The oldest Italian restaurants in the US
Italy and the US: what a history our countries have. So many things in common, they are only superficially different. Yes, there are many beautiful things we share, two of them are the love for good food and the attachment to our country. Italian-Americans made of both a mark of distinction and we Italians, I sometimes think, should take a page off...
Why Millions Fled Southern Italy and Sparked the Creation of Italian America
In celebration of Italian American Heritage Month, our favorite moderator John M. Viola was invited to speak to the Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation (NOIA Foundation) about the history of Southern Italy and its impact on the Italian American story. Recorded from a live presentation, join our friends in Cleveland as they explore a brief his...
Borgo of the Month: In the Wilderness of Abruzzo’s Barrea
Perched on a rocky spur, the village of Barrea is set amid the natural beauty of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, surrounded by mountains, beech forests and pristine creeks. It is in fact an ideal starting point for walks and hikes into the park as numerous trails depart from Barrea, leading to the area’s main attractions, such as La...
Veteran Italian Chef to Design Menu at Manhattan Beach’s New Coastal Perch
Restaurant owner David Slay is developing a pattern in Manhattan Beach. The Manhattan Beach resident and chef takes over longstanding shuttered restaurants and converts them into new spots for the beachside city. In February, he took over Darren’s and built Slay Steak + Fish House. This fall, he leased the former 35-year-old Jimmy’s Kouzina to open...
Beyond spaghetti: Recognize Italians for positive contributions
In 1942, Enrico Fermi created the world’s first nuclear reactor. Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first transatlantic radio signal. What do these people have in common? Their last names end in vowels, of course. And they all hail from the land of unlimited breadsticks and progressive culture. Italy has long been a fortress of ideas, innovation and...
Transhumance in Italy from Puglia to the Molisan Mountains
In the wild and remote Molise region of Italy, transhumance is an ancient tradition where drovers bring their herds on a seasonal journey from the lowlands to mountain pastures, following a network of millennia-old trails. It is a ritual that is still performed by the Colantuono family. On May 22, they set out with their 300 cows on the fatiguing t...
Manhattan's oldest Italian restaurant is landmarked and looks it
Barbetta – the oldest Italian restaurant in New York and oldest restaurant in the Theatre District at 113 years old – is outfitted in four townhouses that date back from 1874 to 1881. Its outside is deceiving, given the brownstone façade and shielding trees, and you might pass it by during the day if you don’t carefully look to see the restaurant’s...
Italian Heritage Month in the Year 2040
“My family is Italian,” one of our visitors commented as I welcomed her college class and their professor to the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles this past June. As her peers meandered through the museum, the student, 21-year-old Olivia, stood in front of the permanent exhibition screens watching projections of turn-of-the-twentieth-century i...
Cloaks and Daggers: The Venetian Doge Written out of History
Venice was at the height of its power during the 14th century. On the cusp of the Renaissance, wander the city during this time and you would have been treated to grandeur on a large scale. Magnificent paintings, architectural masterpieces and let’s not forget, the start of the Venetian Carnival. But lurking beneath this ornate mask of lavish costu...
Postino’s Second Location Saves a Denver Landmark
Denver restaurateurs have a strong legacy of transforming storied historic buildings into beautiful dining destinations, from Stanley Marketplace and the Source to the Edible Beats group’s Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox and Linger. The newest addition to the Mile High City’s family of revitalized spaces is no exception: The second Denver location of Po...
'Dante's Inferno' TV Series in the Works at Freeform
The contemporary reimagining of the 14th century poem is among the first projects being developed by head of originals Lauren Corrao. Freeform, on the heels of its Pretty Little Liars and Cloak and Dagger cancellations, is looking to put a new spin on one of the most famous poems ever. The Disney-owned basic cable network has put a contemporary rei...
Fall in Italy - Three of the tastiest Italian foods for autumn
Italy is the homeland of truffles. Unmistakable scent, intense yet delicate flavor, truffles are hypogeum fungi, which means that they grow underground, and they come in many varieties. Nowadays, truffles are really sought after, so it’s very important to make sure what you get is the real thing: often people get only their lab-created essence, and...