Episodes Archives - Page 7 of 12 - Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu

[Thoughts on the Table – 46] Introducing Alida from My Little Italian Kitchen

Thoughts on the Table is back with an entertaining episode with Alida from My Little Italian Kitchen. I’ve known Alida’s work for quite some time, and it was great to finally meet face to face via Skype and have a nice long chat! Join us to hear Alida’s story as a blogger and the stories behind some of her articles. Among the various topics we touched on, Alida talks about her fascination for the weekly Italian street markets, the experience of meeting an artisan butter and cheese maker in an Italian latteria, and her fantastic achievements as a blogger to attend a pasta-making workshop personally held by Giovanni Rana and to be part of a TV show with top chef Jamie Oliver. I would like to thank Alida for taking the time of being interviewed and wish her all the best for her fantastic blogging career!

You can follow Alida also on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, and Instagram.

Music by: www.purple-planet.com.

[Thoughts on the Table – 45] Introducing My Italian Friends – Home Restaurants, with Silvia Arduino

Silvia Arduino introduces My Italian Friends, a network of home restaurants and cooking workshops specifically tailored to travelers who are interested in a deeper intercultural exchange with the locals. Tune in to hear about this new service directly from Silvia, one of its members, and join us as we digress into the food of continental Italy, compared to what is generally regarded as “Italian food” in the rest of the the world.

[Thoughts on the Table – 44] A Culinary Tour of Abruzzo with Domenica Marchetti

Food writer and cookbook author Domenica Marchetti is back on the show to talk more about her mother’s native land – the Abruzzo region in central/southern Italy. In the episode, Domenica paints a colorful picture of the region – from its geography which spans from majestic natural parks on the Apennines to beautiful beaches on the Adriatic coast, to its people, and – naturally – to its traditional food.

Domenica also describes a culinary tour of Abruzzo that she organizes along with her partners at Abruzzo Presto. The 2016 edition took place on September 18-25.

Music by: www.purple-planet.com.

[Thoughts on the Table – 43] Introducing David Scott Allen from Cocoa & Lavender

This episode’s guest is writer, photographer David Scott Allen, author of the amazing blog: Cocoa and Lavender.

I discovered David’s work only recently, but I got very quickly into it, joining its large fan base. David writes stories about food, and in doing that he provides detailed step-by-step recipes with plenty of information on each dish. And he has been doing this with strict weekly cadence since 2010!

A Classical musician by training and profession, David has traveled in Europe for extended periods and around the world, learning languages and absorbing people’s cultures, especially through their food. But out of all cultures, as you will hear, David considers himself “Italian in spirit”, having found in the Italian lifestyle his deepest connection (possibly also due to his exposure to Italy through his aunt’s marriage into an Italian family).

Join our conversation to hear David’s fascinating story directly from his own voice, with entertaining anecdotes and plenty of useful information on Italy and its true cuisine.

You can follow David Scott Allen on his blog, Cocoa and Lavender, as well as on Instagram (davidscottallen), Facebook (facebook.com/cocoaandlavender), and Pinterest (pinterest.com/cocoalavender).

[Thoughts on the Table – 42] A Chat with Domenica Marchetti, Cookbook Author and Food Writer

Domenica Marchetti is an American food writer and cookbook author of Italian heritage. In 2012, I gave her a much deserved Cannolo Award, and I’ve been following her since. I knew she was busy working on her next book, so I was very happy she found time and kindly accepted to be in the podcast. After our extensive chat, I must say that Domenica is exactly how I imagined her – she is approachable and funny, genuinely passionate about Italian food, and very knowledgeable on the topic.

In this episode-interview, Domenica talks about her Italian origins and her relationship with food, as well as how her former career as a journalist led her to becoming a cookbook author. Domenica also brings her authoritative contribution on various themes with plenty of examples and colorful stories. For instance, we discuss the existence of the Italian palate, the importance of technique as well as ingredients in Italian cuisine, and the role of tradition as the necessary base for innovation.

During the podcast, Domenica mentions the following resources:

Il Talismano della Felicità cookbook by Ada Boni.
The Molise region.
The Abruzzo region, with Silvi Marina and the saffron production on the Navelli plane.

You can follow Domenica Marchetti on her website and blog, as well as on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest.

You can also join Domenica in her upcoming Abruzzo culinary tour! It will take place September 18-25, 2016. Check out the tour’s page for more info.

[Thoughts on the Table – 41] Il Mercato – The Tradition of the Italian Street Market, Narrated

This episode is the narrated version of my article on the tradition of the mercato, the Italian street market. This was a very meaningful post for me, I’m hoping that through my voice I can communicate its content in a more meaningful way. Also, the post contains an original recording from a northern Italian mercato. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

[Thoughts on the Table – 40] Introducing Francesca Mastrovito from Foodemocracy

I already knew Francesca Mastrovito from her food project: Foodemocracy, one of the most creative and deep takes on the universal meaning of food and its unifying power. When I approached her to be a podcast guest, however, I discovered an even deeper view on food communication in the most general sense.

Francesca has always had a unique relationship with food, but food also became an academic interest of hers. For her bachelor in linguistics, she wrote a thesis on food as a communication system, through the example of Massimo Bottura – an incredibly rich experience during which she had the chance to capture Bottura’s personal message and how he spreads it. As natural continuation on her food path, Francesca enrolled in a master’s program in Food Culture and Communications at the “Slow Food University”, which resulted in another incredibly rich learning experience. In her master’s thesis she redefined the meaning of culinary authenticity through the analysis of the recipe as the linguistic path that allow us to associate a dish to its name. As a testament to her passion and insight, Francesca then joined the team at Osteria Francescana.

In this episode-interview, Francesca discusses her philosophy and talks about her path in the discovery of the meaning of food. You can follow Francesca through her web project: Foodemocracy, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, and Instagram.

In the podcast, Francesca refers to the documentary: The Search for General Tso by Ian Cheney.

Music: www.purple-planet.com.

[Thoughts on the Table – 39] A Christmas Episode, with Gino De Blasio

I’ve always wanted to talk about Panettone, Pandoro, and other traditional Christmas food in Italy. When Gino De Blasio suggested that we should do a podcast on the subject, I got very excited. We then arranged the recording, and my excitement can fully be heard in the show 🙂

In this episode, Gino and I discuss the difference between Panettone and Pandoro, and how such difference very much divides the Italians. We also mention a savory preparation called Panettone Gastronomico, which is traditionally served as an appetizer before the Christmas meal. Finally, we talk about ‘cotechino con lenticchie’ the traditional Italian New Year’s Eve dish, and the superstitions that surround it.

Gino and I would like to wish you happy and safe holidays, whether you’ll be having Pandoro or Panettone 🙂 Thanks everyone for listening and in advance for your feedback!

You can follow Gino on his website, as well as on Twitter.

[Thoughts on the Table – 38] Decoding Italy and the Italians, with Rick Zullo

I’ve been following Rick Zullo for quite some time, he is an amazing writer who has been capturing and decoding Italy in his blog, books, and podcast. I am very honored to have him as my guest in today’s episode.

Third-generation Italian American, Rick grew up wanting to explore the land where his great-grandparents came from. After several vacations and two 3-month sabbaticals, he settled in Rome where he lived for several years and where he started a blog to chronicle his adventures. His special point of view on Italy and his ability to discuss deep and sometimes controversial themes with charm and a humor made him very successful and earned him several awards, including Italy Magazine’s 2013’s “Best Living In Italy Blog” and 2014’s “Best Overall Blog for Lovers of Italy”. Rick also published 4 popular free guides (including Best Restaurants in Italy and How to Dress like an Italian) and 4 books for Kindle.

In this episode, I asked Rick to share more about his story and the story behind some of his most popular posts. Join us for a fascinating chat on regional differences in Italy, the connection between Catholicism and superstition, how to dress like an Italian. Also in the episode, an entertaining piece on the significance of the bidet!