Spending a weekend in Elba’s capital Portoferraio is the best introduction to the island, says Jane Gifford Mythology has it that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and love, was visiting one of her many lovers on the Italian mainland when she accidentally broke her string of pearls, and in doing so formed the Tuscan […]
This uplifting Walnut and chocolate tiramisù is a delicious dessert that can be made with leftover cake! This classic Italian dessert is served in most households in Italy over the festive season. Usually, it is made with a base of savoiardi biscuits. But as an alternative, this recipe is a great way to create a […]
In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull reports on the rise and – in hindsight at least, inevitable – fall of the Domino’s pizza chain in Italy, home of the handmade pizza Key words Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Cotta (cotto) alla perfezione Cooked to perfection Prosciutto […]
‘Latte’ seems like a fairly simple Italian word, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye… Latte (pl. latti) meaning ‘milk’. In English, we understand it to mean a delicious steamy coffee, but in Italian ‘latte‘ simply means ‘milk’. So, to avoid being handed a glass of the white stuff, ensure you […]
Adrian Mourby takes us on another of his guided walks around Venice with a visit to San Polo, the cradle of the city San Polo can claim to be where the modern archipelago of Venice began in the 9th century. While the administration of this great trading empire developed in the lower-lying sestiere of […]
‘Culaccino’ is an Italian word which sums up an irritating party phenomenon. We teach you the meaning of this word and how to use it… We all know this stain. The unsightly ring left on a wooden table when someone doesn’t use a coaster for their cold drink. It’s infuriating. Well, did you know that […]
The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region is home to many interesting secrets… Florence has so much history and culture to offer. Here’s our A-Z of all things Florence. ARNO The river that flows through central Florence begins at Monte Falterona in the Apennines and flows 241km from there to the Ligurian Sea. BOTTICELLI The prolific […]
Winter is a great time to visit Florence, and you will see the city in a new light – though if it does happen to snow while you’re there, you’ve been very lucky! You might not find an excuse to stop for a gelato quite as often, but you will avoid the worst of the […]
Gelato al limone Mario Matassa shares his recipe for this refreshing lemon ice cream Whoever said ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it’? On a hot summer’s evening, it can be hard to decide whether to end a meal with a either a refreshing sorbetto or an iced digestivo. With this recipe, you can […]
Mario Matassa shares his nonna’s popular summer recipe; grilled peppers with nodini This dish was often made for an evening meal, over the dying embers of a lunchtime grill. The sweetness of this Italian grilled peppers dish is complemented well by hot chilli peppers, while creamy nodini adds a cooling finish to the meal. This […]