Colavita, the #1 brand of Italian extra virgin olive oil in North America, recently celebrated the Grand Opening of its new USA Headquarters in Edison, NJ. The spectacular event marks the gateway to the future for the company that began importing extra virgin olive oil to the United States, more than thirty years ago, forever changing the culinary landscape in America.

THE spring presents Italy  at its best. The lively and colorful celebrations of saints, ancient folkloric customs and traditional feasts build to a peak as the weather warms after Palm Sunday. But the inevitable corollary is that the season can also show the peninsula at its worst: thousands of tourists flock to the classic Venice-Florence-Rome classic triangle, Italians on vacation flood beaches and mountains, pilgrims swarm to Vatican City for papal Masses in St. Peter’s Square.

The thing about being murdered, it usually comes as a surprise. Even in Naples, where the criminal clans known collectively as the Camorra are again struggling violently for control of the streets, no victim wakes up expecting on that given day to die. He shaves carefully, dresses in his beloved clothes, slips on an expensive watch, and maybe squeezes his wife before heading out to meet with his friends. If he suspected his fate, he might at least kiss his wife good-bye. But the neighborhood has been home for generations to everyone he knows who counts. He deals there in extortion, protection, narcotics, and counterfeit goods. He abides by alternative rules. For this he is respected.

The project is called 20 Mondi— an effort by an American on a multimedia mission to travel 20,000 kilometers of the back roads of Italy in a wine-colored camper to call attention to all of the indigenous grapes of Italy, and perhaps, just perhaps, to help save them.

During the triumphant New York recital debut of the Italian soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci on Sunday afternoon at Alice Tully Hall, it was hard to keep from being a little upset with her. Here was a remarkable artist in her prime at 51, a musically intelligent and vocally splendid singer with a significant career in Europe who has been embraced by discerning maestros like Riccardo Muti.

Who did the practice of using red pepper flakes on pizza start with? Was it something that Italians did in the old country? And if so, where? Or was it a tradition that first-generation Italian-Americans began? Trying to track down the origins of an Italian culinary tradition isn't impossible, but it sure can be frustrating.

ROME —Umberto Bossi, the colorful leader of a populist party best known for its anti-immigrant rhetoric, resigned on Thursday amid a widening scandal of illegal party financing.Famous for his cigars, white tank-tops and salty language, Mr. Bossi once provided crucial support to the coalition of the former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi.

If you've never heard of arancini, you should definitely read on. Your culinary world is about to be blown. Arancini, which means little oranges in Italian, originated in Sicily. Name and appearance aside, arancini are not at all related to the orange fruit; they're fried balls of risotto.

Rome (CNN) -- Italy's highest court is expected to rule Tuesday on whether the captain of the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship will remain under house arrest. Prosecutors want Capt. Francesco Schettino to be held behind bars while he is investigated for possible criminal charges, but his lawyers argue he should be given his freedom.

LONDON (AP) — The father of slain British student Meredith Kercher has written a book about the life — and loss — of his daughter in a case that spawned a media frenzy.

Meredith Kercher was found dead in Perugia, Italy, in November 2007 at the age of 21. Her roommate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted over her death, but their convictions were later overturned.