A Recipe for a Festival
A couple of weeks ago, in Jessup, Pennsylvania—the small town next to mine when I was a boy—large crowds of people showed up to celebrate the annual “Race of the Saints,” called in Italian La Corsa dei Ceri, “the Race of the Candles,” because that is what the structures look like. You must imagine, each set and pegged upright on wide and sturdy pla...
Bottled water makes big splash in Italy
When the sommelier of a deluxe New York hotel wheeled a trolley of fancy aperitifs into the dining room so guests could grandly start their meal, his job was only half done. Minutes later, he returned with another cart, this one displaying six different bottles of water. Bestowing water with the same pomp and dignity as liqueur indicates how far H2...
Fresco Italiano restaurant in Las Vegas has all your favorites
There are few styles of food that provide a satisfying meal more than Italian. Just the mention of that word evokes images of heaping plates of pasta, large meatballs, bread baskets that empty as soon as they hit the table, and lots and lots of wine poured and shared. It’s practically Pavlovian to want to head to the nearest Olive Garden when you h...
All About Caravaggio: The Art of an Infamous Italian Scoundrel
As well as a scofflaw and murderer, 17th-century Italian painter Caravaggio was one of the most thrilling, and ground-breaking, artists in Italy. And his paintings—which changed Italian art history forever—tell the fascinating stories, and hint at the personal torment, behind the artist. So here are a few of our favorite Caravaggio paintings in It...
Barre Baseball Legend Louis “Crip” Polli to be Honored July 8 in Montpelier
A celebration to recognize Louis Polli’s legendary baseball career and official designation by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first Italian-born ballplayer to play in the major leagues will take place Saturday, July 8, when the Vermont Mountaineers baseball team in Montpelier will host a Louis “Crip” Polli Night. This long overdue recogn...
Introducing Her Majesty, the Florentine steak
A visit to Florence would be totally incomplete without a hearty Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or the Florentine steak (beefsteak Florentine style is another version of the name). This meat lover’s delight is perhaps the most iconic Tuscan dish, earning a spot in the repertoire of internationally known (and adored) Italian cuisine. But what makes this...
My Way Cafe spices up Little Italy for the 40th Undo's Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival
The Undo's Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival brought back an old favorite last year with Little Italy. For its 40th anniversary this year, improvements are being made to the beloved food stand thanks to a St. Clairsville business. “It's a good opportunity to get across the river and for people to try our food who haven't been here yet," M...
This Once-Buried Luxurious Roman Villa Is UNESCO Listed For Its Outstanding Mosaics
The Romans are famous for many excellent works of engineering. Wherever the Romans went, they built large villas, bridges, temples, public baths, and more. Sicily was always an important part of the Roman Empire and there visitors can find impressive Roman ruins - including more of the best Roman villas. The Villa Romana del Casale is located in th...
Thirty Italian Brands to Show at Miami’s Cabana Show
Italian brands are taking the U.S. market by storm this summer. The Italian Trade Agency, in collaboration with Confindustria and Confindustria Moda, the main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy, will be bringing 30 brands to the Cabana Show in Miami in early July as part of a nationwide intiative called Inspr Ital...
Gina Lollobrigida Musical Shorts Unearthed by Cineteca di Bologna Archives Capture Italian Icon’s Early Career Moves
Italy’s Cineteca di Bologna film archives have unearthed a small treasure trove of shorts documenting the early career of late icon Gina Lollobrigida, who was hailed as a major European sex symbol of the post-World War II era. The prominent archives, known globally as a prime film preservation entity, have found and restored three vintage clips dat...
New Haven Italian pastry shop Rocco's Bakery closes after 40 years
A staple for Italian pastries and breads in the Fair Haven section, Rocco's Bakery on Ferry Street, is going to be another city memory people talk about, especially when longtime customers go looking for their Easter pies, anginettes, ciccioli bread, chocolate lemon pie or cannoli. Rocco's, owned and run across from St. Francis Church at 432 Ferry...
Archaeologists Found an Ancient Marble Bust That May Have Belonged to Caligula at the Bottom of an Italian Lake
An ancient marble bust has been found at the bottom of Italy’s Lake Nemi. Archeologists suggest the object may have once lived on a ship built by the Roman Emperor Caligula two millennia ago. The stone head was discovered during a routine dredging of the volcanic lake overseen by the Municipal Civil Protection of Nemi, and has since been handed ove...