Advertorial: Galbani is brand of choice at La Locanda

Walking into restaurant La Locanda is like taking a short trip to Italy. Breathing authenticity, La Locanda is the destination for those looking for a genuine Italian experience which uses the finest, fresh ingredients in season.

If your wish is for a large 12” pizza with garlic bread then La Locanda would not be your destination choice, however if you desire a real Italian experience, made by an Italian chef who has a passion to match, then La Locanda should be top of your list.

Opened ten years ago with a philosophy to offer traditional Italian cuisine using the finest, fresh ingredients, La Locanda is owned and run by Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi, who came to Britain back in 1996. Situated in the rural surroundings of Gisburn, near Clitheroe, the restaurant draws a wide mix of clientele from local farmers, who Maurizio rightly points out you can’t cheat on fresh ingredients, to those within a catchment area of over 50 miles.

Having been recognised with a PAPA (Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association) Platinum award for the second consecutive year in 2014, Maurizio and Cinzia are finally starting to get the credit that they so richly deserve. The ultimate seal of quality is obtained from the Federation of Italian Chefs Q10 award which is only handed to 56 of the 70,000 Italian restaurants in the UK, 40 of which are in London.

For Maurizio, fresh, simple and authentic is the key to everything that he does:

“Italian cuisine is not fancy food.  It is about sourcing the best ingredients, in season, at the right time and from the right place.  La Locanda was ahead of its time in the UK but we are now starting to reap the rewards of persevering in what we believed. People now want Italian food that they can get in Italy, and that is exactly what we offer. Our aim is to provide a genuine Italian meal that gives you a flavour of the culture, heritage, tradition and hospitality of the place we are so proud to call our home."

Whilst pasta and olive oil are key within Italian cuisine, cheese is an essential ingredient on which Maurizio believes you should not scrimp:

“40% of the dishes on the menu involve cheese in some form and therefore it is imperative that we only buy the best. Having used Galbani in Italy it was the obvious choice for La Locanda, not just from a quality perspective but because it is the No.1 in Italy.  In many aspects, cheese is the focus of the final dish so I quite often start with this and then decide what best complements it. For example, walnut and ravioli is a perfect link with Dolcelatte.”

As Maurizio explains, mozzarella is a fundamental part of many Italian dishes:

“Calabrese salad is one of the most important dishes that an Italian Chef can make, yet it could not be more simple; good tomatoes, great mozzarella, fresh basil and fantastic olive oil. In many cases the quality of the Mozzarella can make or break that dish and therefore you need to be able to have complete trust in the brand you use. For this reason we would only use Galbani Mozzarella."

For Maurizio, it is about consistency and trust in the brand which is being used:

"We have experimented in the past with other brands, but Galbani® Mozzarella is the only one that gives us consistent quality every time. Not only does it have a fantastic taste, but it is also great quality for cooking. It is so flexible I use it wherever I can.”

In addition to serving amazing food in the restaurant, Maurizio and Cinzia also arrange specific culinary tours of Italy for their customers. The trips take in specific regions giving behind the scenes access to suppliers and restaurants which would not be possible if you visited alone.

For further information on La Locanda please visit www.lalocanda.co.uk  and www.lactalisfs.co.uk/lalocanda

For further information on Galbani please visit http://www.lactalisfs.co.uk/galbani