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July 19, 2021 By

“The Wines of Dante’s Inferno”

“We, the Ancient Wine Guys (Dr. Dana DePietro, Dr. Jeff Pearson, Ti Ngo, and Ryan Wihera), are thrilled to be collaborating once again with renowned winemaker and chef Pietro Buttitta of Prima Materia Winery to present the latest in our ongoing series of wine lectures and S.H.A.R.E. fundraisers: The Wines of Dante’s Inferno. In a unique retelling of this classic and foundational text, we follow Dante Alighieri and his guide, Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil), as they journey through the Underworld and meet a litany of unfortunate souls condemned there to atone for their sins. The evening will feature nine unique and delicious wines (one for each level of hell!) inspired by Dante’s text and world, along with three full courses of food pairings created and professionally prepared by Pietro. We hope you can join us for this special summer evening of literary, oenological, and culinary exploration!”   —S.H.A.R.E. Ticketing Page

The sold-out event will be held on July 30, 2021, at the Prima Materia Winery (Oakland, CA). All proceeds benefit the Society for Humanitarian Archaeological Research and Exploration (S.H.A.R.E.), a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that uses archaeology as a tool to promote peace and dialogue in Israel/Palestine.

Contributed by Rachel Duke (Florida State University)

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June 16, 2021 By

The 10th Circle of Hell is Southwest Airlines

 

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In her blog, Geraldine DeRuiter takes issue with her experience with Southwest Airlines’ seating policy, writing, “THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE ASSIGNED SEATING. Everyone has an “it’s me or them” mentality that extends to the entire flight.  I want to sit here. . .”

“There is a special circle of hell for all of these people” [. . .]    –Geraldine DeRuiter, The Everywhereist, March 8, 2017.

Categories: Dining & Leisure, Written Word
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June 7, 2021 By

Italy to Launch Dante Train

“Vintage steam train to take tourists on a slow journey through the landscapes of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna on the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death.” [. . .]    —Wanted in Rome, June 7, 2021

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May 26, 2021 By

Limbo (Playdead, 2010)

Limbo is a 2010 puzzle-platform video game developed by independent game developer Playdead.

In a presentation at the 2021 Middle Ages in Modern Games Twitter conference scholar Claudia Rossignoli presented a thread on the relationship between Limbo and the “intense emotional landscape” of Dante’s Inferno. Rossignoli commented, “The boy’s journey originally revisits classical katabatic narratives (also inspiring Dante), including in its final unsettling encounter (his sister?), which brings no closure and instead intensifies the initial loss, eliminating any remaining hope of finding a way out.”

Read the full thread here.

Learn more about the game here.

Watch the trailer for the game here.

See more from #MAMG21 here.

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May 3, 2021 By

9 di Dante’s Inferno Vermouth

“Inspired by Dante’s La Divina Comedia and his journey through Hell, this Vermouth di Torino Superiore defies the traditional boundaries of Italian Rosso Vermouths. Blended from equal parts Dolcetto Red and Cortese White Piedmont wines, we have developed this orginial recipe to deliver a modern an intriguing taste. You will be seduced by its intense ruby red colour and its fruity nose with hints of red berries, cherry and orange. Its bold personality will provide a rich and full bodied experience with well balanced herbal and citrus notes and a fresh and mildly bitter finish.”   –Description from the 9 di Dante website

See also Suzanne Branciforte’s blogpost “Dante’s March” (March 30, 2021).

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May 1, 2021 By

“Dante’s Inferno: Can Pettis Reignite His 49ers Career?”

“For some, failure fuels the fire. 49ers WR Dante Pettis has been accustomed to failure as of late. Dennis Waitley once said, ‘Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.’

“49ers WR Dante Pettis has become accustomed to failure as of late. Though Pettis’ team was incredibly successful in 2019, Pettis’ contributions towards that success were mostly unnoticeable. Once a highly touted 2nd-round draft pick, Pettis found himself slotted to be a starting WR for the 49ers heading into the 2019 season.”   –Gilbert Brink, 49ers Webzone, 2020

Read the full article here.

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April 3, 2021 By

Dante 3-layer Anniversary Cake


Contributed by Lorenzo Hess and Lucas di Cerbo (Bowdoin College, ’23)

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April 1, 2021 By

“Dario Cecchini on Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’”

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“For many visitors to Tuscany, their first taste of Dante’s verses came with their first taste of bistecca alla Fiorentina, crowded around the boisterous restaurant tables of local butcher Dario Cecchini. In Panzano in Chianti, surrounded by art and memory, Dario recites Dante by heart, towering over the modest shop display of carefully chosen cuts. There is a verse for every moment, from love to crisis, and the energy that comes with a celebration of life.” [. . .]    –Marisa Garreffa, The Florentine, March 24, 2021.

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March 30, 2021 By

Suzanne Branciforte, “Dante’s March”

“[. . .] According to most scholars, Dante is referring to Vernaccia delle Cinque Terre from Liguria (sorry, Tuscans from San Gimignano!) Perhaps he became familiar with this wine during his stay in Lunigiana, in the first part of his exile from Florence.

“It is in that very same Lunigiana where Dante lived that Cantine Lvnae di Bosoni created a spectacular red wine in Dante’s honor. Verba Dantis, a blend of two native Ligurian grape varieties, Massaretta and Pollera Nera, is a full-bodied red wine reminding us of Dante’s intense and passionate personality.”   –From “Dante’s March,” Suzanne Branciforte’s Italian Grapevine (March 30, 2021)

Read the full blogpost, which lists a number of wines commissioned to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the sommo poeta‘s death, here.

Contributed by Suzanne Branciforte

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March 6, 2021 By

Magnum X Dante– Limited edition ice cream pops inspired by the Comedy

Limited edition ice cream pops made in honor of the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death.  Purgatorio pop arriving in May-June, and Paradiso pop in July-August.

“Magnum, la più alta espressione del piacere nel mondo del gelato, celebra Dante con un omaggio alla sua Divina Commedia, la più alta espressione d’arte della storia della letteratura italiana.  A 700 anni dalla morte del Sommo Poeta, arrivano tre limited edition dedicate alle tre cantiche Dantesche, per vivere un’esperienza coinvolgente e sorprendente.  Un viaggio che inizia dal gusto intrigante dell’inferno, per poi assaporare la dimensione multi-sensoriale del purgatorio e raggiungere il suo apice con il piacere puro e delicato del paradiso.”   —Magnum

Contributed by Brandon Essary

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