Chicago is having a very Italian moment. Throughout 2013, the city has enthusiastically participated in the nationwide celebration of the Year of Italian Culture with concerts, stage performances, and, most notably, the stunning summer light installation Divina Natura at The Field Museum. But as the nation revels in Italian culture, in the Windy City what it's really shaping up to be is the year of Italian cuisine.

The Windy City's connection to Italy has always been passionate, dating back to the early 20th-century wave of immigration, during which a large percentage of new residents settled near Taylor Street, with culinary traditions helping create a sense of community among the immigrants. "Everyone was living in apartments together, so they would all share recipes," says Alex Dana, a 40-year restaurant veteran, founder of the Rosebud Group, and lifelong Chicago native. "You could smell the flavor in the houses in those days.

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Source: http://michiganavemag.com