The ITALY Email (Tuesday Sept. 30, 2025)
Ciao Beautiful People!
Another week, another dose of Italian magic! Here are my favorite 5 discoveries:
I – INSPIRE 🌟
Meet Samantha Cristoforetti, Italy’s first female astronaut who spent 200 days aboard the International Space Station.
But here’s what amazed me most: she brought an espresso machine to space! Not just any machine – the ISSpresso, specially designed for zero gravity.
Pure Italian spirit: never compromise on the things that matter, even 400 kilometers above Earth.
👉 Samantha’s amazing TikTok account
👉 Check out the ISSpresso Machine
👉 Best Italian Espresso Machine Brands
T – TIPS 📚
Want to sound more Italian? Master the double consonants!
Words like “anno” (year) vs “ano” (anus) – the difference is crucial and hilarious if you get it wrong. Practice by holding the consonant sound longer: “an-NO” not “a-no.”
Same with “palla” (ball) vs “pala” (shovel). Trust me, your conversations will be much clearer with proper pronunciation!
👉 Learn Conversational Italian in Just 10 Minutes a Day
👉 Italian Pronunciation Practice Tool
👉 30 Interesting Facts About the Italian Language
A – ADVENTURE 🗺️
I took this photo on a recent trip to Bologna, my hometown. We started at 6 PM sharp, ordered a Negroni and an Aperol Spritz, and watched the magic unfold.
Our drink came with complimentary antipasti that was practically a full meal.
The best part? Italians consider this “pre-dinner” – we’ll still eat a proper “cena” at 9 PM.
👉 Italian Happy Hour: Your Guide to Aperitivo Culture
👉 Bologna: Your Inclusive Travel Guide
L – LEARN 🎓
Why do Italians talk with their hands so much? One fascinating theory traces it back to ancient Greece and Rome, where rhetorical gestures were essential for public speaking.
The famous hand-biting gesture (biting the side of your hand) is still used today across all of Italy, regardless of which dialect you speak. It means frustration or “When I catch you, you’ll be in trouble!” – practical communication that transcended linguistic barriers.
Y – YES! ✨
Say YES! to the real carbonara.
Real carbonara has exactly four ingredients: guanciale (pork jowl), eggs, pecorino Romano, and black pepper. No cream, and no garlic!
The secret? Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture, then toss vigorously. The residual heat creates that silky sauce.
Romans say if you add cream, you’re making “carbonara americana” – which isn’t a compliment!
That’s all for this week. Arrivederci for now!
-Massimo
