Flavor of Italy podcast

Sardinia is a picturesque Italian island steeped in history, renowned for its extraordinary Sardinian food, and celebrated as one of the world's prominent Blue Zones, where longevity is a defining feature of life. It's a destination that beckons exploration, not only for its captivating past but also for its vibrant present. Join me on a journey through Sardinia's rich history, tracing its origins from ancient times to its present-day status as an autonomous region of Italy. From the enigmatic Nuragic civilization to the enduring influence of Phoenician settlers, Sardinia's past is a testament to its resilience and cultural diversity. No exploration of Sardinia would be complete without a dive into its Sardinian food and wine. From the traditional Sardinian diet emphasizing fresh, locally sourced ingredients to the island's renowned wines, such as Cannonau and Vermentino, there's a wealth of flavors to explore.

Looking for something unique to do on your travels to Italy, totally tourist free? One thing I'm asked all the time is: "what can I do while I'm in Italy that's unique and tourist free?" I always suggest getting involved in an initiative that will benefit the Italian community and get you immersed in an activity with Italians. Most everyone is familiar with the Komen Race for the Cure, an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness, and offer breast cancer education and health tips for the community. Rome's Komen Race for the Cure is just around the corner, scheduled for Sunday, May 12. It's easy to register and the run/walk takes you through 5 km of the most picturesque areas of the Eternal City!

Packing Tips for International Travel + Mastering the Art of Packing Light: Essential Tips for Stress-Free International Travel In the fast-paced world of international travel, the ability to pack efficiently and travel light is a skill that can make or break your journey. In my latest Flavor of Italy podcast episode, seasoned traveler Sarah Murdoch shared her packing tips for international travel including the art of packing light, drawing from her extensive experience exploring the globe. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation that offer practical tips to streamline your packing process and enhance your travel experience.

In the heart of Brooklyn, amidst the bustling streets and diverse communities, lies a treasure trove of culinary heritage. It's here that Daniel Paterna, a proud Italian-American with deep roots in his ancestral homeland, has crafted a masterpiece that transcends mere recipes - it's a celebration of family, tradition, and Daniel's rich Italian-American culture. In "Feast of the Seven Fishes," Daniel shares not just recipes, but stories that resonate with authenticity and love for his Italian heritage.

An intriguing article in a supplement to the Italian newspaper, the Corriere della Sera, highlighted Porto, Portugal as the top European travel destination of 2024. Coincidentally I was heading there soon after I saw the article. Porto unveiled a delightful array of delicious wines, and seafood delicacies, from succulent grilled cod to savory sardines. However, what truly stole the show was the Portuguese bread, and especially the Broa de Avintes bread. It's nothing short of extraordinary! Dense, moist, and bursting with flavor, this bread became our instant favorite, prompting us to embark on a quest to bring some back to Rome. Listen and then head to the show notes on flavorofitaly.com for the recipe!

Homes for sale in Tuscany Italy? + A Tuscan Home Makeover In this week's episode of my Flavor of Italy podcast, I chatted with Dena Fenza, a prominent figure on Instagram known for her recipes, style tips, and lifestyle content. With nearly 150,000 followers, Dena has captivated audiences with her unique blend of Italian-American heritage and New York living. During the interview, she shared her fascinating journey, from her roots in Brooklyn to her decision to build a life in Italy. Dena's search for homes for sale in Tuscany Italy was methodical and effective and lead to her purchase of a Tuscan farmhouse near Montalcino, in need of restoration. Have a listen to find out all the details:

At cheesemaker La Maremmana in Tuscany, just 2 hours north of Rome, buffalo milk is transformed into a myriad of buffalo cheeses by master cheesemaker Francesco, hailing from the famed dairy region of Battipaglia. La Maremmana produces a range of fresh buffalo cheeses, including hand-stretched buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, yogurt, and burrata. Additionally, inspired by French traditions, aged cheeses grace their repertoire. Rūma: A Taste of La Maremmana in Rome Expanding their reach beyond Maremma, La Maremmana has established Rūma in the heart of Rome. to offer a slice of La Maremmana's culinary excellence to city dwellers and tourists alike. Rūma is both a bottega, where you can shop for quality ingredients, and a bistrot where you can stop to eat.

Traditional Italian Risotto Recipes at Tenuta San Carlo. In this episode Tenuta San Carlo owner, Ariane Lotti, and I explored the Organic Marvels of Tenuta San Carlo: A Journey into Sustainable Rice Farming. Normally we think of rice growing and production in Northern Italy, in the Po Valley, but just two hours north of Rome along the coast you'll find the Tenuta San Carlo rice farm, a wonderful agritourism, and delicious risotto recipes. In the heart of Southern Tuscany lies this haven of organic agriculture, where the marshlands of Maremma have been transformed into a thriving rice farm. This is the story of Tenuta San Carlo, a testament to the dedication of four generations and a commitment to regenerative farming practices.

Unlocking the Charms of Molise: Italy's Best-Kept Wine Secret Italy, renowned for its illustrious wine heritage, harbors hidden gems beyond the well-trodden paths of Tuscany and Piedmont. Among these treasures lies Molise, Italy's second smallest wine region, nestled between the Adriatic coast and the Apennine Mountains. Despite its diminutive size, Molise boasts a rich viticultural history dating back to ancient civilizations and a burgeoning wine scene characterized by indigenous grape varieties and diverse terroirs. In this episode Scott Barden, sommelier and Molise wine expert, and co-owner of Vine & Soul, and I dig deep into the essence of some of Molise's spectacular wines and native varietals.

The Historical Narrative of Horse Meat Recipes & Cuisine in Italy: When it comes to culinary customs, the journey across different cultures often presents moments of profound divergence. These encounters with unfamiliar foods can evoke a sense of cultural shock, prompting reflections on the intricate relationship between food and society. Horse meat holds a unique place in the culinary landscape of Italy, where it is revered as a wholesome and nourishing delicacy, positioned somewhere between the flavors of beef and venison. Horse meat is often recommended for the young and infirm, believed to possess numerous health benefits due to its lean protein content and rich iron levels. You may be surprised to learn that some well-known multinationals have Italian baby food subsidiaries that have embraced the tradition of horse meat in their product lines: Mellini (a Danone subsidiary) and Plasmon, a subsidiary of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based H. J. Heinz Company. Their products include purees and ready-to-eat meals, and cater to parents seeking nutritious and culturally relevant options for their infants. This is a fascinating, eye-opening podcast episode with @mangiawithmichele and....you just might learn a few recipes! (Don't worry...you can also make them with beef!)

Italian American food and cuisine is a flavorful fusion of Old World Italian traditions and New World influences, shaped by generations of Italian immigrants and their descendants in the United States. It embodies the rich culinary heritage of Italy while incorporating local ingredients and tastes. Italian American food blogger and recipe creator Michele Di Pietro and I dove into the history of Italian American cuisine, and some of the cuisine's best known recipes. We chat about the Italian American Cuisine's best known recipes and their history, and how to make them. Get fready to take notes and do some tasty cooking!

Sicilian Cooking Classes at the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in the Heart of Sicily. Tucked away on an estate in the countryside south of Palermo is the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School, a unique center dedicated to preserving and sharing the great food culture of Sicily. The spirit of the school, now run by Fabrizia Lanza, the founder’s daughter and scion of a renowned family of winemakers, goes back generations. Visitors to Sicily often sense it to be a place unlike anywhere else—lost in time and a little bit secretive. The school and Fabrizia’s 2023 book, the Food of Sicily, opens a bright window on Sicily, celebrating this wonderful food culture while honoring everything that makes it special: a vibrant profile of the land, the people, the history, and so much more. Join me and chef Kyle Pierce as we dig deep into the essence of Sicily and the Anna Tasca Lanza Sicilian cooking classes.

Andrea Semonella, a Genoa local and co-founder of the popular website Discover Genoa, is dedicated to exploring the city. With a passion for food, Andrea and his wife, Marta, share their firsthand experiences and recommendations for the best places to eat in Genoa. We delved into their journey, and the hidden gems of Genoa's culinary scene, and some unique aspects of the city's street food and markets. This is the episode for you if you're interested in delving into the intricacies of Genoa's street food, restaurants, food markets and eateries.

If you think of Romeo and Juliet when you think of Verona you'd be right: Juliet's balcony is right in the city center. Or maybe Verona conjures up all the amazing Veneto wines produced in the area: it's another of Verona's incredible features. BUT: right now it's CARNIVAL SEASON and you may not know it but Verona is perhaps the oldest Carnival Celebration in all of Italy, if not the world! It gets started early in the third week of January with the selection of the new "Papà del Gnocco" and continues on until the Friday before Lent. The highlight is the great parade, with floats and dancers from all over the world who wind their way through the city center....and lots of gnocchi! But why are gnocchi intricately tied into Verona's Carnival Celebration? There's an important historical reason that dates back to 1531; have a listen to find out why!

Blogger couple Ilene and Gary Modica of Our Italian Journey share why they chose Lucca in Tuscany for their retirement home almost from the moment they entered this charming walled city. Lucca is a city on the Serchio river in Italy’s Tuscany region. It’s known for the well-preserved Renaissance walls encircling its historic city center and its cobblestone streets. Broad, tree-lined pathways along the tops of these massive 16th- and 17th-century ramparts are popular for strolling and cycling. Casa di Puccini, where the great opera composer was born, is now a house museum. - Google Food writer Mark Bittman says Lucca's "food is among Italy's most compelling -- almost certainly the best in Tuscany -- and the town is a draw in its own right. Enclosed by walls whose broad tops look out over the town's lovely towers and broad, calm piazzas on one side and park grounds on the other..." Lucca has everything within its walls: art, music, cycling, food, festivals...plus it's easy to get here!

Part 2 is a deeper dive chat with the delightful author of Pasta Every Day, Meryl Feinstein. Our original recording was close to two hours, and it could have gone on longer, as Meryl is such a pleasure to chat with and full of wise insight on life, and getting your hands into Pasta. Meryl shares her insider tips on pasta-making: everything from the kind of salt she uses, to pasta equipment. For Meryl "pasta is a social thing" - a way to make friends - it's "meant to be shared". And at the same time pasta-making is also great when you're alone, "it's therapeutic". Join us today for our open-hearted chat all about pasta-making, and the personal enrichment it brings you. Plus Meryl's insider tips on ingredients and tools for pasta-making.

Meryl Feinstein is charming and humble and a clever, creative, accomplished pasta maker and cookbook author. In just five years from when Meryl first created the Pasta Social Club she's moved on to write her delightful Pasta Every Day cookbook, with a fresh approach to pasta recipe creation. The book is full of exquisite photographs that transport you to another delicious place, page after page. I first connected with Meryl through her Pasta Social Club Instagram profile back in 2019 and since then she has amassed nearly 300,000 followers. Her book was named a 2023 Best Cookbook of the Year by the New York Times, Bon Appetit, and the LA Times, and Vice calls it "a masterpiece". Listen to this double episode chat with Meryl Feinstein to learn all about her pasta trajectory, her culinary history and approach to pasta recipe development.

Recently one of my Substack newsletter subscribers, a wheelchair user, asked if I'd do a podcast episode all about Italy accessibility information for wheelchair users and those with a mobility/physical disability. So here it is! This episode is a deep dive into wheelchair accessible hotels, tours, trips, guides, travel packages, mobility equipment, accessible bathrooms - everything you need to know if you're a wheelchair user traveling to Italy.

You've probably wondered about the importance of a wine glass, and whether it really matters which glass you choose. I know I have! The short answer is yes – and no. Today sommelier Cynthia Chaplin and I delved into wine glasses, an apropos topic during the holiday season and with New Year's Eve right around the corner! The bottom line is the best all-purpose wine glass shape is the tulip - perfect for your red wines AND your New Year's Eve festive bubblies. And there's one tulip glass that is a clear, affordable stand out winner among them. Listen to get the details!

Jeannie Marshall's new book, All Things Move, opens the door to a thoroughly new way of experiencing the Sistine Chapel, and the magnificence of Michelangelo's work. All Things Move: Learning to Look in the Sistine Chapel "tells the story of Marshall’s relationship with one of our most cherished artworks. Interwoven with the history of its making and the Rome of today, it’s an exploration of the past in the present, the street in the museum, and the way a work of art can both terrify and alchemize the soul. An impassioned defense of the role of art in a fractured age, All Things Move is a quietly sublime meditation on how our lives can be changed by art, if only we learn to look."