Stonehenge
Gianni Campanella, Terry Wogan, Mason McQueen. Photo by Curve Media Ltd
Gianni Campanella, owner and head baker at bakery Dolcipani has been wowing Sir Terry Wogan with his famous Devizes Cheesecake.
Sir Terry visited to film his new series Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip – a brand new series for BBC Two with London cabbie Mason McQueen (A Cabbie Abroad).
Gianni showed them how he has resurrected a Devizes recipe previously lost for many years – Jane Austen’s favourite, the Devizes Cheesecake.
The programme takes inspiration from the 1963 book British Bouquet: An Epicurean Tour Of Britain by Samuel Chamberlain.
Hungry to find out about British food today, Sir Terry and Mason explore the food and social history of various locations referenced in the book with personal anecdotes, surprising historical facts and comparisons of ‘then and now’ to lead their journey, through the knowledge of the local people.
Sir Terry says: “I’ve taken the high road in the back seat of Mason’s black London cab, as together we travel the country, meeting the people, seeing the sights and forcing down the occasional mouthful of food, in our fearless pursuit of epicurean excellence.”
Dolcipani is an authentic Italian bakery in the heart of Wiltshire, offering a huge range of freshly baked organic breads, Italian cakes and ice-creams, traditional stone-baked pizza and savoury Sicilian dishes. They are also the home of the famous Devizes Cheesecake – Jane Austen’s beloved sweet treat!
It opened its doors as an artisan bakery in 1993, using locally sourced organic stone-ground and whole flours. Over the years they have evolved into a patisserie, all day diner, pizzeria and ice-cream parlour. It’s a family legacy built on generations of Sicilian bread and pastry makers. And it’s a Devizes institution.
Originally from Sicily, Gianni trained under Mario Musoni, one of the greatest chefs in Northern Italy. In addition to running Dolcipani, he also teaches baking at Wiltshire College, Trowbridge, and cookery at Vaughan’s Kitchen Cookery School in Devizes.
Gianni settled with his family in Devizes in the early 1990s and they quickly became part of the local community. Serving up quality Italian fayre for over twenty years, the establishment has always been a busy and popular mainstay – both for locals and tourists.
Gianni says: “My love of good food and cooking started at an early age. At home family meals were always great events that were carefully planned and prepared by everyone. The table was always properly laid and family, friends and neighbours would gather to enjoy the food, appreciate the effort that had gone into producing it, share news and discuss family matters. Dolcipani is an extension of that family table.”
In 2014 Gianni took Dolcipani to the regional finals of ITV’s The Great British Bakery, where his Napoli bread, unique gooseberry cake and lively disposition made him a firm favourite with the judges.
Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip featuring Gianni will be screened on BBC2 on September 1 at 6:30pm.
