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Tomatoes: A Taste of Summer

You say tomato – we say Pomodoro! Tomatoes are, without a doubt, one of the most iconic foods in Italian cuisine. From raw to roasted to sauced, tomatoes appear in nearly every course of the Italian meal and in overwhelming number of dishes, regardless of the region. What better time than summer time to slice into the origins of this ...
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The International Origins of Pasta

“Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti,” Sophia Loren once said. But to what does spaghetti owe? There’s no denying that pasta is decidedly Italian. However, as is common with well-loved world cuisines, the origins of pasta are highly contested and may be found in many intersections of time and place. As Tori Avey writes in The History Kitchen, “The ...
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A History of Italian Americans in Salt Lake City

The United States is a nation of immigrants, with a long history of newcomers settling in vastly different parts of the country and contributing to the life and labor of a place. In Utah and Salt Lake City, Italian immigrants settled most significantly between 1880 and 1920, as large numbers of people began to leave due to agricultural depressions. While ...
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Italian Cuisine for the Summer Solstice

Known as “the longest day of the year,” the summer solstice marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the day in which the sun reaches the highest point in the sky. Around the world and throughout history, there are celebrations, feasts, festivals, and rituals for the summer solstice. It is believed that Stonehenge’s mysteries lie ...
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6 Italian Wedding Superstitions

Nozze, the Italian word for wedding, is a fabulous event. In Italy, there are many old traditions thought to bring good luck and happiness. Many traditions in Italian weddings are shared with other European cultures, but there are some age-old superstitions that involve food, unique to Italy! The Night BeforeFor good luck, brides traditionally spend the night before the wedding ...
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Ending on a Sweet Note: Our Italian Desserts

The Traditional Italian MealAwhile back, we spotlighted the traditional Italian meal structure, which takes you through a journey from start to finish. The traditional Italian meal is about taking your time and enjoying every course. From the saying L’appetito vien mangiando, we understand that “the appetite comes while you are eating.” No wonder, from start to finish, the courses are ...
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Caesar Salad: A Dish Fit for the Gods

When we think of Caesar, we usually think of Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor who was assassinated by his so-called friends. In the famous play by William Shakespeare, the back-stabbing Brutus proclaimed, “Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods.” The storied history of Caesar salad is nowhere near as gruesome or tragic, but it’s equally as enjoyable ...
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Crazy about Carpaccio

Raw food might seem like an off-and-on again trend, but there are some standby dishes that stand the test of time. Carpaccio, which began as a raw meat preparation, now encompasses a number of specially prepared ingredients, combining rich flavor and texture to awaken your appetite. If you haven’t heard of carpaccio, read on to learn more about this now-classic ...
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Pesce d’aprile: What’s the Catch?

Last week marked the Spring Equinox, bringing in warm weather and a lighter cuisine. This upcoming weekend, as we enter the new month, we start things off with April Fool’s Day! April Fool’s Day is celebrated around the world, with different cultural traditions. Did you know that in Italy, it is called Pesce d’april? In case you’re wondering – yes, …

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Lighter Fare for Warmer Weather – Italian Cuisine in Bloom

Even though it’s not quite warm yet, maybe you’ve begun to look forward to lighter and brighter flavors of spring. After a long, cold winter, that’s not a surprise! Now that we’re a week away from the Equinox (March 21), we look forward to dishes and flavors of spring. Italian cuisine is seasonal in its flavors, with many bright items …