Welcome to the second part of my holiday gift guide for Italy Lovers.

I’ve drawn up a list packed with creative ideas for presents that will certainly help you make “una bella figura” – a good impression!

The best part? You won’t have to break the bank to do so — everything is priced between $5 to $20!

So, without further ado, here is my selection of books and films about Italy  — look closely, there might be JUST what you’re looking for.

 FILMS SET IN ITALY

A film set in Italy is a good way to get in the mood for an upcoming vacation in the ‘bel paese’ or to think about the time you spent there. These films should be a part of every Italophile movie collection.

• Vacanze Romane (Roman Holiday)

A beloved classic with the ever-charming Audrey Hepburn at the helm. What’s not to love?

• La vita è bella  (Life is Beautiful)

Warning: this is not for the faint of heart. You’ll cry. A lot. Get your tissues ready.

Oscar-winning “La vita è bella” tells the story of a father who shields his son from the horrors of a concentration camp by pretending it’s all a game.

• Mangia prega ama  (Eat Pray Love)

Julia Robers embarks on a journey of self-discovery in Italy. The film is based off of Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir.

• Sotto il sole della Toscana (Under the Tuscan Sun)

Can’t make it to Tuscany? Just enjoy the Tuscan scenery from the comfort of your own home with the movie “Sotto il sole della Toscana”.

• Letters to Juliet

Verona is home to Juliet’s balcony and is where this film takes place. Take a delightful trip around the city with Amanda Seyfried who plays the main character, Sophie.

• The Tourist

A romantic thriller starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Set in Venice. ‘Nuff said.

• To Rome with Love

Fun, romantic and star-studded. Worth it if you miss Rome and its beautiful views. Because, in all honesty, who can say no to Rome?!

 BOOKS ABOUT ITALY

• Eating Rome, Elizabeth Minchilli

Elizabeth Minchilli has been eating her way through Rome since she was 12 years old. Eating Rome, based on her popular blog Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, is her homage to the city that feeds her, literally and figuratively.

• Dreaming Sophia: Because Dreaming is an Art, Melissa Muldoon

Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy.

• La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language, Dianne Hales

A celebration of the language and culture of Italy, La Bella Lingua is the story of how a language shaped a nation, told against the backdrop of one woman’s personal quest to speak fluent Italian.

• Cooking with Nonna: Celebrate Food & Family With Over 100 Classic Recipes from Italian Grandmothers, Rossella Rago

Take a culinary journey with Rossella from Italy to America with her debut cookbook Cooking with Nonna, featuring over 100 classic Italian recipes.

Which Italian item is your fave?

Don’t forget to check out my other Christmas gift guide for more inspiration!

This post includes affiliate links to products I recommend. You can read my full disclosure here.

The post ❄️ The perfect Christmas gift guide for Italy Lovers – Films & Books Edition appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, I’ve put together the best Italian-inspired gift ideas to create a list that will make your Christmas merrier and brighter.

This list includes some of my favorite things, items that I personally own and items that I’d buy for someone who is crazy about Italy and all things Italian.

I hope it will help you find the perfect gift for the special people in your life or even for yourself.  *wink wink*

Stuck for gift ideas? Check out this wonderful gift guide for Italy lovers!
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 ITALIAN ESSENTIALS

1) A MOKA POT

Coffee is more than just a daily ritual in Italy.

Like food, coffee is sacred in our country and our caffè has nothing to do with the watery, tasteless coffee often served in bars and cafeterias around the world.

If you want to enjoy coffee like a true Italian, you need the right equipment — a Moka pot!

There are so many to choose from but Bialetti would undoubtedly be a top choice.

I recently gifted the one with the colors of the Italian flag and it was greatly appreciated!

Illy coffee makers are also pretty darn cool so you should totally check them out.

2) ITALIAN-INSPIRED HOME DECOR

There’s nothing more Italian than cooking pasta.

Serving freshly cooked spaghetti or gnocchi to your friends and family will make you feel like you’re living in the Tuscany countryside, especially if you create a whole Italian eating experience by gathering everyone around a neatly embellished table.

These gorgeous bowls by Rosanna will make it possible and will also ensure you’ll get lots of compliments!

The best part? There are authentic Italian pasta recipes written on each bowl. Not to mention the hand-lettering… it makes me melt.

CERAMICHE D’ARTE PARRINI (since 1979!)

Is there anything better than handcrafted gifts made by local artisans in Italy?

If you know someone who loves pottery and is just as enamored as we are with Italy, gift them something unique like a piece from the Ceramiche d’Arte Parrini store.

Another great place to shop for ceramics is Ceramica Solimene. These brightly colored ceramics are produced in a factory in Vietri sul Mare (on the Amalfi Coast) so you’re getting the “real deal”.

 ITALIAN FOOD (YUM!)

1) PANDORO & PANETTONE

Christmas without Pandoro and Panettone would be unimaginable in Italy.

Whether you prefer the former (like me!) or the latter, your Christmas table wouldn’t be complete without them.

I bet even Santa would appreciate a slice of Pandoro next to the milk and cookies. Nom nom nom.

2) CIOBAR

You think hot chocolate is delicious?

Wait ‘till you try Italian hot chocolate.

It’s so rich and dense and creamy and just, ugh, SO good.

Oh, and of course it’s even more addictive. Consider yourself warned.

Ciobar is hands down the best brand we have to make it at home.

3) BACI PERUGINA

Baci is Italian for “kisses” — quite the appropriate name since these yummy treats are as sweet as kisses.

Wrapped in a multilingual love note, these delicious chocolates are filled with a succulent heart of gianduia, gloriously crowned with a whole hazelnut and then enrobed in a chocolate shell.

They come in cute little boxes and make great stocking stuffers.

4) POCKET COFFEE

Looking for another fantastic stocking stuffer? Look no further. Pocket Coffee combine dark chocolate with coffee.  What greater gift can you give?

5) GIFT BASKETS

As usual, we save the best for last  — gift baskets for your foodie friends!

I can’t think of a better way to honor the Italian cuisine than with authentic products like olio d’oliva (olive oil), lenticchie (lentils), cantuccini (Tuscan almond biscuits) and more goodies —  all rolled into one!

What’s on your wish list? Let me know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this guide, please share it and spread the holiday cheer with your fellow Italophiles!

This post includes affiliate links to products I recommend. You can read my full disclosure here.

The post 🎅 The perfect Christmas gift guide for Italy Lovers – Home & Food Edition appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Let’s start with the basics.

The word for summer in Italian is “estate”.

Now, I know what you may be thinking – “That’s an English word!”

Well, estate is actually a falso amico – false friend – meaning that it looks and sounds the same as in English but has a different meaning.

Rather than a patch of private land with a property, in Italy the word estate indicates “la stagione estiva”, the summer season.

Summer is the season of colori vivaci (bright colors) and attività all’aria aperta (outdoor activities).

“Le vacanze” are the holidays. The word is plural and feminine and you need it to wish someone happy holidays: “Buone vacanze”!

Where do Italians go for the holidays?

Most of them vanno in vacanza al mare (go on holiday to the seaside) to relax in spiaggia (on the beach) or fare un tuffo nell’acqua (make a splash in the water).

Of course they also enjoy spending time sotto l’ombrellone (under the beach umbrella) so they can prendere il sole (to sunbathe) while they play parole crociate (crosswords) and mangiano frutta fresca (eat fresh fruit).

If you have kids, trips to the seaside mean packing secchiello e paletta (bucket and spade) so you can happily costruire un castello di sabbia (to build a sandcastle) with them.

You may want to include braccioli (water wings) or un salvagente (a lifebuoy) in your valigia (suitcase) just in case the kids want to go for a swim.

Sea’s not everyone’s cup of tea so some Italians may opt for una gita in montagna (a trip to the mountains) or un viaggio all’estero (a trip abroad).

What about those who don’t go anywhere and just stay in town?

Many Italian cities and small villages host local celebrations such as sagre di paese (town festivals) and processioni (processions).

August 15th signals the peak of summer. It’s Ferragosto – Assumption Day – a national holiday in Italy. Offices are closed, as well as some shops and restaurants.

Italians are usually headed to the countryside or nearby beach resorts to cool down and enjoy un po’ di aria fresca (some fresh air).

Italian summer vocabulary

Occhiali da sole– sunglasses

Crema solare – sunscreen

Giornate soleggiate – sunny days

Caldo – hot

Costume da bagno – bathing suit

Spiaggia – beach

Mare – sea

Nuotare – to swim

Prendere il sole – to sunbathe

Ondata di caldo – heatwave

Cool Expressions

You may overhear Italians say the following phrases when the sun is shining and the temperature is rising.

Come picchia il sole! – How the sun beats down!

Un sole che spacca le pietre –- a blazing sun, a sun hot enough to fry an egg

Bello come il sole – beautiful as the sun

Il sole bacia i belli – the sun kisses the beautiful ones

Baciato dal sole – sun-kissed

Si crepa dal caldo –  It’s sweltering

Si bolle – It’s boiling hot

Useful words and phrases for your summer trip to Italy

I have carefully crafted a vocabulary cheat-sheet for you, so don’t forget to grab your copy in printer-friendly PDF format for free!

If you already have access to the Language Library, you can download it directly from there.

You would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR  by sharing this post via Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Instagram or Pinterest.

Ready to brush up on more Italian Vocabulary? 

The post How do you talk about summer in Italian? appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

Today we are going to talk about summer… en français.

I’ve been to France over the summer season two times thus far and there’s no way I would’ve survived without memorizing these vocabulary words first!

Well, okay, that might be a tad bit extreme, but the list of words and phrases that I’m about to share with you definitely came in handy during my summer trips.

When we think of summer, we inevitably think of holidays – “les vacances”.

Traditionally, families and friends take advantage of sunny days (les journées ensoleillées) to travel (voyager) or simply go to the beach (aller à la plage).

“Je suis en vacances!” (I’m on holiday) This is what you can excitedly exclaim once you’re off your study or work duties.

French people have a specific term to indicate the summer break: “les grandes vacances” which means “big holidays”.

Why is that?

Well, that’s simply because summer is the longest period of school holidays for kids – from July to August, 8 weeks total.

Once school is no longer in session, les enfants are finally free to engage in fun outdoor activities.

French Summer Vocabulary – Vocabulaire de l’été
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Summer Activities in French

• Aller à la mer – to go by the beach
• Faire ses valises – to pack
• Défaire ses valises – to unpack
• Marcher sur la plage – To walk on the beach
• Se bronzer – to sunbathe
• Nager – to swim

Summer Months in French

• juin (June)
• juillet (July)
• le mois d’Août (August) – Beware of the pronunciation! The correct pronunciation of août is “oot”.

“Des aoûtiens” is the name given to August vacationers: un aoûtien (if he’s male), une aoûtienne (if she’s female).

People taking their vacation in July (juillet) are called “un juilletiste, une juilletiste”.

Summer Weather in French

When talking about the weather, French people use the verb “faire” (to do).

The usual construction is: “Il fait + ___”  followed by “chaud”, “froid” or what else.

• Il fait chaud – It’s hot
• Il fait du soleil – It’s sunny
• Il fait beau – The weather is nice
  
• La chaleur – The heat
  Le soleil brille – The sun is shining
  Le ciel est bleu – The sky is blue

YOUR FREE FRENCH SUMMER VOCABULARY!

Click below to receive your French Summer Vocabulary straight to your inbox for free.

If you’ve already got access to the Language Learning Library, use your password to download it directly from there.

What are your plans for the summer? Did you learn any new French words by reading this post?
Please share in the comments!

The post French Summer Vocabulary – Vocabulaire de l’été appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

If someone were to ask me “How did you become fluent in English?”, I would simply answer “I started learning it one day and I never quit. I just kept going”.

Persistence.

That’s how it happened. I was persistent and I never gave up.

I genuinely believe that motivation and persistence are the most important things when learning a language.

Giving up is the only thing that will prevent you from speaking a language fluently or speaking a language at all.

If you stick with the language and put in the hours, you’ll get there.

Sometimes, though, life makes it hard to focus on language learning.

You’re pumped at first and you’re going steady for a while, and then something gets in the way, be it university, work, family, you name it.

I struggle with this problem all the time.

I find myself going through phases where I’m super excited to learn French and I’m full of great ideas, and then I’m suddenly too busy or too lazy to do anything.

Truth to be told, I’ve been feeling like this recently.

I’ve been working so hard to create an online course that my French has been put on the back burner.

My motivation slowed down and my commitment to la langue française has fallen a bit to the wayside.

I knew I had to find a way to refocus and reassess my goals.

That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to try the Language Habit Toolkit.

What is the Language Habit Toolkit?

The Language Habit Toolkit is all about getting organized and creating a language routine.

It is designed to track your progress and it includes five wonderfully designed worksheets to evaluate and plan.

First Things First: Visualize.

“The most important thing you need to become fluent is a reason.” – Kerstin Cable

This is why the Vision Goals Worksheet comes first in the Language Habit Toolkit.

Imagine this.

It’s 9 am on a Sunday morning.

You are abroad – in a foreign country, deeply immersed in a foreign culture, and you can effortlessly interact and connect with the locals.

Doesn’t it feel good to think about that? That’s the power of visualization.  

Now, perhaps this is not your dream.

Perhaps this is not the reason why you’re studying a foreign language in the first place.

That’s fine.

All that matters is that you have your own reason, your own why.

Something that resonates with you and that will push you through the difficult times that you may face when learning a language.

Whatever that reason may be, you need to keep it in mind. You need to write it down and go back to it once things get rough.

Put Your Vision + Your Mission Into Practice

“If you trust the process and trust yourself, you can count on the fact that progress is inevitable.” – Kerstin Cable

Vision Goals are simply stepping stones on the path that will lead you to success.

What really helped me to get unstuck was what comes next, the Language Habit Tracker.

You see, tracking is something that I have overlooked in the past.

No wonder I had been lacking motivation!  

It wasn’t until I started tracking my progress with the Language Habit Toolkit that I realized what I was missing.

Seeing everything laid out this way made it easier for me to focus and plan ahead. It got me back to that long-lost excitement I used to have.

The tracking also made me aware of what was working and what not. By tracking my activities, I realized that I would skip reading in French over and over because I wasn’t involved at all in the reading materials that I was using.

In a nutshell then, the kit provides you with clarity, focus, and direction which are essential if you want to build a language learning habit for the long haul.

Want to take a peek at the routine that I created?

There you go.

My Path Goals for May:

Listening: Listen to the first six episodes of the podcast “Change ma vie : Outils pour l’esprit” by Chocolate & Zucchini.

Speaking: Record myself speaking French for two minutes.

Reading: Read one article per week on Paris ZigZag.

Writing: Watch “Sous Les Jupes Des Filles (French Women)” and write down new vocabulary words (the film was sooo disappointing, by the way!).

Quick tip: Don’t go overboard when you set your path goals. Only choose the number activities that you realistically have time to complete each month.

Fancy getting yourself a copy of the the Language Habit Toolkit?

Awesome! Click here to grab it + check out all its features.

—

P.S. Consider yourself lucky if you’re reading this before 2nd June 2017 because that means you can join the giveaway to win your copy of the Language Habit Toolkit.  Yay!

Full disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase I will make a commission at no extra cost to you. This allows me to keep Runaway Daydreamer up and running so if you do like the blog and want to support it, then this is a great way – thank you SO much!

Rest assured, I only recommend products that I myself use.

The post How I created my ideal language learning routine with the Language Habit Toolkit appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

‘Mamma’ is often the first word babies utter in Italian.

It’s a simple, two-syllable word, with such a huge meaning.

In fact, “la mamma” is probably the most important figure in the life of Italians, so much so that Italian men are famous all over the world for being “mammoni” – “mama’s boys”.

“La mamma è sempre la mamma.”

That’s our motto: “The Mom is always the Mom”.

Le mamme italiane – Italian mothers – are quite dedicated and are widely known for being nurturing and caring.

In Italian we’d also say that “di mamma, ce n’è una sola” – “there’s just one mother” – meaning that we should be grateful for our one and only mother because she will always be there for us.

In Italy, Mother’s Day – La Festa della Mamma – falls on the second Sunday of May, like in the United States.

Sons and daughters usually present una poesia (a poem)  prepared at school in honor to their mothers. They’ll give it to their mom or recite it out loud in front of the whole family (typically before eating lunch).  

Mothers will also receive flowers and little cards, either bought or handmade.

Greeting cards may be adorned with drawings and messages flush full of adoration, like “Ti voglio tanto bene” (I love you so much) or “Sei la mamma migliore del mondo” (You’re the best mom in the world).

Do you know all about Mother’s Day in Italy?
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VIVA LA MAMMA!

“Viva la mamma affezionata a quella gonna un po’ lunga…”

Famous Italian singer Edoardo Bennato used to sing these lyrics in the 80’s. His song’s been a hit ever since and it’s perfect to celebrate this day all’Italiana (in Italian style!).

Italian Vocabulary for Mother’s Day

Mamma – mom

Madre – mother

Maternità – motherhood

Figlio – son

Figlia – daughter

Bigliettino di auguri – Greeting card

Regalo – present

Fiori – flowers

Festeggiare – to celebrate

Buona Festa della Mamma – Happy Mother’s Day

Tanti auguri, mamma – Happy Mother’s Day

Ho un regalo per te – I have a present for you

Ti voglio bene, mamma – I love you, mom

How well do you know Italian holidays?

Click below and get a better insight into Italian culture, customs, and traditions.

Oh, don’t forget to test your Italian knowledge by grabbing the exclusive bonuses in our library.

SÌ! I want the Vocabulary Worksheets!

The post Do you know all about Mother’s Day in Italy? appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

“I Cento Pittori di Via Margutta” (One hundred Painters of Via Margutta) is an unmissable open-air art exhibition that takes place twice a year in Rome.

It features artists from all walks of life and it’s free of charge for everyone.

First, a little throwback for those of you who are not familiar with this event: the tradition began in 1953 when a group of local painters decided to revitalize the street with bright colors in the aftermath of world war two.

Via Margutta has been home to every kind of painter, sculptor, and craftsman ever since.

The beauty of the Cento Pittori exhibit lies in its rich variety: you can gaze on vividly colored watercolors, then turn a corner to see sketches and drawings of all types.

More than 3,000 artworks are usually showcased, making this four-day event a bi-annual gathering for locals and art lovers.

The story behind each piece

What’s really fascinating to me is discovering the behind-the-scenes of each individual piece. This is made possible by the direct, one-on-one contact with the artists. You’re free to chat with them, dig deeper, ask them how a particular painting came to life.

That’s something you don’t experience in big art galleries or museums and it’s so real, so authentic, so meaningful. Sharing laughs, anecdotes, and life experiences in a magical atmosphere such as this one is truly priceless. If you’re lucky, you’ll also have the chance to admire some of the painters “all’opera” (at work) as they create their masterpieces. And perhaps you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the making of a still life painting – just like it happened to me!

Quite honestly, this art exhibition “a cielo aperto” (under the open sky) can only be described to a certain extent. It’s just something you have to witness with your own eyes. Something you need to experience first hand.

In the meantime, do check out the official website to find out more.

>>>>>

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The post Art in Rome: Via Margutta and its 100 Painters appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

One thing you may have noticed about me is that I get ridiculously excited about holidays.

I love holidays and traditions.

Traditions are one of the reasons why foreign cultures intrigue me so much. I always ask myself: “What is it like to spend New Year’s Eve in Spain?” or “I eat Pandoro for Christmas, what do they eat in Croatia?”.

Since holidays are the best time to take a break, relax, and enjoy time with the family, some people find it harder to keep practicing their target language.

You too? Well, fear not!

I’ve prepared some fun Easter-themed activities so you can get your Italian language practice even when your mouth is full of chocolate and you’re surrounded by eccentric Easter eggs.

In this article we’ll review together:

• Prepositions of place

• Open Questions

• Gender Agreement

Before we get started, don’t forget to download your fill-in-the-blank workbook!

Get your free workbook to practice Italian!

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Italian Prepositions of Place

Bunnies like to move around and this gives us the perfect excuse to review the main prepositions of place in Italian – le preposizioni di luogo.

Shall we look for Easter bunny together? Where is he? Where did he go? Dov’è il coniglio di Pasqua? 

Il coniglio di Pasqua è dentro l’uovo. Easter bunny is inside the egg.
Il coniglio di Pasqua è sotto l’uovo. Easter bunny is under the egg.

• sopra – on
• sotto – under
• davanti – in front of
• dentro – inside
• dietro – behind
• tra/fra – between
• a sinistra – on the left
• a destra – on the right
• al centro – in the middle
• accanto / di fianco a – next to
• vicino – near
• intorno – around

Open Questions

We use open questions every time we want to formulate questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no answer.

We need interrogative words in order to do that, also known as WH-questions in English. Let’s see if you remember the Italian ones.

• Chi? – Who? Whom?
• Che?/Cosa? – What?
• Quando? – When?
• Dove? – Where?
• Perché? – Why?
• Come? – How?
• Qual/Quali? – Which?
• Quanto/a/i/e? – How much?

Genders & Agreement

In Italian, every noun has a gender – either masculine or feminine.  Nouns that end in -o are usually masculine, and those ending in -a are usually feminine.

Italian articles and adjectives must “agree” with nouns in terms of number and gender. So, if we’re talking about una casa – a house – we can use adjectives like bella and spaziosa to describe it. The endings always have to match.

Another example?

A nice boy is simpatico. → Il ragazzo è simpatico [masculine, singular]
A nice girl is simpatica. → La ragazza è simpatica [feminine, singular]
Nice boys are simpatici. → I ragazzi sono simpatici [masculine, plural]
Nice girls aresimpatiche. → Le ragazze sono simpatiche [feminine, plural]

Ahh, if only it were that simple!

Every rule has its exceptions and so does this one. There are words in Italian ending with -a or -e that are used to indicate both feminine and masculine subjects. There are also words ending in -a that are actually masculine instead of feminine (like il clima – the weather) and vice-versa. The article used will reveal you the gender.

Did you have fun?

If so, you would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR by sharing this post via Twitter, Facebook, Google + or Pinterest. Let’s spread the love for the Italian language

Italian Vocabulary for Other Holidays

• Valentine’s Day

• Carnevale

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The post Fun Easter Activities to Review Grammar + Vocabulary in Italian appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

“Wait, what are we celebrating?”, I hear you asking from miles away.

The launch of our new community, of course!

*Confetti explosions!*

It’s a brand-new era for Runaway Daydreamer and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. You might have noticed the new design and some of its cool features…

However, I thought it would be nice to take you on a tour of the website so you can explore what it will offer from now on.

This is our new, renovated, home. Allow me to guide you through it.

Community

I just started a private Facebook group for us, passionate language learners. It’s a place where we can help each other, share our struggles and our successes.  If you want to connect and interact with like-minded people, just send a request and I’ll let you in! 

This is the community you need to move forward in your multilingual and travel dreams.

See you there!

Learning

We learn together. We practice together.

I named this area “Learn + Do” because practice is at the heart of the courses it will host. Action is key. Put in the practice and the results will follow.

Our motto? Learning by doing. 

Free Library

Ahhh! The library! You’re going to love this.

One of my goals for this year was to give you more resources to download and use anytime, anywhere, on any device.

With that at the forefront of my drive, I created a free language library which will be updated regularly from now on.

Pop on over here to request access and enjoy my ever-growing collection of digital materials.

Foreign Music Friday

“On Wednesdays, we wear pink.”

Don’t tell me you don’t recognize this iconic movie quote!

I’m now going to steal it and change it a bit to make my own version because I can’t think of a better way to introduce you to Foreign Music Friday.

“On Fridays, we talk about music.”

Don’t worry, everyone’s invited, not just mean girls.

Basically, that’s the idea behind this new series: we will gather to discuss the perfect match that’s music + foreign languages.

Are you digging this already?

#ForeignMusicFriday: Every Friday (duh) on Runaway Daydreamer. It’s a date!

That’s a wrap!

I’ve been working hard on these updates and I would like to know, what do YOU guys want in a language learning and travel blog that you feel you’re not getting?

If you feel like there’s something that could be improved, please leave anything that you can think of in the comments below or just drop me a line!

I hope that the site reflects the hours of thought, love, and work that went into its development.

Thank you for being on this journey with me.

The post Introducing… the new Runaway Daydreamer! appeared first on Learn a new language while having fun and exploring the world | Runaway Daydreamer.

This article made me realize just how varied Italian food is even during the Carnival season and inspired me to put together a collection of traditional sweets cooked all around Italy.

Do you want to have an Italian-inspired Carnival meal? Come with me on a tour through Italy’s most delicious Carnival desserts.

CHIACCHIERE

Un post condiviso da Enrico ZeroDx (@enricozerodx) in data: 23 Feb 2017 alle ore 10:32 PST

Chiacchiere are not just a simple dessert. Chiacchiere are everyone’s dessert during Carnevale.  
As soon as the Carnival season kicks-off, you see them everywhere. You eat them everywhere.

These ribbon-like pastries made of dough are deep-fried and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The funny thing about chiacchiere is that every region seems to claim them as their own, hence why their name change from region to region.  In Liguria they are known as bugie (lies) and some says it’s because you never tell the truth about how many of them you eat.

In Lombardia they are called lattughe (lettuce), while Tuscans have named them cenci (rags). Romans call them frappe, along with people living in Umbria.

Chiacchiere, bugie, lattughe, cenci, galàni, frappe… it doesn’t really matter how you call them as long as they are on your Carnival menu.

The way chiacchiere are cooked varies slightly from house to house and ingredients are mostly the same: farina (flour), uova (eggs), burro (butter), zucchero (sugar) and olio vegetale (vegetable oil) to fry.

FIACÀ – PIEMONTE

Un post condiviso da Alessina (@alessina_f) in data: 21 Feb 2017 alle ore 10:58 PST

Small and sweet focaccias, also known as “schiacciatine”. Originally from Biella, a town in the Piedmont region.

ZALETI – VENETO

Un post condiviso da Marta Manzoni (@marta9427) in data: 30 Dic 2015 alle ore 07:36 PST

Crunchy yet soft at the same time, zaleti are the perfect on-the-go Carnival treat.

The name “zaleti” is a reference to their yellow color, since zaleti stands for “gialletti” in Venetian dialect, meaning the little yellow ones.

The main characteristic of these corn cookies is their diamond shape.

CASTAGNOLE – MARCHE & LIGURIA

Un post condiviso da Manuela Deorsola (@manuela.cuisine) in data: 23 Feb 2017 alle ore 19:35 PST

Castagnole got their name from their size and shape which resembles a “castagna”, chestnut.

These small, soft balls can be either fried in boiling oil or baked, even though the former is way more common than the latter.

SCHIACCIATA ALLA FIORENTINA – TOSCANA

Un post condiviso da Mario Ragona (@marioragona) in data: 7 Gen 2017 alle ore 23:43 PST

Tuscany contributes to the Carnival season with its own very unique cake. The sweet aroma of vanilla and orange will quickly fill your house once you prepare it.

Remarkable details: the symbol of the city of Florence adorns the top of the cake, dusted with powdered cocoa.

CAUCIUNI – MOLISE

Un post condiviso da Matteo Assunta (@matt.assu) in data: 21 Feb 2017 alle ore 14:27 PST

Not the easiest dessert to pronounce, but definitely an unmissable one.

Here’s what’s behind this fancy name: sweet ravioli filled with chestnuts, almonds, chocolate, vanilla, cooked wine musts, and cinnamon. Heaven, right?

ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE – CAMPANIA

Un post condiviso da Rosanella Taddeo (@rosanellataddeo) in data: 19 Feb 2017 alle ore 02:27 PST

Zeppole are mostly cooked (or fried) in the kitchens of  Southern Italians. Filled with thick cream, they can be topped off with cherry syrup, jam, or chocolate.
Even though zeppole were originally a Carnival-only tradition, nowadays they’re being served year-round.

PRUPATE – PUGLIA

Un post condiviso da cristina mosca (@kribbymoscart) in data: 30 Dic 2016 alle ore 08:00 PST

Prupate look like wedding rings because they used to be served at weddings. Each guest would usually receive a couple of them during the ceremony. The reason? Apparently, prupate would bring good luck to the newlyweds as they were believed to be the symbol of a long life together.

And they lived happily ever after… munching on prupate! Sounds good to me.

TARALLI AL NASPRO – BASILICATA

Un post condiviso da Amelia Leucci (@amelia3071) in data: 1 Mag 2016 alle ore 10:31 PDT

Unlike the majority of Carnival sweets, which are fried, in the Basilicata area people bake in the oven these sweet taralli al nastro.

These taralli, covered with icing sugar and lemon, are sure to steal your heart.

CASSATINE DI CARNEVALE CLASSICHE – SICILIA

 

Un post condiviso da Letizia (@lenty_ma) in data: 1 Gen 2017 alle ore 02:39 PST

You already know about ‘cassata’, right? You’re seriously missing out if you don’t! Cassata, made with sweet ricotta and almond paste, is arguably the most famous sweet of Sicily.

Cassatine are just a mini-version of it. Delicious little cakes moistened with fruit juices or liqueur. You are drooling. I see you.

CATTAS or ZIPPULAS – SARDEGNA

Un post condiviso da RobertoMurgia-Dolci in corso (@roberto_murgia) in data: 26 Gen 2017 alle ore 01:00 PST

Time to move to the lower part of the Italian “boot”.
Sardinians savor the so-called cattas (or zippulas) during this time of the year. These spiral-shaped fritters are flavoured with wonderful aromas, such as orange zest, saffron or mandarin.

That’s a wrap! We’ve come to the end of our tour. Did you enjoy it? Don’t hesitate to let me know! Tweet me @runawaydaydream or leave a comment below.

I’ve created a neat map of the sweets covered in this article. Grab it and spread it like Nutella. Share it with your foodie friends, Italy lovers, Carnevale freaks.

Italian Carnevale Desserts

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</p><br /><br /><br /> <p><strong>Please include attribution to http://runawaydaydreamer.com/ with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href=’http://runawaydaydreamer.com/carnevale-desserts-italy/’><img src=’http://runawaydaydreamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Carnevale-Desserts.png’ alt=’Italian Carnevale Desserts’ width=’700px’ border=’0′ /></a></p><br /><br /><br /> <p>

Credits: giallozafferano, dissapore, instagram.

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