It would be hard to think of Italy without coffee. After all it is the national breakfast and the home of coffee drinks that have taken the rest of the world by storm. Without Italy, Starbucks would not exist and without coffee, Italy would simply grind to a halt. No, coffee was not invented in Italy but coffee culture as we all know it did originate in Italy. Today, Italy is a country of coffee aficionados who will not tolerate much less visit an establishment that has bad coffee. Many of my friends in fact will skip coffee at a restaurant after dinner just to visit their favorite coffee bar. For the next few posts I am going to discuss a bit of coffee history and share my philosophy on Beans, Roasting, Brewing at Home, and will mention a few of my favorite Espresso Machines! Sharing coffee with a someone is a wonderful experience I enjoy every day - I look forward to sharing that experience with you. Have a wonderful day! - Rita

Local traditions result from long complex historical developments and strongly influence local habits. Distinctive cultural and social differences remain present throughout Italy, although today mass marketing tends to cause a leveling of long-established values. In a country so diverse, it is impossible to define an “Italian” cooking style, but traditional food still is at the core of the cultural identity of each region, and Italians react with attachment to their own identity when they are confronted with the tendency toward flattening their culture.

Italian is a Romance language, which means that Italian, just like Spanish, French, and Portuguese, is a child of Latin. Latin was once the official language in a large part of Europe because the Romans ruled so much of the area. Before the Romans came, people spoke their own languages, and the mixture of these original tongues with Latin produced many of the languages and dialects that are still in use today.

If you know one of the Romance languages, you can often understand bits of another. Just as members of the same family can look similar but have totally different characters. You find the same contradictions in the dialects (regional or local language differences) in Italy and in other countries.

If you visit Italy, you’ll hear various accents and dialects as you travel the country. Despite the number of dialects, you may be surprised to discover that everybody understands your Italian and you understand theirs. (Italians don’t normally speak in their dialect with foreigners.

What with all this interest in tall buildings and the world’s highest skyscrapers, I thought it would be interesting to discover how Italy measures up on the tall buildings front. It turns out that Italy has quite a way to go to compete with the Dubai Tower. Quite a long way, actually. If you’d like to find out what the tallest building in Italy is, and where it can be found, then read on, curious reader.

Technically, the tallest building in Italy today can be found in Naples - and it is the Torre Telecom Italia which is 129 meters (423 feet) in height. This 33 floor structure, however, is about to be beaten by a building in Milan, which is already being listed as Italy’s tallest building on Wikipedia. The successor to the Italy’s Tallest Building title will be 161 meters (528 feet) high with 39 floors, and it will house Lombardy regional authority personnel . However, at a measly 161 metres, it’s not much of a threat to the record breaking 818 meters of the Dubai Tower.

Other tall buildings are on Italy’s horizon though, twenty seven of them, including one which will snatch the Italy’s tallest building title from the Lombardy council skyscraper – I Dritto – the Straight (or maybe ‘upstanding’ would be a better translation).

As I ponder what to write about today, I can not help but think about the change and renew a brand new year brings. It is a chance to start fresh, reset our mindset and push for better things. Personally I have been doing a lot of goal setting, some for business and a lot for family. 2009 was a tough year for many, and most certainly my business. We made a lot of progress and faced some serious challenges - all amidst a changing economy and a changing America. Since I am from Italy, and now live in the USA I have noticed a great deal of change. I think above all, we now live in a Global economy and a world where cultures will continue to collide, develop, share and eventually thrive together. I wish everyone a great new year, and I wish us all peace harmony and growth, both in our professional lives, home life as a people.

What are you goals for 2009?

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.

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!

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!

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