As Giuseppe introduces us to his son, Fabio, it is clear that he has inherited his father’s love of the land and its flavors.  Instead of telling us all his accomplishments, he praises the miracle of nature in the spring, when flowers bloom and fruits fill the trees and vines.   I watched this video before opening my new bottle of Marini Giuseppe’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Toscano IGP, and I had to smile at the first taste.  Breathing in its aroma hints at the flavors to come, spicy and fruity at the same time.  The first taste is soft...

Christmas in Italy is magical.  Piazzas fill with Christmas markets, Presepi (nativity scenes) pop up in churches, homes, and towns, carols are sung, cities are sparkling with lights, and of course, excellent food is all around!   Italy still very much keeps Christ in Christmas.  It is thought that St. Francis was the first to bring the Christmas story to life on Christmas Eve in 1223 by creating a reverent reenactment of the manger scene in the town of Grecio.  Later, artists of the Renaissance depicted the manger scene so beautifully, we still feel as if we can look into...

Every year the time seems to fly by faster, and here we are in December once again!  It’s Christmas time, and in Italy markets are opening, cities are lighting their trees, and the spirit of Christmas warms the chilled air. If you are still thinking through your Christmas list this year, we have put together a guide to help give you some ideas for the special people in your life.  Please enjoy, and we wish you all, Buon Natale!  Merry Christmas!  

As the holiday approaches this week, we would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving is, of course, an American holiday, but the traditions of the day remind me very much of life in Italy.  A day to spend together cooking, eating, laughing, reminiscing, and enjoying time spent with the ones we love.  Italians in general spend more time gathered around the table than we do.  Meals are lingered over and never rushed.  Ingredients are quality and fresh for the season.  Much like our Thanksgiving!  In Italy they say, La Festa di Ringraziamento, and the Italian calendar is full...

There are few things more instantly satisfying than the first drop of a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Mia Emilia’s Goccia Umbra Olive Oil makers must have realized that long ago when creating their company.  Goccia Umbra means, “Drop of Umbria”, and that it is.  Umbria is a gorgeous region of central Italy between Tuscany, Lazio, and Le Marche.  Splendid hill towns and rich farmlands bless this region with some of Italy’s most delicious products.  The producers explain the origins of Goccia Umbra at Castel Vitiano, a tower which has stood for a thousand years in these Umbrian hills.  Surrounded...

Italy loves and honors the Saints, and Festa di San Martino is celebrated in different ways all throughout Italy.  Generally, it also coincides with the time to try new wine and the peak of chestnut season.  In many of the celebrations, you will find chestnuts and wine.  Sounds like a good time, doesn’t it?  Italy has several proverbs surrounding Estate di San Martino and involving the season of Autumn, harvest, chestnuts, and wine.  I love this one, “Per San Martino castagne e buon vino” “Chestnuts and good wine for St. Martin’s day”.  You’re sure to find both everywhere, and one...

Italy is blessed with one of the five so-called “Blue Zones” in the world.  It is an area on the enchanting Island of Sardinia.  So, what exactly is a “Blue Zone”?  An author named Dan Buettner studied the world over to find the highest concentrations of people who lived to be over one hundred years old.  Centenarians, they’re called.  He zeroed in on five areas in the world where people live exceptionally long lives and studied each, realizing that they had several things in common, some that set each apart, and a few that are hard to measure, but very...

In Italy this time of year, when the air begins to cool and sunsets color the sky a little earlier each day, markets fill with the delights of Autumn.  Among the finest are Porcini mushrooms.  All over Italy this time of year, you will find Porcini on the menu.  Emilia Romagna even hosts a festival in their honor in early October.  We visited the Renaissance town of Pienza last Autumn, right at sunset.  The colors in the sky were spectacular, one swoosh of magenta reminding us that God is the greatest painter of all.  When it was time for dinner, ...

In Italy there’s a charming phrase, “A tavola non s’invecchia”.  It means, “At the table one does not age.”  A phrase not only sweet, but hard to argue, as Italy has quite a few areas where people tend to live a long time.  Could it be because they spend so much time gathered around a table enjoying each other’s company and wholesome food?  Likely, yes!  In the most authentic kitchens where these long lives are led, only the best ingredients are prepared.  Pastas are made from non-modified wheat.  Olive oils are extra virgin and made of Italian olives, likely grown...

In the Amalfi Coast, where lemons are famous and plentiful, you can find them infused into recipes, liqueurs, olive oils, soaps, perfumes, and even hand-painted onto gorgeous majolica tiles. The locals love their lemons and celebrate them all year round!  Around this time last year, my husband and I were in the Amalfi Coast for his first time.  Hot days cooled by the shade of green lemon groves and flowers still blooming long into September.  Infinite Sea Views from the aptly named, “Terrace of Infinity”, left us speechlessly pondering eternity.  La Dolce Vita, The Sweet Life indeed.  It was several...

Bruschetta, one of Italy’s most beloved appetizers, and one of the easiest to make yourself.  To make your own bruschetta, start by thinly slicing a good, artisanal white bread.  Drizzle your favorite of Mia Emilia’s Authentic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils onto each slice and toast your slices.  The traditional, rustic way to toast the bread is on the grill, but if circumstances are not conducive to grilling, an oven will work.  The next step is to rub, not slice, raw garlic onto each piece of bread.  This infuses the flavor into the bread.  These beginning steps are the same for...

To be considered Extra Virgin, the oil must be mechanically pressed, crushing the entire olive without chemical or heat treatment.  The words, “cold pressed” refer to this lack of heat involved.  As a result of this method, the acidity is very low, less than 1%.  Health benefits are maximized, retaining the vitamins and antioxidants naturally occurring in the olive itself.  Color is green or golden, and the appearance is often cloudier than that of regular olive oil.  Even with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, quality and origin can vary.  Italy has a great solution to assure the utmost quality.  Look for...

Have you ever noticed how the first notes of a mandolin send your mind off dreaming of sparkling seas or fields of sunflowers?  How the scent of fresh basil and ripe tomatoes makes you beg for spicy olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar?  For me, those tastes bring back sweet memories with the Italian people while basking in the joys produced by their land.