Being a man of culture as well as an expert chef, Gualtiero Marchesi has found himself being inspired by artists. He talks of dripping food onto a platter, much as Jackson Pollock would drip paint onto a canvas.

There are plenty of idiomatic expressions connected with certain verbs. Marika tells us about expressions with dire (to say).

Italian cuisine in the fifties reflected both the economic prospering, and the cultural growth of a population that had also begun opening up to new horizons through the birth of tourism.

Michela's lesson on nationality also concerns intonation, which is so important in signaling a question.

In many languages, animals are used to describe human characteristics, but not every language uses the same animal for the same characteristic! Marika shares with us the Italian point of view.

Various experts talk about their memories of Milan back in the fifties: Sunday morning rituals of getting pastries from the "best," bars, eating big meals twice a day, the cathedral square with its tram and neon lights, and so forth.

Daniela concludes this very important lesson about direct object pronouns. This time she explains about the feminine singular, and the plurals of both genders: Did you eat the apples? Yes, I ate them.

Anna and Marika finish explaining the tenses of the verb "avere" (to have). They give examples of present and past participles, present and past gerunds, as well as the simple future and future perfect.

Marika gives us a tour of her living room, where the family is entertained, and where she has lunch and dinner parties for guests.

Milan, as it became an important center for gastronomy and publishing, relinquished, at the same time, part of its regional identity.

You won't want to miss this lesson, where Daniela introduces direct object pronouns, as in: I buy the book - I buy it.

Marchesi talks about how much he learned from just being around great chefs who happened to be relatives, but also how much he learned from books. There are also some interesting opinions about why most great chefs are male!

Marika shows us her apartment's master bedroom.

In Italian families, the role of women has always been one of fundamental importance. Women were able to create wonderful meals with humble ingredients, but as talented as they might have been, their place was in the home, running the family, not travelling abroad learning haute cuisine.

In Italy, there are some very special desserts made especially for Easter. Gastronomical expert Susanna Cutini recounts their origins, their points in common, their symbolism. Whether you celebrate Easter or not, spring is a time of rebirth and fertility, and so there's plenty to celebrate!