Scoprendo l’Italia, un antenato alla volta

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / January 20, 2026 / Blog, Italian Translation /

Di Nia Gamble

Ciao! Mi chiamo Nia e sono di Queens, New York. Studiare l’italiano ha aperto una porta verso una cultura con cui mi sono sempre sentita legata, ma che non ho ancora avuto il privilegio di esplorare pienamente. Anche solo in classe, imparare la lingua è come scoprire pezzi della storia della mia famiglia materna, le tradizioni che li hanno formati e la ricca storia dei luoghi da cui provengono. Ogni nuova frase e regola grammaticale mi avvicina alla comprensione di un mondo che mi affascina profondamente.

Esplorare la cultura italiana a New York è stato altrettanto arricchente. Mi sono avvicinata a mia madre durante le nostre visite al Veniero’s Café a Manhattan, la sua pasticceria preferita dagli anni ’90, e visitando mostre d’arte dove mi sono innamorata dei lavori di Caravaggio e Gentileschi. Uno dei miei obiettivi è viaggiare nel comune di origine della mia famiglia, Sant’Angelo a Scala, per capire le loro vite quotidiane, i santi che veneravano e le civiltà che li hanno preceduti. Voglio anche comprendere meglio le decisioni che li hanno portati a lasciare un luogo di amore, tradizione e comunità per cercare una vita migliore.

In futuro, spero di portare con me la mia esperienza nel campo della salute e fare volontariato nelle comunità e negli ospedali locali in tutta Italia. Offrire servizio, imparare dai professionisti sanitari italiani e sostenere le popolazioni meno servite mi permetterebbe di unire i miei studi di italiano con il mio impegno nella medicina.

Discovering Italy, One Ancestor at a Time

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / January 20, 2026 / Blog /

By Nia Gamble

Ciao! Mi chiamo Nia e sono di Queens, New York. Studying Italian has opened a doorway into a culture I’ve long felt connected to but have not yet had the privilege to fully explore. Even from inside the classroom, learning the language feels like discovering pieces of my maternal family’s story, the traditions that shaped them, and the rich history embedded in the regions they came from. Every new phrase and grammar rule brings me closer to understanding a world that has deeply fascinated me.

Exploring Italian culture in New York has been just as enriching. I’ve bonded with my mother over trips to Veniero’s Café in Manhattan, her favorite Pasticceria since the 1990s as well as visiting art exhibits and falling in adoration with the works of Caravaggio and Gentileschi. One of my goals is to travel to my family’s commune of origin, Sant’ Angelo a Scala, to understand their everyday lives, the saints they venerated, and the civilizations that came before them. I also want to better understand the decisions they made to leave a place of love, tradition, and community to seek a better life.

In the future, I hope to bring my healthcare experience with me and volunteer in local communities and hospitals across Italy. Engaging in service, learning from Italian healthcare professionals, and supporting underserved populations. This would allow me to bridge my studies in Italian with my commitment to medicine.

La Dolce Vita in a Bottle: Discover Italy’s Perfume Magic

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / December 15, 2025 / Blog /

By Bianca Harmetz

When you think of luxury fragrance, France tends to steal the spotlight—Chanel, Dior, YSL and their irresistible Parisian allure. But pause for a moment: Italy has been weaving its own magic with scent for centuries, and its fragrance world is every bit as enchanting. From Renaissance apothecaries to captivating boutiques in Florence, Naples, Milan, and beyond, Italian perfumery is pure artistry.

A Renaissance Scent Saga

Picture Florence in the 1300s: a vibrant city where art, fashion, and fragrance flourished. While France experimented with simple oils, Italian monks and apothecaries were already perfecting the alchemy of perfume. Back then, friars blended herbs, citrus, and florals into potions so alluring they bewitched royalty.

The Officina di Santa Maria Novella, founded in 1221, remains the world’s oldest pharmacy—and still crafts divine scents today.

When Catherine de’ Medici married Henry II of France in 1533, she brought her personal profumiere, Renato Bianco, to court, forever imprinting Italy’s fragrance mastery onto French soil. That’s practically the origin story of European glamour.

Venice, at the heart of the spice trade, took perfumery even further with Aqua Mirabilis—one of the earliest alcohol-based perfumes, stored of course in breathtaking Murano glass bottles.

Florence’s Fragrant Heart

Florence is still the soul of Italian perfumery. Wander into Santa Maria Novella (Via della Scala, 16) and step into a Renaissance dreamscape, where gilded shelves cradle bottles of Acqua della Regina, the citrusy scent once loved by Catherine de’ Medici herself.

For a more personal touch, visit AquaFlor Firenze (Borgo S. Croce, 6), a stunning artisanal house crafting bespoke perfumes inside a hidden palazzo. Or explore Lorenzo Villoresi (Via de’ Bardi, 12), where the on-site perfume museum overflows with delicious potions, and the staff treats fragrance selection like a sacred art.

Naples, Trieste & Beyond

Southern Italy boasts Profumeria Artigianale (Corso Umberto I, Naples), a niche fragrance haven that Carrie’s cult favorites like Xerjoff and Nasomatto. Shopping here feels less like a transaction and more like discovering your scent soulmate, guided by experts.

Up north, Profumeria Essenza (Via Genova, 21, Trieste) is a family-run boutique where a mother-daughter duo lovingly curates hard-to-find fragrances creating a personalized experience that leaves you feeling like part of the family.

In Milan, stop at 50 ml (Via Madonnina, 17), a sleek boutique where fragrance discovery feels effortlessly chic—or Campomarzio70 (Via Brera, 2), which showcases curated selections from cult brands.

If you’re enchanted by Venetian romance, don’t miss The Merchant of Venice flagship store, housed in a historic palazzo near San Marco. This luxury brand draws inspiration from the city’s ancient trade routes and showcases perfumes in dazzling Murano glass bottles. They even offer perfumery workshops, where visitors can create their own custom scents—a dream experience for any fragrance lover.

Fashion’s Fragrant Influence

Italy’s fashion icons have helped keep its perfume heritage in the spotlight. Though global brands like Armani’s Sì and Prada’s Infusion d’Iris are often produced abroad, they embody an unmistakable Italian elegance. Their success has paved the way for boutique perfumers and indie brands to claim their space on the world stage—and trust us, their scents are next-level.

Italian Scents to Fall For

Italy’s perfumers know how to bottle poetry. Add these to your fragrance wardrobe:

Bianco Latte by Giardini di Toscana: A cult favorite among fragrance lovers—think creamy caramel, smoky white chocolate, and dreamy vanilla.
L’Erbolario Dolcelisir: Sweet vanilla, caramel, and orange blossom combine in a fragrance that’s basically an Italian dessert in a bottle.
Casamorati Lira by Xerjoff: A glamorous blend of blood orange, caramel, and vanilla that’s made for summer nights.
Francesca Dell’Oro Need a Name: Bright grapefruit and lemon drift into delicate florals, capturing the spirit of the Amalfi Coast.

Timeless Colognes for Him (Or You!)

Acqua di Parma Colonia: Crisp citrus and soothing lavender—an effortless classic since 1916.
Santa Maria Novella Acqua di Colonia Melograno: A spicy, sophisticated pomegranate scent that feels like wearing a velvet blazer.
Tiziana Terenzi Orion: A luminous blend of pineapple, bergamot, and woods— an Italian summer on your skin.

La Dolce Vita in Bottiglia: alla scoperta della magia del profumo italiano

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / December 15, 2025 / Blog, Italian Translation /

Di Bianca Harmetz

Quando si pensa ai profumi di lusso, la Francia tende a rubare la scena: Chanel, Dior, YSL e la loro irresistibile allure parigina. Un momento però: l’Italia esercita da secoli la sua magia con le fragranze, e il suo universo olfattivo è altrettanto incantevole. Dalle botteghe rinascimentali alle eleganti profumerie di Firenze, Napoli, Milano e oltre, la profumeria italiana è da non perdere.

Una saga profumata del Rinascimento

Immaginate Firenze nel Trecento: una città vibrante in cui arte, moda e profumi fiorivano. Mentre in Francia si sperimentava con semplici oli, i monaci e gli speziali italiani perfezionavano già l’alchimia del profumo. A quel tempo, i frati mescolavano erbe, agrumi e fiori in pozioni così seducenti da incantare i sovrani.

L’Officina di Santa Maria Novella, fondata nel 1221, resta la farmacia più antica del mondo—e ancora oggi produce fragranze divine.

Quando Caterina de’ Medici andò in sposa ad Enrico II di Francia nel 1533, portò con sé il suo profumiere personale, Renato Bianco, lasciando per sempre l’impronta olfattiva italiana sul suolo francese. È praticamente l’atto di nascita del glamour europeo.

Venezia, cuore del commercio delle spezie, spinse la profumeria ancora più avanti con l’Aqua Mirabilis, uno dei primi profumi a base alcolica, che veniva custodito ovviamente in spettacolari flaconi di vetro di Murano.

Il cuore profumato di Firenze

Firenze rimane l’anima della profumeria italiana. Entrare alla Santa Maria Novella (Via della Scala, 16) significa immergersi in un sogno rinascimentale, con scaffali dorati che custodiscono flaconi di Acqua della Regina, la fragranza agrumata prediletta da Caterina de’ Medici.

Per un tocco più personale, si può visitare AquaFlor Firenze (Borgo S. Croce, 6), una straordinaria maison artigianale che crea profumi su misura all’interno di un palazzo nascosto. O scoprire Lorenzo Villoresi (Via de’ Bardi, 12), dove il museo del profumo trabocca di pozioni deliziose e il personale tratta la scelta della fragranza come un’arte sacra.

Napoli, Trieste & oltre

Il Sud Italia ospita la Profumeria Artigianale (Corso Umberto I, Napoli), un tempio della profumeria di nicchia che propone cult brand come Xerjoff e Nasomatto. Qui fare shopping non è un semplice acquisto, ma la scoperta della propria anima olfattiva, guidati da veri esperti.

Nell’Italia del Nord, la Profumeria Essenza (Via Genova, 21, Trieste) è una boutique a conduzione familiare in cui madre e figlia scelgono con amore fragranze rare, offrendo un’esperienza intima e personale che fa sentire parte della famiglia.

A Milano, da 50 ml (Via Madonnina, 17), la scoperta del profumo è chic e nonchalant, mentre Campomarzio70 (Via Brera, 2) espone selezioni curate dei marchi cult.

Per chi ama la magia veneziana, imperdibile il flagship store di The Merchant of Venice, ospitato in un palazzo storico vicino a San Marco. Questo marchio di lusso trae ispirazione dalle antiche rotte commerciali della Serenissima e presenta profumi in splendidi flaconi di vetro di Murano. Offrono persino workshop di profumeria, dove creare la propria fragranza personalizzata: un sogno per ogni amante dei profumi.

L’influenza profumata della moda

Le icone della moda italiana hanno contribuito a mantenere viva la tradizione olfattiva del Paese. Sebbene fragranze globali come Sì di Armani o Infusion d’Iris di Prada siano spesso prodotte all’estero, incarnano un’eleganza inconfondibilmente italiana. Il loro successo ha aperto la strada a profumieri di nicchia e brand indipendenti, oggi protagonisti sulla scena internazionale—con creazioni davvero straordinarie.

Profumi italiani da amare

Per te:

Bianco Latte – Giardini di Toscana: un cult —pensa a caramello cremoso, cioccolato bianco affumicato e vaniglia onirica.
Dolcelisir – L’Erbolario: vaniglia, caramello e fiori d’arancio in una fragranza che è un dessert italiano in bottiglia.
Casamorati Lira – Xerjoff: un blend di arancia rossa, caramello e vaniglia, perfetto per le serate estive.
Need a Name – Francesca Dell’Oro: pompelmo e limone luminosi che si fondono a fiori delicati, catturando lo spirito della Costiera Amalfitana.

Colonie senza tempo per lui (o per te!)

Acqua di Parma Colonia: agrumi frizzanti e lavanda rilassante—un classico intramontabile dal 1916.
Acqua di Colonia Melograno – Santa Maria Novella: un sofisticato melograno speziato, come indossare un blazer di velluto.
Orion – Tiziana Terenzi: ananas, bergamotto e legni luminosi— un’estate italiana sulla pelle!

How Immigrants Are Changing Italian Cuisine

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / November 21, 2025 / Blog /

Francesca Montillo, The Lazy Italian.

See the original post HERE

For centuries, Italy has been celebrated as the land of pasta, pizza, and passion for food. But like its art, architecture, and language, Italian cuisine has never stood still. It’s a living tradition that evolves with every generation — and today, one of the biggest forces shaping it is immigration.

In recent decades, newcomers from Africa, Albania, Morocco, and other parts of the world have made Italy their home. They’ve brought their ingredients, their cooking styles, and their own stories of migration and resilience. The result? A quiet revolution on the Italian table — one that is adding new flavors and perspectives to the country’s beloved food culture.

In this post we will take a closer look at how immigrant communities are influencing what Italians eat, how they cook, and how they think about food.

A New Chapter in the Italian Food Story

To understand this transformation, it helps to remember that Italian cuisine has always been about mixing and adapting. Tomatoes, for example, came from the Americas; coffee arrived through trade with the Arab world. Even pasta, often thought of as purely Italian, has ancient roots stretching across Asia and the Middle East.

So, when immigrants began arriving in larger numbers in the late 20th century — from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans — it was only natural that new ingredients and ideas would eventually find their way into Italian kitchens. Food has always been a bridge between cultures.

The African Touch: From Spices to Street Food

North African Influence

Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt are geographically close to Italy, especially to Sicily and the southern coasts. These ties go back centuries through trade and cultural exchange. But the more recent wave of North African immigrants has made this influence much more visible.

In Sicily, for instance, you can find couscous di pesce — fish couscous — on the menu in Trapani. While locals proudly claim it as Sicilian, its roots are clearly Arab. The use of semolina grains steamed and served with seafood broth reflects the blend of Arabic and Italian coastal traditions. Moroccan and Tunisian migrants have helped preserve and spread this dish, giving new life to an ancient fusion.

Cumin, coriander, and harissa — once exotic in Italy — are now stocked in southern supermarkets and used by Italian home cooks looking to experiment. Restaurants run by Moroccan families in Rome and Naples are introducing dishes like tajine di verdure (vegetable stew) alongside Italian favorites, creating a growing taste for slow-cooked, spice-infused food.

Sub-Saharan Contributions

From Nigeria, Senegal, and Eritrea, migrants have brought a love for richly seasoned stews and grilled meats. In cities like Milan and Turin, small African markets now supply cassava, plantains, and palm oil — ingredients once impossible to find in Italy.

Ethiopian restaurants, popular among both immigrants and Italians, have introduced injera (spongy flatbread) and spicy lentil dishes into Italian urban food culture. These cuisines appeal to Italians’ appreciation for strong, balanced flavors and communal dining — everyone sharing from the same plate.

Even Italian street food is evolving: in some neighborhoods, kebabs, samosas, and spicy grilled chicken are replacing the traditional panino con prosciutto as quick, affordable snacks.

The Albanian Connection: Humble Ingredients, Big Heart

The story of Albanians in Italy is one of closeness and cultural exchange. The Adriatic Sea separates the two countries by just a few hours’ ferry ride. Large waves of Albanian immigrants began arriving in the 1990s, bringing with them simple, hearty foods that resonate with Italian sensibilities.

Albanian cooking is based on bread, dairy, and vegetables — all familiar ingredients to Italians. But the ways they’re prepared add new twists. Take byrek, a savory pie filled with spinach, cheese, or meat, similar to Italy’s torta salata. It’s become popular in southern Italian towns with Albanian communities, sold in bakeries right beside focaccia and calzone.

Many Albanians work in agriculture, restaurants, and bakeries, helping sustain Italy’s food production and hospitality industries. They’ve influenced not just recipes but also the rhythms of Italian food life — from vineyards in Puglia to cafés in Milan.

And while Albanians have embraced Italian cuisine wholeheartedly, they’ve also quietly enriched it with their own flavors, creating dishes that blend both worlds: pasta stuffed with feta and herbs, or risotto flavored with Balkan spices.

The Kamastra Restaurant was founded in July 1995 in Civita, an Arbëresh village in the province of Cosenza in Calabria. Picture Credit: Kamastra Restaurant Official Facebook Page.

Morocco’s Sweet Revolution

Italy has always loved sweets — think of cannoli, tiramisu, or panettone. Moroccan immigrants have brought new dimensions to Italian pastry culture, especially in urban centers.

Moroccan desserts like chebakia (honey-coated cookies) or sellou (toasted flour and almond mix) are now common at multicultural festivals and markets. Their intricate use of almonds, honey, and orange blossom water resonates with traditional Italian tastes from Sicily and Sardinia, where similar ingredients have been used since Arab rule in the Middle Ages.

But what’s new is how these sweets are reinterpreted: Italian pastry chefs experiment by blending chebakia’s spices into biscotti or drizzling panettone with honey and sesame — a nod to Moroccan influences. It’s a dialogue of flavors that respects both traditions while creating something original.

Multicultural Kitchens: A New Italian Identity

In many Italian cities today, immigrant chefs are redefining what “Italian food” means. A Somali chef might prepare pasta al sugo with cloves and cardamom. A Moroccan pizzaiolo could top a pizza with lamb and mint yogurt. An Albanian might serve lasagna alla byrek at her family’s restaurant.

These fusions aren’t gimmicks — they’re reflections of real lives lived between cultures. They show how food adapts to migration, and how Italy’s own culinary tradition — rooted in simplicity and local pride — naturally welcomes change.

Italian cuisine has always been regional: pesto in Liguria, risotto in Lombardy, arancini in Sicily. Now, you can add a new “region” — multicultural Italy — where menus are as diverse as the people who cook them.

Riad Yacout in Milan is a lavish three-floor Moroccan-themed restaurant where ornate décor, live entertainment and Maghreb-Mediterranean cuisine combine for a dramatic evening experience. Picture Credit: Riad Yacout Official Facebook Page.

Challenges and Acceptance

Of course, this blending hasn’t always been easy. For many years, immigrant cuisines were seen as “foreign” or cheap. African and Albanian restaurants often catered mainly to their own communities. But that is changing.

Younger Italians are curious and open to trying new flavors. Food festivals celebrating multiculturalism are drawing crowds. TV chefs and food bloggers highlight immigrant-run restaurants. The Italian word “contaminazione” — once negative — is now celebrated as a creative force in cooking.

And beyond taste, there’s a deeper shift: Italians are recognizing how immigrants sustain the very industries that make their cuisine famous — picking tomatoes, making cheese, cooking in restaurants, and running bakeries. Food is both cultural expression and livelihood.

A Shared Table for the Future

What’s happening in Italy today is not just a culinary trend — it’s a reflection of how societies grow through exchange. When an Italian grandmother in Palermo adds a pinch of cumin to her tomato sauce, or a Moroccan family enjoys spaghetti at Sunday lunch, they are participating in the same story: food as a language of connection.

In a world where migration often sparks fear or division, Italy’s kitchens offer another perspective — one of collaboration, flavor, and humanity. The evolving Italian cuisine is proof that identity is not lost through change; it becomes richer.

So, the next time you savor a pizza with harissa, a couscous with local fish, or a pastry scented with orange blossom, remember: you’re tasting the modern history of Italy — a story written not just by Italians, but by everyone who now calls Italy home.

Le Mille e Una Notte in Rome serves Lebanese, Syrian, and Maghreb cuisine.
Picture Credit: Le Mille e Una Notte Official Facebook Page.