La vita italiana

We all know it: in Italy, we love bread! These very crunchy “bread sticks” were invented in Turin in 1679, by the Savoias’ personal baker, who created them appositely for king Vittorio Amedeo II, who couldn’t digest regular bread very …

It is a special year for L’Italo Americano, which celebrates its 110th anniversary. One hundred and ten years dedicated to keeping the Italian American community on the West Coast united, to inform people about its achievements and its history and, …

For a little town just off the A16 autostrada, east of Naples, Nola has some big claims to fame. Spartacus once conquered it, Hadrian tried and the first Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus died here. Nola also famously introduced bells to …

Every year hundreds of trees are cut down. They’re trimmed, sanded and hand-painted, then pile-driven into the dense mud of the Venetian lagoon. It’s a practice that has been going on for centuries for very good reasons, but few people …

When in Rome … it’s a no-brainer that the famed Colosseum is at the top of most visitors’ list of “must see” attractions. In fact, this forerunner to our modern arenas plays host to about 4 million tourists a year, …

The difference is tiny, yet it cannot be overlooked… “A sliced cookie, made with fine flour, sugar and egg whites:” this is the definition given by the Accademia della Crusca in 1691. Cantuccio, whose name comes from the word “canto,” …

Among the reasons that make the Tuscan region one of the most beloved of the whole Bel Paese, the fine arts, its unique landscapes and its delicious food are definitely on top of the list. What is more, the possibilities …

Chinotto is a citrus fruit originally from China, exclusively grown on the Ligurian coast, in the Savona area since the end of the 19th century. These small, uniquely fragrant fruits, used to be sold candied and preserved in maraschino, after …

Usually, in Italy, you’d sense electricity in the air before the soccer World Cup begins: the country’s passion for calcio is well known, and when it comes to the national team, you can bet even the least likely among us …

Even though present-day hospitals all around the world are basically centers providing medical assistance and rehabilitation of the sick, the forerunners to these institutions were originally conceived in a broader sense as “places of hospitality:” hence the similarity between the …