BBC News | Business | Asda sends ham producers packing (#)

  „A judge ruled that although EC regulations gave Parma ham a protected "designation of origin", they did not include the strict Italian rules on slicing and packaging. The ruling is a victory for Asda in its battle with the powerful Parma ham trade association, Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. A victory for AsdaAsda celebrated its win by setting up a Parma ham stall on the pavement outside the court in London with a placard describing the case as "the barmy Parma drama." According to Italian law, the ham must be fully prepared for sale in the Parma region of the Po Valley under the control of the Consorzio, which has police-like powers to enforce compliance with the rules.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_51000/ 51966.stm - Cached

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Some slightly related:

BBC NEWS | Europe | Coffee is 'health drink' says Italian

  „It is a daily routine for millions of Italians - the morning cup of espresso brewed on the kitchen hob or downed swiftly in a cafe on the way to work.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3540729.stm - Cached

BBC - TV to Go - Coffee Shouters Character Profiles

  „In every city centre there are US-style coffee shops where everything has an Italian name, a high price tag, and wings. The coffee shouters are those people who repeat your order ("Latte to go!" "Latte to go!") with more enthusiasm than it deserves.“

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/tvtogo/characters/ coffee_shouters.shtml - Cached

BBC - h2g2 - A Guide to the Menu at Starbucks

  „Frap-puccinoThis is basically a coffee milkshake, but it's more than just coffee flavoured. It is made with a very, very dark Italian roast coffee. According to this Researcher, drinking a frap-puccino is a great way to get a buzz in the summer heat, and it comes in about half a dozen different ways.“

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/a533404 - Cached

BBC News | Europe | Italians hamstrung by UK ruling

  „Therefore, they said, Parma ham produced in the UK did not have to comply with Italian slicing standards. The judges dismissed the appeal by the powerful Parma ham trade association, Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. Judges say ham can be sliced in the UKThe producers were angry that Asda packs the meat in the UK, contravening Italian law which says it must be packed within the Parma region. The Consorzio was seeking an injunction enforcing the Italian rules which say all Parma ham must be prepared for sale in its home region in north-east Italy.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_225000/ 225551.stm - Cached

BBC NEWS | Europe | Coffee cleared in chemical court

  „At the weekend, the Pharmacy Department of a university in Naples, the Italian city most famous for its coffee, put the country's national beverage on trial.“

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3151550.stm - Cached

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