Yearly Archives: 2016

Panettone: How to pronounce (and then serve) Italy’s favorite Christmas cake

Italian christmas cake known as panettone

Panettone. Pa-neht-tohn-ney panetˈtoːne However, you say it, panettone is Italy’s ubiquitous Christmas cake. Yes, there are other holiday treats but it is the panettone that reigns supreme. During the holiday season (which runs through 6 January), the stores and bakeries are piled high with the sweet cake. If you are visiting someone’s home or throwing […]

7 Essential Rules for Tipping in Italy in 2021

Ah, tipping. Gratuity. A little something extra. But exactly how much extra should you be leaving when you’re tipping in Italy? If you are coming from a country where tipping is common, you may be prepared to leave a lot of extra cash behind when tipping in Italy. While tips are (almost) always appreciated, leaving […]

Merry Christmas from Rome! (2016)

The Christmas decorations are quite understated in Rome this year. Gone is the Christmas fair in Piazza Navona, but the carousel spins on. It is an austerity Christmas, thanks for the most part to Rome’s newish mayor. And the Romans, who will tolerate quite a bit, are not. having. it. It has brought me much […]

Pasta to go in Rome’s Testaccio Market

We are crazy lucky to live close to the Testaccio market. Yes, it is a market in flux – with traditional vendors operating along side more modern ready-to-eat stalls. Le mani in pasta is both and it straddles this divide exceptionally well. The stall in Mercato Testaccio sells fresh pasta made by hand using organic flour […]

Wine Concept: Italian Wine Bar by Rome’s Colosseum

Wine Concept is a little refuge near the Colosseum. The wine bar is an easy mix of classic and modern that can be hard to achieve. Glossy white tables, a wrap around bar and red touches make it feel thoroughly updated. But the low lighting, curved stone ceiling and simple tile floors are throwbacks to […]