Learning The Italian Language

By Robertson Kunz

There are many foreign languages to learn but if you are considering Italian, great! Italian is the descendent of Latin but is considered to have much simpler grammar than its ancestor. Additionally, Italian is used by over 60 million people so you will have plenty of people to practice with.

Reasons for learning Italian range from preparing for a trip to Italy to retiring on the Italian coast. Many others learn Italian because their ancestors came from Italy or because they want an advantage in applying for jobs. No matter what your reason may be for learning Italian, learning a new language is a very rewarding process.

If you already speak another romance language like Spanish or French, you will find that Italian is very similar. Many linguists estimate that the lexical similarity between Italian and French is 89% while the lexical similarity between Italian and Spanish is 82%. Even if you have only studied Spanish or French in high school, you will find that the grammar is quite similar and easy to pick up.

English speakers worldwide think of Italian as a very beautiful language. Unlike English, Italian puts a lot of emphasis on vowel sounds and many Italian words have vowel sounds at the end.

Some differences in Italian from English include the fact that there are two genders for nouns: masculine and feminine. It will be necessary to learn which gender a noun is everytime you learn a new noun. You will also find that Italian verbs conjugate quite differently based on the subject.

Similarities, however, include word order. English and Italian have very similar word orders and both are considered to be subject-verb-object languages. You will find that it is very easy to start making Italian sentences even as a beginner.

Italian is a popular language to study so there is no shortage of materials to use for learning Italian. You can choose from computer software programs to traditional style classroom classes. Depending on your ultimate goals, you will want to find the tool that makes most sense for you.

Before you begin learning Italian, you should remember to sit down and make a serious commitment to learning the language. It can be a tough process but if you stick to it, you will be greatly rewarded. On the other hand, don't just simply do grammar exercises and read textbooks, you should also enjoy yourself in Italian, too! Watch an Italian film or buy an Italian language CD. You will find that these activities can be some of the most rewarding when learning Italian. - 30211

About the Author:

Author Robertson Kunz has a language learning guide: learn a foreign language fast. Italian learners: how to study Italian.

Stove Top Coffee Makers - What Are Safe Drinking Levels Of Coffee?

By Harley Peterson

You can always make your morning crisp and fresh by drinking a cup of hot espresso. The innovative stove top coffee maker has made its way into household kitchens making it easier for coffee lovers to brew rich aromatic coffee at home rather than going to the coffee bar. Drinking coffee may give you an exhilarating effect but have you ever thought about the pros and cons of drinking coffee.

One or two cups of coffee prepared from a stove top espresso maker can make you feel extremely energetic. However it is still not known for sure what the safe levels of drinking coffee are. With a good level of health, it is reported that having four to five cups of coffee a day is ok. It is also believed to eliminate the anxiety and depression symptoms.

Over time many people have said that caffeine is bad for our health and it was even considered as a drug of some kind. However these people failed to realize the positive effects of caffeine as they spent all of their time analyzing the bad points. Having a cup of coffee has been said to assist in preventing oxidation which in turn helps in reducing the destructive aging process.

The stovetop coffee maker produces coffee which may in turn provide benefits for people suffering from asthma, an acute breathing condition and it also has been shown that it inhibits the occurrence of Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that consuming coffee on a consistent basis reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Coffee consumption in young and middle-aged people may reduce the type-II-diabetes risk giving them a healthier future. A stovetop espresso maker prepares great tasting espresso coffee, which encourages you to drink more coffee, which in turn may help to wipe out the symptoms of diabetes. Coffee may also provide protection against certain health conditions like cirrhosis of liver, particularly the alcoholic cirrhosis.

You can enjoy the flavor of espresso made from a stovetop coffee maker without feeling guilty as studies have found that it is protective against gallstone development in both women and men. It also is reported to have the capacity to lower the risk of kidney stone development. Coffee increases the urine volume and prevents the crystallization of calcium oxalate, which develops into kidney stone.

In order to increase your mental alertness and mental performance, try having a cup of coffee. Boost your alertness and attention with caffeine intake by drinking coffee. In the brain center, coffee serves to increase the data processing capacity. Three to four cups of coffee every day restores your brain center activity and increases dynamism and energy.

It is also noticed that the daily consumption of coffee may protect you against Alzheimer's disease. Studies have shown that caffeine derived from five cups daily decreases the occurrences of damaging abnormal patches in the brain. Regular coffee drinking may reduces and assist in repairing any destructive changes in the brain.

So now you can enjoy a cup of delicious coffee made from a stove top coffee maker and think about all of the positive health benefits that have been reported about drinking coffee in moderation. - 30211

About the Author:

True lovers of coffee understand that Stove Top Espresso Makers produce the best tasting, flavorsome coffee that is a pleasure to drink. A Stainless Steel Stovetop Coffee Maker produces quality and safe coffee to enjoy each day.

Italian Restaurants Bellevue; Two Of The Best Establishments In Town

By Luigi DeMarco

Bellevue is a diverse city with a diverse culture of restaurants. Italian Restaurants Bellevue include the more expensive to small family owned restaurants. All of them are very good and serve a number of great Italian American and Italian Traditional dishes.

You can find a great restaurant called Ristorante Paradiso's on 110th Avenue downtown near the public library and the square. Lunch and dinner is served and they also have a large room to accommodate around seventy guests. In another area they have a dining room for 10 or 15 guests that is private. Andiamo's prides itself on having an exquisite atmosphere with good wine and food at a price most people can afford. The atmosphere is contemporary and the kitchen is open to the dining area. There is parking right outside the door.

Andiamo's menu is spectacular and the appetizers include Antipasto for two piled high with prosciutto and salami, bruschetta, olives and roasted vegetables that costs about 14 dollars. There is a host of other appetizers like bruschetta, squid in marinara sauce, smoked salmon, a salad comprised of basil, mozzarella and tomatoes and many more items. Soups are fresh on a daily basis and it depends on the day as to what kind of soup is made costing 7 dollars for a bowl and 6 for a cup. Salads include the Andiamo salad made up of lettuce and other greens, cheeses, grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper and a vinaigrette sauce that costs 7 dollars.

Fish is available and depends on what is fresh at the market. The menu has a chicken section offering chicken parmigiana, chicken Marsala, and chicken Piccata all for around 19 dollars each. These dishes are all made with veal as well. There is a lamb dish and fillet Mignon that costs market cost of the day. The pasta section of the menu is magnificent. A signature dish of the restaurant is a Pear and Gorgonzola ravioli that is served with a Gorgonzola walnut sauce and costs around 20 dollars. There are many other pastas on the menu. There are vegetarian dishes that pair pasta with ricotta and mushrooms with different types of sauces from red to white. There is a multitude of pastas made with seafood and many different types of risotto. The prices might be a little more expensive than some restaurants but the cuisine is impeccable and it is worth the little bit of extra money you may spend.

Firenzi Ristorante may give Andiamo's a little quality competition. Firenzi opened its doors in 1992 and have made friends with many Bellevue residents for many years. The walls are stucco that reflect the candles on the tables and the terracotta floor looks like you just stepped into an Italian villa. The owner and staff are extremely friendly and will make sure you are treated right.

The menu starts with a variety of appetizers including prosciutto with cheese and olives, or a traditional and tasty bruschetta. You can get calamari here but it is different as it is served with peas in a sauce made of tomatoes. Salads are many as well including a regular romaine salad that is topped off with tomatoes and mushrooms. You will pay anywhere between 7 to 16 dollars for an appetizer.

The pasta offerings are abundant and include all types of pastas that are smothered in many different sauces such as Alfredo, claim, Pesto, tomato, wine sauce, or mushroom sauce and cost around 14 to 25 dollars. This restaurant also has chicken that is stuffed with cheese and ham in a cream or a wine sauce. They have the regular Marsla, Pizzaiola, and Piccata on the menu too. There is lamb, sausage dishes, quail and a multitude of seafood dishes. The entrees run from 14 to 25 dollars. If you have a sweet tooth you can find desserts at this restaurant that will tickle your tongue. Find Firenzi Ristorante near Bellevue square and visit them at lunch or at dinner time.

Bellevue has a few pizza restaurants and other smaller and chain type Italian Restaurants besides the two above. Firenzi and Andiamo�???, ?s are the restaurants that people go to for great Italian food and have very good reviews from customers. There you will feel like you are visiting Italy right in the middle of Bellevue. - 30211

About the Author:

Want to find out more about Italian Restaurants Bellevue, then visit Luigi DeMarco's site on how to choose the best meals for your needs.

Learning About Tasty Italian Cheeses

By Luigi DeMarco

Italian cheeses are some of the best in the world. And while we're all familiar with the top few selections, from our pizza and sandwich consumption, it may surprise you to know there are around 400 different Italian cheeses to choose from. And when it comes to quality and good tasting cheese, the Italians have a great passion for delivering on it, and they do.

From Sicily to Tuscany the Italians make some of the best parmigiano and provolone in the world. Their Mozzarella is a household name. And again, these don't even scratch the surface of the number of cheeses they actually make. They use goat's milk, sheep's milk, buffalo milk, and cow in their processes. All their cheeses have great texture and fragrance, and are good for both shredding and cooking.

The quality of their cheese is taken very seriously by the Italians. One thing to watch for when you shop for cheese, is their quality assurance stamp on the label. This is known either as the PDO - 'protected designation of origin', or the IGT - 'protected geographic indication. If you see this you know it' a product of good quality. If you shop for wine, you'll find that wines use these same designations.

When learning about tasty Italian cheeses, you're sure to come across the famous 'Bel Paese' cheese. In Italian, this means 'Beautiful Country'. This cheese has become one of the favorites of all time and one of the best known by people all around the world. It was first made near Milan in a place named 'Melzo'. But it's mostly made in Lombardy, with pasteurized cow's milk. It's meant to be used as a table cheese, but works very well in cooking.

Yes, the Italians and their passion for cheese making is known worldwide. They would hike up into the Alpine mountains, where they'd refine their cheese production methods. Then when they came down, the world welcomed them with open arms. Up there in the old days, back on the mountains, they'd use caves for keeping their cheese cool. The concept of refrigeration was still fairly new.

They use the same types of tools today as they did back then. After all, if it works, then don't fix it. They use wooden shelves, salt, oil, water, cutting boards and small hammers. The three main ingredients that anyone needs in order to make a cheese, is salt, rennet, and milk. From here you can make all kinds of cheeses, and using different kinds of milk and processes, will produce different cheeses.

Milk is the beginning of all cheese making. Simply broken down, cheese is milk coagulated. Ricotta is a cheese that's made with milk whey and cream. The Italians have four basic types of milk that they use, and they are buffalo, cow, sheep, and goat. But other cheeses may be made up of the milk of yaks, reindeer, or camels.

Italian cheeses are known worldwide, yet many Americans go about their lives enjoying the fruits of Italian labor, without ever learning about the processes or history behind them. It's a very interesting subject for study. If you'd like to learn more about it, you're only a few mouse-clicks away. The internet is loaded with information about the Italians and their wonderful cheese. - 30211

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on italian food, then visit www.italianfoodimports.com to find the best advice on Italian cheeses for you.

Enjoying Your Vacation In Italy

By Vincent Brooks

Vacation is a nice "getaway of stress" from work or studies. It's a time wherein a family, friends, and lovers will have some fun together. Many go overseas to have their vacation. The nicest place to go is in the continent of Europe. The most popular place is the country of Italy. Italy has tons of tourist spots. A lot of amazing architecture, fashion, arts, etc. can be seen. Touring Italy requires you more than a week to stay. It would be easy for you to explore Italy when you have a guide. With the help of a tourist guide, you can visit many historical places and tourist spots.

It would be essential if you have light baggage. Why? Since, there are many good qualities of fashion trends or styles in Italy. You might be tempted to buy one or more bags while you are there. Italy is also best in their winery. You have to taste their wines and foods, they are awesome. You have to visit places with excellent architectures like the Piazza Del Campo in Siena, Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Marks's Basilica in Venice, Colosseum in Rome, and many more. You might want to ride the famous gondola of Venice. The striking beauty of monuments, landmarks and ancient buildings are grateful to experience.

Italy's cities and metropolitan areas are Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Catania, Venice, Bari, Verona, Messina, Padua, Trieste, Taranto, Brescia, Prato, Modena, and Reggio Calabria. Therefore, with these much places to visit it is much advisable to have a tourist guide. These beautiful and historical cities are great because these cities have a huge contribution to our modern civilization.

Italy is also the home of famous musicians and painters. These are namely Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Bernini, Titian, Raphael, Palestrina, Monteverdi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Corelli, Vivaldi, Paganini, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and many more. Italians like playing sports like football, basketball, fencing, and ice hockey. Spaghetti and pizza are some of the great traditional Italian foods and you can enjoy these foods with different sauces.

If you want a valuable vacation with terrific time, spectacular views, and quest, you should visit Italy. Italy has all this astonishing places. People will be enthralled by the views that Italy could present to the tourist. Booking beforehand is necessary to avoid impediments. Getting in touch with an agency will be much uncomplicated and less difficulties. If you are fortunate, you might be able to gain some promos or price cuts. In peak seasons of Italy are also the moment where there are holidays or celebrations held in Italy. It would be immeasurable to experience such happening and find out more concerning Italian people.

At this instant, drain out your timetable and dash to Italy. Vacationing in Italy is an incredible experience of a lifetime. Have fun surveying the cities, enjoying the spectacular views. Allow each moment you're in Italy be a terrific memory that you will cherish. The attractiveness of Italy is great to experience and you can have a nice journey with your family and best friends. On this trip, don't forget your digital camcorders so that you can catch all the exciting things you will experience. - 30211

About the Author:

I am going to Italy to collect some antique vintage buttons so I had to learn Italian online fast. Learn exactly what I did.

Learning About Tasty Italian Cheeses

By Luigi DeMarco

Italian cheeses are some of the best in the world. And while we're all familiar with the top few selections, from our pizza and sandwich consumption, it may surprise you to know there are around 400 different Italian cheeses to choose from. And when it comes to quality and good tasting cheese, the Italians have a great passion for delivering on it, and they do.

From Sicily to Tuscany the Italians make some of the best parmigiano and provolone in the world. Their Mozzarella is a household name. And again, these don't even scratch the surface of the number of cheeses they actually make. They use goat's milk, sheep's milk, buffalo milk, and cow in their processes. All their cheeses have great texture and fragrance, and are good for both shredding and cooking.

The Italians take a lot of pride in their cheese quality. And if you go shopping for a quality Italian cheese, just look for the classifications on the label. These are the 'PDO', which means Protected Designation of Origin. And the other is IGT, which means the Protected Geographic Indication. This is known as their stamp of approval as far as quality assurance. Wine uses the same indicators.

When learning about tasty Italian cheeses, you're sure to come across the famous 'Bel Paese' cheese. In Italian, this means 'Beautiful Country'. This cheese has become one of the favorites of all time and one of the best known by people all around the world. It was first made near Milan in a place named 'Melzo'. But it's mostly made in Lombardy, with pasteurized cow's milk. It's meant to be used as a table cheese, but works very well in cooking.

The Italians are definitely passionate about their cheese. They have made it up in the Alpine mountains, where they perfected their methods. It was an isolated affair, but what they brought off the mountain was literally gold made from milk. Caves were used to keep things cold since the idea of refrigeration back then was just a new concept.

Some of their other techniques are still used today. The tools have remained the same as it has always been. Salt, water, oil, tiny hammers, cutting boards, and wooden shelves are still used in their production methods. Their three basic ingredients for beginning and making a cheese, are salt, rennet, and some kind of milk. They would exchange the types of milk to produce a different cheese.

Anytime you think about making cheese, it all begins with the milk. Cheese is simply the coagulation of milk. Ricotta is derived from cream and milk whey. But the four main sources of milk in Italy are the buffalo, the cow, the goat, and the sheep. But were you to want something even different from that, cheeses can be made from the milk of camels, reindeer, and even yaks.

Learning about tasty Italian cheeses can be a really fun study. Many people go through life enjoying the benefits of this great Italian craft, without ever knowing about the how's, where's, or why's. You can go online and learn much about the processes, like how long to heat at what temperature, etc. It really can be an eye opener if you've never read about it before. The Italians have their recipes down pat. And one thing you can't argue with, is that the quality is definitely up to par. - 30211

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on italian food, then visit www.italianfoodimports.com to find the best advice on Italian cheeses for you.

Italian Restaurant Bellevue

By Luigi DeMarco

Great Italian restaurants are very difficult to find. Usually one finds the best Italian restaurants by hearing about them from friends or family. This is true of the Bellevue Italian Restaurant. As one nears the entrance and hears the many sounds of Italy coming from inside they know that they are entering a great restaurant.

The outside of the restaurant is just a precursor of the the delights that lie within. One enters a huge and open patio that replicates an Italian Center. The smells emanating from the kitchen begin calling out to the diner from the time they walk in and get louder as one sits at their table.

The pasta is made in the traditional Northern Italian style fresh eggs and the olive oil that one quickly learns is a part of every dish.

A sense of relaxation fills one as soon as they come in the door of the Italian Food Bellevue. A person can sit and enjoy the fresh baked bread with olive oil and wine vinegar, sip a glass of wine, and become completely absorbed in the activities around them. There is no rush to order from the menu as the staff continue to bring wine and refill the bread tray until one feels ready to order their meal.

Sitting at a table that has been dressed in the glow of a candle one begins to relax and enjoy the surroundings of the Bellevue Italian Restaurant. Each smell seems to have it's own place within the restaurant and blends into a mouthwatering aroma as each plate is delivered to it's owner.

The selections offered on the menu offer a diner the best foods from each region of Italy. If one wants something light they can order food from the Tuscan Region, for a more robust and substantial meal there are delicacies from the Northern Region of Italy.

There is no need to request extra cheese, olive oil, or pasta. Every dish is prepared with the Italian appetite in mind. The meals offer one enough fresh break, cheese, and egg pasta to fill even a ravenous diner.

The Antipasto which is served before the meal provides a host of choices of hot and cold appetizers. The cheeses, spices, and variety of foods that are served prepare one's mouth for a savory delight.

With the Primo course on finds themselves enjoying a tantalizing hot dish of pasta, risotto, soup, or a special treat that has been specially prepared.

The Secondo course offers one a fabulous fish, veal, lamb, or vegetarian dish that is filling and scrumptous.

There is nothing quite like Italian cooked vegetables. They are stunning in their simplicity. One can enjoy this contortion or choose a salad with Italian dressing that is made while one waits.

After eating a meal that one thinks cannot be added to, a dessert tray arrives with an array of desserts that beckon to be eaten. One can select the Italian ice cream, a fruit dish, or cake to end a perfect meal.

The atmosphere, food, and staff of the Bellevue Italian Restaurant provide one with a lasting impression of what find Italian dining is. The warmth and kindness shown by the staff as well as their attentiveness make one excited at the prospect of returning often to enjoy this great restaurant. - 30211

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on Italian Restaurant Bellevue, then visit www.ristoranteparadiso.com to find the best advice on Italian Food in Seattle for you.