During my latest boat trip on the Venetian Laguna, I admired the “Six Pairs of Hands” at the Arsenale. They are quite visible from afar, and they are supposed to be admired also by the Biennale visitors. In 2019, at the “Arsenale”, a gigantic installation consisting of 6 pairs of hands that start from the […]
Read More
Boletus edulis: “A fungus that grows in deciduous and coniferous forests and tree plantations.” But we prefer to call it Porcino. It seems less intellectual and more edible! Porcino is a prized ingredient in various culinary dishes, it is held in high regard in Italian cuisine mostly in the northern area, where Porcini are found […]
Read More
Villain = noun a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel. While in Italian the meaning is a little less categorical: Villano / vil·là · no / = adjective and masculine noun 1. masculine noun = Rude and ignorant person: “è un villano fatto e finito (he is […]
Read More
So, we’ll go no more a roving So late into the night, Though the heart be still as loving, And the moon be still as bright. LORD BYRON San Lazzaro degli Armeni There is a small island just 20 minutes by vaporetto from Piazza San Marco, just in front of that long strip of land […]
Read More
September has been glorious, and I’m trying to make the good season last for as long as I can. I bought lots of tomatoes, the ripest I could find and trasnformed them in peeled tomatoes, salsa, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, and with the cherry tomatoes even confit! Last February, during quarantine they were so handy, […]
Read More
Summer is ending, and I never felt so sorry to see it going. Usually as cooler temperatures set in, it is with a certain pleasure that we start looking forward to warmer clothing, real shoes instead of sandals, slides, and flip flops. Not This Time This year however, summer was not long enough, or so […]
Read More
As high temperatures set in, there is a dish that makes its appearance unfailingly at my table, which is the Cold Rice Salad. It is simple, versatile, good and fresh, and relatively low in calories. A dish that anyone can tailor to his/her fancies like nothing else. Uncle Ben’s ”Al Dente!” In Italy, there […]
Read More
Why Visiting Brisighella First because it is part of the “Most Beautiful Villages,” then because it is cute, lot of history, dates back to medieval times, and there is an intriguing story about donkeys! The town—a hamlet really—is located at the foot of three chalk pinnacles on which rest the 15th century Rocca Manfrediana, the […]
Read More
Peppered Mussels A simple dish of the Neapolitan tradition, the peppered mussels embodies all the flavor of the sea. ”Impepata” mussels is one of the traditional Neapolitan dishes, simple to prepare and at the same time very tasty. It involves making the mussels open on the stove, and serving them with an (abundant!) a sprinkling […]
Read More
The Beauty of Summer Diving in crystal clear waters, golden tans; Bonfires on the beach, walks, excursions in the open air, but also more time for oneself, to devote to hobbies and passions … summer offers unforgettable moments. Listening the chirping in the woods, the sound of the wind moving the branches of the trees, […]
Read More
Next time you’ll visit Italy—and we all hope it will be soon—do not bypass Ravenna for the big four (or five). Ravenna is where it all began. I know that photographs of the mosaics are everywhere, but this is the place where when you see the real thing you are left with you mouth open […]
Read More
Aceto Balsamico The traditional Aceto Balsamico is a precious thing, lovingly cared for years and years before it is ready to enhance our meals. In fact, the thick and syrupy Balsamico is aged in small barrels from about 12 to 25 years. The years spent in aging could be enough to give the sense of […]
Read More