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A post shared by Gabriella Michetti (@gabriella_michetti) on Nov 2, 2017 at 12:10am PDT

Caggiunitti, or caggionetti, are deep fried almond fritters that are normally filled with chocolate and chestnuts that come from the regions of Molise and Abruzzo in Italy. While they are typically made as treats around Christmas, they are really tasty and comforting desserts that are perfect during the cooler months. Varying in exact ingredients and shapes and styles depending on where and by whom they are made, they are a typical cookie of the area and something that you must try if you have found a vacation rental in Abruzzo and are planning a visit during the winter.

With the last few weeks of summer drifting away, you might be still be waiting for your annual getaway or just making the most of the long days while you dream of your next vacation. If you need inspiration for planning a trip to Italy, why not try making an Aperol Spritz to get the creative juices flowing?

The spritz originated in 1800s Venice, while it was part of the Austrian Empire, and is based on the Austrian Spritzer, a combination of equal parts of white wine and soda water. It was invented by the soldiers, merchants, diplomats and employees of the Habsburg Empire who were not used to the high alcohol content of Italian wines and asked for some water to be sprayed (“spritzen”, in German) in to make the wines lighter.

Cacio e Pepe is an ancient dish that has been a staple of the cuisine for a long time all over Italy though it is considered a Roman dish. If you have found a vacation rental in Rome, it is definitely one of the foods that you need to try while visiting the city.

Once, Cacio e Pepe was one of the mainstays of the diet of shepherds who had to spend months at a time herding outside. They could carry the necessary ingredients for the pasta dish, without worrying about it spoiling over time. It also meant that they were able to produce an easy and tasty meal that warmed their bodies with the spice of the pepper and provided the necessary carbohydrates and calories. As one can imagine, a dish like this survived and continues to be made centuries on.

If you have found a vacation rental in Milan, an apartment in Rome or a villa in Florence and are planning on partying in Italy, we have the drink for you!

The Angelo Azzurro, or Blue Angel, is an Italian cocktail that is beloved but a little lesser-known. While the Americano, Bellini, Rossini and Negroni are famous stalwarts of bars all over the globe, the Angelo Azzurro is more something that the seasoned cocktail drinker might order. The origins of the drink have become a little obscured by time. Of the different origin stories, the most accepted is that it is a variant of the Blue Lagoon and was created in the fifties or sixties.

Many different cultures have variations of fruit cakes that are traditionally made and served during winter and, in Christian cultures, over Christmas, which makes sense as it allowed delicious fruits to be made available even when they were out of season in the past. Today, we have many more ways to access fruits throughout the year and more options when it comes to sweet things, in general, yet these traditional treats are so firmly connected to the festive season that they remain popular.

Sicily is absolutely no different, it has buccellato: a combination of figs, raisins, dates, nuts (usually almonds) and candied citrus like fruits (like citron) that are baked as either a round cookie shell, as a ring cake, or as small pastries. Its exact origins have been lost to the mists of time and it is uncertain as to when Sicilians began making it but it has been around for centuries. Associated with family milestones, it can be given by Godparents to the parents of their godchild or by best man or maid of honour to the parents of the bride and represents good fortune and prosperity.