England Archives - Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu

Eleven years of blogging, eight of podcasting

Another year! The good news is that this blog is still active and luckily keeps being found by those searching for Italian specialties like pizzoccheri or canederli or Italian misconceptions like my 6 Italian myths. The bad news of course is that I haven’t posted any new articles or recipes this year. I know, it’s terrible – but it’s also okay, given that social media has taken the place of blogging in many ways.

But I did resume podcasting (yay!) and produced 16 new episodes with as many guests and collaborations this past year! This continues to be a lot of fun for me and I’ve already started to work on a new round of episodes to hopefully reach my dream milestone of 100 episodes very soon!

Here is a list of the episodes this year. Thanks again to all of my wonderful guests!

79 Introducing Valeria and Benedetta from Local Aromas with Valeria and Benedetta Bianchini
80 Dining Out and Traveling During a Pandemic with Raffaella de Amicis
81 Questions Italians in North America Can’t Help But Wonder About with Sim Salis
82 Dissecting Ragù alla Bolognese with Tina Prestia
83 Introducing Cooking with Mamma Marzia Cookbook with Marzia Bellotti Molatore
84 Introducing Christine from Italian Dish Podcast
85 Introducing Local Aromas’ Advent Calendar and More with Valeria and Benedetta Bianchini
86 Christmas Traditions from Growing up in Sicily, Canada, and Milan
87 Introducing Eva from Electric Blue Food with Eva Grosso
88 Chinotto – The Other Way of Drinking Dark, a solo podcast on the somewhat obscure Italian soda
89 Introducing Kristie Prada from Mammaprada
90 Italian Words Gone Wrong – Mistakes on the Menu, another solo podcast, a reading on one of my older blog posts
91 Introducing Podcaster Wendy Holloway from Flavor of Italy
92 The Quest for Authentic & Original Recipes, with Diana Pinto
93 Introducing Becca and Sarah from Dietetics After Dark Podcast
94 Podcast Recording, Editing, and Production, with Sound Designer Geoff Devine

On a personal level, we keep well here in southern England, still working from home and enjoying plenty of homecooked food. We pretty much spend our time planning meals, cooking, cleaning the kitchen, and being grateful for having a dishwasher. As the government lifted all social distancing measures exactly two weeks ago, we are far from back to normal, unfortunately. Traveling is still not really possible, including to and from Italy which of course breaks our hearts. But we enjoy our area, which is wonderfully green after a very wet summer, and spending time with our cat Rascal, who just turned 19, overall doing great and still a great source of comfort and inspiration to us both.

I hope you’re all well, wherever you are, and please get in touch for collaborations, to be on the podcast, or just to say hi – I’d love that 🙂

Nine Years of Blogging, Six of Podcasting

Another year has gone by! After settling down in England, I found myself cooking more and dedicating more time to the podcast. With 17 posts, 10 of which are podcast episodes (four with new guests and six with returning guests), six recipes, and the first guest article, this has been a pretty productive year for me! After nine years, I’m as excited as ever for this project.

Why more cooking? I think it’s mainly because of two reasons. First, an increased availability of quality ingredients, especially produce, courtesy of the town’s street markets and of a couple of great supermarkets. Second, the access to a gas stove, as opposed to an electric range. I had forgotten what highly controllable, high-power heat can do for the home cook–get the water boiling in no time and then quickly bring it to a simmer; get the oil to a searing temperature, then lower the heat for braising and finally turn it all the way up for reducing. If you have tried both kinds of stovetops, I’m sure you agree. I hear induction is somewhere in between, but I have never tried it.

Why more podcasting? Well, because it’s a lot of fun! As I mentioned before, I love every aspect of the production, from approaching (or being approached by) a candidate guest to publishing the result. Partway through the year, I started tracking subscription numbers and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the podcasts had nearly doubled the blog’s subscriptions. I hope that this is an indication that podcasts are becoming more popular, which makes me happy since I have always felt part of a quiet minority of avid podcast listeners. I would like to thank my fabulous guests once more! I loved working with each and every one of you 🙂

This year, for the first time in this blog, I had the pleasure of hosting a guest article covering a topic I couldn’t have handled myself, but that perfectly fits within the project. Writer and enologist Melinda King kindly broke down the complex world of geographical indications and their cultural, political, and economic impact. To further discuss these themes, Melinda was also back as a podcast guest. Thanks, Melinda, for your generous contribution!

Looking ahead as year 10 starts, the podcast remains my main focus. I’ve already started working with future guests and can’t wait to have them on the show. I also plan on documenting a few more of the recipes I like to prepare, including my newest tradition–artisan bread from my sourdough starter, Bubbles! As you may have seen, Bubbles has now been in the family for four months, pretty much taking over my Instagram feed, in a rewarding and self-sustaining way 🙂

To close this brief retrospective, here is a summary of this year’s posts, grouped by themes, just in case you missed any of them. Thanks again for reading and listening, it has been an honor.

Podcast Episodes

Guest Post

Geographical Indications: Italian Food, Made Official Or “Complicated Simplicity”

[Thoughts on the Table – 68] The Forward and Reverse Culture Shock of Relocating and Going Back

Thoughts on the Table is back after a very long absence with an autobiographical episode. Following my relocation to England, I’ve now been living in my new home for five months, settling in and getting used to the local culture and habits. In this episode, my friend and recurring guest Nick Zingale takes the lead as we discuss the so-called culture shock experienced when relocating to a different country, as well as the “reverse” culture shock of going back to one’s native land.

How do we cope with culture shock? When do we start adopting new habits? If we go back, do the acquired habits stick? Do we see our native land differently? Join us as we try to answer these and more questions while trying to break down the differences between Canada, England, and Italy.

The music in the episode is by www.purple-planet.com.

Related posts:

Eight Years of Blogging, Five of Podcasting

Hello everyone! Today this blog turns eight years old, prompting me to give an (overdue) update.

As you have heard in the latest podcast, and seen on “the social channels,” I have some big news. After spending over 17 years in Vancouver, two months ago I moved to England! Precisely, to the town of Guildford, 30 miles south-west of London. I won’t go too much into the reasons for the relocation, other than saying that they are both personal and professional, and that I am super excited about being here!

If you wonder what’s going to happen to this blog now that I am much closer to Italy and perhaps no longer bombarded by the worst Italian Food “interpretations,” please rest assured that I will continue the project! Even though England’s proximity to Italy, along with a much reduced Italian-American influence should result in a much closer rendition, Italian cuisine is still foreign, and as such, subject to adaptation to the local palate, and I have started to see this already. But in any case, what I’m interested in the most is food culture (and I think you are interested in it too!); England has so much to offer on that front, and I hope to dive into it over time.

Cream Tea — Cream-tea: fruit scones, clotted cream, jam, accompanied by tea, of course!

For now, all I can do is share my first impressions. I may be stating the obvious, but, to me, the most noticeable difference between England and western Canada is that in England, the weight of history has resulted in a stronger national identity. However much I love Vancouver’s openness towards all cultures, it’s fascinating to now be exposed to more rooted customs, which may be even stronger in a small town such as Guildford. Moreover, it’s exciting to have the opportunity to explore and discover, for instance, that pretty much all cafes serve cream-tea, that the only fruit in fruit scones is raisins (or should I say sultanas?) and that crusty bread may be called a ‘bloomer’ (having no reason to be called “Italian!”)

I will talk more about British culture and traditions going forward, in comparison to the Italian and North American ones.

Now, onto a brief retrospective on this last year of blogging, or podcasting, as I should say. With only one article published, no recipes (boo!), and eight podcast episodes, it appears that I have been dedicating myself almost exclusively to Thoughts on the Table. I have certainly enjoyed producing each episode, along with my wonderful guests (some returning and some new): from the planning, to the recording, to the editing. If you missed any of them, here is a summary:

060 – The Basic Rules of Italian Food with David Scott Allen

Returning guest, food blogger and photographer David Scott Allen returns on the show to discuss The Basic Rules of Italian Food, such as that no Italian would dare to cut spaghetti with a knife, or to have a cappuccino after a meal!

061 – Rediscovering Artisan Craftsmanship and Ancient Grains, with Alida Zamparini

Food blogger Alida Zamparini returns to give us an update on her latest recipes and blogging trips. As you will hear, Alida has been focusing on regional Italian products and artisan craftsmanship, such as the production of ricotta in the Friulian Alps. Alida also introduces her passion for ancient grains such as spelt and Kamut Khorasan.

062 – Introducing Enzo De Chiara from The Italian Guest

An interview with blogger Enzo De Chiara during which he explains his link to the United States and how he started his blog to document his food, travel, and lifestyle experiences across from his hometown of Bergamo (in northern Italy) and his adoptive city of Columbia, Missouri.

063 – Italian and Italian-American Christmas Traditions, with Nick Zingale

A Christmas episode with my friend and recurring guest Nick Zingale. In the episode, he describes how his Italian-American family celebrated Christmas over the years, with a special mention of the Feast of the Seven Fishes.

064 – Introducing Crazy Italians and Their Video Series on Italian Food

Yvette, Giampaolo, and 9-year-old Azzurra describe how they started producing short videos to promote their Memphis restaurant and help introduce continental Italian food to North America.

065 – Introducing Foodiamo – the Italian Guide to Italian Food

Foodiamo’s founder Raffaele Asquer and chief editor Roberto Croci talk about the Foodiamo project and how it expanded from guide to Italian food in Los Angeles to online magazine of global appeal.

066 – Introducing Giuseppe D’Angelo from Pizza Dixit

Neapolitan born and raised Giuseppe D’Angelo describes how he made a mission for himself to discover the best Neapolitan pizzerias around the world. In his blog, he praises how pizza makers outside of Naples can obtain an excellent product despite operating in less than ideal conditions.

067 – The Premise of Italian Cuisine, with Melinda King

Writer and editor Melinda King talks about her background in food and wine science and history and shares her view on the true nature of Italian food with an insightful analysis that transcends its well-known allure.

Recipes – First Courses

Recipes – Second Courses

Recipes – Sides

Podcast Episodes

Guest Post