The Hyper Localist

Bar Basso in Milan has a bit of a cult status, not least because it’s the birth place of the Negroni Sbagliato, the legendary aperitif drink.

Founded in 1947 in Milan’s student district, Bar Basso started out as an unassuming local bar. It wasn’t until 1967, when Mirko Stochetto took over the bar, that it became a go-to place for cocktails. Mirko had spent years refining the skill of cocktail making at in Venice, Munich and Cortina. Up until then, cocktails were a luxury item, confined to the exclusive bars of high-end hotels. Mirko did something radical for his time: he turned a low-key neighbourhood café into an unpretentious cocktail bar, accessible to everyone and anyone.

And so, Bar Basso became the home of a newborn aperitivo tradition, a heaven for cocktail lovers. On its menu today are no fewer than 500 cocktails. Among those is the legendary Negroni Sbagliato, which was invented here by Mirko in 1972. Allegedly by mistake - Mirko inadvertently added Prosecco to the drink instead of gin (hence the name: ‘Mistaken Negroni’).

Today, Mirko’s son Maurizio continues his father’s legacy. Bar Basso has remained largely unchanged. The unassuming interior is a mix of wooden panelling, pink walls and chandeliers. Also still there is Bar Basso’s very own glassware, first designed decades ago. Its clientele remains largely local, but with students, designers, fashionistas and international visitors added to the mix (especially during Milan’s Saline del Mobile furniture design week). And with its timeless flair, it’s not difficult to see why Bar Basso continues to appeal to so many.
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No other Italian city has the number of historic shops that Turin has. From historic supermarkets to traditional confectionery stores, shopping in Turin takes you back in time. To the late 1800s, to be precise, when this elegant city was the capital of a newly unified Italian kingdom.

One of these historic shops is Confetteria Avvignano. Founded in 1883, this establishment started out selling liqueurs, as depicted on the original storefront that’s still visible today. In 1926 Silfredo Avvignano took over the business, turning it into a confectionery store.

The shop’s interior has remained unchanged since. From the richly decorated ceilings to the wooden floors and the historic counter with its gold leaf finishes and lacquered surface - the entirety of this shop is a piece of art and provides the perfect backdrop for the display of traditional local sweets and chocolates from Turin (which is Italy’s chocolate capital, after all). Confetteria Avvignano is a great place to try and buy some of the city’s most famous creations, such as gianduja chocolate and baci di Cherasco (dark chocolate filled with hazelnuts).
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The beautiful Dalemain Mansion in Cumbria, northern England. If you’ve received one of our English hampers recently you will have seen the Dalemain’s marmalades. Since 1679 the Hasell family has been making marmalades at the estate and they continue to do so till this day - everything is handmade! Current resident Jane Hasell-McCosh is such a marmalade fan that she decided to launch the International Marmalade Awards, which will once again be held at Dalemain in 2022. So if you’re a marmalade lover, Dalemain Mansion is your place to be.
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We’ve got some new last-minute Christmas gifts in store 💫 Our extra large panettone Baj (arguably the best panettone from Italy!) now also comes gift wrapped in an alpine recipe towel 🏔 And our Winter Rose gift set brings together some our Italian Christmas favourites in beautiful reusable packaging. Now available online.
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