Italian Week: Cannoli, cappuccino, pizza, oh my!

Photo by abdallahh via Flickr

My best friend and roommate is a St-Leonard Italian. As such, I am an expert on Italian culture and cuisine by relation.

That’s how it works, right?

Hey, we all have a little Italian in us, if only when we eat exorbitant amounts of tiramisu. Which I plan on doing on Sunday as part of Montreal’s Italian Week.

Here are five ways to be a little more Italian this weekend.

1. Take a guided tour of Little Italy. They’re promising quality espresso and a cannoli. Do you really need any other reasons to go? The tours are organized by Amarrages sans frontières, are offered in English, French and Italian, happen both Saturday and Sunday and range in price from $13 (kids) to $20 (not kids). Reserve by email or phone (514-272-7049).

2. It may be a bit chillier tonight than earlier in the week, but that’s no reason to not head up to Little Italy. Get a fork and some lasagna to go and rock out as Michel Pagliaro inevitably performs “What the Hell I Got.” He plays at the Loto-Québec stage on St-Laurent and St-Zotique tonight at 9 p.m.

3. Don’t be a redneck. Check out the opera and get some culture in ya! Catch a rendition of Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 9 p.m.

4. There are artistic and musical performances going on all day Saturday and Sunday at Italian Week’s two main stages — Loto-Québec at St-Laurent and St-Zotique, and Shamrock at the corner of St-Laurent and Shamrock (sounds Italian, no?). Check out the downloadable program here (PDF).

4. You’ll have to roll me out of Little Italy and back to St-Henri after Sunday afternoon’s tiramisu contest. I’ll be profoundly disappointed if this just means I have to watch other people eat it and not actually partake. If that’s the case, you’ll find me weeping into my cappuccino in Uncle Pete’s bathroom. ■