Italian flavors: Sila potato
Originally from Peru, the Patata della Sila was introduced by the Spanish, who first brought it to Galicia and then their domains in Italy. From here, it began to spread throughout all of Europe in the sixteenth century. Native to the Andes, the Patata della Sila is particularly suited to high altitudes and sloping fields. The cultivation of the P...
Italian land and nature: Rimini
Rimini symbolizes the Adriatic Riviera and Italian seaside tourism. Thousands of Italian and foreign tourists flock to its sandy beaches each year as it is considered the capital of Italian summer fun. It stands between hills and sea, close to other beautiful tourist and cultural Emilia Romagna towns, and offers quiet boarding houses, large hotels...
Italian entertainment: Andrea Bocelli. Music, hope, one world, together
Sunday the 12th of April, Easter Day, the famous tenor Andrea Bocelli gave a live streaming concert in the Milan Cathedral, an amazing and touching event which represented a symbol of hope and belief during these difficult times. Let’s step back for a moment so that we can understand better who this brilliant singer is. Bocelli has recorded 16 pop...
IT and US: Teaching Italian Cinema during Covid-19
As we approached spring break, things started to change rapidly. In a week we were told that the University would close and we needed to teach remotely. Besides my own anxiety towards something I had never done before, the most important question for me was: how was I going to keep students interested and motivated when their lives were changing so...
Italian handcrafts: Doccia Porcelain
For centuries, porcelain was an exotic material imported from China, as its composition and manufacturing techniques remained unknown in Europe. From 1585 to 1610, Francesco I de' Medici financed the production of a pseudo-porcelain in Florence, intended for court use and for diplomatic gifts. The true formula, however, remained unknown until 1710,...
Italian language: New Italinglish Words
Today, I am going to talk about a topic that’s a bit controversial, but very current: the Italianization of words. I’m talking about the current trend many Italians have of inventing new Italian words in order to replace existing words with “Italianized” English words. In this article you’ll find some examples that will help you better conceptualiz...
Italian gardens: Royal Woods of Capodimonte, Naples
The Royal Woods of Capodimonte is the largest public park in the city of Naples. It has an extension of 134 hectares with about 400 plant entities classifiable in 108 families and 274 genera. The woodland belongs to a hunting lodge that in 1738 became the Royal Palace of Capodimonte, today completely dedicated to the role of Museum. It occupies the...
Italian wine: Brachetto, the Sweet, Red Bubbly of Piedmont
Italy produces some of the world’s greatest sparkling wines including wines such as Franciacorta, Trento DOC and Prosecco to name a few. The presence of Italian sparkling wines in the US market continues to rise and the appreciation for these wines has increased from being a celebratory wine to more of an everyday enjoyment. Today I am focusin...
Coronavirus: Woman, 100, recovers in Messina
A 100-year-old Italian woman has recovered from the coronavirus in a Messina hospital and is being hailed as a symbol of hope in the battle against the virus. Medical staff applauded Concetta Lenzi as she left the Sicilian city's Policlinico 'Martino' Hospital on Wednesday. She was admitted on March 22 and turned 100 on March 28. "When she arrived...
Italiani a Boston impegnati in prima linea contro il COVID – 19
Martedì 19 maggio, ore 18.00 - 19.00 E.T. Cari Amici, l’emergenza COVID-19 ha posto il mondo dinanzi a una sfida epocale, molti sono gli italiani che vivono negli Stati Uniti e che rivestono un ruolo di primo piano nell’affrontare la pandemia. Altrettanti sono gli italiani nella nostra circoscrizione che si trovano a fronteggiare l’attuale emergenz...
Italian food stays strong despite the coronavirus emergency
In contrast to the general trend, the turnover of the Italian food industry in March grew by 3.1%. Together with agriculture, Made in Italy food industry continued to work during the emergency, to ensure food and drink supplies to the population. According to Italian farmers association Coldiretti’s analysis on ISTAT data, the total turnover of Ita...
"Brooklyn Roses" captures the heartbeat of Italian-American family life and escape to simpler times
"Brooklyn Roses", a novel by Catherine Gigante-Brown. Brooklyn Roses follows the travails and triumphs of that loud, loving Italian-American family from Borough Park. The riveting story picks up more than a dozen years after The Bells of Brooklyn, in the turbulent late 1950s/early 1960s. It weaves an unforgettable tale that encompasses forbidden lo...