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Umbra Institute is in the news again! This time, Umbra Institute receives attention in the regional newspaper La Nazione because of an interesting article published by its very own professor of history and coordinator of its new food studies program (to be launched in Fall 2011) Zachary Nowak. In the Diomede: Journal of Political and Cultural Studies, Nowak basically disproves what “every Perugian knows”: that the bread here is unsalted because of the Salt Wars of 1540. Instead he shows that this is basically an urban myth and that the tradition of unsalted bread dates back much further.
Which, of course, does not make unsalted bread taste any better!
What do chocolate, sugar, and coffee have in common?Yes, they all are delicious, but they’re also the ingredients in the famous Italian dessert known as tiramisù, or in English, ‘Pick me up!’. Some say the recipe for this dangerously satisfying dessert can be traced back to 17th century Siena where it was created for the Grand Duke Cosimo de’ Medici III. Others contest that it was invented in Treviso at Le Beccherie restaurant by the confectioner’s apprentice whose maiden name was Tiramisu.
Giampiero Bevagna, Umbra’s Roman Empire professor was recently invited to give presentations at two conferences in Connecticut at both Trinity College in Hartford and Connecticut College in New London. In his presentation at Connecticut College, “From Etruria to Rome: the Concept of Sport in Ancient Italy,” Professor Bevagna covered the evolution of ancient Roman games; how they transformed over the ages whether linked to religious ceremonies or had political connotations. His presentation, “Umbrian Sunset, Roman Dawn: How Early Italic Civilizations were transformed into New Romans” which he presented at Trinity College focused on the various stages in the process of Romanization in the region of Umbria.
The fortunate students of the Umbra Institute’s Renaissance Art course got what few who visit Florence receive: a professional tour that, in two days’ time, visits all of the major sites. What could be better? How about an expert in the field, noted Renaissance Art scholar Adrian Hoch. Professor Hoch’s class made its way from the Uffizi (Botticelli, Adriano da Fabriano, Leonardo, Michelangelo) to the cathedral, sacristy, and refractory of Santa Croce before closing the day with the Capponi Chapel. Day Two featured the Brancacci Chapel, Santo Spirito, San Marco (Savanorola’s cell and hair-shirt were on display), and finally, fittingly, the David. At Umbra, students don’t just study art: they get right into it. Coming up is Professor Hoch’s Leonardo field trip to Milan to see the Last Supper.
The article, written in Italian (Google-translated version) is intended to give the Italian audience an idea of what the American study abroad experience is like, from their opinion of Perugia’s public transit system – questionable – to the Perugian way of life (alluring).
One of the comments that almost every Umbra student makes about Perugia regards how easy it is to feel at home: “When I travel on the weekend, I can’t wait to get home to Perugia on Sunday – it’s such a livable city, and I already feel like I’m part of the culture.” From learning the tricks of the city – like which random doorways, gated and closed during the day, turn into late-night bakeries selling fresh pastries – to developing a relationship with the barista in the café under your house, it’s almost effortless to integrate yourself in Perugia.
Another Umbra landmark last night: it was the twelfth bi-annual literary anthology reading. The Birraio, Umbra’s go-to pub for important events, hosted the reading in their Buddha room. Professor Cynthia Clough, the instructor of the “Italy of the Imagination” course, conjured up the class’ work 
over the semester and then passed the baton to anthology editor Emily Swaine, who lead off the evening.