Beluga alla Milanese

If the credit crunch is a concern(hmmm!) perhaps you (we) should consider moving to Milan... At least, if you fancy a festive gift of caviar, courtesy of your local council. Poorer members of Milanese society are about to be treated to a jar of the black stuff to enrich their seasonal menu. Along with lentils and pasta - a curious threesome...

40,000€ worth of illegally imported Beluga were seized in the Italian capital recently, so instead of destroying them, authorities decided that less privileged locals deserved a treat. So it seems Bruschette Milanese will feature caviar rather than tomatoes; an élite appetiser to the lentils and pasta that will follow. Imagine that happening in our capital, given a similar set of circumstances... Penso che non! Buon appetito festivo!