This article originally appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of Dream of Italy. Read about what else is new in 2024 here! Massimo Bottura’s Francescana Family welcomed a new member in Fall of 2023- Al Gatto Verde at Casa Maria Luigia. Truly green, in name and in its sustainable practices, Al Gatto Verde relies heavily on solar panels for energy …
See Modena With a Great Guide (June/July 2023)
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. View the main article, Made in Modena, here. Speed into the world of fast cars, traditional flavors and opera with guided tours from those who know best. Modenatur (39 059 220022; www.modenatur.it) lets the stars of Emilia-Romagna — from test drives to tortellini making — shine on center …
Where to Eat in Modena (June/July 2023)
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. View the main article, Made in Modena, here. Modena does many things well, but food is at the top of the list. Prepare to gorge on famed regional icons like tagliatelle al ragù (meat sauce), spinach and ricotta-stuffed tortelloni in butter and sage and gnocco fritto, a …
Where to Stay in Modena (June/July 2023)
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. View the main article, Made in Modena, here. Modena‘s hotel landscape isn’t quite as wondrous as its restaurant scene, but there are a handful of options that offer an olive branch to more discerning clientele than the business and/or convention crowd. However, nothing in the city center …
Made in Modena (June/July 2023)
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. If you read supermarket labels closely, you might realize that Modena has been a household name for centuries — its famed vinegar, of the balsamic variety, hails from here. The name “balsamic” first appeared in the 18th century, but evidence of ancient civilizations making vinegar and using …
Welcome to the Francescana Family (June/July 2023)
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. The sun never sets on Chef Massimo Bottura’s empire. He has opened restaurants in Dubai, Miami, and Los Angeles, to name some of his outposts, but Modena is different; Modena is home. If you are ever going to taste and experience the Bottura magic, worth every penny …
Resources and Ideas: Adult Study Abroad and More (October/November 2022)
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2022 issue of Dream of Italy. If it seems daunting to pack up your life and move to Italy for an extended stay: Tranquilli! There are many resources to help make your dream a reality. If detailed planning isn’t your thing, turn to one of the companies, including a prestigious university, that are offering …
Craft Beer in Italy: A Brettanomyces Bonanza in Bologna (April/May 2022)
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2022 issue of Dream of Italy. Read about additional Italian craft beers. While very Italian things like tomatoes and white wine have an acidic flavor profile, sour things—in the English sense of the word—aren’t traditionally common in Italy. Bambini aren’t eating sour candy, limes aren’t used for much of anything, lemonade isn’t common. But …
Bologna Restaurants: Eating in Italy’s Culinary Cradle (February/March 2022)
This article originally appeared in the February/March 2022 issue of Dream of Italy. Affectionately referred to as La Grassa (“the fat one”), Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna, arguably Italy’s most important food region. Granted, you’ve got Piemonte and Liguria in the north, Toscana and Umbria in the middle, Puglia and Sicilia in the south—it’s almost impossible to go wrong …
The Small But Essential Pleasures of Italy (October/November 2021)
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2021 issue of Dream of Italy. For me, dreaming of Italy—which is all I have done since my last visit there in October 2019—might not be what you would expect. Yes, there is the sublime cuisine and superb wine, but I write Italian cookbooks and can make dishes at home that remind me of la …