Olio opens with classic Italian cuisine
No need to travel to the Twin Cities for a tasteful, elegant and mouthwatering Italian meal. Olio has made its emergence in the Hudson dining scene as a pop-up restaurant located at Pedro’s Del Este, 212 Walnut St. Monday and Tuesday, Riley Jackson and Luke Sawtell take over the space with their staff, transforming it into a dining experience for...
Italian American Stories - Frank Di Piero
Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. He has traveled to Italy many times and attended two study abroad programs in Italy, one in Roma and one in Firenze. He is the former President of The Harlem Avenue Italian & American Business Association and was on the committee to start an Italian American Studies Program at Loyola Un...
Discover the Modern Flavors of Italy at the New Speck Italian Eatery in Downtown Columbus
I feel like Columbus owes Delaware an apology. First one of the region’s best restaurants, Veritas, starts in Delaware before migrating to downtown Columbus. That frees up the space for Speck Italian Eatery to come along… and now that’s moved to Columbus as well. Can we assume that we might eventually get Cove, A Seafood Joint as well? Columbus has...
Air Force Staff Sergeant Steven Decker
Stationed in Italy during the Vietnam War, Steven Decker had a remarkable vantage point on the 1968 crisis in Czechoslovakia as an air traffic controller at the U.S. Air Base in Aviano. The middle of three children, Steven Decker was born in Chicago to Roy and Kathryn Tomasello Decker, who were living near North Avenue and Larrabee. When Decker was...
University of Toledo to host Italian Bowl this July
The Italian Bowl is headed to Ohio this July for the 42nd Italian Football League Championship game that will be played in Toledo. The game will take place on July 1 and will be played in the Glass Bowl on the campus of the University of Toledo. This will be the first time ever that the IFL Championship Game will be played outside of Europe. The ga...
Memories of Easters past
With the frigid temperatures (hopefully) a distant memory, we can now set our sights on the warmer months to come. The one pleasure of surviving a Chicago winter is planning to make the best possible use of the coming good weather. Right now, we’re in the midst of Lent which began on February 22, and we’re looking forward to our Easter celebration...
Where can I find the best Italian beef sandwich in Rockford?
The Italian beef sandwich may have originated in Chicago, but here’s the top 5 best Italian beef sandwiches in Rockford, according to Yelp. Italian beef dates back to the 1930s and consists of thin slices of seasoned roast beef served on a French toll. Sometimes, the sandwich is dipped in au jus or topped off with Chicago-style giardiniera, mozzare...
Detroit Based Rome Prize Fellow Brings Learnings from the American Academy to Her Students at Wayne State
DII had the unique pleasure of speaking with Elena Past, Professor of Italian at Wayne State University who has just completed a ten-month Rome Prize Fellowship from the American Academy in Italy. Each spring, the Academy awards the Rome Prize and Italian Fellowship to a group of 30 artists and scholars, after an application and juried process. The...
Ralph’s Italian Deli in Ishpeming back in business
Since 1986, Ralph’s Italian Deli in Ishpeming has been selling homemade Italian dishes to the U.P. community. Last March the store closed after announcing that it would condense and share the space on Palms Avenue with a new Fire Station Cannabis Co. location. Ralph’s Italian Deli Owner Bruno Gervasi expressed that the eatery spent the time remodel...
La Rocca's Imports and Specialties in village of Oregon brings Italy to your kitchen
Visitors to Dane County’s village of Oregon can now travel to the quaint countryside of Italy — except not via airplane or boat. The owners of La Rocca’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, which takes up 5,000 square feet on Oregon’s Janesville Street, launched La Rocca’s Imports and Specialties in December. The retail store, a cozy offshoot of the restaura...
One blessed moment
La Signora Vincenza Tomasello and her five daughters were busy shopping, baking and preparing their home for visitors on a very special day, a truly glorious day. The women were thrilled because it was March 19 — St. Joseph’s Day — but it was so much more than that. The year was 1946, World War II had finally ended and their men were home at last....
The Italian Trade Agency Goes Big at Chicago Collective
The Italian Trade Agency recently celebrated a momentous Chicago Collective menswear show, culminating in a stellar soirée at Chicago’s famed Adler Planetarium. Under the stars, in a wowing glass atrium overlooking Lake Michigan and a sparkling downtown Chicago, ITA hosted an exclusive gathering of its 62+ sponsored Italian brands representing the...