In Bellavista is exactly as you would imagine: something that is beautifully presented. In this recipe, the salmon is not only beautiful to see but is particularly special because the mayonnaise sauce has been made by hand! Salmon is found on many Italian menus even though it is not bred or caught locally. Norwegian salmon…
“Florence works” might well be the slogan for the blue-collar district of Oltrarno, Florence, just south of the River Arno. “Bohemian” also comes up frequently when describing this district, part of which lies in Florence’s historical center. Spring is considered the best time to visit due to comfortable temperatures, but expect showers. Autumn is also…
Movies have been filmed in Italy since the early days of silent cinema. All genres of films have utilized the different aspects of the Italian landscape and urban centers for their Italian movies. From exploring its vast history to its modern cafes to locations that are supposed to be set in a galaxy far, far…
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, who would become known to later generations as simply “Michelangelo,” was born in Caprese, Italy, on March 6, 1475. When he was still a baby, his family moved back to Florence, where his father was originally from. This move would influence Michelangelo’s interests and aspirations for the rest of his…
Italians, so it appears, spend an enormous amount of time thinking about eating and drinking. Their propensity towards a pre-dinner drink, known as an aperitivo, is due to the fact that they believe a swig of Campari will “open their stomach.” If you dare to dine on your bruschetta, followed, by pasta, followed by meat…
Despite its name, Zuppa Inglese (literally translated “English soup”) is a creamy cake and certainly not “soupy”!! Once again, this is a desert recipe which uses the basic Sponge Cake but in this case, the Sponge Cake is baked in a spring-form pan and allowed to grow tall so that it can then be sliced…
This week’s recipes are dedicated to the Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake). While sponge cake is the basis of many Italian desert recipes (3 of which we will share with you on this blog), thanks to its soft and spongy consistency, sprinkled with powdered sugar it is even delicious just by itself! If you are…
Are you planning to visit Rome this summer? Don’t worry about being in the busy warm city the whole time, instead beat the heat by traveling to Rome’s beaches! You may have heard the common myth that there are no easily accessible beaches near Rome, but this is indeed a pure myth! Rome is surrounded…
In my 33 years as a resident of Rome I have seen many transformations and trends in Roman street food, but a few items will always and forever be staples of Roman Street Food: Pizza, Panini, Gelato e Grattachecche. Pizza Let me be clear: when I say pizza, I don’t mean just any pizza. I…
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was born on 29 September 1571 in Milan to Fermo Merixio and Lucia Aratori. His family moved to Caravaggio five years later to escape the plague. By the age of 13, Caravaggio was orphaned and in 1584 he began a four-year apprenticeship under the Milanese painter Simone Peterzano, who himself was…