We all have a recipe in our hearts, the one that recalls a particular moment of our lives... whether it is sweet or savory. But there is a recipe that is loved by most people, especially by children - meatballs with tomato sauce, the masterpiece of the southern Italian cuisine. Nowadays there are different versions, including fish or vegetarian one...

Are you sure you know everything about Carnival in Italy? We will help you with an excursus that goes from the origins, through the typical masks and sweets of the Italian carnival tradition, up to the indication of the most beautiful carnivals in Italy. The origins of Carnival in Italy and beyond are closely linked to religious culture, as they ar...

In a world of customer profile analyses, response rate statistics, and tracking tools, Pellegrino Artusi’s innate ability to understand what was needed to get his audience to read, engage with, and advance his seminal 19th century cookbook, La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well) is refreshi...

Judging by the wealth of Italian-inspired restaurants in the Mile High City—some old, many new—Denverites can’t get enough Italian food. But who’s serving the best of the best? We ate our way across metro Denver (sorry, Boulder) to determine which spots have the most al dente pasta, the creamiest risotto, the punchiest saltimbocca, and much more. (...

The grated cheese dusted a bowl of “scrippelle” soup whose rich broth bobbed with rolled-up crepes. It sprinkled over crusty hunks of Italian bread smeared with butter and spicy chili flakes. It frosted a mountaintop of gnocchi in deep red tomato sauce crowned with a flank steak braciola cooked to such tenderness the tug of a fork unfurled its pati...

My co-worker Mylan Schroder and I ventured to Ireton Tuesday, Feb. 5, to check out the lunch menu at Ireton’s newest Main Street business — Trattoria Buon Gusto, an Italian restaurant. Let me tell you, it was absolutely wonderful. We were immediately welcomed and seated in a booth. Mind you, it is 11:45 a.m. and Mylan and I are not a couple, but th...

It's on Broad Street and it's called Alfonso's! Alfonso's Pastry Shoppe and cafe takes the place of what was once Carlo's Bakery (#86 Broad St.) just doors down from Yestercades in downtown Red Bank. It looks very festive inside with plenty of seating and a selection so vast that you'd have to go back numerous times to taste all of the goodies. The...

Many holidays in Italy are usually accompanied by culinary tradition, and Carnevale is no exception. During this mardi gras period in the peninsula, delightful sweet, crispy strips known as chiacchiere make their appearance in many pasticcerie and home bakeries. They are fried treats that go by many names and shapes throughout the Belpaese. Their m...

Since opening in late January, Jon & Vinny’s Brentwood has become one of the toughest reservations in town. This is unsurprising, perhaps, given the enduring crowds at the original Jon & Vinny’s on Fairfax (go ahead, try to book a table after 4 p.m. anytime in the next month) coupled with the endless appetite that Brentwood residents have for price...

From wine dinners to happy hour, Hank’s Pasta Bar has something for everyone. It is located on the north side of Old Town Alexandria, just minutes from D.C. I sat down with Massimo Giannetti, the General Manager, and Chef Thomas Palmer to discuss the overall concept for Hank’s Pasta Bar.  “We’re known for our fresh pasta and Italian dishes,” Chef T...