Every time I plan a trip for one of my travelers, I advise a different method of transportation depending on the location where they’re going. Then, I often get the questions, “why can’t we rent a car?” or “why can’t we take the train?” The...
More infoFinding Light in the Darkness
When I saw down to write this article, I certainly wanted to acknowledge the world health crisis we are all experiencing; however, I did not want to write a news report as there are plenty of those out there. Instead, I decided to ask my friends...
More infoBucatina all’Amatriciana Recipe
An all Roman dish that will give you the acquolina in bocca! Ingredients: Bucatini Guanciale Tomato puree Pecorino cheese __ Cut the guanciale in small pieces. In a big pan, brown it with a bit of olive oil over medium heat until the fat of the...
More infoPompeii: The Tragedy that Made History
Pompeii was established in the 7th century B.C. in the lands of the Samnite society. The Samnite were an ancient people who lived in south-central Italy. They warred against the Romans until ceding power in the 1st century B.C. The city of...
More infoItalian Grammar: Essere or Avere?
If you’ve been taking lessons for me for a while, you should be pretty familiar with the choice of the auxiliary verb in the passato prossimo tense. However, there are a few verbs that are tricky and use both auxiliaries, depending on the...
More infoLa Settimana Bianca
Before we begin, what is the “white week?” Just like the name suggests, “la settimana bianca” is a week-long vacation that most Italians take every year in January or February to go ski with their family and friends immersed in the fluffy white...
More infoEasy Torrone Recipe
If you are feeling ambitious, you should try making last year’s recipe of the classic Pandoro Veronese; a must during the holidays for every Italian family. This year’s recipe is much simpler and really hard to mess up so get your hands chocolaty...
More infoItalian Grammar: The Essere & Andare Dilemma
I often ask my students how their weekend was or a particular event I knew they had, and the answer always gets very confusing. This is where we step into one of the many cultural aspects of the language. The question, “how was it?” and the...
More infoI peperoni in padella
Who doesn’t love some colorful and tasty peppers? Well, even if you think you’re not a fan, please try this simple and delicious recipe and I guarantee you, you will change your mind! This is my go-to dish when I’m almost out of everything and...
More infoArquà Petrarca e la Festa dell’Olio
The small town of Arquà Petrarca, in the province of Padova, made it on the list of the Borghi più Belli d’Italia (most beautiful villages in Italy) not just for its stunning hilltop views and medieval streetscape but also for its culinary...
More infoMini Wine Donuts
Since October is the time of the grape harvest, the recipe for this month are the delicious wine donuts, flaky cookies typical of the Lazio region. Ingredients for 50/60 mini donuts: 1/8 cup of red wine 1/8 cup of olive oil 1 cup sugar Flour 00...
More infoItalian Grammar: Ora, Tempo o Volta?
There is a lot of confusion with the word “time” since in Italian there are three words that it translates into: ora, tempo and volta. Ora means “hour” and “now,” although in English it also translates as “time.” It is used to refer to a: –...
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