If you live in Bologna, you will hear a phrase that sounds mysterious to any other Italian: “Dacci il tiro!” (literally: Give us the pull!). It’s the Bolognese way of asking someone to buzz them in. The Story Behind the “Tiro” As revealed in the book “Non tutti sanno che…”, this expression is a linguisticContinue reading “🇬🇧 “Dacci il tiro!”: Bologna, Cinema, and the Magic of the Intercom”
Category Archives: curiosity
The Pink Queen of Bologna: Secrets and Curiosities about Mortadella
🇬🇧 If Bologna had a scent, it would be that of freshly sliced Mortadella. Known worldwide (and often simply called “Bologna”), our “Pink Queen” is much more than just a cold cut: it is a symbol of excellence, history, and conviviality. A Protected History Did you know that Mortadella is one of the oldest productsContinue reading “The Pink Queen of Bologna: Secrets and Curiosities about Mortadella”
IL PEPERONE… QUADRATO DI MOTTA
The Motta Square Pepper is a traditional Piedmontese variety, grown in the Costigliole d’Asti area. Known for its square shape, thick, meaty, sweet, and highly aromatic flesh, it comes in red and yellow. It is a Slow Food Presidium that is enjoying a revival thanks to passionate farmers. It is best known as the baseContinue reading “IL PEPERONE… QUADRATO DI MOTTA”
The magic of candlelit concerts in Bologna
A musical and multi-sensory experience in breathtaking locations illuminated by candlelight, featuring intimate and evocative reinterpretations of composers and songs that have shaped music history. The Oratory of San Filippo Neri in Bologna is a restored late Baroque religious structure in the center of Bologna. It is located on Via Manzoni. The Oratory was builtContinue reading “The magic of candlelit concerts in Bologna”
Battle of Zappolino and “Stolen Bucket” legend
Today marks the seven-hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Zappolino, one of the greatest battles of the Middle Ages. At Zappolino, in the territory between Modena and Bologna, the Bolognese Guelphs and the Modenese Ghibellines faced each other on a day destined to go down in history. From that event came the “Stolen Bucket,” theContinue reading “Battle of Zappolino and “Stolen Bucket” legend”
The Borso d’Este Bible, the illuminated manuscript that symbolizes the splendor of Ferrara in the 15th century.
It can be said without too much hesitation that the Borso d’Este Bible, the most studied and well-known of the works preserved at the Estense University Library, is the most famous illuminated manuscript of the Renaissance, its fame probably equaled only by that of the Très Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry, or theContinue reading “The Borso d’Este Bible, the illuminated manuscript that symbolizes the splendor of Ferrara in the 15th century.”
The Secret of the Knights’ Wine
Among the golden stones of Apulia and the breeze from the Eastern seas, an ancient secret endures. It is the legend of Bombino Bianco, the white grape of the knights, said to have been brought to Puglia by the Templars returning from the Holy Land. In a time when crosses marked sails and swords gleamedContinue reading “The Secret of the Knights’ Wine”
Italian Cotoletta: History, Evolution, and Regional Variation
🕰️ Historical OriginsThe cotoletta is today one of the symbols of Italian cuisine, but its history has its roots in the Middle Ages. The first written reference to this preparation dates back to 1134, in a document relating to a banquet in the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, where the term “lombolos cum panitio” appears,Continue reading “Italian Cotoletta: History, Evolution, and Regional Variation”
Today is Pasta Day, the symbolic dish of Italy in the world.
Italians are the largest consumers with 23.3 kilos per capita per year, but almost 60% of Italian pasta production ends up on tables all over the world, with exports reaching over 200 countries. It’s always the right day for a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, but today even more so because we celebrate WorldContinue reading “Today is Pasta Day, the symbolic dish of Italy in the world.”
Che cos’è la schita, la focaccetta pavese che si mangia con salumi e formaggi. What is schita, the Pavese focaccia eaten with cured meats and cheeses?What is schita, the Pavese focaccia eaten with cured meats and cheeses?
In the countryside of the province of Pavia, a dish survives that embodies the essence of peasant cuisine: schita, also known in some areas as schiscia. It’s a thin, pan-fried flatbread made with flour, water, a pinch of salt, and a little lard or oil. It originated as an everyday dish, when homes cooked withContinue reading “Che cos’è la schita, la focaccetta pavese che si mangia con salumi e formaggi. What is schita, the Pavese focaccia eaten with cured meats and cheeses?What is schita, the Pavese focaccia eaten with cured meats and cheeses?”