When I think of French recipes, some of the first examples that come to mind are baked goods like macarons and soufflés, as intimidating to beginning bakers as they are delicious. Not all French recipes carry the same risk of disaster, however! As an amateur in the kitchen myself, try out these suggestions of (relatively)... Continue Reading →
This April, join the French & Italian Department for a celebration of multilingual poetry and music! All members of the University of Minnesota community are invited to submit, as well as local poets. The deadline to submit poems is March 15, so start considering your favorite foreign works. Here are the full details of the... Continue Reading →
If anyone has watched old Italian movies or have traveled to Italy, there is a good chance you have seen Italians passionately using their hands. But what do these gestures really mean? Believe it or not these simple signs mean more than you think. Here is a quick guide to some easy Italian gestures. Italians... Continue Reading →
Ah, l'art français... For those of us unable to hop on a plane to visit the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay when we feel like perusing the works of Monet, Degas, and Rodin, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has a huge variety of French art, from classics to lesser-known masterpieces. Whether you decide to... Continue Reading →
Cinema: a quintessential French experience. Where would we be today without the works of Georges Méliès, Jean-Luc Godard, or Jean Renoir? In a world much more drab and uninspired, to be sure. Luckily, the University of Minnesota has a veritable treasure trove of movies uploaded to their Digital Content Library (DCL). Among their numerous collections,... Continue Reading →
Italian Music Highlights make a triumphant return! Today's featured artist is Italian electronic/alternative rock band Subsonica. An influential band from a couple decades back, Subsonica's music and vocals are still moving today, especially for those who appreciate alternative electronic music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFVLPXyTJAU Subsonica has been producing music for over 20 years, since the band formed in... Continue Reading →
Music Highlights are back! This time, we're featuring a musician who will actually be performing at the Cedar Cultural Center in just a couple of weeks: Élage Diouf! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZeiebilJoY Diouf was born in Dakar, Sénégal but settled in Québec, Canada in 1996, where he has pursued a career in music. His music is mainly in... Continue Reading →
As the weather finally turns chilly and I bring out my extensive sweater collection from storage, I happily turn towards my favorite autumn tradition: spooky, supernatural stories. This year, I've been lucky enough to find a zombie drama in French that departs from the usual zombie story cliché. Les Revenants (English: The Returned) is a popular... Continue Reading →
Lose your heart to the timeless love story that has moved audiences for generations. In Puccini’s classic tale, six young Parisian artists survive on nothing but their friendship and the promise of a love so strong it transcends even death. Heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure, this time-honored story – the inspiration behind Rent –... Continue Reading →
