Guests of private or public parties are sometimes entertained with a game called "Tombola", similar to Bingo. The New Year is also celebrated with spumante or prosecco, Italian sparkling wine. New Years parties, whether public or private, will often last until sunrise in order to watch the first sunrise of the newborn year. An old custom that is still followed in some places, especially in the south, is throwing your old things out the window to symbolize your readiness to accept the New Year. So, keep an eye out for falling objects if you're walking around near midnight!

Oh, one more thing, don't forget to wear your red underwear to ring in the new year! They say it'll bring you luck in the coming year.

Cookies have always played an important part in Italian cuisine, whether they are consumed for breakfast with a cappuccino, or nibbled with a quick shot of espresso at a mid-morning or afternoon break. It is at holiday time however, particularly Christmas, when cookies truly shine. In almost any Italian home, whether it be in Italy, or here in North America, most families prepare specific traditional cookies each Christmas, and often those recipes have been handed down through their families for generations.

In Italy, the generic term biscotti, pretty well covers all types of cookies, although biscotti literally translates as twice baked. Here in the US, we know biscotti to be the hard, crescent shaped cookies that have become so popular recently. It is not unusual in Italy, to find the same cookie in many different regions, given a different name in each. Many cookies are given names from folklore, or fairy tales, such as brutti ma buoni, which means ugly but good, or baci di dama, or lady's kisses. Most Italian cookies are either made from nut paste or are butter based, and are in general not overly sweet. Visit any Italian household throughout the holidays, and you can almost be assured of being offered a tasty treat from the cookie tray.

If you are interested in preparing your own Italian cookie tray this year, you might be interested in the following tips for baking cookies, as well as my favorite Christmas cookie recipes that follow.

Cookie Baking Tips:

• Always preheat the oven for even baking.
• Place cookies on cold baking sheets.
• Place the baking sheets at least two inches from the wall of the oven for even baking.
• If baking two trays at one time, switch the top and bottom tray mid way through the baking period.
• Don't depend on the suggested baking time. There are many factors that can affect how long your cookies will bake. Check your cookies a couple of minutes before the recommended time.
• Once cookies are fully baked, remove them from the hot baking sheets to wire racks to cool, because the cookies will continue to cook on the hot trays.
• Do not store cookies until they have thoroughly cooled. Store in an air-tight container.

The Umbrian city of Gubbio has a spectacular way to mark the end of Christmas. 800 water fountains illuminated with thousands of lights form a gigantic Christmas tree climbing the side of Mount Igino. The ‘biggest Christmas tree in the World’ (according to the Guinness Book of Records) is on show from 1-10 January and is absolutely spectacular.

Epiphany (Befana) rolls along on 6 January, a Catholic holiday vying with Christmas for importance. Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Magi. Legend has it that the Wise Men asked an old woman for shelter. The woman (La Befana) refused, and has been wandering the planet ever since looking for the baby Jesus. Epiphany Eve (5 January) sees a good witch flying from rooftop to rooftop with gifts for children who’ve been good. If that sounds familiar, it’s a variation on the same folk tales that have come down to us as Father Christmas, with La Befana even popping down the chimney.

Travel to the Abruzzo region on 16 January and you can enjoy the Farchia festival. The people of the marvellously named mountain town of Fara Filiorum Petri construct 30ft bundles (fasce) of sticks, stand them on end and burn them like tapers. Songs are sung to celebrate Saint Antonio’s Day, and then it’s open house for a feast of sweets, wines and local spirit.

Carnivals or Carnevale are celebrated all over Italy, strictly speaking it is the lead up to Lent. Venice has a tremendous fortnight-long masked event and the celebrations on the Tuscan seaside resort of Viareggio are world famous. But the little Tuscan city of Foiano della Chiana, near Arezzo, claims its celebration as the oldest in the region, with the first Carnevale taking place on 18 January, 1809, 64 years before Viareggio. With parades of giant floats, colourful masks and costumes, music and dancing, and a feast of good food on sale in the streets, this is great fun for families. And if you’re used to carnivals running over a day or two … not in Italy. The celebrations here run from the last Sunday in January to the third Sunday in February.

Just north of Bologna, the Emilia-Romagna town of Cento is ‘twinned’ with the rather more famous Rio Carnival, with the winning float being shipped off to Brazil. The Cento events make Foiano appear a mere newcomer, with the city proudly pointing to artist Guercino’s painting of 1615 Maschere Folleggianti which depicts the celebrations. This is a serious business, with a guild of float makers training apprentices in the old craft. The spectacular celebrations culminate in 30,000 pounds of sweets being thrown to the crowds. The carnival runs for around a month from the penultimate Sunday in January.

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I am often amazed at technology - it actually inspires me. If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I would have an online business I would have said - "what"? Today, technology and the Internet makes it possible for me to share my favorite things with other people. It is much like a dream come true. I don't use computers to do my design work, but I do use computers to share my work with the world. Today while trying to decide what to blog about, I began looking through pictures from my travels around home (Italy) - and I suppose I am a little bit homesick at the moment also. I use google for a lot of things, my e-mail, my blog and the list goes on here, but my point is that I came across the Picasa picture program and I downloaded it - it took all the pictures from my files and organized them, (WOW!), and it also has a lot of very neat tools as well. It took a while for the program to scan all my files, but once it was complete I ended up playing around with the program for a while. I was able to create a collage of pictures from Rome and I even scanned some new designs I have been working on - just rough drafts but it put them into a new perspective which helped me feel more creative. Anyway, check it out if you get a chance - it is free and has some great features. In fact, I came up with a great idea for a Christmas gift for a good friend. After all a picture is worth a thousand words! Click here to get to the program!

I must say I usually make these several times a year but this recipe is certainly a must during the holiday season. The best part about these treats is simple, they are easy to make, simply delicious and it takes no time at all!

SPUMETTI (Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringues)

1lb. Hazelnut meats, coarsely chopped
1lb. Confectioner's sugar
1oz. Cocoa (Table Spoon)
2tsp. Cinnamon (Tea Spoon)
6 Egg whites

Preheat the over to 325F. Cut baking pan liner to fit 2 baking sheets and lightly grease. Mix hazelnuts, sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add egg whites and mix well until blended - about 5 minutes. Wet hands and break off small pieces of mixture (about 1tablespoon) and shape into round balls. Place on baking sheets, 1 inch apart and bake for approximately 30 minutes. This will make about 3/12 dozen!

Writing about all these holiday traditions has sincerely made me a little bit home sick! I know many of you have similar traditions and I hope you will share them by leaving a brief comment or sharing them with me via e-mail, I will gladly repost them. Today I want to share a very familiar Italian tradition which is know as the "Burning of the Yule Log". This tradition is shared by many cultures and has several different and significant meanings. The log is placed in the fireplace and it must burn all night log. For many it represents the purifying and revitalizing power of fire, and that with the burning of the log the old year and its evils are destroyed. Christian legend tells of how the Virgin Mary enters the homes of the humble at midnight and warms her newborn child before the blazing log. For me, this tradition is a mixture of many traditions and we typically sing songs, tell stories, and share the good and the bad of the past year. All our triumphs, successes and challenges. We keep a bit of the burned log to start the next years Yule Log, and save some of the ashes. The ashes are good luck and are nurturing. We have some beautiful fruit trees in the back garden and I usually place a some of the ashes at the base of the trees and plant - welcoming a fruitful season!

This is one of my favorite holiday traditions in Italy. On Christmas Eve, children set out their shoes for the female Santa Claus, La Befana, to fill with gifts of all kinda like toy's candies and fruit. If the children have been good all year long, their shoes are filled on Christmas morning. If the children have not been good ---- their shoes are filled with coal. La Befana is the best-know legend in Italy. She is usually portrayed as an old lady riding a broomstick and wearing a black shawl covered in soot because she enters the children's homes through the chimney. She is often smiling and carries a bag filled with candy and gifts. Here is little poem about La Befana.

La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana!

I wanted to take a moment to share my Home Collection of rich Italian dinnerware with you, so with out further a due, welcome to the Rita Monti Home Collection. Hand-formed and hand-painted works of art for your table. The table settings in my Home Collection reflect the character of their name-sakes in color, line and emotion. Each creation will vary slightly, as each piece is hand-formed on a potter’s wheel and hand-painted in the traditional methods that are the hallmarks of the ceramic artisan. The Rita Monti Home Collection brings the culture and vitality of the Italian lifestyle from my home to yours. Our collection has been featured in fine stores such as Williams-Sonoma and Neiman Marcos. Today our collection is available exclusively from our import facility in Florida and can be purchased online and carefully shipped directly to your door. Our focus has always been to share the Italian Way of Life with others, and our online process allows us to make this possible in a more affordable fashion.

One of my favorite and most popular collections is the Roma Collection. The brilliant yellow of the sun has illuminated Roman art from the times of the Empire through the Italian Renaissance. My Roma Collection reflects the magnificent glory and sensations of Italy's Eternal City. Vibrant color and traditional braided designs merge to create works of delicate elegance, allowing anyone to possess the spirit of eternity.

When I refer to "scenes" I am taking about the elaborate nativity scenes which are most certainly a part of the Italian holiday tradition. Bear with me here, I want to talk about the traditions but I also don't want to offend anyone in regards to religious affiliation so, please know that it not my point. These "Scenes" consist of figures, in clay or plaster, of the infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph. An ox and a donkey nearby because legend has it that they warmed the child with their breath. It is around this basic focal point that individual artisans create their own intricate landscapes. There may be grottoes, small trees, lakes, rivers, the lights of "Bethlehem" in the background, angels hung from wires, and occasionally, even local heroes. The most elaborate scenes are usually set up in churches. There is also often a contest between churches of the same town for the best scene. It is also custom to stroll from church to church to view and compare.

Is there a custom you would like to talk about? Let us know!

Christmas, as it is celebrated in Italy, has two origins. The familiar traditions of Christianity blended with the pagan traditions predating the Christmas era. The greatest feast of the ancient Roman Empire, "Saturnalia" (a winter solstice celebration), just happens to coincide with the Christmas fairs, merry-making and torch processions, honor not only the birth of Christ, but also the birth of the "Unconquered Sun" and its journey across the sky. "Natale" the Italian word for Christmas is literally the translation for "birthday".

As we progress through the upcoming month, I am looking forward to sharing many of our traditions with you. Naturally cooking and Italian food plays a major role in holiday celebrating so I am looking forward to sharing some of my favorite recipes with you as well.

One of my favorite traditions, which is rapidly disappearing in Italy, is the ushering in of the coming festivities by the "Piferari" or fifers, better know as Sheppards. They descend from the mountains of the Abruzzo and Latium (east of Rome), playing inviting and characteristic tunes on their bagpipes, filling the air with anticipation for the joyous celebration to come.

If you have any traditions you would like share, please comment, or let me know!

Rita

Our dinnerware creations originated in DeRuta, Italy several years ago. When we first started importing to the US, our collections were featured in stores like Williams-Sonoma, Neiman Marcos and other high end retailers. Due to import restrictions, as well as economic changes, we have sought to make our dinnerware line more affordable and our import process more streamlined. We hope these changes will make our dinnerware lines more available so that our love of the Italian culture and tradition can be shared with many more people. We constantly receive good reviews from our products... which is a great feeling, it makes me feel like the changes we have made were and are for the best. We have a great distribution center located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Our location allow us to ship anywhere in the US in a reasonable amount of time, and our location allows us to rapidly meet demand. Take a moment to visit our website and take a look at the full collection - we will randomly feature our collections here on the blog as well.

We wanted to give as many people as possible the opportunity to try our wonderful coffee, so what better way to do that than to offer a way you can experience The Italian Way of Life on us! Each month for the next few months we will be giving away a free Rita Monti espresso machine and Rita Monti coffee for a whole year to go with it! Each month you will receive our coffee delivered right to your door. We guarantee it will be as fresh as it was the day it was roasted in our roasting facility in Salerno. To enter is simple, just log on to our website and sign up to become a member. You will not receive spam, and we will never sell your name or e-mail to anyone. Each month we will select 2 members at random to receive this great giveaway. So what are you waiting for? Sign up now!

BUONGIORNO everyone! I wanted to take a moment to express how happy I am with all of the comments and well wishes I have received over the past month. I have been really trying to work as hard as I can to build my business, manage all my regular daily work at home, spend enough time with my daughter and of course my wonderful husband. I have found that the most importantly I am not alone. When I get my daughter off to school, Phillip off to work and the house finally gets quiet, I find myself chatting with people across America, answering e-mails, posting to my blog, and by lunchtime, I have managed to catch up with my regular tasks and plan for a very eventful afternoon. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am inspired. My goal has always been to share my Italian heritage with others, I did not anticipate how much I would get in return. I did not anticipate how much I would learn about other people!

Someone asked me the other day if I was going to post any more photos - well the truth is simple, I am so shy. All the pictures I usually use are from our original packaging concepts. I know I need to get some more made, but as prioities go that it not at the top of my list...ha!

Well, I am digging through my old recipe box and am looking to find a recipe to add to my Thanksgiving collection I have been posting. I think I am going to suggest something new I found recently, I have not made it personally but it just looks great! More to follow! -Rita

This is a delicious unique topping for bruschetta that would be great for the upcoming holidays when we are all looking for new ideas to serve to family and friends. The radicchio topping can be made up to two days in advance, and when needed the bruschetta can be assembled in just a few minutes. Radicchio di Treviso is a long, dark red lettuce with a slightly bitter flavor. By slowly cooking the radicchio with sliced red onions until soft with a little honey and balsamic vinegar, the topping has a sweet and sour flavor that Italians call "agrodolce". This topping is spread on top of creamy goat cheese which adds a whole new dimension of flavor. I used a multigrain baguette type of bread, but any long, crusty bread would work well. Serves 6-8 by Deborah Mele. To view more recipies by Deborah please visit her site.

Almost 20% of Italy's population is over 65 years old. Italy borders Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

Its longest border is with Switzerland.
The average Italian family has 1.27 children.

Everybody 18 and over can vote, however you have to be at least 25 to vote in Senate elections.
The average Italian makes $26,700 a year.

The thermometer is an Italian invention.

Italy's unemployment rate is around 8.6%, but it is as high as 20% in the more impoverished south. Italian farms produce grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives, beef, and dairy. The average life expectancy at birth for an Italian is 79.54 years. The famous children's story, Pinocchio, was written by an Italian. The city of Naples gave birth to the pizza .
The piano hails from Italy.

The longest river in Italy is the Po.

The average Italian consumes half a pound of bread a day.

Famous Italian explorers include Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, John Cabot, and Amerigo Vespucci.

I thought I would share some fun facts about Italy. Some you may be familiar with and others may be a complete surprise. Anyway, I really enjoy history so this stuff is simply FUN! And you may even learn a fun fact and want to share it with others! You can find more fun facts at LifeInItlay, a great website! Enjoy! -Rita

This will be the first in several posts on Thanksgiving meal ideas, hope you enjoy and feel free to send in your favorites or any ideas you would like to share. We begin with the Antipasti (before the meal). Olives are always a great and wonderful addition to any mealtime. Baking olives with just a few chosen herbs and spices brings out their earthy flavor. This is a great addition to any party, or an antipasto tray. We always have some olives in the refrigerator to snack on, and if friends stop by for a glass of wine, seasoned olives can be added to a tray of cheese and crackers to nibble on. I used oil cured olives in the photo, but any good quality black olive would work well.

8 Ounces Imported Black Olives
4 Cloves Garlic, Peeled And Halved
1/2 Lemon, Thinly Sliced
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
Pinch Red Hot Pepper Flakes (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the olives with the other ingredients, and spread them out on a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times during the cooking process. Transfer to a serving dish, and serve warm or at room temperature.

What are your traditions?
Friday is always a welcomed day for most of us. It means we get to spend time with our family, work around our homes, maybe do a little shopping. For me this weekend will be spent planning for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday. Some of you may be wondering do Italians celebrate Thanksgiving? Well, the truth is Thanksgiving is pretty much a truly all American tradition, we do not exactly have the Plymouth rock in Italy, it would be just another stone in a 2000 year old Roman ruin. Even the transliteral phrase in Italian for Thanksgiving, La Festa del Ringraziamento, refers to a variety of religious holidays held throughout the year for patron saints. I guess you could say we celebrate the holiday all year long.

Most Americans who live in Italy find it hard to even find the ingredients to re-create a traditional meal. Italian Thanksgiving, for most Italian Americans, then, means the inclusion of special Italian recipes to accompany the Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Every family of Italian heritage has different culinary traditions to celebrate the holiday. Over the next few weeks I look forward to sharing some of my families traditions with you. And I would be delighted to hear from you about what makes your Thanksgiving special.

Rita Monti

Many people ask me how I come up with the designs for my hand-painted Italian dinnerware and tableware - well I suppose the best answer is this - I was just born with the inspiration and it is simply part of who I am. Italy and design are synonymous. In the world of design creativity, be it industrial design, art, fashion or furniture the world looks to Italy for inspiration. Since Roman times, Italians have led the way. It has been that way for such a span of time that this ability is more than heritage; it is a bloodline that sees and values the beauty hidden in an object.

I consider myself graced to have grown up in such beauty and to be influenced by such brilliance and honest heritage. Our goal at Rita Monti has always been to share the rich culture and tradition of our "bloodline" with others. When I create, I close my eyes and try and see my past, feel the beauty of my memories, and I just get inspired!

That's my answer, thanks for asking!

At Rita Monti - we want our customers, friends and followers to understand WHY we are so passionate about our coffee. We believe we roast the BEST coffee in the world. At our Salerno roasting facility we produce our coffee using age old and time tested tradition so that you can have a rich fresh and superior coffee experience in the comfort of your own home. We also understand that in these challenging economic times we need to conserve our financial resources so we have worked to educate consumers on how you can simply "have your latte at home for less!"

Did you know? Espresso was invented in 1903 by Luigi Bezzera, the owner of a manufacturing business. Mr. Bezzera longed to find a way to brew coffee much faster. Wasting some time after work one day, he added pressure to the coffee brewing process, reducing brewing time. The machine that he later introduced was termed the "Fast Coffee Machine", which is where the word "espresso" comes from...espresso means "fast" in Italian!

We hope you enjoy our blog posting and please feel free to comment, call us, or shoot us an e-mail, we love to answer questions. We can be found across the internet at Twitter and Facebook, we look forward to keeping in touch!

My Best to you,

Rita Monti

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the comments from blogcatalog - I never knew building my brand could be this rewarding. I am really enjoying connecting with new friends and most certainly appreciate the support, it has made a very big difference. Also thanks for the positive reviews of the new blog style, it has a much more "me" appeal now!

I will be working on posting conversations of interest, links to common interests and helping to educate others about the true origins of "real" espresso! Our dinnerware line is getting rave reviews and we are in talks with new distributors so that is very exciting! My main goal is to share my love of my rich Italian heritage and tradition with others. Please let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to sharing with you everyday!

My best,

Rita Monti

Just some fun facts to think about!

In Italy, coffee and espresso are synonymous.
The average age of an Italian barista is 48 years old.
A barista is a respected job title in Italy.
Italians do not drink espresso during meals. It is considered to be a separate event and is given its own time.

According to a coffee history legend, an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi found his goats dancing joyously around a dark green leafed shrub with bright red cherries in the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Kaldi soon determined that it was the bright red cherries on the shrub that were causing the peculiar euphoria and after trying the cherries himself, he learned of their powerful effect. The stimulating effect was then exploited by monks at a local monastery to stay awake during extended hours of prayer and distributed to other monasteries around the world. Coffee was born. And now you know. Want a great coffee offer? Become a member at RitaMonti and we will enter you in our promotion to receive a FREE espresso machine and Rita Monti coffee for a full year!

Welcome to the Rita Monti Home Collection, hand-formed and hand-painted works of art for your table. The table settings in the Rita Monti Home Collection reflect the character of their name- sakes in color, line and emotion. Each creation will vary slightly, as each piece is hand-formed on a potter’s wheel and hand-painted in the traditional methods that are the hallmarks of the ceramic artisan. The Rita Monti Home Collection brings the culture and vitality of the Italian lifestyle from her home to yours.

For Exclusive discount on Rita Monti Dinnerware and Coffee - Become a FAN or Rita Monti on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @RitaMonti

A strong cocktail with rum and brandy, and lots of espresso. You'll be the hit of your next party if you serve Cappuccino Royales for everyone.
Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup half n half
* 1/2 cup espresso
* 2 tbs brandy
* 2 tbs white rum
* 2 tbs creme de cacao
* Sugar

Preparation:
Whisk cream until frothy. Split espresso between 2 mugs. Add 1 tbs of each liqueur into each mug. Top with whipped cream, and add sugar to taste.
Serves 2

ENTER HERE to WIN BIG! 2 Winners every month! Free Espresso Machine and FREE Rita Monti Coffee for a year! WOW

This November we decided to do something fun and exciting for our customers. What is more fun (especially now) than offering our customers and those of you who may be NEW to Rita Monti the opportunity to win a Fabulous New Espresso Machine and a whole year of Rita Monti Coffee! To sign up to enter please visit us HERE!

This promotion will run through December 2009. To enter become a member of RitaMonti.com. Winner chosen randomly from new member submissions. (2) Winners each month (November-December 2009).

Good Luck!

INGREDIENTS
16 chocolate graham crackers
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cups dates, pitted, chopped
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
chocolate frosting, optional

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch by 11-inch prepared baking dish.

2. Place the graham crackers in an encloseable bag and lightly crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a saucepan until you have crumbs. Pour into a bowl then add the cocoa and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the instant coffee and vanilla.

4. Fold in dates, chocolate chips and the graham cracker crumb mixure. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.

5. Bake brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan. Frost if desired.

Enter to WIN a FREE Espresso Machine and Italian Coffee for a YEAR!

When Howard Schultz became the President and CEO of the Starbucks Corporation in 1987 the company was selling basically whole-bean coffees, and it counted dozens of stores across the United States. Less than 20 years later Starbucks is one of the most popular brands in America. It has more than 12,000 stores around the world, 140,000 full-time employees and a market capitalization of $27 billion. Considering such a huge success and the fact that Starbucks is entering most of the international markets (including western Europe, China, Russia, Brazil, among others) one can not help but question: “Why Starbucks is not present in Italy?”. Read the entire article here.

Welcome to my new blog. I was born in a small town in Italy, where time is at a standstill. Today, I would like to share my love of the Italian Way of Life and some amazing products with you. My creations are personally inspired and made with utmost care to bring a touch of Italian taste and elegance into your home. I welcome you to my blog and website, where you will discover exquisite coffee and beautiful hand-painted dinnerware. I invite you to share you love the Italian culture and our rich traditions.

As coffee-lovers everywhere know, drinking coffee is an aesthetic, sensory experience with its own set of rituals that can be shared with others or savored alone. Rita Monti provides the ultimate coffee experience by producing the world’s finest espresso with superior aroma and flavor. Transformed from plant to cup, the taste experience that develops within this bitter black brew will remind you of its origins at the heart of a bean.

Find out how to save money and make that perfect coffee shop cappuccino, or latte right in the comfort of your own home! **Average cost savings of $700 per year!

Lean How HERE!

Today's Featured product is the Toscana Collection. Rich and colorful this dinnerware collection will bring a touch of Italian taste into any home.