Kathryn Occhipinti, MD for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Thanksgiving appetizers — a few bites to nibble on while the main meal is being prepared — are great for guests and keep up a cook’s energy in the kitchen as well!
The Italian method of topping a slice of crusty Italian bread with a savory treat works well for Thanksgiving. Below are two recipes for crostini toppings that can be prepared ahead of time. The first is a white bean puree and prosciutto with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. The second crostini topping is my version of a liver appetizer that I had once during lunch at a farmhouse in Tuscany, using turkey liver and caramelized onions.
If you have a chance during this busy time, leave a note and let me know what your Italian-American Thanksgiving will be like this year. Does your family make pasta along with the turkey? Or even skip the turkey entirely?
Buona Festa del Ringraziamento! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving Appetizers
Crostini with turkey liver and caramelized onions
Bake the crostini:
Slice the bread thinly and brush with olive oil. Rub a piece of garlic on the bread or brush a very little bit of garlic in the jar on the bread. Bake in the oven at 400° until the edges brown.
Caramelize the onions:
For 1 medium onion: Cut the onion into thin, small crescents as follows: Cut the onion crosswise. Put cut side down and cut in half lengthwise. Continue to cut slivers of onion lengthwise to form small, thin crescents of onion. Put the onion slices into a frying pan with 1 Tb butter, 1 Tb olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes, until onions have completely softened and lightly browned.
Cook the turkey liver:
Rinse the turkey liver and put it into a small frying pan with 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb olive oil. Add a small clove of garlic that has been crushed. Heat the liver and garlic over medium high heat, turning to brown the liver and then reduce heat to medium/medium low in order to cook through. Remove garlic. When the liver is just cooked through (cut in half to check), add 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or Marsala wine and turn the liver in the vinegar. Let cool. Break up the liver with a fork into small crumbles.
Assemble the crostini:
For each piece of garlic toast: Put onions and then cover with liver crumbles.
Crostini with turkey liver and caramelized onions
Bake the crostini as in the first recipe
Prepare the beans:
Put the following into a small saucepan: 1 (15 oz.) can of white beans, 4 fresh sage leaves, 1 clove of garlic, smashed (skin off) 1 Tbsp. olive oil Salt/white pepper A little water, and more water as needed for cooking. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes or more so flavors can blend. Cook off most of water by the end so puree won’t be too thin. Off heat, remove garlic. Puree beans. Adjust salt/pepper and swirl in 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil.
Assemble the crostini:
For each piece of garlic toast: Put white bean puree on bottom of toast and then top with prosciutto curled up. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Buona Festa del Ringraziamento! Happy Thanksgiving!
Conversational Italian for Travelers “Just the Grammar” and “Just the Verbs” books: Available on amazon.com and Learn Travel Italian.comConversational Italian for Travelers “Just the Important Phrases” book downloaded onto a cell phone from www.learntravelitalian.com
Buon giorno a tutti! How do you feel about Valentines Day? Is Valentines Day an important holiday for you? Does the thought of Valentines Day bring the same feelings as it did when you were younger?
If you want to express your feelings in Italian this Valentines Day, the verb sentirsiisessential! This verb is a part of many commonly used phrases in Italian.
As I’ve said before in this blog series, I believe that “commonly used phrases” are the key for how we can all build fluency in any language in a short time.
If we learn how to incorporate “commonly used phrases” when we talk about how we feelin Italian with the verb sentirsi,we will be able to communicate with the same complexity as we do in our native language!
This post is the 41st in a series of Italian phrases we have been trying out in our Conversational Italian! Facebook group. If you’d like to read the earlier posts in the series, “Italian Phrases We Use EVERY Day!” just click HERE
Many “commonly used phrases” in Italian
start with “I feel”
and use the verb
Sentirsi
See below for how this works.
As we all master these phrases, so will you. Try my method and let me know how it works. What sentences will you create with this verb?
The basics of the Italian language are introduced in the Conversational Italian for Travelers textbook and reference booksJust the Verbsand Just the Grammar
The rights to purchase the Conversational Italian for Travelers books in PDF format on two electronic devices can also be obtained atLearn Travel Italian.com.
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Sentirsi— to feel
The verb sentirsi means “to feel” in Italian and therefore sentirsi is the verb Italians use to describe their deepest emotions. You will immediately notice from the -siending that sentirsi is a reflexive verb. English, on the other hand, does not consider “feeling” a reflexive activity; so when we English speakers put our emotions into words, we do not use a reflexive verb. Because of this important difference, we will really have to learn how to think in Italian to express our feelings with sentirsi!
Learning how to use the verb sentirsiis really not all that tricky, though, once you understand the general idea of how to conjugate a reflexive verb. Just remember to add one of the reflexive pronouns (mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si) before the conjugated form of sentirsi. Then finish the sentence by saying how you feel, just as you would in English.
Sentirsi has been conjugated in full in the table below. Sentirsi is a regular -ire verb, so its conjugations are presented in green. The reflexive pronouns that go with each conjugation are in blue. Since we do not use reflexive pronouns with the equivalent verb “to feel” in English, the Italian reflexive pronouns will not appear in the translation.
Sentirsi – to feel
io
misento
I feel
tu
tisenti
you (familiar) feel
Lei lei/lui
sisente
you (polite) feel she/he feels
noi
ci sentiamo
we feel
voi
visentite
you all feel
loro
sisentono
they feel
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Sentirsi vs. Stare
People across the globe commonly talk about how they are feeling. and Italians are no different! Let’s try to use our newly conjugated Italian verb sentirsiby creating some simple sentences to describe how we may feel.
From the table above, we can see that the common statement, “I feel…” is, “Io mi sento…” But, of course, we always leave out the Italian subject pronoun, so the phrase that Italians use is conversation is just, “Mi sento…” To complete the phrase, just add how you are feeling after the verb!
One way to use the verb sentirsi in conversation is to say, “Mi sento bene!” which means, “I feel well!” (Notice Italians do not say, “I feel good,” which is actually grammatically incorrect, although we say this in English all of the time.)
To have a conversation with one person about another person’s health, we can use the same phrase to relay a fact or to ask a question: “Si sente bene.” “He/she is feeling well.” “Si sente bene?” “Is he/she feeling well?”
(Io) Mi sento bene.
(Io) Non mi sento bene. (Io)Mi sento male.
I feel well.
I don’t feel well. I don’t feel well.
(Tu) Ti senti bene.
Do you feel well?
(Lei/Lui) Si sente bene.
She/he feels well.
(Lei/Lui) Si sente bene.
Does she/he feel well?
You will remember from our last blog about the Italian verb stare that stare is also used to talk about general well-being, either “good” or “bad,” similar to the sentences above.” Since both stare and sentirsiare used to describe how we feel, the difference in meaning between these two verbs can seem insignificant. But, by convention, stare is always the verb used when greeting someone. And, although sentirsi can be used to make generalizations, the use of sentirsiis more often a specific referral about how we feel, either to a health issue or actual feelings of happiness, sadness, etc.
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Adjectives to Use with Sentirsi
The table below is a list of adjectives that you can use to describe how you are feeling. Just add one of these adjectives after the words, “I feel…” in Italian, just as you would in English. Remember that male speakers must use the “o” ending and female speakers the “a” ending for these adjectives that refer back to the subject. If the adjective ends in an “e,” the ending does not need to be changed, of course.
bene
well
contento(a) / felice
happy
male
badly, unwell
nervoso(a) emotionato(a)
nervous excited/thrilled
triste
sad
Some simple example sentences:
Mi sento conteno.
I am happy.(male speaker)
Mi sento contenta.
I am happy.(female speaker)
Mi sento triste.
I feel sad.(male or female speaker)
Notice, that both “contento(a)” and “felice” mean “happy” in Italian. But when an Italian wants to describe an internal feeling of happiness, the word chosen is usually “contento(a).”Contento also translates into the English word, “content,” meaning to feel comfortable with or about something. The phrase, “Contento lui!” translates as, “Whatever makes him happy!”
Also, a note about feeling “excited” about things. In America, a very common phrase is, “I am excited…” about what I am about to do, or perhaps an event I will attend. In Italy, the word for“excited”or “thrilled” is “emotionato(a).”
Although the Italian word emotionato sounds to the English speaker like “emotional,” the Italian adjectives for emotional are actually, “emotivo(a),” or “emozionale.” Be careful! The Italian adjectives emotivo(a) and emozionale are most commonly used to mean “excited” with a negative connotation.
The wordsemotionatoand emotional, which sound like they should have similar meanings in each language, but do not, are often called, “false friends.”
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Valentines Day Sayings with Sentirsi
Now that we know how to make sentences with the verb sentirsi, let’s see how we can tell others how we feel on Valentines Day, or La Festa Degli Innamorati, as the Italians call this day. One of the legends surrounding Saint Valentines Day is that San Valentino, a priest in the Christian church who was jailed by the Romans, wrote the girl he loved a farewell love letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine.” He knew that this lettera d’amore, would be the last he would write to her before his execution as a Christian.
What do you imagine he could have written in this letter?
The Italian phrase for “I love you,” — when talking about love in a romantic way — is easy. It takes just two short words to relay your special feelings for someone: “Ti amo.” But after that, what do you say? How do you tell someone how wonderful they make you feel when you are with them?
Below are a few expressions that one can use on Valentines day, some of which use the verbsentirsi.
Quando ti vedo …mi sento contento(a).
When I see you …I am happy.
…mi sento un uomo fortunato.
I feel like a lucky man.
…mi sento una donna fortunata.
I feel like a lucky woman.
…sento che la mia vita è appena cominciata.*
I feel like my life has just begun.
… sento che il mondo è tutto mio.*
I feel like the world is all mine.
*You will notice from two of our examples above that the verb sentire was chosen for the Italian verb that means “to feel,” rather than the reflexive sentirsi. In these two cases, sentire is used in order to make a general comparison about how one’s feeling relates to something else, rather than to state one’s exact feeling. This type of comparison is called a simile and is used to make an idea more vivid — or in our examples, more “flowery” and romantic. It is easy to spot a comparison in Italian, because “che” will be used to link one’s feeling to the descriptive phrase. In English we can translate che into “like.”
Sentire is used in the following to phrases in our table below as well, but for a different reason. These two examples use the sentence structure, “You make me feel…” which requires sentireto be used in it’s infinitive form.
Mi fai sentire molto contento(a).
You make me feel very happy.
Mi fai sentire che tutto è possibile.
You make me feel that everything is possible.
If the time “feels right” for you and your Italian love to “officially” declare your feelings for each other, you may want to try the important phrases listed here.
Vuoi essere la mia fidanzata?
Do you want to be my girlfriend?
Vuoi essere il mio fidanzato?
Do you want to be my boyfriend?
Vuoi stare insieme a me per sempre?
Do you want to stay together forever?
Vuoi fidanzarti con me?
Do you want to get engaged (engage yourself to me)?
Vuoi fidanzarti con me?
Will you be my fiancée/finance?
Vuoi sposarti con me?
Do you want to get married (marry yourself to me)?
Vuoi sposarti con me?
Will you marry me?
How would you use sentirsi to tell your love how you feel? Please leave some examples. I’d love to hear from you!
One last note…
Italians do not use the words contentaor felice, to wish each other a “Happy Valentines Day,” but instead use “buon/buono/buona,” as for other holiday expressions, as in: Buona Festa degli Innamorati!
Click on this blog from expoloreitalianculture.com if you are interested in learning more about the traditions of Valentines Day in Italy.
Buon Festa degli Innamorati a tutti voi!
Conversational Italian for Travelers “Just the Verbs”
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD, for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Ciao a tutti! Since we in America are all celebrating Thanksgiving a bit differently this year, I thought I would post a turkey recipe I’ve made before for small gatherings.
My Italian-American turkey recipe uses a full, boneless turkey breast, which is flattened, spread with a ragù of Italian sausage and cremini mushrooms, and then rolled up to form a log. When the log is cut into slices it makes an elegant presentation and a satisfying main course for 6 -8 people. I plan to use half the log for Thanksgiving and freeze the other half for an easy dinner later in the year.
I based my Italian sausage and mushroom ragù filling on the Bolognese ragù that my children have requested as their birthday dinner for years. Actually, the Bolognese ragù I make is by far my most requested dish all around (I have to admit, even though I am Sicilian and make a variety of southern Italian sauces). If you are interested in a true ragù recipe, here is the link to my blog: Italian Sauce Recipe: Bolognese Meat Ragù.
Check out my Instagram Conversationalitalian.french to watch the video when I cook my version of sausage and mushroom ragù filling and make the roasted turkey breast for my family to enjoy this Thanksgiving. Then read on for the recipe below.
If you’d like, leave a comment about your Thanksgiving celebration this year, and the traditions that are celebrated where you live. I’d love to hear from you!
And by all means stay safe and have a wonderful Festa del Ringraziamento,however you celebrate this year.
4 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. olive oil 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, small dice
Procedure
For the Ragù Filling: Sausage
Use a medium size frying pan. Add the olive oil and butter and heat over medium high heat.
Add the finely chopped shallot or onion, celery, and carrot, and cook with a pinch of salt until vegetables have softened.
Add the chopped pancetta and cook to render out the fat.
Add the Italian sausage meat, and stir with a wooden spoon to break up meat as it browns.
Set aside while you cook the mushrooms.
For the Ragù Filling: Mushrooms
Use a medium size frying pan. Add the olive oil and butter and heat over medium high heat.
Remove garlic before it gets brown.
Add the diced mushrooms and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms soften. At first, they will appear to absorb all the liquid in the pan. As they finish cooking, they will release juices back into the pan.
When mushrooms have softened and there is liquid in the pan, add them to the sausage in the larger pan.
For the Ragù Filling: Finishing the Filling
Warm the sausage and mushrooms in the large frying pan over low heat.
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. flour over the sausage and mushrooms and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes.
Warm the milk in the microwave (but do not boil, about 20 sec) and then drizzle slowly into the sausage/mushroom mixture while mixing over low heat. Bring to a very gentle simmer and then turn off heat. Continue stirring. The mixture should thicken.
Make the Turkey Log:
Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry. Trim any extra fat.
Remove the skin of the turkey breast carefully. Use the blunt edge of a carving knife. Try not to get any tears in the skin, as it will be used to cover the Turkey roll later. Set aside.
Preparing the turkey breast – Step 1
Set the turkey breast flat on the cutting board, skin side down. You will need to make the turkey breast as flat and as rectangular as possible. Start by trimming the tenders (the small, oblong pieces of meat along each underside) from the lower portion of the breast. Trim along the midline and then fold them outward to make “flaps” close to the main breast. The upper edges of the breast will be too thick; slice through them and remove or create an additional flap outward. Trim away any additional excess turkey to level off the breast.
Preparing the turkey breast – Step 2
Cover the turkey breast with a sheet of wax paper. Then pound the turkey breast lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to further flatten. Pound from the inner part of the breast to the outer edges on all sides.
Preparing the turkey breast – Step 3
Spread the filling on the turkey breast and even out with a large spoon or spatula. You may have a bit too much filling; just discard what is left. Press the filling into the turkey breast with a wide spoon.
Roll the breast the long way from one side to to the other and make a tight, long log. The seam should be on the bottom of the roll.
Rolling the turkey breast with sausage and mushroom filling into a log
Cover the log with the turkey skin and flatten around the roll with your hands so the skin is closely adhered to the turkey log.
Use cooking twine to tie the roast so it stays together while roasting. Three or four crosswise ties should cover most of the roll. No need to tie the roll lengthwise.
Brush olive oil on the skin surface and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. If your turkey breast came with a pop-up thermometer, make a small cut in the skin and insert it into the turkey log. Make sure it goes in as deeply as it would if it were in a regular breast.
Gently transfer the turkey log to a roasting pan, keeping the seam side down.
Turkey log tied with thermometer re-inserted and prepared for roasting
Roast in the lower 1/3 of the oven 400° for 30 minutes. Then lower heat to 325° and cook for approximately 30 -40 minutes more.
The roast is finished cooking when the interior reaches 170°, and a thermometer should be used to test for doneness. If your turkey breast comes with a meat thermometer, reinsert this and use it as a guide.
When the roast has finished cooking, remove the twine and thermometer and present on a large oval plate. It looks lovely by itself or surrounded by roasted potatoes or a vegetable of choice.
Let rest 15 minutes, slice and serve.
Roasted turkey roll ready to slice and serve
Buon appetito e Buon Giorno del Tacchino!
Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Important Phrases (with Restaurant Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions) is YOUR traveling companion in Italy! All the Italian phrases you need to know to enjoy your trip to Italy are right here and fit right into your pocket or purse.
It’s easy to say, “I love you!” in a romantic way in Italian. When you are with your special someone this Valentines Day, just remember two little Italian words: “Ti amo!” But, of course, there is so much more to love and romance than just saying a few special words!
For Valentine’s Day this year, I’ve reprinted some of the phrases from my “Making Friends” section this blog. In the Conversational Italian for Travelers book, I’ve included some typical Italian phrases to use if you’ve decided to stay awhile in Italy and want to approach someone to get to know them better. Or maybe you know an Italian or Italian-American here in the states, and both of you realize how romantic the Italian language can be! In this slim Italian phrase book are some tongue-in-cheek, humorous phrases, some phrases one might say in return if they are interested… and other phrases one might say in return if they are not! We will stick to the positive phrases for this blog for Valentines Day.
Also, I am including in this blog a few new phrases I have just learned from the You Tube Italian personality Anna on the channel Your Italian Circle. Her video, “How to talk about LOVE in Italian – AMORE in ITALIANO” mentions how to use the verb of romantic love, amore,and the other important phrase for one’s love of family and friends, “Ti voglio bene.” I’ve covered these topics last year in my blog: “Italian Phrases We Use EVERY Day — How to say, ‘I love you!’ in Italian.” Click on the link to my if you like, and then listen to Anna’s clear Italian to practice saying these phrases yourself at the end of this blog.
After reading this blog, please reply and mention your favorite romantic Italian phrase. I’d love to hear from you! Or join our Conversational Italian! group discussion on Facebook.
The basics of the Italian language are introduced in the Conversational Italian for Travelers textbook and reference booksJust the Verbsand Just the Grammar
The rights to purchase the Conversational Italian for Travelers books in PDF format on two electronic devices can also be obtained atLearn Travel Italian.com.
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“Making Friends” in Italian*
So, now you are in Italy, and have decided to stay for awhile. You may meet someone you want to get to know better. What to say to them to “break the ice”? Or, maybe you are just trying to enjoy a coffee, and someone introduces themselves. What to say if you are interested? Here are some well-known pick-up lines translated into Italian (some just for fun and others more serious), and some replies – if you are interested – or not!
Let’s get to know one another:
Scusa…
Excuse me…(familiar)
Credo che ci siamo già visiti prima?
Haven’t we seen(already met) each other before?
…da qualche parte?
…around here?
Penso di conoscerti già.
I think that I’ve met you before.
Hai degli occhi molto belli!
You have beautiful eyes.
Tu hai il viso della Madonna.
You have a beautiful face.
(lit. the face of Mother Mary)
Che cosa fai…
What are you doing…
…per il resto della tua vita?
…for the rest of your life?
Or, a little less flowery:
È libero questo posto?
Is this seat free?
Ti dispiace se mi siedo qui?
Would you mind if I sit here?
Posso sedermi con te?
May I sit with you?
Ti piace questo posto?
Do you like this place?
Ti stai divertendo?
Are you enjoying yourself?
Con chi sei?
Who are you with?
Sono da sola(o).
I am alone. (female/male)
Sono con un’amica/un amico.
I am with a friend.(female friend/male friend)
Sto aspettando qualcuno.
I am waiting for someone.
Sei sposata(o)?
Are you married? (to female/male)
Sei single?**
Are you single?
Sei divorziata(o)?
Are you divorced? (to female/male)
Cosa prendi?
What are you having?
Posso offrirti qualcosa da bere?
May I offer (to) you something to drink?
Vuoi qualcosa da bere?
Do you want something to drink?
Vuoi qualcosa da mangiare?
Do you want something to eat?
Vuoi fare una passeggiata?
Do you want to go for a walk?
**Although the English word single is commonly used in Italian conversation, the Italian words for single are nubile for a woman and celibe for a man, and these words are used on official Italian forms.
Let’s get together… (This is a good time to memorize those Italian prepositions!)
Perché non ci vediamo? Let’s get together.
(lit. Why don’t we get together/see each other?)
Posso avere il tuo…May I have your….
numero di telefono? telephone number?
indirizzo email?***email address?
Hai tempo domani? Do you have time tomorrow?
Posso rivederti domani? May I see you again tomorrow?
Sei libera(o) domani, Are you free(to female/male)tomorrow,
domani sera, tomorrow night,
la settimana prossima? next week?
Vuoi andare al ristorante? Do you want to go to a restaurant?
al bar? a (coffee) bar?
al caffé? a cafe?
in pizzeria? a pizzeria?
Posso invitarla/ti a cena? May I invite you (pol.)/(fam.) to dinner?
Ti piacerebbe/Vuoi… Would you like to/Do you want to…
andare in piazza? go to the piazza?
andare al cinema? go to the movies?
andare al concerto?go to the concert?
andare allo spettacolo ? go to the show (performance)?
According to Anna from the You Tube Channel Your Italian Circle, a familiar way an Italian might ask someone out is with the phrase “Ti va.” The use of this expression probably derives from the familiar slang phrase, “Come va?”“How’s it going?” and the answer, “Va bene,” for “It’s going well.” The extension of these simple Italian phrases of greeting into other facets of life is a good example of how language is always changing and evolving into something new!
So, to ask someone you know if you can get them something, just use:
Ti va + noun (thing) = Do you want…
Expanding on one of our examples above:
Ti va qualcosa da bere?
Do you want something to drink?
Ti va un appertivo?
Do you want a cocktail?
Ti va un caffè?
Do you want a coffee?
To ask someone if they want to do something, just use:
Ti va + di + verb (action) = Do you want to…
Expanding on one of our examples above:
Vuoi andare al ristorante?
Do you want to go to a restaurant?
Ti va di andare al ristorante?
Do you want to go to the restaurant?
Ti va di andare al cinema?
Do you want to go to the movies?
And if the answer to any of the questions above is… yes!
Conversational Italian for Travelers Just the Important Phrases (with Restaurant Vocabulary and Idiomatic Expressions) is YOUR traveling companion in Italy! All the Italian phrases you need to know to enjoy your trip to Italy are right here and fit right into your pocket or purse.
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD, for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Fathers Day saying from Dante? Why? Well, I have to confess that the famous Italian poet of old, so famous that we all have come to know him by just one name – Dante – has crept unexpectedly into my life.
I have recently been reading Dianne Hales book La Bella Lingua, a little bit each night. The subtitle to this book is, “My love affair with Italian, the world’s most enchanting language,” and I would encourage every serious student of Italian to read this book to discover just how the Italian language we love so much came about.
In this book, we relive the “story” of the adoption of Italian by Italians as told through Dianne’s experiences in Italy; she discovers the facts of history, bit by bit, directly from scholars she interviews as well as from the families that she meets every day during the many months of the year she spends in Italy.
The third chapter is dedicated to Dante, who was born into an educated family for Florence as Durante degli Alighieri in 1265. At the beginning of Dante’s life, Latin was the language of scholars. Diane explains Dante’s genius as a poet in the Italian language that had been developing for hundreds of years before his time. Dante’s three volume Commedia(The Divine Comedy) was the longest serious work written in Italian up to that point, and earned him the title “Father of Italian.” The Renaissance developed in Florence as Dante was writing this book in the early 1300’s. Italians still study Dante in school today; his rhyming story-line of one man’s journey from hell to paradise, and the different characters he meets along the way, still permeate the culture in many ways.
After I discovered Dante’s history and place in Italian life, I decided I had to learn more. So, I went to an Italian website, and found several of Dante’s most famous phrases. I’ve reprinted his verse that includes a phrase about true love for everyone to enjoy this Fathers Day.
When I first read this verse written so long ago, it made me think of the type of love that can be shared by families even today. The type of love that parents show their children to let them know that they believe in them. The type of love that my father showered on his two daughters when he was alive, and for which I will always be grateful.
Do Dante’s words remind you of a loved one?
Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you! Happy American Fathers Day!
I
L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle:
«Alla mia grande capacità di immaginazione mancarono le forze;
ma Dio, l’amore che fa muovere il sole e le altre stelle,
faceva già girare il mio desiderio e la mia volontà,
come una ruota che gira con moto uniforme».
The love that moves the sun and other stars is verse 145 of the XXXIII canto Paradise of Dante Alighieri and the conclusion of the entire Comedy . Paraphrase:
This verse at the conclusion of the work is dedicated to God, and today used to refer not only to the greatness of divine love, but also to the love that all of humanity is capable of.
If you would like to read more famous phrases by Dante, here is the link:
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD, for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Ciao a tutti! About once a month (or so), I have been re-blogging posts that describe the lesser known places in Italy – or the more well-known viewed in a unique way – under the heading, “Your Italian Travel Tips.”
For April 2019, I am featuring Margie Miklas, an author and travel blogger who writes the blog Margie in Italy.
When I first read a recent blog of Margie’s entitled “Weird Italian Laws,” I loved the insider’s perspective and touch of humor that she used to describe these unusual Italian laws. It came to mind that many of these laws were surreal – almost too fantastic to be true! And yet, they are all still a part of Italian law!
In short, I am posting a blog about unusual laws in Italy on April Fools Day, but this is no April Fool! By the way, Italians celebrate April Fools Day on April 1st, as we do here. In Italy, the holiday is called, “Il Pesce d’Aprile,” which is a reference to the many jokes that people play on one another involving… fish. (Has anyone experienced this? Leave a comment below if you have!) The origin of April Fools Day is unknown, but according to Wikipedia may have started with ancient Roman holidays called l’Hilaria or l’Holiinduista, both connected to the spring equinox.
Margie Miklas is also the author of several popular travel books that describe her experiences while traveling in Sicily and Italy. I truly enjoyed reading her book, My Love Affair with Sicily prior to visiting Sicily for the first time myself. If you’d like to learn more about her books, visit her Amazon author page.
In her own words, the author says about her books and her blog about Italy:
You’ll read about the good and bad in Italy but always with a special love for the Italian people. This isn’t your typical guide about what to see in Italy. It’s experiential, informative, and hopefully entertaining.
You’ll feel my my passion and also my frustration at times about how things are in the Bel Paese. You’ll see my photos, but they won’t be the same ones you’ve seen a hundred times on other sites or in guidebooks. I share a glimpse into the heartbeat of Italy and a sense of its people.
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Italian pasta with lentils is said to bring families around the world good luck for the new year!
This recipe is being simultaneously posted on the Learn Italian! blog for my website, www.learntravelitalian.com, where all authentic Italian recipes for the home cook that I personally use and have blogged about for the last 3 1/2 years are found. Below is an excerpt. Click on the link for the entire method!
And I would like to wish all my readers:
Buon Anno 2019 – con salute, amore, e prosperità! Happy New Year 2019 – with health, love, and prosperity from my family to yours
Pasta with lentils or lentil soup is a New Year’s tradition in many Italian households. The lentil dishes are said to bring to luck to the family on New Year’s Day. I am not sure if anyone really knows exactly why lentils are supposed to be good luck. Maybe it is because they are shaped like small coins?
Whatever the reason, pasta and lentils is a hearty and delicious winter combination. Lentils are rich in protein, and the pasta/lentil combination was probably an important contribution to family nutrition in the days of the “cucina povera” cooking in Italy. Flavored with a bit of pancetta (Italian peppery bacon), garlic and tomato, the lentils make a delicious sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
I used “maltagliati” or “poorly cut” pasta for this dish, which to me is reminiscent of its “cucina povera,” origins but also because the lentils cling nicely to the short, flat noodles. If you cannot find maltagliati pasta, lasagna noodles broken by hand into small, irregular pieces will give a similar effect.
Buon anno 2019 a tutti! Try my pasta and lentils dish on a wintry day for a warm and comforting meal. -Kathyn Occhipinti
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD, for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Ciao a tutti! About once a month (or so), I have been re-blogging posts that describe the lesser known places in Italy – or the more well-known viewed in a unique way – under the heading, “Your Italian Travel Tips.”
For November, I am featuring a blogger who lives in Vicenza Italy, whose name is Rossi, from the blog, Rossi Writes. She has so kindly created a list of wonderful things to do in Northern Italy during the Christmas season in Italy under the title: “Christmas Guide 2018 for Northern Italy – The Complete List of Christmas Markets, Events and Happenings.”
Visiting Italy during Christmas time has been on my bucket list for years. I always go during the spring or summer, and yet from the photos I’ve seen, Italy is just as magical – or maybe even more so – during the Christmas season, with towns sparkling with lights and shops and churches decked out in their special holiday displays. When I read Rossi’s list of holiday concerts and events, I can almost feel the mounting excitement of the Christmas season.
In her own words, Rossi says about herself:
Hello! I am Rossi – a Bulgarian currently living in Italy after a 14-year stint in England. This is my blog about my life in these three countries, travels around Europe and opinions about the world we live in.
My blog Rossi Writes was started in November 2014 and currently has over 350 articles on several topics: from what to do and how to settle in Vicenza, in particular, and Italy, in general, to travel diaries and personal thoughts on a variety of themes – expat life, food, travelling with a baby/toddler, dealing with life as it is to name but a few.
I hope some of you get to visit Italy during this Christmas season. And, if you go to Northern Italy, hopefully you can experience the sights and sounds graciously listed in Rossi’s blog for us all to enjoy.
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Turkey soup for Thanksgiving is a family tradition that I started several years ago when my children were young and still living at home.
As I describe in the blog to follow, it was almost an accidental occurrence – instead of “wasting” the left over turkey bones by throwing them into the garbage, I “threw” them into a large stock pot, and created the “Turkey soup” that my family asks for every year.
Since my turkey soup recipe is to be made after Thanksgiving dinner, when the home cook is usually exhausted, it has to be easy, and it is! I have broken up the recipe into two days, but it can easily be completed the same day. Also, a big batch of turkey soup gives your family something warm and nourishing that they can reheat themselves for the rest of the weekend.
This recipe is being simultaneously posted on the Learn Italian! blog for my website, www.learntravelitalian.com, where all authentic Italian recipes for the home cook that I personally use and have blogged about for the last 3 1/2 years are found. Below is an excerpt. Click on the link for the entire method!
And I would like to wish all my readers a “Happy Thanksgiving”
from my family to yours!
What makes my Thanksgiving turkey soup Italian, you ask? Well, maybe it actually is an American soup – since turkey is the quintessentially American bird – but made with an Italian touch! Let me explain.
Of course, here in America it is not Thanksgiving without turkey. And, the Italian cook hosting Thanksgiving dinner will not want anyone to miss out on their fair share (read enormous share) of turkey. Which means a large turkey for every family size. Which means the best part of Thanksgiving – leftovers!
Working under the Italian traditions that demand: (1) no food be wasted and (2) all left overs be transformed into a new and delicious dish, one Thanksgiving evening I decided that it would be a waste to throw out the left over turkey bones with all the small bits of meat still clinging to them. Instead of putting the turkey carcass into the garbage, I broke it up a bit and put it into my large stock pot. Then I added a few coarsely chopped vegetables, left over fresh parsley, covered all with water and let the pot simmer on the stove top.
When my 6 year old daughter came down from her room on the second floor of the house and made her way back into the kitchen to ask why I was still cooking and what is was that smelled so good, I knew I had a hit! She insisted on having some of the soup that very night.
I have had a standing request from my family to make Thanksgiving turkey soup every year since that time. The slightly sweet, mild flavor of the roasted turkey comes out beautifully with the long cooking that a soup requires. And, with virtually no effort on my part, the family has a warm, easy meal to heat up themselves for the rest of the weekend.
For the quintessential “Italian” contribution to the soup, add a box of pappardelle noodles or small soup pasta in your favorite shape to make your Thanksgiving turkey soup complete!
I have broken up the steps to make my Thanksgiving turkey soup into two separate days, but once the family smells the broth simmering on the stove, they may want you to finish the soup for a light evening meal that very same night! —Kathryn Occhipinti
Kathryn Occhipinti, MD for Conversational Italian for Travelers books
Buona Pasqua a tutti! I am a new convert to celebrating Easter the traditional Italian way, with Easter lamb, as you will discover if you read on below. But now I enjoy Easter lamb just as much as any Italian, and – more importantly – my family does, too! The method I developed for roasted Easter lamb was originally posted on March 21, 2018 on the Learn Italian! blog for Stella Lucente, LLC and www.learntravelitalian.com. Below is an excerpt. Click on the link for the entire method!
I’d love to hear if your family makes Lamb for Easter dinner and your favorite method!
The Easter holiday and the Easter lamb for dinner have been linked together in Italy far beyond recorded years. But, I have to admit that here in America, my Italian-American family’s own tradition for Easter was (for many years) a special Sunday brunch with friends at our favorite restaurant. My children loved greeting the Easter bunny as he walked through, the Easter egg hunt, and of course, the special (and the children’s second) Easter basket filled with chocolate goodies provided with dessert.
Now that my family is a bit older, and the charm of the Easter bunny has faded (although not the love of chocolate, mind you), we prefer to meet at home for Easter. Since the matriarch of the family, my mother, has had to give up cooking, making our Italian Easter dinner – which, as we all know should feature lamb – has fallen to me.
Another confession – I’ve never really liked the particular “gamy” taste of lamb. But, luckily, I’ve taken up this family challenge with years of Italian cuisine to fall back on. I’ve tried several ways to make lamb known to Italians of different regions. And I think I’ve found a method that my family all agrees makes our lamb moist and delicious. (Hint: you may find some similarities between this recipe and the pot roast recipe I posted from February.) I hope if you try this recipe for Easter, or for another special family dinner, that your family will agree with mine that it is the most delicate and flavorful lamb you’ve tried. Click here to read on for the recipe!
Conversational Italian! 
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