This Editor’s Note originally appeared in the February/March 2024 issue of Dream of Italy. Members receive access to more than 190 back issues—if you’re not a member, join here.
From tasting tapas like Venetian cicchetti to sipping a cocktail made with salt harvested straight from the lagoon, local Monica Cesarato shares the best food and drinks her city has to offer. Venice is nicknamed La Serenissima for its age-old reputation as a “serene republic.” Serene should not be mistaken for boring!
You go to Rome for the ancient sites and the food, but it is also an exceptional place to shop for jewelry, handmade clothes and uncommon homewares. Associate Editor Danielle Abbazia guides us around the capital to find shopkeepers and their Made in Italy goods where you can find a bit of the bel paese to take home.
Hollywood stars have been visiting this Roman restaurant for decades- and they are on to something. Alfredo alla Scrofa is the birthplace of Fettuccine Alfredo, one of the most famous pasta dishes in the world. The ingredients are simple but the resulting dish is unrivaled in its comforting, succulent flavor. The final touches are prepared (more like performed!) tableside for an added flair.
Spring is on the horizon and we are dreaming of getting outside and returning to Abruzzo’s Gran Sasso National Park. The end of winter in the park means purple flowers invade the plains and crop up against snowy mountains still holding on to their last layers of snow. Buona Primavera a tutti!
I always welcome your feedback, questions and comments, so feel free to reach out to me at
kathy@dreamofitaly.com
–Kathy McCabe
Photo: Eleonora Maggioni