Blog – Page 22

“Searching for Italy” di Stanley Tucci andrà in onda domenica, non mancare!

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / April 30, 2022 / Blog /

Dopo più di un anno dall’ultimo episodio, la seconda stagione di “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” andrà in onda domenica primo maggio alle 21.00 EST sulla CNN.

La serie è un incredibile viaggio attraverso le tradizioni regionali italiane e deve il suo successo a Stanley Tucci, ai paesaggi pittoreschi, al cibo e alle persone.La prima stagione non ha solo presentato uno chef di prestigio come Massimo Bottura, proprietario e chef presso il premiato con tre stelle Michelin ristorante “Osteria Francescana” a Modena, ma ha anche messo in luce imprese familiari locali che, durante il lockdown, hanno attraversato un momento difficile.

Nella serie, Tucci viaggia per l’Italia esplorando diverse regioni e provando il cibo locale. “Searching for Italy” presenta al pubblico le caratteristiche uniche di ogni città: Napoli offre la sua esuberanza e i suoi colori vivaci, Milano è cosmopolita, Bologna “La Grassa” vanta una longeva tradizione culinaria così come un’affermata comunità accademica e la grandiosità di Roma e della sua storia è leggendaria.Ogni regione italiana offre caratteristiche uniche e doni imperdibili per i viaggiatori.

Lo stile, la storia, l’eleganza e la tradizione culinaria italiani si fondano sprigionando un esplosione di sapori e colori.

Le regioni italiane sono profondamente diverse l’una dall’altra e per questo motivo il tentativo di Tucci di rappresentare questa diversità è assolutamente notevole.

A partire dal primo maggio, Tucci visiterà, tra le altre località, l’Umbria, il Piemonte e Venezia.

Non vediamo l’ora di prendere parte al viaggio di Stanley Tucci alla scoperta dei panorami, le melodie e i sapori dell’Italia. Buon appetito!

Contemporary Easter Traditions in Italy

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / April 16, 2022 / Blog /

In Italy, Easter is one of the most relevant festivities under many different points of views. Families gather again since the last big family reunion on Christmas’ Day, the shop shelves are populated by colorful chocolate eggs and “colombe” (the traditional dove-shaped Easter cake), and Christians are getting ready to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Easter time is a busy period in Italy, but it is my favorite time of the year. The weather is sunny and warm, but not too hot, and people usually have time off from their jobs or from school so they can enjoy the good weather around the city. I take advantage of the Easter holiday to meet with my friends and to celebrate with my family.

On Sunday, Italians celebrate Pasqua (Easter) with family and friends, and on Monday they celebrate Pasquetta (Easter Monday) with friends having lunch together or going for a trip out of town. Italians also value the religious connotation of this day. The “Settimana della Passione” or “Settimana Santa” (Holy Week”) starts on the evening of “Domenica delle Palme” (Palm Sunday) and concludes on Easter Sunday. On Palm Sunday, Italian Catholics commemorate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem by holding in their hands a small olive branch during the mass which is going to be blessed by the priests with holy water. On “Giovedì Santo” (Maundy Thursday” or Holy Thursday) commemorates the Last Supper and the mass celebrated on this day inaugurates the “Triduo Pasquale” (Easter Triduum) and priests celebrate the rite of washing the feet. The “Venerdì Santo” (Good Friday) commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and his death. It is common in Italy to perform a procession known as Via Crucis (literally, “the way of the cross”) as a commonly-shared time of reflection and prayers.

In many areas including mine, the procession is led by a small group of men carrying crosses. The most famous Italian Via Crucis is the one taking place in Rome. The Pope leaves the Saint Peter’s Basilica at 5pm and he starts the walk making the 14 Stations of the Cross. The procession starts at the Palatine Hill and ends at the Colosseum, and it is often aired on TV. On “Sabato Santo” (Holy Saturday) the Easter Vigil begins. In many Italian cities, the celebrations of the Easter Vigil can last up to four or five hours and it is celebrated with moments of deep silence and prayer. Finally, on Sunday, Easter is celebrated. Easter Day celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the big Easter lunch, celebrations are not over. Italians love to spend Pasquetta (Easter Monday) with their loved ones and going for a one-day-trip out of town or having a “grigliata” (barbecue).

I believe that Easter has remained one of the most authentic feasts celebrated in Italy, with different traditions standing the proof of time along the peninsula. Such variety reflects on traditional foods, religious ceremonies and family traditions. What does not change from region to region is for sure the Colomba, the traditional Easter cake topped with almonds and pearl sugar. The dough is very similar to panettone’s, but it is fashioned into a dove-shaped cake. The cake takes its name after the bird that is a sign of peace, the dove (la colomba).

Chocolate eggs can be found in every supermarket from North to South. Children love them, not only for the delicious chocolate but also for the toys contained in each chocolate egg. Among the most famous ones, Kinder, Lindt and Ferrero Rocher are the most loved ones both by children and grown-ups.

It could be stated that both national and local Easter traditions exist, which makes it difficult to comprehensively present the variety of traditions existing in all the Italian regions. I have asked my friends who live in different areas to write a short paragraph about relevant Easter traditions in their towns. As an Italian, it has been incredible to witness such diversity in terms of rituals, traditions and food. The following represent a few of the traditions described by my friends who live in various areas of Italy.

Please send me your reactions to these descriptions in the comments.

My name is Federico, and I was born in the North of Italy in a small town close to the border with Switzerland. Easter is for me a special time of the year because it reminds me of my childhood years with my friends. As a child, I used to spend Easter with my family at my Grandparents’ house. My grandma would cook the rabbit stew and potatoes, salad, a small aperitivo and we would spend hours and hours sitting at the table waiting for my favorite moment to happen: opening the Easter eggs. Easter chocolate eggs are a big thing here in Italy, especially for children. I loved the feeling of finding a small toy that we call “sorpresa” in the chocolate egg. There was always some kind of competition going on with my cousins to see who had the best toy. On that day, I used to eat a lot of chocolate and my favourite one was the Kinder one. Kinder chocolate was truly delicious, and I remember asking my grandma for one egg chocolate only, but Kinder. Another sweet I loved was (and still is) the Lindt Chocolate bunny, the one wrapped in golden paper and with the small bell pending on its neck. The quality of the chocolate is very high, and this is what I value not only on Easter day but also on all the other days.

I am Marttia and I live in the Lazio Region, Ceprano, close to Rome. When I think about Easter I think about family, religion and obviously food. In my family, we make and eat the Pigna. Pigna is the short form of Pigna Pasquale. I don’t know a lot about the story of this cake, but it’s common to eat it in the Southern and Central regions of Italy. The kind of Pigna I ate is the “rustica” one that my aunts and grandmas make every Easter, we sometimes eat it also in the days before Easter during the Holy Week. The Pigna is a cake that has the shape of a ring, but it’s thick and in the middle there’s one hard-boiled egg, on the surface the cake is sprinkled with sugar coated almonds (confetti) and a withe, sweet glaze.

Ciao! My name is Giuseppe and I am from Campania, in the South of Italy. In my area, Easter is very important and the most famous and traditional cake is called “pastiera napoletana”. It’s very easy to get a pastiera from your local pasticceria or if you have time, you can bake it yourself. Personally, I don’t have time to do it myself but my grandma used to bake it every year. Another traditional dish is the Casatiello.Casatiello is a savoury dish originary from the Campania Region and it is usually stuffed with Salame Campano and Pecorino cheese. Both the salame and the pecorino should be diced and mixed with the dough, but the most important thing is the placement of the four raw eggs on the surface. They don’t have to be too close and they have to be “caged” by two stripes of extra dough each. I am looking forward to going back to my family this Easter and seeing my parents and relatives.

My name is Giuseppe and I’m from Sardinia. Sardinia is an Island with strong traditions rooted in the territory. Among the most common Easter traditions, S’Iscravamentu is one of the most loved by the locals. During this religious ceremony, the Holy Cross is placed in front of the eyes of the crying Virgin Mary. S’Iscravamentu is usually celebrated on Good Friday and it is accompanied by songs in Sardinian. The ceremony begins with a procession where the male participants symbolize Giuseppe and Nicodemo d’Arimatea. During the procession, two trays are carried: the first one with a hammer and a pincer, and the second one with a white bed sheet. The whole ritual happens in silence and it ends at the main Church, and the choir sings “Miserere di Cristo” and the voices of the people accompany the burial of Jesus’ body. One of the members of the clergy stays awake throughout the night, and watches over the Holy Sepulcher. This is meant to represent the death of Jesus on Good Friday, before the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Pasta: How it Was and Should Always Be

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / April 15, 2022 / Blog /

By Gabriele Lombardo, a passionate wine expert from Sicily, Italy, studying at WSET 3 while working on many projects, all connected to international tourism. His love for story-telling brought him to the writing world which, together with his acting experience, helped him develop a charismatic style, both in person and on paper.

A few days ago, during one of my age-long discussions with my chef (and mother) about the pros and cons of pasta dishes, we both realized that I still had to write something about it and, being in Italy, that was not acceptable. Mother reminded me that there’s an amazing ‘Pastificio’ with a Sicilian-only and hand-crafted pasta production literally fifteen minutes away from my place so we took the car and went straight for it, hoping that someone would bear my endless stream of questions.

After a brief car drive, we found ourselves in front of this intriguing building, surely a little old but still lively, only two stories tall but as long as a train. The welcoming looking alley showed us the way to the first available parking spot and, full of high expectations, we entered ‘Pas tificio Barbagallo.

I was wandering around, reading about ancient varieties of wheat, nutritional values and pasta-making techniques that I knew very little of when I decided it was time for questions. And it was exactly when I was about to test my luck with the first person I could find that a young woman wearing lab-like clothing showed up, waving her hands towards me.

Agata Barbagallo, heir to the Barbagallo legacy and current leader of the company, greeted me with energy that no covid mask could have hide before pointing out two empty chairs and sitting on one of them. From then on, I let myself get carried away with the enthusiasm that followed each of my many questions, barely able to write down the river-like flow of information aimed at me.

: The Building Factory

: From Wheat…

The building is more than 100 years old, built back in 1911 thanks to Agata’s grandfather, who bravely decided to turn the old family vineyard into the place we can see today and started the pasta-making business, together with the grinding of wheat and the extraction of essences from many fruits and flowers, which they exported all the way around the EU.

Always putting a lot of effort on sharing all the knowledge they gathered during the decades of activity, they kept on working with local farmers even when the world was moving towards massive productions, being loyal to their intent and finding themselves in a much nicer position now that the awareness of customers has risen quite noticeably.

But we’re still missing something. As if everything I told you wasn’t enough, there’s one more process that makes the real difference when we are talking about flavors and texture: Drying.

: to pasta made & drying…

: to beautifully made pasta..

We all know patience makes the difference in the kitchen and this is yet another proof of it: time and low temperatures will make sure your pasta will end up being soft on the outside but harder on the inner part.

Techniques and traditions are of utmost importance, but Agata and her sisters decided to take the business to another level, focusing on their ecological impact and producing not only organic, high-level pasta, but also a completely recyclable packaging for most of their products.

So, from Ancient Sicilian wheat varieties to soft, rich flours, ready to be turned into some of the best pasta you could find, everything happening here, following traditions but led by innovative thinking.

: And…the end result, buonissimo!

Georgetown University’s Il Circolo Italiano students celebrate Carnevale

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / March 9, 2022 / Blog /

The Georgetown University Il Circolo Italiano celebrated the Italian holiday of Carnevale on Tuesday, March 1. The word Carnevale comes from the latin expression carne-levare, meaning “to remove meat” or “to say farewell to meat”. The Carnevale refers to the period of the year before Lent , which is when Catholics abstain from eating meat until the arrival of Easter. Carnevale is often celebrated in Italy with dances, masquerades and celebrations.

Carnevale is a day that is particularly dear to Italians because it is a time to eat, dance, and spend time with friends and family before the restrictions of the Catholic Lent period begin. Celebrating this holiday in particular is wonderful for our students as it culminates Italian musical, culinary, artistic, and religious traditions into a single celebration. For Georgetown students, this event could not have come at a better time arriving just before midterm exams began.

In light of recent events in Ukraine and out of respect and solidarity towards the people of Ukraine and the greater European Union, Il Circolo Italiano chose to keep the event informative rather than celebratory. We distributed flyers that outlined the story of Carnevale and the customs surrounding the holiday to students of Italian. In Georgetown’s Italian courses, many students were particularly interested in the unique tradition of Carnevale masks. Finally, we enjoyed some homemade Chiacchiere, an Italian dessert that is typical of Carnevale.

“We were happy to have been able to spread awareness of such a beautiful holiday that many people know so little about. ” said Thomas, Il Circolo Italiano, Co-President.

What is Carnevale in Italy?

Carnevale is the last celebration before lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent has historically been the time before Easter when many Catholics deprive themselves of something they enjoy.

Celebrations are held all over Italy from Venice and Milan down into the villages and towns of Sicily. The celebration of Carnevale is the Italian version of Mardi Gras in New Orleans with oranges instead of bread. Many of the biggest celebrations are on Martedì Grasso aka Fat Tuesday.

Chiacchiere are crispy and fried pastries eaten over the Carnevale period. They are very crumbly sweet dessert loved by children and adults.

Did you know that their name changes depending on the region?

You may have heard of frappe in Rome, cenci in Toscana and sfrappole Emilia.

According to the recipe, the main ingredients are flour, sugar, eggs and butter.

In today’s Italian, “chiacchiere” means “chit chat”. The origin of the name is unknown, but it probably goes back to the Queen Margherita di Savoia who requested a dessert while chatting with her guests.

A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE

THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOUNDATION / March 5, 2022 / Blog /

Because Women’s International Day is this month, I wanted to share with all Italian language lovers the story of my amazing Italian professor at UC Berkeley, a truly international woman. After we moved to the U.S. from Italy when I was seven, I spent the next few years trying hard to fit into a culture I hadn’t grown up in. There was definitely a sign on my forehead that read “Clueless.” Also, to my surprise, I found out none of my school friends spoke any language but English, so, that put an end to my speaking Italian, despite my parents’ urging. I just knew speaking Italian was going to make me even more different from everyone than I already was. So, I locked up my precious Italian language in my memory bank, hesitating to even peek inside, afraid it would make me too sad. Then, the teen years took over: Beach Boys, homework, friends—and my Italian receded into the past—I thought.

For a naïve, wide-eyed Freshman who had just turned seventeen, UC Berkeley was a huge, scary campus. As I searched the course catalog, I looked for a course that might be helpful and welcoming and that would make me feel less alone among the thousands of students so far from my Southern California home. Something in my heart tugged at me when I read the Italian Language Department course descriptions, and I thought, why not? I probably had the Italian vocabulary of a seven-year-old, with some Barese and Napolitano mixed in, and, my parents told me, the accent of a Southern Italian, so what could possibly go wrong?

I was excited and a bit nervous, opening the door of my beginning Italian class. The students were all Americans, as was I, but unbeknownst to me, I still had an Italian heart. I was about to find out.

My professoressa, Sra. Caterina Bess, was vibrant and energetic, and the air crackled around her. Of course, la bella figura ensured she was dressed stylishly, too. She began the class with a rapid volley of Italian, which I understood most of, but, as I looked around, I realized no one else did. Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming feeling of relief and recognition—as if I’d met a dear friend after a long absence. I was home. Then, she welcomed us in English, and the class began. One of the first things she asked was that each of us recite in front of the class an Italian sentence that she’d written on the board. I can’t remember what it was, but I knew what it meant. What I do remember is, once I’d said it aloud, she stared at me intently, hands on her hips, and snapped, “Where are you FROM?”

Right then, I knew where I was from—I was from Italy. 😊 My accent had given me away—in a good way.

That was the beginning of a special time for me. Sra. Bess became my friend and my mentor, and I babysat her young son, Michael, from time to time. She was my rock and my anchor in the midst of the turmoil at Berkeley (yes, those years!), and I could count on her for wise advice.

The Italian class was a kick. She made it lively and fascinating and we all enjoyed our time together, even the memorization of the ins and outs of Italian grammar. Remember, I had a vocabulary and grammar of a seven-year-old and had never formally studied the language; I had learned it by osmosis with my own and my parents’ Italian friends during my precious four years in Italy. Sra. Bess held us spellbound one class session, recounting the story of how she would ride her bicycle as a young girl during WWII in Italy, carrying messages for the Resistance. Yes, her life was in danger, but she did it for Italy, so it was worth the risks.

One memory I will never forget, and which helped distill for me what being an Italian could mean, was the day President John F. Kennedy was shot. I was on campus that day when I ran into Sra. Bess. With an anguished expression, she said, “Oh, Margo! What a tragedy! The Italian department is coming to my apartment. Please, as an American, can you come and explain this to us—how this could happen?” Thus it was that I spent that terrible day, watching the news with, talking with, commiserating with, and crying with Italians, who were so stricken that someone so young with such promise could be cut down. Many Italians feel emotions strongly and don’t hesitate to show them—so different from many Americans whose culture I had adopted. It confirmed for me once again how special Italy and Italians are and how precious being able to speak Italian could be. Sra. Caterina Bess was truly an international woman in every sense of the phrase and inspired so many of us to cherish the precious Italian language and culture.

So, when I hear spoken Italian, it strikes a deep chord, bringing back not only my Italian childhood, but also the heartwarming experiences that have accompanied speaking the language with others, along with Sra. Bess. It takes me home, again.

“Searching for Italy” di Stanley Tucci andrà in onda domenica, non mancare!

Contemporary Easter Traditions in Italy

Pasta: How it Was and Should Always Be

Georgetown University’s Il Circolo Italiano students celebrate Carnevale

A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE

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