Olive Oil Bottles & L’Anima

By Rebecca Brett

This morning, Christian and I went for breakfast at L’Anima to celebrate the launch of the new Filippo Berio olive oil bottle. We were treated to a selection of delicious L’Anima treats including fresh homemade Italian bread with, of course, plenty of Filippo Berro olive oil to dip into. I don’t know why but I am in love with the comforting taste of bread and olive oil. If I had to live off one thing for the rest of my life, I could, especially the L’Anima bread today, cooked especially for the event by Francesco Mazzei, the man behind the restaurant.

While I was tucking in to the bread, everyone else was treated to hand-carved Tuscan ham, crispy pancetta, Tuscan sausages, scrambled eggs with summer truffle and a selection of cakes including an olive oil cake. Who would have thought that a cake made with oil instead of butter could be so delicious, light and fluffy? Ok, you caught me; I also ate the cake too. Carbohydrates are my friend, as are the two glasses of champagne I quaffed to help the carbs go down.

The new bottle was revealed while we indulged in the spread. With a sleeker shape and new label, the bottle still has the essence of the Filippo Berio brand that is famous around the world for the finest olive oil but with an elegant touch that is also practical and more modern. It’s no surprise – the original bottle has been the same for the last 143 years!

Whilst picking up our coats and bags from the cloakroom, we had a quick snoop around L’Anima and found the most amazing private dining tables. One in a temperature controlled wine cellar, surrounded by fine Italian wines and a clear glass wall where you (and five others) can see views of the bar and wave to those not as fortunate as you. The other, a bigger room with Limestone walls that can seat up to 14, perfect for a big group of you and with a specialised menu – it’s perfect for a special occasion.

Next time I go to L’Anima I want to be in one of those rooms with some good friends and even more fine wines and if the food this morning was anything to go by, I want a lot more from where that came from. You never know, I might even get past the initial breadbasket.