ETERNAL AL FRESCO

In Italy, al fresco dining is a year-round joy. The Mediterranean weather helps, but with some UK touches you can bring this Italian way of living to your own lifestyle this autumn.

We’ve got some simple ideas to keep you enjoying the wonderful pleasure of eating, socialising and relaxing outdoors throughout the year with a BIRRA MORETTI in hand.

AL FRESCO IN ITALY

Autumn in Italy is a magical time. Temperatures cool, as the sun continues to shine. Chestnut vendors take to the streets and piazzas, filling the air with evoking smells. Gelato is replaced with ‘cioccolata calda’ (hot chocolate) and the streets are a buzz with Italians back from their summer holidays. Fog descends on the mountains creating a crisp breath of fresh air, while the countryside and forests explode with colour.

Italians start to “vestirsi a cipolla” (dress like an onion), which is how they brilliantly describe layering up. Italian food becomes warmer and heartier and is full of seasonal fruits and vegetables, alongside grains and meats.

Italians’ ongoing appetite for eating outside means that restaurants still fill up the streets and piazzas with outdoor seating throughout the season. Why? It’s relaxing, allows them to step away from the ‘everyday’ and is simply more fun.

THE PERFECT AUTUMN GARDEN

Autumn gardens and outside spaces offer something special. They are an escape from screens and ‘everyday’ four walls, allowing you to step into a sense of tranquillity to unwind.

Whether you have a garden, deck, patio or balcony, you can continue enjoying your outdoor space and entertaining in the smells and backdrop of autumn. Think BIRRA MORETTI Aperitivos, al fresco meals, and cosy catch-ups with family and friends.

DISCOVER OUR APERITIVO AT HOME IDEAS

However you decide to transform your space, there are plenty of ways to effortlessly create the perfect autumn garden.

WARM & DRY

If it’s safe to do so, set up a firepit or chiminea. The warming glow and wood-burning smells give the feel-good factor of a campfire, creating the perfect ambience. Stylish portable patio heaters also make for a great outdoor-entertaining focal point.

If you’re looking for a more homely feel, consider an open-fronted outdoor fireplace to recreate the cosy atmosphere of an indoor hearth. Round it off with cushioned garden furniture and a coffee table on top of an outdoor rug, along with plenty of fluffy blankets to snuggle under as you enjoy al fresco well into the evening.

Add a ‘ceiling’ to your outdoor seating area to cater for the inevitable showers. Make use of any thick evergreen trees, keep a parasol nearby, or use a colourful all-weather shade that doubles up as a rain cover.

STAYING OUTSIDE

There’s nothing quite as inviting as an outside wood-burning pizza oven; your guests will be knocking at your door! It tastes authentically Italian, and you get to stay in the thick of the conversation rather than constantly popping inside to the kitchen.

Barbeques work just as well. They send wonderful smells into the cool evening air and spread extra warmth. Get plates, cutlery and napkins out and ready on a tray, so you’re able to relax knowing you have everything to hand.

When you’re hosting larger groups, save trips to the fridge for BIRRA MORETTI by filling up a garden trug with ice and water for garden get-togethers, or using a space-saving bucket for decks, patios and balconies. Be sure to include BIRRA MORETTI Zero as an alcohol-free option.

Continue your al fresco festivities when the light fades with floor lanterns (candle or solar), bulb string lighting and a tall candle jar on tables.

DISCOVER OUR ITALIAN AL FRESCO IDEAS HERE

GARDEN DÉCOR

Italians love colour, so their gardens and balconies are always filled with colourful flowers and décor. You can achieve a harvest-season feel with autumnal-coloured garden jars hanging from trees, fences, walls and trellises, along with autumn flowers, colourful pumpkins and winter squashes dotted around.

A vase filled with acorns, pinecones and brightly coloured autumn leaves, or a wreath using colours, textures and autumnal foliage, both make an eye-catching table centrepiece.

For decks, patios and balconies, fill a tall floor-standing vase with bare branches (twisted willow works brilliantly), and intertwine it with string lighting for an intimate and cosy feel.

AUTUMN HERBS

Home-grown seasonal herbs are central to Italian cooking and there are plenty that continue to thrive throughout autumn. You’ve warmed up your guests on the outside, now it’s time to warm them up from the inside by getting creative with authentic Italian autumn recipes.

Rosemary is a robust and evergreen Mediterranean herb that survives brilliantly outdoors, even if it snows. Use it in recipes sure to ‘warm the cockles’; a slow roasted Tuscan-style leg of lamb, an Italian-style lamb stew, or by baking our delicious rosemary focaccia bread.

DISCOVER OUR ROSEMARY FOCACCIA BREAD RECIPE HERE

Bay leaves and thyme also fare well, and can be put to good use with our Italian sausage, lemon and red onion spiedini recipe - they are particularly amazing on the barbeque.

DISCOVER OUR SPIEDINI RECIPE HERE

Mint, sage, thyme, marjoram and tarragon also continue well into the autumn. They’re ideal for potting and will look and smell great around your seating area.

EATING OUTDOORS

UK pubs and restaurants are set up better than ever for outdoor eating and socialising. Enjoy getting into the Italian al fresco mindset by cosying up with friends in sheltered and heated outdoor areas with a BIRRA MORETTI in hand.

FIND YOUR BIRRA MORETTI LOCAL HERE

‘Viva’ (long live) Al Fresco! Even in chillier areas of Italy in the autumn and winter, Italian cafes and restaurants continue to offer outdoor spaces with terrace covers and heaters. Being outside is social, fun and laid back. We hope you enjoy bringing this simple Italian pleasure into your life – it’s a great chance to escape the everyday with fantastic company and authentic BIRRA MORETTI.

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Enjoy the Autumn Al Fresco | Birra Moretti