Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Sage
Filed Under Food History, Recipes Italy
We love pasta in almost any shape or size, and homemade egg pasta, or "pasta all'uovo," is one of our favorites, and one you will probably learn during our cooking vacations in Italy. There are versions of this pasta made from Tuscany to Puglia, from Sicily to the Veneto. You can use the same pasta recipe for lasagna noodles, or cut the pasta sheets to make long noodles of different… Read
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The History of Tortellini: Emilia Romagna Cooking Vacations
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History Italy
Pastas abound in Italy, but none quite have the legend that tortellini does. The navel-shaped pasta has an origin story unlike any other. And while tellings of this legend vary, the basics remain the same. That is, when a sixteenth-century innkeeper in the Italian town of Castelfranco Emilia once saw the naked navel of Venus, the goddess of love, he created a tribute to her in the form of a… Read
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Spectacular Spoleto with Richard di San Marzano
Filed Under Destination Features, Interviews Italy
Today we're thrilled to offer a guest blog by our long time collaborator, artist and curator Richard di San Marzano of Spoleto. He leads and perfectly organizes every aspect of our Secrets of Spoleto culinary tour in Italy, in one of our very favorite towns. I started conducting unique and authentic culinary, art, and history tours based in Spoleto in the mid 90’s. Much of my inspiration came from my… Read
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In Honor of Spaghetti
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips Italy
To most people spaghetti is just that thin, long Italian noodle you put under meatballs and marinara sauce, but did you know that in Italy, spaghetti is rarely (if ever) served with a meatball, and that some say it's not even Italian at all? For those of you who think Marco Polo brought it over from China - wrong! A quick bit of research shows that pasta was around centuries… Read
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How to Order Coffee in Italy and Other Useful Coffee Tips
Filed Under Food History, Travel Tips Italy
Most people know that ordering coffee is not like ordering coffee in the US. Even in the age of Starbucks and other coffee houses, even with terms like "Americano," "Macchiato," and "Grande" tossed around, there is still a bit to learn when it comes to ordering coffee in Italy. Try a coffee with a slice of an Italian "torta della nonna." Coffee is a true cultural superstar in Italy. It… Read
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A Culinary Tour at Don Alfonso: The Cooking Classes
Filed Under Destination Features Italy
Today we feature a guest blog post by Chicago Tribune freelance writer David Sharos. David contacted us wanting a cooking vacation in Italy that was above and beyond his previous experiences, and we think his trip to Don Alfonso 1890 fit the bill perfectly! Read on to learn more about the food he made, the places he visited, and the people he met. The Cooking Classes Meals at Don Alfonso’s… Read
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