The European olive tree (Olea europaea) has come to symbolize, more than any plant, the essence of the Mediterranean region and its gardens. Growing from 8 -12 meters tall in the poorest, rockiest of soils and depending on ferocious Mediterranean sunshine, the olive tree has truly won the battle of […]
Author: Admin
Italian Use of Beans – Fagioli
The Fall is knocking at our doors, and we start feeling like getting all warm and cozy, even in the kitchen: soups take the place of salads, mature cheeses that of mozzarella and we all feel like eating more… Beans, in all their varieties and associated with a plethora of […]
Montefalco
Montefalco is a stunning town located in the heart of Umbria and offers some interesting attraction for tourists. Its ancient walls, cobbled streets and stone buildings, along with lovely examples of medieval architecture preserved in beautiful churches, are just some of the sights to see and treasure. Just across the Spoleto valley, Montefalco provides some of […]
Livorno
A bit of history of Livorno Antagonists of immigration and refugees would do well to study 17th and 18th century Italy, for its was during this period that Iberians sought shelter in Italy, and built a harbor that launched the country into the mainstream of maritime commerce. The indigenous population, […]
Italian Present Tense
ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS TEMPO PRESENTE – PRESENT TENSE Italian has one present tense – il Tempo Presente that is equivalent to two present tenses in English, present indicative (she lives) and present progressive (I’m writing). The present tense in Italian is formed by adding endings to the verbs. There […]
Wine Anyone?
We have seen on movies and television where the Lord of the manor summons the butler to retreat to the wine cellar for a bottle of wine. How impressed would your family and friends be if they discovered you had your own little wine cellar? Home wine cellars are becoming […]
A Tuscany Curiosity
The painter went on to say “In fact it is something that gives me lots of satisfaction”. “Why?” asked the peasant. “Because I imagine that this painting will be displayed in some important exhibition halls and lots of people will see it”. “Oh in that case…”. In the second […]
History of the Language
Italian is considered one of the most romantic and melodic languages in the history of the world. It is one of the more desirable languages to learn, and people from all around the world strive to master this enchanting tongue. The history of the Italian language actually illustrates the history of […]
Wine and Cheese Anybody?
Cheese Spoils the Taste of Wine Don’t waste your money on quality wine if you also intend to eat cheese at the same time. New research conducted at the University of California, Davis shows anyone who eats cheese first will find it nearly impossible to distinguish the subtle tastes […]
Pronunciation: Consonants
Most Italian consonant sound the same as in English. However, there are a few spelling peculiarities you should take notice of: c before an e or an i is always pronounced soft ch is always pronounced hard, as in the letter k ca, co, and cu are always pronounced hard For […]