For most of its history, Consonno, located in the hills of Brianza, in the Lombardy region, was an agricultural town with a population that never surpassed 300 inhabitants. The town has its origins in the Middle Ages, but thanks to its remote location and only one road leading to the town’s entrance, Consonno never truly thrived. Despite this, an eccentric magnate named Count Mario Bagno saw a unique opportunity in this meek village.
Cicero No.1 – Apr 2016
Gluten-Free food in Italy: a new path to Italian flavors
Italy
, a land whose cuisine is known world-wide thanks to gluten-rich staples such as pasta and pizza, is actually quite celiac disease friendly. Nearly one percent of Italians test positive for celiac disease, which is an intolerance for gluten, a protein found in wheat. This percentage is on par with the global average, so the increase of gluten-free options is not driven by a higher affected population in the nation. Rather it is actually wheat’s pervasiveness in Italian cuisine that has increased public awareness of the disease and has spurred the growth of the gluten-free market in the southern European peninsula. In fact, currently there are roughly 4,000 restaurants in Italy that offer senza glutine (gluten-free) options, and the number of cities throughout the country without a gluten-free restaurant is sharply decreasing.
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Ponte delle Torri – A bridge between two fortresses
In a large gorge south of Spoleto, an imposing limestone bridge arises from a sea of lush vegetation. The precise, man-made structure juxtaposes with the wild, organic flora that surrounds it to create a breathtaking panorama unforgettable to those who have the chance to admire it. Spoleto’s Ponte delle Torri (Bridge of Towers) is not only the most iconic symbol of the city, but for centuries it has been an inspiration to countless poets and artists (from famed German writer Johann Goethe to British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner, and many more).
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