Traditions

18th Century, Venice. Circling about the snaky, torch-lit alleyways of the ancient city are swarms of masked men and women. Before leaving the house, members of all social ranks change their names, leaving their titles and inhibitions at the door. …

The Roman empire  began with a tale of love—or, more accurately, lust—almost three millennia ago. The libidinous god Mars, smitten by the beauty of a Vestal Virgin, snuck into her temple in the town of Alba Longa to sleep with …

What would inspire people to book trips to Ivrea? The small city near Turin is not just your next obscure travel destination. It is an absolutely must-visit stop in the carnival season, when its distinct identity takes shape as the …

Cannolo siciliano: is there any other Italian dessert this popular in the world? Tiramisù may be one of its more glorious competitors, but cannolo making is an art that you can’t reproduced at home with the same simplicity. We can …

Italy is the land of love, a romantic destination par excellence. So with Valentines Day fast approaching, it’s time to explore some of the peninsula’s most idyllic spots. Heavenly places where romance is never in short supply. We start with …

It’s noon in Florence, and you find a spot on the steps of the Duomo. After a bitterly cold winter, you feel your skin gladly soak up the sun shining down on you. You watch passersby marvel at Brunelleschi’s masterpiece. …

Masked balls. Fried sweets. Colorful costumes. In the weeks before Fat Tuesday (martedì grasso), Venice revels in Carnevale. Dating back to the 1200s, Carnival marks the start of the period of Lent – or, the 40 days that lead up …

As a community, Italian Americans are just beginning to understand the value of the written word.  For years publishers have been saying that the Italian American is not the target audience for most books–they don’t buy books because they don’t …

Representing the variety and beauty of Italian music in different ages and in different fields was the goal of “Music and culture: an Italian Perspective” held at the Musco Center for the Art at Chapman University of Orange.  It is …

You hear the word ‘ciambelle’ a lot in Italian baking. There are so many different types of ciambelle, ciambellette and ciambellini! Sweet, savoury, baked, fried, soft, hard, cookie, cake, or bread – you name it! Ciambelle di pane (bread ciambelle) …