Word of the Day: Sfizio
Togliersi qualche sfizio, (satisfy a quirky need) or even mangiare qualcosa di sfizioso (eating something tasty and indulgent) are popular expression indeed in the Italian language. Sfizio is one of those words we use continuously, yet without really knowing anything about its origins. And so, it is surprising to learn it probably has southern roo...
Magnificent Castles of Italy
Majestic towers, crenellated battlements, stone fortresses perched upon rocky crags, romantic ruins, sumptuous palazzos and much more: these are the images that come to mind when picturing the Castles of Italy. The political instability of Italy during the middle ages has left its countryside and cities full of testaments to this turbulent time per...
Nissoli (FI): Sul Made in Italy c'è bisogno di maggiore sostegno ai produttori italiani per l'export
“Il mercato USA apprezza molto il Made in Italy anche come espressione della nostra cultura e quindi il nostro artigianato che è sinonimo di alta qualità manifatturiera. Tuttavia, dobbiamo fare di più per aiutare i produttori italiani perché spesso si insinua un concorrente sleale che mette sul mercato prodotti contraffatti oppure che evocano origi...
'Tis the Season for Roman Artichokes
The Romanesco artichoke variety is widely considered among the best. Its shape, size and almost round flower head make it the ideal artichoke to be stuffed. It’s mainly grown on the coast north of Rome near Ladispoli and Cerveteri, and used in kitchens around the world. It derives from the castellammare and campagnano cultivars and produced in the...
Meccanica strumentale: il Made in Italy che mette il turbo all’export con l’e-commerce
Un comparto poco conosciuto, ma che rappresenta la punta di diamante della produzione industriale Made in Italy nel mondo è quello della meccanica strumentale, quel settore eterogeneo che riguarda la produzione di macchinari o impianti destinati alla produzione industriale, e quindi in primis di macchine utensili, ma anche di macchine impiegate in...
L’uovo di Pasqua - More than Just an Egg
Just about the time when the long cold days of winter come to an end, and heavy wool coats are hung up and being put away, one can start seeing aisles of Easter goodies at their local stores. Milk chocolate bunnies, jelly beans and the ever present plastic colored eggs catch the eyes of passing eager children. Then, on Easter Sunday, children all o...
Move over, Ferrari and Lamborghini — this Italian electric car’s 1,900 horsepower makes it faster than a Formula 1 racer
In my recent article on the Tesla Model S vs Porsche Taycan, I compared the “brutal power and speed” of those two cars, since the top trims of each produce 762 and 670 horsepower, respectively. If those numbers get your blood pumping, the next car I’m featuring will likely give you a heart attack: Automobili Pininfarina’s Battista is a hypercar in...
Nero's palace reopens to the public in Rome
The ruins of the sumptuous Domus Transitoria, once decorated with gold leaf, precious stones and mother of pearl, lie next to a well-preserved 50-seat latrine used communally by builders and slaves. Nero claimed to be a descendant of Aeneas -- a legendary hero of the Trojan War, as Homer tells it in the Iliad -- and was a big fan of Trojan heroics....
Matera 2019: exploring the European Capital of Culture's top creative projects
With the longer days and warmer hours, Spring has finally sprung in Matera and the historic southern Italian city is making the most of its role as European Capital of Culture 2019. Two key projects are at the heart of this year's event. The first, called I-Dea, uses archives and collections from the Basilicata region. Joseph Grima is Matera 2019's...
The story of lorighittas, the Sardinian pasta only women can make
Sardinia, cradle of history and special traditions, holds within also plenty of culinary secrets. Let’s ideally travel to the west of the island. We are in the enchanting area of Marmilla, a small region at the very edges of the Campidano, where soft, rolling hills dominate the landscape, punctuated here and there by typical giare, basalt plateaux...
Lecce
In your search of Italy and all of its beautiful corners, you do not want to miss the south eastern edge of the country, and in particular the town of Lecce. The “heel of the boot” of Italy provides many who come here with a variety of experiences for each of the senses. Natural scenery, remnants of cultures thousands of years old, an eclectic arra...
Spring Day Trip Idea from Rome: The Garden of Ninfa
Spring is the ideal season to visit the beautiful gardens of Italy. One to take note of, which is about to reopen for the season, is the Garden of Ninfa in Cisterna di Latina, near the walled hill town of Sermoneta, about 80 km south of Rome; it’s possible to plan it as a day trip from the Italian capital. The Giardino di Ninfa is a ‘Natural Monume...