Postcards from Italy

Travel Memories Al Dente

From this wonderfully whimsical graphic illustrating ways To Be Italian, we especially espouse number 4: the joy of making pasta from scratch.

We so love making pasta ourselves, that we feel learning to roll out those paper-thin sheets of egg and flour alchemy is a fundamental part of any visit to Italy and we encourage travelers to indulge in a hands-on lesson.

Kids love the play-dough fun of pasta making, of course, but we are always thrilled to find how many adults find the kneading and rolling almost therapeutic, and the surprising ease of turning out perfectly imperfect strands of hand-cut tagliatelle and squares of plump ravioli so deeply satisfying.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

Tweetable: Sometimes the best travel souvenirs are those that are impossible to pack in a suitcase.

Sure, there is fabulous shopping to be had in Italy, with its vibrant culture of local artisans, chic designers, and unsurpassed food and wine, but what better souvenir to bring back from the Bel Paese than the memory of the feel of smooth, fresh pasta under your flour-dusted hands, the sound of mounds of tagliolini plopping into boiling, salted water, the taste of steaming, slightly al dente cappelletti as the well-earned reward for your labors?

Cooking Class

(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

And the best part? Once you’ve mastered making pasta under the expert eye of an Italian cook, you can relive the experience for years in your own kitchen at home. Now that’s a souvenir that will never need dusting.

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(Photo by Concierge in Umbria via Flickr)

Travel Specialists

Maria Landers

Brian Dore