Mostarda: The Fiery, Fruity Condiment from Northern Italy
Mostarda is one of my favorite additions to a cheese plate—and I’m not talking about the yellow paste you put on a hot dog (the Italian word for mustard is senape). Rather, mostarda from northern Italy is a zesty condiment traditionally made with candied fruit infused with drops of pungent mustard extract. The sweet and spicy accompaniment comes in...
Italian fishermen held in Libya freed after more than 100 days
Eighteen Italian fishermen, held captive in Libya for more than 100 days, have been freed, ending a political standoff between the two countries over the fate of the men. The prolonged imprisonment of the group had become an embarrassment for Italy’s government, with critics accusing ministers of failing to stand up to Khalifa Haftar, the military...
Mary, Joseph and... an astronaut? The Vatican's unconventional nativity scene mocked
Jesus, Mary and Joseph don't normally appear alongside astronauts or Darth Vader-like figures, but the Vatican has upset some Catholics by bringing them together in its latest nativity scene. Pope Francis inaugurated the scene, which features a number of life-sized ceramic figures, on Friday, but many people have expressed their disapproval of its...
Blood of Naples saint fails to liquefy in what some see as bad omen
Wednesday was not a good day for superstitious Neapolitans. The blood of San Gennaro, the patron of Naples, failed to liquefy despite two rounds of praying by the faithful, which some in the southern Italian city see as an omen of bad things to come. A vial containing the dried blood of the fourth-century martyr is put on public display three times...
Temple of Minerva - Assisi, Italy
THE TEMPLE OF MINERVA IN the town of Assisi, in Umbria, appears to be a perfectly preserved example of a Roman temple from the outside, but inside is home to a Catholic church. The Roman building was named during the 1st-century BCE, probably as part of the town’s forum. The structure is a typical Roman temple with six tall Corinthians columns supp...
Retired US soldier traces Italian children after 76 years: a story with a happy ending
A 96-year-old retired American soldier has managed to make contact with the three Italian children from a photograph taken during world war two, 76 years after they posed with him in the Bologna area of northern Italy. The search began when Martin Adler asked his daughter Rachelle to try and track down the three children from the picture, taken in...
The Cradle of Supercars
To learn about a country, simply open a history book. To understand a nation, begin by closing the book and looking to the streets—because the ultimate expression of a place and its people lies in anything with an engine and a steering wheel. In America, for example, look no further than that most American of automotive creations, the Muscle Car. T...
The Truth Behind Vasco
Whilst largely unknown abroad, since the 1980s Vasco Rossi has without doubt been one of the most consistently successful Italian rockstars. Widely ignored, if not hated, by his critics, yet worshipped by his fans, Rossi represents — no pun intended — a rock-solid cornerstone in modern Italian music and culture. Let’s dig deeper into the strange ph...
The Best Gifts for Pasta Lovers
Raise your hand if you do not like pasta! Of course, we refer to Italian pasta, the only and inimitable pasta that has conquered tables worldwide. Pasta lovers will be happy to rediscover their passion even in Christmas presents, aren't we? There is an endless list of pasta types, short or long, and it's difficult if not impossible to choose which...
The history of the Moors head: from ancient legend to fashion trend
The Teste di Moro are decorative ceramic pots hand painted depicting the face of a man and a woman. The symbol of Sicilian art and culture is the result of a legend that has spread over the centuries even though nowadays it is known all around the world thanks to the excellent manufacture of Sicilian craftsmen. Behind the Teste di Moro also known a...
The smallest, but the richest in history: secrets and curiosities of the Vatican State
Saint Peter’s is Rome and Rome is Saint Peter’s: the connection between the city and the most famous church in Italy is so deeply rooted we tend to forget that, technically, the basilica and its cupolone are not in Rome and not even in Italy, for that matter, because the Vatican is an independent entity. The small city-state was created, in the f...
Italian wine exports counter the Covid-19 recession
The coronavirus pandemic is affecting wine trade globally, but the impact varies from country to country. Italian wine exports will drop by -4.6% in value (6.1 billion euros) compared to the previous year, the effects this year will be limited compared to the global trend (-10.5%) and even more to the main player in the sector, France, which will l...