Say “I Do” with an Italian Flair

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

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June 11, 2023 — Sabrina Hebert
What’s in a name….

What’s in a name….

Happy Name Day?

Yes! One more reason to be celebrated😊

Italians love a reason to gather and celebrate and celebrating your Onomastico is one more way they do so. Onomastico- In Italy this means “Name Day”. Your Onomastico day is celebrated just as your birthday would with well wishes from friends and family saying “Buon Onomastico! (Happy Name Day), a cake and sometimes even presents! But why? What is it about “Name Day” that gives such importance to the day that those surrounding you wish to celebrate it?

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"La Mamma"

"La Mamma"

“La Mamma”, “The Mom”….

While we are grateful for our beautiful mothers daily, there is one day a year that we truly take the time out of our constantly busy days to formally celebrate our strong, selfless and hardworking mommas and that is Mother’s Day or in Italian "La Festa Della Mamma". 

Our mammas are our unsung heroes who truly are the foundation of our lives. Celebrate mom with her favorite treats to show her how she makes our life a bit more sweet:) The official day to celebrate in Italy falls on the same day as the U.S, the second Sunday in May.

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New Collaboration at the historical and famous Cafe' Baratti & Milano , Turin Italy

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 

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January 23, 2023 — Sabrina Hebert
Italian New Year’s Eve Traditions

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...

Oh Honey Bee, How Sweet Are Thee

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

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June 24, 2022 — Sabrina Hebert
The Royal House of Savoy; The Who, The How and The Where

The Royal House of Savoy; The Who, The How and The Where

The Baratti & Milano name has a long spanning history of over 160 years. You might notice us mentioning “the chocolates for kings and queens” and “your royal access to”. This is because Baratti & Milano were in fact the King and Queen’s chocolates recognized as the “Official Chocolatier of the Royal House of Savoy.

Part 1. So Who were the Savoy’s?

Referred to by the Italians as Casa Savoia, The House Of Savoy, was a royal dynasty recognized in 1003 in the Savoy region of Europe. As the Savoy family

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5 Reasons Why Italian Chocolate Is The Best

5 Reasons Why Italian Chocolate Is The Best

Chocolate, a small but mighty superhero in our everyday lives. It has the power to brighten our day, it comes in many interesting varieties, always keeping us on our toes and according to the 2022 Forbes Valentine’s Day Gift Guide, a Harvard University study reported that people who ate chocolate at least three times a month, live at least a year longer than those who don’t. Again, our super hero.

Halloween, celebrated with an Italian “Spirit”

Halloween, celebrated with an Italian “Spirit”

The smell of cider floating in the air, the giggles of children dressed in costume giddy for their treats, jack o lanterns smiling at us creepily at every corner. The all American Halloween is one of the oldest holidays to be celebrated and recorded in American History dating back to the 1800s where it is said that immigrants from Ireland brought the mischievous festivities to America as a way to escape the potato famine back home and keep a little of their culture alive. There is no denying that children and adults from all over the United States have really begun taking this particular holiday to a different level in the past decade, with decorations galore, Halloween best costume prizes and neighborhoods known for their full size candy bars, the holiday has come a long way from the original meaning whether it meant warding off bad spirits for better crops, celebrating the Pagan beliefs for others or a festival meant to bridge the gap

October 20, 2021 — Sabrina Hebert
Soccer and the Nationalism that Dribbles Alongside it

Soccer and the Nationalism that Dribbles Alongside it

Its overtime and the score is still 1-1. Penalty kicks begin and your team misses the shot, you feel defeated, it’s been a game of over 102 minutes and you need this win. Second player shoots, he scores, you are back in the game of over 102 minutes and you need this win. Second player shoots, he scores, you are back in the game, the hope starts to creep up again, you can do this, your team can win this game… last and final player shoots… he scores….

September 30, 2021 — Sabrina Hebert
The Noble Hazelnut

The Noble Hazelnut

If you find yourself in Italy at first sign of autumn you will encounter a feeling of excitement in the air as autumn in Italy is a time of great harvest for everything from vineyards to mushrooms, chestnuts and hazelnuts. It is difficult to explain just how unique Baratti & Milano chocolates are without mentioning the most world renowned hazelnuts that make up the distinct flavor you find when eating any one of our classic chocolates, from the Classic Cremino to our Nocciolato and our Gianduja chocolates, all extraordinary in flavor made from the famously known “Tonda e Gentile” hazelnuts.

The “Tonda e Gentile” hazelnuts from 

Autumn in Italy

Autumn in Italy

We all know how we "Autumn" in America. If you live or are visiting anywhere in the Northeast  the first sign is always the chilly morning air upon waking. Then the increased layers in the evening. Soon everything around us seems colored in hues of browns, yellows, red and orange. Pumpkin spice is in everything you can think of and a visit to the orchards is on the TO DO list. Truly the most majestic of seasons as some landscapes go from an abundance of greenery to a backdrop of artistic 

September 28, 2021 — Sabrina Hebert