I wanna go …
By: Paula Dupont The holidays are heralded in so many ways ‘“ some uniquely American, others borrowed from different lands and distant times. One of those borrowed ways is the idea of a holiday market. Dating back hundreds of years, the holiday market was the way to celebrate the festivity of the season, perhaps gain access to special items not typically available in your town, and meet and mingle with other townspeople. The Christkindlmarket in downtown Chicago is a greatexample. We had the chance to visit...
Read MoreTop Ten Reasons to be Thankful for Venice!
Magical colors and shapes By: Paula Dupont I thought I’d borrow a page from Dave ‘¦ that’s David Letterman and, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, reflect on the top ten reasons to be thankful that Venice is around. Except mine will be sincere’¦. No. 10: Really weird seafood. The Venetian palate seems to specialize in all things creepy crawly that hail from the sea, including granseola (spider crab), or garusoli (sea snails) and canoce (mantis shrimps). Its pasta specialty is spaghetti a la sepia...
Read MoreBridge of Sighs … by Bulgari
By: Paula Dupont Chicago, city of ‘¦ gorgeous lakefront, fantastic food, exquisite culture, superb architecture, and ‘¦ advertising on landmarks? Yep, that’s right. Temporary signs advertising Bank of America grace ‘“ or deface ‘“ the Wabash Avenue Bridge House. For those of you unfamiliar with the city, this bridge house is a key player in the Paris-on-the-Prairie tableau inspired by architects Burnam and Bennett’s 1909 ‘Plan of Chicago.’ More importantly,...
Read MoreEveryone Loves the Grave … Venetian Mutton Anyone?
By: Paula Dupont As fall flies by ‘¦ well past the turning of the leaves, beyond Halloween, and with thoughts turning toward Thanksgiving (but at least not bypassing it for Christmas), we think about our traditions, and how they’ve come to be, plan new menus, imagine tablescapes. I always reflect on Thanksgiving with a bit of amusement. My Mom, transported to this much different, non-Italian world when she was 27, was happy to partake of Thanksgiving ‘“ but was quite frank about it just not being ‘her...
Read MoreTortellini, Pansotti, and Ravioli, Oh My!
By: Paula Dupont Cooking aficionados in the not-quite western suburbs of Chicago can celebrate ‘“ or at least I will ‘“ as a result of the opening of a Sur la Table retail outlet at our local mall. With their tagline ‘The Art and Soul of Cooking,’ Sur la Table is nearing 40 years in the business. For those who haven’t lovingly coveted something from their catalog, this outfit is designed for anyone who wants to have fun in the kitchen. High-end cookware, colorful dinnerware from Italy...
Read MoreDolcetto o Scherzetto –Italians Borrowing a Page from American Culture
By: Paula Dupont Of course Halloween is just around the corner. It’s difficult to escape the hype, no matter where you live in the states. The Halloween decorations appear in the stores just after the school supplies, and by this week they’re down to scraggly remnants, replaced by ‘“ you guessed it ‘“ Christmas decorations. On the one hand it’s a bit overdone and silly. But anyone who’s seen their favorite Belle or Potter beam with excitement in anticipation of the Halloween parties...
Read MoreYou say “Bacon” I say “Pancetta”
By: Paula Dupont Have you noticed the current American obsession with bacon? Really, every magazine you open, each segment you see on Today, and every newspaper you flip through seems to feature something on bacon. From the standards, like bacon frittata, to the truly strange ‘“ like the bacon-infused bourbon and maple syrup cocktail, bacon rules. And why not? It satisfies all your flavor needs in a bite: salty, crunchy, smoky, chewy ‘¦ you get it. The only thing it doesn’t satisfy is your desire to...
Read MoreSometimes you just need to rock …
Music Lights up the Arena By: Paula Dupont Last night we had the chance to see Bryan Ferry, previously of Roxy Music fame, but solo artist for many years now, perform at the Civic Opera House in Chicago. It was an eclectic mix (we were pretty young, and we’re not) that came to see an old favorite light up a truly wonderful venue. And although the reviews are mixed on the evening, we thought it was a terrific setting for some really great music. This got us talking ‘¦ Where are some really cool places...
Read MoreChanneling Casanova at Florian’s
By: Paula Dupont It’s pumpkin latte season at Starbucks, soon to be followed by Gingerbread Latte and Peppermint Mocha, each of which is available in several sizes ranging from really big to absurdly huge ‘“ with the calories to prove it. They really are yummy, but I like to think of them as a completely separate drink from a true Italian caffe, with a perfect crema served in a tiny cup. Just as I was OK with my kids’ occasional (rare) consumption of Spaghetti-Os as children visiting other homes...
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