Blog: Discover Italy

I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely in love with Lemons. I love anything with lemons on it – dresses, blouses, t-shirts, towels, rugs, wall décor, hand soap, tablecloths, dishes, Italian pottery. I even have a Lemon phone case for my iPhone. My children roll their eyes every time I spot something at the store with lemons on it. So, you can only imagine how I am on cloud nine every time I go to the Amalfi Coast. If you have never been to the Amalfi Coast, I strongly sug …

Handcrafted pottery has been a hallmark of the Italian peninsula for a very long time – The Greeks, The Etruscans and the Romans – but it was during the Renaissance in the 15th-16th century, that Italy gained fame for her exception pottery known as majolica – a tin-glazed earthenware decorated with colorful designs. As trade developed and expanded, towns such as Deruta and Castelli began inscribing their pottery with distinctive symbols to differentiate their authentic Italian …

I don't know about you, but I love discovering Italian ceramics—whether I'm wandering through a pottery workshop in Italy, shopping at an antique store, or even browsing the shelves at HomeGoods. But when a colorful Italian ceramic plate or bowl is marked "Made in Italy," how can you tell whether you've found a piece of authentic, handcrafted Italian pottery or something that was mass-produced? After importing handcrafted Italian ceramics for Merchant of Prato since 2007, I have learned th …

I wanted to make homemade pasta with my kids, but I didn’t have a pasta machine. What’s a mom to do? I will make GNOCCHI!!! Making gnocchi is extremely easy and it was so delicious. This was a really fun activity to do with my children. They had a blast and little did they know that they were taking the task of making dinner off my hands. GNOCCHI RECIPE: (6 servings) 4 – Russet Potatoes (the large ones you would use for baked potatoes) 2 cups of flour 2 eggs Microwave the pota …

The Italian town of Castelli, is renowned for its ancient and precious tradition of ceramic art. Residing in this small town is The Church of San Donato (Chiesa di San Donato), nicknamed the "The Sistine Chapel of Majolica".  The Church of San Donato in Castelli is rather plain with an anonymous exterior, typical of Italian country parish churches. It contains a single nave, preceded by a low portico. But don't let this simple interior disappoint you. Look up to the heavens and be amaz …

I can not wait for my summer trip to Italy! All winter I have dreamed of sitting in an Italian cafe sipping on an Aperol Spritz. If you have been to Italy in the Summertime you can’t miss the vibrant orange drink everyone is sipping in all the cafes. That refreshing looking drink is an Aperol Spritz! The Aperol Spritz is a quintessential Italian cocktail, particularly popular during the summer months as a refreshing aperitivo though people, especially tourists, drink it year round! It …

Imagine that you have time traveled back to Italy to the year 1425. After such a stressful trip, you are absolutely famished. You crave a big bowl of homemade Italian pasta covered in fresh tomato sauce or a pizza covered in Margherita tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella. You decide to enter the first establishment that you see and satisfy this crazing. You sit down and inquire as to what is on the menu. There is pasta but it is served with either sweet and savory, spiced sauces or cheese. And th …

Americans love their McDonald’s fries and Chick-fil-A nuggets, but did you know the Ancient Romans loved their fast food too? Fast food restaurants were as prolific in Ancient Rome as they are in America today! This is evident as seen in the ancient ruins of Pompeii as well as other ancient cities of Rome. A trip to Pompeii should be on everyone’s bucket list. Pompeii is preserved just how it was on the day of its destruction on August 24, 79 AD, when Mount Vesuvius erupted, devastat …

Tradition states that Julius Caesar claimed that Mamertino was his absolute favorite wine and it truly must have been since this wine was served at the feast in Rome to mark Caesar’s third consulship (46BC). So, what made Mamertino wine so remarkable that one of the most famous men who ever lived revered it so highly? Mamertino wine takes its name from the Mamertini, a group of ancient mercenary warriors from Campania, Italy who settled in the Milazzo region of northeastern Sicily aro …

A short drive (15 miles) from Padre Pio's Shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo lies a cave where the Archangel Michael was said to appear. Located in the town of Monte Sant'Angelo, The Cave of Saint Michael, also known as the Grotto Church of Saint Michael or Santuario Grotta di San Michele, is one of the holiest places in Italy and perhaps throughout the world. This important Christian pilgrimage site has been visited by countless saints and popes including: Saint Bernard of Clarvaux, Blessed Mother …