Whether you know the Fellini movie or the 80s euro pop hit by Ryan Paris – La Dolce Vita conjures up images of Italy. I visited northern Italy in ’81. Flying into Linate airport on the outskirts of Milan, I 
travelled over land through the industrial heartland passing Turin towards Venice, before reaching my destination of Lido di Jesolo. A couple of days of sightseeing and then onwards to Rome before reaching Florence and tours of Pisa and Siena. Like the song urged us to place three coins in the fountain I did lose a lira or two in the Trevi Fountain in the hope of returning one day.
La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) it certainly was in those carefree days of youth. A far cry from the what the media reports of the current state of Italy.
Another strong movie reference for me involves one of Italy’s better exports – Chianti. How can you forget Sir Anthony’s portrayal of Dr Hannibal “the cannibal” Lecter and the chilling confession; “I ate his liver with some Fava beans and a nice Chianti!”
Armed with my own bottle of 2018 Chianti I decided to a live la Dolce Vita for TheLatestSupper. Serving a simple menu of Chicken Cacciatore (Hunters chicken), basil coated fusilli, sundried tomato and rosemary focaccia, and a light dessert of tartina alla frutta (fruit tartlets) served with Greek yogurt and honey.
