Flavor of Italy podcast

Pantelleria has a way of pulling very different lives into the same orbit. This wind-brushed crescent of volcanic rock in the Mediterranean sits closer to Tunisia than to Sicily, and its landscape of black stone terraces, dammusi homes, and low, bowl-trained vines shapes everything from architecture to what ends up on the plate. In this post I’m weaving together two lives that touched Pantelleria—Giorgio Armani and Ugo Ponzi—and the island’s essential foods and wines that speak its language of restraint and character.

The menu at Gargiulo's reflects the family’s roots in Sorrento, blending classic Neapolitan recipes with Italian American adaptations. Holidays are celebrated with care, and dishes like zeppole, fig cookies, and pasta with sardines take center stage. When you think of Coney Island, images of roller coasters, the boardwalk, and summer fun come to mind. But for generations of Brooklyn families, the real heart of the neighborhood beats inside a legendary dining room: Gargiulo's Restaurant. Founded in 1907, this historic institution is the oldest business still operating in Coney Island. In my recent chat with Matthew Cutolo, pastry chef and part-owner of Gargiulo's Restaurant, he shared how his family’s story intertwines with this iconic Brooklyn landmark.

If you’ve ever fallen head-over-heels for a story that feels like home, you already understand the magic of Adriana Trigiani. Author, screenwriter, director, podcaster, and tireless champion of craft, Adriana has written more than twenty books—and her newest novel, The View from Lake Como, is a heartfelt exploration of family, reinvention, and the tug of Italy on an Italian-American soul.

If you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of pasta shapes on Instagram and wondered, “Who dreams this stuff up?”—meet Laurie Boucher. She’s a pasta artist, a generous teacher, a fearless tinkerer with tools, and a former attorney who flipped her life to follow flour, water, and imagination. Laurie doesn’t just make pasta; she invents pasta shapes and the tools to create them—then shows the rest of us how to do it, too. AND…. One of her pasta shapes was just featured on the award winning series, THE BEAR!

How a Lagoon City Became a Crossroads of Cultures Venice is often celebrated for its shimmering canals, magnificent architecture, and enduring romance. But during the Renaissance, this improbable city built in a lagoon was more than just a beautiful backdrop—it was one of Europe’s most important hubs for commerce, culture, and, above all, migration. And this extended to Venetian cuisine, a direct product of migration....

Design Your Italy is a highly personalized one-woman travel consultation company that helps travelers discover Italy in a way that is intimate, unique, and authentically local. On this episode we chatted about some of Sicily's most evocative destinations—from the hilltop town of Erice to the windswept volcanic islands of Pantelleria and the Aeolian archipelago. If you're looking for the ultimate Italy travel planner to help you explore Sicily, Vanya is a name you should know. Tune in to learn more and explore Italian islands with us - think Sicily, Pantelleria, the Aeolian islands....

More chocolate stories in this delicious Part 2 Episode! A Deep Dive into Italian Chocolate, From Modica to Nutella and Beyond Italy might be most famous for pasta, pizza, and wine, but there’s another delicious element of Italian culture that’s often overlooked: Italian chocolate. And right now, it’s having a major moment in the global spotlight. Why? Because the legendary Italian chocolate and confectionery empire Ferrero—the family-owned company behind Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, and Kinder—has just acquired Kellogg’s in a $31 billion deal. This acquisition isn’t just a business story—it’s the latest chapter in the rich, complex, and utterly delicious story of Italian chocolate.

A Deep Dive into Italian Chocolate, From Modica to Nutella and Beyond Italy might be most famous for pasta, pizza, and wine, but there’s another delicious element of Italian culture that’s often overlooked: Italian chocolate. And right now, it’s having a major moment in the global spotlight. Why? Because the legendary Italian chocolate and confectionery empire Ferrero—the family-owned company behind Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, and Kinder—has just acquired Kellogg’s in a $31 billion deal. This acquisition isn’t just a business story—it’s the latest chapter in the rich, complex, and utterly delicious story of Italian chocolate.

Best Italian Wines for Summer: a glorious lineup of crisp, zesty, and often under-the-radar Italian wines that are perfect for warm-weather sipping. When the Italian sun is blazing and lunch stretches lazily into the afternoon, you need a wine that refreshes—not one that weighs you down. On the latest episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I chatted once again with Italian wine expert Cynthia Chaplin to talk about the best wines for summer—and as always, Cynthia delivered a glorious lineup of crisp, zesty, and often under-the-radar Italian wines that are perfect for warm-weather sipping. Photos and links included!

The genius of Leonardo da Vinci remains unparalleled and his works of art and scientific knowledge are world renowned. One thing you might not know about him is that he also cultivated a small piece of land – about 8000 m² (a little under two acres) - as a courtyard vineyard. In 1498 the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Il Moro, gave this piece of land to da Vinci in part as a form of payment for The Last Supper painting, but above all it was a way to grant Milan citizenship to da Vinci. In some of his writings Leonardo da Vinci talks about his vineyard. And!... If you haven't yet read Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson then it's time you get your hands on the book! It's his life story and shares every fascinating detail about the genius: his art and creativity that encompasses every aspect of life. It's a must-read: “A powerful story of an exhilarating mind and life...a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it.” —The New Yorker.

If you’re in search of short story collections to dive into this summer, The Perfect Fig by S.M. Walker should top your list. In this week's episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sharon Walker, the English-born, Italy-based author behind this charming and thoughtful work. With a cover featuring luscious figs—my favorite fruit and one I grow myself—this book caught my attention before I read a single page. It turns out that the stories inside are just as irresistible.

How Fungus-Resistant Vines Are Shaping the Future of Italian Wine A few decades ago, “PIWI wines” sounded like something out of a laboratory experiment. Today they are front-and-center in sustainable viticulture conversations from Alto Adige to Lake Garda—and for good reason. PIWI is an acronym drawn from the German Pilzwiderstandsfähige, meaning “fungus-resistant” vines. These precision-bred crossings can fend off downy and powdery mildew with far fewer chemical treatments than classic Vitis vinifera varieties, offering a timely solution as climate change makes summers ever hotter and more humid in key wine regions. Listen to this episode to understand what's going on in this sector, see some photos and links to explore even further!

Why Italy Feels Made for Cycling Tours Italy’s compact geography offers an unmatched cycling playground: from winding olive-lined lanes to vineyard-cloaked hills, dramatic mountain passes, and coastal stretches with endless views. Unlike the vast and often segregated landscapes of Australia or the United States, Italy’s countryside roads wind directly through life—farmers in the fields, shepherds with their flocks, hill towns clinging to ridge-lines. As A’qto owner Nancy notes, Italian drivers are often courteous and welcoming to cyclists, sometimes even pulling over so riders can take a photo. This cultural respect for cycling is deeply rooted in Italy’s national identity, thanks in part to its long tradition of professional and recreational cycling. Each of A’qto’s tours is handcrafted to reflect not only terrain but culture, food, wine, and heritage. Here’s a taste of their Italian offerings, including the brand-new Sardinia tour just LAUNCHED TODAY!

In Atina, in the mountainous heart of Lazio, far from Rome's bustling piazzas and tourist crowds, a young girl claims to have seen the Madonna (a Marian Apparition). Her story, quiet yet profound, forms the core of Broken Madonna, the debut novel by Anna Lucia. The book explores one of the most mysterious and emotionally charged phenomena in Catholic tradition: the Marian apparition. A Marian apparition is said to occur when the Virgin Mary appears to an individual or group, often children, conveying messages of faith, hope, or warning. Some of the most famous include Lourdes in France and Fatima in Portugal. But in Broken Madonna, Maria Lucia has rooted her fictional account in a lesser-known but deeply personal setting: the post-war mountain village of Atina, nestled in the Ciociaria area of Lazio.

Italy’s Mother Trees, Fishery Valleys, Endangered Wildlife and Invasive Species When we think of Italy, our minds often turn to Renaissance art, Roman ruins, and unforgettable food and wine. But the soul of Italy is also found in its landscapes—its ancient trees, forgotten wetlands, and endangered species—and few people capture these overlooked treasures and environmental challenges better than documentary photographer Elisabetta Zavoli.

The aggressive blue crab, a voracious predator, is devouring Italy's beloved clam population, now decimated by as much as 90% since 2023. This is a crisis you need to follow: listen today!!! Before we dive into this urgent environmental and culinary crisis affecting Italy today, I want to take a moment to celebrate something close to my heart: this is the 250th episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast! That’s 250 episodes dedicated to exploring Italian food, wine, culture, and the incredible people behind it all. If you’ve been listening since the beginning or have just recently joined the Flavor of Italy community, thank you. This podcast has been a labor of love for many years, and reaching this milestone wouldn’t have been possible without you. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider subscribing, leaving a glowing review, and sharing it with your friends and family. Your support helps the podcast grow and keeps these important conversations going.

Rome was buzzing this past weekend as something monumental unfolded: the selection of a new pope. And not just any pope. For the first time in history, the Roman Catholic Church has elected an American pontiff: Pope Leo XIV. I chatted with journalist Eric Lyman, a seasoned veteran of three papal elections—to discuss what made this conclave so unique, what led to Cardinal Robert Prevost's surprise selection, and what kind of leadership Pope Leo might bring to a divided global Church. We touched on questions like "where will he live?", what REALLY went on in the Sistine Chapel leading up to the May 8th white smoke, and much more. Listen in for this insider's chat all about the momentous 2025 Conclave and Pope Leo.

Tucked away in the lush forests of northern Lazio, just over an hour’s drive from Rome, lies one of Italy’s most unusual and intriguing destinations: Bomarzo Monster Park. Known in Italian as Parco dei Mostri (Park of the Monsters), this 16th-century garden is unlike any other—part dreamscape, part nightmare, and entirely unforgettable. This isn't your typical Renaissance garden filled with symmetry and order. Instead, it’s a chaotic, magical labyrinth of gigantic stone monsters, mythological creatures, dragons, ogres, leaning houses, and mysterious inscriptions carved into stone. Perhaps the most iconic sculpture in the park is the “Mouth of Hell”—a grotesque stone face with a gaping mouth that doubles as an open doorway. Above the entrance reads the eerie inscription: “Abandon all thought, ye who enter here,” a clear nod to Dante’s Divine Comedy. It was this statue in particular that sparked Teresa’s imagination and became the time-travel portal in her novel. Bomarzo is a "must visit" - listen for all the details about this unusual Bom arzo Monster Park!

Tucked away just around the corner from the bustling Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome, lies one of the city’s most magical and often overlooked gems: the Biblioteca Angelica. Founded in 1604, this remarkable library is one of Europe’s oldest public libraries, created with a revolutionary vision for its time—free and open access to books and knowledge, regardless of social standing or class. It was a bold idea, and one that continues to resonate today. Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the Biblioteca Angelica is its collection of books that were once deemed heretical or forbidden. With special permission from the Pope, Rocca ensured that these banned books—many of which were listed in the infamous Index Librorum Prohibitorum—were included. These works included writings by controversial thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei, whose revolutionary ideas put them at odds with the Church. This is a captivating episode and a step into a magical, true hidden gem right in the bustling center of Rome!

If you've ever cracked open a sweet, succulent blue crab in the United States, you know how beloved this shellfish is across the East Coast. But in Italy, the story of the blue crab is far more complicated—and, until recently, largely untold. This invasive species, once a stranger to the Mediterranean, is now causing ecological upheaval and threatening Italy’s prized seafood industry. In this episode, I spoke with marine biologist and entrepreneur Carlotta Santolini, co-founder of BluEat and the all-women initiative Mariscadoras, to learn about the growing blue crab Italy crisis and how a creative, sustainable food supply chain may hold the solution.