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 …

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 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 …

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 …

In the early nineteenth century, when the great French writer Stendhal visited Florence, he claimed that he was so overwhelmed by the town’s vast accumulation of culture that he fainted. This condition has become famously known as the Stendhal Syndrome, …

Inclusivity is an essential idea in today’s world, but we hardly associate it with food. However, respecting diversity and making sure, quite literally, that everyone has a “seat at the table,” regardless of background or ability, has become an inherently central …

Art, history, and modern technology helped researchers unveil hidden tunnels beneath Milan’s Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle), structures that perfectly match sketches made by Leonardo da Vinci over five centuries ago.  Built in the 15th century, the Sforza Castle had been …

A Holy Year. A Jubilee Year— a year of prayer and plenary indulgence for the Catholic Church. Easter, the most theologically significant celebration and the heart of the liturgical year. In the midst of it all, Rome remains an undisputed …

“Paolo Vive is not just a tribute to Borsellino. It is a message of memory, justice, and hope for new generations.” With these words, director Debora Scalzo presented her docufilm Paolo Vive in the United States, on the occasion of …

For the Catholic Church, this is a spiritually significant year, but the Jubilee also has inevitable repercussions on customs, traditions, society, art, and public works, making it an opportunity to discover much about Italy. Put simply, it can be a …

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 …