Flavor of Italy podcast
Join Flavor of Italy each week for a look at Italian food and recipes, Italian culture, travel and history through interviews with Italy's cutting-edge creators, food personalities, locals and anyone else who has a fascinating Italian story to share.
Episodes
Pamela Sheldon Johns - travel itineraries, Tuscan accommodation, organic olive oil and cookbooks. Pamela and her husband Johnny own and run Poggio Etrusco, a 16th century converted Tuscan farmhouse. They produce organic olive oil from their 800 olive trees. Not to mention Pamela's 18 cookbooks and Italian Food Artisans travel itineraries with a thrust towards what is local and sustainable. Head to the flavorofitaly.com website...
Listen to today's fascinating chat with food historian and cookbook author Francine Segan: she's written six cookbooks and lectures worldwide on Italian food topics. Mario Batali says that "food historian and author “Francine [Segan’s] delectable, timeless, and earthy recipes reaffirm a beautiful and intangible aspect of cooking — that what nourished the souls and bellies of long ago is still the best of what brings us ...
The Flavor of Venice is cicchetti and an ombra (small glass of wine), chocolate & coffee tastings, Murano glass, Burano lace and color, gondolas. But the real question is: is Venice disappearing? Probably yes....
Until I came upon Kenneth R. Rosen's article, the Joy of Casting in Italian Waters, I'd never associated the pleasure of fly fishing with Italy. It turns out that fly fishing is indeed a passion throughout Italy and nowhere more-so than the Alto Adige area in the Veneto region in northern Italy. Here's how, when and where to create your fly fishing Italy vacation.
The historic holiday Baj Panettone is made with a 100 year old mother yeast. Cesare Baj, the 7th generation owner of the Baj Panettone company, walked me through the company's history beginning back in 1768. Part of the panettone tradition is the gorgeous packaging it comes in and it was this that inspired Cesare and his son Tomaso to bring Panettone Baj back to life in 2016 after 50 years of closure following rough economic ti...
The chat today about holiday wines for 2021 with my go to sommelier Cynthia Chaplin delves into lots of wonderful wines, many new to me. In this blog post show notes I've taken note of some of the wines we discussed but honestly they just scrape the surface. Tune into this podcast episode as Cynthia shares details and insight into each and every wine she suggests...you almost feel like you can taste the wine as she talks about ...
Cookbooks make great holiday gifts and here's a round up of some to choose from, most of them with an Italian twist. If you're interested in building up your own cookbook collection these books are a great place to start. Tina Prestia and I chatted today about some of the favorites in her extensive cookbook collection. Have a listen to the episode and take a look at the show notes for some cookbook ideas. There's one th...
It's holiday gift guide time once again, just in time for Black Friday. If you subscribe to my newsletter you’ve already received my holiday gift guide and probably gotten started on your shopping. The focus is on culinary tools, gourmet food & a fabulous Italian wine club! Plus my top choice travel camera that's powerful, but lightweight and easily slips into your pocket. Also, you're still in time to listen to my ...
What I love to see in a cookbook are stories that give context and history to the recipes, great photographs that help tell the recipe stories, and recipes that are clear and simple and easy to follow. Liguria is a cookbook that ticks all these boxes. I've been cooking my way through the Liguria cookbook and would have to concur with author Laurel Evans that lots of the recipes are my favorites! I love her recipes for Stuffed L...
The Rome Sustainable Food Program (RSFP) at the American Academy prepares community style daily meals for the fellows and also maintains a rich organic garden and orchard. Head chef Kyle Pierce and I chatted about the Academy, the RSFP kitchen and garden, and the RSFP food philosophy and internship program.
Most people think of Italy in terms of fashion, fabulous travel destinations and outstanding food but technological and scientific innovators, inventors and achievers like Guido Ucelli are a key part of the driving force of Italy. Some notable Italian scientists and inventors are Marconi who invented the radio, and Meucci who invented the telephone. Enrico Fermi was instrumental in atomic research and fission experiments. And let&#...
It's time to make the leap in 2021 for a Thanksgiving and holiday menu change: choose Roast Pig as the NEW Roast Turkey this year, and give your menu an Italian flare. There are lots of reasons for this menu change not the least of which is that this year turkeys are in short supply and more expensive than previous years. And let's face it: everyone loves pork! Michele Di Pietro and I chatted about great dishes to serve thi...
The Flavor of Italy Culinary Walking Tour of Rome is the number one way to take a deep dive into the very best of Roman cuisine. Today Andrew Cotto, author and NYT food and travel writer, and I strolled around one of Rome's best outdoor markets and nearby food shops and ended our Culinary Walking Tour of Rome with a fabulous food and wine pairing lunch at Rimessa Roscioli. Have a listen as you join us on this tour. Head to the ...
Sicilian travel designer Angela Macaluso shared the history of the monsù cuisine in Sicily. It dates back to the 17th century when French nobility traveled to Sicily, along with their chefs (the monsù), who created a fusion of elegant and refined French food with luscious, agriculturally based Sicilian dishes.
Citrons, the most ancient and aromatic citrus fruit, first came to Italy in 200 BC. It has almost no juice but the perfume and aroma of the peel and thick pulp make it perfect for candied fruit and other culinary uses, not to mention its importance for the Hebrew harvest festival Succoth. Calabrian tour guide and gastronomical expert Nunzia Bruno and I chatted about Calabrian citrons, their history and how they're used. Check o...
The annual Peperoncino Festival in Diamante, Calabria is a celebration of the local hot chili pepper, the Diavolicchio Diamante. Calabrian tour guide Nunzia Bruno and I chatted about the festival and the world famous Diavolicchio Diamante peperoncino. And all about hot chili peppers in general and what makes them hot.
Artisanal organic cheese made at the Alba Farm in the hinterland of the tiny Molise region is outstanding and a visit to the Alba Farm to sample their cheese is a must. Today I chatted with Nicola del Vecchio who inherited this piece of land from his grandfather. Along with his life and business partner, Michela, he has turned the land into a thriving fully organic farm that produces flavorful cheese from a mixture of goat and shee...
At the Dante Alighieri Verona-based wine estate, Possessione Casal dei Ronchi, the Alighieri's have been making excellent Valpolicello and Amarone wine for the past 700 years. Today Cynthia Chaplin, sommelier and wine connoisseur, and I chatted about Dante and the Alighieri wine estate, and the fabulous wines produced in this region.
What do you actually know about women in Italy who have done extraordinary things over the centuries, and in many different fields? Now's your chance to learn about two trailblazing women in 19th century Italy: Italian author La Marchesa Colombi and the American sculptress Emma Stebbins who lived in Rome for 12 years. Today I chatted with Maria Teresa Cometto about both women. She has explored their lives in depth and written ...
If you're looking for a spectacular holiday at a breathtaking estate in Tuscany with outstanding food and wine just a short drive to both Siena and Florence then look no further than Spannocchia. Randall Stratton and I chatted about this spectacular 800 year old working farm estate he and his wife Francesca own and operate. Spannocchia has been owned and run by Francesca's family for three generations.
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