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The Italian word fiasco (fee-ah-skoh) originally refers to a type of bottle, specifically a round-bottomed glass flask often encased in a straw basket, traditionally used for Italian wines like Chianti. So, if you are at a local osteria somewhere in San …

For over forty years, Maria Gloria was a cherished and invaluable voice at L’Italo-Americano. The words that follow, written by her husband, seemed to us the most heartfelt and authentic way to remember her—a sincere tribute to the extraordinary woman …

The Italian word capriccio (cah-pree-tcho) has changed its meaning over centuries and if today we associate it to something we do on a whim, or to impulsiveness, once upon a time it also meant “discomfort.”  Its etymology is linked to …

The arch is one of the most important architectural innovations in history, and while its basic concept may have existed in early civilizations, it was the Etruscans and, later, the Romans who perfected and popularized its use. This seemingly simple …

The pleasure of collecting perfumes is all in the way scents can evoke memories, places, and emotions. A single spray can bring back a summer garden, a sea breeze, your first love, your youth.  Perhaps because we’ve all become more …

Torrita di Siena is a charming medieval town located in the heart of Tuscany, Italy. It lies approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) southeast of Florence, the region’s largest city, and 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of Siena.   Torrita is known for its well-preserved historical …

Vietri sul Mare is a small town in southern Italy, along the Amalfi Coast. Located just about three miles to the east of Salerno, it is considered the gateway to one of the most famous stretches of coastline in the …

Maruggio is situated approximately 25 miles (ca. 40 km) east of Taranto, within a natural depression between the inland and the coastline. Its beaches are known for being sandy, with occasional rocky stretches in the eastern part. The sea here …

Urbani Truffles was founded in 1852 by Costantino Urbani and grew from a modest truffle exporting business in Umbria into the world’s leading distributor of high-quality truffles. What started as a small family operation selling fresh truffles in France evolved …

The term bòcolo in Venetian dialect refers to a rosebud and, on this day, it’s customary for men to present a red rosebud to the significant women in their lives — be it wives, fiancées, mothers, or sisters — as …