untitled design (1)

Learn Italian online

Search

How to Order a Soft Italian Grappa

Casa Luparia Gran Riserva Grappa

Italian grappa is a potent spirit. The first time you try it, you may not be overly impressed. Before you vow never to try grappa ever again, bear in mind that there may be a couple of reasons for why the grappa did not grab you. What grappa first timers need to try, is a “soft” Italian grappa. […]

Capturing Italian Grappa

I was looking for a little photographic inspiration and someone on Twitter suggested grappa. After some reflection, I thought that’s not a bad I idea, so out came the camera and the bottle of Casa Luparia Gan Riserva Grappa did not go back into the drinks cabinet after lunch. How could I create and image […]

Dining with Italian Anarchists

Seeing as I find myself home alone dog sitting during the remnants of the Christmas holidays, our hospitable neighbour and fine cook invited me over to dine with a group of her friends last night, even though I do not have a beard.

Prodi’s pretty picture

In what could possibly be considered as one Italian equivalent to the UK Queen’s Christmas Day speech, Romano Prodi, Italy’s current hanging on by a thread prime minister, appeared to demonstrate that he is possibly a wee bit out of touch with life here in the Living Museum. He painted a rosy picture of an […]

Will it always be Christmas in Milan?

It’s not just me, there are more Christmas lights than ever before here in Milan. Apparently the reason behind this festive splurge on pretty lights is rising crime levels in the city and some kind of pact the city’s politicos have made with the residents. Well lit streets reduce the probability of people ending up […]

Milanese Grey

I think it may be true to say that winter has finally kicked in here in not-so-sunny Milan. As always here, the temperatures dropped almost overnight, well, it seems that way. In reality, the temperature had been falling gradually over the last few weeks or so, but it hit genuine winter levels towards the end […]

The joys of dieting

Are there any joys that can be associated with dieting? Well, yes there are, at least I think so. Firstly and most obviously there is the pleasure of knowing that you have rid yourself of some extra baggage. I tend to feel lighter, both physically and emotionally, as I often did when I was into […]

Gastronomic fair – Via Paolo Sarpi, Milan*

If you happen to be in Milan on Sunday the 14th October 2007 (date corrected,Thanks to Cath), and you happen to like fresh porcini mushrooms, truffles, Italian wine, grappa and cheese, then you may find the via Paolo Sarpi street fair fascinating. You can see where Via Paolo Sarpi is on my Platial map: just […]