More about me

e-mail: luculliandelights AT gmail DOT com.
About Lucullian Delights and me, Ilva Beretta

- September 2011 Lucullian Delights is included in Saveur's Worldwide Feast: 55 Great Global Food Blogs

- In August 2011 I shared my views on how to create a mood in food photography on gourmand in the kitchen

- May 2011 Lucullian Delights was nominated as a finalist in the American food magazine Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards, category Best Regional Cuisine Blog.


- April 2011 I was featured on Protography101.

- March 2010- I was featured in the Italian art magazine Bang Art!

- In September 2009 Lucullian was featured in the Norwegian food magazine Mat&Vin.

- In April 2009 an interview with me was published in DDN Cucine International, a very nice Italian food and design magazine that provides an online edition as well as the paper one so that you can take a look at it. You find my feature on pages 34-43.

- In February 2009 Lucullian was included in The Times's 50 of the World's Best Food Blogs list.

- Lucullian Delights have been nominated for the Food Blog Awards for for the last three years: 2008 in the categories Best Photography and Best Rural; 2007 in the categories Best Food Blog and Best Rural; in 2006 in the category Best Rural.

- In December 2008, Lucullian was, together with 22 othe food bloggers, invited by Bon Appetit to participate in their Blog Envy Slideshow.

- In September 2007, Lucullian was featured on Culinate.com

About me:

I am a professional food photographer who changed profession completely because of food blogging. I live in Tuscany with an Italian husband and three children in a tiny village. Living here in the countryside have taught me to follow the seasons when I cook and also to use local, genuine ingredients when possible - it is never difficult to find inspiration in a country where food is a big part of the national identity! My food is obviously heavily influenced by Italian cooking but my Swedish origins obviously shines through, especially in the things I bake, I love Swedish cakes and desserts! The success of Lucullian Delights has made it possible for me to now work as a food photographer and recipe developer, something I never would have imagined before I set off on this adventure five years ago!

Some facts (easier this way):
- The name of this blog, Lucullian Delights, is the 'invention' of my husband Marco.
- I was born in Uppsala but spent my childhood in Kiruna in the extreme north of Sweden. Then we moved south again.

- Food has always had a central position in my life, I always enjoyed baking and cooking and I have had the fortune to meet inspiring women who have taught me most of what I know. Sure, a lot of trial and error but the input has come from women who cooked a lot and well!

- I used to be a vegetarian but after 9 years my body suddenly started to crave meat so I started eating it again. I am a firm believer of my body knowing more about my needs than I do. But I still prefer to eat vegetables.

- I have a PhD in English Renaissance Garden poetry and I used to teach at the University of Siena but I have changed career completely.

- I had my first solo photo exhibition September 2008. I am working on my second.

If I come up with something else, I'll update the list. Right now I'm stuck.

And because I often get mail asking me which camera I use: I have a Canon 5D MarkII (older photos:
Nikon D300, Sony DSLR-A100 and a Canon EOS 350D).

You can contact me via e-mail: luculliandelights AT gmail DOT com.