It’s the best time of the day! The aperitivo is one of the best examples of true Italian dolce vita. Especially in Italian cities, this cocktail hour is a golden moment when people meet for a drink after work and before dinner at a local bar for a typical Italian toppler – usually based on […]
Christmas Sweets in Italy
Trees are twinkling, piazzas are decked, nativity scenes in place in Italy – now it’s time to break open the Italian Christmas dolci! Across the world, the holidays are an excuse to let loose and enjoy a few more tempting sweets than normal. In Italy that means certain go-to foods that everyone enjoys, along with […]
It’s Ribollita Soup Season
As the temperatures – and colored leaves! – begin to drop in Italy and the scent of burning firewood fills the air, it’s time for a big batch of ribollita, a hearty Tuscan vegetable and bread soup. Part of what they call in Italian the cucina povera, or simple cooking repertoire of poorer past days, […]
Understanding Italian Coffee Culture
Prendiamo un caffè! Coffee is a major presence in Italy, taken seriously by the locals and filled with unwritten rules and customs. Though the coffee beans proper are not native to Italy, when they were first imported into Venice in the 16th century the Italians learned what wonderful concoctions they could produce. The concept took […]
