The Italian American community, in partnership with Loyola University Chicago and Casa Italia, has raised $500,000 for a planned Italian American Studies program at Loyola. The centerpiece will be the hiring of an endowed professor within Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences to research, preserve and promote the Italian American experience, history and culture. “The Italian American Studies program will educate students about fundamental cultural differences. They will gain an appreciation for the ways Italian Americans have enriched life in this great country,” according to Dr. Arthur Lurigio, senior associate dean for faculty in the College of Arts and …

You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted true Mozzarella di Bufala. Just ask Lara Postiglione. “This isn’t your garden variety mozzarella,” she asserts. “It’s a protected trade name in Italy that applies only to cheese made from the milk of water buffaloes raised in the Campania and Lazio regions of Italy and produced to very exacting standards.” Lara first experienced this sublime dairy product while teaching English as a second language in the Port of Naples. It was a life-changing experience. “It was the most amazing thing I had ever tasted,” she recalls with unabated delight. “I was absolutely crazy about …

Calling the gelato con brioche at Freddy’s Pizza in Cicero an ice cream sandwich is like calling the Mona Lisa a pretty good portrait. Owners Joe and Ann Marie Quercia drop a scoop of their heavenly gelato between the halves of a soft, golden bun, heat-sealing it with a special press imported from Sicily and then drizzling it with chocolate sauce. Warm on the outside, frozen in the center, it’s a masterpiece through and through. “In Sicily, they have it for breakfast!” Joe assures. Goodbye, Good Humor. Hello, Freddy’s! http://freddyspizza.com

Jonathan Goldsmith of Spacca Napoli Pizzeria in Chicago may be one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzaiulo around, but he’s never one to hog the spotlight. In early August, he yielded his brick oven to third-generation pizza maestro Attilio Bachetti. “Pizzeria Trattoria da Attilio was founded in 1938 and is located in the Pignasecca neighborhood of Napoli,” Jonathan explains. “Attilio’s artistry embraces the time-honored traditions of ‘la vera pizza.’ We were so proud to showcase him.” http://spaccanapolipizzeria.com

Sure, the lasagna at Frankie’s Deli in Lombard was recently rated the best in the western suburbs. But the Conforti family hasn’t stayed in business for half a century by resting on its laurels. They recently added a small butcher shop that packs a mighty protein punch. In addition to top-of-the-line beef, pork and poultry, the display case features Frankie’s famous handcrafted sausages. “We offer mild, medium and hot Italian sausage, Barese and Sicilian,” Frank Conforti notes. “And every week, we feature different specialty sausages like rapini, giardiniera, and red pepper and provolone.” http://frankiesdeliyorktown.com

Zucchini blossoms pop up on menus across the area each summer, but Amore Mio in Palatine has a leg up on the competition. “They come straight from my father’s garden,” says Chef Tony Barbanente, who lightly breads them; fills them with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil; and pan fries them to perfection. And the bounty of Nicola Barbanente’s garden doesn’t end there. In season, he and his wife, Francesca, cart eggplants, cucumbers, long beans, Melrose peppers and host of other veggies and herbs from their home in Inverness directly to Tony’s kitchen. http://amoremioil.com/wp/

One of the best Italian restaurants in the Chicago area closed its doors in July. Owner Frances Fiorentino and her son and business manager Stephen poured their hearts and souls into Fiorentino’s Cucina Italiana on Ashland Avenue in Chicago for nine years, earning accolades and a loyal customer base with their inviting atmosphere, attentive staff, and delightfully conceived and impeccably crafted dishes. “We are proud of our employees for their dedication and kindness. They are family to us,” Frances wrote in a heartfelt farewell. “We will be forever grateful to everyone who ever walked through our front doors and introduced …

Gino Bartucci is no stranger to the food industry. His father, Gino, ran the legendary Gino’s Italian Imports in the family owned Piazza Italia on Harlem Avenue for many years, and his uncle, Tony, has run Pasta Fresh in the same cluster of shops for decades. Bartucci grew up in both businesses, so it should come as no surprise that he has made a name for himself, not only as the food and beverage director for the Dana Hotel & Spa, but as the new proprietor of BarTucci, which he opened late last year in Piazza Italia with his business …

In business, when time-honored traditions blend with new technologies, innovative products and fresh ideas, consumers win and companies thrive. That’s the secret behind the success of Volpi Foods Inc., which has dramatically modernized its processes and diversified its offerings while staying true to the values that have sustained it for more than a century. Established in St. Louis in 1902, Volpi is now headed by Lorenza Pasetti, great-niece of company founder Giovanni Volpi and the third generation of her family to produce authentic Italian meat products from distinctive Old World recipes. “Like my father and great uncles before me, I …

Tukaiz, an award-winning marketing services production company based in Franklin Park, has announced the opening of its in-house boutique creative division, agenz. Specializing in campaign strategy and design creation for both digital and traditional media, agenz also offers instant access to Tukaiz’ award-winning marketing production services. The addition of a dedicated agency allows Tukaiz to move rapidly from creative conception to final production delivery, according to Tukaiz President and Managing Partner Dan Defino. “Having a comprehensive agency capability right on our campus gives us yet another service we can offer clients who understand the value of streamlining their marketing efforts …