The 7 most famous and best desserts of the Venetian pastry shop
But how sweet Venice is! The knowledge of a place also passes through its gastronomic culture, you know. And when we talk about Venetian cuisine we always think of salty dishes, wines, often forgetting about pastry. But the Venetian pastry shop is full of preparations and products that come from very ancient traditions, some even dating back to the...
America’s First Italian Bishop
In 1817, when the Italian–born Father Joseph Rosati arrived in St. Louis, he found a ramshackle church, a windowless log cabin for a rectory, and 2,500 people disinterested in religion of any sort. On the best of days, that would fail to cheer a missionary’s heart. But this wasn’t just any day. Rosati had come to St. Louis to prepare the church for...
Discovering Franciacorta
It was a beautiful April evening in Hong Kong and we were on the 32nd floor, surrounded by glitzy skyscrapers, replete with gleaming lights. A few of us friends had gathered to celebrate the momentous occasion of our 40-something friend going back to university soon. It was a bittersweet moment, as every farewell tends to be. Toasts were said and a...
Chef Michael Toscano Drops ‘Unauthentic Italian’ Bar Bites at Charleston’s Revelry Brewing
What is “fugazzi”? According to Charleston-based chef Micheal Toscano (and Matthew McConaughey’s character in Wolf of Wall Street), it means “phony” or “fake.” Toscano, who also owns Le Farfalle (15 Beaufain Street) and Da Toscano Porchetta Shop (109 President Street), recently opened Da Toscano Fugazzi at Revelry Brewing Co. (10 Conroy Street). “I...
Italea, the platform helping root travelers discover their past
2024 marks a pivotal year for roots tourism, a movement that Italy is championing with determination and commitment. As more Italians living abroad and their descendants seek to reconnect with their ancestral origins, Italy introduces Italea (www.italea.com), an ambitious project designed to facilitate this deeply personal journey. Its aim is to su...
NOIAW’s Gala Awards in New York, with a Surprise Appearance by Topo Gigio
On Saturday, April 13th, the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), the organization that has brought together Italian American professionals for 44 years, celebrated its annual luncheon awards in New York City. In an elegant room at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan, two women were honored for their success in their work: Jodi Pul...
Taranto
When one thinks of Italy, traditional images come to mind. Churches that are hundreds of years old, engineering and architectural wonders from centuries past, rolling hills, mountains, the sea and, of course, great food, all are thought of when talking about Italy. Northern Italy sometimes brings thoughts of a more modern, industrial, bustling envi...
Local Italian restaurant making its move to Millcreek Mall
Mi΄Scuzi΄ Ristorante Italiano announced it’s opening its doors in another location at the Millcreek Mall later this year. In a release, the restaurant said it plans to make the move to the mall — located at 800 Peach St. — in the third quarter of 2024, where it will take on a 6,600-square-foot space adjacent to JCPenney. This will include private a...
Venice Issues New Rules for Tourists, or See Venice But Register First
The key speaker at the Foreign Press Association’s first official press conference in its new home was Luigi Brugnaro, the Mayor of Venice. He came to explain to the world the new tax for tourists visiting La Serenissima “because, yes, Venice is in Italy, but she belongs to the world.” The plan to charge an entrance fee to day-trippers was first pr...
The Mona Lisa Is Coming To The North Loop. Sort Of.
A meticulously-crafted facsimile of the famed Mona Lisa is coming to the Italian Cultural Center in the North Loop on April 26th. It was painstakingly created by world renowned Minnesota native Mark Balma, using the same techniques and materials that Leonardo da Vinci used in the 16th century to create the original, such as Oil of Spike Lavender an...
National Observatory for the Promotion of the Italian Language in the United States at the Italian Embassy in Washington. The Italian Language: Soft Power for Promoting Italy and its System of Excellence
The Embassy of Italy in Washington hosted on April 11th the annual meeting of the National Observatory of the Italian language, a coordinating and guiding body with the main actors in the promotion of Italian language and culture in the United States. At the meeting, chaired by the Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister Plenipotentiary Alessandro Gonzal...
How Italian Immigrants Made Neapolitan Ice Cream An American Favorite
This may come as a surprise, but Neapolitan ice cream wasn't always the classic combination of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry we know today. At one time, Neapolitan-style was the catch-all term for any ice cream sold in the United States by Italian immigrants from Naples, the birthplace of modern ice cream who introduced Americans to their home...