Niccoli’s All Italian Blog

I always look forward to the holidays because the family spends the whole day together. The food is great and the different personalities come out because that is who they are. No fake facades, the real deal. The mothers and the food that they prepare is the glue that brings all this together and makes the memories that we have for a life time.

It is hard to understand the place olive oil holds in the culture of Italians until you experience the passion that they have . It shows in the olive oil produced by Fabrizio, Poggio Cappiano. Once you have used it you will understand.

Italy by train is an excellent way to see the country whether you have two weeks or two months to travel.

It is a great way to see some of the Italian countryside without the hectic traffic or crowded busses. Service ranges from the “classic” state room trains whose speeds vary to ultra-modern high speed EuroStar Italia trains with world class amenities.

To get the most out of your Traveling time and to see places off your main itinerary, night trains with sleeper cabins can save you money and time, especially if you have a rail pass. The night trains allow a whole days worth of travel while you sleep, so you could include a distant location like Palermo or Lecce to your visit.

The Italian rail service offers numerous passes and packages to travelers as well as accepting international rail passes like Eurail. Single tickets are also cheap enough to add unplanned daytrips to your vacation.

Try this site for more information.

Art is a big part of Italian culture, and isn’t only visible in its museums. Colorful streets are lined with buildings of every shape, size, and color - often characterized by huge arches and columns. Decorative windows, steps, and fountains are a great testament to a wide variety of styles and tastes.

If you are planning a trip to Italy, take time to plan a tour of the local art.

Politics, taxes and religion are always the top 3 in any culture. It Italy you might want to also avoid bringing up the Mafia, the Italian influence of World War II, criticizing Italian culture, negative Italian stereotypes, It’s also considered rude to inquire about the profession or income of someone you have just met. Family concerns are considered off limits along with off color jokes.

But the most important may be not to make negative comments about the local soccer team.

The Italian people are always happy to discuss the architecture of the area and of Italy in general. Art, local and national, also enjoy being among the most common subjects.

Since wine & food are such a huge part of day to day life, you may find this topic seems to be something you are always discussing. Sports, especially Soccer (called Football in most of the world), is a great area of conversation. Italians also really enjoy talking about these subjects in your home country too.

Conversation is an art form in Italy. You can walk along the open cafes in almost any town in Italy and hear people engaged in intense, animated discussions on many different matters. Listen in and you will hear subjects like Italian culture, art, films, food, wine and sports.

There isn’t often a moment of silence in the course of a conversation. It is truly an experience to just listen and observe, even when you can’t understand!

“Una giornata senza riso è una giornata sprecata ” is a common proverb of Italian culture.

Whether in a classroom or strolling along the streets, the Italian people express an authenticity and passion unmatched the world over. Italians are warm, welcoming and enjoy sharing the pleasures of life with others.

Tiramisu is translated as “pick-me-up” in Italian. This favorite dessert is known for the high energy contents, eggs and sugar with the caffeine in a strong espresso coffee.

There are many different stories about the origin of Tiramisu. It’s a layered cake so some people place its origin in Tuscany, where another famous layered Italian dessert is very popular. It’s called “Zuppa Inglese” (English Soup). It is not English and it is not a soup. Instead is a simple cake of ladyfingers or sponge cake, soaked in liquor, and alternated layers of chocolate and egg custard.

Of course, layered cakes have been around for long time, but the inspired idea of Tiramisu is not in the technique of layering, but in the components. This is the true innovation in Tiramisu!