Myth and Travel
Easter in Turin .... Traditions & Practices
Turin Italy is not only the birthplace of Baratti & Milano but also where our confections are still made today. This region is still home to many of the Royal House of Savoy homes & history (read our who, how and where blog about the House of Savoy here), the birthplace of Italian cinema, and also a WONDERFUL gem of a city rich with history and culture and a must visit on your next trip to Italy!
So what should you do and where should you go if you were to find yourself in Turin around the Easter season?
I myself have spent many Easters in Italy, but all were in the South, where I was born and raised. Our traditions in the South concentrated largely on the types of foods we ate rather than the more modern traditions of egg hunts and Easter bunnies such is the custom here in the U.S. However, as we find the different Italian dialects that span from North to South, so do Holiday traditions. To find out more about Easter in all of Italy and what to expect, read this article from the magazine More Time to Travel. Spoiler Alert; it mentions Baratti & Milano Easter Eggs! Follow me as we journey together through Turin to see what fun and historical traditions can be found in this magical city at Easter time.
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New Collaboration at the historical and famous Cafe' Baratti & Milano , Turin Italy
EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT...
Translated from Italian Original
January 2023
Baratti & Milano’s Caffè Storico begins its new season with the Alciati family
The historic Caffè Baratti & Milano combines its centuries-old experience with that of Piero and Ugo Alciati's haute cuisine to create a historic collaboration on the Italian scene.
The two Piedmontese gastronomic excellences combine their experience in the most historic living room in Italy.
Starting from 12 January 2023, the Alciati brothers, owners of the Da Guido restaurant in the famous Fontanafredda estate in Serralunga d'Alba, and pillars of high-quality catering, will take care of the menu and the selection of wines of the Caffè Storico in Turin. The synergy between the café, directed by Renzo Papa, Ugo and Piero Alciati, reflects the great history of Piedmont, which brings the two realities closer together: in fact, the Fontanafredda estate was
COOKING WITH BARATTI & MILANO AND MAMMA B
When it comes to luxury Italian Chocolate Baratti & Milano is the top of the line. With an array of confectionary delights from real fruit hard candies to soft real fruit gelee's and of course their most popular Cremino & Gianduiotto chocolates there's no doubt Baratti & Milano has something in their portfolio that everyone can enjoy. Did you know they also have a "Cooking with Baratti & Milano" Collection? This collection includes mixes budino, panna cotta, a cooking bar etc.
Baratti & Milano U.S.A. paired up with chef Bianca DeMasi a.k.a Mamma B, who was born and raised in Calabria, Italy and is a former owner of fine dining restaurants and gelateria/cafe's in the Northeast, so that together Baratti & Milano and Chef Mamma B could show all the endless possibilities there are when cooking with Baratti & Milano!
Mamma B has a way of simplifying a recipe and transporting you back to your nonna's kitchen while sharing her passion for all things Baratti & Milano through her recipes!
We now can share some of her past recipes here with you and for more up to date recipes feel free to sign up with Baratti & Milano as once subscribed you are instantly welcomed into a community of gourmet foodies, passion for Italian cuisine, chocolate and a royal history.
Buon Appetito!
Click here for recipes!
Italian New Year’s Eve Traditions
We all celebrate the Holidays differently within cultures and within our individual families. The ball drop, champagne and wearing sparkly sequenced outfits are just some of the good ole’ American ways we like to ring in the New Year. Personally I always fall asleep with my champagne glass half empty and get woken up at midnight by my husband who INSISTS on the importance of a New Year’s kiss. Funny, how sometimes even the most menial of traditions are important to those who believe in them, no matter how silly they may seem to some.
Traditions are important. They make us
Keep reading about Italian New Year's Traditions here...
The food, sights and traditions of an Italian Christmas
December 8th marks the official beginning of the Christmas season for Italy coinciding with the Holiday of the Immaculate Conception, a Roman Catholic belief surrounding the conception of Jesus. The day is a public Holiday with most offices and schools closed and marks the commencement of the Holiday season in Italy and the day is spent mostly decorating for Christmas. Italy’s Holiday season lasts from December 8th to La Befana, January 6th.
Natale (Christmas in Italian), is celebrated on the same date as it is here in the U.S., on December 25th. While many of the traditions can be weaved in similarities to ours there are a few that stand out if you are celebrating in Italy or in the States with an Italian- American family. By now you’ve heard of the feast of the seven fishes
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The Dying Art of Luxury Craftmanship
Have you seen a surge of “SHOP LOCAL” requests in the last couple of years? This is happening in towns all over the country and local business and store owners are realizing there is a huge online shopping shift occurring but what happens if the local stores are not being supported? Huge onlines sales are constantly being promoted around us and marketers now know that consumers want to feel like they are “getting a good deal” But as we start to trend towards more and more online consumption we start to wonder who made these goods? Where are they coming from and who do they support?
I was born in Italy but raised in America in my teen and adult life.
THREE TIPS TO ELEVATE YOUR NEXT DESSERT TABLE
There is nothing more appealing than a luxury dessert table with just the right heights, colors and hues to ensue beauty and grace. Make your next event memorable with a dessert table they will never forget full of flavor and history with a pop of creativity. Whether Baratti & Milano is the main feature of your table or an added accompaniment, we have some tips to ensure your next event makes history.
Back to school, The differences and highlights of an Italian school system
Do you feel like as soon as the sun comes up on August 1st the only conversation you hear the rest of the month is about back to school? Between the stores, commercials and emails back to school is on everyone’s mind all throughout August and personally with my last baby starting Kindergarten in a few weeks, the magnitude of school starting never seemed so in my face as this year!
Eons ago, or so it seems, I attended school in Italy, I attended pre-school there, moved to the states for elementary school then transferred to Italy for 3 years of middle school and 2 years of Liceo which is their high school. I remember moving mid high school from Italy to the States and talk about culture shock. At Liceo, school was from about 830 am to 1pm which would get us home in time to lunch with the family, then of course a little snooze to recharge and off to sports, work and homework until the next day. To make up for the missed afternoon hours,
A Journey Around the World for The Best Chocolates
It’s a small world after all, and you get to taste it with every bite of Baratti & Milano…
If you have ever had a Baratti & Milano bar you will see a small compass on each piece of chocolate. I found myself curious on the meaning behind this symbol and after some research concluded that the reason why is that Baratti & Milano uses ingredients not just local to them in Turin but also sources their other well-known ingredients from around the world to ensure that when they create a new chocolate or cookie or candy, they create it with the very BEST of ingredients! Let’s hop aboard our imaginary flight in this blog as we jet set through the many places in the world that makes Baratti & Milano an unforgettable treat.
Oh Honey Bee, How Sweet Are Thee
Honey, a sweet food substance made mostly by the honey bee, is one of the most versatile and lately one of the most adaptable and sought-after food for foodies all over the world. From a drizzle on your morning yogurt parfait to hot honey on pizzas to the star of any charcuterie board to your accompaniment in your evening tea …. you might have honey multiple times a day and not even realize it! Honey is now also widely used for baking and used as an alternative to sugar. In a Smithsonian magazine article titled “The Science Behind Honey’s Eternal Shelf Life”, we learn that because most microorganisms can not grow in honey, you can leave honey sealed for thousands of years without it spoiling!
Lately the honey craze has exploded and it is now considered a “craft” accessory to most any food/drink. According to an article about “getting to know Italian honey” honey was mentioned for the first time by
Say “I Do” with an Italian Flair
The proposal; I will never forget that night on a beach in Italy sitting on the sand that was now cool to the touch as the sun had set hours ago. The waves crashed lightly and calmly and excited chatter was all around us as people were anticipating the first boom of the midnight fireworks promised to us all by the town’s festival flyer. My now husband turned to me seconds before the first firework lit the sky in colorful hues and whispered in Italian “Mi vuoi sposare?” Will you marry me?
Fast forward a year later back in the states and having attended one too many weddings in Italy (I’m Italian and we have A LOT of cousins) I knew I wanted
What it's like to celebrate Father's Day, the Italian way.
n Italy Father’s day is celebrated on March 19th, in conjunction with St. Joseph’s Day, which is celebrated by Catholics around the world to honor the depicted father of Jesus Christ, Joseph. Joseph was a saint, a protector and a provider. Although life has since changed since the time of Joseph, children of all ages and all over the world will continue to look up to their papa’ to fill those same roles mentioned above.
Like all special occasions in Italy, Father’s Day typically revolves around a hearty lunch for dad and children will scream “Auguri Papa’” and