In Italy, surprisingly, Good Friday is not a holiday, but business as usual. Easter Sunday (Pasqua) and Monday are the big days with Easter Monday (Pasquetta – “little Easter”) being the holiday. This is good to keep in mind if you’re in Italy for Easter […]

  Ordering an Aperol Spritz always seems to start a trend. People see these fabulous orange drinks going by and they unleash their inner “When Harry Met Sally” and say, “I want what she’s having”! In honour of the anniversary of Risorgimento, (Italian Unification – […]

Most people have heard of Il Palio, the extremely famous horse race which is held in Siena every year on July 2 and August 16. Very few people of heard of Il Palio dei Somari, held every year in Torrita di Siena. Il Palio dei […]

Many people hate Valentine’s Day: Roses seem to triple in price overnight. Dinner reservations are difficult to get and are more expensive due to “special menus” to celebrate the day. The idea that “I don’t need a special day to tell my partner how much […]

Italian porchetta (sadly we are not making this) In Italy, I need a bumper sticker that says “I brake for porchetta trucks”. I have been known to make impromptu U-turns upon spotting a porchetta truck, to pick up sandwiches or sliced porchetta. Porchetta is not […]

The other day while I was walking Miss Corona, I passed by a local Italian pizza restaurant. The place was decorated like a 1950s Italian restaurant. Each table was topped with a red and white checkered tablecloth and a straw-bottomed wine bottle with a candle in it. Very […]

A recipe in honour of January 31 being National Eat Brussel Sprouts Day. Even if you hate brussels sprouts, as I did as a kid, you will love these. My niece liked them so much she asked if she could have the leftovers for her lunch […]