CiaoDC’s Dolci Gelati Giveaway!

Cool down with CiaoDC all summer long with Dolci Gelati giveaways. Subscribe 4 friends to CiaoDC by July 31 and be eligible to WIN 4 pints of Dolci Gelati flavor of your choice! Subscribe friends and enter to win at marketing@ciaodc.com.

Learn the art of cooking and dining with Chef Roberto Donnain a CiaoDC.com exclusive interview. Plus, save the date for CiaoDC’s Live Discussion with Chef Donna on Cooking and Dining Italian Style in DC, Wednesday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m. here.

“Food is a way of life for me…cooking is like a game.”
-Roberto Donna from CiaoDC July Interview

Recipe: Potato, Swiss Chard & Bread Soup recipe by Chef Donna


Vinegar never tasted so sweet with Micheal Castaldo’s, singer/songwriter/producer/olive oil producer, latest release, Aceto -- the perfect dressing for any summer day. Listen to Castaldo originals “Io Credo” and “Questo e Amore” al fresco or get nostalgic with familiar variations of [Over the Rainbow] “L’arcobaleno Che Meravglia il Mondo," [Stand By Me] "Preghero," or “Ave Maria.” Whatever the music combination, you’ll be humming all season long with Aceto. Order here.

Live Discussion: Summer Travel in Italy!

Join CiaoDC's live discussion on Summer Travel in Italy with travel guru and online Publisher of travel newsletter Dream of Italy, Kathy McCabe. Just returning from Italy this week, Kathy will share her off the beaten path finds on lodging, dining, touring and more! Plus, enjoy guests with knowledge of Italy travel and where to find discounts in bella Italia! Travel to Italy is just a click away with our escape to Italy discussion tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. Join the discussion here.

Festa Italiana's Fun in the Sun!

What fun we had at DC's Festa Italiana last Sunday, June 20 in Penn Quarter's Little-ist Little Italy on the grounds of Holy Rosary Church and Casa Italiana. Flag throwers, drummers, Commedia dell'Arte Fools, Opera singing and more filled the streets with tutto Italiano. Spit fire porchetta by Capitol Hill's only authentic Italian cafe Toscana Cafe headed by Chef Daniele Catalani; creamy gelato by DC's premiere Gelatiere Gianluigi dell'Accio's Dolci Gelati, homemade pizza, pasta, sausage and peppers, Ligurian delights, cannoli's and cappuccino were all on tap at this festive event. CiaoDC.com had a blast with Faction of Fools and Italian tenor, Marco Fiorante with wonderful moments of improv vignettes and arias. Plus, a cameo appearance and meet and greet by Antonio Iazzetti of Il Fornaio.

Hope you were able to visit our canopy and pick up some olive oil courtesy of Colavita. And get great travel tips and discounts in Umbria from Sylvia Cacciato. Special thanks to our volunteers and collaborators Faction of Fools, Marco Fiorante, Rachael Valentino and Sylvia, Dan and darling Lucca Cacciato for all their enthusiasm and Italianess. And to those to-be subscribers, "GRAZIE," you'll be pleased you joined the CiaoDC community. To those veterans of CiaoDC who want "MORE," MORE is what ye shall receive. Stay tuned for a summer filled subscriber-ship of ice cold giveaways, intimate chats and everything Italian in DC. Avanti!

Fun for All Under CiaoDC's Festa Canopy

More fun under CiaoDC's canopy at Festa Italiana - Join DC's Commedia dell'Arte troupe, Faction of Fools perform vignettes from their upcoming production Tales of Love and Sausages. Plus, enjoy mask making with the 'Fools fun for the whole family!!

Meet upcoming tenor, Marco Fiorante, from Il Conservatorio in Lecce, Italy under the CiaoDC.com canopy. CD signing and an Italian aria will be served by this special talent.

Hungry for travel and food? CiaoDC.com subscribers receive 10% off bed and breakfast lodging in Umbria, Italy. Learn about travel tips, where to eat and cook in Umbria with Sylvia Cacciato from 2-5 under the CiaoDC.com canopy! Plus, meet and greet Chef Antonio from Il Fornaio at 4:30 under CiaoDC's canopy!!


Join CiaoDC.com at Festa Italiana street festival this Father's Day, Sunday, June 20 from 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 pm at 3rd & F Street, NW, Washington, DC. Celebrate everything Italian - food, dance, entertainment from Italy, cooking demos, kids activities and more! Stop by the CiaoDC table for a free giveaway from Colavita. Schedule and Festa Features here
Need a gift for Papa? Show your love for Dad with beautiful Italian songs by artist Micheal Castaldo from his not-yet-released cd, Aceto (Italian for Vinegar). The album, honoring his late father Pasquale, includes 14 classic and 2 original Italian songs whose themes evoke feelings of grace, healing, remembrance and hope. CiaoDC.com subscribers receive 5% and a personalized cd for Dad. Hurry, promotion until June 20. Order here.

Sons of Italy Gala Goes Global

Kicked off by the grand entrance and warm greeting of the President of the Republic of Italy, President Giorgio Napolitano, The Sons of Italy's 22nd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala sent a message that our humanitarian differences are what truly unites us. An audience of over 1000 Italians, Italian Americans and Italophiles, were graced by the presence of such legends as Quincy Jones introducing his "brother from another mother," President Bill Clinton receiving the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service. Poised and diplomatic, Clinton dazzled the audience with a profound message for unity despite disagreements. The evening's Master of Ceremonies was none other than SIF's mainstay host and award-winning actor, Joe Mantegna.

Other honorees included Lewis C. Merletti Former Director, U.S. Secret Service Veteran, U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group, Vietnam Senior Vice President, Cleveland Browns Receiving the National Education & Leadership Award and Capt. Anthony K. Odierno (U.S. Army, Ret.) Board Director, Wounded Warrior Project receiving the Special Award for Courage & Patriotism who was introduced by his father Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Commanding General US Forces-Iraq. Noteable audience members included Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Ambassador David Thorne, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Honorable Arthur J. Gajarsa and DC's Italian Stallion Restaurateur Cafe Milano's Franco Nuchese. Patriotic and heartfelt the evening's musical interlude "Bring Him Home" was sung by international tenor Michael Amante closing with "God Bless America."

Div-ine Pasta Sauce Recipe & Winner!

Congratualtions to Connie Fiorito of Reston, Virginia. She is the winner of a signed copy of the travel and culinary guide, Join us at the Embassy by author Summer Whitford (aka Food and Wine Diva)! Thanks for chatting with us on the CiaoDC Facebook Discussion board today, Connie!

Didn't get a chance to join in the discussion? Get in the conversation at a meet and greet, cooking demo and book signing at CiaoDC's table at Festa Italiana on Sunday, June 20th. Hungry for food talk now? Indulge in the Food & Wine Diva's Div-ine Pasta Sauce Recipe below. Buon Appetito!


Recipe: The Food and Wine Diva’s Div-ine Pasta Sauce
The secret of this sauce is not just in the ingredients. It’s in the long, slow simmering and resting time in the refrigerator or freezer that mellows out the acidity, deepens the flavors, and blends everything in the sauce together harmoniously. It’s great to have on hand for last minute dinners. Just pull the sauce out of the freezer, thaw it out in the microwave or on the stove top, and toss it with pasta. Serve it with a nice baguette or garlic bread, a light salad, and a tasty glass of Chianti Classico. Mamma mia! In less than 30 minutes you can serve a delicious meal that everyone will love. Click on the recipe title for more!

Live Discussion on Italy: Travel, Culture & Dining

"Vibrant, passionate, bold, romantic. Italy is all this and more.”
-Summer Whitford, Wine & Food Diva,
Author of Join us at the Embassy

Join CiaoDC.com's Live Discussion on Italy: Travel, Culture & Dining with Washington, DC's Wine & Food Diva, Summer Whitford from her latest book release, Join us at the Embassy. Learn about the culinary and cultural traditions of bella Italia; the distinctive cooking styles; what the term Che Bella Figura really means and more! Have a question? Join the discussion!

CHAT & WIN: Join the discussion and be entered to win a signed copy of Join us at the Embassy.

HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT PASTA? Enjoy the 2-part guide here.