Liguria is a small but densely populated region of north-west Italy. The narrow ribbon of land is bordered by the Alps, Appenines and the sea. It is home to Genoa, Portofino and the wonderful Cinque Terra.

The region is the original home to a number of Italian staples, like focaccia, minestrone soup and pesto alla genovese. Pesto is made all over Italy, but only pesto alla genovese has a D.O.P. protection – meaning it can only be made in a very precise way using specific ingredients. The ingredients are very simple: basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, olive oil and salt. Pesto is classically served with trofie, a short, twisted pasta that is also a native of Liguria.

As a coastal region, seafood also features strongly in the local cuisines: tuna, anchovies, sardines and cod in particular. Ciuppin is a soup made from slow-cooked fish, originally created by fishermen to use up the fish that were too small or damaged to sell.