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on Jun 19, 13 •
in Food & Wine, Off the Beaten Path •
with No Comments
Empty tables in an Italian restaurant do not necessarily mean bad food...in fact, it's often the opposite! Here's the latest on where to find the best of Italy in the most unexpected of places
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on Jun 17, 13 •
in All You Can Italy, Festivals & Events •
with No Comments
Wine and music come together this summer for Tuscany's 2nd edition of Melodia del Vino
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on May 17, 13 •
in Travel Tips & FAQ •
with No Comments
Although Italy has been attacked by the mass-production of food in the last few decades, the Slow Food movement and km0 concept is saving the famed cuisine. What is km0? Where can you eat fresh and local? Read on to find out!
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on Apr 12, 13 •
in Food & Wine, Off the Beaten Path •
with 1 Comment
The taxi ride to Bosa from Alghero was enchanting. The winding roads through the seaside cliffs of northwestern Sardinia presented spectacular views that altered in breathtaking ways at every turn. I remained speechless from the stunning views as my taxi companion, a fellow journalist, chatted with our driver, who was more than thrilled to describe the particular food cultures of his hometown. As an island west of Italy’s mainland, Sardinia would seem to have a cuisine full of sea creatures and fish, but because of the mountainous terrain that blocks the sea from the inland, only the towns located on the water have a fish-based cuisine. Bosa is one of them
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on Feb 27, 13 •
in Festivals & Events •
with No Comments
"It can be said that Italian was one of the first western languages to claim a literary tradition,” Director of the Italian Culture Institute of Chicago, Dr. Silvio Marchetti, declares as we discuss Dante. This is in reference to an event celebrating the Year of Italian Culture, an occasion for which Dante’s natural allegories of woven through The Divine Comedy will light up Chicago’s Field Museum. I think about this for a minute and my mind’s eye travels to high school English Literature and the obligatory memorization of the sounds Chaucer’s Purple Passage (I use “sounds” and not “words,” since the prose is less than intelligible for today’s standard English speakers) and I have to give Italian a nod. Chaucer’s English, written after Dante’s lifetime, has changed in such a way that it is basically another language. However, my knowledge of present-day Italian allows me to open the Divine Comedy and read, “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita…,” with no problem at all
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on Feb 20, 13 •
in Food & Wine •
with No Comments
In the increasingly over-saturated world of celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, it is becoming harder and harder to make a splash. At any given time of the day, there are at least three cooking shows on TV, another three competitive culinary challenges to choose from, and blog after blog fills RSS feeds with the latest and greatest food and wine…it all seems to blur after a while and one face and name easily replaces another. Unless your name is Jacopo Falleni. Our love of all quality things Italian led us to sit down with the accomplished celebrity mixologist for an inside view into his life, work, and Italian roots
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on Jan 14, 13 •
in Food & Wine, Opera & Musical Events •
with No Comments
Last month’s opening night at Milan’s La Scala might not have been the shimmering evening of musical perfection that the theater (or those venturing from far and near to witness its legendary performance) was hoping for. Both the lead and the understudy were struck with the flu, forcing a less than ideal situation for the theater as its expecting patrons. However, I would argue that the Opera’s 2012-2013 opening night on December 7 had a flair that rivals those during which the chills-inducing performance comes together in flawlessness harmony – thanks to one element that stole the show. It was described by Italian blogger Lemillebolleblog.it as “The philosophy of this one cuvée can be perfectly synthesized in two words: equilibrium and harmony. The notes of its presentation speak of pure music and a symphony…reaching a harmonious peak of excellence” – words that are easily associated with the spectacular La Scala. Yet this time, they are directed towards a bubbly, shimmering drink: Bellavista’s 2004 Franciacorta Extra Brut Riserva Vittorio Moretti
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on Jan 9, 13 •
in Food & Wine •
with No Comments
Travel + Leisure Magazine recently named the Best Italian Restaurants in the US, a list of 30 restaurants spread across the country, many headed by renowned chefs seeking to give a new twist on Italy’s fresh, seasonal ingredients and present-day cuisine. The list includes restaurants from those specializing in regional cuisine to those boasting an impressive wine list (Italy has more than 2000 grape varietals) to pizzaioli extraordinaires. We've taken that article and, to save time and energy of flipping through all of the separate pages, have listed our top three favorites – each you can’t go wrong with - below
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on Dec 28, 12 •
in Food & Wine •
with 2 Comments
I remember my first experience with white truffles as vividly as if it were yesterday. It was after the point in my life that I started truly appreciating food and wine, and I was headed to dinner for a special celebration of one of those monumental occasions in life for which you cannot deny yourself the best
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on Dec 21, 12 •
in Food & Wine •
with No Comments
Tis the season of merriment, and packed schedules have you jetting from one holiday party to another, passing hours at the table or gathered ‘round the buffet with friends and family. Each of these parties requires at least the standard gift for the generous hosts: a bottle of wine. This year, we’re going to let you in on a little list of Italian wine secrets to switch up this lackluster cycle and brighten your merry days. Ecco your Italian wine holiday shopping list
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