The Week in Bites<br>26th January 2014

An Italian in France

We kicked off the week here at FDL by interviewing one of the most exciting young chefs in the world. His name is Simone Tondo and he's an Italian chef breaking all the bistro rules in France.

Tondo is known for his creative take on French classics and for his changing his menu on a bi-weekly basis. His restaurant Roseval was named the best bistro in the country by Le Fooding guide - so it seems he's doing something right.

Read our exclusive interview with the chef to find out what inspires him in and out of the kitchen.

All About Ginger

After filling up on bistro cuisine in France we took a spicy detour to explore interesting facts about ginger. It turns out this ancient spice is full of surprises.

For instance, did you know that some of the world's best ginger comes from Fiji? Or that the spice is believed to be an aphrodisiac that heats your body and stimulates circulation?

Curious to know more? Here are 26 things you didn't know about ginger.

Dinner with Antonio Vivaldi

The week ended with a look at the favorite dish of Antonio Vivaldi, an Italian Baroque composer and violinist. What did the celebrated composer of the Four Seasons like to eat?

Vivaldi had a preference for a dish from his native Venice: a tasty blend of rice and peas known in Italian as risi e bisi. Find out how to make it and why this dish is so special.