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Food And Drink Tour

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Food and Drink Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many civilisations who occupied the Maltese Islands over the centuries. This marriage of tastes has given Malta an . .
Country: Malta
City: Various
Duration: 4 Hour(s) - 0 Minute(s)
Tour Category: Holidays Ideas
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Food and Drink

Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many civilisations who occupied the Maltese Islands over the centuries. This marriage of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. Although the restaurant scene is a mix of speciality restaurants, there are many eateries that offer or specialise in local fare, serving their own versions of specialities.
Traditional Maltese food is rustic and based on the seasons. Look out for Lampuki Pie (fish pie), Rabbit Stew, Braġioli (beef olives), Kapunata, (Maltese version of ratatouille), and widow's soup, which includes a small round of Ġbejniet (sheep or goat's cheese). On most food shop counters, you'll see Bigilla, a thick pate of broad beans with garlic. The snacks that must be tried are ‘ħobż biż-żejt' (round of bread dipped in olive oil, rubbed with ripe tomatoes and filled with a mix of tuna, onion, garlic, tomatoes and capers) and pastizzi (flaky pastry parcel filled with ricotta or mushy peas).
A trip to the Marsaxlokk fish market on Sunday morning will show you just how varied the fish catch is in Maltese waters. When fish is in abundance, you'll find Aljotta (fish soup). Depending on the season, you'll see spnotta (bass), dott (stone fish), cerna (grouper), dentici (dentex), sargu (white bream) and trill (red mullet). swordfish and tuna follow later in the season, around early to late autumn, followed by the famed lampuka, or dolphin fish. Octopus and squid are very often used to make some rich stews and pasta sauces.
Favourite dessert delicacies are kannoli (tube of crispy, fried pastry filled with ricotta), Sicilian-style, semi-freddo desserts (mix of sponge, ice-cream, candied fruits and cream) and Ħelwa tat-Tork (sweet sugary mixture of crushed and whole almonds).
Malta may not be renowned like its larger Mediterranean neighbours for wine production, but Maltese vintages are more than holding their own at international competitions, winning several accolades in France, Italy and further afield. International grape varieties grown on the Islands include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Carignan, Chenin Blanc and Moscato. The indigenous varieties are Ġellewza and Ghirghentina, which are producing some excellent wines of distinct body and flavour.
The main wineries organise guided tours and tastings. Depending on the season, tours cover the entire production, from the initial fermentation through to the ageing process. They also include wine history museums and opportunities to taste and buy a variety of vintages.
Traditional Maltese Cuisine
Maltese food is rustic in character, full of the flavour and colour typical of a central Mediterranean Island. Our food is influenced by Malta's proximity to Sicily and North Africa but with a special slant all our own.
Traditional food accompanies us through life; a glass of smooth local wine with friends in a village bar comes with a dish of olives, some ġbejniet (local sheep's cheeses), zalzett (coriander flavoured Maltese sausage) with galletti (Maltese crackers) and some bigilla (broad bean pate) served with Maltese bread and olive oil; or on a cold day hot pastizzi (savoury ricotta filled pastries) are perfect with wine or coffee. Summer days at the beach means ħobs biż-żejt, a popular snack made from a thick slice of crusty Maltese bread, rubbed with juicy, red tomatoes and topped with mint, a little onion, sheep's cheese and anchovies all soaked in delicious green olive oil; a taste of sunshine, a taste of Malta.
Winter nights bring on bowls of golden minestra, a very thick vegetable soup served with Maltese bread and oil. Fish, fresh from the surrounding Mediterranean Sea, plainly cooked is a consistent feature of our cuisine, especially aljotta, a delicious garlicky fish soup.
Summer village festivals produce sweet street foods like imqaret (date pastries) and Qubbajt (nougat) to enjoy along with the fireworks and processions. Special family meals bring on serious dishes like Ross fil-forn, (Baked Rice), Imqarrun (baked Macaroni) or Timpana (a very special rich pasta baked in a pastry case) often followed by rabbit or meat dishes served with Maltese potatoes and vegetables.
Desserts depend on the occasion; Easter Figolli (almond stuffed pastry figures), Christmas qagħaq tal-għasel (honey rings), or simply a Cassata, (ricotta filled sponge with marzipan) some Kannoli, (Ricotta filled fried pastries) or another of the many traditional desserts, and sweet biscuits are popular snacks, perfect with a cup of strong coffee.
- Matty Cremona, Maltese Cuisine Gastronomist
Mediterranean Cookery
Hundreds of books have been written about Mediterranean cookery and cuisine. It is a cuisine which is lauded as healthy, flavoursome and an expression of the food producers' oneness with the land, the sea and their rich bounty.
Mediterranean cuisine is steeped in history. It is a reflection of the blend of ingredients and cooking methods of the diverse nations which have worked the land and fished the seas of the Mediterranean region. What is so unique about the Mediterranean cuisine is that whilst there are many common ingredients in the various traditional recipes of the different nations, over the ages, the people of these nations have taken these same ingredients to create their own special cuisine with particular traits.
Thus, to use the term ‘Mediterranean cuisine' is somehow a misnomer, since such type of cuisine is characterised by a rich, regional diversity, providing an endless variety of traditional dishes across the whole of the Mediterranean basin. Each dish is a reflection of the nation's history and family traditions, and of local and seasonal produce, delicately revealing cultural identity, religious and social beliefs, as well as regional and geographic overtones.
Maltese cuisine is no exception. The vast repertoire of dishes which would be considered as making up traditional Maltese cuisine are imbued with a complex history of colonialism, trade links and multi-cultural influence. Yet whilst Maltese cuisine has several ingredients in common with other Mediterranean-nation cuisines, such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, pasta, rice, fish, octopus, rabbit, herbs, olive oil, honey, almonds, various fruits and wine, it also has given its own signature to various dishes. Thus Maltese kusksu is not the same as Morocccan-style couscous and Maltese krustini are not the same as Italian crostini. Sun-ripened fruits and vegetables, colourful pulses, piquant sauces are blended with grains, fish and to a lesser degree meats to provide a highly appealing menu with a vibrant sensual quality
In recent years, Mediterranean cookery has enjoyed a marked resurgence in Malta and there are a number of Maltese restaurants that serve a blend of traditional Maltese and Mediterranean dishes. When you are visiting the Maltese Islands we invite you not to miss the opportunity to savour and relish our genuine, local Mediterranean cuisine. You will not be disappointed.
Wines & Vineyards
No Mediterranean meal is complete without a robust red or chilled, crisp white wine as accompaniment. And there is nothing better to accompany local Maltese dishes than a wine produced on the Islands.
Malta may not be renowned like its larger Mediterranean neighbours for wine production, but Maltese vintages are more than holding their own at international competition, winning several accolades in France, Italy and further afield.
International grape varieties grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Carignan, Chenin Blanc and Moscato. Then there are the indigenous varieties, Ġellewża and Ghirghentina, which are producing some excellent wines of distinct body and flavour.
Grapes grown in Malta’s hot and humid climate ripen much quicker than their counterparts further north. Wineries are careful to grow varieties suited to the distinct limestone terroir. Soil samples are sent to leading European experts to assess which varieties will thrive here.
The efforts of the past couple of decades are reaping rewards for the local wine industry. Several local wines are found on UK supermarket shelves and deservedly so. Northern European markets are just beginning to discover the secret of Maltese wines.
If wine is your hobby, passion or favourite accompaniment to a sociable meal, the Maltese Islands have plenty to offer.
Tours and Tasting
The main wineries organise guided tours and tastings. Depending on the season, tours cover the entire production from the initial fermentation through to the ageing process. They also include wine history museums and opportunities to taste and buy a variety of vintages.
EMMANUEL DELICATA WINEMAKER
Paola, PLA 2143, Malta
Commitment to quality begins with the selection of grapes and is followed every step of the way by the company's winemaker and Managing Director, George Delicata. With state-of-the-art technology, he carefully monitors the process which includes the gentle de-stemming and pressing, cold stabilisation, the use of cultivated yeasts, stainless steel temperature controlled fermentation and micro filtration.
Oak fermentation and maturation in 225 litre French barriques and American barrels also takes place in the Delicata 17th century wine cellars. The cellars incorporate the company's tasting vaults and are used for wine educational training sessions.
MARNISI ESTATE
Marsaxlokk, Malta
Planted in 1994 in Marsaxlokk, the Marnisi Estate was the first in the series of Marsovin-owned Estates (all of which produce single vineyard estate wines), specifically intended for the production of premium quality wines. The Estate is spread across 73.2 tumoli of land and is planted with over 50,000 vines, consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The yields from this Estate are low thus guaranteeing the highest quality and depth of character.
Marnisi is a blend of all four grape varieties grown in the Marnisi Estate; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine is transferred unfiltered to oak barriques and aged with great care for a minimum of 12 months in our cellars. Due to its robust nature and solid structure Marnisi has excellent ageing potential.
Antonin Noir is a blend based on Merlot and enhanced with the rich fruit flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, harvested from the Marnisi Estate. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barriques in our cellars.
MARSOVIN CELLARS
Wills Street, Paola, PLA 2234, Malta
Hidden in the Marsovin Cellars, originally built in the 17th Century by the Knights of St. John, lies a treasure in the making...
A visit to Marsovin Cellars is an ideal opportunity to discover the true Culture of Maltese Wine.
The tour, of approximately 90 minutes, which takes place at the Marsovin Cellars in Marsa, commences with a historical introduction amongst original artefacts collected by the Cassar family since our founder, Chevalier Anthony Cassar started the business in 1919. This is followed by an explanation about our privately owned Estates, the process of how the locally grown grapes are transformed into Quality Maltese Wine.
The visit to the ‘Ageing Cellars' is a walk through the 400-year-old Cellars, which are authentic and true to Maltese heritage. Here you will find where Marsovin's Premium Single Estate Wines are laid to rest and mature for over 12 months in 220 French oak Barriques, or barrels. In the same Cellars you can see the production area of Marsovin's Quality Sparkling wine, produced in the Methode Traditionnelle - the unique and highly acclaimed "Cassar De Malte".
The wine sampling is held in our wine bar, where our dedicated staff will offer you a variety of Quality Maltese wine to savour. At the bar one also has the opportunity to purchase local Marsovin wines at best market prices. The Cellars are opened all year round however pre-booking is required.
In the Summer months, weather permitting, Marnisi Estate in Marsaxlokk welcomes visitors to take a stroll amongst acres of vines from which we produce the famous Antonin and Marnisi wines.
We look forward to sharing this unique experience with your clients in the near future...*
MERIDIANA WINE ESTATE
Ta' Qali, limits of Ħ'Attard, ATD 4000, Malta
The Meridiana Vineyard is located in central Malta and covers an area of 47 acres. Meridiana's Wine Cellars are constructed in local architectural traditions, located four metres below ground level. They have a capacity of 270 barriques of 225-litre each. These cellars are passively cooled to within 18°C and 22°C, ideal temperatures for storing high quality red wines.
The original farmhouse consisted of two medium-sized rooms on top of each other and a warehouse. The first room has been converted into a laboratory; and the second into an office. The warehouse is now the bottling hall. The original tower has been crowned by a vertical stone sundial. This sundial - Latin-derived name 'Meridiana' - is the company's logo.
Guests may also enjoy the breath-taking views whilst dining on the terraces overlooking the vineyard. For further details kindly contact the Meridiana team.
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