If you are a Lidl aficionado, you will surely know about their ‘Flavour of the Week’ events, where they feature staple supermarket products from a selected country at very competitive prices. During the weeks from 29th April to 12th May the shelves of the famous discount will be flooded by products from the bel paese, making the most of us Linguini dash off to our nearest Lidl to indulge in this long-awaited event.
The star of this two-week themed event is the brand Italiamo, which started exporting typical Italian products in all of the 28 countries where Lidl is present back in 2008 and has grown exponentially ever since. Due to the popularity of Italian food, the brand Italiamo is very successful everywhere and to date it can count on a pool of around 200 suppliers. Although the brand features over 900 products, only a few of them make it to the British shelves. The reason is quite simple: Lidl Italia presents its selection of products for export at Lidl headquarters in Germany and then each country selects its own range based on their consumers preferences and the characteristics of that target market.
The community behind Linguini values quality and recognises authenticity in food, therefore we are not easily ‘fooled’ by the tiny ‘Specialità Italiana’ label on the packaging of most of the Italiamo products: we know that although the line is entirely produced in Italy, most of the produce is sourced elsewhere in the EU or outside the EU. The Italiamo brand is far from being an artisan Italian excellence but it is the chance to purchase basic supermarket products at a more accessible price compared to British stores.
So… what makes Lidl’s Italian week so special for us? Honestly, it’s probably just a bit of homesickness. It the warm feeling of filling your trolley with breakfast biscuits and Limoncello and, although you could do the same in a Sainsbury’s or Waitrose, during Italian week in Lidl for some reason you feel closer to home. I guess that is what marketing is all about!
But enough with the introduction, let’s move to our Top 5!
#5 Sour Cherries in Syrup
I know, not what you would rush to the supermarket for, but I promise you – these are delicious as topping for your porridge or ice-cream, and in a thousand other sweet preparations. They are very similar, if not identical, to the ones from Fabbri, the Italian leader in fruit syrups and gelato ingredients. However, these lovely ‘designer’ cherries are sold for £14.50 per kilo on Ocado which makes our Italiamo product with its £7.59 per kilo a no brainer!
#4 Bitterol
This Aperol dupe is so popular it disappeared from our local Lidl’s shelves within hours: no wonder, considering it is only £7.99 a bottle against the average £14.99 of its branded counterpart, Aperol. In addition, the ingredients list seems to be similar: oranges, rhubarb and a mix of herbs and roots extracts.
We have all learned one way or the other, that investing in the quality of your booze can result in a much more pleasant experience, during and after having indulged in our favourite drinks. However, if we look at the price of a bottle of Aperol in Italy (between £8.59 and £11.60), it is apparent that the popular Spritz mixer is a bit overpriced here in the UK. Bring on the Bitterol, then!
#3 Artichoke Hearts and Anchovy Fillets
I know, two more ‘unusual’ ingredients for our British readers. I believe anchovy fillets are a bit like Marmite: you either love them or hate them! And we Italians love them, oh, we do love them! They make one of the most classic and perfect pizza topping, an umami bomb for any tomato-based pasta sauces and a perfect bruschetta if paired with a slice of fresh mozzarella. Last time I was browsing for this ingredient in my local supermarket in Calabria (Southern Italy) I noticed how none of the products under 5€ used anchovies sourced in Italy, but most of them came from Morocco or Albania, therefore I don’t expect this product, with its price tag of £1.49 to be any different. Sicilian anchovies are delicious, but quality comes at a much higher price. However, this is an excellent compromise compared to similar products available in the British supermarkets, and the fact that they are in olive oil instead of sunflower oil for me is a plus.
The artichokes hearts, instead, are just good because they are… hearts! Simple, tender, delicious, affordable artichoke hearts. I often like to wander between the aisles of Mediterranean shops, looking for suitable swaps for my recipes. However, when it comes to artichokes it seems like there are as many different breeds across the Med as people who love this flower-shaped veg! We Italians like our artichokes with tender, edible leaves and – with the exception of the Sardinian artichoke – no thorns. Aside from Italian Week in Lidl, I struggle with finding artichoke hearts with the perfect stem to leaves ratio.
#2 Regional Cheeses
I love cheese although I don’t consume/buy a lot because of its high fat and calorie content. However, if you are a ruthless cheese-lover, you must try Italiamo’s regional cheese selection.
Do you see that little red and yellow label? That’s the Denominazione d’Origine Protetta label and it means that the product is produced, processed, and packaged in a specific geographical zone and according to tradition. Pretty good, isn’t it? Especially with a price mark of £15.27/kg.
#1 Buffalo Mozzarella
Have you ever doubted, even for just a second, about Italiamo’s Mozzarella di Bufala Campana being the first place of Linguini’s Top 5 from Lidl Italian Week? Of course not. It had to be her.
By now we have learned about the DOP label, but let’s have a look at what else is on the packaging. There’s a line of text running across the packaging at the top of the see-through bit that says “Certificato da Organismo di Controllo Autorizzato MIPAAF”. If you can say that quickly out loud for three times without making any mistakes a herd of Italian Mediterranean buffalos will materialise on your doorstep and you will be self-sufficient with buffalo milk for the rest of your life. Jokes aside, that means that the product has been certified by control bodies are authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF). And to be on the safe side, the packaging displays the Consortium of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana label too!
Does that mean this is just as real as the one you can get straight from the Southern Italian farms? No way. Seriously, if you have ever had a taste of the real thing you will know that long shelf life mozzarellas (all of them) are to fresh mozzarella just like long like milk is to fresh milk. They just lose some of their flavour and freshness due to the process needed to preserve them longer.
Having said this, for £1.49 this is definitely a bargain for the British market and a product it’s worth trying to get to the nearest Lidl no later than 10AM.
Honourable mention
Our Top 5 products have been selected purely based on personal preference and what we think it’s value for money. However, we are aware there are many other products probably worth mentioning under the Italiamo brand. We know, for example, that the Lemon Flavoured ice-cream is a big hit among both British and Italian customers but we haven’t been lucky enough to find it in our store yet.
Also the Limoncino deserves a mention. However, if you grew up like me surrounded my citrus trees and people who make their own homemade limoncello, you will struggle with the store-bought version. This doesn’t mean that the quality of this product is subpar compared to the ones available on the Italian shelves, and we appreciate it’s difficult – if not impossible – to source the ingredients to make proper limoncello at home here in the UK, so go for it!
I was personally overwhelmed by the variety of regional salami available in my local Lidl this week and I am sure they will make an excellent addition to your antipasti platters, possibly served alongside some nice olives and cheeses. The reason why they didn’t make it to the top 5 is because, with the exception of the Salame Felino IGP, they don’t feature any label that indicates that they have been produced in a protected environment, according to tradition and following a traditional method. Also, the origin of the pork is not clearly stated on the packaging. They still make a bargain purchase though, with a price tag that is in line with what you would find ‘back home’.
For the first time since I have been following Lidl’s Italian Week, I have spotted this Passata di Pomodoro Ciliegino for 99p and decided to give it a try. I don’t usually buy already seasoned tomato sauces because I like to make my own starting from the plum tomatoes, but I was intrigued by the good reviews from Italian customers. Also, I have found out that behind this product, there is the Sicilian company Gustibus who pride themselves with using only Italian tomatoes! I usually find similar products at my local Mediterranean shops for twice as much so I really hope Lidl UK will carry on importing it as it makes a fantastic pasta sauce. Our only tip: try and add some salty ingredient like anchovy fillets or capers to counterbalance the sweetness of this sauce.
Buon appetito, everyone!
