Flavor of Italy podcast

This week's podcast episode is a re-release from two years ago, but the story it tells remains timeless. It explores the deep roots of Carnival in Verona, why gnocchi are inseparable from the celebration, what locals eat and drink during Carnival season, what else to see while you're in town, and how easy it is to pair Verona with a quick day trip to nearby Venice.

When people think of Verona, the first images are often Shakespear...

Liguria Italy is often reduced to a handful of famous images: pastel houses clinging to cliffs, glamorous yachts bobbing in Portofino, hikers threading their way between the villages of the Cinque Terre. But as this conversation on my Flavor of Italy podcast reveals, Liguria Italy is far richer, deeper, and more nuanced than its postcard reputation suggests.

In this episode, I spoke with Anna Merulla, co-founder of Beautiful Liguri...

Bologna food has a way of pulling people in quietly and then never quite letting go. It isn't flashy, it doesn't shout, and it doesn't rely on trends. Instead, Bologna food reveals itself through repetition: the rhythm of fresh pasta made by hand every morning, the clink of glasses in a neighborhood osteria, the steady hum of markets that have fed the city for centuries. That is exactly what emerged in my recent podcast conversatio...

If you've ever wished you could taste more deeply, pick up subtle flavors in wine, or understand why certain foods work beautifully together, you're not alone. The idea of improving how we taste has captured the curiosity of cooks, wine lovers, and travelers worldwide. It's the perfect moment to embrace the idea of how to train your palate, and perhaps even make it your New Year's resolution. Imagine entering the coming year with a...

Discover why Passito di Pantelleria is one of Italy's most extraordinary wines—a liquid expression of sun, wind, and volcanic rock. Helen describes drinking it as "holding a Mediterranean sunset in your glass," and in this episode you'll find out exactly why.

We explore the ancient Zib...

Every week on the Flavor of Italy Podcast, we explore the food, wine, history, landscapes, and everyday stories that shape life in Italy. But every now and then, a moment calls for reflection — and today is one of those days.

Because today, Tuesday, November 25, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It's a global day of awareness and remembrance, but here in Italy it carries deep cultural, social, ...

This episode is a special re-release of one of my most engaging and talked-about podcast conversations ever—an unforgettable look into true farm-to-table life in northern Tuscany.

James Martin brings to life one of his richest memories: a homestyle pig butchering carried out with his dear friend Armando in the most unassuming of places—Armando's mother's garage. ...

The shape of your wine glass isn't just decorative—it actively affects aroma, taste, texture, and even how your guests perceive the wine.

This year, make sure that when the cork pops and the wine pours, you're not just enjoying the bottles—you're enhancing the moment by choosing the right wine glass shape.
This fun and insightful podcast conversation - (and video soon to be on the Flavor of Italy YouTube channel) - with sommelier a...

There's something deeply comforting about a bowl of pasta drenched in red sauce. That rich tomato-based goodness—whether spiked with garlic and herbs or served with hearty meatballs—is so ingrained in the American dining experience that it's easy to assume it came straight from Italy. But the story is far more fascinating.
Understanding red sauce means understanding the immigrant story. Italian-American food tells a tale of adaptat...

The true heart of the Puglia region is Bari—a vibrant, living city that perfectly embodies Puglia's soul.
Check out all the things to do in Bari Puglia!

When you think of Puglia, the first images that come to mind might be whitewashed hill towns, centuries-old olive trees, turquoise seas, and meals that seem to stretch blissfully into the afternoon. But the true heart of the region is Bari—a vibrant, living city that perfectly emb...

Exploring one's roots can be one of the most meaningful journeys of a lifetime, and for Italian Americans, Italian heritage tours offer a chance to connect with family history, rediscover ancestral towns, and experience the culture of Italy in an intimate way.
In my recent Flavor of Italy podcast episode, I spoke with Cherrye Moore, founder of My Bella Vita Travel, who has been helping Italian Americans reconnect with their past fo...

When most people think of Sicily, images of citrus spring to mind: lemons, oranges, mandarins. For centuries these fruits defined the island's agricultural identity. Even Sicilian ceramics that often overflow with lemons and blood oranges. But today, something unexpected is ripening under the Sicilian sun: avocados.
This isn't the first time Italy has embraced an outsider and eventually made it feel essential. Tomatoes were once co...

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 th...

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 beat...

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 o...