In 336 A.D, the Roman Emperor Constantine decided to honor the birth and teachings of Jesus Christ as Romans honored the God Saturn during the pagan feast of Saturnalia. This […]
When asked to think about Italian food, people imagine the sight of tomatoes, basil and olive oil blending together on a warm bruschetta, or the steam rising from a plate […]
During the latter stages of World War II, thousands of Italian soldiers were captured by the Allies in North Africa and Sicily. They were sent as prisoners of war to […]
When you think of Rome, the pope and Vatican City often come to mind. But the Italian capital is also home to one of the most historic and vibrant Jewish […]
In the years just before the era known as the Middle Ages, Malta was involved in the Byzantine-Arab Wars from the 7th to 11th centuries. The conquest of Malta is […]
Did you know that Nutella is a made-up name? Did you know that coffee is cheaper than you think, and it’s against the law to ask for a cappuccino after […]
L’albero (lal-bear-o) the tree is going up and mamma is hanging those shiny balls on i rami (e rah-me) the branches. Darla and I are on the couch and we […]
While working as a sommelier and living in New York City, at least once a week, I nosed a glass of the best-vintage this or that from the world’s most […]
Christmas season is upon us and like you, I am thinking about entertaining throughout the month. My focus this year isn’t only on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The menus […]
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is the worth of a book? Books are valuable in that they help us escape from our everyday lives and […]
Around 700 B.C., the Ancient Greeks settled on Malta, predominantly in the area where the capital city of Valletta is located. A century later Phoenician traders who used the islands […]
Italy is well known for its geographical beauty and diversity, but part of the charm of living in Italy, or on its numerous islands, is the danger that is ever […]
Italy’s pride was on full display in Philadelphia on Aug. 12 when the Italian Air Force, also known as the Frecce Tricolori, flew in formation over Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The […]
National Italian-American Heritage month was established by the United States Congress in October 1989 to recognize Italian-Americans’ contributions to American society and highlight the impact of the Italian-American community on […]
This month’s lesson is dedicated to, of course, Halloween! Halloween has become a big celebration in Italy although it is regarded by some as another invasion of American culture in […]
The connection of Italy, and more importantly Sicily, to Malta goes back to prehistoric times even before the link Sicily had to the modern Italian mainland. The first sign of […]
Three times each year the faithful of Naples pray for “the Miracle of the Blood” on the first Sunday in May, on Sept. 19 when they celebrate their patron saint […]
Louis DeSimone was born Feb. 21, 1922, in Philadelphia; His parents Anthony and Nicolina DeSimone were Italian immigrants. He was raised in Bridgeport, Pa., and graduated from what was then […]
While visiting family in Loreto Aprutino in Abruzzo, Italy, in May, I heard about Count Sebastiano Capponi’s 500 year celebration of Villa Calcinaia, near Greve in Chianti, nestled in the […]
To understand Malta’s close ties to Italy as compared to the other major islands around Italy, one needs to consider Italy and the surrounding islands as a family. Imagine Italy […]
School is open and although Darla and I can’t actually go to school we can help you learn some Italian words for forniture (for-knee-tor-a) supplies you and children in Italy […]
This month’s Italian language lesson focuses on another linguistic divide. We will exclude other romance languages spoken in Italy which are recognized as languages and not dialects, such as Sardinian […]
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