The eternally misunderstood melanzana

Melanzana, eggplant, aubergine or whatever you call it is the quintessential Mediterranean vegetable. Exotic, sumptuous, voluptuous and irresistible if cooked properly. Many people don't understand melanzana, they find it strange and hate the taste, but if prepared well, it can become the crowning glory of any dish. The Melanzana is a precious fruit of the…

10 irksome culture shocks in Italy

It's been a while since my last rant about the irksome parts of culture shock in Italy. I've learnt to adapt to most of the stuff I used to find bothersome; after all, you cannot pretend that an entire culture will change to fit your convenience. I take culture shock with a smile and try…

A list of Italian themed movies and books for all seasons

I thought I'd recommend a few books and movies with a bit of an Italian theme. But as is usual in Italy, I've gone and overindulged with the entertainment. Quindi sono guai! So now you are in for it! Get ready for a mega list of movies and great reads from a lifetime lover of…

Unexpected travels in Italy

  Dolce Vita Bloggers have asked us to share our fun tales about travels in Italy. Really every day living here is filled with journeys and experiences, too many to share in one post. Italy has taught me the art of being a traveller rather than a simple tourist. Because of the immense amount of…

Guest post: Raising a bilingual child in Italy

I have recently written a guest post for bilingual mamma blogger Kristie over on Mammaprada. I enjoyed sharing my discoveries, frustrations and eventual success on the ongoing journey that is raising my son to speak English in Italy. Be sure to pop over to Mammaprada to read my article and get some wonderful advice if…

Making your own Dolce Vita

The #dolcevitabloggers have chosen to explore the concept of the Dolce Vita in Italy. There is a fine line between loving and visiting the bel paese as a tourist and the reality of living here, in the search for your own personal sweet life. So cheers to Kelly from italianatheart.com, Jasmine from questadolcevita.com and Kristie of mammaprada.com for choosing…

Eating the Springtime

One of the life lessons Italy has given me is the special taste of eating according to the seasons. There is something wonderfully simple and logical about living with the natural worlds shifting seasons, as if you are following a natural internal rhythm. Today we are all spoilt by supermarkets who have everything we want…

The imagery of Italian language

The Italian language is so visual, it has an ability to take an image or object and use it as a metaphor for a something much greater than itself. In English it would be akin to the literary term metonymy (from the Greek change of name) which is the term for one thing as applied…

Italian word of the day: Tormentone

Tormentóne [tor-men-tó-ne]  This word sounds like torment and is quite similar in meaning. Often this expression is used to describe a new song which gets way too much air time. You know, the one pop song you hear literally everywhere and really can’t get away from even if you try. In Italian it often refers…

Five Random Italian Words

I’ve been compiling a list of my fave Italian words on my phone for a while with a half-baked idea for a post, and I am grateful to this months Dolce Vita Bloggers theme of ‘five Italian words’, which has jogged my memory and allowed me to finally sit down and write about the Italian…