In this column we are sharing the cuisine and recipes of Italy and our Italian American communities. Each month we feature recipes curated from our research and those shared by LGI readers. Food and cooking are important aspects of our cultural identity and sharing recipes is one way for us to connect to our roots and to one another! We invite you to share your family recipes and the stories behind them with us! For our August issue, we would like to feature your dishes, so if you have a special recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please email your recipes to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before July 10th. We also love photographs, so please feel free to share a photograph of your family making or enjoying the recipe, or of a beloved family member who is or was the “cook” in your family!

Americano

dalla cucina di cntraveler.com

Summertime cocktails are always on the menu in Italy and Conde Nast Traveler is a great place for recipes. Try this recipe for an Americano at your next festa!

This ancestor of the Negroni, originally called a Milano-Torino, got its name by becoming a favorite of Americans abroad in Italy in the early 20th century. It is even the first drink James Bond orders in Ian Fleming's beloved books. "Bond always had the same thing—an Americano—Bitter Campari, Cinzano, a large slice of lemon peel and soda," he writes. "For the soda he always stipulated Perrier, for in his opinion expensive soda water was the cheapest way to improve a poor drink." To make it yourself, mix one part Campari, one part sweet vermouth, and a splash of soda water in a glass, and serve with a lemon slice. Do as Bond does and splurge on the Perrier—its surplus of tiny bubbles is key to the drink's bite.