Cummari: The Sicilian Word All Women Should Recognize
I don’t have a sister and I never wanted one. Growing up with three brothers, being the only girl meant being the center of attention at all times. I had the luxury of being both a mummy’s girl and a daddy’s girl. I never thought I needed a sister. As I grow older, I realize the reason I didn’t need one is that I was lucky enough to make strong fem...
Italians in America – Our Immigrant Stories: Newark restaurateurs owe their success to two things – perseverance and a food critic
Giuseppe Martuscelli immigrated to America from Santa Maria di Castellabate in 1967. Once here he began work as a cook. On weekends, in the little spare time he had, he would attend the dance-hall get-togethers in South Philadelphia. It was there that he met Anna, also an immigrant from the Salerno area, in Castel San Giorgio. They married in 1973...
Francis Ford Coppola reveals the unexpected reason The Godfather became a classic
Francis Ford Coppola has revealed the unexpected reason he believes The Godfather became one of the most successful films of all time – and it has nothing to do with mobsters, violence, or even Marlon Brando. The 85-year-old director, whose 1972 gangster epic won three Academy Awards and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, cr...
How To Start Drinking Amaro If You're New To Italian Liqueurs
Limoncello, amaretto di Saronno, and Sambuca are famous Italian liqueurs known as digestivos (or digestifs). They are enjoyed after a sumptuous meal while chatting with dinner companions. One extremely popular digestivo that you may not have tried yet is amaro ("bitter" in Italian). There are hundreds of different amari that are distilled from the...
Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening Heads To Texas with Italian Wine Podcast
The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani hosts the highly anticipated fourth edition of the Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening (BBWO), culminating with a Grand Tasting event at the Branch Park Pavillion in Austin, Texas on 25 March 2025 involving over 160 producers. In addition, the Barolo & Barbaresco Academy has delivered e...
Making connections
Never underestimate the power of one person to make a difference, especially if that person has the vision, drive and reach of Pat Capriati. In a matter of months, Capriati was able to conjure an American-Italian Sister Cities relationship out of thin air, bringing together good people on both sides of the Atlantic who otherwise never would have me...
I moved to Italy after grinding in tech jobs at Google and TikTok. I'm now living my dream life.
In May 2023, on a regional train from Naples to Pompeii, I was reading a memoir by an American woman. She'd moved to Naples for an internship, met the love of her life, and, despite regularly indulging in ragù and sfogliatella (a sweet pastry), had somehow lost 20 pounds. Lucky her, I thought with admiration and slight envy. I, on the other hand, f...
Monteverde Celebrates Its 10th Birthday With Specials All Year
Chicago’s best restaurant (at least according to our esteemed dining writers) is turning 10 this year! Monteverde, chef Sarah Grueneberg’s love letter to all things Italian, continues to get accolades year after year, and the restaurant is doing something special to celebrate its anniversary. I sat down with Grueneberg to talk about the restaurant,...
Baltimore's Little Italy Enhances Safety with New Surveillance Network and Lighting Upgrades
To escalate safety and security within Baltimore's Little Italy, neighborhood leaders have heralded the inception of a new network of surveillance cameras. According to WMAR2 News, these cameras have been strategically mounted and linked to a centralized hub, designed to be easily accessible to local law enforcement and the community to bolster the...
The foundation of the Giovanni Treccani institute and the creation of the enciclopedia italiana
The foundation of the Giovanni Treccani Institute on February 18, 1925, marked the first step in the creation of the Enciclopedia Italiana di scienze, lettere ed arti, known as the Enciclopedia Italiana or simply La Treccani. One hundred years ago, the groundwork was laid for what would become a monumental work dedicated to Italian culture. ...
Five years ago, Italy officially entered the nightmare of Covid
Five years have passed exactly— for some, it feels like many more, for others, it feels like just yesterday. Italy had already been watching images coming from China for weeks, with deserted cities due to the lockdown, and no one imagined it could happen to us, that a pandemic could take 197,000 Italians. Life went on as usual: the Sanremo Festival...
O.C. judge sides with Italian mom in custody dispute that has transfixed a nation
Six months after an American man whisked his infant son out of Italy against the mother’s wishes and deliberately withheld the child’s whereabouts, a federal judge ruled this week that the mother can return with the child to her native Italy. The plight of the mother, 46-year-old Claudia Ciampa, has attracted widespread sympathy in Italy, as well a...