"Mah...qui siamo." Remember: A fresh egg today is better than a stupid chicken tomorrow. "Only In Italy!"

We discovered a great dish today: Swordfish in an espresso coffee crust. Mamma mia!   

Enjoy the issue, keep writing and Grazie!

Rome - April 15, 2010 - Italians continue to love their coffee, the consumption of which rose 2.7% last year over 2008 and despite high prices and the economic recession, the Italian National Espresso Institute (INEI) reported on Thursday.

The classic espresso remains the favorite at coffee bars, although decaffeinated brews are making headway and now represent 5% of coffee sold in Italy.

After sales jumped in 2005-2006, the popularity of non-caffeine coffee made from barley, cafe' d'orzo, has waned, while the so-called 'special' coffees, with whipped cream or nut paste added, maintains a dedicated following, mostly women.

On Friday the second Italian Espresso Day will be celebrated with the aim of "increasing the knowledge of this national treasure which we would like to see recognized and protected with a (European Union) quality certificate," INEI President Gianluigi Sora said.

On Italian Espresso Day INEI will distribute over 200,000 information pamphlets to allow Italians to "learn to recognize a perfect espresso or cappuccino," Sora added.

"It's 3:00 PM, Miss. It would be immoral and a violation of my oath to the Italian National Espresso Institute to prepare you a cappuccino at this hour."
"Huh? There is my certificate, hanging right above my coffee machine...next to the Mussolini calendar and oregano."

Our lovely and mysterious world of Espresso:

- Quality coffee beans are very springy, and to recognize their goodness some throw a bean on the floor. If it bounces, it means that the coffee is good.

- To test the quality of ground espresso coffee, place a teaspoon of it in a glass of water. If the quality is good the coffee should remain floating.

- Courteline Georges (poet): "One can change religion easier than coffee."

- An espresso should always be drunk boiling hot.

- Some say that to get the best coffee flavor from your espresso pot you should put a grain of salt in the water.

- Toto (Italian actor): "Take 3 coffees at once to save 2 (barman) tips."

Rome - April 13, 2010 - Although he has accepted responsibility and apologized for the so-called 'Crash-gate' incident, as principal at the time of the Renault Formula One team, Flavio Briatore denies any personal guilt in the episode.

In a statement released after he and the international racing federation FIA reached an out-of-court settlement to resolve their legal dispute, the 60-year-old Italian said "I assume my responsibility for the episode in Singapore given that I was the manager of the Renault team when it occurred".

Briatore added that it was his desire to put the matter behind him and concentrate on plans for his future. Aside from accepting responsibility and apologizing, Briatore also agreed to stay away from any Formula 1 activity until January 1, 2013.

In accepting Briatore's apology, FIA said it was also dropping all legal action in the interest of the image of the federation and motor sport in general. The Italian manager received a life ban from motor racing from FIA in September 2009 for allegedly ordering driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash out of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix so teammate Fernando Alonso could win, an incident later dubbed 'Crashgate'.

He then appealed the decision before France's Tribunal de Grande Instance, which has jurisdiction over the Paris-based FIA, on the grounds that the case against him was rigged and that he was the victim of a vendetta by former FIA chief Max Mosley.

According to Briatore, the animosity between him and Mosley stemmed from the ex-Renault principal's role in the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), of which he was deputy chairman, and its tug of war over regulation changes with FIA which at one point saw the teams threatening to break away and form their own championship.

The ex-Renault boss also argued that many of the procedures adopted during the original investigation and hearing were contrary to both FIA's International Sporting Code and French law and represented an excessive abuse of power by both FIA and its World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).

Furthermore, Briatore said, the decisions to carry out an investigation and submit its results to the WMSC were made by the same person, Mosley, who assumed the roles of complainant, investigator, prosecutor and judge.

The life ban, Briatore underlined, was not among the sport's authorized sanctions, the most serious of which is disqualification of a team's or driver's license, whereas team managers do not have licenses.

The French court overturned the FIA ban on January 5 but six days later the racing federation filed a counter appeal, the result a unanimous decision by its executive board, headed by former Ferrari principal Jean Todt, after consulting with the federation's legal staff.

In a statement on Monday, FIA said it intends to revise WMSC disciplinary procedures to avoid future "misunderstandings".

Flavio Briatore, model Italian citizen..."THIS IS YOUR LIFE!" (cue music and audience applause)

- Born to a family of elementary school teachers; he flunked out twice from public school but eventually graduated with the lowest grades from a private school.
Flavio: "I assume my responsibility given that I was present in class but my small and thick cranium denies any personal guilt for the grades."

- Found early work as a ski instructor and restaurant manager; opened a restaurant named Tribüla, which was his nickname. Restaurant was unsuccessful and went bankrupt.
Flavio: "I assume responsibility given that it was my sappy name on the restaurant but I deny any guilt that the food sucked."

- Was also involved in the bankruptcy of Paramatti, and eventually convicted on various counts of fraud in Bergamo and Milan and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison. To avoid imprisonment, he fled to Saint Thomas,Virgin Islands.
Flavio: "I assume responsibility for the frauds given that I committed them but I will deny any guilt for my fantastic tan."

- He has been identified as the father of Heidi Klum's daughter Helene (known as Leni). According to Klum, he is not involved in the child's life.
Flavio: "I assume my responsibility given that I was present in the sex act but my 'weenie' denies any guilt for the unexpected visit to the ovaries."

- In an interview with Autosport magazine, Piquet Jr. said that Briatore "is ignorant about Formula 1" and revealed that "If you listen to the pit-wall radio, it's like a joke. He hasn't got a clue what is happening in the race...he makes comments that don't make any sense."
Flavio (joke telling): "Guy goes into a whorehouse and there’s a chicken, a bear and a monkey; 50 Euros for the bear, 150 Euros for the chicken, 3000 Euros for the monkey. So, the guy says, Why 3000 for the monkey? I only have 30 Euros so I'll take the chicken."

The Easy Italia line will be in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and German, she said.

The number - 039039039 - will provide "daily, prompt assistance from the beginning to the end of the vacation," Brambilla said.

Operator: "Buon Giorno! Easy Italia, can I help you?"
Tourist: "Hello, bon jorno. Do you speak English?"
Operator: "Of course. The book is on the table, sir."

Tourist: "Ciao! Why am I paying a 15 Euro ($20) fee to climb up the staircase to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa...after waiting an hour on line to do so? Is the money going towards straightening it?"
Operator: "Ok, the Leaning Pisa of Tower...who?"

Tourist: "Hello! Ni hao! I'm been waiting 45 minutes on a restroom line in Venice thanks to your infamous sewage problems. And I've seen better bathrooms in the ghettos of Shanghai. I'm this 'close' to going directly in the lagoon. Can you please help?"
Operator: "Yes, please wait, they will fix in one minute..."