The seventh edition of “Letterature – Festival Internazionale di Roma” will be held from 20 May to 19 June in the evocative setting of the Basilica di Massenzio in the heart of the Roman Forum. Thirty-six acclaimed authors, including Noble prize winner Vidhiadhar Naipaul, will present their work over a series of evenings in this year’s festival with its theme “Parola, Silenzio” (Word, silence).
As in past years, each author will present a piece of his or her work written especially for the...

Italian Self Service 1950s: The Supermarkets-May 7 2008
By Jackelin Jarvis

The 1930s USA started it all. Grocery chains were born in Italy posing lowered priced items and vast shelves swamped with ‘self-service’ signs which meant'service yourself please.' This meant the end to family-owned shops who catered to individuals personally.

WWII came and passed, and the self service idea was spread into Europe. In 1957, Italy saw the first glimpses of the ‘Supermarkets...

Raw Milk


Many Italians own goats and sheep, they milk them and drink it; unpasterized, unhomogenized, untainted. You may say UGH! It's dangerous, like I used to say, but in reality it's not; though we are conditioned to think that it is. What if we all knew that we could drink raw milk from healthy cows, then wouldnt we?
The milkman used to pass by everyday and leave that fresh glass bottle of milk, why? Because milk only lasted a day or two, then...