173. Save the Olives

Save the Whales. Save the Bay. Save Lake Tahoe. Now we need to add Save the Olives to the list. Healthy Puglian olives, with the tool we used to harvest them from the lower branches Puglia, the region that comprises the heel of Italy's boot, is under dire threat of the Xylella bacterium, which has … Continue reading 173. Save the Olives

172. The Shape of Pasta

Busiate. Strangulet. Rasccatieddi di Miscchieddu. They're all types of pasta. In America, most people can rattle off maybe five: spaghetti, linguini, penne, tortellini, rigatoni. In Italy, there are hundreds of variations, many particular to a specific region or even a tiny hamlet. But as culture and customs become more homogenized, and as the remote villages … Continue reading 172. The Shape of Pasta

168. Mangia Bene

Food is always going to be a centerpiece of any trip to Italy. Future chefs learning their trade at the Central Market in Florence Now that everyone has watched Stanley Tucci's series, it is old news that Italian cuisine ranges far beyond the red-sauce dishes that form the foundation of Italian-American cooking. Tucci showcases the … Continue reading 168. Mangia Bene

167. In Style

I am always alert to how people do themselves up in a Italy. Much has been said about la bella figura (which literally means "beautiful figure," but figuratively means making a good impression), and there is no question that the average person on the street in Italy cares more about looking nice than the average … Continue reading 167. In Style