The Latest

Dear Readers and Friends, L’Italo Americano stands in solidarity with the Italian-American community and all the residents of Los Angeles during this shocking, traumatic, and unimaginable catastrophe caused by the LA fires. L’Italo Americano is not immune to the challenges, …

On this episode of You, Me and Sicily we take you to the Province of Siracusa. First stop is Ortigia, the magnificent and historic island. Then we head to the Archeological park in the city of Siracusa to see some …

The combination of great food, fine wines, heritage and history, culture and climate continue to make Italy a firm favorite with travelers from around the globe. Many visitors to Italy return time and time again for romantic breaks, family holidays, …

Separated by a mere two miles of sparkling sea at its shortest distance, the island of Sicily sits off the toe of Italy’s “boot,” looking somewhat like a football readied for the punt.  Italian by association, yet distinct and unique …

October, the month Italo-American organizations throughout the United States celebrated Columbus Day with parades and public festas, is becoming a thing of the past. Since the 1992 Columbus Quincentennial commemorations, political activists have been watering down Columbus Day Discovery celebrations, to …

At the foot of Rome’s Capitoline Hill, by the staircase leading to the Piazza del Campidoglio, seat of the city government since the Middle Ages, a statue of a hooded man waving a sword commemorates a crime. On this spot …

Agnolotti are Piemonte’s best comfort food: warm, filling, tasty, they are so quintessentially Piedmontese they are part of the region’s official list of traditional products (P.A.T.).  Reassuring in their ubiquitous presence on Piemonte’s festive table, they are today  declined in …

This past 4th of July, the US Embassy in Rome celebrated the 244th Independence Day anniversary unusually. It didn’t only move all celebrations online — because of the pandemic and the consequent ban on gatherings — but it also decided …

We usually say that America is a melting pot of cultures and races, but did you know that, according to  genetic research, Italy may be just as varied? The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Rome’s …

Valtellina is a beautiful alpine area in the Sondrio province of Lombardia. You may think not to know it, but you’re certainly familiar with places like Bormio and Livigno, famous for their ski resorts and picturesque views; truth is, Valtellina …

You are certainly familiar with it, the curnicello, or cornetto, that red chili pepper Neapolitans use to attract good luck and be protected by evil forces, or malocchio, as they call it. Found often on market stalls,  it has become …

Over 26 million Americans of Italian descent currently reside in the United States, making Italian Americans the seventh largest ethnic group. Every October, the Italian-American Heritage Month aims at recognizing the contributions and achievements of these people and their ancestors …

The first weekend in October is usually busy for San Francisco. Residents and travelers greet the San Francisco Fleet Week to honor all men and women serving in the armed forces and celebrate the oldest Italian Heritage Parade of the …

A lot of people in Los Angeles, especially baseball fans, will miss eating at the stadium during a Dodgers’ match:  food has always been part of the experience. Fries, hot dogs, nachos, carne asada, you name it, you could find …

Italy is known for many wonderful things: art, architecture, opera, hand gestures, and an enviable approach to coffee. But tucked among these cultural icons, there is something just as incredible: its delightfully peculiar laws. Some are old, some still enforced, …

ViBi Venezia is a modern footwear brand with some serious historical cred, at least when it comes to the shoe style it produces. Founded in 2015 by Venetian sisters Viola and Vera Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, the brand has carved out …

May is a month rich in events, reflections, and remembrance. Traditionally dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, it is also known as the month of roses and the fragrance of spring flowers. It brings with it longer days, as …

The lira calabrese is one of the most distinctive traditional instruments of Southern Italy, known also for its long and varied cultural history. As its name says, the lira calabrese comes from Calabria, the rugged region forming the “toe” of …

Pietra Leccese is a type of limestone, known for being the warm, malleable stone that gave Lecce – one of Italy’s most visually distinctive cities – its unique architectural personality. Found only in a small area of southern Italy’s Salento …

Today’s word is full of… drama!  If you have spent any time around Italians – especially in moments of surprise, exasperation, or even gossip – you have probably heard the word oddio (ohd-dee-oh), a short, sharp, and expressive adverb, which …

Among the many regional desserts that dot Italy’s culinary map, semolini dolci from Piedmont andcrema fritta from Abruzzo are two examples of how texture, tradition, and indulgence come together in fried form. Though they come from different corners of the …

Every year, around this time, Italy enters its most colorful season: market stalls are filled with peonies and poppies, balconies are thick with geraniums, and entire hillsides bloom in coordinated palettes of wildflowers.  The country’s connection with flowers, however, goes …

If there’s one thing Italians hold dear, it’s their local traditions. Whether you live in a tiny village or a major city, there are customs, rituals, and habits that feel impossible to give up. Secularization has, in many cases, erased …

When the white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel on the afternoon of May 8, I was sitting at my kitchen table, working with the TV quietly on in the background. I’ll be honest with you, it caught me …