francesca bezzone

Italian Community Services (ICS) is a resource for Italian and Italian-American people and families in the Bay Area who are looking for support to live healthy, independent, and productive lives. ICS has been around for over 100 years, evolving over time …

Medicine in Rome was at once incredibly different and incredibly close to what it is today. Different, of course, because of what 2,000 years of discoveries and research gave us; but similar, because some of our ancestors’ intuitions – which …

Ricotta is so versatile and so good. A simple dash of lemon juice and a spoonful of sugar, and we have a light, refreshing dessert. Some honey and cinnamon and we already feel closer to the Middle East, while chocolate chips …

I’ve been to Florence on several occasions, even though I haven’t in years – note to self: it’s time to pay a visit soon. There is so much to see and learn in this city: art lovers, historians, and foodies …

Every city has its square, but there isn’t quite a country where squares are as socially important as they are here in Italy. Our piazze are truly special: to begin with, even the smallest of hamlets has one, something you …

Mount Etna is one of the symbols of Sicily and of the Mediterranean. Since the beginning of time, it kept watch on its lands and its sea, witnessing and keeping track of history. Silent, protective, and peaceful, but also roaring …

Pindar famously described Agrigento, recently chosen as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025, as “the most beautiful of mortal cities.” We, more than two millennia later, can still understand why, when standing in awe in the majestic, timeless Valle dei Templi. But Agrigento is …

Today, Eataly is a household name, especially if you love high quality, genuine Made in Italy: with stores in Italy, Germany, France, the US, Sweden, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia -just to name a few locations – the famous brand has, …

Instinctively, you say: “Galileo!” Upon reflection, you probably remember it was Hans. But what if I told you that the person who invented the telescope was the one and only Leonardo da Vinci? This is the conclusion researchers came to, after …

The torta Pasqualina is a traditional savory pie from Liguria and its famous capital, Genova. As you may guess from its name, it is particularly common at Easter time, when it appears on the tables of many families, especially in Northern Italy. This amazing dish …