo, Sicily
Holding the Prima Vera wine with my label! With Simone, Michele, Andrea for I Vigneri at their winery in Milo, Sicily
🇮🇹 Favorite Region in Italy
Sicily. The sun, colors and food!
🍴 Best Meal in Italy
A slice of homemade pizza with a wonderfully sweet passata di pomodoro (simple tomato sauce) , a sprinkle of oregano, and lots of home-made olive oil. It was made by my friend's nonna in a wood fire oven in the fields in the Tuscan countryside. The most simplest perfection to this day.
🤔 Florence, Venice or Rome?
Venice since I haven't been there yet, and I love the uniqueness of the city with canals.
🚗 Off the Beaten path
Zio Pippo's trattoria near Avola in Sicily in the hills. I don't know what the actual name of the restaurant is, or if there is any. But the food was just really great. They had their own little farm and sold vegetables inside this farmhouse dining space. The restroom was like stepping into their private bathroom where there was laundry and a bunch of homey items. I just loved this wonderful chaos so much. Just like being at my uncle's pad. 6 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
☝️ Pointers or Tips?
Plan ahead. If you're not renting a car, make sure to check at least a few days before your departure to see how to get to your destination in case you need to hire private car services or make adjustments to your schedule. Even though distances may seem relatively short, travel time can be long due to passing through rural areas, general availability, or because things simply take time. There are also transportation strikes announced ahead of time that could influence availability of transportation, so plan ahead.
👀 Where do you still want to visit?
Sardinia to see their very distinct culture, hear their language and many different dialects, see the Nuraghi sites, and eat Casu Marzu.
😱 What surprised you the most when you first visited Italy?
Even in the most rural places, people go out to party or hang out at the local bar at night, gussied up.
❤️ What is it about Italy that really speaks to you?
Food, taking time at the table, and valuing art and beauty as fundamentals of life. Coming from Japan, the very core values we have in common with Italy have naturally connected me to the culture in a solid way.
🌾🍷 How does this tie in to you working at Etto/Giornata?
Being in Sicily, pasta, food, and wine are my everyday language. Traveling in different regions with curiosity and experiencing the distinct cultures within Italy is an endless learning journey that directly feeds into my inspiration for ETTO and Giornata.
🍝🍷 Favorite Etto Pasta/ Giornata Wine?
Trombe / 2011 Nebbiolo
