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Troppo (trohp-poh) is a very common Italian word that we can translate into English as “too much,” or simply as “too.”  We use it to indicate something excessive, to the point of becoming negative, just like in the sentence se …

2021 has been an important year for one of Italy’s favorite candy makers, Sperlari: the company celebrated its 185th birthday and became officially one of the country’s historical brands (marchi storici). The register includes only names of our Made in …

Fora Febraro che marso xé qua, people from Veneto say: “Let’s get rid of February, March is here!” The funny expression is also synonymous with a popular tradition in the region, called the Fora Febraro, rooted in the very history …

Summonte is a village in the province of Avellino (Campania) gently lying on the slopes of Mount Partenio, at 700 meters of altitude (2,300 feet). Today, it counts 1,485 inhabitants. The village has a long history, as its very name …

It may – or may not – come as a surprise to you, but the blue jeans, one of the most iconic symbols of American 20th-century pop culture, are an Italian invention! In fact, if we really want to be …

Baci Perugina must be the best-known Italian chocolate in the world: with their silver wrapping covered in blue stars, they look like a precious stone and they are pretty enough to be gifted just like that, on their own and …

Our word this week, chiacchiere(kiahk-kieh-rai) is both pleasant and tasty, and it is also very much in line with the time of the year we are in, Carnevale. It is the plural form of chiacchiera, which comes from the verb …

Just like us, our ancestors, the Ancient Romans, liked to follow trends. After the conquest of Egypt, in 31 BC, it became popular – at least among the wealthy – to get buried … in pyramids. We know that, at …

Were candles invented in Italy? Well, the claim is partially true, because if we know candles were common among the Greeks, we have also proof they were used by the Etruscans, who lived in the central regions of our peninsula: …

We’ve all met a sapientone (sah-pee-ehn-toh-nai) at least once in our lives, and I am sure I speak for everyone when saying we’d rather never spend time with them again! Sapientone comes from the word sapienza, which means “knowledge” or …