Italian pop-up restaurant Piccola Cucina returned to Red Lodge on a snowy Tuesday for its sixth season. The restaurant is only open six months out of the year, so if you wanted to try their food during the winter season, that would require a trip to New York. You won’t find dishes like theirs anywhere else in Montana. “We love their food. We come e...
READ MOREA bill that would replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day failed to move forward in the Montana state Senate. After the bill brought by Missoula Democratic Sen. Shane Morigeau was tabled in committee its supporters attempted a legislative maneuver to bring it to the Senate floor for debate, but that was also opposed. Sen. Dan Salomon, a R...
READ MOREWhen it comes to picking out where to eat in my family, there are always the big 3. Do we get Mexican, Chinese, or Italian food? If for some reason we cannot choose from any of those options, then we will branch out and search for cuisine from other parts of the world. I, for one, am a sucker for Italian food. Pasta, pizza, breadsticks... Bring on...
READ MORERigaTony's, a new Italian restaurant, just opened in the former Uncle Joe's Steakhouse location on First Street, and while recent maintenance issues have temporarily closed its in-house dining areas it is still providing pick-up and delivery. Restaurant owner Tony St. John, a native of Havre who only recently returned, said their dishwasher broke d...
READ MOREContinuing our journey through the United States, we arrive in the northern part of the West Coast, in Washington State. We are a long way from Italy, but here too there are stories from the past, present and even the future that represent our country in its relationship with America. We talk about this with Elisabetta Valentini, Honorary Consul of...
READ MORESonia Lewelling had me at hello. Her infectious smile said it all as she grasped my hand to greet me. My husband Ed and I had driven over from Helena to dine at her Italian restaurant in Butte, La Casa Toscana. I instinctively knew we were in for some delicious Italian fare. Sonia was born in Texas, but when her dad was deployed to Vietnam, her mom...
READ MORECiao from Rome! As every January, the yearbook of We the Italians is available with the 24 interviews of the past year, both in Italian and English. This is our eighth book: one in English, one in Italian, and six yearbooks like this one, in two languages. Dear friends, I am writing this editorial in the days when the Italian Parliament elects the...
READ MOREThe Cristoforo Columbo Fellowship is gifted to graduate students, faculty, and/or independent scholars pursuing research on Italian people and their communities of Butte, Montana. Fellowship awards of $500 -$3,000 s. Award funds are to be used for research support, including travel and lodging expenses, but not as salary. Awards are to be used for...
READ MOREMy go-to entree at Lucca’s, located on Helena’s downtown walking mall, is always the veal scallopini. I intend to try other dishes, but I always fall back on the veal when push comes to shove. It’s scrumptious and more than filling! When you have the same executive chef at Lucca’s for 14 years, that being Mike Hyyppa, you can expect consistency in...
READ MOREFor Sofia Bertei, the only home she has known until just a few months ago, was in Genoa, Italy. But Sofia wanted to be a foreign exchange student and that meant leaving home in Italy for a year. “I decided to be a foreign exchange student because I’ve always been curious about other cultures and also because I think the experience is going to make...
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