Winter is all about comfort food, and Italian food has to be in the top five most comforting cuisines! That’s why we’ve come out with a Special Italian Issue of TASTE. In this issue, Abigail Donnelly makes ALL the ragùs, Khanya Mzongwana blends her Xhosa heritage with Italian flavours, Hannah Lewry takes you on a virtual tour of Italy through desserts, and Clem Pedro celebrates Italy’s gamut of gorgeous cheeses.

Get your issue now at your local Woolworths, or via zinio.com and magzter.com. However you get your copy of TASTE, here’s what you can look forward to:

You could win

Kitara is the safari soul of Last Word Intimate Hotels & Safari Camps, a collection of exclusive South African hideaways celebrated for their heartwarming hospitality, serene locations and personal service. One lucky TASTE winner will win two nights’ accommodation for two people, including all meals and two daily game drives. The prize is valid from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026, excluding peak periods and public holidays.

Enter here

OFF THE MENU

Whether you’re cooking at home or heading out to explore, here’s what’s hot in the food world right now:

• On our radar: We’re officially in our giardiniera era. The trending Italian pickle packs crunchy, spicy-sour complexity with each bite – lashed onto piping-hot pizza, spooned onto bratwurst dogs, or stirred through cream cheese for the ultimate chip dip.
• Woolies hero: As any real Italian will attest, winter is the season for preserved tomatoes. But do you know your paste from your passata? And why whole peeled are the best? We do.
• Everything you need to know about: Olive oil and balsamic vinegar. There is more to Italy’s prized condiments than making a dipping sauce for your sourdough. Pull up a trattoria chair and get ready for a deep dive into the world of OO and EVOO, and balsamic condiment vs the DOP variety – and discover delicious new ways to enjoy them all.
• Food nerd to follow: Chiara Turilli. Don’t get between this restaurateur and her moka pot first thing in the morning. And keep your hands off her microplane, for that matter. And her fridge full of leftovers. Capisce?

PANTRY PRONTO

With a few smart pantry staples – think ’nduja paste, pesto, sundried tomatoes, capers, canned beans – you can upgrade even the simplest midweek meals and cook like a proper Italian nonna.

ALL THE RAGÙ

Abigail Donnelly spent days in the kitchen cooking up these regionally inspired, Italian-style ragùs. Ladle slow-braised duck legs over creamy polenta, spoon ragù bianco (pork shoulder) onto truffled pappardelle, or serve beef-and-bone-marrow sauce alongside cacio e pepe risotto.

A BEAUTIFUL BRODO

Johannesburg’s Tortellino d’Oro, created and sustained by the Bollini family, is more than a restaurant – it’s a living tribute to memory, migration and the magic of a well-made meal.

THE AFRITALIAN JOB

Playfully but respectfully blending classic food traditions – her own Xhosa heritage with Italian flavours – is on trend for 2025 with good reason, says Khanya Mzongwana.

FISH FORWARD

Shaped by the lifelong friendship between its owners, the food of their childhoods, and their commitment to making the best ingredients shine – most especially, South African seafood – RIVA Fish Restaurant’s story is all about respect for culinary tradition.

LA DOLCE VITA

Fancy a virtual tour of Italy via Hannah Lewry’s versions of regional Italian desserts? Start with a rambunctious zabaglione in Piedmont, stop for a pistachio-studded loaf in Lombardy, and finish with Veneto’s creamiest tiramisu.

POT LUCK

More than just grappa- and wine-making royalty, Elena and George Dalla Cia blend the food Elena grew up with in Tuscany with recipes from Rome, Puglia and Veneto at their restaurant, Pane E Vino, in Stellenbosch. Take an Italian tour through their extraordinary family history and seasonal menus.

THE CHEESE FILES

Whether it’s creamy and velvety or sharp and nutty, cheese is one of those ingredients that evokes emotion with every bite. To celebrate it, Clem Pedro’s recipes blend the pared-back ethos of Italian cooking with the country’s gorgeous gamut of cheeses.