Carnevale di Santhià

The oldest Carnevale in Piemonte

We return with Blogging Piemonte, the group of bloggers based in Piemonte writing about our (mostly) expat & (some) local lives here. This month’s theme is Carnevale!

In the US, Carnevale is something that happens down in New Orleans for a day or two. Lots of beads, everything is green and purple, people basically drink and play music all day—that was my impression (clearly, I never went to New Orleans for Carnevale or otherwise). Continue reading “The oldest Carnevale in Piemonte”

The Basic Rules of Italian Food

I wanted to write a post about Italian food rules—everything from the when to drink cappuccino to the correct way to eat your spaghetti (I’ll tell you now: no cutting!). However, I’m far from being an authority. So I went to a friend and fellow blogger, Paolo Rigiroli of Disgraces on the Menu, who is a bona fide italiano living in Canada. He had an even better idea.

Continue reading “The Basic Rules of Italian Food”

A Journey through Italy with Pasta

I’m going on a pasta journey to discover Italy’s cuisine.

Italy’s culinary diversity has always surprised me. I learned about it back in Italian classes in college before I’d studied abroad. “Every region has its own traditions and dishes,” our professor said. I understood her words, but I didn’t fully comprehend her meaning until I started living in Italy. Continue reading “A Journey through Italy with Pasta”

The Secret to Cooking Snails and Finding Porcini

If there is one stereotype about Italians that is true, it is this: Italians love to talk about food. Snatches of stolen conversation carry sentences like, “and then add the parmigiana, un filo of olive oil, and put it in the oven,” wafting through the air like the scents of dinner cooking. If you’re eavesdropping and notice the shouting, the grand gestures, the scenes that look like arguments, don’t be alarmed: there’s a good chance they’re just discussing the best way to cook eggplant parmigiana. Continue reading “The Secret to Cooking Snails and Finding Porcini”