What would you buy a person who loves Italy?

[randomcatname]

Male, 60s. I was thinking the Mary Beard book about ancient Rome but it's very....particular. Would really appreciate some safer suggestions. TIA.

Pasta maker was my first thought Probably not quite the right thing, though.

My Dh loves those gladiator blood and gore films and books. I took him to Rome, and he was in his element.
Something in that region?

Tickets to the Salone del Gusto, Terra Madre in Torino, September 2016 (30th anniversary!) if he's a foodie. If that's a bit over budget, membership of the Slow Food Movement and he can sort himself out for that particular trip.
A language course? Michel Thomas's cds are brilliant.

Just out of interest, why does he love Italy so much? did five years there. Jaded but fluent and hard as nails!

Art, opera, food ?

Thank you for the ideas. You've got me thinking of making up a hamper with a little bit of everything thrown in - which completely busts the budget even without the flights to Italy

I've no idea why he loves Italy so much. He holidays in Spain every year! I think it's maybe more the history perhaps, he studied Classics at uni, I think.

A good bottle of Grappa?

Does anyone know any good music? Are any Italian singers launching a new album or anything like that? grasping at straws

I like the grappa idea but heart condition...

Andrea Bocelli ?

I'd do the hamper (and indeed do....)
I live here and for my Italy mad friend's wedding present, we took a hamper with wine, oil, cheese, coffee, chunky garish ceramics etc. Dp was horrified as that's what you take when you go to a vigil over a dead body the night before the funeral. My friends loved it though.
Maybe a copy of Under the Tuscan Sun ( book, not the dire film) or the Dark Heart of Italy (to balance out UtTS.

Oooh tempted by that, LIZS!

Il Volo are the il Divo style mock opera group of the moment. Quite good.

How about dvds, any gangster films or perhaps an opera performance? Pucini?

A classic - Elizabeth David's Italian Food. Or any Marcella Hazan Italian cook book. Her recipes work .

Truffle honey (get from M&S) and Italian cheese. My world changed when I discovered truffle honey with cheese (thank you Idle Rocks, Cornwall).

Has he read any Harry sidebottom books. I think there is a new one.
(Roman history novels)

Josh Groban sings some songs in Italian. DH has a giant man-crush on him.

If you're near Manchester/Salford pop into the Manchester Food and Drink award-winning Lupo Caffe Italiano and buy him some Italian biscuits. Or if you're really fond of him, take him there for lunch.www.facebook.com/Lupo-Caff%C3%A8-Italiano-342169352644186/ I'm not on commission and I'm not a relative ...

lemoncello, infused olive oils, anything with olives or lemons on it (check out le jacquard tea towels)

A bialetti coffee maker. Oh yes. Or a really decent pantatone or tin of Amoretti cookies.

Orrrrrr get some Ciro brand pasta/passata which is pretty authentic.

A hamper from Carluccio's or a local deli?

Oh or there's a nice cookbook I will need to check the title - sometjing like 'a year in Italy' from phiadon. Lovely book, beautiful photos... Maybe a carluccio cook book?

I vote a beautiful print, either a photo taken in Italy, or a map of Italy - maybe a vintage or illustrated one.

Oh on I got some lovely prints a few years ago - beautiful Italy scenes about £45 each. I will need to dig them out for the artist details but they are low run prints, a bit like woodcuts and beautiful.