Parliamo! Comes Alive at Jaco’s: Language, Culture, and Cuisine on the Bay
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
By Gaia Prunotto

On April 23, Buona Fortuna Lodge hosted its second Parliamo! dinner at Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille, bringing together members for an immersive Italian language experience. With sunset views over Pensacola Bay, guests explored regional cuisine while speaking entirely in Italian. The evening blended learning, laughter, and culture—creating a memorable night for all.

Last Thursday, April 23, Buona Fortuna Lodge hosted our second Parliamo! dinner at Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille.

With a beautiful sunset over Pensacola Bay as our backdrop, 24 guests gathered to enjoy an evening of food, language, and Italian culture. Throughout the night, participants spoke in Italian while learning about regional dishes and culinary traditions from across Italy.

We began the evening with an introduction to Italian regional cuisine, followed by engaging matching and sorting exercises featuring local dishes—some of which challenged even the most experienced among the group. Guests explored the traditional ingredients of Northern and Southern Italy and their deep connection to the land and culture.

Along the way, we discovered new dishes such as lampredotto—a Florentine sandwich made from cow stomach—and canederli, hearty bread dumplings from Friuli Venezia Giulia.

To put our new vocabulary and knowledge to the test, we played Indovina il piatto (Guess the Dish). Each participant received a secret dish card placed on their forehead and, using only Italian and a series of guiding questions, worked to identify it. The activity brought energy and laughter to the group, as everyone did their best to guess their dish while expanding their language skills.

After nearly three hours, we concluded what I consider a very successful and rewarding evening. It was truly a pleasure organizing the Italian activities for Parliamo!—I could not have asked for a more enthusiastic group or more passionate learners.

A special thank you to Rosie Gasowski and Diana Mancini for their help in organizing the dinner, and to Joe Lorette for his continued support and expertise. Gratitude as well to Andy, Libera, Rosanna, and Tina for sharing your knowledge of the Italian language and culture.

I look forward to seeing everyone again in June for our next Parliamo! dinner. The date and location will be announced soon, and we plan to open additional seats to accommodate our growing group.

A presto, e grazie!!