Romance, magic, mystery, and elegance are just a few ways to describe one of Italy’s most well known celebrations.  Venice, Italy hosts Carnevale annually, this year’s celebration is from February 11th-28th.  

It's said that the Carnevale of Venice started from a victory against the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven in 1162 and flourished as a pre-lent celebration for many, many years.  After the fall of the Venice Republic, Carnevale celebrations ceased due to French and Austrian domination. Joyfully, in 1979 the festival was picked back up by a group of Venetian artists who wanted to continue the magical celebration.

For a glorious two weeks, attendees take part in concerts, street performances, boat parades by candlelight and many other celebrations open to the public and free of charge. Those lucky enough to get an invitation, partake in what Carnevale is most known for, the opulent masquerade ball.

One of the main attractions at the Carnevale, are the captivating venetian masks made out of gesso, a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, and pigment. They are worn with long flowing renaissance gowns and colorful costumes that are captivating to the eye.

Venice is considered the soul of Italy where art and culture collide and romanticism and beauty are shared. If you get the chance to visit this wondrous city, go during Carnevale. You’ll be in for a treat!

If you are looking to bring a touch of Venice into your home, our Veneto collection is just for you! Sharing four scenes from the famous city of canals and Carnivale celebrations, our Veneto Collection comes in a set of four to be hung or used as appetizer plates.

Warm up with an extra special cup of Italian hot chocolate this winter. This isn’t your typical instant hot chocolate, but instead a rich and thick drinking chocolate that is everything hot chocolate should be. In Italy, drinking chocolate is commonly known as cioccolata calda or cioccolata densa for its dense pudding like texture that can be enjoyed with a spoon. Add an extra Italian flair by serving in a handmade ceramic mug from Modigliani. Available in a variety of colors, styles, and patterns, one is sure to fit your style.

DECADENTLY THICK ITALIAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Cook Time - 15 mins

Time to Make It - 15 mins

This hot chocolate isn't for the faint of heart. It is rich, thick, and full of real chocolate. This is the kind of hot chocolate you make when you want to truly indulge!

Author: Rachel Farnsworth of Blog The Stay At Home Chef

Yield: Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
2. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and melty. If you want the hot chocolate thicker, use the maximum amount of cornstarch.
3. Add in milk and sugar. Increase the heat gradually to medium-high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mixture will start to thicken.
4. Once the mixture begins to thicken, turn the heat down to low and add in the chocolate chips. Stir constantly until well melted.
5. Serve hot. Keep the leftovers because it is also amazing, if not better cold!

Notes

For this recipe, you can adjust the darkness of the chocolate by what kind of chocolate you put in. I like to do a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate, but you can go lighter with all milk chocolate, or darker with a combination of semi-sweet and bittersweet.

This recipe is in courtesy of: The Stay at Home Chef

Brighten up your home with the beautifully inspired colors of Rome showcased in our Roma Amor Collection. This collection, featuring items from plates to vases, is inviting to all with their bright and joyous colors and patterns. Roma Amor’s handcrafted ceramic pieces, like all Modigliani collections, are forged in workshops where artisans produce works of art using techniques handed down through generations.

In each piece of the Roma Amor Collection, you will find variance, giving it a personality of it’s own. The bright color palette plays homage to the traditional Rome colors that were often found in clothing and ancient drapery centuries ago. With such lively shades, the collection can be used year round as daily dinnerware and table centerpieces, or even for special occasions and holidays.

YIELD: Makes 8 main-course servings
ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved through core, thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups), fronds chopped
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage coarsely crumbled
• 1 8-ounce package sliced fresh crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
• 1 16-ounce package dried tortellini with pesto filling or fresh tortellini with 3-cheese filling
• 1 5-ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)

**Test-kitchen tip:**To crush the fennel seeds, enclose the seeds in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, then pound them with a meat mallet or a small heavy skillet.

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel bulb, sausage, and mushrooms; sauté until sausage is brown and cooked through and fennel is almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and fennel seeds; stir 1 minute. Stir in cream, then 1 cup broth; boil until liquid is reduced and very slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook tortellini in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain tortellini; return to same pot.
3. Add sausage mixture to tortellini in pot. Toss over medium heat until blended. Add spinach; toss gently until spinach wilts. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese; add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten if dry. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds, and serve, passing additional cheese.

This recipe is shared from Epicurious.com. You can find it here.

It's almost time to celebrate! New Year's Eve is right around the corner, so now is the time to plan the festivities. For those looking who love Italian culture, or anyone wanting to add some new traditions, look no further.  

Party in Style

If you're having friends and family over for your New Year's Eve party, set a gorgeous table. Our POP Gold Collection offers cheerful gold tones reminiscent of a bubbly glass of champagne. Pair items from this collection with our Vetro Oro Small Glass Plate and our Villa d'Este Amber Champagne Flute for a perfect table setting. 

Enjoy a Game

Gather your guests for a game of Tombola! Similar to bingo this game was created in Naples in the 1700s as an alternative to gambling. King Charles banned gambling during the Christmas period only. Neopolitans found a way to get around the new law by playing Tombola during the holidays.

Eat for Prosperity

Lentils, sausage, and grapes anyone? Lentils are a food symbolizing wealth. Combine them with sausage which is thought to bring good fortune and you are starting the year off right! Finish your meal with grapes as they insure you'll be frugal with your new found wealth. 

However you are ringing in the new year, enjoy your time with friends and family. From all of us at Modigliani, we wish you are yours a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. 

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." William Arthur Ward

While we often mention that the holiday season is our favorite time of the year, we love to carry the sentiment in our hearts all year round. That means, for us, showing our gratitude each and everyday. So as you sit with your family and friends gathered around the table this Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Hanukkah, we encourage you to carry that feeling in your hearts the whole year. Approach each day with a sense of gratitude and express to others how much they mean to you. We have compiled a list of a few wonderful ways to express thanks and are excited to share them with you. We also invite you to leave a comment here, on Facebook or Twitter letting us know how you carry gratitude with you throughout the year.

• Pack a note in the lunch of your child or spouse
• Offer a genuine compliment to a co-worker
• Put a sticky note somewhere random that will make a stranger smile
• Mail a handwritten thank you note to someone who inspires you
• Smile at everyone you see
• Pay for the coffee of the person in line behind you
• Give a larger tip than usual with a service industry worker and include a note of thanks for what they do
• Volunteer your time
• Acknowledge someone publicly for their contributions
• Send flowers or a small gift to thank someone for their time
• Verbally give thanks often

It's that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the weather is cool, and family gathers. We love this season more than any other. As thoughts turn to your Thanksgiving celebration, we invite you to introduce an Italian flair with our list of tips and a menu, with recipes, below.

• Bring the bounty of the season to your table. Choose a bold centerpiece in warm earth tones such as our Lungotevere Centerpiece and fill with fresh cut flowers or seasonal fruit. 
• Take it outside! If you live in a temperate climate, try dining al fresco this Thanksgiving. Use large rectangular tables to fit all your guests. Never mind if they are a bit shabby or if they don't match. Cover them with our Tovaglia Uva linen and cotton tablecloth. The hand-drawn, then stitched design adds a true, old-world feel and a lovely, cohesive look to your celebration.
• Follow a traditional Italian meal structure. Start with an antipasto of charcuterie products such as salami or prosciutto served in our Zucca Two Section Antipasto Dish (there is a Four Section available as well). 

An Italian Style Thanksgiving Menu